You and Pilar are tucked into your own little corner of the yard, drinking wine and chatting, observing the party. The change in her since Manny came home is immediately noticeable. Briefly, you wonder if she knows how long they'll be here before they get shipped off again, but you decide not to ask. You don't want to be the one to bring her down from the high of having her husband home.
The undercurrent of anger you've been carrying all day has mellowed somewhat. For one, you don't know how long he'll be home. And you don't want to waste that time just railing against him. And for another thing, watching him play tag with Maria, while she giggles and runs away, would melt even the biggest cynic's heart. You can't help the smile that curves your lips when he catches her, picking her up and twirling her until she's laughingly shrieking at him to stop.
"He'll be a good dad, someday," Pilar watches with a grin, nudging into your side before laughing. You can't help but shake your head. It's the last thing on your agenda right now. Tommy is blowing raspberries into Maria's stomach, whispering in her ear before turning his back on her and hiding his face. Other adults are littering the yard, but they go ignored by the playful duo, Maria scrambling through legs to run to her mother.
"Mom, mom, I'm hiding!"
Pilar scoops her up in her arms and nuzzles her. "You're not doing a very good job of it, mija."
You can all see Tommy uncover his eyes from where you sit, so Maria lets out a little shriek and scurries behind the two of you on the bench. Tommy must have heard it because his head immediately swivels your way. He takes his time crossing the yard, an amused grin playing on his lips the entire way until he's halted in front of the three of you. "You two seen Maria?" he queries, the innocence of his voice plainly put on.
"No, don't know where mija's gotten to," Pilar pipes in.
"Sorry, Tommy," you reply back, heart fluttering when he turns his smile back on you. Maria is trying to quiet her giggling behind your back, her little hands resting on the small of it. But right now, Tommy only has eyes for you. His gaze is hot enough to nearly burn you and you can't help but lick your lips, anticipation pooling in your stomach. You have a sudden urge to leave the barbeque early.
"I'll see if I can find her then," he mocks with a wink before wandering off. Maria giggles once more before shooting off in the other direction.
"You're in trouble," your friend laughs with a nudge when your gaze follows Tommy around the yard. "Eight months? Pfft. You're not even going to make him wait eight hours."
The drive home is relatively silent, Tommy driving but still keeping his hand on your thigh. Sometimes he squeezes it, others just rubs his thumb back and forth, nerve endings on your body lighting on fire with each movement. You half want him to pull over now, just so you can climb on his lap and show him exactly how much you've missed him. But it's not happening, not before you two can really talk. Or at least, you talk and he listens.
It's difficult to hold onto that thought though, for as soon as your out of the car he's pressing you against it, his lips urgent on yours until you're panting for breath. He trails kisses down your neck, nipping and sucking hard enough that you start to worry about hickeys. "Tommy …" you moan, thoughts already starting to addle as he presses you harder against the car.
"Do you have any idea how long eight months is?" he growls into your jaw, hands already starting to bruise your hips from holding them so tightly.
And that snaps you right back into reality, awakens your anger with him again. You push Tommy off, or try to at least. It seems to take him a moment to register your hands pushing against his shoulders before he steps back and looks at you so intensely, your breath catches. "I know exactly how long eight months is. Do you know how long it is when I don't fucking hear from you? When I'm awake half the night, having nightmares, worried about you, wondering about you?" At that, you storm up the stairs to the apartment, not even waiting to see if he follows.
"Babe," he calls out, catching up to you on the second flight of stairs, his grip hard on your forearm while he spins you around. "I said I'm sorry."
You wretch your arm from his grasp, stomping back up the stairs again, unsurprised when his heavy footsteps follow yours. He catches up to you again as you approach your door, spinning you around and kissing you, pressing you against it. You try to fight him, hit him, Tommy only releasing you when you bite down on his lower lip, hard. "The fuck?"
"You think 'sorry' is enough to make up for the shit you put me through, Conlon?"
His forehead wrinkles, eyes squinch up a bit as he considers it. "Maybe? Kinda."
You stomp your foot in frustration, an angry noise of frustration echoing through the hall as you spin to open the door to the apartment. Tommy follows you inside, pushing you up against the entryway wall as soon as the door closes, lips skimming the sensitive skin just below your ear. "Just let me explain, alright?"
You have to stop yourself from arching against him. Despite your anger, you still want him, miss the feel of his hands on you, the bruises he used to leave, the way he would set you on fire. "Alright."
"I love you," he whispers into your collarbone, his lips trailing heat across your skin and sending shivers up your spine at both his words and his actions. "I realized it, when I left. It was the next thing I wanted to tell you." He starts pulling the straps of your dress down your arms, and you're powerless to resist. "I didn't want to send it in an email, or over the phone, I wanted to tell you. I wanted to look into your eyes when I said it."
"But-"
He pulls back, his eyes searching yours, looking nearly afraid. "I love you."
You feel like you're melting, a puddle on the floor. All the anger you were holding on to evaporates. The look he is giving you is so intense, you're amazed you're still upright. "I love you too, Tommy."
A/N - Please, please review!