Between The Lines

Chapter 125: Untangling Feelings

Rebecca's POV (1st Person)

He chuckled softly, and for the first time in what felt like forever, I felt a glimmer of something I hadn't felt in weeks.

Hope.

Continuation: 

His chuckle lingered in the air, soft and unexpected, and it caught me off guard. For the first time in what felt like forever, the knot in my chest loosened, just a little. Hope flickered in me—a small flame, barely there, but enough to make me pause.

I bit the inside of my cheek, glancing away from him, trying to act like I wasn't still so mad at him. But his stupid grin, his stupid presence... it was starting to wear down my walls.

"I don't know why you're smiling," I muttered, my hands fiddling with the string of lights. They were still tangled, and so was everything in my head.

He took a slow step toward me, but not too close, just enough to close the space between us by inches. "Maybe I'm just glad to be here with you," he said quietly, his voice dropping in that soft way that always made me feel like I couldn't breathe.

"Here with me?" I scoffed, yanking on the lights in frustration. "I can barely untangle these things, let alone my feelings toward you."

"I can help with that," he offered, stepping even closer now, his hands hovering over mine.

I shot him a look. "You can't untangle feelings, Lane. This isn't... something you can fix with your hands."

"I'm pretty good with my hands, though," he teased, and despite myself, a small laugh escaped me.

I swatted at him, but he caught my wrist, his touch gentle but firm. "Rebecca," he said, his tone suddenly more serious. His eyes locked onto mine, and for a moment, I forgot what I was even mad about. "I don't want you to keep being angry at me. I know I've messed up, but I'm trying to do better. To be better... for you."

His words hit me harder than I wanted them to. I could feel the heat rising to my cheeks, and I yanked my hand out of his grasp. "You don't get to say things like that," I muttered, stepping back. "It's not fair."

"What's not fair?" he asked, following me, his voice low and soft, like he knew exactly what he was doing to me.

"You," I said, exasperated. "Coming back into my life, acting like you care after everything."

"I do care," he said, his voice steady. He reached out, and this time, I didn't pull away. His hand found my waist, and I felt the warmth of his touch through my shirt, a shiver running up my spine.

I let out a shaky breath, trying to stay angry, but his closeness was messing with my head. "You can't just fix things by being sweet," I said, but my voice was weak. My resolve was cracking, and he knew it.

"I'm not trying to fix things," he whispered, his thumb tracing lazy circles on my hip. "I'm just trying to be here. With you."

I swallowed hard, the air between us thick with tension. He was too close, too overwhelming, and I could feel myself melting under his gaze. I was supposed to be untangling lights, not getting tangled up in him again.

"Lane..." I started, but he interrupted me by gently tilting my chin up with his free hand, forcing me to look into his eyes.

"Just let me be here with you, Rebecca," he said softly, his voice almost pleading. "No more running. No more shutting you out."

His thumb grazed over my bottom lip, and my heart skipped a beat. I couldn't help the way my body reacted to him, the way his touch sent sparks up my spine. This was ridiculous. We were supposed to be doing decorations, and here he was... driving me crazy.