27. This Time

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The gentle wind ruffles tree branches above our heads. Brian is lying on the blanket, cradling me to his chest. 

Hues of orange are bright in the evening sky, and some of that gorgeous color reflects in the lake water. It won't be long until the sun sets. We need to head back, but I want to stay where we are.

Brian drops a kiss on the top of my head. "Are you feeling okay?"

"Yes." I smile at him. "Comfy."

"Me too. I haven't been so relaxed in a while."

"Too bad my calm won't last," I say, tracing lines on Brian's forearm. The corners of my mouth lift when I touch the tattoo of the little sun.

"Why won't it?" asks Brian.

"I have to talk to my mom and ask her about the letters. I need to know why she said nothing."

Brian rolls onto his side, taking me with him. His palm touches my cheek as he regards me without a trace of humor on his face. "What does it matter now, Kitten? You read them. We're back together. I couldn't have asked for more. All I wanna do is take you home and tell everyone you're with me."

"It matters, Brian. I thought… I thought you forgot about me. I thought you didn't care."

"That's my fault. I could've been less of a coward and told you I loved you sooner. I wouldn't be able to forget you, no matter what."

"I need answers. Mom and I started to get on well. I believed she changed, and now this. It looks like we're never gonna mend what's broken."

"Don't." Brian kisses my lips softly. "Let's not spoil this moment. Maybe you can talk it out, babe."

I draw an arm around Brian's waist and snuggle into him. "I don't know. I just want to hear her reasons and move on. You and I wasted enough time already."

"Okay," Brian says. "Do you wanna head back into town?"

Nodding, I sit up and then rise to my feet. Brian follows my lead and folds the blanket he'd brought.

I smooth out my hair as we head to where we'd left the bike. Memories of making love on it warm my cheeks.

"You looked hot, Kitten," Brian says and shamelessly squeezes my behind.

I swat his hand away, making him laugh. 

In no time, the asphalt replaces the lush green grass under our feet. I hug Brian tighter, failing to calm my racing heart down.

When Brian's Fat Boy stops next to my house, I get off it and hand my helmet to Brian.

"You'll come over later, won't you?" Insecurity laces Brian's voice, and I smile.

"Of course. If you see my dad, tell him I'm okay."

"Will do."

Brian waits while I trudge up the driveway and let myself into the house.

"Leah!" My mom smiles at me as she exits the kitchen. 

She looks good. Younger. My throat tightens because knowing she hid the letters from me takes me back to last year and our fights. 

"Hey," I say, taking a step toward her. "I stopped by the house before."

Mom nods. "I figured. I saw the magazines on the couch, and I didn't leave them there. Did you come with Eric? He—"

"Those letters were mine, Mom." I ball my hands into fists, and my voice shakes despite my resolve to hide how very far from indifferent I am. "How could you hide them from me?"

Mom frowns. "Letters?"

My teeth sink into my bottom lip as I pivot and dash upstairs. I unlock my desk drawer and pull the letters out of it.

Mom's brows are furrowed when I give the envelopes to her in the living room.

"These letters," I say. "Why didn't you give them to me? Was it on purpose?"

Mom shakes her head. "I would have if I thought they were important. I didn't know who sent them. We don't know anyone in that place."

"True. But that's my name on the envelope, and our address is on it. You could have put them in my room. I know I only came home twice, but I would've ridden here if I knew—"

"Who are they from?" Mom asks.

"Brian."

A sigh leaves Mom's lips. "I'm sorry, Leah. His name wasn't there. I didn't know who the sender was. I was busy with work and classes and just left them there, and then I forgot."

"You forgot, or you hid them on purpose?"

"Why would I?"

"Because you were against us dating."

Mom studies her nails. "I was back then. I didn't want you to repeat my story, but I was wrong. My stupid mistake ruined my chances of being happy with the man I loved. If the name of that boy was written on those envelopes, I would have given them to you sooner. I want you to be happy. You are my daughter."

My grip on the letters tightens. "I hope you do."

A knock on the front door makes us both swivel our heads toward the sound. Mom pads to open it. I hear Dad's voice even before I see him standing in the doorway with my travel bag in his hands.

"Leah." Dad smiles. "Brian told me you were here."

"Yeah, well, I'll leave you two alone. See you later." 

"Where are you going?" asks Mom.

"Brian's."

Dad lifts the bag. "And your things?"

"Leave them in my room. I'll take care of them tomorrow."

"I'm sorry," Mom says to my back. I hear Dad ask her what she's sorry for, but I don't stop moving. 

I walk to Brian's, barely lifting my eyes off the ground. Tears blur my vision, and I struggle to keep them from falling off my eyes as I climb the steps of Brian's porch.

His front door opens wide. 

"Kitten."

Brian sees me, and a frown replaces his smile. "Come in."

Brian closes the door behind me and draws an arm around my shoulders. My body shakes with sobs. I clutch the fabric of his shirt and press my forehead to his collarbone. 

"What's wrong?" Brian kisses the top of my head and smoothes a hand down the length of my back. 

His gaze lands on the letters, and he reaches for them, but I grip the envelopes tighter.

Sighing, Brian lifts me in his arms and carries me upstairs. He puts me on his bed, closes the door, and then sits next to me.

"What happened?"

I sniffle. "She said she didn't do it on purpose. She didn't know who sent them."

"Yeah, makes sense. I didn't put my name on them, thinking she might not give the letters to you if she knew they were from me."

"But they were for me. She should've told me."

"I know, Kitten. Come here."

I wipe at my eyes and put the envelopes on Brian's nightstand. The familiarity of my surroundings hits me hard. It's been over a year since I last sat on Brian's bed. The dark blue comforter is still the same, and so are the posters of Rebellious Hearts, Jim’s band,  on the wall.

Everything is the same except for the two of us.

"Look, it doesn't matter," Brian whispers, wiping the moisture off my cheeks with his thumbs. "You have both letters. She didn't throw them away, and you're here with me now. I don't want you to cry anymore. Okay?"

I nod, but the stupid tears have a mind of their own.

Brian embraces me tightly and chuckles into my hair. "Is your girl about to get her monthly visitor, Kitten? Cause the waterworks are a bit over the top."

"Such an ass, O'Brien." I slap his chest. 

Brian laughs and trails his fingertips down my body, right to the hem of my dress. Then, his hand sneaks under the fabric, and my eyes widen.

"Do you want to go to the party? They will be out there for a while."

I shake my head.

"Okay," Brian whispers, caressing my thigh. "Then why don't you take a shower and get comfy while I tell my parents I'm here with you and get some food for the two of us?"

"Is that okay?"

Brian chuckles. "They saw me smile and figured we made up. It's all good, Kitten. We'll give them the news tomorrow when you do your walk of shame."

I cross my arms in front of my chest and glare at Brian.

He kisses my cheek. "When you put your arms like that, you push your girls up, and I get hard. Just wanted you to know. Go shower, Kitten."

Brian hops off the bed and leaves me alone in the bedroom. Realizing I don’t have any clothes to change into, I open Brian’s closet and take one of his black tees before heading to the bathroom.

Some of my worries go down the drain together with the hot, soapy water. I feel better by the time I’m done showering and drying my hair.

When I reenter the bedroom, Brian is sitting on the bed. A tray full of food is next to him.

His eyes travel over my body, and I see the signature smirk lift the corners of Brian’s mouth I suddenly want to kiss.

I sit beside him and accept the plate he hands me. Famished, we devour the steaks. Brian brought some cake, too, but we decide to leave it for later.

“I feel weird, Kitten,” Brian says, leaning against the headboard. 

I scoot over and sit between his legs, resting my head on his shoulder. “Why?”

Brian’s warm palms slide down my forearms, leaving a trail of goosebumps in their wake. “You’re here with me, in my room. I spent weeks staring at your bedroom window when you were away with your dad. A part of me thought you wouldn’t come back.”

“I wouldn’t do that to you,” I say.

Brian kisses my shoulder. “I know.”

His lips don’t stop there. Wet and hot, they explore the back of my neck. Brian tugs the fabric down and stills. “The fuck?”

I giggle.

“Kitten?”

“Yes, I have a tattoo. No big deal, get over it, O’Brien.”

Brian tickles me, and I squirm in his hold, laughing so hard my belly hurts.

Brian turns on the lamp on the nightstand and lifts the hem of my shirt.

“Where are the panties, Kitten?” he asks, and his voice sounds so pained I can’t help smiling.

“I didn’t want to wear the same pair,” I say. “You’re gonna look at the tattoo, anyway.”

“Who is this chick, and what did she do to my girl?”

I pat Brian’s thigh. “Hurry, O’Brien.”

Brian yanks the tee over my head. He moves my long hair to the side and traces the contours of the birds and the cage with his fingertips.

I shiver under his touch. Every single time. The way he affects me is almost uncanny. I wonder if I have the same power over him.

Brian kisses the tattoo. “It’s beautiful. When did you get it?”

“When I moved to the city,” I say. “I thought it was symbolic — me, starting fresh, leaving the bad behind. Being free.”

“I’ve always worried too much about freedom until I realized I’ve never been as free as I am when I’m with you. Do you get it? It’s like… I can be myself, and you want me anyway. Okay, myself with minor improvements.”

I grin, lacing my fingers with Brian’s. “I get it. Same here. When I was with—”
I stop speaking, mentally scolding myself for bringing up another guy.

Brian kisses my shoulder. “You can say it. When you were with Nash.”

“Yeah. I didn’t want to make you feel bad.”

Brian shrugs. “You’re here, aren’t you? Here despite my fuckup and the way I hurt you. It’s been only you for me, and you didn’t give yourself to another guy while we were apart.”

“I know. I wanted to say that I was never myself with him, but you...you know all of me, the good and the bad. We might not be so different, after all.”

“Different enough not to get bored of each other’s company.”

I turn my head on Brian’s shoulder and lift my hand to caress his jaw. “It’s never boring with you.”

“Thanks, Kitten.”

I look into Brian’s eyes and trace the shape of his lips with my fingertips. “But that might be because I love you.”

Brian’s pupils widen. He freezes and stares at me.

“I love you,” I repeat, cupping his cheek with my palm.

“Baby,” Brian whispers. His voice is shaky, and his eyes glisten in the yellow light the small lamp casts over the two of us. “I love you, Leah,” he says, pressing his forehead to mine.

It’s not the first time he’s said the words, but this time, I don't doubt that he really means them.

My baby Goldinas suggested this song for Brian and Leah, and now it's the official song of Tiger. The lyrics fit so well!

Some lovemaking in the next chapter. I know, I know, should've been in this one but I want to make it perfect, or close to it.

Thoughts?

Hope the absence of drama doesn't bore you ❤

They deserve some love and couple time❤

Also, a big thank you for loving Tiger. I feel happy seeing the second book is getting so much love from all of you.

Love,
Alwyn







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