The Choice (a Painful Past)

166 Colby's POV

Right before her lips touched mine, my conscious got the best of me.

"Are you sure?" I whispered.

She nodded, then pressed her soft lips to mine. My heart thumped painfully in my chest, as I brought my hand up to rest on her side. I didn't push her or try to take control of the kiss.

Instead, I let her lead the way. She controlled the slow, languid speed, that calmed the buzzing that was inside of my brain. She controlled the movements of our lips and tongues.

She even controlled where I hesitantly placed my hands, when she moved closer into my body.

A loud burst of laughter had us both snatching away, just as my motel room door swung open. Sherri and Shawn were walking out, telling Sam and Nate goodbye, but stopped short when they saw us. I guess it had to look pretty suggestive.

Callie was on her knees, leaning into me, while I had my hands placed right above her hips.

"Well." Sherri said, giving me a small glare.

I guess I deserved that. I had told her that I wasn't going to try anything. Technically, I didn't. I just didn't stop it, either.

Shawn let out a low chuckle and nodded at me in male approval. I pulled my hands away from Callie's waist, and she leaned back on her feet.

"Hi." She said, giggling.

"Hi." Sherri said, grinning at her. "Sorry we interrupted, but we're about to go. Are you good here?"

"I'm good." Callie replied, still grinning like an idiot. "I need my hug though!"

She started climbing to her feet, wobbling with every movement, while my brain registered that she would be staying the night with me.

I started to move to help her, but Sherri took over and helped her get to her feet.

"Cal, you're fucking gone, aren't you?" She asked, laughing.

Callie nodded, joining her cousin in the laughter.

"Very much so, but not too drunk to not know what I'm doing." She replied.

Sherri's eyes went to mine for a second, and I nodded. I understood that she was telling me not to take advantage of her cousin. I didn't plan on it.

Definitely wasn't gonna drink anymore though. Not tonight. Not if I had any hope of resisting Callie.

They hugged, talked for a few minutes, then we all said our goodbyes.

"Behave, kids." Sherri called out, as she and Shawn walked down the stairs.

Callie started trying to sit back down, but I worried that she was going to faceplant on the concrete, so I jumped up to help her. My head started swimming with the movement, so I put one hand on her, and one on the banister, until it calmed down.

"Are you okay?" She asked, giggling, as she clung to me for her own balance.

"Moving that fast while being inebriated isn't a good idea." I murmured, as I got caught in her gaze again.

Nope. Not doing that. Couldn't take advantage of her.

She was drunk. That was all. If she were sober, that kiss would've never happened.

That thought hurt, but it did sober me up a little bit.

"Let's sit back down." I suggested.

She nodded and bit her lip, as I helped her get seated. I plopped back down beside her, and a jolt of pain hit my ass.

"Ouch." I muttered.

Stupid move, Brock.

"So," Callie sighed. "I guess I should keep going?"

I shrugged and avoided her hypnotic gaze. "If you want."

"I'm sorry I kissed you." She whispered, morosely.

My eyes snapped back to hers, instantly.

"Don't be. Don't ever be for something like that. I liked it." I insisted.

"Then why are you mad at me?" She whimpered.

"No, Callie, I'm not!" I exclaimed, taking her hand. "I swear I'm not! I just...well, you're drunk. Really drunk. This is the second time that you've kissed me, when you were drunk. Unfortunately, I have to do the same thing this time, as I did last time. I can't take advantage of you when you're like this. Trust me, if you still want to kiss me when you're sober, I'm all for it. Okay?"

God, I really hoped she still wanted to kiss me.

"I've wanted to kiss you a lot, ever since you came back home." She replied, as she started pulling at a loose thread on the hem of her shirt.

My eyebrows hit my hairline.

"Actually?" I asked.

She nodded but kept her eyes down.

"Yeah, but I'm never brave enough to act on it. Besides, I would be just another girl to you. Probably not even in the top 10, with all of those LA girls, and their tight little bodies." She muttered.

I reached out and nudged her chin up, so that she would look at me.

"Callie, you've never been 'just another girl' to me. You're THE girl. The one that got away. Besides, those LA girls have nothing on you." I replied, smiling at her.

I couldn't believe that we were having this conversation! My heart was trying to beat out of my damn chest, with how nervous and excited I was, all rolled into one.

What would tomorrow bring though? I couldn't help thinking about how this might be a mistake.

Would she shut down on me again?

Avoid me, like she had before?

"You're lying, but I'll take the compliment." She giggled.

I just rolled my eyes and shook my head.

I had a feeling that she wouldn't believe me, no matter what I said.

"Okay, I'm ready to tell you more, I guess."

"I'm listening." I said, softly.

She nodded her head and took a deep breath.

"If you take into account that everything I've said was done over and over again, for all the years that we were together, it's a lot. There's no reason that I should've stayed. I told myself that he could change, even after he proved that he wouldn't. I told myself that it was better for Ben to have two parents with him, not admitting that Will was never really there anyway. I forgave again and again, when he brought drugs around my kid, or into my mother's home. I don't know why it took me so long to let him go. Even being alone is better than being unhappy. Or that's what my therapist says. I tried to break up with him so many times. I did break up with him. He just used his words against me, and I ended up taking him back, believing the promises that I knew he would break. He lied to me so much. Every single day became a guessing game of what was actually true. Why did I love him so fucking much that I allowed him to do all of that to me? Why do I still take his shit, even today? Like tonight, for example. Why did I just let him say all of that? What business is it of his who came to Ben's party? He wasn't there! Why do I still let him have me in his grasps? As soon as I stopped sleeping with him, he had another girl in his bed. Hell, he probably had a few before I stopped fucking him. That's all it ever was. Fucking. There was no love. Not from him, and eventually, not from me. Oh, I didn't tell you that part. Ha, I don't know if I want to tell you that part. It's the worst part, I think." She stopped talking and started twisting a lock of hair around her finger.