A Little Bit Married

Naive

"You are naive," I could hear Kevin say to me. "And although that's a cute trait, it isn't a perfect world. You don't go around helping and opening your heart to everyone. You will get used."

But here I am, Gray pulling me to his body, and somehow, I couldn't get myself to be angry with him. God knows I probably would have turned out much worse had I been the one to go through everything he has. And I do find it extremely strong of him that it didn't make him any less a man, neither did it make him any less competent. It did make him cold, but we are all allowed to feel pain a little differently. I, for one, wasn't about to question how he feels a pain I have never experienced.

Slowly, I moved my hand across his back, gently soothing him like I would have begged for someone to soothe me too.

"I won't tell anyone," I whispered, carefully letting my hand caress his naked back, while the other gently brushed through his hair, smoothening the dark locks as they rested right below the nape of his neck.

His skin was warm and soft, and I could feel the outline of his spine as I moved. He slowly relaxed into me, and I moved my head, so I was watching the little bit of his face that his position was letting me see.

"Would you like to take a nap? Just forget everything for a few hours?"

He let out a small sigh before he slowly let me go again. "That is enough. I am a man."

He started to walk past me when I held his arm, stopping him in place. "Since when were men not allowed to feel?"

"I am allowed to feel," he said, holding my eyes. "I just do not intend to wail about it."

I bit down on my lips and decided to push my luck. "You wouldn't be wailing in your sleep."

"I would be letting it consume me. Let go."

I slowly let him go, and he let his fingers push through his hair. "I will be in my study, four rooms away. Keep those keys and respect my wishes."

I nodded and watched as he grabbed a black shirt, then walked out of the room, leaving me with his deep scent lingering in the air and the sensation of his skin etched in my palm.

I let out a small sigh, then slowly sat on the edge of the bed, my eyes closing as everything rushed right back at me.

Kevin's cheating. Kevin's death. My marriage.

Slowly, I lay down and closed my eyes, which still stung from the tears, determined to, just like Gray, not allow it to consume me. I have already been consumed by the lies, the cheating. I was done grieving, mourning. I was done being naive. In the end, the person who was going to use my naivety against me was Kevin himself.

Slowly, I let the fatigue lure me to sleep, my eyes closing as I let myself drift into a dreamless abyss. It was much easier to forget this way, and Kevin, at least, had the decency to not interrupt my dreams.

I was woken up by the loud clapping of thunder outside. My brows furrowed as I woke up, and the bright day I had fallen asleep in had turned dark, the skies rumbling with wetness.

My first thought was of Aunt Maurine and Samantha. If Gray did not let them in, where would they go?

I immediately grabbed the keys and headed out of the room. Gray had mentioned that his study was four rooms away, and I headed down the path, my hands clasping around the keys.

The door was closed, but it budged under my fingers, and I peaked in. The room was relatively dark except for a single light that sat right beside the massive mahogany table.

It cast Grey in a sunset like light, accentuating his features and lighting up all of the darkness around him. I walked in and closed the door gently behind me before I slowly reached up to him.

He was asleep, his hand holding his head up, while the other dangled lightly over the chair. I leaned to him, then gently adjusted his hand, so it was resting on his lap.

I moved away, my eyes watching him. His hair had fallen in front of his eyes, and I reached to move it away.

I had just started to move it away when he suddenly caught my hand. I gasped, my eyes widening as I looked up to his now open eyes.

"What are you doing?"

I swallowed hard, my chest heaving. "I... I was just... moving your hair. It was in the way and..."

He let me go, then sighed, closing his eyes. "What are you doing here?"

I leaned away, my eyes holding his. "I... well. It is raining outside."

He turned around to the large glass window right behind the chair. It was wet, the rain drops running down the glass.

"Does it scare you?" He asked, catching me off guard and throwing me off course.

"The rain?"

"Yes," he said, then slowly stood up from his seat. "Does it scare you?"

"I am not sure," I said, watching his back as he walked around the study.

He was opening up windows, and the room enjoyed a bit more light than before.

"Are you scared of rain, Gray?"

He stopped walking, then turned to me. "It isn't my favourite weather."

"Yet, you are opening the windows instead of switching on the lights."

He didn't say anything for a while before he sighed, his hands going into his pockets. "I am sadistic like that, Evangeline. I like that the skies are crying too. Maybe that is why I will be sure to keep you around. We are the same sort of broken."

I closed my eyes, nodding. "Does that mean we are somehow making this work?"

He nodded without looking at me. "Yes. We are making this work. Those keys with you, will show me how willing you really are."