Sugar, Spice and a pinch of Fantasy

Chapter 43

---------- Chapter 43 -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Crap! What do I do? Usually I’m the one falling to pieces and Haden’s the strong one.

I shake my head a couple of times to clear it before I kneel opposite Haden. He has his face in his hands and his entire body is wrecked.

               “Haden,” I coo, pulling him towards me.

He allows me to and after a moment, he’s leaning against me, still weeping a little. I’ve never really seen a grown guy cry and it makes me feel so bad! I’ve seen Haden go through so much. For him to break down like this...he must be in so much pain!

               “It’s alright Haden,” I whisper, tangling a hand in his thick hair and the other wrapped around his back.

               “My father was right, I am a sorry excuse for a reaper,” Haden mutters against my shoulders, his voice slightly nasal.

               “Hey, don’t say that,” I whisper, holding his shoulders at arm’s length.

He gives me a small lopsided smile, his eyes still glistening a little. “I need to man up,” he jokes after a minutes, wiping his face against him sleeve.

               “I think you need to be yourself more,” I murmur, tracing his jaw line with the back of my hand.

               “What? I am myself,” he mutters a little like a little kid being falsely accused of cheating during an exam; extremely defensive.

               “You’re always the strong one! You can break down once in a while too, Haden. It’s healthy. Plus, it makes you so much more human,” I whisper, wiping away the traces of his tears.

               “I’m not a human Jess,” he teases, kissing my fingertips.

               “And that, my love, is very, very sexy,” I whisper huskily.

He raises his eyebrows flirtatiously before the both of us burst into laughter. Haden wraps me in his warm embrace, resting his cheek against the top of my head.

               “I love you,” he reminds me, his tone cheerful again.

               “I love you too, even if you possibly have better break downs then me,” I tease.

Haden pulls away from me and gives me his best glare before getting up. He pulls me to my feet and wraps an arm around my waist.

               “So, whatcha say my love? Wanna get married?” he asks lightly, kissing my cheek.

               “Hmm, no,” I murmur easily.

               “Excuse me?” he demands, his tone completely incredulous.

               “What? You think that just because I’m knocked up that I’m desperate? You gotta work to win me over Mr. Carter,” I tease coyly.

               “Oh yeah? I like a challenge soon-to-be Mrs Carter,” he purrs, making me shiver in anticipation.

               “Hey Haden, where are Matt and Alex,” I ask suddenly. I had completely forgotten about them.

               “Gee, that wasn’t a mood killer or anything Jess,” Haden mutters sarcastically. “Hmm, Matt and Alex? They came back here after we set off into the palace. They didn’t really want to stay for the ensuing drama,” he murmurs simply.