Chapter one hundred and eleven:
Luke woke slowly the next morning. Before opening his eyes, he stretched tiredly and let out a quiet groan.

He felt a hand slide across his bare chest, and opened his eyes in alarm, lifting his head off the pillow.

“Hey, you’re awake!” Jen said softly, with a smile.

“Hey, you’re not mad at me?” He replied.

“No… you’re right. I was being childish and immature. I can’t be mad at you for worrying about me, even though I wish you wouldn’t.”

He smiled and pulled her close to him, until they were practically nose to nose sharing the pillow.

“I hate that you’re leaving today.” She said suddenly.

Luke felt his heart lurch. “I hate that I’m leaving today too.”

“Can’t you stay?”

He smiled slightly. “I would if I could, love. You know that. I’ve already missed so much time off work… and I’m going to see you in a couple of weeks anyway when you come to Tulsa.”

She sighed. “I know that… I’m just going to miss you so much when you’re gone.”

“I’m going to miss you too.” He smiled. “Don’t make me out to be the bad guy here, if I had my way I’d stay… but this is just something that I have to do.”

She sighed heavily. “I know.”

He kissed her forehead with a smile. “I guess I should get up and shower…” He turned on his back.

“No! Stay!” She wrapped her arms around his body.

He laughed, and leaned over and kissed her.

Jen returned his kisses and climbed on top of him.

She moved her kisses from his lips and down his throat. Luke closed his eyes tightly and attempted to force himself to think of plane crashes, pestilence and unsexy thoughts.

She left a slow trail of wet kisses down his bare chest, finally reaching the waistband of his pajama pants.

Luke jumped, suddenly thinking again. He suddenly remembered that what was about to happen was moving way too fast for the both of them. “Wait! Wait!” He stopped her from going further.
”What?” She asked, they were sitting face to face with her sitting between his thighs.

“Jen, we can’t.” He shoved his blonde hair out of his eyes. “We can’t. It’s too soon. Isn’t it too soon?” He demanded.

“I don’t think so…” She tested.

“I… I don’t know. It feels too soon… like I’m pushing you or something-“

“You’re not pushing me! I want to…” She placed a hand on his thigh.

“It’s just too soon… we have the rest of our live and… we’re rushing…”
Jen bit her lower lip, looking hurt. Luke suddenly hated himself.

“It’s not that I don’t want to, I do but-“

She sighed. “You should shower.” She got up and left the room, banging the door closed behind her.

Luke groaned and dropped back onto the bed.

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Zac walked into the kitchen to find Becky standing at the island counter eating a bowl of cereal and flipping through a magazine.

He smiled broadly when he noticed that she was perched on one leg, with the older folded and her left foot resting on the side of her right knee.
”Do you always eat like a flamingo?” He asked.

Becky jumped and turned to face him with a smile. “Only in the mornings. The rest of the time I eat like a penguin.”

Zac laughed and crossed the room and bent to kiss her.

“Good morning to you too.” She laughed. “You’re up early.”

He shrugged. “Yeah, but  I think we’re going to the studio in a little while. Besides, I have something to tell you.” He circled the island and sat on one of the stools.

“You do?” She put down her bowl and leaned on the counter.
”Yeah. Have you got any plans for tonight?”

“Umm…. I don’t know… I don’t think so… not yet, anyway… What do you have planned?”

“Well, I thought we could go out to dinner.”

“Go out? Why don’t we just order a pizza or Chinese or something?”

He smiled. “Not that kind of dinner. I thought we could go out someplace nice, you know? Really nice.”

“Okay…” She smiled. “Just tell me what to wear.”

He laughed. “I don’t even know what I’m wearing yet.”

“Okay…”

“I’m going to borrow a suit of Ike though.”

“A suit? We’re going someplace that… fancy?”

“Yeah.”

“What for? Is it our anniversary?”

“No… I just thought it would be nice to go out…”

She smiled. “Okay. I won’t argue. I’ll find something to wear.” She leaned across the counter and kissed his cheek. “You’re the sweetest boyfriend ever.”

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