Page 236 of Lovers' Dance: Vol. 2

Shaking my head I followed him to the car and murmured ‘thanks’ when he opened the door for me. My eyes tracked his movements as he walked around the car to get to the driver’s side.

“Buckle-” he paused, giving me a surprised look when he saw I had already done it without the need of a reminder.

“Yeah,” I nodded, just as smug as he was moments ago. “Responsible grown up right here.” It had become second naturenow whenever I got in a vehicle.

“Good,” Matt shut his door and buckled up himself. “I’m quite proud of you.”

After making sure my bag and the stuff from the antenatal class were properly placed on the backseat, Matt drove off.

“We should talk, shouldn’t we?” I was going to be brave and broach the topic first. I was going to maintain control.

Matt nodded before giving me a quick sidelong look. “Yes, it was one of the reasons I wanted to take you home today,” His tongue moistened the corner of his lips. “To talk about where things stand.” He shot me another glance. “With us.”

“Where do they stand?” I asked.

His jaw tightened for a moment and now keeping his eyes firmly on the road ahead he replied, “Wherever you want them to.”

“It’s up to me?” I needed to have a clear understanding. God knows we’d had enough misunderstanding between us to last a lifetime.

Matt nodded in confirmation as the muscles in his jaw clenched again.

“Completely up to me? No pressure?”

He slowed down for the traffic lights then turned towards me. “That was one of our problems. Me pressuring you,”

I nodded.

“I’m planning on not making the same mistakes.” he added. The lights changed and we were moving once more.

“Oh,” Then I would need to point out certain things, it wasn’t done with malicious intent. “You did kind of pressure me into private healthcare, I liked my midwife and the NHS is quite good.”

Matt opened his mouth to most likely defend himself but I held a finger up and he remained silent.

I continued, “And this bourgeois antenatal class, you pressured me into this also.”

Matt tapped a finger over the steering wheel for a few seconds before calmly stating, “It’s not bourgeois. That word denotes characteristics of the middle class and their materialistic values and attitudes. Lucianna is not middle class.”

I wanted to laugh at his demeanour. Matt could almost always wring a smile or chuckle out of me, no matter the circumstance. “You’re still the same old Matt,” I drawled, partly amused anddesperately wanting to muss up his neat hair, maybe loosen his tie also.

“I’ve changed.” he said. “I’m trying my best to change, that is.”

Hearing the determination in his voice gave me hope. I had changed myself. Instinctively my hand found its way to his knee and with a soft pat I took the first true steps towards our second chance.

“I know you’re trying,” I smiled when the corner of his mouth tilted up in a pleased grin. “But don’t change too much. I liked who you were before, for the most part.”

Matt laughed then sighed heavily. “I’m not wholly to blame though. Don’t think you’re completely innocent.”

Yep. Same old Matt.

I squeezed his knee then returned my hand to my lap. “I know.”

“We have to be upfront with each other,” he continued. “No lies.”

The scoff left my mouth before I could stop it. He was one to talk about being ‘upfront’. Matt was Mr Secrets himself.

“I don’t want you shutting me out,” his tone softened. “I hated when you did that.”

“I know.” And I did know it was one of my many failings. “It’s easier said than done. I never wanted to disappoint you and sometimes it was just less hassle to keep everything inside. You’re guilty of doing it yourself.”

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