Esq. (closed)

[heartofcourage]

"Can't go wrong with chicken and pasta." Megan said with a smile as she placed the menu back down on the table. "And you'll go with the surf and turf. You always do."

She still remembered him so well. He liked to celebrate with certain foods. He loved his coffee a certain way in the mornings. It was so easy to slip back into a role of care giver when it came to Jerry. He needed someone to take care of him.

 

[BeachBum25]

He couldnt believe that Megan remembered that about him. "How did you remember that Meg? After all these years you remember my favorite food? I bet you remember a lot more about me. Have you been carrying a torch for me or all of these years?" he joked with her. it was already a great vacation and they had barely started.

After ordering, Jerry reached over and placed his hand on top of Megan's. "I want you to have a gret time Meg, so, what I did was enroll you in beginner ski classes tomorrow morning. You will be in a class with a bunch of 4 and 5 year olds. You should be the hit of the class." he tried to keep a straight face to see what her reaction was going to be, but it ws too hard, and he started laughing.

 

[heartofcourage]

"Four and five year olds are probably my speed when it comes to skiing." She said as he placed his hand over her own, teasing her. "And you're a horrible liar, Gallo. I know that you didn't enroll me in a class. You have a tell when you lie. I learned it long ago and I use it to my advantage while we're in the courtroom."

She turned her hand and grasped his hand in her own, lacing her fingers with his as she gave him a smile. "And you never forget things like that when you love someone."

Those words slipped out. She had loved him, deeply. She simply was afraid of letting him get very close in case she ruined their relationship completely.

 

[BeachBum25]

Her use of the L word surprised him. He sat there silently for a moment while he held her hand tightly. She was the only one that he ever truly loved, and she had sent him packing. He never got close to anyone after Megan. He devoted himself to becoming the best lawyer, and he had been successful.

"You might think you have a tell on me Counselor, but I know how to get you off your game. I have been able to use it on you again and again; quite successfully i must admit. So, dont try to act like you can get over on me. We do pretty well on each other." Those words brought back memories of their relationship, and how much he enjoyed being with her.

 

[heartofcourage]

"Hmmm....well, I guess I'll have to up my game in the courtroom then." Megan said with a grin as Jerry teased her back about her being able to tell when he lied. "Because I don't know how many more cases I can afford to lose to you. I have a reputation to uphold after all."

She squeezed his hand one last time before she let it go, going back to her drink as she watched him from across the table. He was handsome and had definitely aged well since they had been apart. She wondered what he thought about when he looked at her. She hoped that it was all good memories from their time together, despite the fact that she had broken his heart.

 

[BeachBum25]

Gallo looked across the table at Megan. They had been so good together back in the day. Unfortunately, that was quite some time ago. She still looked incredible. She was as beautiful as she was in law school and as smart as ever. Of course, she had that killer body still.

"Before we go skiing tomorrow morning, I am going to need to go shopping. I dont have ski pants or jacket. I think you could probably use a ski bunny outfit to cover and protect your wonderful body. So, when we get up, we will go right to the ski shop, do our shopping, rent some skis and then head for the kiddie slope."

 

[heartofcourage]

"My wonderful body?" Megan murmured as he mentioned that and she actually blushed under his gaze. "You really think that I'm...pretty?"

She tried her hardest to keep herself in shape. It was hard to find the time to go the gym and many attorneys had turned a bit flabby in their time. She wasn't going to be one of them and she worked extremely hard and took pride in her appearance.

"I still think that you're handsome. Perhaps even more so since we graduated from college." She said with a smile on her face.

 

[BeachBum25]

"Thank you Meg, but you dont need to issue compliments just because I said something nice about you. I am sorry if I was inappropriate saying something about your looks and your body. I shouldn't have done it. We are here to have a good time and to try to be friends again."

His apology was only half-hearted. He was amazed at how good Megan looked. Yes, she always looked good in court in her suits, but she looked even better when dressed in less professional attire, He would insist that she get something that was extremely flattering when they went shopping for ski clothes.

 

[heartofcourage]

"Bullshit, Gallo. You meant every word." Megan said with a smile on her lips. "I know you're not a man to lie about things like that. I admire that about you. You don't do things just to flatter someone and you never have."

The way Jerry looked at her, she knew that he still carried a flame for her after all of that time. They might not have been an item for a long time, but he still looked at her with concern and care and perhaps even love. It was a nice feeling to know that someone truly did care for her the way that Jerry still did.

 

[BeachBum25]

"Okay Meg, so, yes, I still think that you have an incredible body. I still think you are beautiful. I am sorry if saying that makes you uncomfortable, but it is true. You are gorgeous, and you always have been." He looked her right in the eyes as he said that to her.

Michael had long carried the torch for Megan. In fact, it had only been in the last year or so that he had really moved on from her. Then, all of a sudden, here she was back in his life. Yes, it was different than it was, but she was here with him.

 

[heartofcourage]

"Well, I'll have to use that information to my advantage." Megan said as her smile grew and she took a sip from her drink. "You were always a sucker for a pretty face."

She enjoyed teasing Jerry. He made it easy to relax without fear of her words offending him. He had always been so cool and collected and that had been what attracted her in the first place.

"I think a lot about what we might have been. I mean, at the time I thought that it was best that we break up. I didn't want my heart broken. Now...well, maybe I'm foolish for not being with a guy like you." She said softly, thinking about her recently failed relationship.

 

[BeachBum25]

"Meg, I wasn't happy when you broke up with me. However, I never was mad at you. I know your background and I know that you were fearful that people that cared about you always seemed to leave you. However, the way I see it, I am the only person you have been close to that hasn't left you."

He looked at her. Damn, she was so beautiful. "Yes, I have always been a sucker for a pretty face, but the pretty face that I have been a sucker for is sitting across the table from me." He winked at her and took some of his drink.

 

[heartofcourage]

Megan was quiet for a long moment after he spoke. She finally let out a long sigh as she looked Jerry in the eye. He was telling her that he still found her very attractive and he hadn't really stopped thinking about her. She cleared her throat nervously as the next thought just popped out of her mouth.

"Does that mean you want to get back together?" She asked him, her heart racing in her chest as she thought about that. "I mean...it's not a bad thought."

 

[BeachBum25]

He was surprised by what he heard her say. Actually, he was shocked by what she said. He thought about what she said. He shook his head. "Meg, you are just coming off of a break up with a fiancée. I don't want you to want to get back together with me, because of the break up."

He couldn't believe that he had just shot her down. He had wanted to be with her for so long, but now he told her no. Yes, it was the right thing. It wouldn't work. Not now. It was too fast. "Meg. Let's give it time. I would like nothing better, but I don't want to be your rebound. I want you to be mine when that is what you really want."

 

[heartofcourage]

"Yeah, I guess." Megan said in that soft voice that she got when she wasn't certain of something. "Time would be a good thing right now, I suppose. It would give us time to see if we actually can make it in the long run."

She struggled so hard to not be wounded by the fact that Jerry had rejected her. He was right. She was fresh off a failed relationship. She needed time to think and to heal from that before she walked into another relationship. Besides, things with Jerry had ended in an awkward place.

 

[BeachBum25]

They sat quietly through the rest of the meal. It was an awkward silence. Gallo knew that Megan was hurt, and he, for once in his life, did not know what to say. He truly believed they belonged together, but he did not want it to be a rebound relationship. He wanted them to be together because it was right for both of them.

After they finished eating, and they were walking through the lobby to the elevator, Gallo took Megan's hand. He squeezed it, and he wouldn't let go of it. He wanted her to know that he was still here for her, and that he wasn't going away.

As they rode up in the elevator, Gallo turned to her. "Meg, nothing in the world would make me happier than for the two of us to be together. You know I believe we should have been together all along. I just want to make sure that it lasts this time." He leaned down and kissed her softly on the lips. It was a soft kiss, but the Sparks it generated were incredible.

 

[heartofcourage]

The enjoyment felt as if it had been sucked out of the room. Their dinner was quiet and a bit awkward, leaving them both floundering as they searched for what to say. She should have never mentioned dating. It was her fault for bringing it up. She should have just kept her mouth shut and enjoyed the situation for what it was.

When they were finished, they walked back towards the elevator and Jerry took her hand, squeezing it to let her know that he was still there. In the elevator she listened as he said that he wanted to be with her but they just needed to make sure that it was right for the both of them. She was about to speak when he leaned in and pressed a soft kiss to her lips.

It was extremely surprising. She had expected him to do that and instead of backing away, Megan stood there and enjoyed the moment. It was over far too soon. She was left staring at him, searching for the words that she wanted to tell him.

"I need some time to think." She said softly.

 

[BeachBum25]

Gallo looked down at Megan when she said that she needed some time to think. He was pissed at himself. He pushed it at the wrong time and now he was sure that he had messed up any chance of rekindling a relationship with Megan. Fuck.

He followed Megan off the elevator and into the suite. She was very quiet and he wasn't going to break the silence. He closed the door behind them and went to the refrigerator. He took out two beers and sat them on the counter. He opened both of them and grabbed on and took a long drink for it.

 

[heartofcourage]

When Megan entered the suite, she so desperately wanted to run to her room and hide. It was what she always did...hide until the situation was over with. Instead, she took a seat on the plush couch overlooking the slopes and watched Jerry get himself a beer, a bottle left on the counter for her just in case.

"You didn't do anything wrong, Jer." Megan finally said softly. "You've never done anything wrong except care for me. Having someone care for me is something new. I sometimes still don't know how to act."

 

[BeachBum25]

He picked up the second beer and walked with it over to the sofa. Gallo handed it to Megan. He stayed standing in front of her and took another drink from his beer. He listened to her say that he didn't do anything wrong, but he wasn't convinced that was accurate.

"Meg, I am sorry for what happened in the elevator. I couldn't help myself. I have always cared for you, and in that moment I felt the need to kiss you." Gallo looked down at Megan sitting there on the sofa. She looked so perfect to him. He wanted her so bad.

 

[heartofcourage]

Megan took the beer and simply held it. She didn't want to drink. She didn't want to lose her wits just then. This was serious and Jerry was telling her that her truly did care for her. He had never stopped caring even when she pushed him away.

"I want someone who can love me without hesitation. Who can hug me and kiss me in public without reason." Megan murmured, knowing that he had always been that kind of person. "Someone who won't leave me. Someone that won't hurt me."

Megan's eyes teared up slightly at that. It had been what she craved from the time she was a little girl and it was still at the center of her wounded heart.

"If you truly want me, then show me, Jerry." She said as she turned her eyes up towards him. "Don't think about it. Just do it."

 

[BeachBum25]

The whole time she was describing what she was looking for Gallo was thinking that she was describing him. Everything she wanted, she had when they were together, but she had ends it. He was willing to love her, keep her and protect her, and she had run away from that. He couldn't let that happen again.

Gallo reached down and pulled Megan to her feet. He took the beer from her hands and sat it on the coffee table. He took Megan in his arms and he kissed her...hard. He wanted her to know that there was no way that he would ever let any harm come to her. He was there for her.....always.

 

[heartofcourage]

When he moved, she wasn't sure what would happen. He took the beer from her hands and pulled her to her feet, kissing her with the same kind of rough sweetness that she had always found with him. She let out a whimper as her fingers curled in the fabric of his shirt as his arms held her tightly, giving her all that she wanted.

Megan couldn't help the tears that traced down her cheeks. They came from a very open wound that had never really healed. He had been the man that loved her and she had pushed him away. She wouldn't do that again.

When the kiss broke, she sniffled, her face a mess of tears. "Why did it have to be you? I'm suppose to hate you. That's the last thing that I want to do, Jer."

 

[BeachBum25]

"No Meg. You are not supposed to hate me. You kicked me to the curb because you were not accustomed to someone that cared about you. You were afraid that we were getting too close. In reality you know that I was the best thing that ever happened to you."

Gallo wiped the tears from Megan's cheeks. Then he took her in his arms and held her close. He kissed the top of her head as his hands caressed her back. He knew that this was right. He was pretty certain that Megan did too. Then, Gallo leaned down and kissed her, again. The kiss was deep. He wanted her to know how he truly felt about her.

 

[heartofcourage]

Jerry was the only man that had loved her. She had pushed him away because she was so scared of having her heart broken into a million pieces. It was almost too much to think about as he dried her tears and held her tightly. Megan's heart was melting as he kissed the top of her head and then leaned in to kiss her lips deeply.

She let out a sigh, letting that kiss wash over her wounded soul. It was the most welcome kiss that she had experienced in a long, long time. She felt like she were being healed simply by being close to him. These were the moments that she sorely missed.