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He for one couldn't believe she was still there and not shoving him away in a scramble to grab her things and get away from him. Never before had he let himself get so out of control like that. Never before had he shown such raw emotion. What was it about her that brought this out in him? Slowly he moved and pulled away from her. She got a glimpse of the misery written on his face as he sat up and turned bare back to her.
She remained laying on the bed, a little too sore to sit up just then. She gave him time to see if he'd explain himself or just get up and walk out. Pulling in a deep breath he did begin to speak, "Shelly... I ... it was wrong of me to ... to be that way with you. I... you make me want to love you... and that scared me. Maybe I thought I'd scare you away so I didn't have to feel it." He sighed and rested his head in his hands. Rick wasn't a man who expressed his emotions very often or very well but he felt she deserved so much more than what he normally gave.
His answer shocked her and yet confirmed what she already knew. What she didn't know was the deeper why. She was of the mind to tell herself that it didn't matter. What mattered was if he wanted her around or if she should just count her losses and get on with her previous life. "Rick... why does the thought of falling in love with me scare you?" she asked softly trying to coax out his answer gently.
He knew she'd ask that. She was too straight forward to let him hide behind his words or his hands. After what he had done she was still there, still wanting to know about him, still had care in her voice... he felt he didn't deserve her. Still not able to look at her he let the truth spill from his lips. "I was married to my High School sweetheart. We lived a good life in the city. We both worked and had an active social life. She was murdered right before our eighth anniversary. I took out of the city, vowed never to go back there, never to be with anyone seriously again. Then you came along. Hell, one look and I knew I couldn't let you go."
Shelly sat up after hearing that. It was more than she could have ever guessed. Her heart cried at his pain and knew there was such a thing as love at first sight. Moving to him she wrapped her arms around his shoulders and pressed herself to his back. A kiss to his shoulder before she whispered, "You've some awful pain to live with. I don't want to cause you pain Rick. I want to stay with you. I want to love you. I want to know everything there is to know about you both good and bad. I'm not scared."
He felt the bed give with her scant weight as she moved. When her body wrapped around his back to blanket him in a comforting touch like none other he felt something. He felt the pain melt into the background. He felt a strength that he'd never known. He felt his heart come to life and know that he could love again. This petite fiery haired woman held the cure to his angst. She had heard and seen the worst of him and declared she wanted to love him still.
Turning some he took her in his arms and brought her around to sit in his lap. He wrapped his arms around her and just held her tight for several minutes. Then he moved and looking in her brilliant green eyes he kissed her deeply. It was a kiss of promise, of renewal, of love. Breaking the kiss he smiled to her, "Come home with me."
Pulled into his arms she was surprised at the depth and passion of that one kiss. She knew right then that love had indeed found them. When the kiss broke and he spoke of her going home with him she smiled brightly and nodded. With a small wicked gleam in her eye she had to ask, "So, how long is the drive?"
