As she moved closer, Tuck slid his arm more tightly around her. Her body felt divine against his, even without hot arousal pumping through his veins. Brianna was just soft and smooth and perfectly curved, and it was tempting to let comfort and drowsiness take over. Tuck wanted to stay awake for every moment though -- if he slept, she might disappear. He considered her question as he lightly stroked her back with his fingers. “The reunion gave me a good excuse to come back,” he murmured. It felt like she was hunting for a different answer, some deeper confession about the state of his life, but Tuck hadn’t had any dramatic heartbreaks or anything lately. “If you’re asking if I came back because I just got dumped or something ... no. I’ve been pretty single for almost a year now. The timing just finally felt right, I guess.”
The corner of her lips quirked into a small smile. She hadn't thought he had come to find her after being dumped, per se, but maybe something had happened in his life to prompt him to take the chance. The timing had been right for him, but was it right for her? Maybe it was. Her marriage had been on the decline for years, her children were grown and living their own lives now and Brianna's affair with Kane was no doubt over now that he had found someone else. Even so, the thought of a future with Tuck made Brianna nervous for so many reasons. He made her nervous, even if she had been projecting as much confidence as she could while being in his presence. "I can't complain about the timing," Brianna said. "It does feel right. I think I was hoping you would show up tonight, even if I didn't think you would." She huffed softly. "You'll probably be both relieved and disappointed to learn that Point Pleasant hasn't really changed much since you left town."
Tuck would’ve been surprised to hear that he made her nervous, having his own share of butterflies over being with her again. He’d seen her upset of course, they’d been teenagers, but Brianna had always had this sense of poise that Tuck had always appreciated. Not completely unflappable, but close. It gave him flutters to hear that she felt the timing was right too. His ability really didn’t extend to manipulating people, but maybe he’d been reading the signs that this could go well without really being aware of it. Tuck chuckled softly at her last comment. “I don’t know about relieved, but I’m definitely not surprised,” he said. “I don’t think this place ever changes much. It’s part of the, uh ... charm.” He grinned faintly. Tuck had very mixed feelings about his hometown, probably like a lot of Point Pleasant-ers. He was tempted to ask Brianna if she would still be here if she didn’t have a family, but that felt a little over the line for some reason, so he didn’t. “I’m happy you were still here to find again,” he murmured instead.
Brianna had always been adept at projecting confidence, even when she didn't feel it. Her self-assuredness had taken a hit over the years, no doubt thanks to her decaying marriage. But no one was allowed to see that part. Brianna McCarthy couldn't turn into an insecure mess of a woman. Nobody wanted to be around someone like that. So she worked hard and went after what she wanted, even if those pleasures were temporary. Being in Tuck's arms, she still didn't know if she could fully let go of the control she so desperately needed, but she did know that she felt better tonight than she had in a long while. Chuckling when Tuck mentioned Point Pleasant's charm, Brianna ran her hand over his back gently. Charming was the last adjective either of them would seriously use to describe their hometown. "I'm happy you decided to find me," Brianna said with a small smile. "I suppose this place is good for something." She paused and sighed softly. "I can't stay the night. James is home."