Page 48 of Unrivaled Love
In the corner of his bedroom is an overstuffed chair. He sits and pulls me closer into his lap.
“I’m not a sit-on-a-lap kind of girl.” I joke as I try to stand.
Bryson clasps onto my waist. “Sit with me, Josie. Please.”
Josie.
No one calls me that anymore. My dad, once in a while, after he’s had a few drinks at Christmas.
It brings me back to a time when life was easier.
Clearer.
Back to a time when Bryson and I were friends.
I lower myself back down and attempt to decipher the look in his eyes.
The opportunity to study his expression disappears as he closes his eyes and starts talking.
“Jo, I don’t know what’s going on in your life right now. And I don’t know what I did seven years ago to drive you away from me. But,” he looks out the window and then back to me. “I want to know.”
“Bry,” I say as I look down at my hands folded in my lap. “It’s fine. I’ll be fine.”
“No, you aren’t fine.”
“Don’t tell me how I feel.” I fire back as I leap off his lap. Seriously? The balls on this guy.
“That’s it.” He smirks.
“What’s it?” I cross my arms.
“The fire. The fight. The scariest thing was when you got sad.” He reaches forward, untangles my arms, and his thumb traces the sensitive spots on the inside of my wrists as he leans forward in the chair. “It felt like you’d given up or resigned or something. But when you’re pissed. I know you still have it in you to battle.”
Tears well in my eyes again.
Bryson waits quietly and I’m not sure what to do with the space he’s giving me.
Several times I start and stop speaking. My train of thought wanders as he continues his caresses. It’s soothing and my mind is ping ponging between opening the floodgates to my emotional state and focusing on the tingles his touch provides.
“I don’t know why this is so hard.” I admit with a sniffle as I realize the tears have begun to fall again.
“Well, that’s what she said.” Bryson delivers flatly and I can’t help it. I giggle.
It’s so stupid.
Like,sostupid.
But the moment of levity is exactly what my soul needed.
“Seriously, what’s so hard to admit, Jo?”
I blink down at him and his face shows concern but also strength.
Could it be safe to open up to Bryson?
He might be the exact person I need at this moment.
We have similar pressures with our professional careers.
