Love Me Tender

Five o’clock rolled around and I didn’t take a breath the whole drive home.
“Hey are you okay?” Matt asked in the driver seat, the team left practice hours ago, but since we drove together he sat and waited around to finish. I looked over at him and tried to smile through clenched teeth.
“Fine. Just…thinking” I said.
“Thinking’s never good with you.” He mocked and I let out a held in breath; laughing. Matt always knew when to calm me down. It was nice to see us cooperating with each other again. He dropped me off at my door and hugged me for the third time that day; not that I minded in anyway. “Bye Ray, see you tomorrow.”
“Bye Matt.” I replied and I rushed into my apartment and rested myself on my door. A part of me felt like I was betraying Matt. I felt like I shouldn’t be going on this-whatever- with Ian. I felt like I was lying to him and I didn’t like it. I shook of my pity party and got ready for my-whatever-.
I heard a knock on my door at 5:45 and went into a semi-panic mode. It can’t be Ian; no one is forty-five minutes early for a da-I mean-whatever. I opened the door to see an all too happy Maddie. I glared. “Oh don’t give me that look Raychel I’m just trying to help”
“You gave him my address, Maddie!” I said
“So?” she said.
“What if he’s a creepy stalker or something?” I accused.
“Well I mean you should have thought of that before you slept with him, huh?” she countered and I sighed in surrender. She made a harsh point. “Why do I feel like a certain new defender has you so timid to give Ian a try?” she continued.
‘Because he has everything to do with it.’ I thought. “Matt isn’t the reason! Ian is just so…”
“Hot. Flirty. Good in between the sheets.” Maddie interrupted. I was horrified.
“Okay one, let’s stop with the jokes about my sex life for a few seconds and two, he’s just so forward and how do I know he just wants to hook up again?” I defended my case; but to no avail.
“Well, my little sex kitten, you won’t know that answer unless you try.” She said and I sighed. “Now, tell me the really reason why you’re scared. And don’t try and tell me that Matt has nothing to do with it.” She ranted. Maddie could read me like an open book and I hated her for that.
I sighed and looked at my floor, “He’s forever under my skin, Mad, I grew up with him, fell in love with him, and now he’s fucking back in my life and all I want to do is be with him, but then Ian came along and makes me feel good and free but I feel like I’m betraying Matt after holding onto my feelings for him for so long.” I vented to Maddie as she listened. All this frustration and heartache boiling over have finally been dragged out of me and it was like endless word vomit and tears flowing from me. Maddie just held me and tried to advise me the best she could.
“Raychel listen to me; Matt’s an old flame that obviously hurt a lot because it was the first time you had ‘more than friends’ feelings, but the way I see, Ian wants to try to get know you. Sober and non-physical. Give him a chance and if you still think your feelings for Matt are too hot to handle than you have my permission to hand him over to me.” I laughed at that and took in what she said. Maybe that was the thing, I was so afraid of losing what I had with Matt-whatever that was-that I didn’t want to risk it. I wiped my eyes and nodded at my friend; giving her a timid smile. God I was so pathetic. My heart was in overdrive these past four days and I guess there was no way of stopping it. I looked at the clock: 6:15. Shit. I quickly washed my face and re-applied my makeup and brushed my hair, no time to change out of my clothes it was a good thing I was casual enough. There was a knock on the door right at 6:30 and it felt like my lungs were shrinking as I gave Maddie a look. She gave me a thumb up and nudged me towards the door. I opened it up to see Ian standing there and I gripped the door knob tighter to keep from falling over. He looked like a model who just walked off from a shoot and I forced myself to blink.
“Well hello to you too.” He snickered and I relaxed. I couldn’t let him see that he had this kind of effect on me.
“Hi.” I said and walked into the hallway leaving him to follow.
“Oh I like a girl in control.” He wiggled his eyebrows as I ignored him and waited for the elevator.
“So, what are we doing tonight?” I asked.
“Well if I told you it wouldn’t be a surprise” I sighed at his cryptic answer, feeling nervous again. We got to his car and started to drive until we were in the heart of downtown.
“A picnic down at the waterfront?” I observed as he led me down the hill near Heinz Field. I’m pretty sure this place was off limits after dark but something tells me Ian didn’t exactly care.
“Well aren’t you observant.” He said while ruffling my hair, I tried to slap his hand away but he caught it and intertwined our fingers and sat me down on the blanket. “Hope you’re hungry.” He said simply and I looked at all the food in front of us. It was all my favorite foods I looked him. “I may have asked Maddie for a little more than your address.” He admitted; blushing. Suddenly it hit me. Maddie was pushing Ian on me so much because she trusted him. She saw him making an effort; trying to get to know me without asking directly. I can’t say I disagree with her right now.
“So you pretty much stalked me via my best friend?” I asked.
“No, I just asked a lot of questions.” He answered.
“Do you do this with all your drunken one night stands?”
“I wasn’t that drunk; but no you would be the first…” he trailed. I blinked at him. He ‘wasn’t that drunk’? What does that even mean? I looked out at the water and looked at the beauty.
“Are we even supposed to be out here?” I asked.
“Probably not,” He smiled.
That was the last thing we said before we started to eat and enjoy the silence. The whole car ride back we talked like old friends. It was so easy to talk to him and realized that there was nothing to be afraid of. Ian was impulsive and crazy and hot and just breathtaking in every sense of the word and I realized that I don’t want to stop seeing him. We were at my door and we were both waiting for someone to make the first move. I looked at my key and then back to him to see him leaning closer. He kissed me lightly and sweetly that my lips barely felt his; but my body sparked and heated up and the contact that I was sure my face was red.
“Goodnight Raychel.” He said barely above a whisper.
“Goodnight Ian.” I stumbled and made my way inside, barley making it to my bed before I collapsed into a content and blissful sleep.