Heartless

He turned away from me then and walked to the door. It seemed as if he was taking something precious with him, something I couldn't live without. "Don't go," I whispered.

He stopped dead in his tracks. Without turning around he asked, "What did you say?"

I stared at his back. I wanted to speak but I couldn't. He was so far away and so angry. When I didn't answer he reached for the doorknob. Panic hit me hard.

"Don't go," I squeaked out. I stood up, hoping he would turn around. He opened the door and took another step. The pain in my chest became blinding. I felt myself breaking and I didn't think I could survive. "Please!" I screamed. Then he stepped back and slammed the door shut.

He turned around to face me. "Why should I stay?" That anger was still in his eyes and I couldn't bear to look at it so I looked away. "Look at me!" he yelled. "Why should I stay?"

I looked at him. I wanted to run to him but he was so cold. "Please...Devlin," I tried to form a coherent sentence.

"What? What do you want to say to me? Or am I wasting my time standing here?"

"No...I..." The words wouldn't come. I closed my eyes and took a deep breath. I tried to swallow the lump in my throat. When I opened my eyes he looked as if he was going to leave again. "Devlin, please, don't go."

"Why should I stay?" he repeated.

"Because, I need you." There, I had said it. I waited for him to laugh in my face and walk away. I shut my eyes tight.

A moment passed, and then another. The laughter didn't come. "Lia, open your eyes. Look at me." His voice was close to me. I couldn't do it. I felt his hand on my cheek. "Open your eyes."

When I opened my eyes he was just inches away. He was close enough to kiss but still miles away it seemed.

"Why do you need me?" he asked as he stroked my skin with his thumb.

I could feel the tears that were begging to be set free. The lump in my throat was swelling. I tried to swallow. I tried to speak but the sound that came out was more like a sob.

"Lia, tell me what's in your heart."

"I want to," I rasped. "I'm trying."

"Why did you run away from me?" His eyes were still angry but his face was softening.

"I was afraid."

"Afraid of what?"

"Afraid of me. Afraid of you. Afraid that you would leave me, hate me."

"I could never hate you. I told you, I love you." His eyes drilled into mine. "I will spend the rest of my life loving you, if you'll only let me."

"Please," I said. "Please, I want to believe you."

He kissed me then, sweetly and tenderly. "You can believe me. I'll do whatever I have to. Doesn't my coming here prove anything to you?"

The next step was mine, I knew. Only inches between us but to me it was the Grand Canyon. I had to step across that great expanse, take that chance. I never wanted to do anything so badly in my life. I closed my eyes for a moment and took a deep breath. I stepped forward and threw my arms around his neck. I let go of everything that was holding me back and I cried. I sobbed against his shirt as he held me tightly in his one good arm.

"Lia, Lia," he crooned into my hair. "I'll move heaven and earth to make you happy, I swear it."

I reached up and kissed him. I had so many things I wanted to say but I couldn't find my voice. So I kissed him.

We made love then. It was sweet and passionate. It was beyond anything I had experienced in my life. We held each other through the night. When the sun rose we were still at it. Finally, as I giggled like a carefree girl I told him, "I love you, Devlin. And I'm sorry I broke your arm."

His laughter rang out. "I guess it makes up for slamming a door into your head. Let's get off this hard floor and go home."

I sighed and kissed him. "Will you make love to me there too?"

"Yes," he said as his hand wandered over the curve of my hip. "And in the car and in every hotel room along the way. We'll go to your house and christen every room and then my house and do the same. Then we'll sell both of them and buy another one and start all over. And we'll keep making love until we're old and gray and our grandchildren have to bury us." He kissed me deeply and rolled on top of me. "I'll make love to you until the day I die."

And so far, he has kept his word.

***

Thank you for taking the time to read my work. Feel free to vote and leave a comment. I'd love to know what you think of this story.

~Molly Wens