A trip
Lucas kissed my forehead with his arms wrapped possessively around me. I lay on the mattress next to him, savoring the chance to breathe his spicy scent in after what felt like ages. Okay, it was only a few days, but I missed him anyway, terribly. And I did not realize the fact until now.
Lucas missed me too, I could tell that much from the way he clung to me, unwilling to let go since we laid out our issues.
A part of me screamed how wrong it was to let Lucas off so easily, and maybe I was foolish for doing so, but I was not without my faults in this.
Lucas and I had been fighting longer than we had actually been dating.
I was tired of the ups and downs and I was not about to toss my chance at fixing our relationship in the garbage.
He would not hurt me again, I was sure of it.
We had agreed though, that it was better to hold off the more intimate parts of our relationship for a while. In clearer terms, I was not ready yet to delve back into the world of orgasms with Lucas yet.
I had forgiven him but it would take some time to trust him completely again. For now, his reassuring arms were enough to make me feel better.
"This feels good," I mumbled against his chest.
"I missed you Muffin," he said in a tone that made me realize he was thinking again. "I thought you had left me forever, God the thought drove me crazy a few times."
I understood what he meant because being away from him was just as crazy. "If I'm being honest, I contemplated the option a few times," I titled my head, so I could see his face, "but you should understand that I will always come back to you."
"Even when I'm cocking things up between us?"
"I know you don't do so on purpose Lucas," my fingers grazed his chin before I pressed a small kiss on his lips.
"Still..."
"I don't want to draw up the past," I said before he continued in his self-guilt. "What I want to do is move forward with you, and the twins."
His jaw ticked as he spoke about the kids. "I hate the look in Abby's eyes today, I've never seen my daughter so fucking terrified and it tears me apart whenever I remember it." his eyes burned with rage.
"I hate it too Lucas, but the only thing we can do to help Abby is to make sure she never comes back into their lives, at least for now," I said carefully.
"The divorce has been finalized," no matter how many times he said that it would always make my heart flutter because their divorce meant that Lucas was now mine, mine alone. "she no longer has any ties to them and if she had any shame, Sarah ould stay away."
I wanted to remind him that Sarah was one of those people who could not feel any shame for their actions, but held that thought back, "I'm just glad our lives are finally coming together again. Lucas I really don't ever want to fight with you again."
"Me neither, and I will work to keep that promise this time,"
'I'm holding you to it."
"In the light of making everything right between us again," Lucas said with sudden calmness that left me worried. "I have to tell you something Muffin."
I was sitting g up in a second, "tell me..." I demanded, fighting to keep my mind from exploring possibilities of what he could possibly want to tell me.
"We really have so much trust rebuilding to do," he chuckled and sat next to me.
"I'm sorry," I sighed, "the last few days have just been so filled with bad news, I feel like every time someone wants to tell me something, it's bad news."
"I do have myself to blame for it," he cupped my cheeks, grazed his thumb over my lips, "I promise, I will give you a reason to trust me again. But for now, I have to tell you something and you can consider it bad or good news, it all depends on you."
I wanted to choose to believe what Lucas was about to tell me was good, but that part of me that was tired of having news springing up on her decision to play I safe. "What is it?"
"Remember we had a few issues with the branch in Milan a few weeks ago?" he started carefully, but I knew immediately that this was not going to be good.
"The one with a security breach?" I tried to keep a straight face to let him speak.
"Yeah," his expression was grim, voice low, confirming my doubt on what kind of news I was about to be served. "You know I've been working really hard at it so I don't have to go over myself..."
"Yeah?"
"Well it turns out I have to go." my heart dropped. A few minutes after we get back together and now he was being taken away from me again? Why did my love life have to be so damn rocky?"
"You said you wouldn't have to go," my voice was low and soaked in emotion.
"I thought so too Muffin, but I guess life does not always go as planned."
"No shit!" I snapped, crawling off the bed. I walked to the window, staring out and willing myself not to cry. Lucas came up behind me and in a swift move, his hands were curled around my waist and pulling me into him.
"I don't want you to leave," I said quietly into his chest.
"I wish I don't have to..."
"When did you find out you were leaving?"
"On my way to Celine's place this evening."
I released a small sigh, at least he did not hide that long from me. "How long?" another crucial question.
He sighed and rubbed the back of his neck, "Two weeks, three, maybe a month..."
"One month?!" I squeaked.
"I know it sounds like a long time, but it would be over before you know it.
Also, you really look like you could use a vacation Muffin.
" he brushed some hair off my face, but that did not do much to ease my anger.
"I'm sure you would find the wine in Italy much preferable to what we have even in dad's Cellar. "
"I don't want to drink wine!" I protested, turning and heading for the door when I realized what he just said. I whirled around, blinking as if that would make me hear him more clearly. Because I must have misheard him.
Lucas was watching me with an amused smile like he was waiting for me to realize what he said.
"You said I would be taking a vacation," I walked back to him in small, unsure steps. He nodded, now fully grinning. "In Italy?"
"Yes, Muffin..."
I gasped. "Milan is in Italy,"
"Is it?" he shrugged, but his expression betrayed his ignorance.
"Lucas!" I whined, now grinning from ear to ear.
"Yes baby," he snaked his arms around my waist, holding me close.
"Am I going with you on the trip?" I was now barely an inch away from him.
"Nope." my face fell, and then he added, "You, I, and the kids are taking a vacation."
"You are a jerk, you know that," I threw my hands around his neck and pulled him lower for a deep kiss. I was beaming with joy in and out, more out of the relief that I would be spending more time with him in the weeks to come.
"Tell me something I don't know."
The door creaked open slowly as I crept into the guest room. I had insisted on coming back here despite Lucas's protests because I knew C would be waiting up for me even after I told her to go to bed.
"That does not suit you," my best friend said slyly, before turning the lights of the bedroom back on. I felt like I had just been caught after sneaking out for a party like a teenager. Celine sat on an armchair right across the room door like the mom of a teenage daughter.
"Hi!" I said in a high-pitched tone, trying to keep my nervousness in check, "what are you doing awake?'
"Waiting for you to come to bed because I was worried you would run into Lucas and have a break down again, but from the look of things, I think I would not have to worry about it." she was pissed. I knew she would be.
"Celine..." I attempted to walk to where she sat, but she held a hand up.
"Did you see him?" she questioned. Feeling guilty, I chewed on my lips and nodded. "And I'm guessing you guys sorted shit out—again."
"C, I know he was really sorry."
"You know he was sorry because he said so?" she shook her head disappointedly, knowing she was correct. "Jesus christ Chris, the man was still married to his ex-wife, are you so blinded by the orgasms to see that he is full of shit?"
"Do not speak like that about him Celine!
" I said sternly, "I know you're upset, but you do not get to question my choices to forgive Lucas, I do not question you when you decide to go back to Alexander when he does the same damn thing, I do not bad mouth him, so please be respectful of the man I love please. "
She looked stunned and probably hurt by my words, and I suddenly realized that I had said too much. "Celine, you know I did not mean to..."
"It's fine," she sighed and got to her feet. "For his own good, he better not hurt you again because if he does you better make a reservation for me in jail—" she walked to the bed, paused, and turned to me, "—for murder."