I Loved You Before I Met You (New Version)

5

I help Lauren with the prep work for dinner after she tells me what to do while she begins to cook. While cooking, her phone goes off with a text message. She turns to the island and checks her phone and sighs loudly closing her eyes before slightly dropping the phone back onto the countertop. I wonder what the text is about. But I decided it's best not to ask her. Especially with the disappointment visible on her face plus it's not my business. I don't want to annoy her anymore than the text apparently has plus I don't want to seem nosy and I hardly know her.

After a couple minutes I step closer to Lauren and she jumps a little. "Sorry... umm where are the plates and everything so I can set the table?" Lauren tells me where everything is but says only to get stuff for me and her. I give her a confused look and she tells me that my... dad will not be home until later tonight and he said he was eating at the office while finishing up with work. I wonder if he is just trying to avoid me.

Lauren cooked Chicken Parmesan which is one of my favorites and it is so good. This is the best Chicken Parm I've ever had. I accidentally make a noise that sounds like a moan after my first bite. I hope Lauren didn't hear me but of course I am wrong. "I take it you like Chicken Parmesan?" She asks, laughing.

I take a sip of my water "sorry I didn't mean to have a food-gasm but I do, it is so delicious." Her cheeks turn a light red color after I say that and I try to keep from smiling because she is so cute. She is a really great cook and I can tell she definitely takes pride in what she cooks.
"I think we should get to know each other so tell me about yourself." Lauren says as we are eating and I guess she had the same thought as me. I agree so we sit there talking about different things we like and dislike. She asks about Pensacola and my friends back home which is really nice. She genuinely wants to know me and seems very interested in my life.

I find out Lauren has a younger sister that lives in Dallas, her parents live in Austin and one of her aunts live in Austin also. The rest of her family members are scattered and she doesn't see them as often. She loves to cook which is why she has a kitchen like she does though it's just a hobby of hers.

I offer to clean up but she quickly disagrees. "You don't have to do that Kyler, you just got here and it's my responsibility" Lauren says.

"Sorry but it's not just your responsibility and I want to since you cooked. We can talk more if you want to once I finish."

Realizing I wasn't budging after we keep going back and forth a few times, she finally agrees with a smile and suddenly leans in and kisses me on my cheek. She freezes for a few seconds when she pulls back realizing what she just did. "I'm so sorry, I... I don't know why I did that. T-Thank you though, you're very sweet Kyler."

Lauren quickly says "I'm just gonna..." and she grabs her glass of wine and goes to the living room. Damn, she has me feeling some kind of way after just kissing me on the cheek. I know it was just a simple kiss but it made me feel all tingly inside. After I get all the dishes in the dishwasher and start it, I wipe the table and counters clean. I do a quick check to make sure the kitchen is completely finished so she has nothing to do.

With the kitchen finished, I go to the living room and sit on the opposite end of the sofa from Lauren. "Okay, we can finish talking if you want to."

"How did you get a tattoo when you're not 18 yet?" Lauren asks while pointing at my forearm as I get comfortable.

I laugh "the age requirement in Florida is 16 with parental consent. My mom signed the consent forms for me to be able to get them."

Lauren nods her head then with raised eyebrows, says "them?"

I smirk "yes, I have six so far." She looks a little surprised but doesn't say anything. I watch as her eyes roam over my body, probably trying to figure out where my other tattoos are. I wish she was looking at me like that for other reasons but I will take her looking at me any way possible.

Lauren takes a sip of her wine then starts up a conversation again. "Did you leave behind a boyfriend in Pensacola?" I laugh since she obviously doesn't know I only like girls.

"Besides my aunt and my best friend Katie, no I didn't leave a special anyone behind because I don't date." I say as I look at her.

Lauren furrows her eyebrows "so no relationship at all?"

I laugh "no, no girlfriends, I don't date." Lauren begins to choke on the wine she just took a sip of. I jump up to move over and pat her back but she waves her hand signaling she is okay.

"So you've never been on a date? Not even once?" Lauren questions like she finds that had to believe.

"No, not at all. I hope I haven't made you uncomfortable or anything by what I said or by the fact I'm a lesbian."

Lauren quickly cuts in "no, you're fine, I mean... it's fine. I have no problem with you being a lesbian, I just didn't know. Your father never mentioned it before, not that it matters anyway. It's not like you have to announce to the world that you're a lesbian."

"Well he doesn't know." I tell Lauren and she nods and says "well you can tell him, of course when you're ready and if you want to. I'm sure he will not have a problem with it so it really doesn't matter. Don't feel like there's any pressure to tell him because there's not."

Lauren takes another sip of her wine and I just sit there and stare at her partially because of how caring and beautiful she is but also because I am so drawn to her. What is she doing to me? I have never felt like this for anyone before.

"You stare a lot." She quietly says looking over her wine glass.

"You're just so beautiful." I think I say in my head but realize by the look on her face it wasn't in my head. She quickly turns her head and her eyes lock with mine. "Sorry, I didn't mean to say that out loud. I tend to speak my mind a lot and apparently say things that should stay in my head."