coming from downstairs.
My first instinct is to grab the aluminum bat underneath Declan’s side of the bed. We live in a good neighborhood—this can’t be a break in. Can it? But just in case it is, I ignore my screaming bladder and tip toe to the door of my bedroom to test the waters. But as I stumble in the dark to my destination, I trip on the bag of Declan’s clothes I packed when I was trying to prove a point to myself earlier. I was proving I didn’t need him and that I could do this alone. But right now, lying scared and hurt on my bedroom floor, I am proving nothing other than how helpless I am without him.
“Mia?” By the grace of God, I recognize Declan’s voice from downstairs. “Are you okay?” And now it’s getting closer.
I inch my way up from my embarrassing face plant, kicking the duffel bag aside. Partly because I’m angry at the inanimate object and everything it represents. But also out of shame—I don’t want Declan to see it and think I too gave up on us.
The bright light from the ceiling fan in our bedroom flicks on, revealing a disheveled Declan and a nice bruise forming on my bare knee. I squeeze my knee while making a wincing, hissing sound. My little trip is going to leave a not-so-little mark. And it already hurts.
“Babe, are you okay?” Declan, is down on his knees now, assessing the situation. “Are you hurt? What about the baby?”
The baby! Oh my God, I hadn’t even thought about the baby. When I try to remember the exact details of the way I fell, I can’t seem to recollect if I’d protected my stomach. Maybe Declan will get his wish after all. Now I’m angry again.
“What do you care about the baby, Declan? You made it pretty obvious that you don’t. I bet you’re happy I fell. Maybe I’ll lose it and we can pretend this night never happened.” I start to cry again, the physical pain of the fall, the emotional pain of my possible loss and the culmination of this whole disastrous night coming to a head.
“Mia, please don’t say that. I’m so sorry I made you feel that way. I was stupid. I was scared. But right now, the only thing I’m scared of is losing you and our baby.” He frames my face with his hands, wiping away my tears. “I’m sorry, baby. It was an epic mistake walking out on you tonight. I will never turn my back on you, or our baby, again. I love you more than life and I’m in this thing for the long haul.”
“I’ve never wanted to kiss someone so badly, Mia.”
Um, me either. His soft, seductive whisper distracts me from the kiss that’s about to rock my world. But not for long. Soon all I can focus on is that mouth.
He leans in, pinning me to the wall, caging me in strong arms covered by a green and white letterman jacket. My eyes focus on those lips. The refreshing scent of his Cool Water, mixed with spearmint, wafts seductively through the tiny space between us. He slowly licks his delectable lips with his equally delectable tongue and I close my eyes, readying myself for him.
Before I can make any sense of the myriad of serendipitous emotions tackling my body, my arms curl themselves around his neck and I fall further into our hypnotic first kiss. I’ve wanted this for years and not even the most vivid of my imaginings could compare to this beautiful reality. I am kissing Noah Matheson and he is kissing me back. Finally!
“Mia, do you know how much I like you? How much I’ve wanted you?”
I want to scream out “yes,” and tell him that I know exactly how he feels, but I hate that we’ve stopped kissing and talking will just prolong it even more.
As I inch my lips closer to his, possessing his mouth with mine this time, I utter a barely distinguishable “mmmhmm.” It’s halfway between an answer to his questions and a pleasurable moan. Oh my God! His lips are like heaven. Please don’t let this end.
And then I hear the buzzing, followed by the unmistakable ring tone I’ve assigned to my husband’s cell
My first instinct is to grab the aluminum bat underneath Declan’s side of the bed. We live in a good neighborhood—this can’t be a break in. Can it? But just in case it is, I ignore my screaming bladder and tip toe to the door of my bedroom to test the waters. But as I stumble in the dark to my destination, I trip on the bag of Declan’s clothes I packed when I was trying to prove a point to myself earlier. I was proving I didn’t need him and that I could do this alone. But right now, lying scared and hurt on my bedroom floor, I am proving nothing other than how helpless I am without him.
“Mia?” By the grace of God, I recognize Declan’s voice from downstairs. “Are you okay?” And now it’s getting closer.
I inch my way up from my embarrassing face plant, kicking the duffel bag aside. Partly because I’m angry at the inanimate object and everything it represents. But also out of shame—I don’t want Declan to see it and think I too gave up on us.
The bright light from the ceiling fan in our bedroom flicks on, revealing a disheveled Declan and a nice bruise forming on my bare knee. I squeeze my knee while making a wincing, hissing sound. My little trip is going to leave a not-so-little mark. And it already hurts.
“Babe, are you okay?” Declan, is down on his knees now, assessing the situation. “Are you hurt? What about the baby?”
The baby! Oh my God, I hadn’t even thought about the baby. When I try to remember the exact details of the way I fell, I can’t seem to recollect if I’d protected my stomach. Maybe Declan will get his wish after all. Now I’m angry again.
“What do you care about the baby, Declan? You made it pretty obvious that you don’t. I bet you’re happy I fell. Maybe I’ll lose it and we can pretend this night never happened.” I start to cry again, the physical pain of the fall, the emotional pain of my possible loss and the culmination of this whole disastrous night coming to a head.
“Mia, please don’t say that. I’m so sorry I made you feel that way. I was stupid. I was scared. But right now, the only thing I’m scared of is losing you and our baby.” He frames my face with his hands, wiping away my tears. “I’m sorry, baby. It was an epic mistake walking out on you tonight. I will never turn my back on you, or our baby, again. I love you more than life and I’m in this thing for the long haul.”
“I’ve never wanted to kiss someone so badly, Mia.”
Um, me either. His soft, seductive whisper distracts me from the kiss that’s about to rock my world. But not for long. Soon all I can focus on is that mouth.
He leans in, pinning me to the wall, caging me in strong arms covered by a green and white letterman jacket. My eyes focus on those lips. The refreshing scent of his Cool Water, mixed with spearmint, wafts seductively through the tiny space between us. He slowly licks his delectable lips with his equally delectable tongue and I close my eyes, readying myself for him.
Before I can make any sense of the myriad of serendipitous emotions tackling my body, my arms curl themselves around his neck and I fall further into our hypnotic first kiss. I’ve wanted this for years and not even the most vivid of my imaginings could compare to this beautiful reality. I am kissing Noah Matheson and he is kissing me back. Finally!
“Mia, do you know how much I like you? How much I’ve wanted you?”
I want to scream out “yes,” and tell him that I know exactly how he feels, but I hate that we’ve stopped kissing and talking will just prolong it even more.
As I inch my lips closer to his, possessing his mouth with mine this time, I utter a barely distinguishable “mmmhmm.” It’s halfway between an answer to his questions and a pleasurable moan. Oh my God! His lips are like heaven. Please don’t let this end.
And then I hear the buzzing, followed by the unmistakable ring tone I’ve assigned to my husband’s cell
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