Chapter Thirty-two

The cab pulled up beside the curb and Kevin was out before it had come to a complete stop. The neighborhood was quiet and dark, save for the lone streetlight glowing a few yards away. He spotted her immediately, sitting on the porch swing of a small white house.

“Megan,” he breathed, darting up the driveway to the porch.

She didn’t seem to hear him coming her way. She just stared blankly out into the night.

“Megan, are you all right?” he asked, shrugging out of his jacket and dropping it around her shoulders.

He knelt in front of her and took her hands in his, rubbing them between his own to warm them.

“No one’s home,” she whispered.

“What?”

“I knocked on the door, but no one’s home.”

“Oh, baby, why did you come back here?”

A lone tear slipped down her cheek and splashed on Kevin’s hand.

“I don’t know.”

Still holding her hands, Kevin sat down beside her.

“Everyone’s so worried about you,” he said, bending down to blow on her hands. “Me especially.”

The feel of his warm breath on her skin seemed to bring her out of her haze.

“Kevin, I,” she stammered.

“Please don’t run away again,” he begged, his green eyes shining with unshed tears.

“How did you find me?”

“Dana and Brian talked to your mom. She gave them this address.”

“Where’s AJ?”

Kevin felt a slight sting in his heart. “He’s with Howie. They went looking for you, too.”

“Oh God, I didn’t mean to freak everyone out. I just needed some time alone. I have to call AJ.”

“Carlos is doing that right now. Megan, please tell me what happened.”

She blinked back tears and whispered, “I went to see her. God, Kevin, it was horrible.”

“What did she say to you?”

Megan bit her lip. “I can’t tell you.”

“Why not?”

Because it may be true! she thought frantically.

“Megan? You can tell me, maybe I can help,” Kevin said. “Just give me a chance, please.”

She gazed at him for a moment, seeing a man so caring and tender that all she wanted to do was melt into his arms. If she would let him, he would surely protect her from all the demons in her world.

AJ! her mind reminded her sharply. AJ, not Kevin!

What if I want Kevin? her heart questioned.

No! You don’t want Kevin!

She stood up abruptly, pulling her hands away and tucking them into the pockets of his jacket. Kevin stood up too and began zipping up the jacket. When his fingers reached the top of the zipper, they brushed lightly against her chin.

She didn’t move away, and neither did he. He carressed her chin, moving his hands to cup her face, tilting her head up towards his. Her eyes closed and she leaned forward without realizing it, allowing Kevin to claim her lips in a single swoop, branding them with his heated kiss.

“Megan, I --” he began as they broke apart.

She shook her head and placed a finger on his lips. “Don’t. You promised me this morning. . .”

“It’s you I want to be with,” he blurted. “I want you. How many times do I have to tell you? Or kiss you?”

“You could kiss me a million times and I would still go back to AJ.”

“Why?” he demanded, anger welling up inside him. “Why are you so fucking loyal to him? Haven’t you heard about his reputation? He cheats! You yourself believed he would sleep with your mother! His last girlfriend caught him numerous times with other women. Don’t you care about that?”

Megan hadn’t realized she slapped him until she heard the smack and saw his head jerk to the side. She gasped in horror at her action and stepped back. She watched as he reached up to touch his cheek, his jaw setting in a hard line and his eyes turning stony.

He said not a word, but simply stared at her, unblinking, until finally she couldn’t stand it any longer. She ran from the porch to the cab parked in the street. Carlos opened the door for her and she slid inside, throwing a quick glance in Kevin’s direction before she pulled the door shut.

Carlos waited for Kevin to join him at the end of the driveway.

“Take her back to the hotel,” Kevin said, his voice gruff.

“What about you?”

“I’ll get there by myself.”

Carlos shook his head. “I can’t leave you out here alone. Denise would have my head on a platter, man.”

"I’ll handle Denise. Just take Megan back to the hotel. Make sure she gets to AJ.”

“Are you sure about that?”

Kevin nodded. “I’m sure. She wants him, let her have him. I’m done.”

“C’mon, Kev, get in the cab. Sit in front for all I care,” Carlos tried.

“Dammit, I said no!” Kevin cried, then quickly apologized. “I’m sorry, I mean, just take her back. I’ll be okay.”

Carlos had to stop himself from physically throwing Kevin inside the vehicle. He knew he could do it. Kevin may be big, but Carlos was bigger and could use more brute force.

“I’m calling you a cab then. Promise me you’ll wait here for it?”

“Yeah, I will. And um, tell her I’m sorry for the things I said about AJ.”

Carlos sighed and climbed in the car. Kevin caught a glimpse of Megan cowering against the opposite door, wrapped in his jacket and wiping tears from her eyes. He hardened his heart at the sight and backed away.

The cab disappeared down the street. Kevin turned towards the house and decided to go back and sit on the porch swing. It couldn’t hurt since there was no one at home. He rocked quietly, letting the evening breeze wash over him, doing its best to soothe him.

He knew he was crazy for being out alone, at night in a strange neighborhood, but he didn’t care. He needed to be by himself so he could think.

So far, Megan had said nothing to AJ about their feelings. Kevin decided he wouldn’t either. What was the point of bringing it up when Megan didn’t even think it was important enough to mention?

If anything had come out of this night, it was his decision to break things off with Dana. He would do it soon, so as not to waste anymore of her time. He wouldn’t give her the exact reason, because he didn’t want to ruin her friendship with Megan, but he knew he couldn’t keep leading her on when he wanted someone else.

“Someone who doesn’t want you,” he said aloud. “God, you are stupid, Richardson. What the hell do you plan to do? Pine after her for the rest of your life?”

He knew the rest of the tour would be pure hell, having to watch Megan grow closer and closer to AJ, knowing there was nothing he could do to stop it or change her mind.

“And what if it doesn’t work between them? Will you try for her again?” he wondered.