Nentarli [COMPLETE]

~ Forty-two ~

"You've lost me but I think you've got the wrong end of the stick," I was trying to keep up with his thought process but it was confusing and complicated.

"I do not understand what stick you are referring to. We should go inside before you freeze." He stepped back again and I took a step forward, my frustration had given me more courage.

"You are hopeless! When I said we don't want any audiences I meant it but not for... they're supposed to be informal to get to know someone, but we don't... ugh this isn't coming out right." I took a deep breath but when I looked at Blaike my breathing stuttered, he looked hurt, it was hard to see him like that.

"The message was very clear, no audiences with anyone."

I growled out my frustration with him and also myself for messing this up. Neither of us was making this easy, but I couldn't just leave it there.

"We don't need an audience though... now that came out wrong," I gritted my teeth, it kept going from bad to worse.

Blaike frowned, "I do not understand."

"Okay, understand this," and before I knew what I was doing, I grabbed Blaike's shirt and pulled him down to me.

I kissed him, hard and passionate, my frustrations punctuating the touch of my lips against his. Barely a second passed before he was kissing me back, my doubts about whether he liked me too were silenced. He wrapped his arms around my torso and pulled me flush against him, I felt his warmth and his scent engulf me in a dizzying array of emotions.

The kiss turned softer, gentler the longer it lasted. My hands pressed flat against his toned chest and I could feel his heart racing as fast as mine. My brazen behaviour had paid off and we stood in that moment for what felt like hours, the cold and darkness of the night forgotten.

When we finally broke apart, we were out of breath but neither of us moved away from the other. I stared up into Blaike's eyes, seeing that familiar expression and just now recognising that it was attraction. He had been wanting that kiss for weeks, he had been wanting to find a way to make it happen but never had the courage or maybe the opportunity to do so. I had taken it out of his hands and we both finally got what we wanted.

"I... guess that did not require an audience," Blaike said breathlessly and smiled.

I laughed, "Now you see what I was trying so terribly to say."

He echoed my laughter, "I do... however I wish we had got to this part much sooner."

I blushed and he brought a hand up to hold my face. I smiled at the gentleness of his touch, despite the calluses on his hand.

"We had to arrive here when we were ready, and I'm really glad we finally did."

"As am I... and I am also glad that you are far more courageous than I."

I felt giddy and I shook my head, "I think you might have been getting mixed signals from me. I'm sorry for that, I was just a bit confused about my feelings... and yours."

"You do not have to apologise, there were faults on both parts. As you said, we had to arrive here when ready."

I nodded and glanced up at the house, "What do we do now? Do we have to tell people? Do you have to ask my dad's permission or something? I don't really know how it works here."

Blaike's thumb stroked my cheek and I almost lost track of all of my thoughts.

"It is our business, we are adults and I do not have to ask anyone's permission except for yours. Would you like people to know? And if not, it would mean we must sneak around behind their backs. I am not comfortable with that, but I also do not want this to end." He smiled warmly and I almost forgot how to speak.