After All by Lynn Emery

the
amused half smile Anthony wore briefly when he came out of the
kitchen.
    “ You're pretty handy with a
dishcloth.”Anthony sat on the end of the sofa near her.
    “ So are you. And unless you
have a maid service to clean up, you're not a bad housekeeper
either.” Michelle glanced around the tidy room.
    “ No indeed. Mama taught me
everything I know. She always made it clear that keeping a house
clean should be shared by everybody that helped get it
dirty.”
    “ Smart lady your mama.
You'll make some woman a fine husband.”
    “ You think so?”Anthony gazed
at her, a twinkle in his eye.
    Michelle hopped up from the sofa. To
hide her discomfort, she sorted through the stack of compact discs.
“Very nice collection.”
    “ Thanks, I've been scouring
record stores to get Louie Armstrong, Billie Holiday, and Alberta
Hunter recordings. Listen to this.” Joining her, Anthony switched
off the music to place another disc in the player.
    Sarah Vaughn's voice, sweet and strong,
filled the room singing a ballad. Without warning, Anthony pulled
her away from the bookcase and led her in a slow dance. For a time,
a very short time, Michelle strained to keep him at arm’s length.
Though she couldn’t remember how or when, the song ended to find
her body pressed against his and her head resting on his shoulder.
As she lifted her head to step back, his mouth caught hers. Another
song began as they clung to each other kissing deeply,
eagerly.
    “ Anthony, this isn't a good
idea.” Michelle's protest, murmured between tender caresses from
his lips, sounded weak even to her own ears.
    “ Feels like a very good
idea.”Anthony flattened his body to hers, his hands gripping her
hips. “Chelle, I want you. I can't settle for being just a
friend.”
    Michelle uttered a muffled moan as his
tongue found hers. Yet somehow through the velvet haze of hunger
that surged through her from head to toe, a tiny voice of caution
sounded.
    “ No wait.”Breathless,
Michelle pulled back from him. The room seemed to dip and
sway.”This is too much, too soon.”She waved him away with great
effort as he tried to embrace her again.
    With a tremulous breath, Anthony let
his arms fall to his sides.”We've been lying to each other for
weeks, Chelle. You don't believe we can just be buddies any more
than I do.”
    “ But we started growing up
after high school, remember?”Michelle felt her equilibrium
returning gradually as the days leading up to their final
confrontation came back to her sharply. Those memories were like a
dash of cold water in her face. She inched away from
him.
    “ But not enough. We were
still kids even then. Looking back on it now, I see myself not
being able to talk about my feelings and you so angry you couldn't
listen.”
    Michelle closed her eyes.”Things
haven't changed, I'm afraid.”
    “ I have.”Anthony took her
hand and led her to the sofa.”I'm willing to talk. And I think
you're willing to listen.”
    “ You mean we should talk
about us and what happened without anger or accusations?” Michelle
said in a small voice.
    “ It's what I've wanted for a
long time, Chelle.”He brushed a stray tendril of hair from her
eyes.”Can we try?”
    Michelle's heart raced as she looked at
the soft, imploring expression he wore. Could she be making another
mistake? Having him look at her this way made the conviction to
keep him at a distance begin to crumble. A tiny voice whispered not
to give in. But his touch awakened a long dormant yearning. “Yes,”
she murmured.
     
     
     

Chapter 5
     
     
    “ Hello, Marcus.”Anthony
stood in his uncle's large family room. He eyed his cousin
warily.
    “ What's up?” Marcus took a
long pull from the beer bottle he held. Looking Anthony up and
down, he gave a short grunt. “Nice clothes. Nice car, too. Living
well, huh?”
    “ I'm doing okay. How've you
been?”Anthony settled on the huge black leather sofa.
    “ Fine since I got out. The
first few nights I had trouble