I Release You Tonight

Sean's hand pulled my body close to his. Every time he touches me, another text that James has sent me today is forgotten. His texts are asking for a second chance and profusely apologizing. Some of them sound like him, while others sound like Sidney sending them for James. He hasn't been playing as well as we all know he can, and I guess it's my fault. I blocked his number half way through the day so I would stop having to read them.

When I saw Sean's name pop onto my phone, a smile that I didn't know I was still capable of smiling made an appearance. I had plans with my couch, Netflix, a quart of Ben & Jerry's and some Jack but I throw those away to be Sean's date for the night... I'd rather be with Sean than home alone.

"Wanna dance?" Sean's voice was close to me as I looked up to him. Even with my highest heels on, I was still shorter than him. It's a blessing I have the ability to walk in heels like they're flip flops.

"Of course," our fingers intertwined together as we walked towards the dance floor. Sean could barely not touch me for at least fifteen minutes, and I loved it. He made me feel wanted and adored again. That's a feeling I haven't felt about three months into the relationship I had with James. Sean and James were so different from each other; but in a good way... a very good way.

***

"Are you taking me home?" I asked curled up in the back of Sean's car.

"Do you wanna go home?" His voice was comforting. I shook my head against the car seat.

"I want to be wherever you are," it came muffled, and once I said it I began to regret it.

"Where do you want me to be?" He responded before I had a chance to say something louder.

"Wherever I am," I murmured. Maybe it was a bad idea to drink as much as I did...

"Baby, I'm just a call away. I promise. Even if I'm on the road, I'm just a call away. I'll drop anything for you." I opened my eyes slightly to see us pulling up in front of the Briere residence. "Do you want me to carry you?" He asked, turning the car off.

"No, no. I'm fine," I sat up and opened the car door. I adjusted my dress and began walking the short distance from where Sean parked in the driveway to the front door. I didn't hear him behind me, but I felt his fingers intertwining with mine. Once we hit the steps, I patiently waited for Sean to open the door but he took his sweet time.

"There's something I've been waiting to do all night," he whispered as he opened the door.

"And what is that?" I looked up at him with a small smile on my lips.

"Well, there's a girl... and she's absolutely gorgeous," he began looking at me dead in the eyes, "and she doesn't realize how special she is anymore because of a douche bag Penguin." His eyes never left mine as we walked slowly to the door of his bedroom. I knew he was talking about me, it was so obvious, but I wanted to play along with it.

"She must be pretty special to have caught your attention like this," I looked up at him through my lashes.

"Oh she is, trust me. She has one of the sassiest mouths I've ever heard. She's not easy, and she's classy. She loves hockey, which you know is perfect for me, but she loves it for the sport and not for the guys."

"It's good she's not a puck slut," I quipped.

"She hates the Penguins almost as much as the whole Flyers organization and fans combined hate them,"

"She must have good taste,"

"Except she dated one, and he broke her, because he made her feel special for a short while." That sentence hurt, and I tried not to let it show. I tried so hard. "But, I could make her feel ten times as special if I had the chance," as I leaned against the door to his bedroom, I broke the little game that was going on between us.

"It was more than that..." I whispered on the verge of tears, "it was more than just feeling special for a short while. I saw something in him that I loved. There was passion between us... passion I haven't seen in quite a long time." As the tears rolled down my cheeks, I didn't try to wipe them away. It was present in my voice. The pads of Sean's thumbs caressed the tears away.

"I'm sorry Juliette, I'm so sorry for what he did to you. You never deserved any of that," with the pads of his thumbs on my cheekbones wiping away stray tears, he pressed his lips to my forehead tenderly.