#guiltyoflove

[alessandraleimer]

what a perfect way to ease into the weekend...

[emmalederman]

“Guilty of Love”- Shania’s Birthday

Since today would be my character Shania’s (from Guilty of Love) 20th birthday, I thought I’d share a little fluff scene in celebration. Shania, Blair and Presley celebrating her 19th birthday. 

“Do you know what day it is?” Blair whispered in Presley’s ear a week later. He stood over the burner in the kitchen with his daughter resting on his hip, her hands occupied by holding the spatula- she was a big helper. “It’s June 18th which means nineteen years ago your mommy was making her way into the world.” He explained, hovering over the pancakes that he was making. Three blueberry pancakes were on the griddle, sizzling beside a tray with a vase of roses. Presley babbled in his ear, sticking the spatula in her mouth as she looked around the kitchen. “She didn’t get to celebrate her eighteenth birthday because you were in her tummy and from what she told me you didn’t make it very easy for her in there. Not that I blame you P, she’s hard enough to live with sometimes I can’t imagine living in her stomach.” He stopped for a moment to flip a pancake on the burner before turning back to the wide-eyed baby who was watching the pancakes flip over in amazement. “So this year we’re going to make her breakfast in bed, okay?” He turned away once more to place a kiss on her rosy cheek, not spying the blonde poking her head from around the corner.

 “Shania! Shan wake up! Wake up! Wake up!” Shania let out a soft moan and rolled on her side, shoving her head under a pillow as she felt Tatum’s weight jump on her back.

“Tatum.” She groaned. “Go away.”

“You’re nineteen! Wake up grumpy gills!” She exclaimed, attempting to pull the pillow off of her friend’s head but Shania refused to let go.

“Tatum.” She whined. “It’s my birthday and my head’s not in a toilet, let me enjoy it.” She groaned again before flipping onto her other side.

“No you have to get up.” Tatum persisted, shaking her. “Blair’s in the kitchen with Presley making you breakfast, you have to see this.”

“What?” Sitting up slowly, Shania brushed her hair out of her eyes and stretched her arms out. “Really?”

“Yes, it’s the cutest thing he’s telling her stories you have to watch.” Scurrying out of bed, Shania ran towards the door with Tatum at her heels, both of them poking their heads out the door. A smile crept across Shania’s face as she watched Blair flip pancakes in one hand, holding their daughter on the other with a burp cloth tossed over his right shoulder. Presley was entertained by pulling on his right ear lobe as he placed blueberries carefully on the pancakes to spell out ‘19’

“You ready to surprise mommy?” He asked the baby softly.

“They’re coming!” Tatum cried in a loud whisper as she began to push Shania back towards the bed. “Go, go, go, pretend you’re asleep!” Trying to keep herself from laughing, Shania jumped back into bed and pulled the covers off her head, forcing her eyes shut.

 After placing the tray of breakfast on her bedside table, Blair took a seat on the side of the bed and reached out with his right hand to rub Shania’s back, trying to coax her awake while holding Presley in his left arm.  

“Mommy, wake up.” It took a couple minutes but Shania’s eyes fluttered open from her fake sleep.

“Good morning.” She smiled brightly.

“Happy nineteenth birthday!” Blair announced as he leaned forward to kiss her lips lovingly.

“Thank you.” She whispered, as her eyes looked up at her daughter and a smile broke across her face. “Good morning baby! Did you have a good sleep?” Presley smiled her wide gummy smile at the sound of her mother’s voice and waved around the pancake she held in her hand, hitting Blair in the face with it.

“Blair why does she have a pancake?” She wondered, seeing how Presley kept smacking him with the dough and putting it between her lips. “She can’t eat that quite yet.” He stifled a laugh as the baby swatted him in the face with the pancake.

“I know she just likes holding it. Makes her feel like a big girl. Plus she’s amazed at the texture, it’s like this whole knew thing she has never experienced before.” He explained, then handed Presley over. “Say happy birthday to mommy!”

“Ma-ma-ma-.” She babbled as Shania took her in her arms with a bright smile.

“Hey there!” She exclaimed, peppering some kisses against the baby’s brow. “I’m so glad you’re here for this birthday.” Presley smiled and reached her arm out to offer her mother the pancake she was holding. “Is that for me?” Shania cooed. She opened her mouth wide as Presley fed it to her. “Thank you.” She mumbled, her mouth full of food before turning to Blair and smiling. “Thank you so much for making me breakfast, will you share it with me?”  

“Of course.” He replied as he kissed the top of her hairline and let her snuggle back into his chest. “Are you having a better birthday this year babe?” He whispered in her hair, his right arm wrapped around her petite waste.

“Well I’m not pregnant, not nauseous and I’m not throwing up so consider it amazing.” She joked. “Having you and Presley here…” She smiled and reached her hand to his cheek, turning his face to look at her again. “It makes everything that has happened up until now completely worth it. I wouldn’t take any of it back, even with all the pain and the lying it caused.” She leaned over Presley, placing her right hand on his other cheek and bringing his face closer to hers before kissing him passionately. They pulled apart, yet their lips remained only inches away as he whispered,

“Are you ready to see what I have in store for you today Miss Loomis?”

  “Oh my god Blair!” Shania exclaimed as he set the pink cake in front of her that read “Happy 19th Birthday Mommy!” with a camera design on it. She smiled brightly, her cheeks turning a rosy shade of pink as she positioned Presley in her lap. “Mommy’s nineteenth birthday- there’s so many things wrong with that sentence.” She giggled.

“Not as many as ‘Daddy’s criminal record’.” Blair teased, flashing a mischievous smile. He took her left hand and their interlaced fingers over her lap.

“Did you make a wish princess?” He whispered in her ear. Shania shook her head, and smiled in return.

“I don’t need to. I have you and P here, and the whole Charlotte thing behind us. Last year all I wanted was to have you back in my life- you not the person the media made you into. And here you are.” Her eyes lingered on his for a few seconds too long-not noticing how Presley looked at the cake with curiosity in her eyes. She leaned towards it and her small hand left a mark in the pink icing.

“Hey, hey! What are you doing that’s Momma’s cake!” Shania chuckled and took her daughter’s hand. Presley giggled at her mother’s voice, scrunching up her little nose. “She wants to try everything.”

“I think she’s just a little jealous that you get a cake on her birthday and she didn’t get one on hers.” Blair guessed and stifled a laugh. Shania rolled her eyes and shot him a look.

“I gave her life on her birthday, what more could she want?” She took her daughter in her arms and licked some icing from one of her little fingers. “Yummy, huh baby? I understand why you want it.” “I think this is a good time to practice the cake smash for her first birthday.” Blair said, smiling as he played with a tendril of Shania’s hair.

“What?” She retorted as if he was speaking in a foreign language.

“You know when baby’s smash a cake in their face for their first birthday and the frosting get’s everywhere?” Shania burst out laughing and shook her head.

“No, no way you’re not smashing a cake in my baby’s face.”

“No?” Blair questioned.

“No!” She exclaimed, giggling. “It will get all over the place.”

“You mean like this?” He asked nonchalantly as he took a glob of icing and smashed it in Shania’s face, some vanilla cake falling down her cheek.

“Blair! You ass!” She shrieked with laughter, her hand immediately going to wipe the icing off her face before grabbing a bigger glob of icing and smearing it across his cheek.  

“Very funny.” Blair protested, nevertheless unable to keep himself from laughing as he used a nearby napkin to wipe his face off.

“Have you made your point yet?” Shania said, giggling.

“No…” Blair leaned forward, taking a small amount of pink icing on his finger and placed it gently on the tip of Presley’s tiny nose. “Now I have.” Presley’s eyes widened in shock of the sensation on her nose as she looked from Shania, to Blair and then let out a loud cry.

“Aww, Daddy get it off.” Shania pouted in a baby voice. “Get it off my face.”

“I’m sorry Presley.” Blair cooed, taking his daughter’s little hands. Shania used this moment to reach out for a napkin and wipe off Presley’s nose.

“There we go.” He comforted and took the baby from Shania’s arms, leaning back on the couch with her.

“This is nice.” She said suddenly. “Spending my birthday with you and my daughter, my family.”

Shania paused for a moment before continuing, “Not my parents, my own little family.”

[emmalederman]

Happy Valentine's Day

Wishing everybody a very happy Valentine's Day!!! To celebrate here's one of my favorite romantic scenes from my latest book "Guilty of Love" 

"Knocking quietly on the familiar looking door, Shania exhaled slipping her hands into her back pocket. She knew when Blair opened the door he would expect her to look like Cinderella, her long chocolate locks up in a bun, wearing a gown, but instead her hair was simply curled, and she was wearing a black and white striped shirt over her ripped jeans, almost like the pattern from Beetle Juice. The door opened, revealing Blair in the doorway, wearing nothing but a pair of sweat pants and muscle tank top, it was clear he wouldn’t be joining the festivities at the high school based on his attire.

“Hi.” She said shortly, inviting herself into his dorm room, closing the door behind her as she always did.

“Wow.” He chuckled, admiring her outfit from head to toe. “Is this what you’re wearing to homecoming? You said you were going to stop by to show me your dress- didn’t you want me to see your dress?” Nodding slowly, Shania slid her purse off of her shoulder placing it down on his table, indicating that she would be staying a while. It had been five months since they met in the admissions office in school, let’s just say it wasn’t her first time stopping by the on campus apartments.

“I was.” She trailed off. “But I decided I’m not going to homecoming.”

“Why not? You were all excited last week, twirling around this place in different dress options. Maybe you should go.”

“Why would I want to do that?” She asked seductively, crossing her arms over her loose button up blouse.

“So your friends don’t notice that there might be something else going on.” Blair answered, but a smile just came to her lips.

“It’s a little late for that. But anyway nobody expects me to show up since I ‘broke up’ with Gage. Tatum’s too busy studying, Charlotte’s whining over how you couldn’t go- why would I go? Dance with classmates pretending to be someone I’m not. Besides- Gage isn’t the one I want to spend my time with. Being with you, a high school dance just feels, I don’t know, silly.” Shania explained, taking a step towards him. It was true, dating an almost twenty six year old man, why would she want to spend her time dancing with high school students? Blair took Shania’s hands in his, lacing fingers with her as his sparkling blue eyes locked with her dark hazel ones.

“I don’t want to be selfish.” He whispered, trying as hard as he could to keep his feelings in check. Of course he wanted her with him, of course he wanted her to just lay next to him on the couch watching movies until they fell asleep in each other’s arms, but is that what was best for the nearly 17 year old girl? “I shouldn’t keep you from your homecoming.”

“Please.” Shania begged, her hot breath against his skin. Standing on her tiptoes, she grasped the back of his head so he was looking directly at her. “It won’t be any fun because you’re not there, please? Let me spend my homecoming with the person I love.”

 Not much later Blair and Shania lay spread across his couch, their legs intertwined watching a marathon of horror movies that played on his TV, per Shania’s request of course. Her jeans and striped blouse were now folded by his bed, as she wore nothing but one of his over-sized t-shirts. Her short legs lying over his, Blair reached for the remote clicking the TV off, noticing her eyelids were getting a little heavy.

“Hey!” Shania demanded, almost immediately after the television turned off aggravation in her voice. “I was watching that!”

“Really?” He responded, slipping a hand around her bare legs pulling her even closer. “Because it looked to me like you were watching your eyelids.”

“But I was still listening!” She insisted, resting her cheek against his shoulder. “Let’s be honest Macher- you saw my eyes beginning to close and used it as an excuse to turn the movie off.” Chuckling Blair shook his head.

“I still don’t know why you feel the need to torture me watching horror re-runs all night.”

“Because it’s fun.” She replied shortly, beginning to let her eyes close when he shook her awake.

“Is this the homecoming you want Shania? Holing up in a tiny on campus dorm, falling asleep at not even 10 o’clock to a- marathon of blood? You’re missing one of the biggest dances senior year and for what? To have a relationship that the law forbids? Worrying every moment that someone’s going to find out- that Charlotte is going to catch us? You could be at one of your last high school dances with your friends, and a boyfriend you could actually be seen in public with, not hiding, not having any secrets. Being with me, you’re going to miss out on things, things your friends are doing. Because I can’t be your date to a high school dance Shania.  I’m being selfish- you deserve everything life has to offer, and I’m not it.” He whispered, shame in his voice turning away from her. Not letting one of his words sink in, Shania put a hand on his chin turning it towards her, she couldn’t help but notice how smooth his face was. Looking deep into his hypnotizing bright blue eyes she smiled.

“That is exactly the homecoming I want. I don’t care if we were lying in a cardboard box in the middle of the road, as long as we’re together. And for the record I’m not in a tiny on campus dorm, watching ‘a marathon of blood’ and falling asleep by 10 by myself, I’m with you. I’m lying in your arms, that’s all I want. You weren’t the only one making decisions about this relationship Blair, I did too. Dating you- I knew what I was getting myself into. I knew it would be hard, I knew I would miss out on a few silly things like dances, I knew we couldn’t go hold hands in the middle of the street but I don’t care. In my eyes I gain a lot more than that. With Gage, we could do all that stuff but it wasn’t anything like what we had. And this can work, but if we both don’t let fear, and guilt take over. I knew what I was getting myself into, I chose you Blair, knowing what came with it. I chose you. I could have had that easy high school relationship, but I chose you. That was the only choice for me, you’re the one. You have been since the moment I saw you. And I’m really happy I made that choice.” She revealed. Shaking his head, a small mischievous smile came to Blair’s lips.

“Who says I can’t be your date to the dance?” He taunted, rising to his feet, the bottom of his sweatpants dragging against the floor. Wrinkling her face in confusion, Shania stood up from the couch watching him.

“What are you doing?” She questioned.

“Giving you back your homecoming.” He answered nonchalantly, before turning back to her. “Can I have your phone for a second?” Nodding, Shania leaned down to pick it up from his coffee table, placing it in his palm.

“Why?” Before he answered, Blair began scrolling through her phone before music filled the air.

“Music, check.” He smiled, setting her phone down on his kitchen counter beginning to look around, before opening his fridge just a crack. “Ah spotlight, perfect.”  

“What are you doing?” Shania giggled, covering her blushing cheeks with her hands. Shrugging Blair extended a hand.

“How about a dance Miss Loomis?” Biting her bottom lip to keep her from breaking into fits of laughter, Shania walked up to him, her hair tousled from lying on it, wearing nothing but his t-shirt slipping her palm into his as he twirled her around. “See we have music, spotlight, what does the dance have that we don’t?” Putting her hand up to his, Shania felt Blair’s palm on the small of her back as he pulled her close. Feeling their bodies come together, she let out a shaky breath, as his skin stuck to the material of her shirt, her eyes gazing up at his.

“I really love you Blair.” She whispered as he dipped her. That was her homecoming, the last dance she attended her senior year. Dancing around Blair’s kitchen in the refrigerator light, all the way into the wee hours of the morning. Not two people who shouldn’t be together, not a high school student and an adult, not a murderer and a teenager- just two people in love"