It wasn't so much that Eric resisted as he stiffened up the more she reached out, as if her touch had the power to kill his nerves dead. It didn't boost Amber's confidence, to be received so tautly. Too late, though. She was already sidled up against him, aligning her body against his. And maybe this wasn't about her. Talking about family always put him on edge, and no wonder; what a depressing bunch. Might be hard to talk about to anyone, her or-- Amber swallowed-- Shanelle. The difficulty was in the subject, not the listener. Maybe.
I never told anyone. Amber drew in a long, deep breath. She couldn't see his expression, but his face was hot, and probably not because of the soup. Was this what this was about? Pulling out painful information and displaying it before her just to prove a point? Jesus, she’d wanted to know, she really had, but not like this. Not because some woman he'd slept with had riled her up.
Amber's own face heated up. It'd been blackmail, basically. And normally she'd have no scruples against it, but geez, when she cheated, she preferred not to do it by accident. She'd never meant to guilt-trip Eric into almost crying in public. Now that she knew why he'd zipped his lips about his mom, she wished he'd told her out of affection; because he’d felt comfortable with her. Not to sooth her temper-tantrum jealousy.
But he said he'd wanted her to know; relaxed into her, actions affirming words. Maybe it wasn't the ideal way or reason to let it out, but fact was, he had. She knew and... what now? Covering his hand on the table, Amber squeezed, turning to kiss his temple. Knowing didn't really change anything. Eric was still who he was; she just understood a bit better why. And she wouldn't annoy him with questions about his mom, or accidentally hurt him with some oblivious remark. Knowing, she felt like she could treat him better. "Thanks. I mean-- I'm glad you told me." She smiled at him, half-surprised at the warm affection unfurling in her chest.
Her right hand free, she reached out to pull her plate and mug closer. She was a lot hungrier now, and her coffee wouldn’t be cold yet.
no subject
I never told anyone. Amber drew in a long, deep breath. She couldn't see his expression, but his face was hot, and probably not because of the soup. Was this what this was about? Pulling out painful information and displaying it before her just to prove a point? Jesus, she’d wanted to know, she really had, but not like this. Not because some woman he'd slept with had riled her up.
Amber's own face heated up. It'd been blackmail, basically. And normally she'd have no scruples against it, but geez, when she cheated, she preferred not to do it by accident. She'd never meant to guilt-trip Eric into almost crying in public. Now that she knew why he'd zipped his lips about his mom, she wished he'd told her out of affection; because he’d felt comfortable with her. Not to sooth her temper-tantrum jealousy.
But he said he'd wanted her to know; relaxed into her, actions affirming words. Maybe it wasn't the ideal way or reason to let it out, but fact was, he had. She knew and... what now? Covering his hand on the table, Amber squeezed, turning to kiss his temple. Knowing didn't really change anything. Eric was still who he was; she just understood a bit better why. And she wouldn't annoy him with questions about his mom, or accidentally hurt him with some oblivious remark. Knowing, she felt like she could treat him better. "Thanks. I mean-- I'm glad you told me." She smiled at him, half-surprised at the warm affection unfurling in her chest.
Her right hand free, she reached out to pull her plate and mug closer. She was a lot hungrier now, and her coffee wouldn’t be cold yet.