When
the moon began to rise, it cast its light across the room, moving slowly to the
bed and creeping up the sides until it shone full across the two sleeping
figures. Derek’s eyes opened, and he
watched its progress.
He quietly got up and walked to the window, staring at the bright round
full moon, knowing his time with her was shorter than he ever wanted. Tomorrow was the first day of the dark of the
moon.
Cynthia watched him as he stood in front of the window, the moonbeams
covering his chest, his arms bare and relaxed by his sides. He was everything to her, and her eyes loved
him as his body shone in moonlight. When
he lifted his arms, she watched the movement of the muscles while shadows played
across his skin. He reached behind his
neck and unlatched the smoke-colored quartz pendant, her gift to him that he’d
always worn, and gently laid it on the table.
Then he stood very still.
She stopped breathing as she considered what was happening, what he was
doing and why. That one gesture of his
was worth a thousand unspoken words, and she could understand all of them. She never realized that her sharp intake of
breath had been heard by him.
Slowly he walked back to the bed and sat next to her. He took her hand and kissed the palm, staring
at it as if it held secrets. “There is
something I want to tell you.”
She sat up and instinctively clung to his hand, holding it tightly as
if he balanced on the edge of a cliff.
Her instincts came alive, and fear began to nibble at her heart.
He continued, “I have a confession to make.” Derek paused so long; the shadows fought with
the moonbeams as they wrapped themselves around the room. His head was down,
and he wouldn’t look at her; his face was part of the shadows.
Cynthia began to dread what he had to tell her, instinctively knowing
what his intentions were. Was this the
moment she had always been fearful of?
The moment when he told her he was leaving for her own good?
His voice was low as he said, “My life hasn’t been what it should have
been. The scars are deep and will never go away. This is so unfair to
you.” In the moonlight, he lifted his
head and his eyes turned the color of cold hard steel.
“No!” she said. “Don’t say
that.”
When he finally looked at her and saw the alarm that lit her face, he
softened his words. “I wish it was different.
I wish I was a different man and had lived worthy of you…of our
child. I wish I could promise you a safe
life.” He looked longingly at her, her
satin skin bathed in moonlight, her deep-blue eyes now filled with
anxiety. He reached for her and crushed
her to him, burying his face in her hair, feeling the silky texture against his
skin.
I appreciate those who
enjoy my stories and are able to experience the joys and sorrows and fears of
my characters in a story that could be true, but more importantly, is always true
to the feelings of people everywhere. If you haven’t yet started the Winter
Secret series, its time! http://amazon.com/lindagatewood/
© 2016 Linda Gatewood
