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[myhousemyrules]

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[trustfundee]

[ He kisses her deeply, propped up on his elbows over her, a hand in each of hers. He can’t imagine any other place he’d rather be. ]

Or else what? Gonna steal my spot? [ He murmurs into the kiss before diving into her neck, playfully nipping and kissing a trail along her pulse point. ]

[myhousemyrules]

[ Her quip stalls on her tongue. His kisses are so distracting. They send a shiver racing through her. She turns her head to muzzle against his cheek affectionately. ]

That and steal all the covers tonight. None for you.

[trustfundee]

Oh, [ he gives her an impressed look. ] Vicious. I like it. [ He turns his head to kiss her again. ] Then I’ll just have to stay right up against you like this to keep warm.

[myhousemyrules]

[ That's exactly what she hopes for. She wants to spend the night tangled up in him and pressed close. She smiles sweetly against his kiss and brushes her nose against his. Her hands let his go, so she can comb her fingers through his damp hair. He smells so good. Marta knows his scent lingers all over her. ]

You're going to get heavy.

[trustfundee]

[ His eyes close briefly when she brushes their noses together. He's not the only one that smells nice here--she does too. He often notices it when she's gone, clinging to his sweaters and robes that she wears when she's around. Though he doesn't notice when his clothing goes missing, he's sure she must have a couple stashed away somewhere. But he doesn't mind. He hopes Cameron finds them.

He turns them around when she lets his hands go so she's on top of him instead. ]

There. [ He looks up at her, enjoying the feeling of her fingers through his hair. ] Who's gonna steal my side of the bed if you're gone?

[myhousemyrules]

[ She's happy to sprawl across his chest like this. He radiates warmth. She rests on one elbow and continues to run her fingers through his soft hair. She likes when it isn't perfectly styled. His question makes her sigh softly. ]

That's never been a problem for you.

[trustfundee]

[ It's hard to reply sarcastically when she looks at him with that soft sadness in her eyes. He's quiet for a beat, just gazing at her above him. ]

It's been a long time since I've had anyone else in my bed. [ His arms wrap around her and a hand flattens warm and broad at her lower back. ]

[myhousemyrules]

[ Her heart leaps and cracks all at the same time. The idea that despite the different women that hang off his arm at all the different events and gatherings, he doesn't let them get this close warms. This is hers. He's hers.

But he's not. Not really. She has to remind herself of that before she gets carried away. Her hand slides down his his cheek until she can trace her thumb along his bottom lip. ]

You're making it very difficult.

[trustfundee]

[ He slowly turns his head, following her thumb so he can kiss the tip of it. He's hers. He's been hers for a long time, despite all the women who want him, he's only been wanting her. She's been enough. ]

That's sorta the point. [ It's not like it's easy saying this to her. It goes against what everyone thinks his brand is, but he's desperate. She's been clear the whole night that come morning, this will be over. ] No one else feels the way you do.

[myhousemyrules]

[ She loves when he's vulnerable and open like this with her. It makes her want to give in, but even if she does, she knows there will be that discontent. It's the inheritance that stands between them. She doesn't want to argue though, so she doesn't bring that up. ]

What are you going to do with inheritance?

[trustfundee]

[ She doesn't even acknowledge what he says. It almost hurts, except he knows that she's heard it and it must be painful for her too. But her question has him frowning, looking up at her as he tries to figure it out. Why does she keep asking about the inheritance?

Slowly, he shakes his head.

He doesn't know yet. He's been so focused on trying to get it that for once, he hasn't thought that far. Truthfully, she's been distracting in the process, and he wasn't sure it'd really happen. ]

We can figure that out together.

[myhousemyrules]

[ She acknowledges it. She feels it. It's like one more thing that binds her to him which means it's another thing she needs to try and let go of. It means so much to her, but it feels too late. She wishes it had all come before she'd given him what he wanted from the start.

Shaking her head, she sighs and rests her cheek on his shoulder. Marta curls up against him. ]

It's not mine. It's yours.

[trustfundee]

[ His arms wind tighter around her. He needs to hold on, can’t help but hold on. Though she’s pressed with her face to his heart, it feels like she’s slipping away. ]

That doesn’t change us. I’m not letting you go, Marta. [ His fingers come to slowly stroke along the hair, brushing it back. He stares at the ceiling, refusing to accept it, already trying to think of a way. ] You’ll see.

[myhousemyrules]

Oh, Ransom. [ She adores him for his tenacity and his passion. He's never been one to give up which is how he's gotten what he wanted. Listening to the steady thrum of his heart, she traces her name on his chest again. Like she can leave a piece of herself with him. ]

It changes everything.

[trustfundee]

How? [ He doesn’t agree with her for a single beat. His hand threads through her hair and he tips his chin enough to look at her. She’s doing that thing she does again where she traces our her name on his chest, like it’s the spell binding him to her. ]

If anything it’s only made me want you more. How does it change everything? I’m still me, and you’re still you.

[myhousemyrules]

[ His tug isn't forceful. Even so, she easily goes where he leads her. Marta peers up at him with green eyes so dark in the low light of his room. She releases a noise that's not quite a sigh, but not quite a laugh either. ]

You only want me more because I've made myself unavailable to you, Ransom. You've always wanted what you can't have.

[trustfundee]

[ There’s a deep hurt that gathers around his eyes as his brows furrowed and his mouth parts around inadequate words. ]

No. [ It’s a quick, clipped syllable as he meets her eyes. ] Because you’re finally giving me what I wanted and— [ His voice is plain, low, and his hand traces up her jaw drift along her hair again. ] And you’re not asking for anything in return. [ He doesn’t remember the last time anyone did that for him. ]

[myhousemyrules]

[ Her lips part to say something in response. She can see his confusion and how it distresses him, but his words give her a new perspective. It makes sense that this puzzles him. Everything in his family comes with a cost. She looks at him for a long beat as she tries to find the right words to explain. ]

When you lo-- when you care about someone, you give without expecting anything in return. Because you want to make them happy. Giving you your inheritance is what you've always wanted, and I hope it will finally make you happy.

[trustfundee]

[ He wonders if she can feel the way his heart stumbles as it trips over her overwhelming words. He has to remind himself to take a breath in when his chest burns. ]

Stay. [ It’s a quiet plea. ] If you want me to be happy, then stay. [ His hand cups her cheek tenderly. Why give him what he wants only to take the other part away? Why do this to him when she clearly cares about him? ]

[myhousemyrules]

[ It hurts that he asks her to stay. He wants her, all in now that he has what he wants, but now she can't give herself to him. She closes her eyes and leans into his touch. His hand is warm and gentle upon her cheek. ]

You know I can't. [ Oh, how she wants to though. ] I'll always wonder and think about how you wanted the inheritance more.

[trustfundee]

[ His thumb sweeps along her cheekbone. She’s so giving and so firm. Even if he were to drop on his knees and beg right now, she would say no. The thought twists in his chest and he lets out a slow breath to loosen it. ]

I’m not giving up on you. On us. [ Shes right on one thing. Ransom is always chasing after something. And now that he has the inheritance, that something is her. No one will complete her like he does. He wraps both arms around her again and let’s her head lay on his chest. ]

[myhousemyrules]

[ It's always the most peaceful, restful sleep when she's with Ransom. The hours fly by too quickly. She wakes at the first rays of sunlight. Quietly and with great reluctance, she slips from his hold. Marta takes a moment to admire him like this. He's so soft and relaxed in slumber. None of the jagged edges he uses to arm himself when he's awake. Her fingertips are featherlight along his cheek. Leaning in, she gives him one last kiss.

Softly, she tells him that she loves him. More than he'll ever know.

When she leaves, it's with one of his sweaters. She goes home to shower where she weeps for what she can't have. She weeps for things to be different. She feels like a raw, exposed nerve. Her mother and Alice notice a difference in her, but she doesn't give a clear answer when they ask what's wrong.

Instead, she tries to move on and fill the gaping Ransom shaped hole in her heart. She speaks to her lawyers and gets things stated to give Ransom the inheritance. She finds a job. Most of all, she sees Cameron more.

She surprises him with lunch in the office. She smiles, but it doesn't meet his eyes. His executive assistant lets her in without issue. She holds up the bag of food from their favorite cafe as she greets him. ]

I hope you're not too busy.

[trustfundee]

[ Ransom is soft in his sleep. While he's blissfully unaware, Marta slips away without another word. He's hurt and angry when he finds her spot cold and left imprinted with the wrinkles of their night before. He's reminded of the time he did the same to her when they'd spent their first night together. How ironic it is that she leaves what she believes to be their last night in the same fashion. He sits up quickly and makes a round through the house, draped in nothing but a luxurious silk robe she's worn before too. It does nothing for the ache in his heart when he doesn't find her.

But he finds lots of traces of her. Everywhere he looks, he sees it, glaring at him against the emptiness of the glass and steel house. A hair band on his bathroom vanity. A lone hair clinging to the heated tile. There's the mug she uses when she's here, sitting innocently on the kitchen island, rimmed with a coffee stain around its base. He smashes it then curses himself for the mess it makes, then accidentally slices a finger open when he bends to clean it up. His blood is crimson against the white porcelain shard. Would she have bandaged it up for him if she were here? The ache consumes him, and he channels it into his persistent, relentless tendencies. He'll get her back. She'll see. Everyone will see.

--

Cameron doesn't know exactly what happened, but he has a good guess or two. Marta's been different lately. She's been around more and feels closer to him, all good things, so he doesn't ask. Some things are better left unsaid, after all, so he continues staying attuned to her, taking her cues with the pushes and the pulls. It's not a hard thing to do when he's attuned to her. Marta's always been so easy to read, despite all that she doesn't say.

So he's pleasantly surprised when Marta pokes her head into his office one day, holding a takeout bag with a promising logo stamped on it. He smiles and shakes his head. ]

I'm never too busy for you, love. [ But he needs a second. Just give him five seconds to finish typing out this email so he can press send. Hopefully, Marta gets it by now. In the time she takes to step into his office, he's finished it and shuts the lid of his laptop and stands from his desk. ]

Hi. [ He rounds the large desk over to her side and pulls her into a warm hug. Something happened--he knows something happened. Sure, she's around more, but her smile doesn't spark in her eyes. But everyone goes through hard times. He's gone through hard times before. Losing his ex-fiancee to cancer had been the hardest thing he's ever gone through, so he understands that some things are a function of time and patience. He can only be here for her. ] Is that for me?

[myhousemyrules]

[ The ache of missing Ransom is something she always carries with her now. It's a pain that's nestled in her chest like a constant companion. As much as she wants to dramatically shut herself away, that's not who she is. Marta keeps going. She focuses on the next step and the next and the next.

She laughs and smiles and keeps going even when none of it quite reaches her eyes. Her mother is thrilled at how attentive and serious she and Cameron are getting. Her mother wants to have him over for dinner soon.

He's a good man, Cameron. He's patient and caring and kind. He's never looked down at her. He's the sort of man that she should settle down with her. It's not his fault that she's given her heart to the man who once tried to put a knife in it.

She steps into his office and sets the bag down on his desk. Her arms wraps around him when he hugs her, melting in his embrace. He does give excellent hugs. Pecking his cheek sweetly, she pulls back and teases. ]

Well, I was hoping it could be for both of us. I don't think you can eat all of this on your own.

[trustfundee]

[ He’s not the only one who gives good hugs here. He lets out a breath and presses a kiss to her temple and smiles at her similar one. She has a warmth about her and a way of sharing the best of herself with the people she cares about. It had been one of the first things he liked about her. He noticed it in her demeanour when they first met at the cafe. Despite the brevity of their interaction, he could sense her protective tendency to shield Alice from Ransom. The short interaction had taught him a lot about Marta, and he had been instantly infatuated.

Despite his best efforts to leave her be, it had been a long time since he’d been truly interested in anyone, and she was everything he wanted. She embodies the strength only love can show. She’s whip-smart, and has a sense of humour that’s right up his alley. She understands the value of hard work, and not to mention, she’s absolutely drop-dead gorgeous. There’s just always been a little smudge in the perfection where Ransom was concerned. Of course he knew Ransom was head over heels for her. Knowing Ransom for this long, it was so obvious to him, and at first, he’d been happy for him. But Marta had been so receptive that she weakened any of his resolve to stay in his own lane. The two of them had a history they needed to work out, so he understood he needed to be patient and trust in her judgement. He was the unforeseen here, after all. That much he knew.

He laughs and pushes his laptop to the side to make room for them on the immaculate desk. ]

I could try, but I’d rather have both lunch and your company. [ He also loves that she brings out this side in him, the sweet, vulnerable side that’s not afraid to show her he’s all in. He pulls out a chair for her and rounds the table to sink back into his. He just wishes she were as open with him back. He starts laying out their food from the crinkled paper bag. Sure, there’s a whole conference room they could go to, but he’s never liked taking up more space in the office than he needs. ]

So what did I do to deserve this? [ His dark, observant eyes land on her. ] Everything okay?