Meant To Be Ch. 04

Dear readers,

Thank you so much for your constant encouragement and feedback. I love reading your comments and emails and I appreciate them all!

I apologize that Chapter 4 took so long to be published, but I do hope you enjoy the conclusion of Kelsey and Nathan's story.

Please vote, comment, email...anything that you think will help me improve as a writer!

xoxo,

Bethanie

"Fuck! Oh fuck...come with me! Come with me, Kelsey!"

Nathan gripped her hips tightly from behind as Kelsey buried her face into his sheets. She cried out into the mattress as he pounded into her relentlessly. She had just come over to talk things out, yet here she was, about to experience her fourth orgasm of the night. Her body ached, her mind was clouded, but her pussy demanded more. She needed every single thrust that Nathan could give her.

Her senses were on overload as he pushed himself into her. She could feel both of their bodies inching closer to climax.

Kelsey rolled her head to the side. Remembering that his roommates were all at home, she tried to be quiet, but she knew that they had to have known what was going on. She didn't care.

"Mmmm, Nate. I'm close! Fuck...I'm al-almost there!" she panted.

The sounds of Nathan's hips and balls slapping against her from behind were enough to push her over the sexual edge. Her hips jerked and her pussy clamped down tightly around his shaft.

"Oh fuck yeah! Uhhhh...fuck!" Nathan groaned as his own climax pulsed through him and into her..

Kelsey reached down between her legs and massaged the spot where their bodies came together. She felt his cum pulsing into her. She groaned as he filled her and clawed helplessly at her flesh.

After several seconds of trying to catch their breath, they finally collapsed next to each other on the bed. Kelsey was laying on her stomach as she stared at Nathan, who was staring blankly at the ceiling.

"You ok?" she asked quietly.

She saw Nathan swallow, then nod.

"Yeah. I feel like an ass for talking to you the way I did, though."

"Don't. I should have told you about New York as soon as I found out. I just didn't know how."

Nathan was quiet for a few minutes, his fingers trailing along the skin of her bare ass. Suddenly, he rolled over and brushed the hair off of her face.

"You should go," he said quietly.

Kelsey jerked away from him.

"What are you talking about? Just like that?"

Nathan shook his head. "Trust me, Kelsey...those are the last words that I want to say to you, but let's be rational about this for a second. This kind of opportunity doesn't come along all everyday. If you stay here, I'll have this horrible guilt. Like I'm holding you back,"

Kelsey opened her mouth to respond, but Nathan held up his hand.

"No. Kelsey don't argue. If this is what you want, if this is what's best for you, then you need to do it."

Kelsey shook her head. She crawled on top of Nathan and pressed her naked body into his.

"I'm scared."

"Of what?"

"Of everything. Of living in New York by myself. Of falling in love with it and not wanting to leave. Of leaving you," she whispered.

"Kelsey, the good thing about this is that you know I'm not going anywhere. I'll always be here."

"But I can't ask you to do long distance, Nathan."

He shrugged. "Ok, so we just take this slow. One day at a time while you're there. If we decide to make it official, then we will figure it out. If we decide that the distance is too much, then we can figure that out, too. It will be ok, Kels."

"You're just saying that to make me feel better."

Nathan laughed. "Well, yeah...kind of. I don't want to be saying any of this."

Kelsey leaned up and kissed his soft lips. She closed her eyes and tried to freeze that moment in her mind: Their naked bodies pressed against each other. His hands on her lower back, her hands on his chest. Her hair falling down around their faces. She inhaled deeply and smelled the faint scent of his cologne and their sweat. She could feel his heartbeat underneath her palms and his cum as it dripped slowly from her pussy. She could hear his gentle sigh as their kissing went from tender to passionate.

Kelsey's hands slid from his chest to his jaw. She placed her knees on either side of his body and pulled him up to the sitting position. His hands grazed her back as they kissed.

"I love you, Nathan," she groaned against his lips.

"I love you, too."

Kelsey slipped her tongue between his lips as they kissed and cuddled the next hour of their lives away.

By the time Kelsey got in her car to go home, her lips felt almost as raw as her heart.

>>>>><<<<<

"Good morning, I'm calling for Mr. Fisher. This is Kelsey Bradford, returning his call."

"Just a moment."

Kelsey paced in her room. Once she got home from Nathan's house the night before, she tried distracting herself in any way possible. She tried to edit the family photos, she tried sleeping, she tried watching some television. Nothing worked. She had been awake the entire night, just waiting for this very moment where she had to call and talk to David Fisher herself.

Just as Kelsey sat down on her bed, he answered.

"Well, the elusive Miss Bradford. I was beginning to think that you weren't going to return my call."

"I'm very sorry for the delay, Mr. Fisher."

"No need to apologize. I realize that this is a big decision. Let me give you a little bit more information about the internship," he started.

Kelsey listened as he explained the pay, the hours and the responsibilities that would be expected of her. She asked a few questions here and there, but really tried to focus on the information that he was giving her.

As their conversation came to a close, Kelsey explained that she had another internship lined up and asked for a couple more days to make her decision. Mr. Fisher kindly agreed and she told him that she'd have an answer for him by Friday.

Kelsey hung up the phone and started looking up details about the area of New York where she would be. She looked up apartments, transportation and the local neighborhoods. She closed her eyes and tried to imagine living in a completely different world than her sleepy little hometown.

Kelsey clicked a folder icon on her computer and pulled up the picture she took of her and Nathan, kissing in the field on Monday. Her eyes darted between the picture and the information she had written down during her conversation with David. She sighed and walked to her bed. She fell back onto the mattress, mentally thanking her boss for the mid-week day off. Her eyes got heavier and heavier, until finally she fell into a restless sleep.

>>>>><<<<<

"Kelsey? Can I come in?"

Kelsey rolled over when she realized that her Mom was knocking on her bedroom door. She yawned and sat up.

"Yeah...come in."

Kelsey's Mom cracked the door open and smiled at her daughter. She walked in and sat on the edge of her bed.

"Sorry. Looks like I woke you up."

Kelsey shook her head. "It's ok. I need to get up anyway. What's up?"

"I just wanted to see if you had made any decisions about New York."

Kelsey stared at her bed. She picked at an invisible thread nervously.

"I think I'm going to go, Mom." Her eyes drifted up to meet her Mother's. Kelsey saw the sadness behind her eyes.

"Ok," she said, trying desperately to sound positive and brave. "If you think this is the best decision for you and your career, then your Dad and I are behind you 100%."

Kelsey laughed. "Dad told you to say that, didn't he?"

"Yes, damn it," her Mom sighed heavily. "Kelsey, this sucks."

Kelsey couldn't help but laugh at her Mom's sudden lack of poise.

"I know, Mom, but it'll be ok. We'll just be a plane ride away. I can come home on weekends occasionally if there isn't a big project happening, and you and Dad are welcome any time, of course. It will be ok."

"I know," she said, sniffing back a tear. "I know you're an adult now and that you need to make your own choices, this just..." she paused. "This just isn't how I imagined things happening. I'm having a hard time wrapping my mind around it, that's all."

"What do you mean?"

Her Mom shook her head. "I can't. Your Dad made me promise that I wouldn't even bring this up."

Kelsey rolled her eyes. "Well, it's a little late for that. What are you talking about?"

Kelsey watched as her Mom's shoulders sagged in defeat.

"As a Mom, you just have these images of what your child's life will be like. I just imagined you, coming home from college, starting your own photography business," she paused and looked at Kelsey, "then finding someone who makes you happy and settling down. Close to home. So when Mr. Powell randomly mentioned New York, to say that I was shocked is a bit of an understatement."

"I know, Mom. I just needed to make this decision on my own, you know?"

"I know, sweetie."

Kelsey paused. "Mom? When you talk about me settling down with someone...finding someone who makes me happy...you're talking about Nathan, aren't you?"

She nodded timidly. "I'm sorry. I know that we can't force a relationship on you two or anything, we've just all seen it over the years."

"Seen what?"

"How happy you make each other. You have had boyfriends here and there, and he dated that piece of work...what's her name? Amy?"

Kelsey nodded.

"God. That girl was a train wreck, huh? Well, we have just watched the two of you grow and we know how happy you are when you're together. Nathan is a different person when you're home."

A lump formed in the back of Kelsey's throat. She couldn't talk about Nathan anymore. She stood up.

Her Mom cleared her throat. "Speaking of Nathan, everyone is coming over in a little bit to talk with your Dad and I about the remodeling that they're going to do this fall. You going to be here?"

Kelsey nodded. "Yeah. I'm going to take a shower really quick, then I'll be downstairs."

"Ok. I didn't mean to upset you sweetie, you know that right? The last thing I want is to discourage you from something. It's just hard letting go."

Kelsey smiled. "It's alright, Mom. It will be hard for everyone, but we'll figure it out."

Her Mom hugged her tightly before leaving the room. Kelsey pressed her forehead against her bedroom door and closed her eyes.

As excited as she was about the opportunity, she couldn't ignore the growing pit in her stomach.

Kelsey shook away the anxiety and walked to the bathroom. As she stepped into the shower, she closed her eyes and tried to let the warm spray of water wash away her anxiety.

She knew that having the Lowe's over that evening was going to be the perfect chance to tell everyone that she had decided to go to New York.

She just had no idea how to tell them, or how she was going to be able to look Nathan in the eye as she broke the news.

>>>>><<<<<

"Well, what if we took out that wall?"

"Nah...then you'd have to put one up right over there."

"Ok, well hang on. Is this a load bearing wall?"

Kelsey sat in the living room, listening as her parents, Dave and Nathan all discuss the plans they had for the remodel project.

Kelsey tried to pay attention, but her mind was somewhere else. She sipped on some water. After several minutes, everyone came into the living room and started to talk about the plans for Kelsey's room once she moved out. Kelsey swallowed. She knew this was the time to make her announcement.

"Um...I have something that I need to say," Kelsey said nervously. The room became quiet. Even Nathan's brothers stopped their handheld video games. Kelsey felt her heart leap into her throat and her cheeks get hot as every pair of eyes in the room stared at her. They knew what was coming. Everyone did. Kelsey tried to look at everyone, but couldn't bring herself to look at Nathan.

She took a sip of water and tried to swallow the lump in her throat.

"Well," she started. "Everyone knows now that I was offered a pretty prestigious internship in New York. The photographer's name is David Fisher. He is really well known and very talented. I talked with him on the phone today and discussed the details...the ins and outs of how this would all work. I did a little researching and a lot of soul searching, and I've decided that I'm going take it. I'll be leaving for New York in just a few weeks."

The room was silent. No one knew what to say. Kelsey looked down at the floor. Suddenly, her parents and Dave and Nancy all came to their senses and started to congratulate her on the wonderful opportunity. She knew that they were trying their hardest to sound excited for her, so she did her best to play along. After hugging each of the adults, she managed to look up at Nathan. He stood up and walked to Kelsey. He leaned down and kissed her on the cheek, but couldn't bring himself to say anything to her.

"Excuse me," he muttered. He walked to the kitchen and out the garage door. Kelsey closed her eyes as she heard the door close gently behind him. All of their parents just looked at each other, then to Kelsey.

"Um...I need to go talk to him. Excuse me."

Kelsey walked out of the room and out the door. She stepped out of the garage and into the warm evening air. She looked around but didn't see Nathan anywhere. Suddenly, she heard a gentle splashing sound. She walked to the fence and peaked into the Lowe's backyard. Nathan was sitting on the edge of the pool, kicking his feet in the water. Kelsey stepped inside the gate and walked towards him slowly.

"Nate?"

He looked up at her, then back down to the water.

"Can I sit?"

He nodded.

Kelsey sat down on the concrete edge of the pool. She pulled her flip flops off and tossed them behind her. She dipped her feet into the water. Nathan didn't say a word. Kelsey scooted her body closer to his and linked an arm into his. She rested her head against his shoulder and closed her eyes.

"Are you ok?" she asked quietly.

Nathan sighed. "I will be."

"Are you mad?"

"No. I know this is a great opportunity for you. I'm just trying to decide what we should do for the next few weeks."

"What do you mean?"

"I mean, do we keep seeing each other like we have been? Do we keep having sex? Do I keep telling you that I love you? Will all of that just make it worse when you leave?"

Kelsey exhaled heavily and lifted her head off of his shoulder.

"Nathan, this is my decision. I want this to be as easy as possible for you. We are going to take it one day at a time when I leave, right? If you think that we need to back off now, then say so. It will be hard, but if that's what you think is best, then I'll do whatever you want, ok?"

Nathan didn't say anything. Kelsey turned her body towards his.

"Nathan, look at me."

He looked up at Kelsey. The glowing reflection of the water danced across his face. Kelsey smiled.

"Whatever you want," she emphasized.

Nathan stared at her for several seconds. The look in his eyes told her everything. She knew what was coming.

"I think we need to back off," he mumbled.

Even though she knew that's what he would say, hearing the words fall from his mouth were still felt like a knife to the heart.

Kelsey slowly pulled her arm out of his and folded her hands in front of her. The only sound was the pool water lapping at their ankles. She squared her shoulders and tried to be brave.

"Ok. I completely understand. Just remember...I'm only a phone call, a text, a plane ride away. And, I'm still here for a few weeks. Ok? This doesn't have to mean that our friendship or relationship is over. This is just another chapter. Aright?"

Nathan didn't look at her. He just nodded. "Ok. I'll be alright. I just need a little time to adjust to this."

"Ok. I'll go."

Kelsey stood up and grabbed her shoes. She started to walk away, but knew that she couldn't before she did one last thing. Not knowing if it would be the last chance he gave her or not, Kelsey walked back to Nathan's side. She kneeled beside him and took his handsome face in her hands. She turned it towards her. She searched his blue eyes and admired his full lips.

"No matter what happens, Nathan, I will always love you. I will spend the rest of my life, comparing every man I meet to you. You will always be my best friend, no matter how many miles separate us. I need you to remember that. Nothing... no job, no distance, no separation... is ever going to change that. Maybe this will somehow bring us closer, maybe it won't. I don't know. But I do know how hard this is for you...to sit here and pretend that you're ok with it. I know you aren't. I'm not ok about leaving you, either. But if this is meant to be...it will be. I believe that. I need you to believe that, too."

Nathan closed his eyes. His hands came up and grabbed Kelsey's wrists. He pressed his lips into hers and gave her the most gentle, heartbreaking kiss imaginable.

Kelsey pulled back and inhaled unsteadily. Nathan leaned forward and kissed her on the forehead before letting go of her wrists.

She knew that there were no words for what they were feeling. She knew she needed to leave.

She stood up and walked back to her parents house without ever turning around to see Nathan, knowing that looking at him would only make it harder. She went inside the house, walked straight by their parents and up to her bedroom, closing the door behind her.

Kelsey sat down at her computer and started to edit the family pictures. As she cropped a photo of the Lowe's, she felt a hot tear sliding down her cheek. She closed her eyes and leaned back against her desk chair.

Suddenly, she could hear Nathan come back in the house, talking with her Dad. She stood up and walked downstairs just as Nathan was walking out to his truck to leave. Kelsey quietly slipped out the door behind him and ran to his truck just as he got in. She opened the passenger side and climbed in with him.

"Fuck! You scared the shit out of me! What are you doing?"

"Listen, I know that you said you needed space, but I just want to be with you. For however long that ends up being. 2 weeks, 3 weeks...I don't care. I just want you, Nathan. Can't you just drive somewhere so we can be alone?" Kelsey asked as she slid across the seat.

Nathan groaned as Kelsey's palm slid up his thigh, resting just inches away from his dick.

"Kelsey, I-"

"We don't have to talk. Just take me somewhere. Please?"

Nathan sighed and started his truck. He pulled away and started to drive down the road. Kelsey moved closer to him and nuzzled her face against his neck. Her lips fastened to his skin, kissing and nibbling gently. Her mouth wandered to his earlobe as he pulled onto a lonely country road. The windows were down and the warm summer air blew through the truck, blowing Kelsey's shirt up her back. Nathan's right hand came behind her and pulled her in as close as she could get without sitting directly on his lap.

"Mmmm. I love kissing you. I can't believe I went so long without doing this," she mumbled against his jaw.

Nathan sighed contently. Kelsey angled her body so her head was directly over Nathan's lap. She could feel his thigh muscles tensing as he used the gas and brakes, driving them farther and farther into the uninhabited country roads that surrounded their small town.

As the roads went from paved to gravel, Kelsey's lips went from his stomach to the seam of his pants. She could feel his cock starting to bulge against the zipper, so she worked it down and reached in to expose his dick. She freed it from his pants and Nathan moaned.

"Ohhh, fuck," he growled.

Kelsey didn't need anymore encouragement. She closed her eyes and wrapped her mouth around the sensitive head of his cock. Her tongue lapped against it, but the road was becoming too uneven. She let Nathan's dick pop free from between her lips as she sat up. She glanced around. There was nothing but newly growing fields. He had driven them to an abandoned barn not far from the edge of town. He backed his truck down an old dirt road and shut off the engine.