Marie's Path

Chapter 52

- but I've got to get a move on with my life, It's time to be a big girl now, and big girls don't cry. . .

She woke up slowly to her lips silently moving along to the song. Without opening her eyes, her hand reached out smacking the top of the clock radio until finding the off button. Marie lay in silence trying to get the song off repeat in her head. She stretched, feeling satisfied and very well loved. She pried her eyes open. It was too quiet. Feeling the spot next to her, it was cool to the touch. She turned her head.

Alone.

She hadn't heard him get up and leave. She huffed out a breath, never expecting to be waking up alone. Swinging her legs over the side of the bed, she stretched her arms above her head. Her eyes landed on a red Henshaw Customs tee shirt neatly folded at the foot of the bed. A note rested on top.

I love seeing you in my bed. You take my breath away. Don't worry about anything, I got this. Be back soon. I love you, B

Now she knew where he went. Grabbing the shirt, she pulled it over her head and lifted her hair out from underneath. Getting her thoughts in order, her eyes drifted around his room, finally landing on the drawer of his night stand. She opened it slowly.

Next to his Glock was an unopened box of condoms. Lifting it out, she stared at it. She groaned out loud wondering how they could be so careless. No, she knew the answer. They'd both been so caught up in each other, that nothing else mattered. But she knew she'd been foolish. She should have thought more about birth control way before this, but she kept putting it off.

Shaking her head, she returned the box to the drawer. Worrying won't help and she wasn't going to let anything take away from what her and Brandon had shared. Her hand lingered briefly over the holstered gun before she closed the drawer. It felt strange to be in a house with so many guns. She'd been serious with Brandon about wanting to learn how to handle one.

An urgent need called to her, so she hoofed it into Brandon's bathroom. After doing her business, she stood before the sink wiping the sleep from her eyes before opening the medicine cabinet. She smiled, seeing a toothbrush that was placed there just for her. Grabbing it, she squeezed on a line of toothpaste.

Brushing her teeth, she glanced around the Jack and Jill bathroom that connected Brandon's room with Corey's. The connecting door to Corey's room was closed, she wondered if he was already up. After rising her mouth and putting the toothbrush away, she shut the cabinet and something in the mirror caught her eye.

Brushing her hair away from her shoulder, her mouth dropped. She peered closer. "Holy shit!" Her hand clamped over her neck when Coreys connecting door flung open.

"What's wrong?" He stood in the doorway wearing nothing but pajama pants.

"I. . . nothing really. Did I wake you? I'm sorry."

"No, I was just getting up." His eyes narrowed on her neck. "Did you hurt yourself?" He reached up moving her hand away. "Oh," he said softly. He rubbed his thumb gently across the dark hickey.

Playfully smacking his hand away, Marie tried to laugh it off. "Not sure when that happened."

Corey glanced in Brandon's empty bedroom and grinned. "Where is he? Is he in trouble for it?"

"Nah." She smiled and waved him off. "He's out running an errand." Tilting her head, she studied her neck in the mirror. "Is there anyway to get rid of it?"

"Time and concealer is about it, I think." Corey crossed his arms watching her. "I'm surprised Brandon did that, he always hated hickeys."

"Yeah? Well, sometimes things just happen." Marie laughed. "Maybe I should have marked him, see how he likes it," she said, trying to sound chipper. She turned to Corey and sighed, wrapping her arms around his waist and burying her face against his solid chest. She felt his strength and protection when his arms wrapped around her. She needed that right now.