Chapter 16
Spending the whole day with her parents and grandparents was wonderful. They got up early to have a delicious breakfast consisting of waffles, pancakes, toast, scrambled eggs, muffins, freshly squeezed orange juice and of course Danni's homemade yogurt. They talked about Christmas that was just around the corner. They told each other what they got so far for Zach and Luca, and if they didn't get anything yet what they were going to get. The Harrisons had a family tradition, to always buy two things for each person. One could be as expensive as they would like. But the other needed to be under fifty dollars, and must be bought for everyone. For example, last year Megan got a gold bracelet from her mom, but her mom also bought everyone matching hat and scarf sets.
Megan already got everyone a present that was unique for them, but she had yet to buy a common gift. She was hoping that she could sneak out of the house with Ryan sometime and to go get something. She couldn't take Stacy as she was part of the tradition too.
After breakfast Morgan got to telling war stories, which everyone listened to with much interest.
At around four thirty Megan's parents and grandparents decided that they needed to go visit some of the older family friends and were kind enough to spare Megan the trip with them.
Figuring that this was as good of a time as any she decided to call up Ryan and see if he wanted to accompany her to the mall. Ryan seemed really distracted during the phone call but agreed to come over in twenty minutes.
While they were shopping Megan noticed that Ryan kept getting numerous text messages, all of which caused his face to wrinkle as a frown formed. Megan questioned if he was okay and he assured her that he was fine. She didn't think he was anywhere close to being fine but she let it drop. She knew that if it was something he wanted to talk to her about he would share it.
After a few hours of shopping they returned to an empty house. Since Ryan claimed to be starving they made their way over to the kitchen and decided on a pre-made pizza that Danni had left them.
"We have twenty minutes before the pizza is done what do you want to do?" Megan smiled up at Ryan.
He chuckled and smirked, "I can think of a few things we can do starting with this." He placed his lips against her and moved them slowly. Upon gaining entrance into her mouth he slid his tongue to explore the soft flesh of her cheeks. Tasting the strawberries from the smoothie she had earlier. They gave into each other's passion and moved their hands exploring the contours of each other. Ryan picked up Megan to place her on the counter next to them. The movement caused her shirt to ride up a little and he took advantage of them.
Running his fingers across her soft skin that was now exposed to the air, he let out a soft moan. He could feel the hand roaming his hair, and the other that was moving up and down his back. They were so close that he was sure she could feel his manhood pressed against her thigh, but she was so caught up in the moment that she didn't feel embarrassed by it.
He moved his hands a little higher dragging the shirt up another inch, showing just a little more of her midriff, but not enough for him to see her belly button. He left her waist and let his hands travel to her back making their way to her hair. He gently tugged her head back and found the soft skin of her throat. He trailed kisses down to her collar bone then back up again to her throat. Creating a "O" shape with his mouth he gently took the skin in, and sucked, brushing his tongue against the soft skin.
Megan let out her own moan at how amazing the sensation was. She wrapped her legs around his waist and pushed herself closer towards him. He pulled back from her neck, and moved back up to her beautifully swollen lips.
His hands went back on her waist and began running his thumbs in a circular motion on the exposed skin.
"Ahem!" A loud sound came.
The startled couple turned their heads that were now completely out of breath and flushed to find none other than Luca standing just a few feet away.
"Luca, it's nice to see you again man." Ryan said, helping Megan onto her feet and then stepping behind her to cover any evidence of his arousal.
He twined his hands around her waist and pulled her close to him, nuzzling his chin against her messy hair.
"Wish I could say the same, but I am pretty sure my appetite is ruined after that." Luca kept a very neutral expression on his face.
The silence stretched between them as Luca just continued to stare at the couple that was at a loss of words.
The loud ring of a phone broke the silence. Ryan fished his phone out of his back pocket and frowned when he saw the caller. He looked hesitant for a second before turning Megan towards him.
"Sorry Megs, I have to take this." He said planting a quick kiss on her lips before leaving the kitchen.
Megan made a motion to follow Ryan but Luca's next words stopped her.
"You have been avoiding me." He simply stated. "Why?"
Megan froze; let her eyes look up from the floor. "I haven't been avoiding you." She lied.
Luca continued on as if she didn't say anything at all, "You are avoiding me. What I can't figure out is why."
Megan saw the determination in his eyes and knew that he wouldn't let her leave without an answer.
"I just didn't want to bother you." She mumbled, afraid to confront him.
Luca stepped closer trying to figure out what she just said. "What?"
She looked a deep breath and let it out. "I just didn't want to bother you." She said again, this time a little louder.
Luca's shock was clearly etched on his face. He didn't even try to hide his surprise and anger as realization dawned upon him.
"Who the hell told you that?" He bit out trying to control his anger.
Megan flinched at the hardness of his voice, "No.... no one." She stuttered.
"That is bull Megs! I have never given you any reason to believe that you a bother to me. So tell me who fed that nonsense to you."
"Look it doesn't matter. The fact is you don't have to worry about having to hang out with me any more than you absolutely have to."
Luca's eyes turned a very dark; they looked almost brown as he took a step closer towards her. His face flaming with anger, which he was so desperately trying to control.
"Whom did you talk to? I am not leaving, nor am I letting you leave this room until you answer my damn question."
Suddenly Megan felt her own anger rise; she was anger at the fact that she couldn't control her emotions around him. She was angry she was letting the new information that she gained from Jessica, affect her so much. And most of all she was angry at the fact that Luca pretending like she was crazy, and that none of what she just said was true.
"I just don't want to hang out with you anymore okay?" She hated having this conversation with him.
Luca was shocked for a second before a pained expression took over.
"Megan, what the hell is going on? This isn't like you at all."
"Well maybe you never really knew me. I mean why would you when you just felt obligated to hang out with me? I'm surprised you don't turn the other way and walk away every time you see me."
Luca closed the distance between then even more. His eyes looked dull and tired. He put both his hands on her shoulders and pushed her back towards the counter top.
As soon as the cool stainless steel hit the spot on her back sending shivers down her spine, did she realize that her shirt was still pulled up a little. She quickly tugged the shirt down. Luca's eyes flashed from the pained look to anger once again.
Even though she knew Luca wouldn't ever physically hurt her, the sudden change in his expression scared her more than she would ever be willing to admit.
"When in f***ing hell did I ever give you any reason what so ever to believe that I didn't want or like spending time with you?"
Megan blinked at the colorful language Luca was spewing. He didn't wait for her to answer before continuing.
"I'm going to ask you one more time Megan. Who planted that ridiculous idea in your head?"
Megan was frustrated and extremely tired. She slouched her shoulders, but Luca still held on.
"Why does it matter who it was? As long as it's true."
"You know that's not true damn it! Tell me who it was or so help me god."
She sighed, "It was Jessica okay? Your girlfriend told me what you told her. How you saw me as nothing more than an obligation. Are you happy now? I know you weren't expecting her to tell me, but I guess she is a lot nicer than you. She thought that I would like to know that my brother's best friend feels forced to hang out with me, or even talk to me. She told me how you only ever put up with me out of respect for Zach."
Luca remained quiet, and started at her with disbelief. This told Megan that he was regretting ever telling Jessica the truth.
"It's okay Luca. Don't worry, I won't tell Zach. And I will also make things easier for both of us by keeping my distance. I think it's worked well so far, so I'll just stay away."
When Luca still didn't say anything, she stepped out from under him and headed towards the door to find Ryan.
"I don't want you to stay away from me." Luca whispered.
Megan turned back around unable to hear, "Excuse me?"
Luca picked up his dropped face, "I said, I don't want you to stay away from me."
Megan was taken back but his comment, "But Jessica said..." she started.
"Screw Jessica! She was probably just jealous that I broke up with her." He said loudly.
"But..." she was about to continue off where she left off before his words sank in, "You broke up with Jessica at the night of the ball?"
Luca looked confused, "What? No. I broke up with her on the night you had Ryan over for dinner."
He broke up with her the... so that meant that he had sex with her and then broke up with her. Disgust filled Megan's core and obviously planted itself on her face.
"Why are you looking at me like that?" Luca asked her.
Megan just shook her head.
"Megan." He warned stepping even closer.
"I just..." she stuttered, "Well it's just that you spent the night with her so..." she trailed off hoping he would catch what she was getting at.
Luca's eyes widened, "I didn't spend the night with her."
"Don't lie to me Luca. I saw the lipstick stain on your neck."
"Lipstick..." Luca paused with a very confused look, "Oh I think I know how that got there. Listen okay." He said looking down at her like she was a little ten year old that he was trying to tell something important to.
"I have been meaning to break up with Jessica for a while, but the timing was never right. So I decided to do it that night. I went to go pick her up and drove to a park that was close by. We just stayed in the car and I told her that I wanted to break up. At first she just laughed. When I told her that I really meant it, she started to kiss my neck. Telling me that I am just forgetting how amazing she was. I pushed her off me and drove her home. Then I figured I might as well get some things sorted out at home so I went there and feel asleep on the couch in the office room. When I woke up and realized that I spent the night there I quickly got on my bike and made my way back before anyone noticed that I was missing. That's all okay? I never talked about you with Jessica. She was probably just jealous that I am living with such a beautiful girl."
Megan blushed at his last comment.
She didn't know what to think, if what he said was true then Jessica just made up that whole story. But what if Jessica was the one telling the truth?
"I can see that you still don't believe me." Luca said with a sigh.
She decided right then that she did in fact believe Luca. He had no reason to lie to her about this. If anything he would only benefit from her knowing the truth.
"No. I believe you." She replied with a frown. She remembered that she made a pact with herself to see less of Luca even before the whole situation with Jessica. Now she didn't have any other excuse for avoiding him, other than the fact that she was still stupidly in love with him.
Luca noticed her frown but decided to ignore it.
"Megs." He called her by her nickname again, "How could you ever think that I would ever feel that way about you? Don't you know how much I care about you? I can't believe that you bought all her conniving lies." He looked miserable and Megan felt terrible for believing the worst in him.
"I'm sorry." She said quietly. She didn't know what else to say to him.