35. Love

Genre: Paranormal romance, drama

Type: Series
Characters: Leigh, Krisis
Prompt:022. Love

Word Count: 1050 +

Warning: language, adult situations

Rating:  M- (coarse language, adult situations, nudity. N.B-Applies to the whole series)

Summary: The heart wants what the heart wants...Krisis has an epiphany
022. Love

_________

Bridgeport, present day

Four weeks after her ordeal, Leigh was slowly recovering, but not there yet. Her recovery period coincided with the school holidays, so Michaela wasn’t missing out on her school work.

She’d finally caved, and sought counseling at Devon’s insistence. Sometimes she’d go there and not say anything for the whole hour, and at other times she’d cry her heart out. Krisis had wanted to come with her, but she'd declined. She didn’t want him to see her that way, broken and shattered…

The Frosts were tremendously supportive and they came to check on her every day, with J.D. and Michaela bringing her little gifts. Devon was slowly warming to them, but he still didn’t trust them. Eloise was Krisis’ biggest fan, and it was obvious to everyone how much she wanted Krisis and Leigh to end up together.

But Leigh had firmly asked Krisis to stay away. She needed time to clear her head. Distance herself from him for a bit. And he’d grudgingly agreed, giving her all the time in the world she needed…

Until today…He couldn’t stay away anymore.

He had to tell her how he felt, explain, beg for forgiveness, and tell her it wasn’t just one night between them. He wanted to take all blame and responsibility for the mess he’d created, and hopefully she’d see he was a decent person, with good intentions, and maybe she’d start to like him again, and not push him away like she had over the past few weeks.

It hurt that she’d shut him out while his family was allowed to visit and check on her. She’d politely accepted the little gifts he’d sent her, but never called to thank him, never even asked after him.

He’d wanted to be there for her, help her work through her pain, and it had cut him deeply when she’d stubbornly rejected him. But he would never tell her that. He’d lick his wounds privately.

“We need to talk!” He firmly closed her bedroom door, and stared at her. He looked rattled, unsure of himself. She patted the empty spot on the bed for him to join her.

“If I could change things Leigh I would. If I could erase the pain that bastard caused you, I would do it in a heartbeat,” Krisis whispered, but then his voice broke off.

He placed his head on her lap and she slowly ran her fingers through his hair, remembering their night of passion, how tender and loving he was then, how he’d made her feel like the only girl in the world.

“It wasn’t your fault,” Leigh replied softly, ready to ease his guilt. But he wouldn’t let her.

“I knew that bastard wanted you and I left you alone. I shouldn’t have gone on tour. I’m sorry. Please forgive me?” He pleaded, and she couldn’t stand the break in his voice again.

Gently, she lifted his head, and brought her face down to his. She kissed him long and hard, tears streaming down her face. He tried to break the kiss but she wouldn’t let him. This was the last time…the last time she’d ever kiss him, the last time she’d ever hold him so closely, so intimately.

They were worlds apart, wanted different things in life. She didn’t belong in his world, and he didn’t belong in hers either. If there was a way to create a new world, small enough for the two of them, but big enough for her to express what she felt for him, she would do it in a heartbeat.

She’d done a lot of thinking these past few weeks, and learned to accept some harsh truths. She loved him…truly loved him, and couldn’t bear to face the next few moments without him. But those were things she would never say out loud. She knew his heart belonged to Laura, and that’s one of the reasons shed sent him away.

As hard as it was for her to do it again, she had to let him go, break free of his hold. Whatever they had, if they tried it out, it didn’t stand a chance to survive. She reminded him too much of Laura, and she’d always be in doubt about his feelings for her, whatever they were.

Sometimes she wondered if it was her he’d made love to, or if he was reliving his moments with his dead lover. It didn’t matter now. She knew what she had to do…

“This wasn’t your fault, but I forgive you since you’re so hell-bent on getting forgiveness. But just so we’re clear, it was just one night only Krisis, that’s all it was between us. It’s never going to happen again. I don’t want you, so I’d really prefer it if we could act professionally going forward. The next three months, I’d like to focus on my job, teaching Michaela…” Her heart broke with every word she uttered.

“Bullshit!” That was not the reply she’d expected.

And to prove what a liar she was, this time he kissed her. She fought him off at first, but soon gave in. She clung to him, holding on for her dear life.

“Now, tell me again how much you don’t want me!” He demanded when they came up for air, his eyes, dark with lust.

When she didn’t reply, he pushed them both under the covers. Within seconds he’d shed off both their clothing. They continued to kiss and caress each other, moving at her pace, until she was begging him to take her, and he was only too happy to oblige. He covered her body with his; she gasped and arched her back, welcoming his long, sensual thrusts…

Long after their cries of ecstasy had died down, with Leigh sleeping soundly beside him, Krisis had a revelation of his own, maybe he’d known it for some time…He was in love with her, head over heels in love with her, but he’d never tell her that, she’d think he was substituting Laura, and he wasn't.

But he did love her. Plain and simple. He never thought it would happen again after Laura, but he knew what he felt for Leigh was love. It was different from what he’d felt for Laura, but love all the same, and the two couldn't be compared. It would be unjust to even try...