The photographer calls out soft directions as she lifts her skirts, laughing when the fountain’s spray brushes her.
And just like that, it hits me.
The memory crashes in—sharp, sudden, uninvited.
* * *
We were driving down the highway, the wind tearing through the open windows, the air thick with summer heat. One of my favorite Latinsongs blasted from the speakers, and I was half-singing, half-translating the lyrics for him, laughing as I did.
“Goddess of Goddesses…” I translated with dramatic flair, grinning.
“Tell me how I can dazzle you.
I don't have pearls or rubies.
I would give you the Universe…
I only have dreams…”
I shot him a teasing glance as I sang the next part, laughter bubbling up in my chest.
“I want to show myself to you.
Naked…
Discovering my soul to you.
Naked.”
I gestured playfully, laughing through the words.
He glanced at me, eyes dark with mischief, heat sparking there.
“Naked, huh?” His voice was low, rough around the edges, full of that familiar hunger. “That’s what it takes to dazzle you?”
I burst out laughing, unable to help myself.
“Naked is definitely your best look.” I teased back, breathless from laughter, but my skin tingling under his look. “I’ll take it anytime.”
“Is that so, goddess of goddesses?” His gaze lingered on me, voice dripping with heat. “Anytime?”
We laughed together, loud and carefree, but there was something else in the air too—something crackling and electric, coiled beneath our smiles.
His hand was resting on my thigh, warm, steady, grounding me even as everything inside me felt like it was floating. His other hand gripped the wheel, knuckles flexing every now and then.
I remember the way he watched me then—like I was the only thing that existed in the entire world.
Later, we stopped by the lake.
He’d packed a picnic—strawberries, wine, crackers and that ridiculous blue cheese I could never pronounce but secretly adored.
The sun was low, casting everything in that soft, golden haze that makes everything feel like a dream.
We found a quiet spot, away from everyone, just the two of us, with only the sound of the waves and our laughter drifting through the air.
We sat on the blanket, and he pulled me close, his arms wrapping around me from behind—strong, protective, familiar.
I remember the way his breath brushed against my neck as he tucked my hair aside, the softness of his lips pressing against my skin in a kiss that sent shivers down my spine.
