Title: Not Like This 5/5

She rested with her head against his chest and listened to the strong beating of his heart beneath her ear. The rhythm alone took her breath away.

“I’m so in love with you.” He hadn’t meant to say that out loud, but now that he had, it seemed appropriate.

“Yeah?”

“Yeah. It just hit me as we were lying here. That’s why I was so hurt, Abbey. I love you so much and, somehow, over the last few years that’s gotten lost between state dinners and forgotten anniversaries. The pain doesn’t change though.”

“I know. Believe me, I know. That’s the biggest weakness in our marriage.”

“What?”

“Infidelity.”

“Yeah.” He rubbed her back with the pads of his fingers and blew her hair. He stroked her hair away from her forehead and peppered kisses down to her nose. Her nose wrinkled up and she glared up at him, feeling a devious streak start in her.

“I imagine that you would like to kiss me now. Would I be right?”

“Oh, yes.”

“Hmm. No.” He leaned away and peered down at her slyly.

“No?”

“No.”

“Why?”

“Because, I don’t want to give it to you. You haven’t earned it.”

“How can I earn it?”

“Tell me you love me.”

“I love you.”

“Say it again.”

“I love you.” She let out a satisfied purr. “You like that, huh?”

“Um, huh.” She responded with a nod.

“Well, I do love you.” He ended his little declaration with a kiss. Then, another. Then, another. This seemed to be going their way.

“I love you more.” He nuzzled her nose gently and brushed his lips against hers again.

“You really want to go there, right now?”

“Oh, yeah.”

“I love you as deeply as the world is wide.”

“7, 900 miles, sweetheart. I’m impressed.”

“This is already unfair. You’re gonna think up numbers I can’t even fathom.”

“Really, you’re much smarter than me and you’re vocabulary goes places that mine never will, but this experience has led me to believe that amantium irae amoris integratio est.”

“Lovers quarrels are the renewal of love?”

“Yes.” She stroked his cheek lovingly.

“I agree, but let’s keep these types of quarrels to a minimum. What do you say?”

“Oh, yeah.” She kissed him this time and rolled beneath him, tracing his back with her hands. He braced himself on his elbows and slid his fingers through her hair. She tangled their legs together and sighed. The air filled with renewed declarations of love and desire.

Abbey left her marks on Jed, almost completely overshadowing the one that CJ had left. Part of her thanked CJ for what had happened, because if it hadn’t been for her, they most certainly wouldn’t be here now. They’d let so many things come between them before, but they were both so relieved to know they wouldn’t part ways quite yet.

They wouldn’t be destroyed and neither would their love be.

Not like this.

Never like this.

Last Part