Heart Me

36

His breath heavy with the tension. He followed Iris slowly, each step feeling like it echoed with the tension between them. His heart raced as he neared the door, his mind spinning with desperate thoughts, still reeling from their raw, fractured connection in the kitchen.

When he reached the doorway, he froze, watching her from behind. Iris stood in front of the dresser, her movements strained, as she pulled a fresh shirt from the drawer. The tension in her shoulders told him everything-she was battling a storm inside. Her hands trembled slightly as she pulled the shirt over her head, baring her back to him for a moment before slipping into it. She seemed so fragile in that moment, her body betraying the vulnerability she tried so hard to hide. Stone's throat tightened. This wasn't just her changing clothes-it felt like she was trying to shed the skin of what had just happened between them, as if putting on fresh fabric could create distance between them, could protect her from him and from the emotional chaos swirling between them.

"Iris..." his voice cracked slightly, and he took a hesitant step into the room.

She didn't turn around but froze, her back still to him as she tugged the shirt down over her hips. "I need space, Stone..." she muttered softly, barely loud enough for him to hear.

Stone's chest ached as he watched her, seeing the quiet, painful distance she was trying to create, even in the same room. He wanted to close the space between them, but the words were tangled in his throat, weighed down by the history, the betrayal, the love. It felt like if he reached for her now, it might push her further away.

"I can't just stand here and let you slip away," he finally whispered, his voice thick with emotion. He took a step closer. "I was wrong, yes. I accept that. You're right about everything you said, but you can't let this ruin what we've been building."

Iris stood still, her head bowed, breathing deeply like she was trying to steady herself. There was a pause, long and heavy, as if neither knew what to say, how to break through the wall of hurt and frustration that now stood between them. The air in the room felt thick, and Stone didn't know if he should cross that line, reach for her again, or give her the space she was asking for.

"I'm still here..." his voice was barely a whisper now, filled with the desperation of a man on the edge of losing everything.

Iris kept her back to him as she smoothed down the shirt, her movements stiff and mechanical. "I'm changing to go pick up the kids from school," she said, her voice flat, emotion held tightly in check. She moved to the closet, pulling out a jacket, her fingers shaking slightly as she clutched it.

Stone felt a pang in his chest, watching her so distant, so determined to act like nothing was breaking inside. She looked almost like the Iris he wrongly decided to leave behind. He stepped forward, reaching out as if to touch her, but stopped himself just short of her shoulder.

"Stay home, Iris," he whispered, his voice thick with emotion. "Just... stay here. Please."

She didn't turn, her eyes locked on the jacket in her hands, but her shoulders tensed. "I need to go get them. And they-"

"It's raining too much," Stone interrupted, his voice shaky but urgent. He could hear the desperation creeping in. "I'll go. I'll get them, Iris. Please... just stay."

Iris paused, her hands still gripping the fabric of the jacket. The room was quiet except for the faint sound of rain tapping against the windows, adding to the heavy atmosphere pressing down on them.

Stone took another step closer, feeling the weight of everything between them crashing down on him. "Please, Iris. I'm begging you... just stay here. Let me take care of it. I need you to stay home." His voice broke on the last word, and he was standing right behind her now, close enough to feel the tension radiating off her body.