“You’re trying to spoil me, I think,” Phelan murmured, fingers tangled in Jacqueline’s hair.
She laughed in the darkness. “Really? Is that what you think?”
“Absolutely.” He grinned as her lips captured his again, her hands warm and gentle against his face. He held her tight, rolling onto his side so they lay in the narrow cot belly to belly instead of her straddling him on the bed. “And I know why, too.”
“Why’s that?”
“You’re making sure I won’t go anywhere,” he said, the tip of his nose brushing hers. “And I would tell you that you don’t have to worry about that since I already gave my word, but…”
Jacqueline laughed. “You found me out, huh? Figured it all out. It couldn’t have anything to do with the fact that I know you’ve had it rough and I feel like you deserve something good for once. If I can give that to you…”
He closed his eyes and sighed, sagging. “Jac.”
“Phelan.” Her fingers brushed his jaw. “I love you. You deserve that, but that’s not why I love you. I love you because I do. Because I can’t not love you.” Her lips brushed his cheek. “You’re stuck with me,” she whispered. “I’m not going anywhere.”
I wish that we’d met under different circumstances. I wonder what it would have been like if we had. “Sorry,” he whispered. “I’m sorry, Jac. This is…this is new.”
“I realize that,” she said softly, her arms sliding around him. She tugged him close and tucked her body against his. He shivered as he wrapped an arm around her, resting his forehead against hers. “You’ve been alone for a long time.”
“I’ve never been in love,” Phelan said. “I’ve never let myself be in love.”
“Maybe it’s time.”
“I know it is.” He opened his eyes and stared at her in the darkness, barely able to see the outline of her face in the night. “It’s just hard. I’m sorry for that.”
“Don’t be.” Jacqueline kissed his forehead. “We’ll figure it out—we’ll learn together.”
“There’s so much, Jac.”
“So much what?”
“To do,” he said in a bare whisper. “There’s so much to do and not enough time for any of it.
“We’re in trouble. We just don’t know it yet.”
*shivers and pulls the blankets tighter around him, staring out into the dark night from the warm fire circle*
Love
This
Story
Keep it up!
That was an endearing post. Nice to see Phelan get some love and touches. All very important and healing emotions/actions for a human being.
Thank you for another great addition!