“Oh, how fitting for the first night of myhoneymoon.”
“I figure we need to grab some dinner before I spend the rest of my time ravaging my husband. There’s a beautiful restaurant not too far from here, walking distance, but we could have a little snack before we headthere.”
“I have a feeling I know the sort of snack you’re referring to. Can I turnaround?”
“Yes.”
As I do, I see him standing before me. His dark hair is gelled to the side. His shirt’s unbuttoned, all the lines in his torso stressed with shadows cast by what light from the dusk remains. Blue eyes sparkling… As always, he’s a god, and I’m a servant to his every desire. It reminds me of that first encounter, with his hair soaked and his skin glistening with the water from the shower he’d just taken in the master bathroom of hiscondo.
He approaches, unbuttoning one of the cuff links on his shirt so that it’s like theother.
“That’s all the difference, isn’t it?” Isay.
“What?”
“Thatsmile.”
He moves close to me, reeling me in to him, his gaze fixed on me before adding, “What about mysmile?”
“I remember a lot of things from when I met you, but your smile isn’t one of them. You were so serious. Frustrated. Angry, even. Now it seems like you’re always smiling. I only see that serious expression when you’re frustrated aboutwork.”
“Not entirely true. You know I can get pretty annoyed with a jigsawpuzzle.”
“You see? Where was all this humor then? You were tooserious.”
“You’ve given me a lot of things to laugh about. A lot of reasons to glow. Do I do the same for you? Even though I haven’t been the easiest person in the world tomanage.”
“I can’t say I’ve been the easiest person to ever walk into your life either, but that’s just made it that much better, hasn’tit?”
He nods in agreement, his smile expanding, something I wouldn’t have even believed possible until I sawit.
He leans closer to me, kissing my lips ever so softly, taking his time before moving even closer and taking my bottom lip between his teeth and tugging. Such a simple movement stirs so much life in me, reminds me of the power of that first touch…all those firsttouches.
I moan, and he steals a kiss, sliding his tongue into mymouth.
We lick and tease and play as I lose myself in a melody that at one time I enjoyed making so much funof.
He pulls away and takes myhand.
“Come on. I’m making love to you in bed, the way husbandsdo.”
My cheekswarm.
“Are you blushing overthat?”
“Maybe.”
“Well, I want to make love to you in the bed now, but don’t think that’s going to keep me from fucking you everywhere else too.” His subtle wink earns anotherlaugh.
He guides me into the bedroom, and I follow his lead, dancing this familiar dance, and it’sperfect.
Everything is just as it shouldbe.
I still cope with that fear that’s always haunted me. Charlotte and Stan, Ty, Eric. What if one day I realize I’m still that kid in the shelter, miserable and alone, and that all this has been nothing more than adream?
But it gives me a reason to savor every moment, every caress, everykiss.
Because even if one day I wake up, if I can embed all these things in my mind, I can carry them with meforever.
