All I Have to Give

“Zacky where are you taking me?” I asked with a laugh and tugged at the blindfold wrapped around my head.

“Leave it on! Just a few more minutes.” My mind was racing with possibilities. All he’d said was that he had a surprise for me. There were no hints, he’d done a great job of hiding whatever this was.

“Okay we’re here,” Zacky said and I felt his fingers at the back of my head as he untied the blindfold. We were in the parking lot of the airport.

“What are we doing here?” He opened the glove compartment and pulled something out. Plane tickets!

“I wanted to do something special for your birthday so we’re going to visit your mom.”

I shrieked and flung myself over the center console and into Zacky’s arms. I never imagined things with him would be so perfect. He knew exactly what to do to make me feel like the luckiest girl in the world.

“I don’t deserve you,” I whispered.

The corners of his lips twitched upwards into a smile. “Of course you do, babe.”

He drew me in for a kiss and I couldn’t help but smile against his lips. He quickly deepened the kiss, his tongue battling against mine. When his fingers slid under my shirt, touching my bare skin I gasped and I jerked away. Zacky laughed and pushed the door open so I could slide off his lap.

I had been adamant about taking things slow and he made a point to push his luck every chance he got. I wanted to be completely sure about things before I took that step with him. What he didn’t know was that I was ready now whenever the right time came. Unfortunately for him, that time wasn’t in his car in the middle of a parking lot.

“I hope you don’t mind that I kinda stole some of your clothes to pack for this,” he said as he pulled a duffel bag from his trunk.

“When did you find the time to do that?” I asked in astonishment. He’d really managed to cover everything.

“A few days ago while you were in the shower.” I laughed and we set off hand in hand for the entrance of the airport. I couldn’t wait to get to Ohio and see my mom.

-x-

“Melanie over here!” my mom called across the crowded Ohio airport. I picked up my pace and threw my arms around her.

“I’m so happy to see you!” I had to blink back tears, not realizing until that moment exactly how much I missed her. Phone calls and the occasional video chat just weren’t enough.

“I wish I would’ve known about this sooner. I had already made plans for tonight, but the rest of the weekend is yours.”

“Yeah, sorry about that. I only got the tickets three days ago,” Zacky spoke up. My mom pulled him into a hug next.

“Oh, mom. Zacky and I had some news we waited to tell you in person,” I said and she released Zacky and looked back and forth between the two of us.

“Well spit it out!” she cried when neither of us said anything.

“Zacky, you tell her.” I smiled, figuring I owed him this after he didn’t get to be the one to tell the guys.

“Umm well we’re dating now,” he said awkwardly. I thought my mom’s eyes would pop out of her skull. Finally, she broke out into a huge smile.

“I knew this would happen sooner or later! I’m so happy for you two!”

My mom led us to her car, chattering the entire time. Zacky and I both stayed quiet and let her talk. She didn’t seem to notice that we weren’t engaged in the conversation. The two of us piled into the back seat of her Ford Explorer and she took off.

“So I’m just gonna come out and say this. Melanie, my plans tonight are a date. I really hope this doesn’t upset you in any way. I know I’m moving on from your father, but-”

“Of course I’m not upset. I’m happy for you mom!”

Conversation drifted to Zacky and me. How it happened, how Johnny reacted. It made the drive pass quickly and as soon as we arrived at my old house, my mom had to rush upstairs to get ready for her date.

“So what you think about your mom going on this date?” Zacky asked me.

“I’m really happy for her. She deserves to be happy after what my father did to her.” I meant that. She had done her best my whole life to make sure I was happy so now she deserved the same.

The doorbell rang and we heard her rushing down the stairs. “How do I look?”

“You look amazing, mom!” She smiled and grabbed her bag. “Now, don’t stay out too late. No sex. Call if you’ll be late or you’re grounded!”

“God, did I really sound like that?” I nodded and she was laughing when she walked outside.

When I heard the car pull away, I moved closer to Zacky. Smiling up at him I said, “I haven’t got a chance to properly thank you.”

I grabbed the back of his neck and pulled him down to kiss him. I felt his hands on my hips, pulling me onto his lap. I slid my hands under his shirt, making him gasp. I don’t know what came over me, but suddenly I wanted more.

“Do you want to go upstairs?” I asked and I knew I was blushing. I usually wasn’t so forward.

He froze underneath me, “Are you...are you sure?”

I bit my lip and nodded before climbing off his lap. He grabbed my hand and allowed me to pull him up the stairs to my old room. I turned to face him and he pulled me against his body. He nuzzled his face against my neck and placed a soft kiss there.

“I don’t why I’m so nervous,” I whispered.

“It’s okay, I am too.”

His fingers under my chin tilted my face up to his and then his lips were on mine. His kiss was sweet, but needy and I could see how much he wanted this. That only made me want it more. The kiss was broken only when I pulled his shirt over his head.

He backed me up until my legs hit the bed and I fell onto the mattress. He laid down beside me and pulled me into his arms. The kissing resumed, long lingering kisses that made me feel all warm and fuzzy inside. I internally wrestled with myself, wondering if it was time for me to tell him exactly how I feel about him.

“Zacky I-” I cut myself off, not knowing if I was ready to finish that sentence.

He pushed himself up on his elbows so his face was hovering over mine. “What is it baby?”

Something about the way he said it melted every bit of resolve I had. The words were there and this time I couldn’t stop them. “I love you.”

He didn’t say anything for several long moments then finally he smiled. “Wow.”

“I’m not sure that’s a good reaction.”

“Oh believe me it was. It’s so good to finally hear you say that to me.” The way he looked at me set my skin on fire.

“Enough talking,” I murmured and pulled his face down to mine. I blindly found the waistband of his jeans and got to work on the button and zipper, moments later pushing them over his hips. He got up long enough to take them off and then he took mine off.

As he crawled back over me, I couldn’t help but think how perfect this was. Him, this moment, how we felt about each other. After Johnny, I didn’t think I’d ever be happy like this again but I was so happy to be proven wrong.