Always, Tulip

▫️Twenty-eight

"Your smile keeps me awake for days, do you know what your small touch does?" I shook my head and he looked down at my neck and smiled mischievously.

"It burns through me and I can't just hold back." He moved to kiss my neck again and I noticed he had formed an obsession over that area, majorly my collar bones.

"I keep wanting more," he stared at my face for a while before pulling me into a hug. He held me for the longest time and even though he was being affectionate all evening, I could tell something was at the back of his head.

"Can I stay the night?" He mumbled into my hair, never pulling back and I easily agreed to his request. He held me tighter by the waist and softly patted my hair for an entire minute.

"Babe?" He quickly hummed and I felt his breath over the back of my neck so I asked, "Is everything okay?" He hesitated first before nodding and that didn't make me feel any better.

"We're okay?" He pulled back to cup my face and then mumbled 'very okay' with a kiss over my temple then continued to pat my hair.

"Will you come with me to see Nana?" I looked into his eyes and there seemed to be uneasiness in them. He looked away first but I angled his jaw towards me.

"Is Nana okay? Did something happen?" I anxiously asked while cupping his face. He snuggled his jaw into my palm before shaking his head and I sighed in relief.

"I wanted us to go see her together before I left," my hands stilled at his words and I just looked at him unbelieving before I looked away at the prick on my eyes.

"You're leaving? Why? You promised not to." My throat constricted at my own words as a lump formed and I didn't have it in me to face him.

Uncertainty creeped into me as the thought of Grey leaving pulled the strings of my heart painfully. We were doing so well and I thought what we had was mutual.

"No," he firmly protested that I whipped my head towards him. "This is about work," he wiped away the tears I didn't realize were trailing down my cheeks.

There was a short term relief in my heart then the severity of the situation got to my head. His work; guns, fighting, blood, bad people and danger looming from all corners.

"Is it going to be safe? When do you leave? How long does it take? Promise to be safe?" I trembled as I fired the questions and my heart began to beat unusually fast.

"Calm down sweetheart," my eyes were apprehensive as I looked back at him. He was so relaxed about this even as he continued to rub my back, evening my breaths.

Grey then told me about the mission that was coming up after I was breathing steadily. He assured me that he'd be fine, nothing would go wrong but I found it so hard to believe.

Flying to another country, chasing after criminals for an unknown duration and more so fighting. I was on the edge about this even as he kept reassuring me.

"I promise to be safe, there are so many things I want to do with you." We maintained eye contact and after I'd nodded along, he kissed my forehead.

"Don't worry about this, I'll be okay." I felt his heartbeat with my palm that lay on his chest and I slowly gave in to his promise, he never went back on his words.

My thoughts drifted to many places as the situation at hand settled into my mind. I had to have faith that it would be well, my man would be safe.

Softly nudging my arm, Grey cupped my cheeks to get my attention. "Never again think of me leaving you because my heart is tied to you, there's no better place than here next to you."