me against doing things I shouldn’t. So, no, Sara, I don’t think something is wrong with you, and if there is, well, then, there’s something wrong with me too.”
Sara moved back, their faces close. She felt strange. Connected. Sara felt like she hadn’t felt in a long time. There was nothing romantic about it, but still guilt washed over her at the link to another man other than her husband. Lincoln’s eyes darkened and Sara drew away, shaky and confused. Why did she sometimes think she saw things in his expression, in his eyes, that shouldn’t be there?
He straightened, messing up her hair, looking like the normal Lincoln, a teasing grin in place. “Got that movie ready yet?”
Sara worked to keep her voice steady when she replied, but it shook regardless. “Got that popcorn ready yet?”
That was apparently the queue for the popcorn seeds to start popping, filling the room with the scent of roasted kernels. The pop pop pop became louder and frenzied, the seeds in a race to see which could be popped the fastest. Lincoln left to concentrate on the popcorn and Sara turned the television and DVD player on, letting the previews play as she waited. A framed photograph on the shelved bookcase along the wall caught her eye. She slowly walked to it, her breath catching. It was them, on their wedding day.
Sara’s dark hair was upswept to the side so that it waved down over one shoulder. She was smiling, her eyes sparkling, and her skin healthy and glowing; a strapless cream-toned dress in a simple design fitted to her slim body. The backdrop was the woods outside the house she now stood in; green and abundant with life.
She stared at herself, wanting that Sara back. Her eyes slowly went to him, the sight of him stabbing her in overwhelming grief, so strong she couldn’t breathe for a moment. She trailed a finger over his grinning face, closing her eyes as recollections whispered through her mind.
“Do you have any idea how much I love you?” His face was close to hers, his eyes trained on Sara’s. His fingers sifted through her hair, cupping the nape of her neck. “If anything ever happened to you, there wouldn’t be enough tears in the world for me to cry. That’s how much I love you.”
“Popcorn’s ready.”
Sara started, turning away from the photograph. Lincoln sat on the couch, popcorn bowl on the coffee table, two sodas next to it. He lifted an eyebrow at her and Sara hesitated, the intimacy of sitting next to him locking her in place.
“Do you want your own bowl so you don’t have to sit next to me?” he asked dryly.
“No.” Sara rubbed her arms as she made her way to the couch, sitting on the edge of the couch, stiff-backed.
A long pause ensued.
“Are you going to push play?”
“Are you going to stop acting like you’re afraid of me?”
Sara sat back, eyes on the television screen. “Better?”
“It’ll do.”
The movie began.
***
Sara burst out laughing as he ambled toward her, neon orange speedo in place. Not that his physique was anything to laugh at. Not in the least. He was all toned agile muscles and rangy build. Her fiancé had the body of a man who worked outside seven days a week with his broad shoulders, narrow waist, tanned skin, and athletic legs. She laughed only because he wore a speedo, and an orange one at that.
“Where did you come from?”
“Got done fishing early. Thought I’d surprise you.”
“You did. Believe me. What are you doing in… that ?” Sara set a folded shirt on the duffel bag and turned to face him, hands on hips.
Her small bedroom was covered in clothes, ready to be packed. They were on the dresser, on the floor, all over the bed. She wanted to make sure everything was perfect for their honeymoon, even her clothes. Apparently her fiancé did not have the same idea.
“I’m getting ready for Hawaii.” He struck a pose in the doorway of the bedroom, flexing his arm muscles above his head. In spite of his goofy ensemble, Sara’s
Sara moved back, their faces close. She felt strange. Connected. Sara felt like she hadn’t felt in a long time. There was nothing romantic about it, but still guilt washed over her at the link to another man other than her husband. Lincoln’s eyes darkened and Sara drew away, shaky and confused. Why did she sometimes think she saw things in his expression, in his eyes, that shouldn’t be there?
He straightened, messing up her hair, looking like the normal Lincoln, a teasing grin in place. “Got that movie ready yet?”
Sara worked to keep her voice steady when she replied, but it shook regardless. “Got that popcorn ready yet?”
That was apparently the queue for the popcorn seeds to start popping, filling the room with the scent of roasted kernels. The pop pop pop became louder and frenzied, the seeds in a race to see which could be popped the fastest. Lincoln left to concentrate on the popcorn and Sara turned the television and DVD player on, letting the previews play as she waited. A framed photograph on the shelved bookcase along the wall caught her eye. She slowly walked to it, her breath catching. It was them, on their wedding day.
Sara’s dark hair was upswept to the side so that it waved down over one shoulder. She was smiling, her eyes sparkling, and her skin healthy and glowing; a strapless cream-toned dress in a simple design fitted to her slim body. The backdrop was the woods outside the house she now stood in; green and abundant with life.
She stared at herself, wanting that Sara back. Her eyes slowly went to him, the sight of him stabbing her in overwhelming grief, so strong she couldn’t breathe for a moment. She trailed a finger over his grinning face, closing her eyes as recollections whispered through her mind.
“Do you have any idea how much I love you?” His face was close to hers, his eyes trained on Sara’s. His fingers sifted through her hair, cupping the nape of her neck. “If anything ever happened to you, there wouldn’t be enough tears in the world for me to cry. That’s how much I love you.”
“Popcorn’s ready.”
Sara started, turning away from the photograph. Lincoln sat on the couch, popcorn bowl on the coffee table, two sodas next to it. He lifted an eyebrow at her and Sara hesitated, the intimacy of sitting next to him locking her in place.
“Do you want your own bowl so you don’t have to sit next to me?” he asked dryly.
“No.” Sara rubbed her arms as she made her way to the couch, sitting on the edge of the couch, stiff-backed.
A long pause ensued.
“Are you going to push play?”
“Are you going to stop acting like you’re afraid of me?”
Sara sat back, eyes on the television screen. “Better?”
“It’ll do.”
The movie began.
***
Sara burst out laughing as he ambled toward her, neon orange speedo in place. Not that his physique was anything to laugh at. Not in the least. He was all toned agile muscles and rangy build. Her fiancé had the body of a man who worked outside seven days a week with his broad shoulders, narrow waist, tanned skin, and athletic legs. She laughed only because he wore a speedo, and an orange one at that.
“Where did you come from?”
“Got done fishing early. Thought I’d surprise you.”
“You did. Believe me. What are you doing in… that ?” Sara set a folded shirt on the duffel bag and turned to face him, hands on hips.
Her small bedroom was covered in clothes, ready to be packed. They were on the dresser, on the floor, all over the bed. She wanted to make sure everything was perfect for their honeymoon, even her clothes. Apparently her fiancé did not have the same idea.
“I’m getting ready for Hawaii.” He struck a pose in the doorway of the bedroom, flexing his arm muscles above his head. In spite of his goofy ensemble, Sara’s
Similar Books
