Sea Breeze 02 - Because of Low

through hers. I wasn’t brave enough to completely take her hand. I couldn’t handle it if she jerked it away.
    “Don’t ever do that to me again.”
    Her words sank in slowly and I turned my head to meet her gaze, no longer caring that my eyes were watery from unshed tears.
    “Again? You mean you forgive me. It’s not over?” I asked in disbelief.
    She smiled and turned her hand over and threaded her fingers through mine holding it tightly.
    “I forgive you,” she said then reached out with her other hand and wiped the moisture in my eyelashes away. “How do I stay mad at this? Hmmm? You sitting here on the bathroom floor fighting back tears and looking completely defeated.” She shifted closer and laid her head on my shoulder. “I love you, Marcus. Of course,I forgive you.” Setting the glass in my hand down on the edge of the tub, I reached for her and pulled her into my arms. I needed to hold her. I’d almost lost her and I needed her close. She curled up against me and tears of relief rolled freely down my face.
    “I love you too. So much Low. So very much. I promise you Low, I’ll never hurt you again.”

    Willow

    Over the next week Marcus went out of his way to do sweet romantic things for me. I came home from work one night to a candle lit bubble bath waiting on me. He left sweet little notes all over the place for me. A customer had even delivered one to me during work one night. I’d awakened twice to find a vintage Aerosmith concert t-shirt beside my pillow. One was a 1984 California and the other a 1986 Aero Force.
    I was ready to take the next step but I was waiting on him. He needed to reassure himself that I wasn’t leaving him. That he’d won my forgiveness. He had, of course. We’d led two very different lives. It wasn’t fair of me to expect him to handle bad situations the same way I did. He’d grown up protected from bad situations. He didn’t know how to roll with the punches. I’d been so eaten up with jealousy I’d wanted to punish him. I didn’t want there to be a reason for him to behave the way he did. You can’t expect a sheltered person to react to disappointment the way someone who’d only known disappointment reacted.
    Stepping outside into the sunshine after being shut up in a classroom all day I lifted my face to the sunshine and inhaled the salty breeze. Summer would be here soon and I couldn’t wait to spend it with Marcus. Cage was planning a two week road trip with some of his friends. He wanted me to come too but I was looking forward to those two weeks alone with Marcus. This would be the first time Cage and I had been apart for that long. It worried me some but the fear of being left alone was beginning to wane. Since the morning I’d seen the tears in Marcus’s eyes when he thought he’d lost me I’d felt more secure in our relationship. He loved me just as fiercely as I loved him. I no longer doubted that. Calling Cage when I needed someone never even crossed my mind anymore. The first person I wanted was Marcus. Besides Marcus bought my Jarritos now. He never let them get low enough for Cage to notice. He kept me so well stocked it was comical. Cage had grumbled about it at first but he’d gotten over it.
    My happy thoughts were interrupted when my eyes landed on my sister standing against a new Mercedes SUV smiling like the cat who caught the canary. Or more like the cat who caught the rich old dude. Walking toward her I frowned taking in her new wheels. I wondered if it had been purchased from one of Marcus’s dad’s lots.
    “Tawny,” I said stopping in front of her.
    “Like the car?” Tawny all but purred from pleasure. No. I didn’t like the way she’d gotten it. But I did like the fact Larissa would no longer be hauled around in that death trap of my sister’s.
    “You got it by spreading your legs, sis. I’m not a fan of home-wreckers.”
    She rolled her eyes and gave me a disgusted look. As if I was the gross one. Hello Miss Screwing-someone-twice-your-age.
    “Whatever. I wanted to let you know I was moving and I’m selling the house. Jefferson feels like it’s best. Letting you have it is pointless. You don’t live there. It’s mine anyway. Mom left it to me.”
    This information stung but I expected it. She’d never given me anything. Why start now?
    “Where are you moving to?” It had better not be far. I couldn’t care less about Tawny but Larissa was my niece. I wanted to be able to see her.
    Tawny smirked and