Chapter 13: Make Up Kiss

"You don't have to be here if you don't want to," Elliot said coldly as I sat awkwardly watching him carrying out his community work. We hadn't said a word to each other since we got here so I didn't know what to do with my time.

I wished I was at hockey practice but this was also one of my responsibilities and I couldn't give it to anyone even if I tried. And trust me, I had tried asking Neil to take the first shift but he refused after the incident that happened and Patience had something she had to do with her family while Lynn also had something that she was doing.

"That's not a choice I have," I replied just as coldly. If that was how he wanted to play this then fine, I was going to play along with him. "And trust me, I tried to get you off my hands but no one wanted to take you."

Elliot stopped picking the litter he had been picking and turned to face me with narrowed eyes. "Gee, if I'm so hard to deal with then why don't we just never talk to each other? I'm done with all your games." He sighed as he used his free hand to run his fingers through his hair. "I'm tired of pretending like you didn't hurt me with your actions and words. I'm sick and tired of always falling for the ones that never end up liking me after leading me on like I have no feelings of my own." Then he walked away to a different part of the park where he continued picking the litter around.

I was gobsmacked, stuck rooted on my standing. Was that how he truly felt? Had I led him on without even knowing it? But then why did his words feel like a huge slap to my own heart? I knew I had been having problems with sleeping and or thinking straight because all my thoughts kept taking me back to him and the kiss we had shared. Was it too over my head or was my heart just racing because of the weather outside?

Finally getting my thoughts in order, I walked over to him and turned him around. "Look, I was never trying to lead you on but you started this knowing full well that I was in a serious relationship," I started, I was not going to take all the blame when we were both guilty of whatever this was. "You're not the only one who is confused, ever since that kiss I can't seem to get you out of my head and it's driving me crazy because I can't sleep or eat and every time I see you, all you do is insult me. I'm sorry I made you have hope that something could happen between us." My chest was heaving up and down. "You have no right to blame me for anything when you caused it all. You should have remained in your comfort zone and not dragged me into your life as much as you did."

Elliot stood still, taking in everything that I had just said and before I could even think, I felt his lips on me, melting away all of my worries. His lips were soft and tender on mine and then he was pulling back just as I was almost responding. He placed his forehead on mine with his eyes closed.

"Fuck, you make this harder than it needs to be," he breathed, his breath fanning my lips and making a tingle run through my toes.

"Every time I try not to think about you, I always end up running into you, or worse, getting stuck with you again. It's so annoying because all I just want to do is wrap you around my arms and never let go."

He pulled back and wrapped me in a tight hug, making my brain run a mile from all the thoughts that were running through my head. I couldn't explain the feeling but it felt great and like it was what I had been missing in my life and now I had it, making me complete. My head was on his hoodie and I found myself breathing him in. He smelt different, instead of his usual cinnamon and mint, he just smelled like lavender and musk. It was different but wasn't bad either.

"What happened to your usual smell?" I found myself asking as I wrapped my arms around him too.

Elliot laughed and I felt his chest rise up and down with each laugh.

"How do you know how I smell like Luke? Have you been smelling me every time we are together?"

The thought registered to me and I tried to pull back but he held me tighter. "I didn't mean it like that, it's just that," I was stumbling on my words as I tried to come up with a coherent way of not admitting the truth. "It just happened."

"I'm just messing with you," he said, still laughing. "I also happen to like how you smell, though you always smell of the same cologne that Austin uses."

I hit his chest and he laughed again. "Just teasing you," he said again. "And to answer your question, it was a last minute thing because Lillian didn't buy more of the washing powder we use so I had to use hers, and trust me, smelling like lavender isn't my favourite but I'm glad you like it."

I murmured something incoherently, getting lost in his touch and hoping that it would last forever. In that moment, I pushed away all of my worries, it was just him and I and that was all that mattered. We stayed like that for a while until the weather started to change and become colder. I pulled away from him but Elliot was still reluctant to let go of me.

"You have work to do and if you don't finish this today your time will be extended," I said with a smile as Elliot pouted.

"But I like holding you," he replied. "And since it's all your fault that I'm behind, you have to help me finish this."

I looked around the park and saw that he had only done about half the work. There was still another half left and it looked like it was going to rain. "I don't know, it's a lot of work and I don't have anything to use," I said, just playing around with him. Of course I had planned on helping him before he treated me like I was his biggest enemy.

Elliot wrapped his arms around my waist, pulling me closer. "Please! Help me," he pleaded, his bottom lip sticking out and his eyes bulging out. "I'll get you hot chocolate when we are done."

I bit my bottom lip and gave in. "Fine, but you are giving me half your gear so I use it to help you out," I said, stepping away from his hold.

Elliot nodded eagerly and picked up the gloves he had tossed to the ground and handed me one while he kept the other. He also handed me a large plastic bag and his pick. "You can use this and I'll just use the glove."

We got to work and finished everything just as it started raining. Elliot grabbed my hand and we ran all the way to one of the nearby shelters. We looked at each other and burst into laughter.

"That was fun, we should do that again?" he said still laughing, my hand that was in his felt warm.

"You will be doing this for the rest of the month but without my help," I laughed as the realisation dawned on him. "Yeah, you didn't think it was a once off thing did you?"

Elliot ran his fingers through his hair, making water droplets fall into his eyes. "I guess I lost track of my priorities because of you," he said, looking straight into my eyes. "You do that to me."

I looked away, "I'm still with Patience and I don't know what we are doing." The words left a bitter taste in my mouth. I lifted our interlaced hands. "This, whatever it is, I need to really think about what I want before I hurt Patience's feelings."

"I know and I don't want you to do what you don't want to," he replied softly, using his index finger to turn my head to face him. "I can wait for you, no matter how long it takes." Then he kissed me gently.