Life in a Northern Town Ch. 06

Is forever long enough?

Those words stayed with me all through dinner and every time I looked into his eyes, I saw those beautiful lips forming the words that his deep, husky voice spoke to my heart. I was in trouble. The kiss in the car led to another and another and in a few minutes' time, we were in the sexual stratosphere, so ready to just rip off our clothes and fuck like rabbits. He was the one who pushed us apart, laughing and saying that we were going to get arrested if we didn't get going.

Dinner was a dream. Through wine, antipasti, salad and entrees, we talked, tentatively at first, then more freely. I thought it was funny that we could kiss without a problem but when it came to talking, it was difficult. We both tiptoed around the baby issue but I think we'd already said all that we needed to say about it. I told him about living with my parents, of how my mother had enjoyed controlling every detail of life so much that I had to leave. He commended me for having the courage to leave and asked if I intended to stay with Jessie. I told him that I wanted to find my own place, not because I didn't love Jessie, but because I needed my own space.

"What about sharing my place with me?"

I thought about it but shook my head almost immediately. "I don't think that's a good idea."

"Why? I've got a spare room."

"Peter, both you and I know that I'd never see the inside of that bedroom."

He turned those dark liquid eyes on me. "And that's a bad thing?"

I couldn't help but laugh. "Peter ... "

"What do you want, Taylor? What do you want out of us?"

"For there to be an 'us'."

"Are you sure?" He stared at me, really making contact with me. "I couldn't stand having my heart broken again."

"Did I really break your heart?"

"You didn't know?" He took my hands carefully, stroking them as if they were made of the finest china. "You didn't know how much you meant to me? How much you still mean to me?" For the first time that I could ever remember, Peter Garland opened his heart to me. He was always a man of great emotions but was never able to put them into words. In our short time apart, my old dog had learned a new trick.

"No, Peter. If I'd have known, I never would have left."

"What did you think we were doing all those times, just fucking?" When I nodded, he just stared at me, dumbfounded. "How could you think that? Didn't you love me?"

"I've always loved you, Peter. I just thought that I was a notch on your bedpost."

"Oh, my God, no! No, no, no, no, no! Nothing could be farther from the truth!" I felt my heart skip a thousand beats. Jesus, I didn't do anything right! All this time I could have been here with this man I loved and our child. I wanted to cry but I told myself that there was no more time for that. No more mentioning the baby. No more lamenting a past lost life. A future, a real future was looking me in the face. "When you left, I thought you didn't want me because I was so much older than you."

"I never thought that! I would never have gotten involved with you if I thought that." Our eyes looked down at where our hands were connected. I didn't trust my voice but I wanted to be the first to speak. "Let's not waste any more time, Peter."

"But you're so young, Taylor. How can you be sure that you know what you want?"

"Because my heart is telling me so." I touched his cheek, loving the tiny bit of grey stubble there. "And when I listen, my heart never lies to me."

I leaned forward and our lips touched. But it was different that the fumbling desperation of two horny adults as it had been in the car. We were suddenly on a different level, old friends that had reconnected and a love that had been rediscovered and had deepened. I didn't want to be in this restaurant. I wanted to be in bed with him, to feel him inside me, to see the love in his eyes when he made me cum.

"Mr. Garland? Mr. Peter Garland?"

We broke our kiss to look up into the faces of two uniformed police officers. Peter glanced at me, then looked back up at the men. "Yes?"

"You are under arrest."

It happened so fast that I didn't know what happened. One minute, we were enjoying a beautiful kiss and the next moment, Peter was face down on the table and handcuffs were being clicked on his wrists, while a uniformed female officer whisked me away.

I screamed but they weren't listening. I cried but they didn't care. All I could do was sob and watch as they escorted the love of my life away and hope that my chance for happiness hadn't been taken away.