To Not Let Go

Chapter Ten

           "Ugh. Finally some peace and quiet." Renne sighed, contently, collapsing on the couch at Swayde's house later that night. Turning on her side, she wrapped her arm around the pillow her head was on as she watched Swayde walk into the living room from the kitchen. "I mean, I love my nieces and nephew, but after this morning, they were just so wound up. And we didn't even give them any ice cream, or desserts this time! It was like they hold in all their energy until them come over, and then go crazy." 

        Swayde chuckled, joining Renne on the couch. Lifting her legs, he took the seat, resting her calves on his thighs, keeping his hand on them. "You're right. Takin' them to the pool was a really smart idea. That certainly wiped them out. I think they will sleep all night, even Taylor. I just don't know how they can possibly have so much dadgum energy. It is crazy."

        Renne shook her head. "Oh, I agree. I know that I have always said that I want four kids, but now I am just not so sure I can handle that many. I don't know if it is because all of Mallory's kids are close in age, or if we are just getting old. Either way, man, I am just exhausted." Almost like that was the cue, Renne yawned, feeling ready for bed. 

          "Oh, you know you will make the best mom in the world, whether we have one kid, or twelve." Swayde said, his eyes focused on the television in the living room that was silently relaying the weather for tomorrow. When he realized that Renne didn't respond, he glanced over at her. "What?" He grinned, catching her staring. 

        "You just said when 'we' have kids." She pointed out, watching a blush rise to Swayde's cheeks as he broke eye contact. 

         "Well, you know what I meant." He inwardly grinned as he turned back to the television. Everything just always felt so comfortable when he was with Renne, that even the mention of the future of them together simply just felt right. 

         "Holy cow. You are blushing. I cannot believe it." Renne teased, biting her bottom lip, looking at her boyfriend.

         "Yeah, well I can make you blush, too, Reagan Renne." The pink on his cheeks was gone, replaced by a mischievous look in his eyes. 

         Renne shot back a look that was just as tauting, smirking as she said, "Prove it." 

        With that, Swayde leaned forward, wrapping his hands around her middle, his fingers attacking her stomach in a tickling fit, immediately making her break out in a burst of laughter. It was contagious, because Swayde couldn't help but began to laugh himself.

      Like usual, Renne's hands grabbed Swayde's as he continued to tickle her. Renne had tried to verbally call mercy, but her laughs made it hard for her to breath. 

       Leaning forward, Swayde quit terrorizing his girlfriend's waist with tickles, only to make her even shorter of breath as he closed his lips over hers in a kiss. After she kissed him back, Swayde, deepening the kiss, wrapped a hand low around her waist, pulling her up to him as he crawled on top of her partially. His free hand went to her leg that she had wrapped around his waist as her hands softly gripped his neck, keeping his face as close to hers as possible. 

       He had missed these moments. As he continued to kiss her, Swayde's mind couldn't help but trail back to when she wasn't here. When she had left him, moving to Montana to try starting a new life. When it happened, he had expected her to just be gone for a couple days, but that had quickly turned into weeks, which turned into months. Before he knew it, five entire years had passed by, each day seeming longer than the last. It was by far the hardest, longest, and loneliest years of Swayde's life. For a while, he had truly believed that he had fully lost Renne, and that he would never see her again, but just when all hope seemed lost, Mallory had tragically gotten diagnosed with cancer. As a result, Mamaw had called up Renne with the sad news, and within the next couple days, Renne was back in Alpine Ridge after her 5 year long hiatus.