My Christmas Valentine

Trust

♥ Megan ♥

I lazily sat stretched out on the couch as I watched one of my favorite baking shows on the TV. It wasn’t that I was necessarily waiting for Shane to come home, but I was. Luna slept against my legs, and when I heard the key in the lock, we both sat up. I glanced over my shoulder and saw him step inside. He kicked off his shoes and set his keys in the bowl. Nothing out of the ordinary. Just routine and normal. Except his shoulders were tight, and the look on his face told me that something was wrong. Shane glanced at me, and I could tell that his smile was forced.

“Hey,” he said.

“Hey,” I answered as I slowly got to my feet. “How was the boys' night?”

“Good. Loud. The usual,” he said. He crossed the room and kissed me, brief and warm. I brushed my fingers over his cheek and felt tension under his skin that had nothing to do with a long day. Luna huffed and jumped off the couch. Shane went to the kitchen and grabbed himself a beer.

“There is pasta from earlier if you are hungry,” I said as I watched him.

“We ate,” he said, and closed the fridge door before he uncapped his beer. I watched him take a long, slow sip, and I couldn’t help but frown. Something was definitely wrong. I carried my empty mug to the kitchen sink and set it down before I leaned against the counter and watched him. Shane let out a soft sigh before he also leaned against the counter on the other side.

“Long day?” I asked.

“Long week,” he said.

“And tonight?” I asked quietly. Shane hesitated, and I couldn’t help but feel uneasy.

“It was fine,” he said. “We talked about the baby, about Lance moving in with Casey, about New Year plans...” I nodded, but then Shane’s eyes met mine. “And I saw Brendan,” the name still tugged low in my stomach, but it didn’t knock the air from my lungs.

“Oh?”

“Yeah, he was at the bar…at one of those high tables…near the back,” he explained. I wasn’t sure what to say. Brendan wasn’t an issue, but clearly Shane was upset about seeing him. “I think he was with Alice. Blonde. Quite pretty,”

“Oh,” I said as I tried to picture her in my mind. But I just wasn’t all that interested. What I was interested in was Shane and his feelings. “Did he say anything to you?” I asked slowly.

“No. We just…sort of stared at each other for a bit. It was…just like a flicker of recognition…like I know who you are and then…nothing,” he said, and I nodded as I rounded the counter and reached out for him.

“Why are you…upset?” I asked carefully as I placed my hand on his arm. Shane’s skin was warm, but his posture was rigid.

“I don’t…I can’t even explain it, Meg,” he said, and I could hear it in his voice. “Him being back here…I don’t…I don’t like it,”

“Why?”

“Because I don’t want him anywhere near you,” he admitted so softly that I had to strain to hear his response.

“Brendan and I are over, Shane. It’s just you and me,” I quickly reassured him. Shane’s gaze met mine, and he let out another soft sigh.

“I know. I know you love me. I love you and…we are together. I know that. I just…I don’t like seeing him and being reminded of…the past,” he said. “I mean, the guy hurt you…he left you behind. And now he is back with some…some other girl? And…she looks a bit like you,”

“She does?”

“I mean…yeah, a little bit,” Shane said, and I smiled.

“You have nothing to worry about,” I told him. “I mean, I told you how I felt seeing him. I don’t like it either, but this is his hometown and if he wants to see where this thing goes with Alice…well, that’s his business,”

“No, I know,”

“Then let it go,” I urged softly. Shane stared at me for a long time before he stepped back.

“I will probably punch him if he talks to you,” he murmured, and I couldn’t help but let out a laugh.

“Oh, baby, I love that you are all jealousy and s**t, but…Brendan isn't a threat. Even if he talks to me…it means nothing. He is my past, you are my…”

“Future,” he finished, and I nodded. Shane closed the distance and pulled me into his arms. “Our future,”

“Yes, our future,” I confirmed as I gazed up at him. Shane leaned in and pressed his lips to mine. Within seconds, the kiss turned heated, and we hurried down the short hallway to our bedroom.

“f**k, Meg…I love you,” Shane whispered as he slowly undressed me.

“I love you too,” I said as I reached for his shirt. And as we stood in front of each other in all our naked glory, I knew that no matter what our future held for us, we would go through it together. Of that, I had no doubts. Shane tugged my hand, and we climbed onto the bed. I lay on my back as he crawled over me. There was something about Shane that always made my heart race, and when he looked down at me, I swear my heart stopped. We didn’t just love each other. It was so much more than that. We had been through so much, and now that we were together, nothing would stand in our way.

“f**k…” Shane said as he slipped his fingers between my folds. “So f*****g wet for me,”

“You,” I whispered. He shot me a wicked wink before he continued to tease me. I arched my back as I spread my legs wider. This man was made for me. “Shane…”

“Yeah…yeah,” he said as he stopped fingering me and positioned himself against me. I could feel the heat of him pressed against my entrance, and I smiled as I watched him. Shane didn’t waste another second as he pushed himself inside of me. I gasped as pleasure immediately washed over me. We moved in a rhythm that was uniquely us. I held onto him as he rammed himself repeatedly in and out of me. It was everything. It was perfect. It was us. And when my o****m exploded, Shane was right there with me.

“Hmm,” I hummed when he rolled off me and pulled me into his arms.

“Yeah…” he whispered before he kissed me softly. “Not letting you go,”

“Promise?”

“I promise,” he said, and I closed my eyes as I settled my head against his chest. Shane was my present and my future. Brendan was my past, and that is exactly where I wanted him to stay.

♥ ♥ ♥