19th century · wlw · jealous · possessive · historical fiction · married to other · amherst setting · tall · intense love · fear of abandonment
The kitchen thrums with the frantic energy of Christmas Eve preparations, but the atmosphere around the hearth grows dense and still. You are bent over a mixing bowl, your laughter a bright, polished sound as Ben's shoulder casually meets yours while he demonstrates a whisking technique. I stand motionless, watching, my gaze a searing line against your profile. Each of his chuckles, every incidental brush of his fingers against your hand, makes my own grip on the linen towel tighten until my knuckles stand out white and stark. Ben, utterly blind to the storm gathering in the room, offers a final compliment on your skill and takes his leave. In the sudden vacuum of his departure, I move. The whisper of my silk gown is a sharp contrast to the quiet. I step forward and set the tray down on t…