He brushed his teeth quickly, and then headed out of the bathroom. The words he had died, as he realized she must"ve left while he was in the shower. He headed to the front door and confirmed that it was unlocked.

Nice work, Kent, he lectured himself. He knew she tended to be flighty and would try avoid any kind of commitment. He should never have left without securing her for the next time. He finished getting ready and then headed to work.

Melody finished showering and thought about Jackson. She tried not to, but her brain wasn"t listening to her. She kept picturing him over her, sliding into her. The soap slipped out of her numb fingers, and she cursed at herself for being so silly. She was a grown woman after all.

Late afternoon, she received a delivery. Seeing the big white daisies, she knew it was from Jackson. He knew she hated roses, hated how traditional and generic they were. Daisies were such a happy flower. She had once told him that you couldn"t not be happy looking at a daisy. Trying to keep the smile off her face, she signed for them and brought them into her kitchen.

Attached to the flowers was a note. Meet me tonight, 7 pm at Gardner"s. She thought for a split second and decided to accept. She wanted to say no, but she wasn"t the type to deny herself happiness if it was harmless. At least, she hoped it was harmless.

After dinner that night, they headed back to his place. Before the after-dinner coffee was even poured, they were naked on his kitchen counter, like two h.o.r.n.y school kids. In the morning, he drove her back to her place with the promise of picking her up around the same time and taking her to the local fish fry.

It became a routine with them, dinner at 7, make love until late night, take her back to her house in the morning. Melody was starting to think she could get used to this. And then it happened. He was in the shower with the door open, and she was cuddled up in bed waiting for him to coax her out of bed with coffee.

"Melody?" She murmured some kind of a response, cozy in her blankets.

He turned the water off and slung a towel loose around his hips. He waited for her to look up. When she blinked up at him sleepily, he wondered if he was about to ruin everything.

"Stay here," he demanded quietly. Her eyes focused immediately and he saw her body tense.

"You know I can"t," she warned, for a split second wishing it wasn"t true.

"You"ve already said it"s too dangerous lately. You"ve done everything you hoped to accomplish. Just...come home." He tried to keep the whiny boy"s voice from coming through, but inside he was wishing fervently.

She smiled a sad smile up at him and he knew it was over. "I should get home. I have some calls to make."

They both finished dressing, and he dropped her off like he normally did. This time when he asked what time to pick her up, she hesitated, saying she would let him know.

His day was dark and gloomy, knowing that she believed they were in the same place they had been so many years ago. Nothing had really changed. The motorcycle club still meant everything to him and her career still meant everything to her. All of his feelings had come back tenfold, but hers apparently had not changed. Her job and lifestyle were still at the top of her list.

It took him until the end of the day to realize that he couldn"t let her leave. He would do whatever he had to do to get her to stay. He drove over to her place to tell her his plans for them. He was surprised when he didn"t see her car in the driveway, but figured maybe she had to run errands.

Four days later, he realized she had left for good. She had taken everything important, had dead bolted the door, and the town realtor had mentioned to him that she had asked questions about selling before she had left, saying she would be in touch.

Jackson felt sick. He went to his club meeting like usual, but three members at different points came up to him, asking if everything was okay. Normally he would take a ride, but even cruising down the highway without her clutched against him felt wrong.

d.a.m.n her, he thought, frustrated. She would take the one thing that had always completed him...besides her.

He decided to take a road trip, two weeks after she had left. This was not going to be a repeat of them as kids. She had once asked why he hadn"t come after her, and he"d be d.a.m.ned if he let the same mistake happen again.

He reached her condo by nine the next morning. He figured it was a long shot - it was the place she only stayed when she wasn"t on tour or practicing. He rang the doorbell and prayed.

After the third time, he heard steps on the stairs.

"Coming!" Even the sound of her voice made him miss her more. She threw open the door, and he caught a wave of her flowery scent. Whatever she was going to say died in her throat when she saw him. She stood there, gaping.

He took that opportunity to say his piece. "I know that you don"t want to see me right now. I know you"re trying to run away. And the last time that actually worked, but it"s not going to work this time."

"I"m not-"

"Yes," he interrupted. "You are. You"re running. Just like you did that first night and just like you did all those years ago."

She closed her mouth, looking at him intently.

"I love you, Melody. I probably always have. I used to tell you all the time and I should have, could have, told you that first day I saw you back in town."

Melody took a good look at the man standing before her. He looked gorgeous as always, tousled and tan. He was wearing a fitted black tee with a Harley emblem on it and jeans that were worn and hugged his muscled thighs. He flipped his hair with a look of annoyance, and she had to hide a smile. Typical Jackson Kent.

"Jacks-" she started, stepping closer to him.

"Don"t come any closer. If you come closer, then I"m going to take you upstairs and not let you back down for twenty-four hours. Then, it"s going to be all about s.e.x and you"ll stay until it"s about something more, and then you"ll leave." He took a breath.

She waited until she was certain he was done, and then she spoke, "I love you, Kent."

He opened and shut his mouth, not sure if this was a trick. "You do?"

"Obviously. Why else would I put up with your dirty laundry on the floor and the annoying way you try to kiss me when I"m angry at you? Those are serious offenses!" She tried to keep a stern face, but the love that she had felt for more than a decade started to shine through.

"Then," he started, hesitantly, "does that mean..."

"Yes, you idiot. I want to be with you. Permanently." She threaded her fingers through his, and he cupped her face in his hand.

"We can live on your tour bus. I"ll leave the club behind." This surprised her, causing her to rumple his t-shirt in her clenched fingers.

"Y-you would do that for me?" she asked, tripping over her syllables.

"Of course I would! I did just say I loved you, Mel. That"s what love is, right? Giving. Receiving. Taking..." He squeezed her b.u.t.t, and she couldn"t stop the giggle from escaping.

"Stop that. You"re not giving up the club." That stopped him dead in his tracks, mid squeeze.

"What?" he asked, hoa.r.s.ely.

"Why do you think I left? I had to get my affairs in order. I rented out this condo, and I took the job being the music teacher at Grovesfield High School, the next town over."

He stood there looking at her, stunned. She continued, "Oh, I"m sure I"ll still do shows and tracks occasionally in my off time, but I"m over the rock star lifestyle. I have been for quite some time, I guess. It was fun when I was younger, but not now. Not when I have something real and lasting at my fingertips." She touched his face gently, rubbing her thumb over his mouth and chin. "Now...are you going to make an honest women out of me or not?"

He laughed, crushing her to him tightly. "Melody Renee Turner...will you marry me?"

"Yes, Jackson Dean Kent. I believe I will." He lifted her up into his arms and swung her around, not caring that they were drawing a crowd in from the street, a bus pa.s.sing by full of tourists. They whistled and cheered, as he planted a firm kiss on her lips. He placed a large square diamond on her finger, and she brushed away an errant tear.

Apparently love DOES wait, she thought happily.

end.