Disclaimer: They are not mine, they are NOT mine, they are SO not mine! Sigh.
Dedication: This story is dedicated to Lady T for filling in for me, for putting up with my oddities and for going above and beyond the call of duty. The girl is a saint! ; )
Logan groaned loudly. It was obvious that the kid really was going to leave her, otherwise he probably wouldn't have chosen that time to teach her how to do it solo. "Shit!"
He seriously considered closing the book and going to sleep. He REALLY wasn't looking forward to the inevitable ending.
Why the Hell would anybody CHOOSE to continue reading it?
He figured it was like scheduling pain, you know, "Hey Bub! Why don't you come on over here n' I'll just stand still and take it while you rip my heart out of my chest n' feed it to me?"
He scowled deeply, struggling within himself. The Professor had said to make it top priority, and how was he going to explain not knowing how it ended? He could just hear it now, "Well Chuck -- I didn't really want to cry and I knew the kid was going to leave so I just quit reading -- You know, saved myself the pain."
THAT was definitely not an option!
He groaned loudly, opened the book and turned the page.
X~O~X
We lay together for a long time, each of us enjoying the warmth and closeness of the other's embrace.
There were so many things I wished to ask him, so many things that I did not understand, but I had sensed all along that some things were not open for discussion. I am not sure how I knew, as he had never really told me so, but somehow I knew that if he had been free to share it, he would have been as open with me about the rest of himself as he was about teaching me and sharing our passion.
It was a small thing that I could do for him, to lay there content just to be with him for that moment, not asking him questions that I believed he was not at liberty to answer. I convinced myself that I did not need to know -- I suppose he must have sensed my thoughts, for he was the first to speak. He slid away from me a bit and moved up onto his side, resting his head on his hand.
"There are a few things that we need to talk about." I nodded and he continued. "I sent word to a very good friend of mine yesterday morning. I explained our situation -- YOUR situation, and asked if he would be available to help. He lives near his family in Boston. He has recently graduated from law school, but he is also very knowledgeable in the area of business. I was hoping that he had not yet accepted a position there and we are in luck..."
I sat up eagerly.
"I received word from him today. He is very eager to help and is on his way. He should be round sometime tomorrow mid-morning. He will be meeting me at the mill. Is it alright with you if I return the contents of your safe in the morning? Although, if you feel the need to be WITH me..."
I shook my head and pressed my fingers to his lips. "Thomas, I trust you completely."
He smiled, shaking his head, frowning and looking at me in wonder. "You have no idea how much that means to me." He lifted my hand to his mouth and kissed it softly, then sighed. "Fine. I will take the bags with me when I leave. Joseph and I will get started. It will be uneventful in the beginning. Why don't you come in and meet us there around -- let's say early afternoon, once he has had a chance to look things over. Does that sound alright?"
I nodded, wondering again how I would have managed any of this without him. "Tell me about your friend, Joseph."
He smiled. "Joseph Young is an amazing young man. We have known one another for years -- I spent a good deal of time in Boston as a young boy."
I broke in, "I would love to have known you as a young boy."
Thomas snorted. "No, you would not have -- I was nothing but trouble." I laughed and urged him to continue. "Joseph and I hunted and fished together, got into no end of trouble together..." he chuckled and I watched his face as he remembered back to the days of his childhood, he was a long way away.
Eventually he looked back at me, his face alive with excitement, "This will be perfect for him! It is still close enough to Boston for him to be able to return to visit family as often as he likes. They are a very close family -- he has three brothers and two sisters. This will work out so well, I still cannot believe that he was available!"
He looked deeply into my eyes and spoke very seriously. "Joseph is kind and generous -- the most trustworthy friend a man -- or a woman could ever have."
I didn't like his tone. "He sounds exactly like you then," I said softly.
Thomas shook his head. "He is a much better man than I am, Elizabeth... you will eventually come to believe that."
I shook my head and leaned over to kiss him on the mouth. I meant for it to be quick so that he could continue talking, but Thomas pulled me against him and kissed me deeply, holding me so tightly that I could barely breathe. His urgency told me more than his words had and I molded my body against him, giving him everything I had to give.
I groaned when he finally pulled away. "We should both get some sleep," he said, twirling a curl of my hair between his fingers. "We are going to need to be able to think clearly tomorrow and I am sure that it is already very late." I stuck my bottom lip out in a pout and he chuckled and kissed it. "I will be back again tomorrow night."
I smiled eagerly as he lay back against the pillows pulling me onto his chest. I lay there for a long time snaking my fingers through the dark curling hair and listening to the steady thumping of his strong heart. As my eyes finally gave in to closing, I noticed that he was still awake and frowning, deep in thought.
That was the last thought I had before the weariness overtook me.
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