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I’m pretty sure Tenley’s situation trumped the frustration that I was feeling toward my mom’s overreaction.
Whatever. Not right now. Shaking my head, I sighed and let my thoughts return to the beautiful woman I was lucky enough to call mine. A small smile caressed my features as the pink glow from the rising sun began to touch the winter white around me.
Mine. Having no sleep was worth it for everything else I shared with her.
Throwing the side-by-side into park, I jogged up the steps two at a time, racing toward my house. The faster that I managed to pack some clothes, the sooner I would be back with Tenley.
A soft yellow glow came from the windows, sprinkled in with subtle flashes of crimsons and greens. She was in there, hopefully still awake. I wanted to swoop her up in my arms and just hold her tightly. I glanced at my phone one more time, double checking that she had given me permission to just come inside once I made it back to her parents' house.
Grabbing the door, I quietly entered the home and scanned the upstairs. There she was, sitting across from me, facing the crackling fireplace, and waiting upon the couch. As silently as I could, I removed my boots, hat, and coat, and tiptoed over to the living room. Reaching her side, she still had not moved a muscle, and I paused when she sniffed softly.
Her body trembled.
Furrowing my brows, I tipped my head as she sniffed again, and this time wiped at her cheeks. My eyes traced her beautiful features, and my shoulders sagged. Tears were streaming down her face, her eyes red and puffy. Swollen from the crying that she’d been doing.
She blinked, staring at the flames, still not noticing that I was standing beside the couch.
Her chest heaved as another wave of silent teardrops slithered down her cheeks. I ran a hand over my mustache and I reached forward, gently running my palm down her hair. Her eyes finally met mine, and she swung her legs off of the couch. I stepped between her legs and knelt down.
Tenley’s bottom lip trembled and then she collapsed forward. I cocooned her against my chest and she sobbed.
Uncontrollable. Pained.
Threading my fingers through her hair on the back of her head, I pressed her against me, wrapping her tightly with my other arm around her waist and didn’t move. Her body shook, convulsing as she let out every bottled feeling of anguish and grief that was twisting her heart.
Eventually the tears stopped, but I continued to hold her.
Her body stopped shaking as I kept her tucked within my embrace.
She took a deep breath, and I pressed a gentle kiss against the top of her head.
“He’s leaving soon. Very soon,” she whispered, sniffing lightly. I placed my chin against her hair and said nothing. Not a word I could say would fix this, help her feel any less broken. But she wouldn’t have to do this alone, she would never be alone again.
Tenley slowly slid away from me, wiping the tip of her red nose. Her ocean-glass green eyes met mine, and she gave me a small smile. “I’m okay,” she quietly said.
“For now,” I added, and brushed some hair behind her ear.
The smile fell from her face, and I saw her open her mouth to apologize.
“You don’t need to say sorry, darling. I know how it is. Whenever you need to cry, you cry,” I whispered, and pressed a kiss to her forehead. She nodded and took another shuddering breath.
Then she pushed away from me and smiled. For another minute, I waited as nothing but the fire crackled behind us. Watching to make sure that the smile that was softly spreading upon her face was one of true contentment.
I remembered the whiplash of emotions that crept in. One moment being absolutely gutted and torn, and then the next, feeling once again mostly normal.
And just like that, she was back to her happy, sassy self.
Groaning silently from exhaustion, I pushed myself onto one leg and stood up, offering her a hand. A giggle escaped her lips, and I snapped an accusatory, sarcastic stare toward her. “What are you laughing at?” I narrowed my eyes.
“Old man.” She giggled again.
“Woman!” I jerked away my outstretched palm and shot forward, scooping her up from the couch. She squealed as I tossed her over my shoulder. She lightly pounded against my back, squirming while I walked toward the stairs.
“Put me down!” she cried out, giggling.
And I smacked her behind. This time, there was no boundary that I may have accidentally crossed. There was nothing holding me back, and I grinned.
She gasped and tried to cover her cute Christmas jammies with her hands, but her arms flopped back over my shoulder as I bounced down the stairs. “Weston!” she exclaimed, and then I felt her whack my butt. Several times.
