Lost Too Much

LOST TOO MUCH Chapter 15

Two weeks later

It had taken Callen two weeks to finally break down in front of Bronte. In all that time, he had ignored her and slowly edged her out of his life. Gibbs had managed to be a good support to Callen over the father thing, which he had appreciated. The three of them had gone shopping together and managed to buy not only a bed for Michael, but one for Callen, some chest of drawers, a desk, dining table, chairs and a couch. The house felt more like a home, and Gibbs smiled as he saw the father and son slowly bond and get to know each other. It helped that they both loved baseball and football. Callen decided to buy a television so they could watch the games together. Gibbs secretly purchased tools to set Callen up in the shed out the back to work on building things out of wood. Like himself, Gibbs understood the man that G Callen was, always needing the use of his hands to soothe the soul from the horror of their work and the grief they had suffered from the loved ones they had lost.

Gibbs and Abby offered to take the boys down to the Santa Monica Pier for the afternoon to give Callen and Bronte some alone time. They just forgot to tell Callen. Because they all knew that he would have bolted, if he had any inclination that Bronte was going to come over and spend that free afternoon with him.

Callen was busy in the shed trying to make Gibbs a thank you present for all his help with Michael. He had spent many times off work with Gibbs, when he had been based in D.C., learning the art of carpentry from the older man. It was only a small thing and he found himself so wrapped up in the project that he hadn't noticed the figure in the doorway.

Bronte loved watching Callen use his hands. There was something about them that she had been fascinated by from the beginning. They were strong, she had noted. He could use them to injure or kill an enemy, or be gentle as he touched her face. His rough hands made her skin tingle from his touch. The fact was, she had missed him more than she thought possible. How had he in such a short time, managed to get under her skin like he had?

She knew better than to sneak up behind him, knowing his senses were more alert than most due to the life he had in the foster care system. She could have stayed there leaning on the doorframe and just watched him at work, but she knew they needed to talk. She knocked on the doorframe instead.

Callen looked up surprised by her presence. She looked so pretty with her hair down over her shoulders, gently blowing in the breeze. The summer's dress she wore came just above her knees displaying her slender legs. As Callen's eyes scanned the length of her toned body, he found himself moving closer towards her to touch her. He was like a small child who was tempted to touch a toy in the store, but had been told not to by his mother. He just couldn't help himself. With his eyes fixed on hers, he gently traced her face with his fingers leading them down her neck to her shoulders.

Bronte shivered from his touch. Goosebumps formed on her skin as her body reacted to his touch.

"Hi!" She whispered. Too afraid to break the silence between them.

"I've missed you." She admitted to him. This was the most attention she had gotten out of him over the past two weeks.

Callen took a step back as if he been burnt.

"I'm sorry. I shouldn't have done that." He moved to return to his work, when she pulled her hand out to touch him.

It had broken her to see him pull away like he had. She needed to show him, she wasn't going anywhere.

"G!"

He turned to face her again.

"Bron, please go." He pleaded with her. He wasn't ready to deal with her yet.

"No! I won't go, G." Her response shook him. He thought it was better for her if she had just walked away from him. To forget him.

"We've sold our house in New York, we're looking for one here in L.A." Her words surprised him that even after all he had done to her, she was still staying.

"Why?" He had become so accustomed to people he loved, leave him. This was new to him.

"Because I love you, G! No matter how much you try to push me away from you, I can't leave." Her body trembled from the emotions that rippled through her. Her heart pounded rapidly as she waited for him to make the next move. She understood how much he needed to know she loved him, even if he couldn't tell her himself. But there was one thing she understood from having a child who was born deaf, was that there were many more ways to show someone that they loved you other than words. She knew from the way he behaved it was because he was in love with her. How did she know? It was because he had pushed her away. Not in a rude way but slowly. And what did she see when she looked at the man she loved? Hurt! Grief! Fear! He feared to love and to lose what he treasured most.

"How can you love me, Bron? I've done nothing but hurt you." He had stopped and remained glued to the floor from her words. He had that lost look in his eyes.

"You've hurt yourself, G. Yes you have hurt me, but I understand why."

"How can you? You hardly know me." He studied her eyes and saw how vulnerable she was, declaring her love for him.

"G!" She gently touched him on the arms. Sparks ripped through them both at the contact.

"I've loved you since I was thirteen. When are you going to realise I'm here for good?"

Her words remained soft. Her love and her kindness touched him deeper than any other woman had ever achieved. Tears welled up in his vibrant blue eyes which his son Michael had inherited.

"Bron, I'm not worth it." He declared.

"Yes you are, G. Callen. You have a heart of pure gold." She gently brushed his tears from off his cheeks,as he crumbled into her arms and cried.

"I'm so sorry, Bron. I'm sorry."

He gently pulled her hair back to hold her head as he captured her lips with his. They were salty from both of their tears but neither cared. He lifted up her legs and pull her up onto his hips and carried her to the work bench. He quickly moved his work to the side and held her firmly on her hips as his mouth covered her jaw, neck and shoulders with kisses.

"I'm not good at this."

"You're doing great." Bronte breathed out as her body shook from the shock of pleasure he sent through her body.

Callen laughed.

"No, not this. This I have no problem with." His face reddened a bit.

"I mean, I'm not good when it comes to relationships." He admitted.

"I'm known for my patience." She laughed as his hands moved under her dress and lightly tickled her.

He stopped, but for a moment.

"So what you are saying, is that you are willing to move from New York to L.A. for us to give this thing we have a go?"

Bronte nodded.

"Definitely." This time it was Bronte who moved in and kissed him firmly on the lips.

"Then you don't need to find a house. We have room for two more." She laughed at the smirk he gave her.

"Are you ready for that, G?" She asked with a more serious tone in her voice. This wasn't something light that he had proposed.

"Yes." He admitted, as he picked her up again and carried her inside the house and fell onto the bed.

"Welcome home."