Chapter 73
There was a knock on her door and she looked at the clock through teary eyes. It was close to two AM. Who on earth could be at her door? There was no way it was Alex. She’d just talked to him on the phone an hour ago.
“Kevin?!” She was greeted by his smiling, emerald eyes.
“Hey, Chels!” he greeted before realizing she’d been crying. Stepping into the room, he closed the door and took her in his arms. “Did you and Alex have a fight?”
Chelsea welcomed Kevin’s embrace. It was just the medicine she needed as she began to cry again. “No,” she sniffled. “Can you just hold me?”
“Of course I can, baby,” and Kevin led her to the chair in the corner by the balcony window. He sat down first, then pulled her into his lap. She snuggled into his arms, her head nestled under his chin. It felt so right to have her in his arms and his mind began to wander. He’d told himself repeatedly that it was over with her but damn, she was so perfect. He knew she was in love with Alex, totally and completely. So why was he here, in Norfolk, in her hotel room? What was he expecting from her?
Without moving, she asked, “What are you doing here?”
“I have some business to take care of.”
“In Virginia?”
“Yes.”
Chelsea sat up and pinned him with a look that would make a hardened criminal break. “What kind of business? And WHY are you HERE in my hotel room? And what about our daughter? Where is she?”
Kevin shook his head. “If you cross exam a witness like that they’ll break with no problem.”
“Answer me!”
“My business is personal…for now, and Annie is with Alex.”
“Why are you in my hotel room?”
“You needed me.”
Chelsea got up and went out on the balcony.
Kevin followed knowing something was wrong. Standing beside her, he asked, “Chelsea, you were crying when I got here. What happened?”
Without looking at him, Chelsea said, “I’m not pregnant.”
Kevin heard the tears in her voice and he moved to wrap his arms around her. In her ear, he whispered, “I’m sorry, Chels.”
It was what she needed and she turned into his embrace as she began to cry. Sobs shook her body as she let it all go.
Kevin simply held her letting her get it out of her system. When the sobs became sporadic, he scooped her up and carried her to the bed where he set her down gently. Without hesitation, he slipped the sweats off she was wearing and covered her with the blankets. Then he turned off the light and returned to the chair they’d sat in earlier.
Out of the darkness came her teary request. “Kevin, hold me….please.”
Without vocalizing his answer, Kevin stood, stripped down to his boxers, and slid into the bed with her. He gathered her in his arms and placed a large hand under her shirt on her belly. It felt so right to be holding her in his arms, her warm body pressed against his. She’d wanted him to hold her; she’d wanted him in her bed. Now, he wanted her and his body reacted.
Chelsea felt the warmth of his body and it eased the aching of her soul. She needed his comforting arms, his safeness….his love. And she knew he wanted her.
His hand moved along her satin-smooth skin to cup her firm breast and he began to massage it. His head was screaming, telling him to stop, but the rest of him kept urging him on. His lips touched her ear and he whispered, “Say stop and I will.”
His breath caressed her skin. She too knew it was wrong but she couldn’t stop him. This had been building since that fateful April day when he’d walked back into her life. Yes, she loved Alex completely but part of her heart would always belong to Kevin. She closed her eyes, said a silent ‘Forgive me, Alex’, and turned her head to kiss him.
He felt her lips against his and he greeted them warmly. Parting his, his tongue darted out to request entrance which she granted.
The kiss was slow, their tongues reminiscing as they tasted each other. Her hand found its way into his boxers taking his hard member into it’s grasp. She stroked the entire length slowly, paying attention to the throbbing head.
“Oh god!” he groaned in her ear. “It feels so good to have you touch me. Roll over and face me, baby.”
Chelsea did as he requested and their eyes met. They both understood what was happening and the consequences but each knew it was something they wanted.
“Finish undressing,” requested Kevin and as she did, he removed his boxers. Time rewound seven years and all the feelings they’d kept buried exploded as they rejoined. They made love slowly, rejoicing in their union.
Afterwards, they lay in each other’s arms, Kevin lightly stroking Chelsea’s arm. He said softly, “I’m not sure why I came here tonight…all I knew was that I needed to see you. I still love you, Chelsea, and it’s tearing me up inside.”
“I’ll always love you, Kevin,” she answered looking up at him.
Before Kevin could go on, her cell phone rang and Chelsea reached to answer it. He caught her hand as he said, “Don’t.”
“I have to. It could be something about Annie,” and she pressed ‘send’. “Hey, Alex.”
“Hey, ‘Beautiful’. Did I wake you?”
“Sorta. I’d just dozed off,” she lied but her voice was calm, not betraying what had just taken place.
“Are you okay?”
“I’m fine.” Another lie. She was anything but fine.
Kevin listened, questions formulating his mind.
“What are you doing up?” asked Chelsea hoping to distract him.
“I couldn’t sleep. I miss having you in my arms. How long are you going to be in Virginia?”
“Until the end of the week. My doctor’s appointment was rescheduled to late Thursday.”
“I’m gonna catch a flight there as soon as the next show is over.”
“You don’t have to, Alex,” panicked Chelsea.
“Baby,” whined Alex. “I miss you.”
“I know, Alex…I miss you too but I won’t concentrate on my exams with you here.”
“I promise to behave. I really want to go to the doctor with you.”
“Just having you here would be a distraction. I promise, I’ll call when I leave the doctor’s office to let you know what he says.”
A.J. conceded. “Okay, but catch the first flight back, ‘Beautiful’.”
“I promise.”
“I’ll let you go so you can get some sleep. I love you, Chelsea.”
“I love you too, Alex,” and she turned the phone off before she lost control.
Kevin looked down at her as she settled her head back in the crook of his shoulder. “Tell me what’s going on, Chelsea.”
“I went to the doctor today and I’m not pregnant. He said I’m probably late because of all the stress I’ve been under…the wreck, Monique’s death, my dad, moving to LA with Alex. He gave me something to get my period started and hopefully get my system straightened out.”
“What about the pregnancy test you took and the morning sickness?”
“It was a false positive. I don’t know why I bothered. It was negative even when I KNEW for certain that I was pregnant with Annie.”
“And the morning sickness?”
“Probably the meds I was on for my ankle.”
Kevin grew silent because the rest of his questions could possibly change his life.
Sensing his thoughts, Chelsea said, “I didn’t sleep with you tonight hoping to get pregnant either.”
“Then why did you?”
“Because I love you.”
“Why did you lie to Alex about the doctor?”
Chelsea took a deep breath and said, “Because I don’t want to disappoint him. He’s so excited about me possibly being pregnant.”
“You’re still going to have to tell him.”
“I know,” she whispered and she ran her finger along his chest.
“Were you going to tell him about us and let him break up so you wouldn’t have to tell him?”
“No! Kevin, I’d never use you like that,” she insisted. “I don’t know what I was going to do. I hadn’t really thought about it and then you just showed up. I didn’t realize how much I needed you until I opened that door and saw you standing there.”
Her tears started again and Kevin hated seeing her cry. He hugged her to him as he soothed, “Hush, baby! It’s okay!”
“How is it okay, Kevin?” she demanded. “I am deeply in love with Alex and yet, I slept with you and I don’t regret it. The two most important men in my life and all I’ve done is disappoint both of them. How is that okay?”
Kevin held her not knowing what to say. He wanted to fix it for her though. He wanted Chelsea to be happy.
Eventually, Chelsea’s tears stopped and Kevin realized she’d fallen asleep. He let out a sigh and said into the darkness, “I’m here for you, Chelsea.”
