Based on the multi-part one-shot series Intimacy in my book Spellbound. With the story kicking up, I felt it needed it's own book. Here is the tale in it's full glory.
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"Where's Larry?" Laurent asked as he stepped through the door that she held open for him. He could smell the mouth-watering scent of something cooking, or was she baking? He followed her into the kitchen and he couldn't help his gaze wandering towards the sway of her hips as she walked in front of him. She wore a pair of skin tight jeans that were more like leggings, ripped along the front and giving glimpses of pale tattooed skin. A chain jingled faintly at her right hip. Those curve revealing jeans were tucked into knee-high black boots. A black cowl-neck sweater hung off of her left shoulder, revealing the pale curve of it to his wandering eyes. He bit his lower lip faintly, wanting nothing more than to claim that skin for his own.
"He ran out to the store for me real quick." She replied, pushing the sleeves of her sweater up as she moved back behind the island counter. She took each ring off of her finger and placed them in a small pile before coating her hands in flour to knead dough she had made.
"What are you making, belle?" He inquired, watching her as he slid his tall frame smoothly onto one of the stools to watch her. He had always been fascinated watching her in the kitchen. She moved with such precision when cooking or baking that it was mesmerizing to watch. Even if she was in unfamiliar territory, she handled herself well. He remembered when she had come over to his place a couple of times to cook for him when he wasn't feeling well. Not only had the food been delicious, but she had captivated him. Why hadn't he done anything about it then? Why had he simply shoved his feelings for her aside as if they hadn't existed? He was a fool, an idiot, that's why. He was so blind-sided by his fear of what he felt for her, that he made the most idiotic decision of his life. Now his brother had her...
"Homemade bread." She replied, her gaze shifting up towards him as she began expertly slicing off portions of the dough that she would form into individual loaves.
"You make your own bread?" He was in genuine awe and curiosity. "I've never had it unless it was from an actual bakery."
"Oh, Lau, you haven't lived, my friend."
He smirked faintly. He had truly missed their friendship. The jokes, the laughter, the teasing.
"Can I get you something to drink?" She offered, covering the balls of dough with a couple of clean hand towels she had laying near by in order to let the rise. "Pretty sure there's Sprite, water, coffee and..." She trailed off as she turned to the fridge, pulling it open to glance inside. "Juice. Cranberry and orange."
"Sprite is fine, cherie."
She pulled out a small bottle and brought it back towards the counter. "You want a glass?"
Lau shook his head faintly. "No, thank you, belle."
She slid the bottle towards him. "What brings you over, Lau? We don't see you much lately."
He sighed softly, twisting off the cap with a hiss. "I know, bebe. I've been thinking about...everything."
"I don't want my relationship with Larry to ruin any relationships with you and I or you and your brother."
"I know that, belle." He took a sip of the soda, perhaps for a bit of encouragement before continuing. "I have been acting like a selfish ass but I was severely jealous. I am honestly in love with you, Amanda and when I found out that my brother swooped in, it got worse. It was my fuck up in the first place. I was scared of how I felt about you. The intensity of it, I have honestly never felt anything like it before and I was afraid. I knew how you felt about me, but I thought if I kept away then maybe it would be safer."
"Look, Lau. I know you've been hurt in the past but you have to understand that I'm not them. I was not out for your money or your fame. I could give to shits about stuff like that. I wouldn't have cared if you were living on the damned streets. I fell for you as a person, the man that was Laurent Bourgeois. Your goofy humor, your humble nature. You showed me a sweet side that you hardly let anyone else see. Despite the pain you had gone through, you had started to let me in."
She watched in heart-breaking shock as a tear slid down his cheek. Jesus Christ. Watching strong men cry was her kryptonite. She felt herself crumble, tears welling in her own eyes and though she tried to blame it on her pregnancy hormones, she knew that wasn't the case. He still held a soft spot in her heart and he probably always would.
"I'm breaking for the pain that I've caused you, bebe. I never meant for it to happen."
"I know that, Lau. Yes I was angry. I was hurt. Hell, I was jealous. I had wanted what these other women got to have. No, I'm sorry, I wanted more than that. They got your body, but it wasn't only that I wanted. I wanted your heart but I came to the conclusion that you weren't ready to give it. You have to love yourself before you can truly love someone else."
"I don't know if I even know how to love anymore, belle."
"It doesn't come with instructions. It's instinct. It's something that you have to experience. When you love someone, you love them for their good points and bad points. It isn't black and white. It's every damned color you can think of. It's not something that you can put a label on. You can't predict what's going to happen, but if you love the other person enough, everything you go through together is worth it."
He seemed to break open at her words, lowering his head into his hands as his lean frame shook with the sobs that racked his body. She moved around the island counter then and pulled him into her arms. He kept his face buried against his hands and let her hold him.
"Larry and I have already forgiven you, Lau. Now, you need to forgive yourself. Learn from your mistakes and become better. You're already a good man, a good brother and a good friend. So what if you've made some shitty decisions? Who hasn't? That's a part of life. You live, you learn, and you move on."
Her eye shifted towards the doorway as she saw Larry standing there watching them, tears threatening to spill from his own eyes.
"Mon frere." Lar said quietly, but Lau didn't move from Amanda's embrace. She slid her arms from around him slowly so that his twin could take her place. The dough had to rise for another hour anyway. She would leave them to have a bit of privacy. This was something that they both needed. She glanced over her shoulder, watching for a moment as Larry slid his arms around Laurent and laid his head against his brothers. The bond between them was something she could never hope to fathom. They were Twins. When one hurt, the other hurt. A faint smile tugged at a corner of her lips. Hopefully now, this would be the beginning of a new chapter for them all.
