Free Drip Drop Teardrop, a Novella by Samantha Young Page B

estate. I let him hold me. Kiss me. I kissed
him back. My lips gave to him what they never gave to Josh. I don’t
even feel guilty for that. But I’m scared. Did I say that already?
I wasn’t scared last night. Last night we lay on his incredibly
comfortable bed… and we talked. I spoke about my mom and dad, which
I never do. The kind of people they were. The way they lived.
Loved. He told me about eternity. What he’d seen and done. He’s not
perfect. He’s made choices maybe some people wouldn’t have but at
the same time I don’t think I’ve met a man with more heart. He’s
kind of hard to hate. Too easy to lov-
    We held hands
last night. I woke up entangled in him.
    Have you ever
had moments of absolute peace? Like nothing can touch you? Only
moments, they never last long… but when they do it’s this sense of
lightness of being; like you’re so relieved to be happy you kind of
cry. Do you ever notice how you cry when you’re angry, frustrated,
scared or happy? I rarely cry when I’m sad. I don’t know where that
misconception came from. Sadness isn’t hot tears. It’s cold. Numb.
Hard.
    He’s out;
checking things are OK with his spirits. See, I should totally be
creeped out.
    When he’s
gone I lose my battle with my doubts. I’m doubting. Would Caroline
really want me give up my life for hers?
    She would be
so mad if I did…
    “ Hey, what
are you doing?” Brennus strolled into the bedroom, bringing the
scent of fresh air and grass with him.
    Avery slammed the diary
shut. Having mentioned that she was having journal withdrawals,
Brennus had promptly produced one for her.
    “ Writing,”
she replied softly, tucking the journal behind her back.
    He smirked, throwing her
a look. “I’m not going to sneak a peek at your diary like some
pre-pubescent girl.”
    She snorted, not really
picturing Brennus doing anything so undignified. “I guess you
wouldn’t.”
    Smiling at her, he
shrugged off his coat, dropping it lazily onto an armchair. She
knew by the change in his body language that his attention was
entirely focused on her. As he strolled towards her languidly,
Avery felt her breath hitch at his approach. The bed shifted under
his weight as he braced his hands on either side of her and leaned
down for a kiss. She inhaled his musk, her eyes locked on his, her
mouth already falling open. Her hands reached up to clutch at his
chest and her heart sped at the feel of his breath across her face.
Her skin tingled. His lips brushed across hers softly, one stroke,
two. Playful. Teasing. Excruciating. She tried to catch them but he
kept drawing back, laughing softly under his breath. Without
thought Avery took his face in her hands, cupping his jaw tight. He
stiffened, his eyes flaring a little with apprehension. She hadn’t
touched his face before. Gulping back anxiety, Avery struggled to
breathe normally. She swore she could hear his heart fluttering
like a mouse caught between the paws of the neighbour’s cat. Her
own picked up pace in response. Tentatively, afraid he’d be angry
but needing to do it nonetheless, she trailed the fingertips of her
right hand up across his cheek, running over the haggard lines of
his scar. He flinched but her hold brook no argument. She followed
the lines of his scar over his cheek, nose, his forehead. Brennus’
eyes fluttered closed and he leaned into her touch. Pain flared up
her arm shooting for the direction of her heart. She hated the man
who had done this to him. But more than that, Avery hated the fact
she’d recoiled from him because of it.
    This man was more
beautiful than she’d ever be.
    Trembling now, Avery
leaned up and pressed the sweetest kiss to his cheek, to his scar.
Brennus shuddered against her, his arms wrapping around her waist
and drawing her close. Not finished, she peppered fairy kisses to
his wound, trailing them down in a magical course of acceptance to
his happy ending mouth, where she pressed a kiss of such… longing.
He groaned