Come Home

"I got scared Tiera. That's why I did all the cheating and drinking. I know that's no excuse but I've come to realize that nothing could ever fill the void in my life that you left behind. I didn't mean to ruin everything." Patrick looked at her with sad eyes. They gleamed with a thin layer of hot tears. "Please say something." He whispered having to steady himself on the bed. His head spun like a merry-go-round. Tiera's small frame heaved with quiet, tiny, pants. As her crying slowed she walked closer to him.

"Can we talk about it in the morning, Patrick?"

"Do you believe everything I just said, Tiera?"

"Yeah, I do and that kind of scares me. I have my certain trust issues with you Patrick." While saying this Tiera had coaxed him into her bed and under the sheets. Tiera walked away from Patrick to gather all the pillows in the room. She then threw them onto the bed and started setting up the Great Wall of Pillows. Patrick watched her with a small smile. After that she disappeared into the bathroom and came out wearing sweatpants and a tank top. Settling onto her side of the bed, she layed on her back and stared up at the ceiling. Patrick peered at her from behind a pillow. While she tried to drift off into sleep, Pat looked at her with adoration in his eyes. He studied the steady rise and fall of her chest, the curve of her defined collarbones and the pucker of her fat lips. "I love you." Pat whispered to her, thinking she would be asleep. Tiera wasn't though. Her eyes opened slowly, turning to look at him momentarily. Sighing, she rolled over on her side, facing away from him. Tiera felt the same way, it just hurt too much to say.

...♆...

A pounding in his head awoke Patrick from his deep sleep. Groaning he opened his eyes, rubbing the sleep from them. Pat didn't recognize the green and brown bed sheets. Once he took a long look around the room and the bed he sat in, the events of last night were coming back. "You drunk fuck." Tiera wasn't in the room either. Her side of the bed was made and neat. Ambling out of bed he stumbled out of her room, on a mission to find Tiera. Wandering down the stairs, he rounded the corner into the little restaurant. Others staying at the Maidstone, turned to look at him. His whole group sat at a table eating breakfast. Tiera looked up from her eggs and bacon to find a flustered Patrick. His hair was disheveled and slight bags under his eyes, somehow he still looked ruggedly sexy to Tiera. Pat caught her eye before sitting down at the table. His spiked jealousy when he saw Toby sitting fairly close to her. While everyone but Tiera pestered him about his bangin' hangover, Pat tried to catch her eye. No such luck. She looked at everyone and everything but him. It was a lot to digest for Tiera in under 12 hours. She wanted time to breath and seriously think about each and every word Pat slurred in his drunken state last night.

A few minutes later all the women stood up, leaving for a day out. Tiera tried to scoot past Patrick's chair swiftly and gracefully. Her nerves would be enough to put her on the ground. When Patrick grabbed her wrist rather roughly, Tiera turned to glare at him. "Can we talk when you get back?" He rubbed the soft skin on the inside of her wrist before letting go. Tiera's arm flapped down to her side. Everyone's attention was turned to them, awaiting her answer. Tiera didn't want all the girls asking her questions. Especially after the performance the two put on at the beach yesterday. She shrugged, "Sure." Then turned on her heel and almost bolted out of there, leaving everyone waiting for something more.

Once all the girls left Pat turned to Toby, pointing a finger at him. "You stay away from her." Toby crossed his arms over his chest and shook his head in disbelief.

"Good morning to you too, Kaner." He stared at Patrick for a bit. His burly arms bulged out of his jacket. Toby was twice the size of Patrick. But he knew fighting with anything more than words wouldn't exactly get him any brownie points with Tiera. Besides they were buddies. "You can't do anything about it even if I don't. She left you for a reason. Pat sorry to break it to you, but you treated that girl like shit. I can't give her a life a luxury, but I can give her what she wants. Tiera wants someone who's stable and won't fuck everything that moves behind her back." Every groomsman sat at the table, silent. Patrick balled his fists up under the table. A mix of emotions pooled up as tears in his eyes. They stung and burned but he held them back.

"Do you think I don't already know that? I lost so much to learn that I need to grow up. Tiera is the best thing that ever happened to me." Patrick pointed to the way Tiera left, he stared at Toby, making sure he got the point. "So help me God, I am getting her back. Whatever it takes because that girl Toby, she's the one."

"Maybe she's the one for me too Patrick. I'm not just going to give up like you already have."

...♆...

Florence and Tiera had wandered off while Jaycee and few other girls got their nails done. Tiera pulled her sunglasses as the two entered a little shop. "Dust collectors." Florence said while studying a seashell.

"Pretty though." Tiera mentioned while wandering farther into the store. Following her cousin, Florence decided to ask, "So, are you and Pat gonna have all your differences sorted out by tomorrow?"

The ring display suddenly became the most fascinating thing Tiera had ever seen. "Hopefully."

"Quite a long history between you two. Hell you could write a book about it and sell it on Ebay." Tiera turned to look at Florence, rolling her eyes as the redhead giggled. The sad part was, that it was so sadly true. Sighing, Tiera turned away from the rings. She wished she could relive the fairytale times. "Throw in a few little extra, intimate, moments and it could be the next 50 Shades of Grey." Florence then had to duck a flying pen before the two busted out laughing.

It would be nice to relive those moments too. Tiera thought giggling with herself.

...♆...

"All hell will break loose if I can't fit into my dress tomorrow." Jaycee said sitting back in her chair after finishing dinner. Tiera grinned while taking another swig of her water. Patrick and Toby had planted themselves on either side of Tiera. It was tense and awkward to say the least. Both of the guys had been trying to make conversations with her throughout the night. Her heart felt as if it was the rope in a game of tug-of-war. "Come take a walk with me." Patrick whispered to her. Tiera felt her heart melt while looking into those big blue eyes. She took his hand and followed him out. Toby watched them leave, totally defeated.

Pat didn't let go of her hand as they walked toward the beach. He missed the feeling of how small and soft her hands were. It was past sunset and only the street lamps gave them enough light to see each other. They sat down on the cold sand and watched the waves lick the tide line. While Tiera sat there staring out at the ocean, Patrick scooted closer to her. He was brave enough to place behind her, leaning in a little more. "Think a little more about last night?"

Tiera nodded and bit her lip. "I just don't know what to say, or believe, really."

"I can understand that. But what I said was true. I meant all of it. If you can just let go of the past and give me another chance, I'll show you I've changed."

"Did it take the little party in Madison for you to change Pat? Hmm? I heard all about it, even the rumors about you choking a girl. How can I trust someone that would lay their hands on a women because they're too far gone." Tiera took a low blow. It hurt Patrick more than getting falcon punched in the gut.

Tiera was up on her feet now, brushing off the sand. Patrick popped up from where he sat and got down to her level. Tiera looked him in the eyes, finding courage out of everything Patrick had put her through. "You know me better than anyone else. How could you believe I would lay a finger on a woman? Even if I was out of control, I'd know better than taking it that far. I went to that little Mexican party in Madison because I was thinking of you."

"I listened to all your lies, bullshit and sweet talking. I trusted you, I gave you my all, my everything. You just let me down. Are you happy?" Tiera yelled at him, trying to get away. His hold was too strong, but careful not to hurt her.

"Does it look like I'm happy?! I am fucking miserable if you haven't noticed. It's not like I've told you already how I feel! What is it going to take for me to prove I want you back for good?"

Almost whispering Tiera uttered, "A lot."

They stared at each other for a moment, that felt like forever. She wondered if he would walk away from this. She didn't want him to give up on her. Tiera just didn't want to get hurt again. Patrick latched onto the sides of her face and mushed his lips unto her's. Her eyes popped out of their sockets. But Tiera let them droop as she missed the feeling of Patrick's chapped lips. She pulled him closer, needing to feel his skin. Tiera felt the hum of a moan behind Pat's lips. He missed this feeling too. His heart raced and Tiera felt it through the fabric of his shirt. Her pulse thumped in her neck and Patrick felt that while his hands rested there. When she pulled away, they both felt a loss. Resting her head on Patrick's sturdy chest, she took some time to breath. "I still need to think."

"I understand." He whispered kissing her neck.

Tiera detached herself from his warm body. A gust of wind making her shiver. "Get some rest tonight." She said to him before turning back toward the hotel.

"Doubt it." Pat said to himself.