Tangled In Time

The Painful Truths

A gentle touch brushed against my bare shoulder, soft and hesitant.

"Felicity," Blake murmured, his voice low, just above the hum of the breeze rustling the leaves.

I stirred, blinking drowsily, looking up into Blake's eyes as I became aware of the warmth of his fingers lingering against my skin. I slowly opened my eyes properly to find Blake's expression soft, his lips curved in the faintest of smiles.

"Wake up, sleepy head," he said quietly, his tone carrying a warmth that made me want to linger in the moment. But then his eyes flicked upwards. "We need to move, though. It's about to pour."

I followed his gaze and saw the dark clouds rolling in, their edges tinged with silver as they gathered ominously over the park.

"Is it that late already?" I asked, my voice thick with sleep.

"Afraid so," Blake replied, standing as he reached for his jacket. Before I could protest, he gave it a brisk shake and draped it over my shoulders, his hands steady as he adjusted the collar. "Keep this on. We've got a bit of a walk back to the car, and I'd rather you didn't catch a cold."

I looked up at him, a protest forming on my lips, but the soft determination in his eyes silenced it. "What about you?"

"I'll manage," he said with a small, reassuring smile.

Just as we stepped out from under the willow tree, the first few drops of rain fell, cool and light against my skin. Within moments, the drops turned to a steady pour, and the sky seemed to open up.

Blake grabbed my hand. "Come on!" he called, a laugh escaping him as we broke into a run.

The rain drenched us almost instantly, plastering my hair to my face and making my shoes slick against the path. I laughed despite the discomfort, the absurdity of the moment infectious.

"You're terrible at this!" Blake teased, glancing back at me as I stumbled slightly.

"And you're not much better!" I shot back, gripping the jacket tighter around me with my one hand as Blake pulled me along with my other.

The car came into view through the blur of rain, but just as we reached it, I slipped on the wet grass. Before I could hit the ground, Blake's arm wrapped securely around my waist, pulling me upright.

"Careful," he said, his voice steady despite the laughter in his eyes.

"Thanks," I said breathlessly, my cheeks burning as I realised how close we were standing.

Blake opened the car door for me, his hair dripping and his shirt clinging to him from the rain. He helped me inside, his hand lingering for a moment on the edge of the door before he shut it behind me. He jogged around to the driver's side, sliding into the seat with a grin.

"Well," he said, running a hand through his rain-soaked hair as he started the engine, "that was... invigorating."

I laughed, still catching my breath. "I'm blaming you for this."

"Blame me all you like," Blake replied, his smile widening. "But admit it—you enjoyed it."

I couldn't deny it. As the car rumbled to life and we drove away from the park, I realised that, soaked and ridiculous as we were, it had been fun running through the rain.

The laughter began to fade, replaced by the warmth of a shared, quiet connection. I glanced at him from the corner of my eye, my thoughts unspoken but lingering on the way he'd pulled me upright, the way his hand had felt so steady in mine.

By the time we pulled up to the house, the rain had eased into a gentle drizzle, though we were already thoroughly drenched. My shoes squelched against the polished floor as we stepped inside, leaving faint puddles in our wake. I couldn't help but laugh at the absurdity of it, my damp hair plastered to my face while Blake looked equally bedraggled, his shirt clinging to his chest, his lean muscle visible underneath.

"Well, this is a sight," Blake quipped, running a hand through his dripping hair. He glanced down at the trail of water we'd left behind and shook his head with mock exasperation. "Kingsley's going to have a field day."

As if summoned, Kingsley appeared in the hallway, his brows lifting slightly as he took in our soggy state. He carried himself with his usual unflappable composure, but his sharp eyes missed nothing.

"I trust the weather caught you off guard, sir," Kingsley remarked dryly, stepping forward with two neatly folded towels draped over his arm. His voice held a hint of amusement, though his expression remained perfectly composed.

Blake accepted a towel with a sheepish grin. "You could say that. It was quite the storm."

Kingsley handed the second towel to me, his gaze flicking to the trail of water on the floor. "I'll see to the floor. Perhaps you'd like to change into something dry before you both catch your death."

"Thank you, Kingsley," I said, my voice tinged with embarrassment. The towel was warm against my hands, a small comfort after the soaking rain.

"We'll clean up after ourselves," Blake added, his tone apologetic as he wrapped the towel around his shoulders.

"Very good, sir," Kingsley replied smoothly before retreating, his parting glance just short of a knowing smile.

I couldn't help but smirk as I watched him disappear down the hall. "I think he's secretly amused," I said to Blake, dabbing at my damp hair with the towel.

"Oh, he is," Blake replied, chuckling as he gestured toward the stairs. "You go get changed. I'll meet you by the front door, and we'll head back to the cottage."

With a grateful nod, I made my way upstairs, the warmth of the house and the promise of dry clothes making the chill of the rain already feel like a distant memory.

I wrinkled my nose, shivering slightly as the cool air inside the house made the damp fabric of my clothes stick even more.

With a grateful nod, I made my way upstairs, the warmth of the house wrapping around me like a soft blanket. The towel in my hands felt heavier than it should, and I couldn't help but smile faintly at the absurdity of it all—drenched from head to toe, leaving a trail of rainwater behind.

Behind me, Blake lingered in the hall, his voice light with amusement as he called after me, 

"Don't take forever."

I glanced back, catching his playful grin before disappearing down the corridor. Upstairs, the promise of dry clothes and a quiet moment to gather my thoughts felt like just what I needed.