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You snuggled against the warm body laying next to you desperately trying to bury your face further into their chest. You received a gentle chuckle for your efforts, feeling the soft rumble of their laugh against your own body. You longed to be closer to the man you were currently snuggled against on a rainy afternoon.
Were there things that the both of you needed to get done? Certainly. Were either of you going to leave the warmth of the bed you were currently sharing to go and start those tasks? Absolutely not. Instead the two of you decided to lazy around in bed for the foreseeable future.
Usually the man laying next to you, one Sheriff Travis Hackett, would be consumed with restless energy, with the need to do something, anything to keep himself busy and distracted. Usually you had no real say as to what he did or did not do, no matter how much you protest and nag him about taking better care of himself. Instead, you would watch Travis work himself half to death day in and day out.
Yet, when you asked him to stay in bed with you a little longer that morning you were surprised that he had actually complied for once. Not before huffing and grumble about how needy you were, of course. You knew he enjoyed when you were being clingy and needy, needy for him, as much as he tried to hide it. Travis might fight you when you try to show him affection but ultimately he ends up crumbling and gives in, allowing you to dote upon him to your hearts content.
Travis was a strange and difficult man, hot and cold, yes and no but you loved him all the same. Underneath all his hurt and thick walls was a kind man. A man who only wanted to do right by others even if others didn't or wouldn't extend him that same courtesy. Even when he was fighting his own demons Travis always put others first. Something you could only assume that he'd learned through childhood. He still tried to push you away at times when he was hurting, he was stubborn like that too set in his ways but you were just as stubborn. You would wait however long it took the older man to trust you completely. And if that say never came, well, you'd still be grateful for whatever amount of trust he did put in you.
Travis held you possessively against his chest as if someone could steal you away at any moment. He was constantly worried that one day you'd wake up and realize how much of a horrible monster he was. You always tell him that, that would never happen. That if he hasn't scared you off yet then you're not going anywhere. Plus you know he isn't a monster. Has he had to do things for his family that he's ashamed of and feels guilty over? Unfortunately, he has but you don't necessarily hold it against him.
You let out a yawn and nuzzle your face against his chest as the rain picked up outside, a clap of thunder echos off in the distance. You wished you could stay there forever, wrapped up in Travis' arms where you felt safe and warm. You knew that would never happen with Travis being pulled here and there by one thing or another. You're not sure how the man has stayed up right all these years.
You squirmed a little in his tight hold until he reluctantly loosened his grip on you so you could roll over onto your otherside, pressing your back against his chest. He readjusted his hold on you and hummed in contentment as he placed a gentle kiss to the top of your head that caused a blooming of warmth in your chest. You really did love him though you hadn't exactly told him that yet. You slipped your hand underneath Travis' larger one that had been softly gripping onto your shoulder. He allowed your hand under his and intertwined his fingers with your own, you could he but smile.
You brought his hand up to your mouth so you could place a soft kiss to the top of his hand.
"I love you." You mumbled against his hand speaking just barely above a whisper.
You weren't sure if he heard you and you were even more unsure if you were even ready for him to hear those three words coming from you.
There was silence for a best, the only sound filling the room was the dull thud of heavy rain drops falling against the roof that kept both you and Travis warm and dry. Until finally you hears Travis start to speak.
"I...I love you too." He mumbled against your head as if he was trying to hide himself.
Wait, did you hear that right? Did THE Travis Hackett just tell you that he loved you too? So the meant he must've heard you when you had unceremoniously confessed your own love for him. You could help the blush that started to spread across your cheeks and to the tips of your ears turning them a bright burning red.
You twisted around to try and look at him but he simply tightened his hold on you while he hid his own face. You couldn't help but find that incredibly cute.
"You mean it?" You whispered out, afraid that if you talked too loudly the moment would be broken.
"Of course I mean it." He whispered back.
Okay, no you really needed to see this mans face because you can't just be admitting your love for each other and NOT kiss him. So you wiggled and squirmed until finally he stopped being so stubborn and allows you to roll back so you were facing him again. You placed a hand on his chest and smiled up at him. He looked down at you with nervousness and slight fear in his eyes, fear of rejection. Even though YOU were the one who said the L word first, Travis was funny like that.
You simply smiled and scooted yourself up a little higher on the bed so you could look Travis in the eye. His expression reminded you of a skittish animal, it was cute in a kind of fucked up way. You slowly leaned in close to give Travis the chance to stop you but he never did. Instead he watched you inch closer and closer until you brushed your lips against his own. His eyes fluttered shut and he let out a sigh. You'd barely even touched him and he was already left breathless, this poor man.
You took that as the okay to go again, a little more determined this time. This time you actually kissed him letting your lips linger against his. Soon the gentle and teasing kisses turned into hungry, passionate and desperate kisses. At some point Travis had rolled onto his back taking you with him so you were now laying on top of him, the kiss remaining unbroken. You only had to break apart to desperately gulp down oxygen only to have him pull you right back down.
The kiss was sloppy and needy but filled with love and other emotions you were unable to parse as it suddenly became too hard to think about anything except Travis' lips on your own. You allowed his hands to wander over you as the heated kisses continued.
And continue they did. The two of you had lost track of the time as you touched and kissed and explored each other a small amount. Never going too far, as much as you'd love to push past the innocent stuff and go straight into the more...heavier stuff you knew that going at Travis' pace was the best decision. Going too fast might have him
Clamming up on you and you really didn't want to have taken one step forward only to take 10 steps back.
You were happy enough. The dance you two had been sharing had finally moved onto its next stage and you were beyond happy that your feelings had been reciprocated and the two of you had shared a little more than soft kisses.
Not a bad way to spend a rainy afternoon, in your opinion.