Class Reunion

"Good morning, sleepy head," Rachel said. Her hair was wrapped in a towel and she was wearing his bathrobe. "I took a shower. I hope you don't mind."

"No, not at all," he said, yawning. If they were a lot further along in their relationship, he wouldn't have minded taking one with her. Kevin sat up and tried to get his bearings. He always had a tough time waking up in the morning and usually needed a minute or two in order to get his head together. "I like waking up to a woman in my bathrobe cooking breakfast for me."

"Oh, you're silly," she said walking away from him and back to the kitchen, her hips swaying nicely through the terry cloth robe. "Breakfast is almost ready," she called behind her. Slowly, Kevin got up and made his way to the bathroom where he found her clothes in a neat pile on the vanity. He sniffed at them and they still had her fresh scent on them. Her bra and panties were missing. He assumed she was wearing them and he was a bit disappointed. He relieved himself, washed his hands, and joined Rachel in the kitchen.

She had the table set and the plates filled when Kevin emerged. "It's all ready," she said.

"You didn't have to," Kevin protested.

"I wanted to, so don't argue with me. Sit down before it gets cold," she commanded.

"Yes ma'am," he replied meekly.

"I couldn't find any eggs," she said, "otherwise I could have made omelets for you."

"I was going to get some today, but thanks anyway. You really didn't have to do this."

"I wanted to, so enjoy it." With that, Kevin dug in and began eating his breakfast.

Rachel smiled to herself as she watched him eat. She was very happy and content at that moment, being with Kevin the previous evening and that morning. She couldn't believe that she passed out and slept in his bed. Unconsciously, when she had waked early in the morning, the first thing that came to her mind was date rape. She was ashamed to have thought it, given how sweet and kind Kevin had been to her, but she had been through it once before and sometimes, she still thought it could happen again, even with Kevin. But, she had felt no telltale signs that any type of intercourse had taken place and she was immensely relieved.

She picked at the food on her plate as she glanced at Kevin. She remembered how good it felt to be next to him while watching the movie and how good it felt to be in his arms while dancing. They were so different from each other in so many ways, but yet, they clicked in other respects. She thought it was strange, but then, she thought about her marriage to Lawrence. Everyone thought they had the fairy tale wedding and life, and that they were perfect for each other, and Rachel thought that, too, at first. But, sometimes, people are not who they appear to be after a while and Lawrence was one of those people. After their courtship, engagement, and marriage, he changed back to the person he really was, and Rachel found that they really didn't have much in common and that he didn't have much interest in her at all. By the time that their first anniversary came and went, Rachel wondered why he had married her in the first place. It certainly wasn't for the sex. He had made that plain from the wedding night. It was over and done with so quickly that Rachel wondered if he had been inside her at all. Over the course of their marriage, their infrequent interludes were totally dissatisfying to Rachel and by their sixth year, they slept in separate rooms.

Why she stuck it out for thirteen years, she never knew. Deep down, she still loved him and always would, no matter that he had deceived her and perhaps took away those years when she might have been happy with someone else. She stayed with him and that was her lot in life. But now, as she looked at the disheveled off duty cop in front of her, she was ready to let someone else come into her life. She didn't think he was being anything but himself and she didn't think he would ever deceive her.

Kevin met her stare and cleared his throat. Rachel jumped slightly and was embarrassed that her mind had drifted that noticeably. She looked down at her plate and sighed softly.

"Is everything all right?" he asked.

"Yes," she said softly, "everything's fine. I was just thinking."

"About...?"

Rachel pushed her hair out of her face and looked back at him. "I'm just having such a great time with you. I almost hate to go home and let it end."

"I know the feeling," he replied.

"But, I've got two cats waiting for me who are probably getting a bit hungry by now and wondering where their owner is." Rachel scooted back her chair and took her plate to the sink.

"Just put them in the sink," Kevin said. "I'll take care of it later."

"Okay," she said as she brushed her eyes with the back of her hand. She faced him now, her back against the sink and her hands holding onto the edge of the counter. She looked fragile and delicate to Kevin at that moment, not the tall, confident woman he normally saw. He could almost see the awkward, shy teenager that she once was as her wavy hair fell into her face again as she looked down.

Kevin pushed his chair back noiselessly and was in front of her before she knew it. He gathered her into his arms and held her, loving the feel of this strong, yet delicate female against his body. She wrapped her arms around his waist and hugged him, laying her head against his shoulder. She bit her lip as she was about to lose control of her emotions and they stayed in check. Kevin didn't know what possessed him to hold her, but he wasn't regretting that decision now. They stayed that way for several minutes, just enjoying the comfort that they gave each other. Rachel broke the embrace, sniffling, and looked at Kevin through her blue eyes, shining and misty from tears.

"So, what's really the matter?" he asked softly, concerned.

Rachel shook her head slowly. "There's nothing wrong, really there isn't." She wasn't very convincing and Kevin didn't believe a word of it. He had interrogated too many people and he knew that Rachel was holding back. But, he didn't know if he should press the issue or let it go.

"If it's something I said or did, please tell me," he said.

"No, no, no," she said softly, "you didn't do anything. I just got to thinking about things, you know, my marriage and other relationships that I've had, and then I started to think about you. You were so sweet to put me to bed, your own bed, and then you took the couch. You'll never know how grateful I am that you didn't...." She stopped in mid-sentence. She never meant to go that far.

Puzzled, Kevin said, "Grateful that I didn't...." He looked at her questioningly. "What are you talking about?"

Rachel's head dropped down once more. "I should have never gone there. I should have never thought that you would have ever dreamed of doing something like that. It was so stupid of me to think that."

"Rachel, you're not making any sense. What are you talking about?"

"Please don't be angry with me," she pleaded.

"I won't be angry with you. What's wrong?"

Rachel looked away for a moment and then back at the intense stare of Kevin's brown eyes. "I woke up this morning and didn't know where I was. It was a weird feeling, almost a mini-flashback to a time I had in college when I was date raped...." Her voice trailed off.

"Oh jeez," Kevin said.

"Believe me, Kevin, it only lasted a second and I knew you hadn't done anything to me except be sweet and kind," she said quickly. "I, I came out to the living room and saw you sleeping on the couch and I knew you could never do that. It was stupid of me to even think it!"

"You were date raped?"

"Kevin, it was over twenty years ago and I'm over it. It just reminded me of it a little bit, that's all."

"What happened?"

"I'd rather not discuss it."

"Okay, but at least did you prosecute?"

"Yes, but it did no good."

"Did no good?"

Rachel sighed heavily. "I don't want to talk about it, but if you insist, no one believed me and the charges were dropped."

"I'm really sorry."

"So was I."

They were silent for a while as Kevin thought about what had happened that morning. He certainly wasn't upset with her and didn't blame her for thinking like she did. Kevin had plenty of mornings where he didn't know where he was at first and there were many times when he rolled over to kiss Annie good morning even though she had been gone for years. He looked at Rachel and smiled thinly. He brought her to him and held her once more, his right hand finding the back of her head as he rubbed it gently. This time, she allowed herself to melt in his arms.

Rachel sighed softly and smiled, knowing that he wasn't upset with her. He rubbed her back lightly, massaging her through the thin blue cloth of the bathrobe. He felt her bra strap as his hand passed back and forth across it. Without giving it any thought, Rachel turned her head and kissed him on the cheek. It felt rough from the stubble of his day growth of beard, but she didn't mind.

Kevin was surprised and pleased at the softness and warmth of her kiss. "What was that for?" he asked, laughing softly.

"Just because," she said, pulling away from him. She put both of her hands on his face and held them there briefly. Rachel forgot about the morning, forgot about her past, and forgot about her hungry cats when she pulled him to her and kissed him softly. She reached up and pulled the towel away from her head and let it drop on a chair. Kevin stiffened slightly at the first touch of her lips, not knowing what to think. It had been a long time since he felt the soft, gentle kiss of a woman and he wasn't ashamed to admit that he missed it. Her kiss was different than Annie's, but that wasn't a bad thing. Annie was a small, delicate woman who kissed much in the same fashion. Rachel's kiss, on the other hand, was soft and sweet, too, with just the hint of urgency in it. Kevin ran his hands through her damp hair as he returned the kiss softly and patiently. He felt no guilt or anxiety about kissing her. He knew in his heart that Annie would approve and would be smiling at him and urging him to continue.

When their lips parted, Rachel laughed lightly. "I've been wanting to do that since I first saw you at the ballroom."

"Really?" he asked laughing.

"Yes," she replied, looking down slightly and shaking her head.

"Was it worth the wait?"

"Oh my, yes!" she laughed. She pulled him to her once more and hugged him tightly. "I really need someone like you in my life," she whispered in his ear before kissing him on the cheek once more.

Rachel glanced at the clock above the kitchen sink and frowned. She really did need to go home and tend to the felines. She relaxed her grip and put her hands on Kevin's chest, rubbing it slightly. "I have to get going, Kevin," she said sadly.

"Well," he sighed, "if you must. Just let me get cleaned up and I'll drive you home."

"Okay. Let me grab my clothes from the bathroom." Before he let her go, Kevin gave her a quick kiss, savoring once again, her soft lips against his. Reluctantly, they let go of each other and they got ready for Rachel's return trip.

He walked her to her door after the long drive and she asked him in. They were greeted by the loud meows of her two cats, side by side in the foyer staring at Kevin with interest.

"The tortoise is "Frisky" and the black one is "F.B." and they are thoroughly spoiled," she explained as she reached down to scratch their heads.

"F.B.? What does that stand for?" he asked.

"Fuzzbutt."

"You're kidding."

"No, that's her name."

"You named her that?"

"Of course I did."

"That's a really silly name."

"I know, but she likes it and I like it, so it doesn't matter if it's silly or not." She moved away from the cats and walked towards the kitchen. "Come in and make yourself at home. I need to check their food bowls." Like she thought, they were empty and she busied herself with filling their dishes and refreshing their water bowls, too.

Kevin stood nearby and smiled. How could he not like a person who named her cat such a ridiculous name? The cats followed him to the livingroom until they heard the sound of food being poured into their dishes. They reversed direction and shot out of the room and ran back to the kitchen. Kevin could hear Rachel giggling as she watched her cats eat as if they hadn't had food for a week instead of just a morning. He was beginning to really like her now and it wasn't because they kissed just an hour before. He liked her laugh, her confidence, the way she moved and smelled. He loved the way she kissed and the way she felt in his arms. Kevin was happy that they were very different in some respects because he enjoyed sparring with her verbally over different subjects. He suspected that she enjoyed a good argument, too. She was very knowledgeable and she challenged Kevin whether it be about politics, money, or the law.

Rachel entered the room laughing. "You would think that I starved them. They've got their heads buried in their food like Garfield. I know they had plenty of food yesterday, more than enough to last until now. Oh well."

She sat down beside Kevin on the couch. Kevin reached behind her neck and placed his hand on her shoulder and pulled her closer. Of course, she didn't resist as she placed her head against his shoulder. Rachel melted against him as she was finding herself doing almost every time now when they touched.

"So, what do you want to do?" he asked lazily, not wanting to move an inch away from her.

Besides take you to bed? "I'm very happy right here," she answered, keeping her thoughts in check. Her hormones, dormant for such a long time, were starting to come alive. She had forgotten what those delicious tingles between her thighs felt like, but she was aching to be touched there. She knew that she had to be careful with Kevin, whose psyche she feared could still be fragile and be a little skittish about getting into a serious relationship. She would definitely have to take her time and perhaps let him take the lead.

"That sounds wonderful," he answered, "I didn't want to move anyway." His hand found hers and they sat content for a long time, neither feeling the need to speak.

An hour or so later, they both woke with a start from the nap they had just taken together. Kevin stretched and yawned as Rachel slowly got up from the couch. Out of the blue, Kevin began to laugh softly.

"What's so funny?" she inquired.

"Oh, think about it, Rachel. We slept together! What will my sister think when I tell her? What will your family think of you? Boy, if I knew you were that easy, I would have looked you up a long time ago."

"Kevin," she said, "before I slap you up the side of the head, keep in mind that we napped fully clothed upright on a sofa."

"You've ruined my reputation, you know. Mother always warned me about women like you."

"Women like me? Just what did your mother say about women like me?" she asked, hands on her hips.

"Only that fast women like you were only after one thing," he said, smiling.

"And what would that one thing be?"

"More snuggling and loving."

"That's two things, but I like your mother's thinking," Rachel replied. She came back to the sofa and sat down beside him once again.

"No, no," he said, shaking his head.

"What?"

He pointed to his lap. "I want you a little closer."

"My, you are the romantic, aren't you?" she said before she scooted onto his lap. Once she was comfortable, she wrapped her arms around his neck as he held her in place with his arm around her hip. "So, what do you want to do now?" she asked, batting her eyes at him.

Saying nothing, he simply pulled her close and hugged her. He didn't let go for quite a while, taking in everything that had happened over the past few days and weeks. He didn't even seem to notice that his face was resting against her breasts, a fact that didn't go unnoticed by Rachel. He remembered when he didn't want to go out, didn't want to date, and was afraid of betraying Annie's memory by being even remotely happy. How silly he had been because he now knew in his heart that Annie would approve and would have approved a long time ago. His eyes were damp as he finally relaxed his grip, leaving a small wet spot on her shirt on her upper right breast.

Rachel noticed immediately. "Are you okay?" she asked.

"I'm fine," he said. "I just got to thinking about a few things." He paused for a few seconds. "After Annie died, a part of me was buried with her. We knew for quite a while that she wasn't going to make it, but it didn't make it any easier when she did pass. I went into a depression, I mean, everyone thought it was natural. She was everything to me. Well, four years later, I was still depressed and this class reunion invitation arrived. Then a certain committee member calls me and wants me to come because they hadn't received my RSVP yet." Rachel smiled, her hair falling into her face again.

"So, I say "yes" and I think I'm okay. Do you know I almost backed out? I did. I called my sister because I didn't want to go, I was afraid to have a good time. Well, somehow Jackie set me straight and I went anyway. And whom do I meet first when I came through the door? Rachel McMichael, the person who personally called me in the first place. After you sat down with me, I knew that I was okay, I knew that it was okay to have a good time. And I knew it would be okay with Annie if I enjoyed being with you."

He took her hands in his and held them. "I don't know where this is going between you and me, but I just want to thank you for coming into my life. I know we don't really know each other very well, but you are becoming very special to me. It may take me a while to really sort out everything, but please be patient with me."

Rachel looked at him intently, her light blue eyes blazing and trying to penetrate to his very soul. She saw nothing but warmth and kindness staring back and she smiled. "I wanted to get to know you from the first time I saw you come in. It was no accident that I sat down with you. I was praying that there would be an empty seat next to you when I came in." Kevin looked a bit surprised. "I was so surprised when you asked me to dance and it was lovely. It felt so natural, like we had been partners for a long time. It was so strange to feel that way. I know it's been a short time, but it seems like I know an awful lot about you."

Rachel put her head against his shoulder and sighed contently. How could she feel this good with Kevin so quickly? Things were going too fast, too perfect, and it was starting to scare her. She didn't want to mess things up by going overboard and head over heels for him, but how could she slow down something that seemed so real, so right? She decided to stop thinking about it and just enjoy his being there with her at that moment.

"You're really pretty," Kevin said quietly.

"Huh? What?" Rachel said, still in deep thought, not quite hearing him.

"I was just looking at you now and remembering when I first saw you at the reunion. I just think you're very pretty, especially when your hair falls into your face."

Rachel giggled softly, blushing like a school girl. "You're too sweet. A bit blind, but sweet."

"I mean it, Rachel. You have a very nice profile and I really like the way you look." It was he, now, who was looking intently at her, taking in her features and studying her face. She had a small mouth, but full lips, and her cheek bones were set high as if she had some Native blood in her. She vaguely resembled an Indian, but her hair was too light and wavy. Her face was somewhat thin, but had filled out nicely since high school. Her ears were small and stayed close to her head. Kevin's head move back and forth as he continued to look at her.

"What are you doing?" she asked laughing.