Her Eyes

Chapter 63: TO NEVER SHOW I LOVED YOU SO

She ripped the bottle of scotch from his grasp and downed it, nearly spitting it out as the taste hit her tongue. Alex laughed at her as she glared at him. "What?" she spat, her eyes turning to daggers.

He continued to laugh anyway, grabbing the bottle from her hand and taking another drink. "You can't just down it," he muttered. He gazed at her, flashing a smile.

She got up from the bed and made her way to the mirror on the wall. "Why do you even drink it?" There was something about her reflection that mesmerized him. She wasn't the same when she saw herself. She looked at herself with a certain sadness, yet she still was beautiful. Her reflection was the entrance to her soul. It stood before him baring every heartache she'd ever experienced, exposing itself to him. She had a telltale heart.

He watched her check herself in the mirror. She had no idea how much he loved her. He glanced down at the bottle sitting in his lap. "It's the only thing that works." He studied her look of confusion as she turned around to face him. "It gets pretty lonely as sheriff...officer."

He could tell by her expression that she knew exactly how he felt. She climbed on the bed beside him and leaned against him, gently kissing his neck. "You should have found me sooner."

He wasn't sure what to do. Intimacy was always an issue for him. He hesitated touching her. He still didn't know the terms of their relationship, and he didn't want to push her into anything. A pain formed in his stomach the second her eyes spotted his insecurity. He took another drink of scotch, desperately trying to mask what he was feeling.

She held his face in her hands, gazing into his eyes. Her eyes frightened him. They were beautiful, but they terrified him. They only emphasized his love for her...and that scared him. They were a constant reminder of reality of her. The reality that someone needed him. The reality that he wasn't alone anymore. She looked at him with insecurity flushing her eyes. He couldn't muster a word to comfort her. All he could do what stare into her eyes, reflecting the same look back to her. She settled her lips on his, drowning the insecurity that was suffocating them both. He allowed his arms to wrap around her, pulling her closer to him. She moved so that she straddled his lap, her lips never leaving his until he pulled away.

He stared into her eyes once more. "What are we doing?"

She laughed softly...nervously. "I don't know."

His eyes never left her. It was almost an interrogation. "I need to know." He wouldn't budge. He waited long enough.

He knew it scared her, but he didn't care. He could feel her start to leave. She always tried to leave. It was who she was. "Alex—"

He tightened his grip on her waist, holding her down so she couldn't escape. "You have no idea, do you?" He could see the defeat settling in her eyes. "This isn't a game."

She wouldn't look at him. She couldn't. She would fall apart in his arms if she did. "Alex—"

"I love you...I have for a while."

She shook her head in disbelief. "Alex—"

Silence filled the room as he watched her, loosening his grip on her. If she wanted to leave he wouldn't force her to stay. He could feel her breath become uneasy. He turned his gaze to the walls that surrounded them. "I don't want to play this game anymore. I've waited too long. I'm done waiting." He looked back at her to make sure she was all right. She gazed up at him, a worried look in her eyes. "I'm in love with you."

"I know." Her voice was barely audible.

He was unbreakable. He knew what he wanted. "I can't spend another day pretending that that isn't the truth."

She cracked a smiled. "What? Do you wanna be my boyfriend?"

He rolled his eyes. "That'll be the day." Her smile ignited him, drawing him in. He'd never let her go.

Alex woke up the next morning with his arms wrapped tightly around her waist. He felt the weight of her against his chest. It was a feeling he'd never forget. It was something he'd been longing for his whole life. He kissed her gently on the forehead. She was all he ever needed. He couldn't live without her.

He felt her fidget in between his arms. She opened her eyes to view him. The smile on her face radiated into him, but her expression broke the second reality hit her. She shot up from the bed, glancing back at the alarm clock as she rushed to the door. "Why didn't you wake me up?" Alex stared back at her blankly. She glared at him, flinging the door open. "I have to pick up Norman."

He watched as she left then fell back down to the bed, sighing heavily. It was going to be a long day, and his day never went well when he had to deal with an anxious Norma. He got up from the bed and made his way to the bathroom to take a shower.

The feeling of the hot water soothed him. His world was changing...and this time it was for the better. Norma was the only thing he had left. He loved her so. She was the only thing he ever thought about. They needed each other, and now they had each other. He got out of the shower and wrapped a towel around himself, reentering the room. He stopped at the sound of the door unlocking, observing his visitor.

She stared blankly at him. "I, uh, left my keys in here," Norma muttered, moving over to the nightstand. "I thought you were still in the shower. I—"

"You don't have to apologize." Alex laughed nervously, moving over to the dresser to pull out some clothes.

She stared at him boldly. "I wasn't going to." He stared back at her, completely stunned. When he couldn't mutter a response, she left...leaving him to himself. There wasn't anything he could say.