The Kiss

Tabitha almost ran to the kitchen door, but she held herself because she didn't want to look stupid. Once in the kitchen, Tabitha leaned on the kitchen table as if she needed to rest. With a short breath, she took her hand on her throbbing forehead, then asked herself softly, "What's wrong with me?"

That guy... my gosh, he amazing guy was driving her crazy. Tabitha trembled. There was a warm sensation on her thigh. She thought because of the effect of her shorts pants, but now she is willing to feel from within. She pressed her hands on the tops of her breasts, hoping that her body would get back to normal. The pregnant hormones she had read about seemed to be true.

"Can I help you?"

Tabitha jumped when she heard the voice so close behind her. "Wh-what? Oh, no. What would you like to drink? Coke, right?"

"Yeah," Keith smiled.

Tabitha, nervous, uncorked a Coke bottle. She had taken from the fridge. How long has the bottle been in there? What if it's already bargained?

The glass rattled as she put it on the counter, then Tabitha reached for ice in the freezer. The iceboxes froze, and she almost broke her nails when trying to get the cube of ice.

"The view from this kitchen is beautiful. How did you get this apartment, Tabitha?"

"That's called lucky." Tabitha held out the glass of Coke, and Keith nodded thanks. He stepped aside, letting Tabitha lead him back into the sitting room.

"This garage apartment is pretty good but for singles. Not suitable for married couple."

Tabitha ignored Keith's words because she knew where that conversation was going.

"Who carries the firewood for the fireplace?" asked Keith changing the subject.

The man's keen perception and observation make Tabitha uncomfortable and disturbed.

"Me. The tenant before me closed fireplace and I opened it. I like the fireplace in the house."

Tabitha stepped on her newspapers; the furniture looked messy because she had painted the walls. Keith considers her unclean. But why bother to think what the guy thinks?

"Sorry, this place is a mess. I have to finish painting this wall before I teaching next week."

"You're pregnant and shouldn't be doing this job." Keith stared at her to protest against Tabitha.

"I do it casually." Tabitha didn't like Keith going against herself, who had only spoken to her for a few minutes. They are not that close.

Keith drained his Coke and put the glass on the coffee table. Feeling mad, Tabitha watched the guy across the room, standing in front of an expansive window that overlooked a tree-shaded courtyard. The view of the green she favorite.

Keith slipped his hands into his jeans and back pockets while looking out, and Tabitha paid attention to Keith's slender hips. The man's shoulders and back muscles neatly made a checkered cotton shirt. His cuffs were neatly rolled up below his elbows.

Tabitha had never looked at a man so intently before. But she had never seen legs so long, slender, and...

"Beautiful tree," Keith commented, appraising the trees in the yard.

Tabitha chose to remain silent. After a long silence, Keith finally turned to the girl and asked slowly. "How's your pregnant?"

Tabitha felt shame to be asked like that.

"How did you know I was pregnant? And what your business about my pregnant?"

Keith stared at Tabitha closely. "That child is related blood with me. Your child is my brother's child and that's my responsibility to ensure the birth and growth of that child in the future."

"You are very kind to sacrifice your money for my child," Tabitha said sarcastically.

"My brother's child means my child too. I didn't sacrifice anything. And we're not talking about money, not just financial, but also the father for the child." Keith took every word he said very seriously.

Tabitha swallowed hard. "I don't want to marry anyone. I don't want my child to have any relationship with the Jackson family."

"You can't deny the blood running through that kid's body," said Keith annoyed.

"Your brother died with the teenage girl he was having an affair with, so consider my child not have related to your family."

The words hung between the two of them. At first glance, they froze, hostile to each other, weighing each other's strengths.

The atmosphere was broken by emotional outbursts and waiting long.

Tabitha swore she hadn't approached Keith, and the sudden attack came from the guy's side. All she could remember, she didn't think she was in a warm and strong hug. The lips crushing her were pressing and hard, and she countered the attack with an angry feeling. Tabitha held the man's back while Keith held her with his arm, which was hard as steel.

The woman doesn't know when the kiss changed Tabitha's think. No one knows. But for no clear reason, the kiss is no longer a tool to punish but to pleasure.

Tabitha opened her lips to welcome Keith to feel the acceptance and the rush. The guy explored Tabitha's sweet lips. They breathed into each other as if they were thirsty. Their lips pressed together.

"Yuhu! Tabitha… there was a strange car outside. I was worried, so I came to check…."

Linda Jones' voice filled the center doorway, and the woman stood transfixed when she saw Keith standing with Tabitha.

Hearing that grandmother's voice, they both moved away from each other, at the same time shocked at what was happening between them.

Tabitha felt the blood in her body up on her ears, and her body was boiling like a stove. Her breast up and down, trying to fill oxygen-depleted lungs.

"Tabitha?" Linda asked worriedly in a trembling voice. As neither Tabitha nor her handsome guest answered, Linda started back slowly and hurriedly walked to the living room telephone.

Seeing Linda's plump body hunched over the phone makes Tabitha from her stupor.

"Linda!" she exclaims and runs to the woman. She laid her hand on Linda's arm. "It's okay. Everything's fine. You just surprised us, that's all."

"Really? You scared me half to death!" she exclaimed. "I'm not used to seeing strangers around you, Tabitha." Linda laughed, and her chest and stomach were shooking. Her face had a genuine smile when she turned to Keith and held her hand to the man. "I'm Linda Jones, friend, and owner of this place. I'm so glad Tabitha lives here, and I'm not lonely anymore.

Keith shooking Linda's hand and then looked at Linda, and he was mesmerized by her size and how friendly she was.

"Tabitha, introduce me to this hot man before I black out. He looks like a movie star! Who is he?" Linda could never hold herself wise when she has something in mind, and she talks to the point.

Tabitha created a plausible lie and stammered out something close to the truth.

"This... this... uh... my brother-in-law. Yes... My late husband's brother."

Tabitha glanced at Keith through Linda's gray head, hoping he'd caught the hint. Can Keith understand the sign? She liked this apartment and wanted to rent it right then and there. Linda's hesitation about renting her apartment to a pregnant woman without a husband made Tabitha need to make up a story about having a dead husband. Most people couldn't ignore pregnant young widows.

"Nice to meet you, Mr. Carter," Linda greeted Keith happily. "I'm sure Tabitha was happy get visit from family."