We stand there in silence, neither of us daring to speak first. I watch as his eyes narrow and glide past me. The tense expression from a moment ago is replaced by a subtle grin. I don’t understand what’s so funny. I try to follow his gaze, wondering what he’s looking at. When I glance behind me, I see my exposed backside reflected in the mirror. I curse and turn the full-length mirror around. Rolling my eyes, I realize Andreas has seen far more than I intended. The blush rises to my cheeks, and I don’t know what to say anymore.
Andreas takes a few more steps toward me.
“Nora, I thought you weren’t home, that you wouldn’t come. You look amazing in?—”
I interrupt him immediately.
“I’m still not sure if I want to go,” I say honestly.
My mind isn’t ready to surrender. I can’t think clearly with so much testosterone in the air.
“I’m far from perfect, Nora, and I don’t know if I’ll be able to meet all your expectations, but please, let me try. I want to try for you. I can’t be without you. It was stupid of me to think that breaking up would be the best solution for us. I’m sorry.” His walls drop. He takes the final step toward me, tilting my chin up and looking at me with desperate eyes. “Nora, you’re mine and I’m yours. Always have been. If you let me, I’ll never let you go again.”
I could swear his eyes are fighting back tears.
“How can I trust you, Andreas? You said that before you left me, hard and cold. You’re not making this easy for me. This isn’t a game. I’ve already given you my heart multiple times and…”
Andreas gently places his finger on my lips, silencing me.
“Without you, I’m a mess. I love you, Nora. I’ve never loved anyone like this. I needed time to realize it, this is new for me, but I love you. That changes everything. I want to love you forever, Nora.”
He loves me… three words I’ve waited weeks to hear. This is all I ever wanted. The only reason I wasn’t downstairs yet was probably because I hadn’t heard those words. My rational brain acknowledges his declaration, ceases the fight, and gives way to emotion. My eyes start to sting, and my lower lip trembles. I release the breath I’ve been holding for far too long. I place my hand on his chest as if I’m touching him for the first time. His watery eyes meet mine, widen, and radiate relief. He knows.
“I love you too, Andreas. I never stopped loving you.”
I throw myself into his arms and hold him as tightly as I can with my one good arm. In response, he holds me just as tightly. My body finally finds land after days lost at sea.
“You were right.” I look up with a questioning look in my eyes. “Tears of joy really do exist,” he says lovingly.
He laughs, and I melt. I know this time is different.
Predictably, Andreas’s hands slide down to the bottom of the corset, brushing against my bare skin. His touch is everything. I come alive again under his possessive grip. His lips find mine, kissing me with intensity, clearly showing how much he’s missed me, how badly he’s longed for me, and how deeply he loves me. Love and desire collide. It doesn’t take long before we’re gasping for air, only to dive back into each other again. The dress I held for protection has fallen to the floor. I grip Andreas’s hair as he continues to hold my hips and lower back. He massages and kneads my body in ways only he has the right to. It feels incredible, and it’s tempting to let myself be carried away completely by his skilled hands. But everything is moving way too quickly.
“Andreas, stop,” I say, gasping for air. He lets go of me immediately and looks at me with concern and question in his eyes. “I love it,” I reassure him, “but this is going way too fast. I don’t want to rush anything, Andreas. These past weeks have been intense, we’re just getting back together, I want…”
“I want whatever you want, Nora,” he interrupts, “we’ll take as much time as you need.”
He kisses me gently and pulls me into a firm hug. This is love beyond lust. It feels so good to hold him. Minutes pass, and I needed this, to restore the connection between us. Figuratively, I’ll never let him go, but if we don’t leave soon, we’ll miss Andreas’s own event honoring his late brother.
“I’ll freshen up, and then we’ll leave, okay?”
He nods, and I hurry to the bathroom to see if I’m still presentable for tonight. The corset is still in place, and my hair is fine. A few loose strands seem deliberately left out and don’t necessarily betray our delicious moment. When I return to the room, I see that Andreas is holding a dress for me. It’s a beautiful, long, satin blue dress with a flowing skirt, a high slit, and a strapless fitted bodice.
“It’s gorgeous, Andreas, but something’s missing, don’t you think?” I ask innocently.
A mischievous, genuine laugh fills the room. “Hmmm, what could that be?” he says playfully as he steps toward me.
“You know exactly what I mean, and I’m not leaving without them!” Would I really do that if he asked? I don’t even want to think about it. I want my panties!
“You might not wear them for long, but if you insist…”
With a grin, he pulls a tiny blue thong from the inside pocket of his tuxedo jacket. It’s nothing more than a few grams of fabric, but I snatch it from his hands and put it on as quickly as I can. Andreas is mocking me, but then helps me into the dress, zipping it up. I face the mirror and admire our reflections. We make a picture-perfect couple, if I do say so myself. Andreas places both hands on my waist and kisses my neck.
“All eyes will be on you tonight, Nora. Soon, the media and everyone we know will know we’re together.” His tone is serious.
“Are you okay with that, Andreas?” I try to gauge his reaction.
“I would’ve preferred to keep you to myself for as long as possible, but part of me likes the idea. Everyone will know you’re mine. The whole fucking world will know.”
