Lucas slowly broke their kiss, his fingers brushing through Grace's wavy long hair, making her sigh at his touch.
"You are so beautiful", he whispered as his fingers reached her neck and brushed slowly over her collarbone. He stopped there, feeling her racing heartbeat. His other hand slowly put a stray curl behind her ear and he leaned in, placing a gentle kiss on her forehead "And I love you so much. Thank you for always being there for me."
Grace inhaled deeply at his gentleness, his wonderful scent filling her heart with a sense of love and belonging.
She slowly opened her eyes and gazed into his warm, dark ones.
"You can always lean on me, my Lucas. I would do anything for you. Don't you ever forget that", she murmured gently and watched as his eyes shone at her words before they closed and with a sigh, Lucas hugged her, burying his face into her hair.
She was his home.
She was his forever.
With her at his side he was home. Forever.
Lucas gently kissed her hair and they just stood there like that, wrapped in each other's arms.
After a few moments, Grace spoke.
"I wanted to ask you something."
Lucas slightly pulled away so he could look at her eyes.
"What is it?", he asked.
Grace gave him a small, nervous smile.
"But, tell me if it is too presumptuous and…", she started to ramble, but Lucas gently interrupted her:
"Hey, hey", he whispered with a soft smile. As she grew silent and looked down, Lucas gently put his index finger under Grace's chin and silently asked "What is it, my angel?"
Grace fidgeted a bit on her feet, chewing on her lower lip and finally, taking the deep breath in, she carefully asked:
"Do you know what's Jack's favourite cake?", and before Lucas could even open his mouth to reply, Grace quickly added "I wanna make it for him. He doesn't have to know it's from me. I just want him to have a cake for his birt…", but she couldn't finish her ramblings because Lucas leaned down and stole the words from her lips with a searing, passionate, deep kiss.
Grace silently gasped in surprise before she kissed him back. She could feel how his kiss grew desperate and Grace placed her fingers on his shoulders, kissing him with all that she had. All that she felt. As both of them gasped for air, Grace felt dizziness and she let out a shaky sigh.
"What was that for?", she asked silently as she held onto him, fearing that she would fall as her knees buckled from the way he showered her with his love.
Lucas stayed close to her, his breath mingling with hers as he breathed heavily.
"Because you are amazing. Because you never cease to surprise me", he spoke warmly, his eyes shining with love for his fiancée "Because you are caring about a little lonely boy who is Elizabeth's son and you don't hold it against him. Because you want to do something special for him. Because that's who you are, my beloved Grace. You are an angel. You have the most loving heart in the world."
Grace's lower lip slightly trembled and her eyes filled with tears.
"If I have it, that is because you are in my heart, my Lucas", she gave him a watery smile and he gently nuzzled his nose against hers before he shook his head.
"No, mon amour. It's all you", he whispered as he gave her a gentle kiss.
Grace smiled warmly in his kiss.
"So…cake?", she spoke between kisses.
Lucas smiled
"Ah, yes. Chocolate cake. Definitely", he replied.
Grace's smile grew.
"Good", she pulled back and took his hands "Wanna help me make it?"
Lucas watched her as she smiled happily, eager to do something for the others.
How I love you, Grace Bennet!
He nodded slightly and let her pull his hand and take him to the kitchen.
Once they arrived Grace quickly got all the necessary ingredients out and they worked in comfortable silence for some time.
It was ten minutes later when Lucas looked up at Grace.
She could feel his eyes on her and looked at him with a curious smile.
"Are you busy tomorrow morning? I'd like you to help me with something. It won't take long, but I have to go early, before Jack wakes up", he said.
Grace nodded.
"Sure. Where are you going?", she asked.
Lucas smiled.
"To a pet shop", as Grace creased her eyebrows in confusion, he added "To buy a puppy for Jack."
Grace gasped, her face lightening up with joy.
"Lucas! That's a wonderful idea!", her eyes widened "Wait, can you do that? I mean, what about Jack's family back in Hamilton?"
Lucas smiled as he added more flour in the bowl.
"I called Jack's Grandfather and asked him if it would be okay with them. He was hesitant at first, but that was when I explained to him that it would be a therapeutic dog who will help Jack in the upcoming time", he smiled sadly.
Grace nodded, her facial expression sympathetic.
"While they try to help Elizabeth", she said as she carefully added a bit more butter in the cream. They worked in a silence for a while when she suddenly stopped and turned toward him "Hey, do you remember Doctor Miriam Cooper? She is a child's counselor. Lillian and I met her at the Governor's ball and we've been working with her ever since", she absently licked the sugar of her thumb as she stirred the butter in cream, not even noticing the way Lucas was looking at her "I talked to her a lot, trying to learn about how to help the little ones who suffered from different kind of traumas. I remember her telling me once that dogs can help a lot when you deal with a sad, sick, abandoned or traumatized child. We can check with her what kind of dog you should buy for Jack…", Grace's voice drifted away as she looked up and noticed Lucas watching her, bowl in front of him completely forgotten. Grace creased her eyebrows a bit "What?"
Lucas slightly shook his head in awe.
"How are you even real?", he silently asked "How is it possible that you always know the right thing to say to me to make me feel better?"
Grace's mouth opened a bit, only to close again and then she slightly shook her head and tried to talk again.
"But…I didn't say anything now…", she looked down at the bowl then back at Lucas, completely puzzled "Did I?"
Lucas took her hand in his.
"I wish you would give yourself more credit, my dear Grace. I wish that you could see how many lives you changed for the better. And you keep on doing that, it is totally natural to you", he brought her hand up toward his lips and kissed her knuckles longer than usual, making her let out a sigh as she trembled.
"Lucas.. ", she silently started to talk, but he hushed her by placing his index finger on her lips.
"Grace… Please, let me finish", he gently pleaded with her and as she slightly nodded, Lucas continued "You were so scared recently that I will be mad at you for initiating this whole thing with Jack without telling me about it. And I know that we talked about it and cleared everything out…but, you keep on having these insecurities and I know from where are they coming from", he stepped closer to his fiancée.
He watched as her smile disappeared and she looked at him in surprise and…fear?
She should never fear me.
Lucas pulled Grace in his arms, put his fingers on her hairline and then lazily and gently traveled them down through her soft, brunette waves. She trembled deliciously at his touch and he gently massaged a place where her head and neck joined.
"You have had the hardest, most cruel destiny anyone could have. You were left alone so young and you went through your entire childhood and youth that way", Lucas placed a soft kiss on Grace's left eyelid and continued in a low, gentle voice "You always think that you are not good enough when in fact you are better than anyone else, Grace. Your hardships never made you mean, bitter or cruel. You never give up on anyone even though you felt for so long that everybody has given up on you", his lips moved to her other eyelid and he kissed it slowly, making Grace's eyes release a few tears "And you still don't give yourself credit. You still think that you will be left alone if you make a mistake", his lips drank her salty tears away from her cheeks "And I am telling you right here and now - I will never leave you, Grace. You don't ever
have to fear that I don't love you. You are the only one I want to spend the rest of my life with", he slowly cupped her cheeks, their breaths mingling "You mean the world to me. You are everything to me. You changed my life for better", he kissed the corner of her lips, his fingertips brushing over her silky neck, making her skin explode in delicious goosebumps "You give me heart palpitation every time I look at you. You make me smile when I am at my lowest", as those words left his mouth Grace smiled through her tears and Lucas' voice dropped for one octave "You said that no one has ever chose you. That you were always alone", he hovered his lips above hers as he lovingly said "I am telling you now: I choose YOU, Grace. Only you and forever you", his thumbs wiped her tears away "You said that nobody ever wanted you. Oh, my Grace, I want you so much at my side! I want you beside me every step of the way, every day and every night", he inched closer to her, his lips whispering every word into her rosy lips "You said that nobody ever loved you. Well, those days are over. Because you ARE loved and you WILL BE loved for eternity", as his lips slowly started to touch her lips Lucas whispered "Because I love you, my dearest Grace. I love your beautiful eyes that never tell lies. I love your hair that is only mine to mess it up", he smiled gently "I love your laughter that always brightens up my day. I love your golden, good heart that took me in and anchored me in it forever", his hands slowly went down her shoulders and arms until they finally reached her waist. He pulled her closer to him and murmured against her lips "If you ever have any doubts in the future, talk to me. If anyone ever says something bad to you, send them to me", he could feel her tears coming up from her lungs before she started to cry in earnest. Lucas lovingly tightened his hold on her and finally added "Always know that you are the most important person in my life. And I love you so much, my beautiful, lovely Grace", and with those words he finally joined his lips with hers in the most glorious kiss ever, stealing her breath, hushing her crying and holding her body close to his.
Lucas felt the change in Grace as she wrapped her arms around his neck and pulled him towards her. It felt like she could finally breathe. It felt like she was finally able to let go of her horrible past.
As they shortly broke the kiss to get some much needed air, Lucas gently whispered:
"And if you ever have any doubts or fears, let me show you how loved you are. How wanted you are. How needed you are. How appreciated you are", he leaned in and kissed her lips again, before pulling away just a bit to add "I will never stop showing you how much I adore you", and with those words, Lucas dived in and kissed Grace with all the love and passion he felt, slowly lifting her up in his arms and just holding her there against him.
She held onto his strong shoulders, kissing him back like never before. And Lucas knew that Grace heard him. And he knew that she let him in the most hidden part of her heart to heal the pain that followed her through her entire life.
And Lucas promised to himself that he will never stop doing that.
—--
You know the cards are stacked against this
As we surrender our defenses
And I've torn down all my fences just for you
And you feel it too
What do we do
Do we run or see it through?
The longer we're together
It just keeps gettin' better
And you hide your little love letters
Around the house for me
And it's plain to see
That you'll always be all I'll ever need
The webs we spun
Wove into one
And left us tangled up in love.
You squeeze my hand I understand
About a woman and a man
I love the way you make me feel
You got me tangled up in love
The webs we spun
Wove into one
Left us tangled up in love.
The longer we're together
It just keeps gettin' better
And you hide your little love letters
Around the house for me
And it's plain to see
That you'll always be all I'll ever need
The webs we spun
Wove into one
And left us tangled up in love.
("Tangled up in love" - Keith Urban)