The Curious Swan

by Kenzie Hart

  “What are you thinking?” she asks, moving even closer, barely an inch between them.

  “That’s the problem. I can’t think about anything but you. I want you, Klara. And it’s consuming me,” Eddie says breathlessly as he takes in her scent of roses and tea. It’s intoxicating.

  He closes his eyes, trying to clear his mind, but within an instant, Klara is pressed up against him.

  “Can I tell you something?” she asks, looking up at him.

  Eddie nods, swallowing hard. His hands want to move over every part of her body, but he keeps them plastered to his sides, letting Klara take control.

  “I’ve never felt this way before. I know how I feel, Edward. And I want you, too.” Her lips quickly find his.

  As soon as their lips touch, he wraps his fingers around her waist, grabbing at the fabric hiding her skin from him.

  She wants me, too.

  His body buzzes, but Klara steps back with her eyes still closed.

  “We’d better go inside before we both catch colds.” She wraps her arm through Eddie’s, leading him out of the woods and back to the house. Her wellies are caked in mud, and the hem of her dress is covered in dirt. Eddie’s shirt and shorts are soaking wet, and as they get to the back porch, they both kick off their shoes.

  “Ah! Hurry up,” Klara says with a laugh as they run through the house, soaking wet.

  Little drops of water splatter onto the floor as they make their way to Klara’s room and into her bathroom.

  A shiver runs through Eddie as Klara hands him a towel, and he pats himself with it.

  “I’m going to put on something dry,” she says, moving out of her bathroom and to her wardrobe. “Would you light the fire?”

  Eddie nods and takes a few pieces of wood from the small rack in Klara’s room, placing them into the fireplace. A box of matches sits on the mantel, and Eddie does his best to kindle the fire. The sky has darkened, and it feels as though it were nighttime rather than late in the afternoon.

  The glow of the fire dances across the walls, and Klara moves beside Eddie, grabbing the matches and lighting a few candles in the corner.

  “Much better,” she says, extending her hands out in front of the flames.

  Eddie notices the goose bumps rising up her arms. She has on a sheer, loose nightgown, and he has to peel his eyes away from it.

  “It does feel good,” he replies, the towel still draped over his neck. Water is running down his legs from his still-wet clothes, so he moves closer to the fire.

  Klara stands on the rug in front of the fireplace, pulling a blanket over her shoulders. “You can take off your wet clothes.” She looks at Edward, a slight blush on her cheeks.

  “Yeah?” Eddie questions, slightly surprised.

  “Of course. You can hang them over the edge of the tub to dry.”

  The look in Edward’s eyes makes Klara wonder if she was in fact answering his question or answering a deeper question he hadn’t asked her yet.

  Eddie swallows and moves into the bathroom, unbuttoning his shirt and slipping off his shorts. He dries himself as best as he can and looks at himself in the mirror. He’s standing in just his boxers in this delicate and beautiful marbled bathroom.

  It’s no big deal, Eddie, he tries to tell himself.

  But, as he walks back into her room, his stomach flips. Klara’s wet hair is hanging over her shoulders, and her skin is glowing in the light of the fire.

  “Here. This will help you warm up,” she says, handing him the throw.

  His almost-naked body is quite the distraction, and Klara looks him over but moves her focus back to the fire. Eddie gratefully takes the blanket, watching her stand silently for a few moments.

  “Edward, may I ask you something?” she says, keeping her eyes on the fire.

  “Of course,” he replies, his eyes still on her.

  “Have you ever been with someone?”

  Eddie’s eyes go wide for a moment. “I, um … I haven’t, no.”

  Klara takes a moment to absorb the new information. “I haven’t either. But I want to. And I want to be with you.”

  Eddie feels as though he’s gone slightly numb. Klara’s bluntness doesn’t surprise him, but her statement does.

  “It’s a big decision,” he breathes out. “I don’t want you to make that decision lightly. Or feel like you have to because of what we said to one another this afternoon.” Eddie wants nothing more than to be with Klara, but he wants her to be ready in her own time. On her own terms.

  “I’m not. I’ve waited. We’ve waited. And I don’t want to wait anymore,” she says, throwing her hands up in the air. It is something she has been thinking more and more about, and today did change things for her. “I’ve never cared for anyone like I care for you, Edward.”

  Eddie’s stomach lurches, and he inches himself closer to Klara, tentatively placing his hands on her thin hips. He looks straight into her eyes, trying to find a hint of nervousness or uncertainty. But the only things looking back at him are eyes full of determination and want.

  “Would you like to be with me?” she questions, slightly stepping back. Edward hasn’t said anything to give her an indication, and she nervously bites her lip. It’s the only thing she does that gives a glimpse of her uneasiness.

  “Of course I would,” Eddie says heavily, taking her hands in his. “I’ve dreamed of being with you. I love you, Klara.”

  Klara nods slowly, and then she moves her hands to her shoulders. She plays with the strap of her dress, and Eddie’s eyes feel like they’re burning with how much he wants to see what is hiding beneath the thin fabric. She pushes the strap down over her arm before moving her hand to the other side. Both straps hang loosely from her shoulders, and with one motion, the dress drops.

  Eddie’s heart stops as he is greeted with her bare figure, except for a small pair of knickers covering her most intimate parts. His eyes move across her chest, and his body jerks as his breath catches. Within a moment, Eddie moves toward her, closing the gap between them. His body is pressing into hers, and it feels like the most wonderful thing in the world to have his hands dancing across her bare skin. Eddie dips his head, placing a tentative kiss against her lips.

  Klara pulls him closer, lacing her hands around the back of Eddie’s neck, and she slips her fingers through his hair.

  Eddie slows his hands, trying to focus himself on one thing at a time. Right now, he deepens their kiss, gliding his tongue against Klara’s lips, and he feels her shiver against him.

  “Do you want to lie down?” Eddie whispers in her ear, and he feels Klara nod her head against him.

  He lifts her into his arms and then places her on the bed, causing Klara to giggle as she falls back onto the sheets. With her hair splayed out around her and her almost naked body laid out on her bed, Eddie thinks she is the most beautiful thing he has ever seen.

  “You’re sure about this?” he asks, moving beside Klara on the bed, his fingers dancing along the edge of her knickers.

  Klara’s body tingles at the sensation, and she closes her eyes, her head flat against the bed. “I’ve never been more sure of anything,” she says.

  Eddie’s eyes drop down, looking over Klara, and he still can’t believe the sight of her. With one hand between her thighs, his other is wrapped around her body, pulling her to him.

  Klara’s eyes flit open. She wants to see all of Edward. The feelings growing inside her are new, and they’re extraordinary. She moves her hands to Edward’s hips, hooking her fingers into the sides of his boxers. As she slides them down, he deepens their kiss. His hot breath makes her head spin, and as his boxers come off, he moves on top of her. The weight of him on her is comforting. It’s as though she were wrapped in a cocoon of all that was Edward, and she has never felt safer.

  His lips are moving against hers, and she runs her fingers over his back, from his neck down to his tailbone, and Klara does her best to wrap her body around him, trying to get closer. His hand is still mov
ing between her legs, and Klara wants the final piece of fabric separating them to go away.

  Eddie’s lips brush over Klara’s neck, and then he slowly moves down her chest. He places small kisses from her sternum down to her belly button, and he can feel Klara fidgeting beneath him. He leans back and hooks his fingers on her knickers, slowly pulling them down. As they come off of Klara, he kisses his way back up to her lips, enjoying the feeling of his full body pressed against her.

  “I love you so much, Klara,” he whispers. “I know this might hurt at first, and I’m sorry for that.”

  Klara nods, but excitement bubbles within her. She looks at Edward, and his brows are furrowed.

  “Are you scared, Edward?” she asks, looping her hands around his waist.

  “I just want it to be perfect for you,” he says with a heavy breath.

  “It’s all right. This feels right. I’m ready,” Klara says, moving one of her hands onto Edward’s face, pulling him back against her lips. He looks so beautiful in the candlelight. His freckles and brown eyes glow, and his hair is disheveled. Her heart feels like it’s going to burst with happiness. As Eddie moves against Klara, a small tear slips out of her eye, and she pulls him tighter against her.

  “I love you,” Eddie whispers against her lips.

  Klara squeezes her eyes closed. The pain comes and goes, and quickly, it is replaced with a feeling quite wonderful. With Edward pressed against her, Klara feels complete, and it’s quite an odd thing. You feel so whole, yet it’s as though a part of you has now been given to someone else. Edward has a part of her heart now, and she has a part of his.

  “I love you, too,” she says back.

  CHAPTER TWELVE

  Sunlight filters in through the curtains, shining a path from Klara’s window seat all the way across the floor to her bed. A strip of that light moves over Eddie’s face, rousing him.

  “Mmm,” Eddie groans, stretching his body out.

  As he bats open his eyes, he’s greeted by the sight of the bottom of the canopy that hangs atop Klara’s bed. He moves his head to the side and finds Klara pressed against him. Her arm and leg are draped across his body, and her blonde hair is toppling down her shoulders and across her back. Her cheek is pressed against his chest, and Eddie moves his gaze from her back to the canopy.

  The day before feels like it was all just a dream, but Eddie knows it wasn’t. He runs his hand across her arm and smiles to himself, realizing Klara is naked against his side. Last night, he was finally able to show her just how much he loves her.

  “Good morning,” Klara breathes out, her voice slightly raspy. She grabs Edward, holding on to him tighter, her stomach doing little flips.

  “Good morning,” Eddie says back, turning his head toward her.

  He moves ever so slightly so that Klara is still pressed against him, but he can see her face. Klara blushes. She has never been naked in front of anyone before yesterday, and now, here she is, lying naked in bed with Edward, all pressed against him. His whole body is hers now, and she looks over his bare stomach and chest before moving her gaze to his face. His stare makes her blush further, and she lets out a giggle, covering her face with her hands.

  “What’s so funny?” Eddie asks, furrowing his brows at her, a smile pulling at the corner of his lips.

  “You’re quite naked,” she replies, peeking through her fingers at Edward, a grin on her face.

  “Are you checking me out?” Eddie says to her with a wide grin. He pulls her closer, burrowing his head into her neck and pecking at her sensitive skin.

  “Eddie!” Klara giggles out, and gently pushes against him. “What shall we do today?” With the sun shining through the window, she wants nothing more than to get some fresh air.

  “I’d be content with staying right here,” Eddie says, moving his kisses a little lower, causing Klara’s face to flush again.

  “I know! Let’s go to the lake,” she suggests, sitting up.

  Eddie breathes out a heavy sigh, but he can tell Klara is excited. “Right, to the lake then,” he agrees.

  Klara pulls Edward to her lips, holding his face in her hands. “We don’t have to get up just yet,” she replies, a grin on her face.

  Eddie warmly kisses her back, tugging at her lip with his teeth. “I’m glad you agree because I don’t have any intention of letting you out of bed right now,” he whispers to her, running his hands over her goose-bump-covered skin.

  “I bet you can’t get it,” Klara says with a giggle. She’s twirling around Edward with two biscuits in her hand, her arms spread out wide like a bird. She’s darting around him, laughing as she moves back and forth, always slightly out of Edward’s reach.

  “You know I could get them if I really wanted to, yeah?” he laughs, watching Klara as she moves lightly across the grass.

  The sun is shining in full force, and the smell of flowers permeates the air.

  “Then, why don’t you?” Klara teases, raising her eyebrows at him. She has on a pale yellow lace dress with cap sleeves, and it easily moves around her as she runs in the breeze.

  Eddie watches Klara move, and he runs after her, easily catching her around the waist and picking her up. Her arms and legs fly out, and Eddie holds her back against his chest, twirling her around in the air.

  “Delicious,” Eddie says as he snatches the biscuit from her hand and takes a bite into it. He was quite hungry, and the biscuit settles nicely into his stomach.

  “Oh, look. It’s Foxglove,” Klara says as Eddie sets her feet back onto the ground. “And Wendy, John, and Michael.” She points to the three white geese floating across the pond.

  Eddie looks to the right and watches as the swan nestles into itself in the thick grass, looking quite happy. “What about swans do you like so much? Or is it just Foxglove that has your heart?”

  Klara ponders the question, really looking at Foxglove. Her head is tucked against her side. “She is graceful. And seemingly carefree. When she moves, it is slowly and elegantly. I think it’s quite hard to take your eyes off Foxglove once you’ve spotted her. Particularly when she is floating across the pond.”

  Eddie looks at Klara, a smile pulling at his lips. “Then, I think you might be a swan to me,” he says, thinking about how he could describe Klara in a similar fashion. Well, except the slow part. She is always darting off and spinning round as fast as she can.

  “You’re my curious little swan.” Eddie laughs lightly, a warm smile on his face.

  “And why is that?” she questions, her cheeks slightly flushing.

  “Because I can’t take my eyes off of you either,” Eddie breathes out.

  “The water feels wonderful,” Klara says, dipping her toes into the side of the lake. Until today, she hasn’t brought Edward here yet, and with the sun shining back down on them, she can’t think of a more perfect way to spend the day.

  Eddie watches Klara walk along the edge of the water, letting her feet get wet as she splashes along. The grass runs right up to the edge, and a weeping willow hangs down nearby. Eddie wishes he had known this was in the Kentwood Estate because they would have come here sooner. It’s a small, tucked away oasis. He has to admit, he loves where he lives and the beauty that surrounds him in the countryside. He can’t fathom living somewhere else with busy streets and always-moving cities. The only thing you can hear for miles here is the buzzing of nature, and it is the most wonderful sound.

  “You know, you’re sort of living in a real-life fairy tale,” Eddie comments, thinking, if he took a photo of Klara now, she would fit perfectly into a storybook.

  Klara turns, her eyes sparkling. “If I’m living in a fairy tale, then you’re living in one, too. I couldn’t bear to be in one without you.”

  “So, we are both living in a fairy tale,” he says, his eyes dropping. “A fantasy world.”

  “I’ve always read stories. Been transported to new places. New worlds. I like being taken into stories.”

  “What about living your own life, cr
eating your own stories?” Eddie questions.

  Klara just shrugs. She isn’t sure how to answer that. Edward is right; she has always only ever pretended. But, with Edward, she knows it is different.

  “I think we are creating our own story,” she finally says, grinning at him.

  “Oh, is that what we are doing?” Eddie asks, a smile returning to his face.

  “I quite think so. And, I would choose our fairy tale over any other. Every time.”

  “That’s truly romantic of you,” Eddie says, walking up alongside her.

  “It is, isn’t it?” She giggles. As their time together has progressed, Klara seems to be losing herself more and more with happiness. With love. “Come on,” she says, moving to unzip the back of her sundress.

  Eddie watches as she slips the zipper down, stepping out of the dress in just her knickers. I definitely prefer our story. He swallows hard, and before he knows it, Klara is in the lake, splashing water at him.

  “Hey!” He laughs then quickly kicks off his shoes before dropping his shorts. He grabs at the back of his shirt, pulling it up and over his head, and then takes off running into the water, splashing Klara as he does so.

  “Doesn’t it feel delightful?” Klara asks, lying back so that she is floating atop the water. She loves the feeling of floating in the water. With your eyes closed, it’s as though you were drifting off to wherever your imagination could take you. You can get lost in the warmth of the sun beating down on you. The sound of the water moving, engulfing you.

  “You look happy,” Eddie comments, swimming toward Klara.

  She bats open her eyes for a moment before shutting them again. Her small frame seems to be floating effortlessly, and her long hair is darker when wet. Eddie’s feet can still touch the ground, and he places his hands below Klara’s back, swaying her around. Time seems to stand still while Klara’s in the water, and she gets lost in the freeing moment.

  Klara opens her eyes and drops her feet to the ground. Dipping her head below the water, she pops back up with a splash. Swimming up beside Edward, she wraps her legs around his waist.