Kaycee stood silently, deep in thought. Sean grew concerned for her mental state in the meantime. He couldn't comprehend how such a beautiful person could be put under such harsh circumstances. Despite the storm of emotions going on in her head, Kaycee still found Sean's hand to hold comfortably. Her chest rose and fell at a slower pace as she could finally be at peace.
Sean happily accepted her small hand, even going as far to place their intertwined hands in his lap after he sat down. "I can't believe you remembered this place." She murmured in astonishment.
The loving woman watched her boyfriend lean back on his free hand, burying it in the star magnolias around them. A grin settled on his lips as he saw just the reaction he desired from her. It was a nearly perfect view of the sunset, which reflected on their faces beautifully.
Once the couple left the police station, Sean wanted to steer her mind away from what occurred so he brought her to the place he knew she loved most.
"How could I not?" Sean scoffed with a knowing glance, not bothering to look away for a second. Kaycee blushed as she looked ahead at the beaming sun. "You never cease to remind me how amazing you are." She sighed, running a hand through her hair.
If Kaycee weren't fearful of losing Sean, she'd go on an entire tangent about how much she adored him. It wasn't just his good looks she'd completely fallen in love with. It was the look in his eyes when she came into a room, the way he'd lean forward whenever she told him a story or fact about herself, the way his touch held possession yet the utmost amount of care, his smile, his support in every decision she made..
As Kaycee got lost in thought, she wondered why she deserved Sean. What had she done to make herself worthy of his affection?
Her boyfriend could tell she was in deep thought so he pulled her into his lap, wrapping his arms around her waist securely. "What are you doing?" She asked, just above a whisper, looking down at him. Her legs straddled him as she completely faced him.
"Nothing, I just wanted you." He shrugged, leaning into her. She hummed in response, sighing in contentment. "What were you thinking about?" Sean asked, looking into her eyes.
"My boyfriend." Kaycee said, fiddling with her necklace anxiously. Her answer caused a wide smile to form on his lips, his hand resting on hers, halting the movement of her fingers. "And what about him?" She gave him a skeptical, yet playful glance.
"Can't tell you that." The woman declared, averting her gaze nervously. Sean's eyebrows furrowed before he held her impossibly closer. "Why is that?" He asked. His voice was soft yet dominant, intimidating even. His eyes swept over her face in an attempt to read her.
"Because you may get upset at me..and we're in a good place right now." Kaycee stated with hesitance, looking anywhere but at the man beneath her. Sean cupped her cheek gently, guiding her eyes to his. "Beautiful, I don't care about that. I'd be more upset if you didn't tell me at all. We talked about this." He said in a soothing tone. His thumb stroked her cheek lightly as they stared at each other.
With a sigh, Kaycee nodded, working up the courage to communicate. "I feel bad for putting you through this. You didn't sign up for this, you know? And I apologize for letting him touch me like that-"
"You didn't let him do anything! He forced himself onto you. You shouldn't feel bad for anything because one thing's for certain, this is not your fault and second, I did sign up for this. I knew I wanted you from the moment I saw you and whatever came with you, I was going to accept it with open arms." Sean exclaimed passionately. "As your partner, it's my job to be here. I want to be here."
His girlfriend sighed softly whilst reading her boyfriend's features. His eyes were fiery while his eyebrows furrowed and his lips held a slight frown. Kaycee brought a hand up to his face and kissed his temple. She repeated the gentle gesture until she felt his body relax.
"Thank you, I'm sorry." The brunette whispered in his ear as she proceeded with her affections. "You're completely right. I'm being unfair to myself...and you." Sighing harshly, Kaycee began to settle back onto the grass, however, Sean secured his hand on her waist once again.
Her eyes instantly locked on his. "Never. You are perfect for me, angel. Undoubtedly perfect." Sean stated firmly with furrowed brown and the most intense look in his eyes, causing Kaycee to swoon. His heart soared as she smiled brightly at him, hugging him tightly.
"God, I love you." She said in awe. Kaycee was far too caught up in his embrace to comprehend the words that flew from her mouth. But for Sean, his world changed. It became clearer and bright, no longer dull and filled with worries of adulthood.
He pulled back, only for him to display the smile he owned just for her. Kaycee looked at him and reflected the smile effortlessly. "What?" She asked.
"You love me." Sean beamed sheepishly, butterflies swirling in his stomach. He could faint.
"I know." She giggled, looking down to hide her blush. "You don't know how long I've been wanting to hear you say that, Kayc." He said, sweeping her hair out of her face.
"I love you too." Sean said breathlessly once he met her eyes. "And I mean that. You...complete me." He said, happy to finally get the sweet words out of his mouth. Kaycee swore she was gonna pass out from his loving touch and tone.
With dilated pupils and full smiles, the couple leaned in, connecting their lips intimately. The world faded from their minds, even the field they were in. It was just Sean and Kaycee in an abyss where love was all they knew.
~~
"Just give me two minutes, moon!" Kaycee called out from Sean's bathroom as she tampered with the smallest features of her outfit. It has been two days since the couple reached a new stage in their relationship, opening their hearts even further to one another. After their session of long kisses and hugs, Kaycee asked Sean if he'd attend her family's company banquet, mentioning how they'll be expecting him.
Sean agreed on one condition: that Kaycee meets his family. For obvious reasons, she was excited but more so overwhelmingly nervous. She wanted them to not only like her but actually want her to be part of the family.
"Kayc, you've been saying that for the past 10 minutes. I'm sure you look-" Sean reassured her as he rounded the corner from his closet to his bathroom. He was halted by the sight of his girlfriend in a long red sundress with white floral print and some small white heels. His heart instantly melted at the sight of her.
"Absolutely beautiful." He murmured breathlessly.
"Sean, you always say that. I don't want to look terrible when I meet your family. I want this to go well." She groaned, running her hands along her dress.
"And I mean it every time." He sighed, hugging her from behind as she stared at herself in the mirror. His chin rested on her shoulder while his arms wrapped around her waist securely. "They'll love you, I know it. They know how much I adore you."
"But that's your opinion of me. I don't want them to like me just because they want you happy. I want them to like my personality and-" Kaycee sighed in frustration.
"And they will! You're one of the best people I've ever met. I'm not just saying that as your boyfriend, I'm saying that because it's true. I call you an angel for a reason. Your heart is made of gold and they're going to see that." Sean stated calmly, stroking her waist with his fingertips. The nerves in her chest, which were at an all time high, dissipated as she locked eyes with her boyfriend in the mirror.
He kissed her cheek sweetly, causing a grin to form on her face, giving her a slight squeeze in the process before letting her go. That was another thing Kaycee realized she loved about him: Whatever her feelings were, whether they were filled with anxiety, sadness or excitement—anything; He never took them with a grain of salt. Sean thought of her feelings as pieces of the puzzle that made Kaycee who she was. He cherished them, memorized her patterns, and learned to love every single one of them.
Kaycee straightened her posture after Sean's encouragement and waltzed out of his bathroom, happily reaching for Sean's hand. He was sitting on one of his kitchen stools, patiently waiting on his angel. "I'm ready!" She chirped happily, causing Sean to let on his own grin.
Shortly, they made their way to Sean's family home. He had nothing but happy memories attached to it and now he'd have another with his family meeting his girlfriend for the first time. Kaycee thought about what would happen if her boyfriend's family really didn't like her. Would they have to break up? Would Sean be looked down upon for staying with her? Well..if he chose her? 'Would he choose me?' Kaycee thought, her heart dropping at the thought of him leaving.
As if on cue, Sean put his hand on her fidgeting hands that were placed in her lap. An audible gasp left her lips, partially frightened by how he knew her so well. "They really will love you. Not like how I do, but they will. Once they meet you, angel, I promise you'll feel like you've always been there." He said soothingly while keeping his eyes on the road.
His thumb made circles on the back of her hands, massaging them slowly. A small smile possessed Kaycee's lips at her boyfriend's reassurance. They turned into a bright neighborhood, from freshly cut grass to nicely decorated porches and driveways. It was cutting close to the time of Halloween, but despite the scary decor, the neighborhood looked lively. By cutting close, it meant the first ten days of October had passed which made everything like stores and restaurants go into full swing.
"Alright. We've arrived." Sean said whilst pulling over on the side of the street. Kaycee looked around, seeing about three cars in his driveway. She swallowed her nerves and turned to Sean.
"We can sit here for a bit since we're early. I don't see my sister's car yet." He said, parking the car and taking his seatbelt off. Kaycee unbuckled hers as well, instantly leaning over the middle console to capture her boyfriend's lips. Sean placed a hand on her arm, instantly submitting to her lips. She pulled away shortly after a few moments, not letting things get too far. "Thank you, Sean. It means a lot that you've been so patient with me—with us." Kaycee smiled, letting herself rest in her seat.
"Of course, baby." He said sweetly, kissing her hand softly. "I just like to make sure you're comfortable."
Kaycee looked at him in awe with her mouth agape. "Wha- where the hell have you been all my life?!" She said in disbelief, just above a whisper. Sean chuckled, adoring the way she addressed him like he was a lost treasure.
"I should be asking you that, Kaycee Rice."