His Love

Chapter 19

Tara's POV
After our brunch date, Klaus took me to a nearby lake. I felt a little nervous as we approached the dock, but Klaus simply smiled and took my hand, leading me onto a small boat.

Once we were settled, Klaus began to row us across the calm water. I gazed down into the lake and, for a brief moment, thought I saw my reflection crying. I blinked and leaned closer, but the image was gone, replaced by my normal reflection.

"Are you okay?" Klaus's voice broke through my thoughts.

I turned to him and smiled, brushing the moment aside. "Of course."

"So," I said, trying to lighten the mood, "what's your favorite color?"

Klaus paused, looking thoughtful. "No one's ever asked me that before," he admitted. "I'm not sure."

I tilted my head. "Well, I think your favorite color is black."

He chuckled softly. "I suppose it is."

We exchanged smiles, and I looked away, feeling a strange warmth in my chest.

As we made our way back to shore, I spotted a baby turtle swimming in the water. Excited, I leaned over the edge of the boat to get a closer look, but I leaned too far and toppled in.

"Tara!" Klaus yelled, diving into the water after me.

I surfaced, laughing, and realized the water was shallow enough for me to stand. "My hero," I teased, grinning at him.

Klaus's worried expression melted into mischief, and he splashed water at me. I gasped, retaliating with a splash of my own, and soon we were both laughing and playing like children.

Eventually, Klaus grabbed my hips, pulling me close. My hands instinctively rested on his shoulders as his intense gaze locked onto mine. His eyes flicked down to my lips, and he leaned in slowly.

My heart raced, but something in my mind urged me to stop. I gently pushed against his chest and stepped back, breaking the moment.

Without a word, I waded back to the shore. Klaus followed, dragging the boat behind him. By the time we reached the car, the sun was setting, casting a warm orange glow over the horizon.

The drive back was quiet, but it wasn't uncomfortable.

⸻

Klaus's POV
I thought we were making progress. Today had been perfect—almost.

I gripped the steering wheel, reminding myself to take things slow. She wasn't ready, and I had to respect that.

I was pulled from my thoughts by Tara's soft voice.

"Klaus, can we stop here?" she asked, pointing at the large yellow "M" of a McDonald's sign.

I raised an eyebrow. "Are you sure? I could take you to a nicer restaurant."

She turned to me with the most adorable puppy-dog eyes. I couldn't resist and pulled into the parking lot, smiling as I parked the car.

We both got out, and I noticed her shivering in the cool evening air. Without a second thought, I retrieved my jacket from the trunk and draped it over her shoulders. She smiled up at me, taking my hand as we walked inside.

Tara ordered first, her excitement over the menu making me smile. The cashier, however, looked irritated as her eyes flicked over me.

"Klaus, just order something," Tara said, noticing my hesitation. "I think you'll like the McChicken meal."

Before I could respond, a man behind us started shouting. "Hurry up, man! Pick something so I can order!"

My fists clenched at his rudeness, and I turned to face him, anger bubbling to the surface. I was ready to teach him a lesson when I felt Tara's small hands wrap around my balled-up fist.

"He'll have the McChicken meal," she said firmly, keeping her gaze on me as if willing me to calm down.

The cashier gave us our total, and I paid before following Tara to a table.

"What a rude bastard," I muttered, glaring in the man's direction. "I should teach him some patience."

Tara placed her hand on mine, drawing my attention. Her gentle touch melted away my anger.

"Klaus," she said softly, "you can't solve everything with violence . Promise me you won't."

Her eyes searched mine, and I nodded. "For you, love—anything."

The sound of our order number being called broke the moment, and I got up to grab our food.

⸻

We ate in companionable conversation, laughing and sharing stories. After we left, I helped Tara into the car, and we started driving again.

She fiddled with the radio until a familiar tune came on. Her face lit up, and she began to sing.

"Hello from the other siiiiide..."

I glanced over at her, grinning as she belted out the lyrics with so much passion.

"I must have called a thousand tiiiiimes... To tell you I'm sorry..."

She turned to me, grabbing my shoulder as she sang. Her voice was beautiful, full of raw emotion, and I couldn't take my eyes off her.

When the song ended, I clapped dramatically. "Amazing! Truly amazing!"

She laughed, pretending to bow.

"You're beautiful in every way," I said, taking her hand. "Your voice is angelic."

Her cheeks flushed, and she stammered a shy, "Thanks."

A comfortable silence settled over us as she let go of my hand and leaned against the window.

⸻

Tara had fallen asleep, her head resting against the window. I turned down the volume on the radio and focused on the road ahead.

When we finally reached the house, I parked the car and walked around to her side. Carefully, I opened the door, catching her head as it fell.

Her soft breathing and peaceful expression tugged at something deep within me. Gently, I unbuckled her seatbelt and carried her inside, cradling her close to my chest.

I laid her down on the bed, removed her shoes, and pulled the blankets over her. She shifted slightly, nestling into the pillows.

Once I was sure she was comfortable, I went to take a shower.

When I returned, she was still fast asleep. After drying off, I slipped into bed beside her, pulling her into my arms. The warmth of her body against mine was comforting, and for the first time in a long while, I felt at peace.

I closed my eyes and let sleep take over, holding her close.

*****************************
So how do we feel about Klaus and Tara's relationship now?
Hello everyone I know you've seen the updates. I've been trying to get better at my editing and grammar. Please continue to read and enjoy my book. Like and comment!