Page 76 of Love Song, Take Two

Huffing at him, she undid her robe and let it fall to the floor as she walked out of the kitchen, fully aware of Fletcher’s eyes fixed on her retreating form. She smiled to herself when she heard him swear and when she was halfway up the stairs, his arm wound around her waist, pulling her against him.

His warm breath brushed against her shoulder as he said, “I didn’t say shower alone.”

“Considering I don’t smell so good, I figured you didn’t want to be anywhere near me.”

He released her when they hit the top of the stairs and she glanced over her shoulder and found his jaw tight as his eyes stayed on her ass. “I want to be near you all the time, not so good smells and all.”

Smirking to herself, Micah walked into her ensuite bathroom and turned on the shower. A peripheral glance in her mirror showed that Fletcher stood a few inches shy of the doorway, so she stripped her clothes off, tossing them into the hamper. And then without looking at him, she stepped into the shower, tipping her head forward to let the warm water soak her hair. When she felt his hands slide over her hips and his front press against her back, she smiled.

“I want to talk to you about something,” he whispered and Micah’s heart stuttered. She slowly turned to face him and Fletcher brushed the wet hair out of her face. “What was going through your head last night when we were getting burgers?”

Of course this man was astute enough to know something was going on and she was grateful that he hadn’t brought it up the night before. Sighing heavily, Micah turned off the water and reached for her shower gel and squirted some into her hands. Fletcher held his hands out and she did the same for him.

“I should preface this by saying I don’t get drunk very often. It happens maybe once a year, if anything. But there were a few times after Emery was born and I was still with Geoffrey when I’d go drinking with the girls,” she told him, lathering the soap in her hands before working it into Fletcher’s chest and stomach, over his shoulders and biceps. “He would always criticize me and make me feel guilty for having a little bit of fun. He’d get mad, say some awful stuff which would get me worked up.

“But I know that when I’m under the influence, the things that come out of me might not always be nice or said the right way. So I kept my mouth shut countless times and he’d keep giving me shit.” Resting her hands on his chest, she closed her eyes as his fingers massaged her shoulders and neck. “As you can tell, I didn’t date a lot or have a special someone who’d answer my call when I needed some help. When I called you, I was only thinking about how I wanted you to hold me. Then we were sitting in your truck and I kept waiting for you to question my decisions and tell me I was being foolish and irresponsible.”

He grunted and she smiled to herself, turning the water back on. “I know it’s silly to be hung up on something that happened years ago, something that someone did to me. But you’re the first serious relationship I’ve been in since the divorce and my brain was processing it that way.”

He didn’t say anything as he brushed his hands over her body, washing the soap away, lips pressed to her forehead. Micah knew that the comfort, love and safety she found with Fletcher would never be found anywhere else. Or with anyone else. He didn’t expect her to be anything but herself or change who she was. In fact, he liked all of the parts of her that Geoffrey didn’t. Not that she needed to keep comparing the two, because they were like oil and water.

“First of all, fuck your ex. I hate that he made you feel guilty for finding joy in the little things. Secondly, I love when you’re happy and having the time of your life. Last night was a new side of you, but your eyes were so fucking bright and that’s how I want you to always feel.”

She looked up at him as he turned off the water and then reached past the shower curtain and pulled a towel for her. This man. She patted herself dry and wrapped the towel around her body as Fletcher did the same thing. Stepping out of the shower, she finally looked at herself in the mirror and smiled when Fletcher stepped up behind her.

“And most importantly, I was serious when I said that I appreciated you putting your trust in me last night. It might not have been how you wanted me to meet your best friends, but you called me when you needed me and that’s enough.” He pressed his chin against the side of her head and wrapped his arms loosely around her shoulders. “I will never hold you back, curb your joy or put out that light in your eyes. I will stand by your side and behind you, tell me what you need and I’ll make it happen. Okay?”

With her heart ready to leap and emotions clogging her throat, she blinked back tears and nodded. “Okay.”

He pressed a kiss to her temple, against her cheek, down to her jaw and her neck. With one more soft kiss to her shoulder, he released her and took a step back, smiling at her through the mirror. “Luckiest son of a bitch to be yours, Mick,” he said and stepped out of the bathroom, leaving her gasping for air as she gripped the counter.

She was never under any illusions that what she and Geoffrey had was love, but like so many people in the world, it’s what Micah craved. To love someone and be loved by them in such a way that every thought of them left you breathless. Fletcher did that by infiltrating every waking thought, but by also being present in her life at all times.

Even when she didn’t know she needed him, Fletcher was there. He was hers.

Once she caught her breath, she dried herself off fully and chose not to add any product to her hair. Instead, she let it air dry and figured that Mrs. Hershey could say whatever the hell she wanted at their session that evening. When she stepped out of the bathroom, wearing only an old Rescuers t-shirt, Fletcher was sitting on the bed and waiting for her.

“Have you been sitting there this whole time?”

He nodded, smiling softly. “Thought you might need a few minutes, so figured I’d wait here.”

“You are…” she trailed off, stepping between his spread legs and cupped his face in both hands. How could she put into words the way this man made her feel? Safe, secure, loved, cherished and like herself. She’d accepted that not every relationship would make you feel whole, then Fletcher came back into her life.

“I am the luckiest person in the world to have you love me. Your heart and soul are mine, Fletch. And I promise to take good care of them. I can’t believe I get to be yours and have you in my life again. For real this time.”

“It was real the last time too.”

“You know what I mean.”

“I’m yours, for real, for as long as you want me.”

She carefully climbed into his lap, knees pressing into the bed on either side of his hips. “Don’t want to make big declarations and all that yet, but how does forever sound?”

“Fucking perfect, love bug.”

A sound that was a mix between a growl and a scoff came out of her and she shook her head. “I am not calling you my stallion.”

“You already did. Multiple times. It’s such a good title.”

---