Antonia stepped outside and turned sharply for the stairs, walking down to the small boardwalk that would lead her to the beach. She heard the door opening behind her, and Aiden calling to her, but continued anyway. She wasn't sure if she was angry, upset, or perhaps embarrassed by the entire situation, so she just blocked everything out and continued walking, ignoring the dark clouds and the pouring rain.
"Antonia, stop!" Aiden exclaimed, reaching out for her shoulder, he immediately regretted it, watching her flinch from his touch, forgetting about the bruises on her shoulder. "Please." He begged, pulling his hand back. She turned and faced him, the rain falling hard on both of them. "Come back to the house, where are you going?"
"I am going for a walk."
"It's pouring out, please come back inside. I know you're upset, but you're going to get sick." He said, grabbing for her hand, she scowled angrily at him. "I'm sorry."
"What are you apologizing for? You didn't do anything wrong." She said, looking up at the falling rain, she sighed as the cool raindrops wet her skin. "I'll be fine, go back to the house. I don't want Melody to wake up to an empty house."
"Tex, it's raining."
"Thanks, weather boy." She snickered as he shook his head and let out a short laugh. "I'll be fine. It's a warm rain. I just have some things I need to think through, okay? I won't be long."
"Are you sure?" He whispered, leaning forward to kiss her tenderly, she grabbed his shirt and pulled him into her hard, pulling her fingertips through his hair as she held him against her in a passionate kiss. She could feel his body reacting to her closeness, and could feel the need she had for him rising in her chest. She whimpered against his lips, pulling from the kiss after another moment. He made no move to step away. "I don't want you to go off alone." He whispered.
"I was alone before you came along, Aiden. I will be fine." She whispered, stepping away from him, she started to walk away, but his hand refused to leave hers, and he pulled her back toward him. "Aiden!"
"Just because you were alone before, doesn't mean you ever have to be alone again." He whispered. "Come back inside. I'll let you have time to yourself in the house. Please?" He said, listening to the thunder in the clouds rumble around them, the wind blowing against them. "You don't even like storms. I can feel you trembling. Let me hold you. I need you."
"Why do you need me right now?" She asked stubbornly. "I just want to go for a walk."
"I'm not letting you go." He said, suddenly reaching for her, he swung her into his arms as she squeaked.
"Aiden!" She shouted, feeling him turn with her, the rain falling on her face as he moved swiftly toward the house. "Aiden, put me down! Let me go!" She couldn't help but laugh.
"Never." He said, laughing as he carried her back toward the house. He felt her lean her head against him as he carried her, and even felt a light laugh as he hauled her back toward the house.
"You can put me down, I'll come with you!" She laughed. He stopped and gave her a scrutinizing look as she watched the rain drop down his face onto her. "I promise." She said as he put her to the ground and grabbed her hand, tugging her toward the house. They were approaching the house and spied Melody standing in the doorway, watching them curiously. She smiled when they came close to her, and began signing immediately, asking them where they had gone, and why they were out in the rain.
"Bean is silly." Antonia signed, lifting the girl into her arms, listening to her squeak against the wet hug she was being given.
"You're getting her all wet!" Aiden laughed, grabbing Melody from Antonia, he too dripped water all over her as she wiggled against them, laughing. She slipped from his grip and ran through the house, laughing as Antonia and Aiden chased after her playfully, her voice squealing the whole way. Aiden slowed and sighed, listening to the two girls giggling as he headed toward the bedroom to change. He stepped inside and grabbed one of the plastic bags of clothes they had bought, looking through it for another t-shirt to change into. He grabbed a towel from the pile of towels and dried his hair, he heard the sound of feet walking down the hallway as he yanked his t-shirt off, and suddenly the door swung open. He looked at the surprised look on Antonia's face when she stepped in and was immediately greeted by a bright smile. "Like what you see?" He asked, winking at her, she laughed out loud and made a face.
"Of course."
"How does it compare to Agent Nichols?" He teased, watching her jaw drop immediately and her cheeks turn pink. She started to turn around, and he reached for her, pulling her back into him. "Hey, hey. I was kidding."
"No, you're serious." She said, struggling lightly against him. "If you must know." She said, turning around, she pulled from his arms. "Yes, I did have a sexual relationship with Agent Nichols." She crossed her arms over her chest and looked at him. She watched his eyes stare into hers for a moment, the mood quickly deflating into one a bit darker, and she tried to read his expression, finding it very difficult. "It was nothing, it wasn't a big deal."
"So, you dated him?"
"Uh, no." She said, shaking her head, her eyes flicked to the side and then back to Aiden.
"One-night stand?" He asked, tilting his head, pulling a dry t-shirt on.
"Not exactly." She sighed. "Listen, Aiden. Agent Nichols isn't what you would call the sharpest tool in the shed. He is, well, what he lacks in mental acuity, he most assuredly makes up for with other talents." She shrugged, her cheeks turning red.
"So, he was your boy toy?" He asked, watching as her lower lip slipped into her mouth, she cringed. She could feel a rumble of anxiety in her belly. "Antonia!"
"Listen, Sam was a nice man, and he did want a relationship, and I told him that I wasn't a relationship kind of girl. There were no feelings attached to it or anything. It was just sex." She shrugged. "We parted amicably."
"Sam? So now it's Sam?" He asked, nodding his head. "And it was just sex." He shrugged, watching her nod, tipping her head as she tried to read his expression. "And you parted amicably." He said calmly, though he could feel a pit of jealousy roiling in his stomach. "That's nice." He said, nodding his head as he walked toward her. "That's really nice." He said as he walked past her and out the door.
"Aiden." She said, turning to walk after him. "Aiden, come here." She said, watching him walk down the hallway. "Aiden, please?"
"I'm good." He said without looking at her as he turned the corner toward the kitchen.
She stood for a moment, her emotions were starting to well up unexpectedly, and she could feel the knot in her stomach working its way to her throat as tears came to her eyes. She turned around looking at the room, her wet clothes suddenly feeling heavy on her shoulders. She started to change her clothes, pulling her wet shirt off, she swiped at the tears on her face as she stepped toward the bathroom. She walked into the bathroom, closing the door. She paused for a moment to look at her reflection in the mirror, her wet hair hanging heavily, her eyes looked tired and worn. She sniffled and turned toward the small basket of clothes by the door, pulling a warm sweatshirt from the pile, she pulled it on, and then quickly changed her shorts. She cleared her throat and sighed as she walked into the bedroom.
She was just about to move toward the bed when she saw movement in the doorway. She stopped and smiled at the little girl standing there, holding a small plate of cookies and a cup of milk in her hand. "Are those for me?" She asked, signing as she stepped toward Melody, who smiled brightly and nodded. "Thank you." She said, tipping her head as she carefully took the plate and cup.
"Why are you crying?" Melody asked, her brow furrowing as she followed Antonia and watched her place the plate and cup on the small table beside the rocking chair in the room. "Are you sad?"
"I am tired." She signed back, sitting on the chair, she pulled Melody into her lap, and handed her a cookie. "I am tired, and thoughtful."
Melody sat in her lap as Antonia rocked her gently, each of them eating a cookie quietly. When her cookie was gone, Antonia closed her eyes, tucking the little girl's head beneath her chin, she hummed softly. After she finished her cookie, Melody looked to Antonia and smiled. "I like when you sing." She signed, pressing her lips together, she made a humming sound, and lifted Antonia's hand gently to her neck to feel the vibration. Antonia pulled her hand away at first, not sure what she was doing, and after a moment let the little girl move her hand as she made a humming noise again. "Singing." Melody signed. She reached her small hands up and touched Antonia's neck gently as Antonia smiled and hummed a tune. "I can feel your song." She signed.
Antonia smiled at the little girl, leaning down to kiss her forehead tenderly, she watched Melody's eyes as they explored Antonia's face, reading each and every twitch and movement closely. "I love you, Ant." She signed softly, glancing to the door she looked up at Ant and sighed, as if she were nervous about something.
"What's wrong?" Antonia asked her, tipping her head as she rocked them both gently.
"Can we stay here for always?" Melody asked, her brow furrowing in concentration, she had such concern on her face.
"Stay here?" Antonia tipped her head curiously.
"At the water." She signed, pointing toward the ocean side of the house. "I want to stay here. No bad men here. You, me, and Bean. Cookies." She smiled, turning her head, she tucked herself under Antonia's neck again, lifting her hand to her neck, she waited patiently for Antonia to start humming, and when she did, all of her fears seemed to drift away.
After a couple minutes, Antonia's attention was brought to the door, where Aiden leaned against the doorway watching her gently rock the little girl in her arms. "I'm sorry I walked away." He said softly.
"I'm not proud of myself, you know." She said, watching his eyes flick to the floor and back up to her again. "I've never felt about anyone the way I feel about you."
"Because I'm smart, and good in bed, huh?" He said, a smile rising on his lips as she let out a laugh.
"You also look pretty damn good with your shirt off." She said, making a face at him as he chuckled, reaching his hand out to her. "Thank you for the cookies."
"Well, we had to share with you. We love you very much." He said, taking her hand in his. "Tex, we're going to have to see if we can get her to talk about her past. We need to figure out what she knows without scaring the crap out of her."
"I know." She whispered. "I'd like to do it before my mother gets here, before you have to leave." She sighed. "I don't want you to leave."
"I don't want to leave." He said, crouching down beside the chair, he gently ran his thumb across the palm of her hand as he sighed. "Do you trust me?" He whispered, watching as her brow furrowed in confusion.
"Of course I trust you." She whispered.
"Good." He said, running his fingertips over her skin.
"Aiden, I'm scared of losing her." Antonia sighed. "She is relying on us so much. I'm scared."
"We will do everything we can to make sure that we don't lose her, Antonia." He said softly. He squeezed her hand tightly, kissing her knuckle lightly as she watched him. Suddenly, their attention was pulled by the sound of the gate bell ringing. "Someone's at the gate."
"We're not expecting anyone." She said, as she and Aiden both stood up. Antonia carefully put Melody to the floor, holding her hand as they walked toward the office. The gate bell rang again just as they switched to the camera at the gate, the bell ringing a third time. As soon as they saw who was waiting, they exchanged a look. "Ace?" She whispered to herself as she furrowed her brow.
"I'll let him in." Aiden said, dropping a kiss on Antonia's cheek, he touched Melody's head, and quickly made his way to the front gate to let their guest in.
Thank you for reading... And your comments...