Don't Forget Me

I had a migraine. I could feel my brain pulsating against the back of my eyes. Praying silently for the other passengers to hurry, I held my bouncing child in her seat.

"Alayna," I scolded quietly, trying to avoid attracting attention to us, "sit down." I sent an apologetic look towards the elderly woman who was unfortunate enough to be seated next to us.

She only whined her reply. Alayna was just excited to see Dave. I opted to wait to even tell her we were leaving for California today to spare myself the headache of excitement. I couldn't help but to groan unnoticeably as she went on another rant about how the other passengers were moving too slow for the young girl's liking.

"Look mommy, we can finally go!" She said entirely too loud. I grabbed my tote bag and her hand, letting her lead me down the isle.

Stepping into the sea of bodies, my eyes searched for the familiar face. Alayna found him first though and I was tugged in a random direction.

In the moment that my daughter jumped into Dave's arms screaming "daddy" I realized I had put off telling him that she had figured it out. I shifted, cursing myself, and I returned Dave's wide eye expression over Alayna's shoulder. He shook it off quickly though, holding the small child close to him.

"Hi Laney Bug," he smiled at her as he set her down. I tried my hardest to ignore his gleaming eyes but I couldn't. I melted right there in the crowded airport. Dave Franco was growing on me once again. My heart fluttered in my chest.

;;

"I'm glad I have a daddy like you," Alayna's words strung together as she rubbed her sleepy eyes. "Promise you'll stay all night?" She looked up into his chocolate brown eyes as he tucked her into the blankets. He nodded, smiling softly at his daughter.

"I'll be here when you wake up," Dave reassured her as he stood up from the hotel bed. "Goodnight Alayna," he spoke softly, seeing her eyes were already beginning to flutter closed.

Dave refused to let me pay for a simple hotel room. Instead he insisted on supplying us with a suite. While I admit it was nice being spoiled, it all felt like too much. I didn't like owing people favors and I hated hand outs.

I pushed my body off of the door frame and Dave followed me to the small table set up by a television.

"So," he started, taking a seat. His hands began to absentmindedly twist the label on his water bottle. "She called me daddy," he pointed out. I nodded, but my eyes remained glued to his working hands. I didn't have to look at him. I could practically feel his smile. For some unknown reason, I felt my cheeks heat up.

"She's a smart girl," I commented, biting down on my lip. Finally, I raised my eyes to meet his. Instantly, I felt small under his gaze, like he could crush me at any moment.

"Just like her mother," his voice was held at a light tone, barely heard over the nightly news on the nearby television. I sent him a soft smile. Ever since I was a child, being complimented on my intelligence flattered me the most. Dave knew that.

A commercial came on, casting a bright light across the room. The deepest contours of Dave's face shadowed over. It wasn't until then that I allowed myself to fully take in his appearance. The way his dark eyelashes framed his perfect eyes and the wrinkles in his cheeks when his lips stretched into that Franco smile. He was undeniably perfect. I somehow forced my brain to forget how attractive he truly was. When he walked out that day, I had done a good job of pushing his entire being to the back of my head. Unfortunately it wasn't so easy now that he was sitting in front of me. I could feel a rush of old emotions hitting me like a freight train. They were emotions that I preferred to be forgotten.

"I can't believe we made her," Dave's voice pulled me from my thoughts, bringing me to the realization that I had been silently staring at him for quite sometime now. I almost chocked on my own spit at his words. I toned down my shocked reaction with a subtle nod.

"She's perfect," I agreed, unsure of what else I could say. Dave made me nervous just by looking at me. I felt like I went back in time. In the long moment of complete silence, I was lost. I felt as if I was stuck in a corn maze.

"I never stopped thinking about you, Iz," he told me, leaning into his elbows. I followed his movement by shifting in my seat. I thought about telling him I was retiring to bed for the night. Something kept me from actually doing that though. So I just nodded again, this time as my eyes shyly looked down at the table. "I missed you a lot." I looked at him now, my eyes searching his dark orbs, curious if his words held meaning or if they were empty and only spoken to fill the air.

"I missed you too," I replied, feeling slightly defeated. A voice in my head urged me forward, telling me to open up and let him know everything I stored in a bottle, tucked away at the back of my brain for the years he was absent. However, logic told me to build more walls to keep him out. If he could leave my life once, he could do it again. I heard Dave let out a deep sigh.

"I loved you so much, Izobelle." Loved. My breath caught in my throat as he looked at me with sharp eyes. I swallowed hard as my heart jumped out of my chest.

"You did?" I choked out, comprehending only afterwards how pathetic I probably seemed. The confident facade I had been wearing for weeks was now thrown out the window. Dave nodded, still gazing into my eyes. I couldn't recall him blinking once.

Feeling a tad squeamish, I stood from my chair. While feeling his eyes burn holes into my back, I reached into the mini fridge, pulling out a bottle of complimentary wine. It was Lambrusco. It wasn't my favorite, but it would do. I poured myself a glass and finished it quickly. I refilled the cup before turning to offer my companion some.

He took me off guard. He was no longer sitting at the table; his body was close to mine as he took yet another step towards me. The wine turned in my stomach, making me feel warm. I raised the glass to my lips again, taking a long drink while connecting my eyes with his. Forcing a faux confident look, I raised my eyebrow at him.

"Dave," I breathed out. His face held an expression I had never seen before. It was so difficult for me to read. "What are you doing?" I asked.

Dave didn't answer me with words. The next thing I knew, his lips were soft against mine. I reacted quickly, returning the sweet kiss.

He took the last step that was between us, causing me to shudder at the feel of the muscles in his chest against me. Electricity shot up my legs, through my body to my brain like a firework while his plump lips caressed mine, deepening the kiss. My insides quivered as his hand found the small of my back, pulling me impossibly close to him. His mouth worked against mine as he nibbled on my lip lightly. I felt goosebumps prickle at my skin. I suddenly was weakened, almost as if I were going to faint. His motions were laced so much lust that I could barely contain myself. When he detached our intense lip lock, I was left feeling disappointed.

That didn't last long though. Before I had time to process what was happening, a dainty moan snuck out from my throat as Dave's soft lips trailed down my exposed collarbone. I gasped as his teeth drug across the nape of my neck.

After I managed to collect my thoughts, I realized this must have been a dream. Dave's face had been popping up quite often during my once peaceful slumbers. His hand slipping into my shirt pulled me into the real world. It was a painful reality.

"Dave," I repeated, this time with a strong stance coating my voice. His sugar coated lips attempted to cut me off as he placed a feather light kiss to the corner of my mouth. I stepped away from him.

The fire from his brown eyes faded instantly and I knew he had just been reminded of reality. The lust was gone and we were back to where we began.

"I should probably go," he murmured under his breath, his eyes meeting mine. "I'm sorry, Izobelle."

He was out of the door in seconds, seeming to have forgotten the promise he had made to his sleeping daughter.