It's Up To You

Chapter 30*

When Elvis returned, he finally cooled down. There I sat in the living room. He walked in and stood before me, his legs spread wide and his finger looped in his belt ring.

"I've though this over." He announced as I sat there. "And I don't think you'd sell any stories about me. I know you really treasure this arrangement."

"Arrangement?" I asked with a risen brow.

"I was going to propose to you and try out engagement life after you moved in. But you forced my hand to be suspicious." He rose a brow at me. "Whether you sold the story or not, you still told your little female friends."

"I needed to tell someone." I sighed.

Elvis sat next to me on the couch, then leaned forward with his elbows on his knees. "Surprisingly, the public isn't surprised I'm with a colored girl."

"What do you mean? It's all over the papers!" I frowned at him.

"But the people who hate me for this already hated me for the type of music I was making. So having a colored girlfriend I guess just comes along with it." Elvis shrugged with a grin.

"I'm not an accessory for your Rock & Roll image, Elvis." I said in a weak voice. "I'm a human being and I'm in love with you."

"And I care about you, but this loss of trust set us back a bit." Elvis held my hand. Then, he brought it up to his lips, kissing my finger softly. "Listen, if we're gonna try this, we gotta try it all the way."

"Why have you been so emotionally distant this whole time, Elvis?" The words spilled out of my mouth. 

Elvis stood up in front of me once again. "I was an idiot, okay? I was so caught up on who would see us and what everyone would think."

Then, Elvis held out his hand toward me. I placed mine in his and stood up, he pulled me in and pressed my body against him. "Everything I feared about this relationship and what people would think already has happened. And guess what I've decided?"

"What?" I asked with a smirk, wrapping my arms around his neck.

"I don't care if you're Colored, Latina, Asian, or Indian. You're my girl and I never cared about that stuff." Elvis rubbed my back as he held me close. "And the people who do care aren't a friend of mine. So who cares what they say?"

"I love you, Elvis." I hugged him, pressing my lips to his cheek then to his ear.

"I love you too." He whispered, then Elvis began kissing me. Things got passionate, I found myself pressed against a wall as Elvis touched all over my body. I wanted so badly for him to tear my clothes off and sleep with me, but knowing Elvis I doubted that would be the case.

"Why don't you make love to me, Elvis?" I asked out of breath as he kissed my neck. "I have so much to give to you— I've been waiting all these years!"

"You wouldn't understand." He mumbled into my shoulder. Then, Elvis looked into my eyes. "Do you love Ricky?"

The question took me by surprise. It scared me more than anything, especially since I didn't know the answer.

"I want to be with you." I placed my hand on his cheek, then closed my eyes as I left a kiss on his lips.

"If we made love, you wouldn't understand me. I'm not like other guys." Elvis tried to explain as he placed the palm of his hand on the wall I leaned against. "I'm not gentle."

"You're the most gentle man I know." I held the lapels to his button down shirt.

"No, Lauren." Elvis clenched his jaw as he grabbed both of my wrists. I was shocked, my eyes were wide as I looked into his. "I like..."