Chapter 157
1320words
There comes a time in everyone's life when they decide that they've had enough of all of the crises they've had to deal with in life. And after that, they simply need a break.
I didn't know how to get my break, but Paris had offered me one. The words he said to me when he saved me had come to me slowly, but I finally remembered though.
" So I'll give you my word of three months. I'll let you be for three months, Em. That ought to be enough to properly fall in love with the guy." Those were his words. I remembered them as though his words played in my mind so that I couldn't even doubt them if I wanted to.
I pressed my lips together as I walked toward the window. I was still at Jean's place, but I planned on leaving soon. Well, as soon as I could walk, without feeling like my legs would give in. although I knew Jean would want to take me over to my place. Probably the next morning.
I sighed and breathed in the night breeze. It was refreshing. It was cleansing. And I think that was what I needed now. Something that actually felt cleansing. Paris had not stayed to know what I felt about his sudden desire to be selfless. But it was fine, I was taking it. After sending him thank you flowers, I suppose. I did not worry that would make him want to go back on his word. He wouldn't. He wasn't perfect, but I knew that he wouldn't.
"three months," I whispered and sighed heavily. He was giving me three months to properly fall In love with Jean. But did he also realize that he was giving me three months to fall out of love with him?
And why was he suddenly making this choice now? What was it about my kidnap that made him so suddenly selfless and ready to let go? Or had he decided that Kate was enough?
"good riddance," I said angrily. If he thought Kate was exactly what he needed for this next phase of his life, then so be it. It was about damn time he stopped lying to himself. Because he definitely never had me fooled.
I turned to the sound of the door opening up, and smiled up at Jean,
"you're walking. It's a miracle of many sorts," he said and I giggled,
"I suppose it is." I said, as he walked toward me,
"you look mightily troubled though." he said, and smoothened my eyebrows,
"Well, I was kidnapped out of the blue, by a man I believed to not be a threat. Being a bit troubled is somewhat normal."
"it makes your eyes look sad," he said, and ran a hand over my cheeks,
"That's pretty normal too." I said took his hand in mine, and kissed it, "I never thanked you for saving me."
"ah well, it was Paris who found you, if we are being honest here."
"maybe. I owe him a thank you as well. The both of you. It was the both of you who saved me." I said and he nodded,
"Thank you, accepted. Why don't you try to get some sleep, you need it."
"maybe later. I've been sleeping all day." I said and dragged him to the bed where I sat and patted the space beside me,
"Do you have something you want to talk about?" he asked and I thought about it. I had a whole lot I wanted to speak about, I wanted to speak about Paris letting me go, that felt like a second rejection. But I wasn't sure I wanted to share that with Jean right then. Or at all. Because then I would have had to share the fact that Paris wanted me to end up with, that he was giving me a chance to do just that. And I wasn't sure how he would take that. I wasn't sure being told that Paris was giving us space to be in love would appeal to a man like Jean. I didn't know to be honest. And I wasn't trying my luck.
"maybe. How are you? Were you able to get some work done today? All of that?" I asked, and he tilted his head, smiling at me,
"So you want company?" he asked, his French accent going sultry, and I suddenly felt very warm. This wasn't what I had been aiming for, but I liked it very much.
"That would be nice as well," I said, and he brought his hand to my chin, gently lifted my head,
"you've been through, Ember. I don’t want to make you uncomfortable."
"I've been through it." I said and held his collar before moving closer, "Perhaps you're all I need right now. I'm not uncomfortable, Jean." I said, and when my wolf purred happily, I gave free rein to her desires. I really did not have anything holding me back anymore.
Paris was gone. My fear of new love was swept under the rug because as the day before showed me, nothing was entirely promised.
He slowly brought his lips to mine, and kissed me slowly, as though he was scared of hurting me.
I brought the palm of my hands to his cheek, and for once, melted into the kiss. It wasn't steamy and passionate. I don't think that was what he was aiming for. It felt more like the rain, after a long drought, finally watering the earth. I was the earth, he was my rain, and he was going to bring my flowers to bloom.
He dropped me off at my place the next day, with the promise to see me later. I waved him off at the door, and he stole a kiss, and then another, before he finally left. When I got inside, I met William and my brother having a conversation and they both looked up at me with happy surprise,
"you're back. Finally." Axel commented, “Jean said you were at his place. I did my best to not play the role of the overbearing elder brother. Trust that you had a good time?” My eyes threatened to water at the sight of , but I gave him a wobbly smile, before going to hug him.
“You know, for some reason, I don’t think I would have thought it halal as bad if you had chosen to play the role of the overbearing brother. It’s what makes you, you , I suppose.” I said and breathed in his scent with gratitude. Because I was grateful that we still had each other. Thank Hid that after what had happened, we still had each other and I didn’t have to put him through the fear of looking for meZ
He didn’t push me away, but when I let him go, he smiled with some confusion,
"get hit in the head on your way here?" he asked and I shook my head,
"I just felt like holding my loved ones super close today. Life Is too short for anything else."
He smiled, and ruffled my head, " William and I were just talking about your uprising, perhaps that falls in line with your new mantra." axle said and I turned to smile at William,
"Happy to see you," I said, and he shrugged,
"I didn't get a hug though," he said and I laughed, before going off to hug him. If he smelled Jean on me, he didn't say,
"I think now would be a good time to think about my uprising," I said after some moments passed by and also thought of Paris, and the words he said. Three months, "and you know what else? I think now would be a good time to forge ahead with the divorce." I said and turned to William, "Paris won't refuse."
