Not edited. Pack away the knives peoples!!!! more updates.... mmmm.... I think I'm spoiling you. 

Tara couldn't help but stare into the white cottoned chest that suddenly took up all her view. Standing rigid with her arms stiff at her sides she wasn't prepared for the gentle arms that moved to hold her around her waist and across her shoulders as her face was swamped by the warmth that radiated off him. Her eyes closed tight as her breath slowly escaped her mouth. His hand moved until he held her the back of her head and slowly turned it until her cheek was pressed up against him. Gentle fingers started to wind their way through her hair and softly massage the contours of her scalp.

Slowly she felt her body betray her fears and begin to relax into him. This feeling was so foreign to her, she never experienced this type of comfort before. Sure she'd had hugs from Maggie and her friends but their hugs didn't feel like this. This was... it felt... It felt nice.

Lucas held her to him as if she was a china doll,  his china doll and the waves of emotions that flowed through him were at best confusing.

Holding Tara felt so... right.

He could feel the moment when she started to enjoy this feeling as much as he did... but he wasn't prepared for what she did next.

He held her close and the earthy smells of him with the subtle smell of aftershave overtook her senses and her body and mind relaxed completely. So much so that her hands were no longer clenched and with neither rhyme nor reason she wrapped her arms around his waist.

They stood simply holding one another and it was one of the most beautiful feelings in the world for them both.

Tara felt the movement above her as he bent his head down to gently kiss the top of her head. She almost froze again in surprise but stopped when she realised that was all he was doing.

Resting his chin on the top of her head Lucas felt like he was on top of the world and wanted to scream out to the world that she was his wife. They may not have started out ok but this moment gave him a glimmer, a look... hope.

Hope wasn't something he really expected when it came to Tara. He'd screwed everything up and never did he really believe that he would ever get to hold her like this.

They still had much to talk about and he prayed that they would walk away from this day similar to the way that they were now.... even though he doubted it, she wanted to talk about Maria and he had to know what was said to change her mind about him so dramatically.

It irked him to know that she wanted to move away, but he wouldn't stop her of that was the choice she chose. Would she care if he became a regular visitor? For his own sanity he'd have to. He had to know she was ok. That she well and healthy. He had to... be near.

His love for Maria was fading as much as he didn't want to admit it. She'd lived in his heart for so long it was hard to imagine her not being there at all.

As thoughts of her passed through his mind and he said their goodbyes he felt Tara stir and start to pull away. He wanted to hold her for longer but as a first hug this was so damn amazing he wasn't willing to jepordise how it felt for anything.

He looked at her as she kept her head held down amd couldn't resist the need look into her beautiful eyes. So with a firm though gentle push with his fingers he tilted her head up so she was looking at him.

Breathtaking.

His heart overruled his mind and he lowered his head until he touched her lips with his for a single moment, brief but so very much wanted. He rested bis forehead on hers and whispered two words that she wasn't expecting.

"Don't go.

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