Lance didn’t meet Mackie’s eyes for the rest of the night. Even when all the guys had congratulated her, he mumbled his, and left quickly. He wasn’t sure if she was going to show up, and he didn’t want to risk breaking down in front of the guys if he looked at her and saw her answer written plainly on her face.

He went back to the hotel, changed into some more comfortable clothes, and headed for the bus. It was still early, only 11:40. He went to the back, and sat thinking. He didn’t know exactly how he was going to tell Mackie everything, but he knew that he had to do something before he lost her. Just then, the door began to creak open.

“You’re early.” Lance said.

“Yeah, I know.”

“You did wonderfully tonight, congratulations.” Lance was fighting off the urge to take her in his arms. Mackie’s hair was damp, and she was wearing gray sweatpants and a little white shirt. She looked more beautiful than ever.

“Thanks. So, what did you want to talk about James?”

“Oh, right, lets cut to the chase.” His palms had begun to sweat. He laughed nervously. “Why don’t you come sit down?”

Mackie moved closer to him, and sat beside him on the large couch. Not too close. “Um, OK, you start.”

“Well, the thing I have to tell you is…I lied.”

“About what? When?” she asked

“When I told you I loved you.” Lance knew what her first reaction to that would be, but he wanted to make sure that she really loved him, too.

“Oh…” Mackie placed her head in her hand, and began to sob quietly.

“No, wait Macks don’t cry. Don’t you want to know what I lied about?” He asked, his heart breaking at the sight of her.

She looked up, her tear stained face making her look ages younger than her 18 years. It was all Lance could do to keep from kissing her. She looked so vulnerable. “You just told me. You lied about loving me.” Her voice was soft.

“No, I said I lied when I said I loved you, not about loving you.” Lance took a deep breath. “I do love you Mackenzie. But when I told you that, I lied when I said that I fell in love with you that night.”

“What…what do you mean?”

Lance smiled and took her hands. “Mackie, I’ve always loved you. I could never stop thinking about you, talking about you, dreaming about you. I just never wanted to admit to myself that I have been in love with a 13-year-old girl for the last 5 years.” She giggled, and he looked at her face.

“I’m not a 13-year-old girl anymore.”

“Yeah, I know, but I was always in love with that little girl, even as I grew up. And, then you came back into my life, and it was just as if I had left for a few seconds. You were still that girl I fell in love with, but unlike in my memories, you grew into the woman that I needed now. I fell in love with the 18 year old sitting in front of me. I got everything in one.”

Mackie was crying happy tears now. “Oh, James…that is the most beautiful thing anyone has ever said to me.” She thought for a second and then asked quietly, “So this has nothing to do with the way I look now?”

Lance had been waiting for this question. He squeezed her hands gently. “You look amazing, Mackie, and honestly, I never thought I had been physically attracted to you before. But I think that was only because I wouldn’t let myself see that I was. I never needed you to change. I have always wanted you.” He knew that she accepted the answer by the beautiful smile she flashed him.

“I’ve always wanted you, too. I love you…” Lance couldn’t take it anymore, he had to kiss her. He pulled her to him, so that she was almost sitting in his lap, and very softly pressed his lips to hers. He wrapped his arms around her waist, and she placed hers on the back of his neck, deepening the kiss. They pulled away seconds later, and stared into each other’s eyes. Lance saw so many things in hers, but love was the most prominent. There was something else though…lust?

She answered his questioning look. “Make love to me James” It was really more of a question than a statement.

Lance was shocked. He was certainly not expecting this. He wanted her so badly his entire body ached. He had been aroused from the moment his hands touched hers. But, he didn’t want to jump into anything without thinking it through first. “Are you sure Macks? Is this really what you want?”

Mackenzie’s voice didn’t waiver in her answer. “I’ve never wanted anything more in my life.” She replied, kissing him passionately.

Lance flipped her over, so that she was lying on the sofa, and he looked down at her. She was the most precious thing he had ever laid eyes on. He ran his hands up and down her body, feeling the tight muscles that she had worked so hard for. He leaned over, and gently kissed her lips, then her neck, and finally her throat.

Mackie’s hands had been working, too, as she untucked Lance’s shirt from his cargo shorts. She pulled it over his head and threw it to the ground. “You’ve been working out,” she said, with a smile in her voice.

Lance’s response was pulling Mackenzie’s shirt off as well. Her white satin bra followed quickly. Lance stared at her with amazement. She was so perfect.

Mackie kissed his shoulder and ran her hands down his chest slowly. She reached the top of his shorts and looked into his eyes for approval. Finding that, she tentatively unbuttoned them and watched them fall off his hips. Lance stood up and let them drop to the floor. While her was standing, he grabbed the bottoms of Mackenzie’s sweatpants and pulled them off before shedding his boxers. She wore only a pair of blue cotton underwear, and he couldn’t help gazing at her once again. “Mack, do you realize what an angel you’ve become?”

Mackenzie was staring at Lance, as well. His body was chiseled, and the hand of God touched his face. She was so thankful that he would even consider her. She loved him so much. Tears of joy sprang to her eyes, and Lance saw them immediately. He thought she was scared, and he knelt down to face her.

“We don’t have to do this now Macks. We have the rest of our lives.”

She kissed him so passionately, so tenderly that he knew this was right. He got on top of her again, and began kissing her chest. Mackie moaned almost silently. Lance slipped his hand down into her underwear. He slipped a finger inside her, and she winced.

“Mackie? Are you…ya know…”

“A virgin?” She panted.

“Yeah. Are you?” Lance asked.

She didn’t respond for a few seconds, and then, in a whisper she said, “I was waiting for you, Jimmy. I’ve been waiting for you my whole life.”

"You called me Jimmy," he smiled.

Every positive emotion filled his body, and he felt so special. That this girl-no, this angel-loved him that much…the only way he knew to respond was by giving her his body, his soul, and his love…he was as gentle as any man had ever been with a woman.

She began to drift to sleep in his arms hours later. As she did, she said to him, “Thank you Jimmy. I would never have made it through this far without you. You are my driving force, my heart…you’re my angel Lance.”

Lance laughed when he called him by his middle name. But he knew the words were true for him as well. Life wouldn’t have been worth it without Mackenzie with him at all times. She was his soulmate, his love, and his angel, right from the start. Lance realized that he had lied to her again-she didn’t become an angel…she always was.