On the Fence

Chapter 39

Another sob escaped me as the tears dripped off my chin, my eyes squeezing shut with the pain of failure. Why was it such a big deal to my heart? It wasn't that long in the scope of life, but somehow, it felt like forever to me. I looked back up through my tears, and my heart spoke the truth to me; Aiden had become my safe, steady ground that I could depend on for understanding, comfort, love, and strength. He had helped heal my heart and been woven into it during that process, and I felt a need to be with him.

My face dropped on another sob, knowing I didn't know when I would see him next. It could be a month, but it could be longer than that like he had said. It could be for forever, and I hadn't had the chance to say goodbye and how much I was going to miss him, how much he was going to be on my mind while he was away, that I would wait for him, and that I loved him.

I sucked in a breath, and my head shot up towards the road at the sound of gravel scraping. I wiped my tears with my hand, clearing my eyes just in time to see the brakes on Aiden's truck lock up, sending the truck skidding down the road on the loose gravel. The driver's door opened almost before the truck stopped moving, and I saw Aiden jump out, looking at me. I sucked in a breath and directed Pearl to pick up speed and go to him.

I pulled up Pearl and jumped from her back when we were closer. Aiden let go of the door to his truck and ran towards me, meeting me in the middle of the distance, pulling me into his arms and holding me close with a look of relief on his face.

"Taylor," I heard him breathe out a huge sigh of relief. He pulled back to look into my eyes with his deep blues ones that were full of concern as he asked, "What were you doing? Are you alright? You scared me so much when I saw that truck almost hit you!" Another sob escaped me, and he pulled me back to his chest, rubbing my back, comforting me with his arms and presence. "It's going to be alright. You're safe, Taylor," his deep calming voice whispered to me. I was alright because I was in his arms.

After a couple of minutes, once I had calmed enough to speak, I finally answered him, "I was held up at work, and I was running Pearl to try to catch you to say 'goodbye,' like I had promised I would. I didn't want to miss you! I wanted to tell you how much I'm going to miss you. How I promise I'm going to wait for you and that you'll be on my mind constantly because you already are. About how much it hurts that you're leaving because I love you so much." I looked at him with the remnants of grief I had been feeling and gently brought my hand to his face as I spoke.

His eyes softened at my caress, and he leaned into my palm a little as he looked down at me. He bent down, and slowly his lips met mine as he swept me away on the slowest, most sultry kiss I had ever experienced; each tiny movement and touch was felt with tender slowness, making me sigh. My breaths were slow and deep, much like the kiss that had my head spinning. With each beat, my heart was pounding inside my chest, aching in the most beautiful way.

I loved him so much and felt like I was only slipping farther and farther down into the void that was him. He stopped kissing me but held his face where our lips were still brushing, and he could just look into my eyes, one of his hands coming up to gently brush his fingers along my cheekbone.

His eyes left mine to travel over my face with his caressing gaze and then returned to mine as he whispered, "There won't be a moment that I'm gone that I won't be thinking of you, Taylor. I can't tell you just how sad I am to leave right now, how much I want to be with you all the time. I love you so much, Taylor." He gently slid my hand on his face down to his chest, over his heart, as his deep blue eyes delved into mine in their serious but gentle way. "You're with me always now, Taylor. You're a part of my heart now, and even when we're apart, you're with me. I see your smile when I close my eyes, and no one else makes me smile like you do. I love only you, and I want to be your man, Taylor."