Her Old-Fashioned Husband by Laylah Roberts Page B

opening her eyes.
    “You deserved it,” Tom answered, his lips moving against her colla rbone as he spoke. “And I ought to give you another spanking for this little stunt.”
    She sat up suddenly, ignoring the pain in her bottom. Her body slammed into Tom, whacking him in the nose. He followed her up, rubbing his nose.
    “Hey,” he protested.
    “Sorry,” she said with concern, pulling his hand away from his nose to peer at it in concern. “Did I hurt you?”
    “I’ll live,” he grumbled. Then he turned to her again, eyeing her sternly. “Just what did you think you were doing leaving the bed when I told you to stay there until I returned?”
    “But I am in bed,” she said.
    He just narrowed his gaze and continued to stare at her. Frankie shifted uncomfortably.
    “I’m sorry,” she said quietly.
    “Tell me, if Heath hadn’t made you call me to let me know where you were, would you have called? Or would you have let me return home to find you’d disappeared again?”              
    Frankie gazed down at her clenched hands. “I’m sorry; I don’t know what’s wrong with me.” She didn’t know if she’d have called him or not. She wouldn’t like it if he did the same to her. “I’m so selfish and horrible, why are you even with me?”
    Tom placed his hand under her chin, forcing her gently to raise her head and look at him. “Frankie, you are not a horrible person and I am not going to leave you. When we first got together, I remember that you were scared I’d leave you. I thought we’d worked through your insecuriti es until the other night. Baby, are you scared that if you can ’t get pregnant, I’ll leave you?”
    She nodded slowly.
    “Why would you think that? Honey, we’re married. I love you. I take my wedding vowels very seriously. Why would you e ver think I would want to leave you?”
    “Because you deserve more!” she wailed. “You deserve better than me. I’m not good enough for you. I just create trouble. I try so hard, but nothing I ever do seems to go to plan and then I go and d o stupid things like last night . I’m just so scared of losing you sometimes, it kills me. I can’t lose you, Tom; I don’t think I can survive it. Yet, at the same time I can’t help but feel that I am going to lose yo u and so I find myself doing things I think will push you away. It’s horrible, I find myself doing it, but I can’t seem to stop. I don’t know what to do.”
    “Shh, shh, honey.” He pulled her into his arms and rocked her. “It’s okay, I’m not going anywhere. Let it all out. Oh, sweetheart. You’ re exhausted, aren’t you? T rying to be perfect takes a lot of energy, especially when you’re working full-time then coming home to clean and cook for hours. I’m so sorry I never noticed what was going on, that I let it get to the point where you imploded in a cry for help.”
    Franki e pulled back and rubbed her hands over her face, trying to clear away her tears. “But I don’t deserve you . I’m not a good person like you. I’m never going to be perfect.”
    “And you think I am?” he asked incredulously. “Honey, I make mistakes, I do stupid things, I can be grumpy, I snore when I drink, I never remember to leave the toilet seat down and I get so caught up in my work sometimes that I don’t give you the attention I deserve.”
    She shook her head. “Your work is important. You help people and they love you for it. I’m sure everything thinks you married down.”
    Tom took her shoulders in his hands and shook her gently. “Enough,” he said sternly. “I never want you to put yourself down, do you hear me? I married you because I love you. Neither of us are perfect, but you are not a bad person, Frankie. You are beautiful, kind, funny and you’re the one I desire, the one I want to grow old with. Frankie, why haven’t you talked to me about your insecurities before now?”
    Frankie shrugged, averting her gaze.
    “Look at me, young