I carefully slid along in my skates, even doing a little turn with a hand flourish when I was finished.
“Tada!” I laughed.
“I think you’ve got this. I knew you would.” Yoss grinned.
I grinned.
I was pretty sure ourone day soonhad already begun.
“Do you want a cup of tea?” I asked after we had finished skating. Yoss closed the kitchen door and lined his skates up against the wall.
“Sure, tea sounds good.” He was in a good mood. It was nice to see.
I brewed the kettle and got two teacups from the cabinet.
“This is exactly what I always imagined home to feel like,” Yoss said, taking the cookie tin I handed him and sitting down at the table.
“Me too,” I agreed. I poured the tea and put milk and sugar in each mug. Then I sprinkled a little cinnamon on top before joining him.
Yoss took his cup and smiled at my added touches. “This is great. Thank you.”
“So, I’ve told you some of my fun stories. What about you? I want to hear about some of yours,” I said, taking a chocolate chip cookie from the tin.
Yoss frowned, sipping on his tea. “I’ve never been skiing or snuck backstage at a concert, I’m afraid.”
“Remember something that made you smile, Yoss. It can’t have been all bad.”
I hoped it hadn’t.
Yoss stirred his tea and looked thoughtful. “That day at the flea market was pretty amazing. I think that was one of the happiest times I can remember.”
My heart simultaneously soared and fell.
I loved that I was his happiest memory. I hated that they were the only ones he could recall.
“What about after I…after you…” I stumbled over my words, struggling. “Something after me,” I finally got out.
Yoss was quiet for a while, slowly stirring his tea.
He looked up at me after some time had passed, his green eyes intense. “Right now,” he said. “Right now is my best story.”
This man had the power to break my heart in so many ways.
It splintered and fractured. His truth hurt.
“There’s nothing else? Nothing from the last fifteen years that made you smile?” I pushed.
Yoss rolled his hand over and threaded his fingers through mine. “Knowing you were safe. Knowing you were living your life. That made me smile.”
I leaned across the table and cupped the back of his head, pulling him forward. Our lips met half way.
“You’re my smile, Imi. Always have been.” He kissed me with abandon. A passion unleashed. “Always will be,” he murmured into my mouth.
Somehow we got to our feet. A moan tore from my throat and we were both on our feet, arms wrapped around each other, crushed in the tightest embrace.
His teeth nipped at my lips. My tongue swept over his. His fingers dug into my back. My hands clutched his shirt.
Yoss walked me across the room, never breaking our kiss. My back collided with the counter and he helped me up so that I could wrap my legs around his waist. I could feel him against me. Hard and wanting.
