Chapter 96 - Ninety Six
Delia looked at him, at the raw pain and vulnerability in his eyes. The wind whipped his hair across his face, and the approaching storm seemed to mirror the turmoil inside him.
"You really don’t know why I came all this way to find you?" he asked, his voice a low, intense murmur that was almost lost in the sound of the crashing waves.
"I don’t know," she replied honestly, her own voice barely a whisper. "How would I know?"
"I need you to know," Eric said, his gaze never leaving hers. He reached for her hand and intertwined their fingers, his grip warm and firm. He looked down at their joined hands, then back up at her face. "I missed you, Delia. That’s the only reason. The few hours without you... they were unbearable."
He lifted her hand and turned it over, his thumb tracing the new gold wedding band that rested on her finger. "I love you," he said, the words simple, direct, and devastatingly sincere. "A lot." He met her eyes, and she saw nothing but pure, unadulterated truth in them. He faced her fully, still holding her hand, his other hand now playing with her wedding ring, twisting it gently around her finger.
"I love you so much, Delia," he repeated, his voice thick with an emotion she had never heard from anyone before. He then pulled her into a hug, a tight, desperate embrace that told her more than his words ever could. He held her there, on the windy, darkening beach, and for the first time in a very long time, Delia didn’t feel the need to run away.
The sun had long since set, and the only light in Delia’s small, rented room on the island came from a single flickering candle. She sat on the edge of the simple bed, staring at nothing, her mind replaying the moment on the beach over and over again.
"I love you. A lot." A memory of his voice, earnest and deep, flashed in her mind. "I love you so much, Delia." Then came another memory, the feeling of his strong arms wrapped around her, holding her as if she were the most precious thing in the world.
Her cheeks, which had been cool just moments before, were now burning hot. She stood up and went to the small, cracked mirror that hung on the wall. A woman with flushed cheeks and wide, confused blue eyes stared back at her.
"Why am I suddenly feeling so warm?" she said to her reflection, her voice a flustered whisper. She went to the washbasin, filled her hands with cool water, and splashed it on her face, trying to douse the strange, unfamiliar fire that was burning inside her.