Safe in Your Arms

Chapter 27

Newt kissed Tina, pouring everything he had into the kiss. His mind was reeling. This was the woman he loved . . . the woman who loved him. Her one hand was on the back of his head, gently tugging on his hair. The other was in the middle of his back, clutching the fabric of his shirt. His own hands were both on her back, pulling her closer and closer. Their lips fit together perfectly. They were moving in perfect sync.

Suddenly,  there was a loud crash and the sound of a metal bucket hitting the concrete floor. Newt and Tina broke apart and looked up. Bunty was standing at the entrance to a nearby enclosure. Before Newt could react, she had sprinted to the nearest staircase and bolted up it.

Newt gave Tina an apologetic look as he detangled himself from her arms. He dashed after his assistant but she had had a decent head start and was nowhere to be found. He sighed and made his way back to the basement. Tina met him in the narrow hallway at the top of the stairs.

"Why did she run off like that?" he asked, frowning slightly.

"She saw us kissing," Tina replied.

Newt looked at her curiously. "I -- So?"

Tina looked at him a slightly amused expression on her face. "You really haven't noticed?"

"Noticed what?" he asked, confused.

"Bunty has a crush on you," Tina said. "A really big crush on you."

"What?" Newt exclaimed. "She does? She told you this?"

She shook her head. "No, but it's obvious." She laughed softly and ran a hand through Newt's hair. "Only you wouldn't notice."

Newt frowned again. He looked through the door in the direction of the living room. "Now she's upset with me and I didn't even realize."

"It will be fine," Tina said, taking his hands in hers.

"Do you think she'll come back?"

"Of course, she'll come back, Newt," Tina assured. "And when she does, we'll be able to explain everything."

"But what if she's mad at us?"

Tina pulled Newt's hands so they were behind her, circling her in a hug. She let go and wrapped her own arms around his shoulders. "I don't think she will be. I know she has a crush on you but I also suspect that, deep down, she knew you didn't notice her."

"Can you talk to her for me?"

Tina laughed. "Yes, but you will have to talk to her yourself as well."

Newt smiled and pressed another kiss to her lips. "As long as you do it first."

Tina and Newt made their way back into the basement. She helped him finish feeding his creatures. Then they curled up next to each other on a step and spent the rest of the morning talking. Every few minutes, they would punctuate a sentence with a brief kiss.

Eventually, they knew they had to go back up to prepare lunch. They got to their feet and made their way back up the stairs, hand in hand. After lunch, they retreated back into the basement and spent the rest of the afternoon there. They emerged again for supper and, after the meal, Tina decided she wanted to go to bed. She had only had a few hours of sleep the night before and was exhausted.

Newt escorted her to her room. Before she entered it, she leaned forward and gave him a goodnight kiss.

"I love you," she murmured.

He smiled against her lips. "I love you too."

Tina slipped into her room. Newt entered his own room and flopped down on his bed, staring at the ceiling. She loves me, he thought, a look of pure wonder and amazement on his face. She really loves me.