Kissed by Winter [Discontinued]

32. Confession

A/N: Probably will end up entering the 40s. Sigh! Plot thickens after bonus chapter. Like, comment, and share your laaaaavvvv. Heart Heart JPC <3 <3 <3

I'm in love with you.

Nicholas Winter would never forget those words. It rang inside his head like a gong, then like a hymn, and finally like a melody. This smart, beautiful, caring, bold, goofy woman in front of him, his wife, confessed her feelings for him. He was over the moon for all of three seconds until, like a knee-jerk reaction, he was transported back to reality. She loved him. Why? He had never given her reason to. In fact, he had kept her at arm's length at all times. For the rest, he had wrecked her with his actions or his words. She had to have a reason. Money? Nick almost wanted to believe Lyanna to be a scheming little wench but that possibility was long ruled out when the infamous Divorce was mentioned. She did not want a single penny from him. So why bother? Why bother loving a man like him? Why bother loving someone who was a dark cloud in your clear azul skies? Why?

She looked up at him and watched his eyes go blank. He knew his heart must have stopped for a numb feeling began taking over his senses. His fingers immediately stopped digging into her arms and she winced in the pain they left behind.

"How? When did I ever give you a reason to love me?"

"It does not happen with reasoning and logic, Nick, I'm sorry."

"Oh cut the bullshit for one second, Collings. Answer me. What made you fall in love with me," he asked with a face as hard as stone. Someone like him was not configured to understand or accept 'love' and she knew it.

She steeled herself.

"You want your ego stroked, Nick? Fine. Like you, I don't have six reasons. Actually, I don't even think I have one. I just remember loving you since I was a six year old. I never thought why or how. I just thought about you all the time, even dedicated a journal to you," she laughed at that childhood memory. "When my mother left us, I found other things to focus on but my mind drifted to you occasionally. You rescued me from horrid Rodney's clutches, gave me strength the day we found out our parents were involved with each other, and on the day of my grandmother's funeral. It's as if you were always there for me. You were my hero, my knight in shining armor. Then I grew up and my love faded with time. Out of sight of out of mind, I guess. When I found out I was marrying you, that love came ricocheting back tenfold, and I was in trouble again. I know you aren't the biggest believer of love. In fact, I bet you have grown up believing that love is a cheap and empty emotion used as a wild card to extract money and that is fine. I will not enforce my feelings on you. I never have, and I never will. So just, let me keep my feelings and leave while I can with my dignity intact."

"No," he said after a long pause.

He didn't take his eyes off her. Every syllable she had uttered was like a slap to his face and by the time she was done, he was senseless. How could she love him? Was this a lie? She was crying as if she was hurting while confessing these words. Was loving him that bad? Was he, as she called him, an ogre? He could not move.

"Messed up, isn't it? Yeah, that's exactly what I thought your reaction would be," she walked around him and headed toward her room.

His system jumpstarted after a long time and he followed her.

She was frantically packing her stuff. He was surprised to see that in the few minutes that she had left him, most of her cupboard was empty. Was it always fight or flight with him?

"Stop. You're not leaving me." He came in front of her suddenly.

She was hastily putting stuff in her bag.

"Nick, I'm not staying with you any longer."

"Of course you are. You said those words to me."

"What did I say?" she folded her hands in front of her and watched him struggle. Huh! He could not even say the word 'love' aloud.

"You said you l–lll–lahh," he whispered in vain.

"You can't even say it, can you? Damn it, Nick. You can't even say it, how are you going to love me? Ever?" She immediately realized what she said and covered her mouth. She turned her back and began packing the last of her stuff. He didn't say anything until she started making a move toward the door with her bag in tow.

"Let me ask you something. Do you want me to?"

She stilled at his words and answered without looking at him, "Of course not. You would never."

"Again! Here we go with the assuming! How can you just decide that I won't without giving me a chance?"

"You had multiple chances, Nick. You blew them all." She turned to face him. He was close to her. Her grip on the trolley bag loosened and it fell behind her. Ah well.

"I told you I find you very likeable. Is it not enough?"

"You said you like me for my sexy ass, and who says they find some likeable by saying they're annoying. It doesn't count."

"Fine, then give me another chance. I'll do better this time."

"I can't. There is too much for me to lose." She took a step back and tripped over her bag. Her arms flailed and he caught her by her waist pulling her flush against his chest.

"You aren't leaving me, Mrs. Winter," he resolutely commanded over her.

"You can't stop me."

"I was going easy on you so far, but then nothing with you has ever been easy."

"What do you—" she was suddenly mid air, tossed over her hunky husband's shoulder. He was carrying her like that back to her room.

"Nick, are you insane. Release me." As a response, a slap landed on her bottom.

"NICK!" she shrieked in horror.

She could sense his chest vibrating. The nerve of this man! He was chuckling.

"Oh come, baby. Your ogre wants you."

A/M: Started watching K-Dramas. Sigh! Goodbye non-existent social life, my new muse is here <3 <3 <3