Reckless

Louisa.

"I love you."

They were the words I still wasn't tired of hearing, much less saying.

Josh laughed, touching my nose with his and brushing my lips. "I love you so much more, my dear."

I laughed, twisting our bodies so that he was under me. I didn't know what time it was, or how much time had gone by since I'd been outside his hotel with an umbrella praying for a resolution. Here, lying with his hands in mine, was that resolution. I laughed as Josh sat up, grasping my hips and pressing our lips together.

The entanglement was endless. I could stay there forever.

I know it sounded cheesy, but I felt at home here. Not in that place, but in that moment with Josh. I began to wonder if I'd felt like that all along and just never truly realized it.

There was something about those sharp blue eyes, that longing sleepy stare that drew me in. As his lips cracked into a smile, and the laugh lines by his eyes lifted just at the sight of me, I wanted to sink into his skin. It was like we were both adjusting to a situation: the comfortable feeling of our hands entangled in his bed, the world fading quietly in the background until it wasn't there at all.

Josh kissed my neck gently, a smile gracing my lips as his hands touched my bare back and pulled me closer towards his body. I let him control me, my entire self his in that moment and on.

I held his neck, kissing his ear and moving to his jawline as his face moved up my neck to meet my lips. We paused for a moment, eyes closed, lips barely touching.

"I love you."

I touched our noses and brushed my hand along his collarbone, letting a shiver run down his spine. It was nice to know we had similar paralyzing effects on one another, like we were both dominant.

"More than anything." I whispered back. Immediately as the words left my mouth Josh crashed his lips onto mine and brought me back under him. I arched my back, letting him kiss my skin until bruises rose to the ivory surface.

A soft moan left my lips, and a smirk left Josh's.

Brrrrnnnnnngggg, Brrrrrrnnnnnnggg.

Fuck, my phone.

On instinct I turned slightly towards the night table, reaching over as Josh sent me flying back with a playful pull at my hips. I was sitting now as he crept up and shook his head, a smile on his lips.

"Leave it." He said softly, kissing me.

I smiled, taking him in and placing myself on his lap as he fell back onto the bed. I forgot about the phone for a few moments.

But then it was again.

Brrrrrrnnnnnnnggg, Brrrrrrnnnnggggg.

I ignored it.

Brrrrrrnnnnnggggg, Brrrrrrnnnngggg.

I could feel the moment slipping from my fingers.

Brrrrrrnnnnnggggg, Brrrrrrnnnngggg.

"Josh." I broke the kiss.

He breathed out quickly. "Fucking hell, just get the damn thing."

"I'm sorry." I said quickly, moving away from his grasp and reaching for the phone on the table. "It's probably just the off-"

My words stopped as the phone vibrated in my hands, the caller ID staring me straight in the face. Something was very long. My mind began to play the worst scenarios as my hand shook, accepting the call.

"H-hello?"

"Is this Louisa St. Vincent?" The man's voice sounded unpleasant and not happy with me.

I gulped. "This is she. Is there a problem officer?"

The word perked Josh's attention on the edge of the bed. "OFFICER!?"

"Sh." I said quickly, my ear glued to the phone.

"Miss, are you aware your mother has been looking for you for the past 24 hours?"

My heart hit my chest. "I um, that's not," I stopped myself. "I saw her this morning. I told her I was going out-"

"That's the quite the story she tells. We've been calling for the past twenty minutes without an answer-"

I let out a breath. "Look, sir, I don't know what my mother told you-"

"Just get back to your house as soon as possible."

The dial clicked, and the words "LAPD" faded from my phone's caller ID. I set the phone down on the bed, staring at the night sky in front of me. I could feel Josh's eyes on me without even turning, and my heart was sinking to the bottom of my chest as I fought back tears.

"My mom called the cops." I whispered.

Josh stood up so I had to look at him. "What the fuck!? Louisa, she can't do that. Is that even legal here? You're a fucking adult for fuck's sake."

"They said I need to go home."

"Or what?"

I shrugged. "I don't know."

"Should I grab a cab? I'll come with you."

My mind hit a wall as I stared out the balcony window, trying to figure out how something so good could go so bad in a matter of minutes. Now that I considered it, that sounded like me and Josh's relationship the entire time.

"Louie?"

I looked up. "What if we don't go back?"

Josh looked confused. "What do you mean?"

"Why can't I just," I paused. "Why can't I just go back with you? Get out of here!" I stood up. "You said it yourself! I'm a fucking adult. She can't control me, she SHOULDN'T control me. I just want to be with you. I'll just be with with you."

A smile graced my lips as I looked up at the boy I was hopelessly in love with, looking for a similar glare in his eyes. But all I got was a blank look as he stared, his eyes not nearly as passionate as I needed them to be.

"What's wrong? Josh, this plan is perfect. You were going to leave in a few days anyway, and now we can be together past here. Isn't that what you want?" His face didn't change. "It's what you want, right?"

He looked at the ground. "Louie-"

I pulled back from him. "What are you doing?"

"I love you." Josh said, meeting my eyes. "And believe me, that sounds, fuck, Louie, that's all I want. I want to be with you. But I can't be with you when you're leaving this all behind. You," he paused, "you think you'll be happy, but you won't."

"What are you trying to say?" I laughed as I felt tears hit the rims of my eyelids.

Josh took a step forward. "I'm not saying I don't want you to come-"

"You're just saying you want me to stay here, with my mom-"

"WOULD YOU LISTEN TO ME?" Josh yelled, taking a step forward. "You're not getting it. I want you to come with me. Fuck, Lou, come with me. But not like this. Not running away from your mom. Let's just," he stopped himself, taking my hand and looking into my eyes, "let's go back to your mom's. Just for a moment, just to say good bye. I'll come with you. But I'm not letting you run away from her. I love you too much to see that happen."

I paused, letting his hand tangle with mine.

"What do you think?"

I looked up at him. "You'll be there with me?"

"Of course." Josh said quietly, kissing my forehead and letting me lean into his chest. "Always."