Thanks already to brightyeolie and jueka1 for commenting on the last chapter.

Warning: Steamy content ahead.

Enjoy ;)

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"Go with me to formal," I mumbled against her mouth as she continued to straddle my hips, lips raiding mine.

"No," she breathed, barely pulling apart from me before her tongue ploughed into my mouth.

We were alone in her house.

And a small part of me was shitting bricks that her parents would come home any minute and find us like this... the very parents who still didn't know we were together again.

But when Callie started rocking her hips over me, causing my eyes to roll back into my head, I knew I had to call it before this went too far way too soon.

Besides... we had more important issues right now.

Pushing her off me onto the bed, I quickly rolled on top of her, pressing light pecks against her lips. Every time I pulled away before she got the chance to kiss me back, the pout grew more intense.

"Flynn," she whined after the tenth fluttered kiss. "Give me a proper one."

"I am kissing you properly," I whispered back, brushing my lips lightly over hers again.

"Like before," she almost cried.

"I will..."

"Now," she breathed, arms hooking around my neck, attempting to drag me closer.

But I held my ground, hovering above her, staring into her gorgeous grey eyes. "Say you will go to formal with me first."

All desire dropped from her gaze in that instant, a scowl instead taking shape on her face. "You can't do that."

"I can and I will. You said we'd talk about it."

"I don't think demanding I go or you will cut kisses from me is really a discussion."

"I don't think you flat out refusing to go and making out with me is a discussion either."

"But which is more fun? Yours or mine?"

She has you there... "That's beside the point. I want to take you."

"And I don't want to go. Therefore, I win."

"Can't you do this for me?"

"Why?"

"Because I'm asking you to."

"And I'm asking you to drop it."

She placed a gentle hand on my chest, pushing me off her.

Of course, I could have held my ground, but I was overly conscious of my need to comply to her physical limitations right now. While she said she felt safe with me... I didn't want to push it.

So I willingly rolled off her, onto my back, eyes tracking her movements as she sat up and reached for her prosthetic.

"Where are you going?" I asked.

"I don't know. Away from you."

With a sigh, I sat up on her bed and reached over her, stopping her from proceeding any further. "I can go, Callie, if that's what you want."

Turning to pout at me, she said, "But I don't want you to go."

"But you want to go?"

"Exactly."

"This is your house. If you don't want to see me anymore, then I can—"

"I don't actually want you to leave leave. I want you to realise how furious I am that you won't give in and eventually give in."

Slowly tilting my head to the side as she continued to frown, I did my best to ignore how cute she was trying to be grumpy, all the while trying to put the puzzle pieces together that would explain her determination.

I had never seen her so adverse to something.

"What is it really?" I asked her.

"What is what?"

"Why don't you want to go? Sara said her brother won't be anywhere near, so why—"

"It's got nothing to do with who will be there."

"Then what?"

She shook her head.

"Callie..."

She shook her head again, but her eyes began to develop a sheen to them, the light bouncing off at all points as a pooling began to form in her waterline.

"Callie," I said more softly this time, draping an arm around her shoulder just in time before she fell into my chest, the sobs coming out.

"Please don't make me," she cried.

"Hey," I said in a gentle voice, trying to soothe her. "Whatever has got you upset, it's going to be okay."

"Not if you demand I go."

"Callie... Explain to me what's so bad about it. So that I understand."

"I can't tell you," she sobbed.

"Why?"

"Because you will tell me it's stupid."

"Try me."

And so she pulled back, face red and splotchy, tears cascading down her cheeks. Nonetheless, I brushed her hair out of her face and did my best to wipe the wetness away.

"All the girls will be wearing heels," she started. "And I can't."

"You don't have to—"

But she wasn't finished. "To wear heels as an amputee, you need a very specific foot that can rotate at the right angle. And my leg only gives me the ability to walk. My foot can't rotate. My leg doesn't allow me to run. Heck, I can't even walk for long periods in it."

"Callie," I said again, when she seemed to be finished. "You don't need to wear heels—"

"And what on earth do I do about a dress? Wear a short one and embrace my leg? Have all the parents and people at the venue gawk at me? Have our peers who still don't get it give me that pitying look? Or do I wear a long dress and hide it. Have people know I'm trying to do that? Have people assume I'm normal and heaven forbid something go wrong and BAM, they lift my dress to see I'm—"

"You're beautiful as you are, you know that, right?" I cut her off.

She turned her head, evidently not believing my words.

"And who cares what others think. I think you're one of the most gorgeous, sexy, stunning people I've ever met. And as your boyfriend, only my opinion should count, right?"

She gave me a small shrug, but that crease between her brows softened slightly.

Keep going, my mind thought. It's working...

"And whether you've got the leg on or you're in a wheelchair, you never fail to move my heart or take my breath away."

"Your opinion doesn't count though," she mumbled.

"Does it not?" I demanded in disbelief.

"Like... it matters... but you have to say these things."

"Do I? I don't believe I have to be attracted to you. But I am. And I don't have to compliment you. But I want to. And I don't have to love you... But I do. Just as you are."

Her face flushed red again and she turned her head into my chest.

Though my heart began to pound in my chest as the seconds dragged on, her not saying those three words back to me.

You knew it was too soon... my mind whispered.

"I'm scared, Flynn," she breathed. "I don't want to be stared at."

"If they stare, then I'll beat them up."

She pulled back, giving me a deadpanned look.

"What?" I asked, feigning confusion.

"No violence!"

"Why not? If they make fun of my girlfriend—"

"Because I don't want you locked up." But as the words left her mouth, her eyes went wide and she quickly withdrew from me.

My body felt cold in her absence.

And even colder as she turned her gaze to her lap.

"Sorry," she muttered.

"What for?" I pressed.

"Being insensitive."

"Being—" I started to reply back, but then it dawned on me. "I can take a joke, Callie."

She gave me a small shrug.

"Just as if anyone makes fun of you at formal, I'm fully prepared to slip my hands up your dress and—"

"Flynn!" she exclaimed before I could even finish.

"Keep your mind out of the gutter and listen to the rest."

Her eyes narrowed but she gave me a brief nod as if to say, 'go on'.

"I'll slip my hands up your dress and steal that leg of yours to hit them with if I must."

"No using my leg as a weapon!"

"If they want to stare at it, then I will just show them... up close."

"Flynn!" she laughed, but I was glad to see the humour return to her eyes.

Taking my opportunity while I had it, I reached out to her again, pulling her onto my lap. Hands cupping her face, I smoothed stray locks back behind her ears. "Say yes," I whispered.

"What do I get in return?" she asked back, hands crossing over her chest, but definitely seeming to come around to it.

"A fun night with your friends and boyfriend and—"

She shook her head, causing me to move my hands down to her sides.

"What do you want?" I bargained.

Her eyes twinkled with delight, mischievousness slowly creeping in. "An 'I-Owe-You' that I can claim anytime I want."

"Callie..." I reprimanded.

"Take it or leave it."

"What will you make me do?"

"That's the thing... I don't know what I want yet. But if there ever comes a time I want you to do something or try something and you're reluctant... I can whip it out."

I wanted to say no... because agreeing to something I didn't even know scared me.

But because she was so close to saying yes...

"Fine," I grumbled. "I'll give you an 'I-Owe-You' if you come to formal with me."

She squealed in delight then moved down to plant her mouth back on mine.

And we picked up right where we left off.

Tongues dancing.

Hands roaming... well hers.

Until she grabbed my hands and began moving them up under her shirt, dragging a deep rumbling moan from depths I didn't know existed.

"I've missed you," she breathed into my neck as she trailed her lips over my neck and continued to straddle my hips, ever so slowly rocking over me.

"I've missed you too... so much." And, reluctantly, I moved my hand out from under her shirt, around her side, clamping both on her hips to stop her movements. "But let's take this slow."

"We weren't taking it slow last time," she grumbled.

"We didn't do anything under the clothes," I said back.

"But you implied there'd be more!" she retorted, seemingly getting quite upset about this. Evidently the teenage hormones were raging through her. And I could feel my own getting angry at me for stopping just before things got really interesting.

"I never said when..."

"But I want more," she breathed into my ear, not helping me calm down the tightness in my pants.

"And your parents might come home soon," I pleaded.

"Not for... like... another hour."

"And we just got back together today."

She groaned and moved off me, falling face first onto the bed. "Sometimes I wonder if I'm dating an old fart."

"Sometimes? How often have you thought that in the few hours—" But a pillow flew at my head, silencing me. "Mature," I commented as I brought it to my lap, covering the evidence just in case... "There's no rush with us."

But she turned her head away from me, facing the other way that I couldn't see. The seconds ticked on until she barely made audible, "I'm scared you'll disappear again and I won't have had a full enough time with you."

Laying down by her side, I tugged at her arm, trying to get her to turn over.

At first, she seemed to have activated log-mode, refusing to budge.

But after much persistence, she went limp and let me turn her until she had rolled right in my arms, pulled tightly against my chest.

"I'm not going anywhere," I whispered into her hair, brushing my lips over her head.

"You said that last time," she fretted.

"I won't make the same mistake twice. I promise."

She sighed and seemed to almost reluctantly wrap her arms around me. I knew the worry wasn't gone with just a few words. Only time would heal that wound. But—

"Even if we have time... I still don't know how to hold back from wanting you." Then she pulled back to look me square in the eyes as she said, "This better die down as I get older and out of puberty. How am I supposed to function as an adult if I'm horny every time I'm around you."

Almost choking on my saliva, I sputtered in response, gasping for air until I finally managed to regain control. "Callie..." I said in shock.

"What?" she demanded.

"How can you even—"

"You have always, always asked for my consent. Even when I had my first kiss with you, you were so gentle. So I know I'm safe with you. And Noah... he didn't do anything in the end. But I was turned off the moment it turned from a kiss to a makeout. Because at first, things were normal. I just didn't like what was going on because... well... I was trying to replace you. And then when things really started going far away from the slight distraction I was seeking... He did me wrong. And I didn't trust Ashton after because he has been forceful before too... Nothing sexual but... the hickey and relationship expectations, you know? Plus, he was friends with Fraser, which adds to my skepticism. Nonetheless, you... I've never had any reason to distrust you with respecting me and my body. My distrust is that if I allow myself to open my heart to you, eventually you're just going to plant yourself in there making sure there's just enough for me to miss before you run again." Her voice croaked at the end, so I pulled her in tightly to my chest once more.

"I'm not going anywhere," I repeated again. "And I'll prove it. I'll talk things through with you in future. But, you know... going those extra steps with me aren't going to make you feel better."

She was quiet.

And her silence told me all I needed in that moment—I had hit the nail on her head as to the reasons underpinning her determined requests.

"What if I use my I-Owe—"

"Don't use it like that, Callie."

"But you promised, if I—"

"If it's really how you want to... then I have to give in because I do owe you. But... don't. Because in time you and I will get there. But let's go slowly. Be natural about it. And build up that trust again. The last thing I want is you looking at me in fear after as you realise it's not actually going to give you any sense of security you'd been hoping to gain from it."

She was quiet again, just our breaths filling the air as she kept her hold tight on me. Then she finally said, "Flynn?"

"Mmm?"

"I hate that you know me so well."

I chuckled at her comment. "Is it really all that bad?"

"No," she grumbled. "Because as much as I hate it, I also love it." But then her body stiffened in my grasp.

Love...

She loves this part of me... But doesn't love me, I concluded.

Yay! She said yes!

I'll write the next chapters this afternoon/tonight.

Hopefully this book is done in the next couple of days and I can move on to other projects.

It's been quite a ride nonetheless.

I don't even know what memes I've posted before anymore... but hopefully this one is new: