It's Always Been You (New Young Adult Version)

By Debbie D Ellis and D D Ellis

What is a woman to do when she’s introduced to the man who didn’t remember taking her virginity four years earlier and had left her pregnant? Not only was Ame going to be working for him but she was going to be his temporary landlord. Did Ame really want to open her home to the only man she’d ever been attracted to; the man she still hated to love?

• Language: English
• Publisher: Lulu.com
• Release date: Sep 23, 2015
• ISBN: 9781326429935

Book preview

It's Always Been You (New Young Adult Version)

It’s Always Been You

(New Young Adult Version)

By

D.D. Ellis

(A.k.a. Debbie D. Ellis)

All Rights Reserved

Copyright © April 2012

Second Edition

Lulu ISBN 978-1-326-42993-5

Lulu Edition, License Notes

This e-book is licensed for your personal enjoyment only.  This book is fictitious any relation to persons, situations or locales is coincidental.  Any part of this e-book may not be duplicated, re-sold or given away to other people.  If you would like to share this book, please purchase an additional copy for each recipient.  If you are reading this book and did not purchase it, or it was not purchased for your use only, then please return it and purchase your own.  Thank you for respecting the hard work of this author.

TABLE of CONTENTS

Prologue

Four Months Later

Four Years Later

Japan

Wedding Plans

Main Characters

Prologue

As Ame rushed through the exit door of the library and into the sudden, early evening downpour she found herself flush against a wall or what she thought was a wall but turned out to be a wide, well developed masculine chest.  The sudden impact caused her to exhale with a muffled ‘Oomph!’ As her books fell from her grasp and landed in a puddle at her feet, Ame sighed inwardly as she quickly calculated what the cost of those books would be when she had to replace them for the water damage.  Damn, she whispered.  Her hands fell to the chest in front of her as she sighed in distress.  Her hands twitched as she felt instant warmth and a slight zing of awareness rush through her fingertips.  Ame sucked in a deep breath feeling suddenly light-headed with the combined aroma of rain and the scent of warm male that could only belong to one man.  She started to lower her hands but found that her upper arms were in a strong, but gentle grip.  Instantly her heart started racing and her breath came in short gasps.

Are you, alright? a deep voice asked.

Ame froze as she slowly looked up, knowing that voice anywhere; usually overhearing him in a crowd or in her sometimes vivid dreams. Yep, it was him, Michael Devereaux, starting fullback of the Berkley Cal Golden Bears rugby team and captain of the golf team as well.  He was nearly finished with his PhD in Nano-science and computer engineering majors as well as numerous other awards and minor degrees he’d managed to accumulate over the last five years.  It always left Ame in awe when she thought about him, which was quite often.  Mike had brains, brawn and yes, good looks as well.  Ame had had a crush on him since her freshman year in college.  Even though everyone called him Mike, Ame always thought of him as Mike. Her friends always teased her about it.

Huh? Ame’s brain stumbled to try to find words that might make a coherent sentence, but nothing came to mind.

Feeling the muscled chest ripple under her fingertips when Mike started to run his hands along the sides of her arms in an attempt to warm her, caused Ame to take a step back, trembling.

Taking a deep breath and trying to think beyond the tingling that had started to spread throughout her body, Ame noticed that Mike had looked down at her and that his gaze had dropped lower when she had inhaled.  In her attempt to catch her books Ame’s large over-shirt, now heavy with rainwater, had slipped off of both shoulders revealing the tank top underneath.  Her nipples had hardened under the tank top which the rain had plastered to her skin, leaving nothing to the imagination despite the built-in bra.  Flushing a deep pink, Ame pulled away in embarrassment and bent down to pick up her books.

As she gathered her books, she glanced up at Mike and wished she hadn’t.  He stood frozen to the spot, looking down at her.  Ame noticed immediately the bulge in his now skin-tight jeans because her face was just inches away.  Looking up into Mike’s eyes she gasped in shock at the answering pull in her lower regions.  Ame quickly looked away and whispered a hasty apology as she ran down the steps towards the dormitories, leaving Mike to stare after her in the rain.

Ame knocked on the dorm room door that belonged to her friend Janine.  When Janine answered the door, she quickly pulled Ame inside.  Handing Ame a towel, Janine said, Ok, spill it.

What? Ame asked, still shaking and breathless.

Whatever has you so flustered; that’s what, Ame Song.

I just ran from the library through the rain, Ame said vaguely.

And …?  Janine said, intuitively.

Ame stared at her friend wondering, ‘How does she do it?  She always knows if someone is not telling everything.  She always knows if someone is lying.’  Sighing, Ame explained what happened and Janine’s smirk turned into an all-out grin.

I knew it! Janine hissed, still grinning.

Janine thought back to the first day she had seen Mike glancing at Ame.  Staci Devereaux, Mike’s sister, had nudged Janine in the ribs and Janine, a romantic at heart, had instantly understood the look.  Taking it upon herself to find out who the new girl was and noticing how she seemed to be staring at Mike as well, she introduced herself.  Ame had learned several weeks later that Janine was also friends and roommate with Mike’s sister Staci. They lived in the dormitory next to hers.

Now, Janine, don’t start that again, Ame said.  Ame remembered that first day three years ago as well; that first time she had seen Mike.  Ame had been the new geeky girl with glasses who sat outside during lunch and watched him as a sophomore hanging out with his friends.  When he had glanced over her way and their eyes briefly met, Ame had been lost.  She had tried not to stare, but then a soft feminine voice mumbled near her ear, He’s already taken.  He’s always taken.  Ame had looked at the cute, blonde haired girl that who stood next to her watching Mike and his friends, noticing his subtle glances at Ame and Janine.

Ame had shook her head and blushed at being caught staring.  Putting on a brave front, Ame nonchalantly shrugged her shoulders, looked Janine in the eye and had said, I guessed as much.  It’s not like I would ever have a chance with a guy like him.  But, I’m not looking to be the next girl crossed off his list, anyway.  He sure is easy on the eyes, though.

The blonde had studied her for a moment, not fooled by the bravado, and slowly smiled.  I’m Janine Livingston, she finally said.

Amelia Song, but everyone calls me Ame, Ame said, extending her hand.  They had become fast friends.  Since that day, Janine had been trying to get Ame and Mike to realize they belonged together.  Her attempts had failed thus far. Ame refused to lose her large glasses, baggy clothes and have a makeover, and she would leave the room as quickly as possible when Mike showed up.  Mike was constantly dating whatever beauty queen, Barbie doll or cheerleader that caught his attention at the moment.

Ame was amazed that he was able to make straight A’s in his classes and he was to graduate head of his class in just another week; three years ahead of schedule and with a doctorate.

Ame, you know you want to be with him.  You don’t have much time left. He leaves after his finals this week! Janine said impatiently, bringing her attention back to what she was saying.

She’s right, Staci said from the doorway to the bathroom.  She had been listening the whole time.  It had taken Ame several months to get over her nervousness about Staci being Mike’s sister and Janine’s roommate.  Staci had noticed the attraction between her brother and Ame, but figured they would work it out on their own.  Staci knew Ame had a crush on her brother, but after getting to know her she realized Ame wasn’t the type to stalk him.  She had realized Ame was just trying to protect herself from potential hurt. Staci was aware of her brother’s numerous girlfriends, but she never revealed that Mike rarely slept with any of them. She knew that he was aware that most of the girls were either one night stands or after long-term commitment and he didn’t offer either.  Mike was focused on his education and getting the right research job, more than with infatuated groupies.

Staci was beginning to lose hope for the couple now that the time was drawing near for Mike to leave.  Once he took the government job that had been offered to him, he wouldn’t be back for at least three years.  She doubted if she would even be able to talk to him for that time either.

Not you, too, Ame groaned.  This is sooo awkward.  Do you really want me to sleep with your brother?

That’s up to you, Ame, but I do think you should at least talk to him for more than a minute before running out of the room.  You’re in love with him.  I think you could be good together, if you just give it a chance, Staci said slowly.

Ame had been thinking the same thing for months, but as time drew closer for him to leave, she only felt anxiety.  She wanted to be with him, but she would ask herself what was the point in opening yourself up to the hurt?  He was leaving.  Ame sighed heavily, torn with indecision.

Janine, sensing that Ame was finally considering options, suggested the makeover again. The post-finals party is on Wednesday.  That would be the perfect day to do the makeover.  You could go to the party and no one would recognize you.  I doubt Mike would either.  You could pretend to be someone else if you wanted to.

I don’t know, Ame said nervously.  What’s the point?  It’s not like he’ll give up a career to stay with me.  I wouldn’t let him do that anyway.  What good will one night with him be?

I wouldn’t know and neither will you if you don’t take a chance, right?  Think about it, and I’ll see you tomorrow, Janine said.

She pulled Ame towards the door and pushed her through it.  Go to bed and sleep on it.  I’ll come by in the morning before class.  Goodnight, Janine said as she closed the door, leaning against it for support.

Goodnight, Ame whispered at the already closed door.  She went back to her dorm and got ready for bed despite the early evening hour.  She laid in bed thinking of Mike and wondering if she should go to the party at all.  She tossed and turned all night, dreams of him bordering on erotic.  Ame woke up panting and covered in a fine sheen of sweat.  She looked at the clock and realized that Janine would be there in 20 minutes. Ame yawned tiredly, knowing she needed a shower after her restless night.  As she got out of bed, she could feel her clothes clinging to her and it reminded her of why she was so tired.  She was tired from dreaming of Mike.

It was hard for her to imagine Mike naked since she had never seen a man fully unclothed.  She’d seen plenty of guys stripped down to just shorts and tennis shoes practicing on the rugby field, but never without shorts.  She suddenly remembered the shape of his hardness that had been outlined by his soaked jeans.  He was a large man to begin with and it appeared he was in proportion everywhere else.  She wondered if he would be a gentle lover.  Ame huffed at herself and threw off the covers.

‘He’s going to laugh his head off when he realizes it’s you,’ Ame angrily thought to herself.  ‘You’ll be lucky to even kiss him, let alone get to anything involving naked flesh.’

She stepped into the shower and turned it to lukewarm.  ‘Not if you look completely different.’  Breathing with difficulty, Ame flipped the temperature to cold, gritting her teeth.

Fifteen minutes later, Janine was walking through the door with her notebook.  Ame helped Janine cram for her last final.  Thirty minutes later, Ame blurted, Alright, I’ll do the makeover for the party.

Janine gasped, then shrieked and jumped across the room to tackle her into a bear hug.  Yippee!  You can come over at three o’clock tomorrow afternoon.  I’ll be ready for you.

Janine took a breath then shrieked again, gave Ame another hug and looked at the clock.  Damn, I have to go.  I’ll see you tonight, OK?  Ame could only nod, smiling nervously.

Ame went to the eye doctor that afternoon and even though she had to wait a couple of hours to see him, she left the office with a new pair of contacts.  She couldn’t believe that she had been so worried about wearing them all these years.  They were actually comfortable if you didn’t get anything in your eye.  She practiced putting them in a few times and then took them out a few hours later, letting her eyes rest.  She also didn’t want to run into anyone before the party tomorrow.

That night Ame, Janine and Staci went over the details on what makeup they would use, how to style her hair, and picking out clothing and accessories.  Ame was exhausted and was sure she would sleep well, but she couldn’t.  She was full of nervous anticipation.  She had butterflies in her belly.

‘God, what if he did figure out who she was?  I’ll never live it down if he laughs at me in front of everyone.’  Ame cringed at the thought and bit her lip.  ‘If he does that just proves what an egotistical male he is,’ Ame thought.  She spent the rest of the night tossing and turning.

The next day she hid in the dorm room pretending to go over her next semester schedule. Her roommate Abby had just left for the day with her boyfriend Grant, when there was a knock on her door.  Ame looked through the peep hole and saw that it was Mike.

‘Holy, shit!’ Ame thought.  She sucked in a deep breath and quickly, but quietly, walked across the room before releasing it.  ‘What is he doing here?’ she thought.  ‘Obviously he’s here for you.’  Ame wrung her hands with indecision and finally decided, ‘No, I will see him at the party tonight and not before.’  Ame didn’t answer the door and he finally left after about five minutes.

Ame was careful when leaving her dorm.  She took the back entrances to Janine’s dorm and up the stairwell to her apartment.  The door opened immediately at her knock.  She quickly shut the door behind her letting out a sigh of relief.  Opening her eyes, she found Staci and Janine grinning at her.  What? Ame asked suspiciously.

Staci told her, Mike broke up with his girlfriend yesterday and he’s been asking about you all morning?

God; he showed up at my apartment this morning, but I didn’t open the door.  It freaked me out so bad, Ame said, starting to wring her hands again. I don’t know if I’ll be able to pull this off, she moaned miserably.

You will, Staci and Janine said in unison as they grabbed their purses with one hand and each clutched one of Ame’s arms, pulling her through the door, down the stairs and out to the car.  They took off to the day spa where they had appointments for body scrubs and massages.  Ame was nervous at first, but after two nights with virtually no sleep and the relaxing atmosphere of the spa she just went with it, catching cat naps in between.

When they returned to the dorm, Staci and Janine pointed to the chair in front of the vanity. Sit! they said simultaneously. Staci and Janine were surprisingly quiet as they worked.  Ame finally started to relax during the pedicure that Staci was performing.  She even dozed a little bit when getting her facial.  After getting her makeup and hair done Ame finally pulled on the silky thigh high panty hose and then donned the dress that Janine had picked out for her.

Ame adjusted her less than C cup breasts into the black sheath of a dress.  The thin, four inch spike heels and accessories were last. Janine and Staci stood back and looked Ame over critically.  They looked at each other and back at Ame saying nothing.

Well? Ame asked nervously.

Staci and Janine looked at each other again and finally went over to the floor length mirror and raised the sheet that had been covering it. Ame, half afraid of what she would see, slowly made her way over to stand in front of the mirror.  Slightly wobbly on the high heels she stood gazing at the beautiful woman in the mirror.  What just happened? she whispered in awe.  I’m going to cry, you guys, Ame said, starting to sniffle.

Don’t you dare! They cried in unison.  Staci and Janine looked her over again and then Janine snapped a picture for keepsake.  They looked at the clock and decided it was nearly time for Ame to go.

You’re not coming with me?  Ame asked, panic starting to settle in her stomach.

No way, that would just give it away, Ame, Janine said.

We’ll be there, though, Staci reassured.  Let us get there and you make an entrance in about 30 or 45minutes, hmmm?

Ok, if I don’t pass out from anxiety first, Ame said breathlessly.

Now, you remember how I showed you to walk in those things, right? Staci asked, indicating the spike heels she was wearing.

And what to do with your hands if you’re nervous, right? Janine asked.  Ame just nodded her head, too nervous to speak anymore.  Janine and Staci got ready in record time.

Let’s take a picture together.  I don’t know when we’ll get Ame to dress up again, Janine said.  She set the timer on her camera and they stood together for a couple of poses before Staci and Janine rushed out of the door.  That left Ame to fend for herself for the next 30 minutes.  Ame practiced in front of the mirror, trying to remember what Staci and Janine had taught her.  She figured she needed a drink as soon as she got there to try to relax.

Ame walked out of the door thirty minutes later and slowly made her way over to the pavilion where they were having the party.  It looked like half of the campus was there, celebrating the end of finals week.  Ame looked around trying to exude confidence.  She held her head up high and thought to herself, ‘I am not the plain Ame tonight.  Tonight I am Amelia and that is all anyone needs to know for now.’

She walked through the doorway and paused a moment on the threshold.  The music was blaring so loudly she could hardly hear and with all of the people there, she knew it was going to be difficult to find her friends.  She took a deep breath, slowly scanning the room.

Her eyes immediately found Mike towards the back of the room.  He had just gotten a refill on his drink and was sitting back down on the couch.  He looked towards the doorway and froze.  Ame met his eyes, which had widened and darkened.  Ame felt the fluttering in her belly and realized she was still nervous.  She needed that drink.  People were stopping their conversations and staring at her as she walked by.  Not knowing or caring why at this point, Ame made her way towards the counter with the drinks and grabbed a bottle of some fruity type of alcoholic drink.  She took a good swig and downed about half of it.  Licking her lips, Ame thought, ‘Mmm, strawberry.’ Feeling the warmth spreading through her, Ame sighed.  Conversations started to resume a little as she made her way towards the back door to the patio.  She needed air.

As Mike started to rise, he was pushed back down by his friend Jason, Where are you going? Jason asked.  If you think you’re going to talk to that girl, you’d better sober up some first.

I’m not waiting on a girl to come to me.  Not anymore, Mike said determinedly as he got up from the couch, pausing a moment to maintain his balance, and followed the brunette who had just turned his world upside down.  She looked familiar, but he was sure he would have remembered meeting someone that gorgeous.  Her long, thick, dark hair flowing with large curls, the waves reaching down to the top of her tightly rounded bottom. Her legs looked long, especially in those heels, but her stature looked petite.  She was probably about five-foot-four or five without the heels. Her body was beautifully proportioned in that skin tight, black lace sheath dress, with an hourglass figure and firm, high breasts which were not overly large but just right for him to cup his hands around.  He couldn’t decide where he wanted his hands first, cupping her bottom, her breasts or running them through her hair.  He groaned inwardly.

Mike tried to control his emotions and act composed, but it was difficult since he had been drinking quite a bit since he had arrived at eight.  He had spent the better part of the day looking for Ame, the geeky girl he hadn’t been able to get out of his head for three years now.  Ame with her big glasses hiding beautiful blue eyes.  Ame with her baggy clothes and ponytails.  Ame with her constant stack of books clutched to her chest.  Mike remembered her nipples stabbing him in the chest the other night in the rain.  He felt his loins tighten with the thought.  He paused by the door for a moment to shake himself free of the thought of her. He hadn’t been able to find her, but there was finally another woman here that set his body to stirring like Ame did and he was not going to let this opportunity go by.

He couldn’t help but wonder at the irony.  He rarely drank and of all nights to make a first impression he had already drank so much he was surprised he was able to carry on a conversation, let alone walk.  He tried to shake his head to clear it and opened the patio doors.  The fresh air was refreshing and helped him to focus on the beautiful woman standing on the patio, gazing out across the park.  He was surprised no one was out here.

Beautiful isn’t it?  Mike asked, in a deep voice.  He cleared his throat and watched her turn towards him and smile.  ‘God, she is gorgeous,’ he thought.

Yes, it is, Ame said looking out over the park once again.  She looked up at the stars overhead and noticed the rain clouds forming.  It’s going to rain, though, she added nervously.

You think so? Mike asked, doubtfully.  ‘Really, we’re discussing the weather?  Wow, Mike, get with the program,’ he thought cryptically.

Yes. Ame said letting out a small sigh, causing Mike’s body to respond.

Mike groaned as he felt blood rush to his lower regions again.

Hmmm? Ame asked. Did you say something?

Nope.  My name is Michael Devereaux, he said quickly, introducing himself with hand outstretched.

Ame hesitated, then reached out and clasped his hand feeling the electric tingling sensation immediately, Amelia, she said breathlessly.

Mike started feeling the same sensation.  He let go after a moment, trying to get his bearings and hormones under control.  Conversation is what he needed to get his mind off of other things, like dragging her back to his dorm room which he shared with one of his best friends and teammate Jason Barlow.  Jason was constantly bringing girls back to the room and Mike took it in stride, usually finding himself studying in the community lounge or the library for a couple of hours in the evening.  Tonight might be the other way around if Mike had anything to say about it.  He shook his head again, wondering at himself for being this hormonal and arrogant.  This woman didn’t look like the usual groupie and she sure didn’t act like she would easily share her bed with just anyone.  ‘Conversation,’ he reminded himself.

Ame started to get nervous as he just stood there and stared at her like he hadn’t eaten in days.  She felt herself flush from head to toe as she thought she might enjoy it if he decided to ‘eat’ her.  She took another swallow of her drink. And another and another until there was nothing left.  Mike noticed that her drink was gone and went to quickly get her another.

When he returned he was