on my jeans and a purple V-neck T-shirt that I adorned with little rhinestones a few weeks ago. I blow-dry my hair as straight as I can, irritated that I forgot my flat iron, and open the bathroom door, hoping we can somehow figure this marriage thing out.
But he's not here.
Glancing at the time on my cell, I realize I was in the bathroom for at least forty-five minutes. It wouldn't take him that long to get a coffee. His cell phone, Zippo lighter, and cigarettes aren't on the dresser where he threw them last night, either. His bag is still here, but there's probably nothing in there he can't live without and wouldn't mind just leaving to make a quick getaway.
He's gone.
Blinking back the tears in my eyes, I stare around the room, hoping to at least find a note, but there's nothing.
Obviously his we're in this together statement meant nothing.
Tears of anger and disappointment burn down my cheeks as I quickly shove my clothes into my small bag and roll the wedding gown into a big ball and head for the door. I'll call Kat from the lobby and have her come pick me up and take me home. I don't even want to talk to Dr. Hollister or Kim right now. There's nothing they can say or do to make this better. Not even a team of experts could pick a guy who's willing to stay with me longer than one night.
Nunnery, here I come.
Just as I'm about to open the door, the electronic key beeps and Talon walks in, almost knocking me over. Eyeing me suspiciously, he lays his phone and cigarettes on the little table next to the door.
"Were you leaving?" he asks in disbelief. "You were just gonna ditch me here?"
I drop my bag and the huge gown at my feet. "I thought you left." I wipe at my eyes, embarrassed to be crying in front of him. "I woke up and you were gone. It's been over an hour. All your stuff is gone."
He points to his duffel bag on the floor. "My stuff is right over there."
"I meant your phone and your cigarettes."
Reaching out, he gently lifts my chin and stares into my eyes. "Are you crying?"
I try to turn away from him, but he holds my face still. "Are you?" he repeats, his brown eyes locking on to mine.
"A little," I admit.
His thumb slowly traces my jaw. "Why?"
"I thought you left me already."
He leans down and kisses my lips softly. This time, I let him.
"I'm still here," he says, not pulling too far away. "I just went down to the gym to work out," His lips meet mine once more, and a crazy tingle races down my spine and explodes in my stomach like little fireflies. "I try to work out every morning. And your lips taste yummy," he adds.
"Oh…" I guess the vanilla lip balm I've been trying to get right is finally perfect.
Letting go of my face, he picks up my things and carries them back into the room casually, as if that kiss didn't just happen. "Can we agree not to randomly ditch each other?" he asks, turning back to face me. I'm still glued to my spot in the small hallway.
"I would like that." I touch my lips softly with my finger, still a little mesmerized by his kiss, which made me way weaker in the knees than I want to admit.
He runs his hand through his wavy hair. "You really think I'd just leave while you were sleeping? The fuck?"
I shrug a little, feeling silly for overreacting. "I'm not sure… I don't know you or what you would do."
He nods. "Fair enough. For the record, I'm not a dick, Asia. If I've got an issue, I'll tell you. I won't just disappear."
"I'm sorry I jumped to conclusions. I don't know what I was thinking."
"I don't like that you were just going to leave, though. We're either in this fuckin' thing together, or we're not. There's gotta be a little bit of trust here."
"You're totally right," I say, slowly walking back into the main room. "This is just hard. And to be honest, I'm kinda scared. People have a habit of leaving me." Admitting my fears to him is difficult for me, but Dr. Hollister insisted during our many meetings that being honest about our fears is important.
He
But he's not here.
Glancing at the time on my cell, I realize I was in the bathroom for at least forty-five minutes. It wouldn't take him that long to get a coffee. His cell phone, Zippo lighter, and cigarettes aren't on the dresser where he threw them last night, either. His bag is still here, but there's probably nothing in there he can't live without and wouldn't mind just leaving to make a quick getaway.
He's gone.
Blinking back the tears in my eyes, I stare around the room, hoping to at least find a note, but there's nothing.
Obviously his we're in this together statement meant nothing.
Tears of anger and disappointment burn down my cheeks as I quickly shove my clothes into my small bag and roll the wedding gown into a big ball and head for the door. I'll call Kat from the lobby and have her come pick me up and take me home. I don't even want to talk to Dr. Hollister or Kim right now. There's nothing they can say or do to make this better. Not even a team of experts could pick a guy who's willing to stay with me longer than one night.
Nunnery, here I come.
Just as I'm about to open the door, the electronic key beeps and Talon walks in, almost knocking me over. Eyeing me suspiciously, he lays his phone and cigarettes on the little table next to the door.
"Were you leaving?" he asks in disbelief. "You were just gonna ditch me here?"
I drop my bag and the huge gown at my feet. "I thought you left." I wipe at my eyes, embarrassed to be crying in front of him. "I woke up and you were gone. It's been over an hour. All your stuff is gone."
He points to his duffel bag on the floor. "My stuff is right over there."
"I meant your phone and your cigarettes."
Reaching out, he gently lifts my chin and stares into my eyes. "Are you crying?"
I try to turn away from him, but he holds my face still. "Are you?" he repeats, his brown eyes locking on to mine.
"A little," I admit.
His thumb slowly traces my jaw. "Why?"
"I thought you left me already."
He leans down and kisses my lips softly. This time, I let him.
"I'm still here," he says, not pulling too far away. "I just went down to the gym to work out," His lips meet mine once more, and a crazy tingle races down my spine and explodes in my stomach like little fireflies. "I try to work out every morning. And your lips taste yummy," he adds.
"Oh…" I guess the vanilla lip balm I've been trying to get right is finally perfect.
Letting go of my face, he picks up my things and carries them back into the room casually, as if that kiss didn't just happen. "Can we agree not to randomly ditch each other?" he asks, turning back to face me. I'm still glued to my spot in the small hallway.
"I would like that." I touch my lips softly with my finger, still a little mesmerized by his kiss, which made me way weaker in the knees than I want to admit.
He runs his hand through his wavy hair. "You really think I'd just leave while you were sleeping? The fuck?"
I shrug a little, feeling silly for overreacting. "I'm not sure… I don't know you or what you would do."
He nods. "Fair enough. For the record, I'm not a dick, Asia. If I've got an issue, I'll tell you. I won't just disappear."
"I'm sorry I jumped to conclusions. I don't know what I was thinking."
"I don't like that you were just going to leave, though. We're either in this fuckin' thing together, or we're not. There's gotta be a little bit of trust here."
"You're totally right," I say, slowly walking back into the main room. "This is just hard. And to be honest, I'm kinda scared. People have a habit of leaving me." Admitting my fears to him is difficult for me, but Dr. Hollister insisted during our many meetings that being honest about our fears is important.
He
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