The second they both crossed into the apartment, she closed the door behind them. Jasen thought for a moment that he heard the lock click, but wasn’t sure. Her eyes were cast downward, moving again over the words on the paper. Nerves ran through Jasen, more pronounced than any he had ever known in his life. Running his tongue over his still tingling lips, he relished in the taste she left there.

“You left this note for me?” She finally spoke slowly and carefully, running her fingers over the words. “The morning when you were gone… this was there for me, but I missed it?”

With an excruciating amount of concentration, he kept his words organized and did not allow them to spill out at once. “I figured you must have been starving, I knew I was, so I only got up to grab some food from the lobby for us to eat. When I told you that I didn’t bring you there to sleep with you, I meant it. I wanted to see you again; that’s why I went back to the bar looking for you.”

“Zeke took your number from you, but he never gave it to me.”

“Would you have called if he did?”

Her eyes flickered upward for the briefest moment, then back downward again. “I would have wanted to…”

Having gotten to know how timid and reserved she was, he nodded, understanding her meaning but not quite wanting to push the question any further. “People are more than the things that happen to them, more than the reactions they have to the things that happen.” Her words from a short time before, while they lie on the ground at the park, exhausted and dizzy from spinning, ran through his head. “Watching you dance, Kairi, was beyond amazing. You are beyond amazing.”

Her head was down, looking at the paper she still clutched, but was no longer reading. Gently, he reached out and pulled the sheet from her hand, setting it aside on her couch. The motion caused her to look up, and straight into his eyes. She started to speak, but cut herself off with an almost defeated sigh.“Kairi,” his hand found her shoulder and pulled her closer. “If you want me to leave, I’ll leave. I’ll back off. But I want you to know…”

Springing to her tip toes, she set her lips gently against his, first silencing his words then stealing all thoughts that had lain behind them. “I don’t want you to back off,” she admitted in a whisper. “Not if you don’t want to.”

Jasen’s lips twitched to a smile. His arms came up and caught Kairi around the back, pulling her closer. “This is exactly where I want to be.” Their lips came together again, slowly and the taste of her kiss took him over.

Yet, to his surprise, she pushed him away. “I’m, uh…” A nervous chuckle fell from her. “I’m still covered in nasty dry sweat from earlier, and probably smell bad, actually.” He eyes fell.

“No, you’re fine, I…” His attempt at pulling her close again was resisted.

“I really should shower. You can wait here if you want while I do. Actually, uh… wait here, please. It shouldn’t take me that long, and I’ll feel like a human being again.” Despite wanting to beg her to stay right where she stood, and to convince her that she was absolutely perfect, even while sweaty and stinky, Jasen dropped her arms from her and let her walk away. “It’ll just be a few minutes. Uh… makes yourself comfortable, if you want.”

With that she shuffled off toward the bathroom, closing the door swiftly behind her. Jasen, confused and defeated, dropped himself to the sofa. He could hear her moving about beyond the door, and it was near impossible for him not to think about the way he’d watched her body move earlier that night. Then the squeak of the pipes coming to life just before water began to patter against the tub. Several deep breaths were helpful, but didn’t clear the thoughts completely.

Just as he had resolved to get up and move around, his ears perked up, not quite sure he’d heard something. He froze mid-stand. “Jasen?” Obvious nerves filled her voice as she called out to him from behind the closed door. Jasen rose slowly and moved toward her. “Jasen?” She called again.

“Yeah, Kairi?” Only a few feet stood between him and the bathroom.

“Can you come here?”

“I’m right outside the door. Is something wrong?”

She left open a slight, hesitant pause. “Come in here…please?”

He was unsure and the smallest bit shaky, though didn’t quite understand why. Moving slowly, he reached toward the door handle, resting his fingers there for a moment before turning and pushing. There she stood, only a few feet in front of him, wearing nothing but a towel, her hair still wrapped in its loose bun. All of her clothes lay in a heap on the floor; had he been able to take his eyes from her, he would have seen the white lace panties and matching bra that had been covering her body. His eyes traveled from her head past all the curves to her toes, then back up to her eyes. She was biting her bottom lip. “Close the door.”

Without thinking, he did was he was told. “Wha…” he started the ask the obvious question, but all words were gone from his mind. Her perfect eyes, looking up at him, refused to let him think.

“I was wondering if you’d like to join me.” Despite trying to push the nerves from her voice, a few still hung to the ends of her words.

“You want me t…” Now it was really hard to think.”

She moved toward him, reaching around his frame to swing the door closed. “I was wondering…” – her hands were on the hem of his shirt, beginning to slide it upward – “… if maybe you would…” – her soft hands were sliding along his bare skin as she continued to push upward. His heart sped up. – “… like to join me in the shower.”

“K-Kairi… I…”

Her hands stopped moving and she tore her eyes away from him. “Sorry. If you don’t…”

“No, no. I d… I mean I do, just… um….” The feeling of her hands was too much to allow any complete thoughts to pass through his head. He took a deep breath. “Are you sure you want to?”

Without another word, she pushed his shirt up past his shoulders, and he lifted his arms to allow it. Even before it hit the floor, he pulled her body against his, looking into her eyes one more time before the desire to taste her lips took over. His tongue brushed her lips, gentle and sweet.

Fingers brushing down his sides, Kairi moved until her finger tips came to the edge of his jeans, sliding inward. Slowly, they worked against the button, then the zipper, teasing just inside his boxers as they went. He sighed heavily against her mouth.

His jeans and boxers hit the floor. She pulled him along as she stepped backwards. The towel fell to the floor.

“Are…are you…” he spoke against her lips, capable of even less thought than before. “Are you sure?”

“Do you like me?”

“I think it’s more than that.”

“Then I’m sure.” He looked down, once again running his eyes along her curves, but this time taking every last one in. She stepped backwards, over the edge of the tub and into the stream of the water. Instantly, the water flattened her hair as it cascaded down her body. He watched the droplets roll before realizing she was looking at him, beautiful eyes locked on his and a coy yet nervous smile across her lips. Jasen followed and stepped into the stream.

Before the glass door even finished swinging shut, Kairi wrapped herself around him, kissing him solidly. Their naked bodies pressed together, no space between them. Her tongue slipped between his lips, making his heart race and his knees weak. Jasen pulled his fingers through her wet, tangled hair, running his tongue along her own. A moan escaped his lips.

She began to shift downward, moving along the side of his face, kissing to his neck, reaching his chest. His breathing grew heavier, slowly beginning to realize what she was doing. The water cascaded over them. “K-Kairi…uuhhh!” Her lips wrapped lightly around his cock, tongue running along the side. Grabbing the bar along the side of the shower for support, Matt groaned in approval. She slid forward, taking more of him into her mouth, circling around with her tongue as she went.

Gripping her hair more solidly, it was all he could do to keep from pulling her in toward him or thrust himself forward. “Shit, Kairi…” he moaned, deep in the back of his throat.

She began to bob, moving one hand to grip the base of his cock with the other resting against his thigh. Jasen focused on the feeling of her soft tongue, her warm mouth sliding along him. Looking down, he saw her cheeks swell and fall with her every movement, then her eyes shift upward to him. Moans echoed off the tiled walls.

Kairi was moving faster, her eyes never leaving Jasen’s. Her tongue slid along every inch of his shaft until she pulled back and sucked gently on just the head. His abs grew tense, started twitching, his hands gripping even tighter to her hair. “Oh… okay… okay…” Almost unwillingly, he pushed her away, his hard cock slipping from her mouth.

“D… Did I do something wrong?” The corner of her lips were glowing pink, her fingers still wrapped around the base of his cock. There was an innocence behind her eyes that made him, despite their current position, want to wrap her in his arms.

Instead, he leaned against the wall and tried to call his breath. “No, God no. That was… I was just…. getting close.

Her innocence shifted to a coy smile as she began to rise up. “Are you hoping you’ll get to finish a different way?”

The look in her eyes, the seduction in her voice, he couldn’t help himself. Flipping her around, he braced her against the side of the shower. His lips dropped to her neck, breathing against her skin heavily. “Mmmm, I was just thinking that I’d hate to finish without you.” Fingers brushing down her sides, he nibbled gently, slowly on the crook of her neck. Just as slowly, Jasen kissed upward to her jaw.

“I want you,” she whispered, he voice more intoxicating than ever.

Reining himself in was also harder than ever. “Are you sure this is…”

“Without a doubt.”

His kisses slowed, but did not stop. “I wanted our next time to be something special, not just hormones.”

“Mmm,” she moaned against is touch. “So you planned on there being a next time.”

“Hoped. Wished. Dreamed.” Each word was punctuated with another kiss. “I never stop thinking about you. Every second of every day is filled with you. And yes, I’ve thought about there being a next time.”

Lightly, she touched her fingers to his face and drew it upward, telling him to look at her. “Me too.” Her last words before he pulled them together; drawing her lips to his. It was a kiss with passion, but lacking frantic desperation. His hands inched downward, sliding along her body until he reached her upper thighs. In one motion, he hook his hands around her legs and hoisted her upward, pinning her between the wall and his body, her legs wrapping around him. For a moment, he considered asking her one last time if she was sure, but he could see the answer in her eyes. Hot water continued to cascade over them, the room growing steamy.

Inching back only as much as necessary, Jasen supported Kairi with one hand and grabbed himself with the other. Carefully, he pointed his cock toward her waiting pussy, teasing it up and down shortly before settling into place. “Uh!” She gasped as the first bit of him entered. Slowly, very slowly, he closed the space between them, sliding into her as he did. “Uh…oh…mmmm.”

The water made it difficult to keep his eyes open, but he continued to look at her, foreheads pressed together, as her lips spread in a gasp. His own moan vibrated in his throat the deeper he got, her tight pussy enveloping him. The second he was all the way in, he pulled back and began his slow thrusts. “Oh God, Jasen.” Kairi’s face fell against him; she bit gently onto his shoulder with a moan. His thrusts quickened at the light feel of her teeth, another moan escaping him.

Not losing his pace, he looked down at her body, every last curve he had missed the first time. Every inch he hadn’t yet deserved to touch back then. Every inch he had earned this time. He watched the places where their skin came together, brushing and parting with every thrust. Hands running along every part of her body he could reach, Jasen braced her against the wall solidly, pulling her eyes to his. Her pussy seemed to grow tighter and warmer with his every move. “You feel so good, Kairi.”

With every thrust, one of them let out a moan or gasp of approval. Every last sound echoed against the walls, surrounding them in themselves and their own pleasure. He pulled her upward, a bit away from the wall, and she supported herself on the small bar lining the side of the shower. Jasen gripped her solidly at the hips, bouncing her frame up and down on him. “Uh! That feels amazing. Oh! Mmm…” Her pussy tensed around his cock as her legs began to shake. He was thrusting fast, in and out of her, their skin smacking together. His body rubbed against her clit.

Without warning, he pushed her against the wall again, bringing their bodies together. “Don’t fake it,” he whispered. “I want you to finish.” His words sent a tingle down her spine. Did he know she had faked it the first time?

Every inch of his upper body was sliding against hers, setting off her senses. With a loud gasp, she wrapped her arms around his neck and gave into him completely. Fast, short thrusts. Then faster. “Oh God! Jasen, I’m gonna… I’m gonna…” Every muscle in her stomach began to twitch.

He wanted to keep feeling her curves, but brought one hand up to caress her face instead, looking solidly into her eyes. “Yes, Jasen! Oh yes! Yes!” Her whole body was shaking against him as her pussy tightened even more around his cock. Their eyes locked together. Her shaking peaked as her release hit, juices flowing onto Jasen’s cock and being washed away by the water.

Her climax brought his own. Quickly, he pulled out from her, shooting wave after wave onto her stomach with a moan. His own legs shook, almost dropping him. Taking a step back, Jasen lowered Kairi to the floor, but did not release her from his grasp. Kisses everywhere, her nose, neck, cheek, lips, temples: he wanted to kiss every inch of her. “Jasen,” she whispered gently. “I love you.”

His insides twitched, having very little to do with what had just happened between them and almost everything to do with the words that had just crossed her lips. “I love you, too, Kairi.” A light peck on the lips. “I love you.” It took few moments for them to notice the water had gone cold, but when they did they didn’t mind. There was too much warmth passing between them for it to matter.

“I love you.”

“Psh. I love you more.” As she scrunched her nose at him, he leaned down and kissed her tenderly on the lips. In two years, the feel of her lips had yet to stop sending shivers down his spine. It had only been a few hours since graduation, when they donned their caps and gowns and received pieces of paper detailing their worth.

A body bumped against him from behind. “When you two are done smooching, would you mind giving me a hand? We are here for a reason, you know.”

Laughing against Kairi’s lips, Jasen turned to his friend. “Look who’s all business all of a sudden.” It was a funny thing to say, considering Hank still had his cap balanced atop his head. “I’ll give you a hand.” Pecking his girlfriend on the cheek, he went over and grabbed the remainder of the equipment to be moved to the stage.

“Kairi! No lewd behavior with the customers.” Mark’s voice was playful as he called to her from behind the bar counter. Zeke was nowhere in sight and hadn’t been for a while.

With a laugh, Kairi sauntered over to her boss and leaned against a bar stool. “He’s a performer, not a customer, and I’m just trying to get you a discount. Besides, you make me work the night of graduation, at least let me get a quick kiss from my boyfriend.”

He rolled his eyes at her, enjoying how much happier she had become since Jasen truly became a part of her life. “Fine, fine, but once people start coming in, no more kissing. Got it?” Giving him a shake of her head, she grabbed a bin from the counter and went off to put final touches on the tables, which we already in school spirit overload. This was the place to be after graduation, and everyone would be there.

Hours later, the room was packed beyond capacity, and some were filling themselves beyond capacity with greasy food and alcohol. Jasen and Hank had been jamming on stage all night, cycling through a seemingly endless arsenal of songs. The graduates all seemed to know them, and most also knew Kairi. So when her name rang out through the speakers — “Kairi, hey Kairi, get up here.” – heads spun in her direction. “Mark, you don’t mind, do you? Just for a song or two.” Kairi was shaking her head as she set down a round of drinks at a table, its occupants urging her to get up on stage, when hands came and stole the tray from her.

“Get yourself up there, hon.” Mark said with a smile, “you haven’t had your break yet.”

“You all wouldn’t mind if Kairi and I did a duet, would you?” The question was met with a zealous round of applause, and she responded by working her way to the front and hoping up to the stage, grasping the hand he offered her for support.

They selected a song and began to sing, everyone in the bar clapping along to the beat. Playfully, Kairi danced around the stage and no one missed how much Jasen couldn’t keep his eyes from her. Though many had come to know her expansive dance ability, very few had seen it, and even in the moment, she did nothing more than act silly and bounce around.

As the song finished, Kairi stuck her tongue out at Jasen, showing she playfully wasn’t thrilled that he had made her come up. Hank stood just to her right, and she turned to hand him the microphone. “No,” he responded to the motion. “Jasen’s doing this one solo. He’s been practicing something by himself, and he wants to do it now, I think.”

“Really? I didn’t know he was working on…”

She began to turn around, wanting to look back at her boyfriend, but Hank stilled her attention. “Hey, I’m not asking this because you’re a woman or anything, more because you’re technically working right now and it’s your job, but do you think you could get me a glass of water after you hop down?”

Rolling her eyes, she nodded and was about to give him a witty response, when the slow strum of a guitar started behind her, cutting off her words.

Then Jasen’s voice came in.

Forever can never be long enough for me
To feel like I’ve had long enough with you
Forget the world now we won’t let them see
But there’s one thing left to do

Kairi knew the song, most did. Even through the amplification of the speakers, she could tell that he was facing her as he sang. The entire room had gone quiet. She turned, slowly, and saw that he was, indeed, facing her, kneeling against a single knee, guitar balanced across the other, hope in his eyes. But she saw something else as well. A small box sat open just in front of him.

Now that the weight has lifted
Love has surely shifted my way
Marry Me
Today and every day
Marry Me
If I ever get the nerve to say “Hello” in this here bar
Say you will
Say you will

The tiny edit to the song sent a wave through her heart as tears formed in her eyes. Her fingers had come up to cover the quivering in her lips. There was a tiny shake in his voice, flowing all the way down to his fingers, yet he smiled.

Together can never be close enough for me
Feel like I am close enough to you
You wear white and I’ll wear out the words I love you
And you’re beautiful

Now that the wait is over
And love and has finally shown her my way
Marry me
Today and every day
Marry me
If I ever get the nerve to say “Hello” in this here bar
Say you will
Say you will

Tears showed themselves in his own eyes, happy tears, nervous tears. He had planned this for so long, practicing at random times and in random places when Kairi would never suspect. But that did nothing for the nerves. Did nothing to prepare him for looking into Kairi’s eyes in that moment. The joy. The love.

Promise me
You’ll always be
Happy by my side

Almost subconsciously, she began to nod at the words, as if sealing her promise.

I promise to
Sing to you
When all the music dies

And marry me
Today and everyday
Marry me
If I ever get the nerve to say “Hello” in this here bar
Say you will
Say you will
Marry me

Even as the song finished, no one made a sound. No one in the crowd moved. Slowly setting aside his guitar, Jasen remained kneeling and picked up the small box in front of him. The diamond glittered against the stage light as he presented it before him. “Kairi…” She stepped forward, toward him, traces of tears stained across her cheeks, and he took one of her hands in his. A room full of people held their breath. “I love you. I saw you for the first time in this bar, and I have never, for a moment, regretted saying hello to you here. In fact, it was one of the best decisions of my life.” He chuckled nervously, glancing down at the ring in his hand, then back up to her face. She was gently biting on her lip. “Kairi… will you marry me?”

“Yes!” It was almost a gasp, but came without hesitation. “Yes, yes of course!” Within seconds, he was standing, and she was wrapped in his arms. The applause set in as he pulled back and slid the ring onto her finger with shaking hands. Once it was in place he looked into his finance’s eyes, barely able to quiet his smile enough to plant a small kiss tenderly against her lips. “I love you.”

“And I love you.”

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