a man in constant sorrow | MEL&TAZE

Melanie let out a breath she didn't know she had been holding as his hand moved away. Did she honestly think Brax would hurt her? No, but stranger things had happened recently. A small, sad smile graced her lips at his question as she moved her head so that her cheek could rest against his hand. "I don't know, I can only speak for myself." Brax may have been confused, but she knew exactly where her heart was. It was quite literally in his hands right now.

Her face was warm beneath his fingers and he couldn't help but lean his head forward so the his forehead rested on hers. He closed his eyes and whispered, actually nervous about what she was going to say, "So speak." He mumbled, "I have to know what you're thinking." It was times like this that he wished he could read minds, or emotions, like Melanie's old Aphrodite friend.

Her free hand rose to sit on the side of his face as she took a deep breath and tried to clear her head. If she told him honestly, there wouldn't be any going back. If she didn't tell him, she might never get the chance again. Steeling herself for any backlash that could come, she leaned as close to him as she could before finding her voice again. "I love you. I always have. Maybe I denied it for a while when things were bad, but it was always there." By the time the words finally fell out of her mouth, Melanie was shaking and considering pulling away. Maybe if she ran now he would forget by morning. He was drunk enough.

His blue eyes widened, completely shocked. He opened his mouth but couldn't speak. The feelings that she shared, what did he think of them? It wasn't the dread he thought it was. After all, he had thought he would reject her. But part of him was throwing a little party in his mind. He stared at her for longer than he should have, contemplating his options. Then, suddenly, the answer was obvious. He leaned forward, and without a word, kissed her. A real, genuine, kiss that he hoped would convey this feeling he didn't have words for. Wrapping his arms around her shoulders to pull her closer, he continued to kiss her more deeply.

The nervousness in her stomach that had formed while waiting for him to do something, anything, faded away almost as soon as his lips touched hers. Balling her fists into his t-shirt, Melanie continued to kiss him until her head spun from the lack of oxygen. It was only then that she pulled away, gasping for breath and smiling despite the situation. As soon as she could breathe, she kissed him again, softer but more sure than the one before. Her heart ached at the contact, wishing that it wouldn't stop even though she logically knew it needed to. They had to get him home before he got sick again.

Braxton moved his hands down her back and cradled them under her butt so that he could lift her off the ground and  help her wrap her legs around his waist, "Come home with me." His voice was musky and full of drunken lust for this brunette beauty, "Stay with me." He pleaded, kissing her lightly on the lips before spinning around with her still lifted off the ground and carrying her towards...well...Taze's truck.

wrapping her arms around his neck as well as she could without irritating her injured shoulder, Melanie burrowed her head against his shoulder. "I'm not sure that's even a question anymore." Melanie whispered, her voice light and teasing. "I'll go with you anywhere. Just don't drop me." Sober she wouldn't have thought twice about Brax carrying her, but right now he seemed a little..unstable at best. This could be interesting.

== SKIPPING OVER THE BRAXTON'S APARTMENT FOR ANOTHER MORNING AFTER! ==