by Erin Noelle
Fuck yes, I do.
“Actually, why don’t you save it for tomorrow? We can celebrate after I get the job.” I hope I’m reading this situation right…that she’s not going to think I don’t want her, especially after everything I admitted to her earlier. “I know you’ve gotta be sore and tired, babe. Tonight, I just want to hold you.”
Her face lights up, full of awe and admiration, as she smiles and nods. “That sounds perfect. I’ll meet you in bed.”
I wheel the garbage can from the garage to the street and then hurry back inside, locking up the house and rushing upstairs to where Mia is waiting. Discarding all of my clothes, I crawl in between the crisp sheets and snuggle up to my girl, softly kissing her neck.
“Are you wearing my t-shirt?” I ask once I realize what she has on.
“Yeah, I stole it while you were camping,” she confesses in a hushed whisper. “I missed you.”
My chest swells with the gratification of her words. She missed me.
Tightly enveloping her in my arms, holding her against my chest, I close my eyes to fall asleep, silently agreeing with her. This is perfect.
FALLING IN LOVE IS QUITE POSSIBLY the strangest, most senseless, overwhelmingly reckless act we as humans do in our lives. It happens so effortlessly, so naturally, that most of the time we don’t mean for it to happen, but once we realize it for what it is, it’s too late to be undone.
For some people, it happens slowly, over a period of months or even years, a gradual appreciation of another person you realize you don’t want to ever be without. Often, people who’ve been good friends for years make this discovery after they’ve tried dating other people, but then finally recognize the one they really want has been right under their nose the entire time.
For others, it hits them like a tornado spinning out of control, sweeping them up in the whirlwind of euphoria and exhilaration and not letting go. This is what happened when I met Mark at such a young age. I was infatuated with him, obsessed even. The fact he was older, in college, and could drink legally made the beginning of our relationship thrilling, and I would do anything to prove my love to him.
And then there’s what’s happened with me and Gray—a perfect combination of the two.
Even though we’ve known each other for fifteen years, which provides a solid sense of security and a level of comfort when we’re together, we didn’t really know each other as man and woman. Learning to live together as a couple is enlivening and energizing. As I learn things about him, I also learn new things about me.
Who knew I’d enjoy four-wheeler riding through mud, riding around in a golf cart wearing cute little skirts, or drinking my coffee on the back porch while the birds chirp their morning songs, instead of inside the boring kitchen? And I never would’ve guessed Gray likes to spend countless hours roaming through Target, or that he bakes cakes even better than I do, and I think I may have gotten him addicted to a certain soap opera I can’t stop watching.
No matter what we’re doing together, even if it’s arguing about whose turn it is to clean up the kitchen, we’re smiling and having fun. Waking up next to him every morning is invigorating, as I’m eager to see what the next day brings, and I find myself counting down the hours as I wait for him to get home on the days he works, anxious to hear how his day went and to relieve any stress.
The physical attraction between us only seems to strengthen the more we’re together. When we’re together intimately, whether it be a hard and fast fuck leaned over a random piece of furniture in the house, or a slow and gentle session in the bed before we pass out for the night, he makes me feel cherished and beautiful. I’m open to trying things I’ve never experienced, because I know he’ll protect me, ensuring I’m never physically hurt or uncomfortable. And there’s something about the way he speaks Spanish to me while buried deep inside my core that is hands-down the sexiest thing on the planet.
There are still times I feel vulnerable and exposed with him, knowing each day I spend with him the attachment I’m forming is growing stronger and stronger, and if it ends up not working out, I’ll most definitely get my heart broken. I’m also acutely aware this is most definitely the ‘honeymoon phase’ of our relationship, something that won’t last forever.
Eventually, the newness will wear off and each day won’t be a unicorn ride over glittery rainbows, and real life will set in, which can be mundane, tedious, and sometimes downright challenging. But I can’t help but feel confident that we’re establishing a solid foundation, a strong mixture of friendship, sensual desire, and overall respect for whatever comes next.
Though neither Gray nor I have professed the L-word yet, and no matter how much I didn’t mean for things to get serious between us, they just did…almost magically, like a fairy godmother came down and sprinkled me with enchanted shimmery dust, transforming me from a weak, self-conscious divorcee who thought her days of love were over, to a vibrant, confident woman who realizes she has her whole life in front of her.
Only my ‘midnight’ is rapidly approaching, and I’m not sure if the fairy-tale will continue. Adam is due home from California in four days, and somehow, we’re going to have to break the news to him when he gets here. I can only hope he sees how happy we are together and be able to overlook the rest; however, the sinking feeling in my gut whenever I think about it tells me it’s not going to be that easy.
“Mia? Where are you, belleza?” Gray calls out as he walks through the front door after a long day at work, though the tone of his voice sounds more enthusiastic than exhausted.
He’d called a little bit ago to let me know he was running about an hour and a half later than normal due to some spreadsheet he was trying to finish before he left, so I’ve been tediously working on my latest piece in the Eden line, which Jonathan approved a couple weeks ago. Every few days since then, he’s been emailing different ideas for the show, all of which I absolutely love and couldn’t be more excited about.
“I’m in the studio,” I shout back over the music. “Sorry I haven’t started dinner yet; I got lost in this painting.”
I hear his footsteps drawing near, seconds before I feel his muscular arms slide around my waist from behind, squeezing me in a tight hug. “I missed you today,” he whispers gruffly into the back of my neck, his breath warm and comforting against my skin.
“I missed you too. Did you get everything finished that you needed to?” I ask, setting my brush down on the tray next to me before twisting around to face him.
His head bobs up and down with a giddy smile that reaches his sparkling eyes, and immediately, I know he’s got some kind of news or announcement. “Spill it. What’s going on?” I prod. “I can tell you’re about to burst with something.”
Laughing, he bends down to kiss me while swatting my ass with one of his hands. “How do you know I’ve got something to say? Maybe I’m just happy to be home?”
“Gray, you suck at lying, or at least you suck at lying to me; now tell me what’s going on before I have to use the tickling torture technique,” I tease, raising my fingers to the sides of his ribcage as a threat.
He swats my hands away and captures them in his so I can’t use them. “Okay, well you’re right. I hope you’re as excited as I am about it.”
“Just tell me already!”
“I need you to pack your bags tonight,” he offers, trying desperately to hide the grin on his face.
“Pack my bags? Why? Are we going somewhere?” I take the bait, having almost as much fun with this little game as he is.
“Maybe.” Twisting his mouth into an adorable smirk, he lifts his eyebrows and then adds, “Maybe not.”
Still not having control of my hands, I lift up to press my mouth to his, but instead of kissing him, I bite his bottom lip and keep it held between my teeth. I don’t have to say anything before he finally relents and spills his surprise.
“Okay! Okay!” I release his lip to allow him to talk, giggling softly. “Since we’ve only got a few d
ays left alone, I took a couple of days off and booked us a three night getaway to Key West at one of Conde Nast’s top ten most romantic destinations in the US. We leave early tomorrow and return home Sunday morning. Adam’s flight doesn’t arrive until eight-thirty Sunday night, so we’ll be back in plenty of time to get unpacked and then go back and get him; that’s if Sierra isn’t picking him up.”
His face glows with eager enthusiasm as he waits for my reaction, and it’s all I can do to not start crying tears of joy. I nod emphatically, throwing myself at him as I jump into his arms and place sweet kisses all over his gorgeous face.
“Thank you,” I whisper breathlessly. “Thank you for being you.”
Bright and early Thursday morning, Mia and I are at the Atlanta airport, boarding the plane for the short two-hour flight to Key West, both of us bubbling with excitement for our mini-vacation. Last night, after I revealed the big surprise to her, we ordered Chinese food delivery to not make a mess in the kitchen, and then spent the rest of the evening getting things ready to leave.
Unsure of what all to take with her, Mia began modeling different outfits for me while packing, which led to me becoming very aroused. After watching her strip the fourth dress off, I couldn’t take it any longer, and the modeling show turned into naked fun time in the closet involving one scarf tied around her eyes and another binding her hands behind her back.
Turns out my little Mia quite enjoys acting out the images in her paintings. She jokes that it’s for research purposes, so she can better depict the emotions her subjects are experiencing, but I know she’s just discovering her inner freak, which I invite out to play on a regular basis.
“When’s the last time you’ve flown?” I ask her, noticing her white knuckles wrapped securely around the armrests as we begin to taxi down the runway.
She glances over at me with a meek smile. “Ummm…never?”
My jaw drops in disbelief. “Why didn’t you tell me? How can you’ve never been on a plane before? Didn’t you take trips when you were younger?”
Shrugging, she looks nervously out the window to her right. “I dunno. We didn’t go on many vacations when I was a kid, and anywhere Mark and I took Adam, we drove.”
I peel her fingers off of the piece of plastic separating us, intertwine them with mine, and squeeze them for support. “Well, I’m glad I get to be with you for your first. This will be pretty quick though, pretty much up and down. Next time, I’ll have to take you somewhere a little farther, perhaps overseas, so you can really know what it’s like to fly.”
She smiles optimistically, resting her head on my shoulder. “Next time,” she purrs softly. “I like the sound of that.”
Several hours later, our hotel shuttle pulls up in front of Southernmost on the Beach, a first-class resort located directly on its own private beach, just outside the bustling area of Key West’s plaza and nightlife. As we exit the car, my stare is fixed on Mia, watching her take everything in as her eyes scan the posh hotel and lavish grounds.
“It’s beautiful, Gray,” she exclaims, grasping onto my arm as we walk toward the entrance. “I still can’t believe we’re here.”
Opening the door for her, I smile brightly. “Believe it, love, and enjoy it.”
The check-in process is quick and painless as the overly-attentive staff ushers us directly to our room. I hope Mia misses when the bell hop congratulates us as he leaves us alone to explore the massive, ocean-front suite, but no such luck.
“Why did he say that? Why did he congratulate us?” she questions, not tearing her gaze from the awe-inspiring vista directly outside the patio door.
Leaving the bags by the door, I approach her from behind, looping my arms around her small waist and nuzzling my face into the crook of her neck. “I may have booked the honeymoon package.”
“You may have, huh?” She chuckles as she leans her weight back against me.
“Mhmm,” I mumble into her sweet-smelling skin, already geared up to try out the springs on the bed. “I only want the best for my woman, so just play along with it if anyone says anything.”
“I suppose I can do that, but it’s gonna cost you,” she teases playfully.
“Can I pay naked?” My hands roam up her ribs to cup both of her boobs through the cream-colored blouse she’s wearing.
Slapping my hands away, she twirls out of my grasp with a deep laugh. “Later on the naked, I promise, but I want to go see Ernest Hemingway’s house first.”
I groan quietly as I readjust myself in my shorts, wondering why we can’t get naked and then go to the famous landmark. But I remain silent, wanting nothing more than for her to have the best time of her life on this trip as I make my last plea to her for us before Adam returns home.
“Sounds like a plan.” I grin like the fucking lovesick idiot I am. “Let me get our bags in the bedroom so we can freshen up a little before we go.”
From Hemingway’s house, we end up at the highly-regarded Camille’s Restaurant for an early dinner, and then at Mallory Square to see all of the street performers on display as the sun begins its descent over the endless waters in a famous Key West sunset. Every minute of it is downright perfect, all because we’re doing it together.
On the walk back to the hotel, we pass a street vendor selling various local souvenirs, but it’s a table of jewelry next to him that catches my attention. Halting midstride, I drag Mia back a few steps to his makeshift store so I can look through the merchandise.
It doesn’t take long for me to find exactly what I’m looking for, and as I pull the silver ring with a diamond-shaped clear blue stone in the middle from the case, she looks over at me, scrunching her brows together with confusion.
“What are you doing?” she asks under her breath.
I slide the ring on her left ring finger to check for fit, which thankfully is perfect, before smiling down at her and replying, “If you’re going to be Mrs. Daniels while we’re here, you’re gonna need a ring, and this one reminds me of your eyes.”
Instead of refusing the ring like I’m a little bit afraid she’s going to do, her face lights up with appreciation and admiration as she glances back and forth between her finger and my face. “Thank you, Gray. I love it,” she beams, “but don’t you need one too?”
We turn to the guy, who helps her pick out a solid silver band for me, and then after I pay for them, we walk hand-in-hand down the street as Mr. and Mrs. Daniels…at least for now.
After we both shower upon our return, we climb into the giant bed, which I swear has to be bigger than a king size, and find each other in the middle. Our rings are the only thing either of us is wearing, and as I crawl on top of her to show her how much I love her, since I’m still too scared of her reaction if I tell her, she takes away all of my fears with six little words.
Cradling my face in her dainty hands, her thumbs graze across the stubble on my jaw as she stares up into my eyes, her clear blue irises a direct path to her beautiful soul. “I love you so damn much,” she says softly, but loud enough for me to hear it.
Everything else in the world stops as far as I’m concerned in that exact moment. My heart is pounding at such a furious rate I’m afraid it’s going to burst and shatter into a million different blissful pieces inside my chest.
“I love you, Mia,” I finally say, still in a state of stupefied shock. “More than you can possibly know.”
Then, as I lower my lips to hers in the most emotionally-charged kiss of my life, I position myself between her parted thighs and effortlessly slip inside her. Though we’ve made sweet love before, it’s never been under the premise that’s what we’re doing.
But tonight…tonight I pour every ounce of my love I have into each stroke, every touch, all of my kisses. If nothing else, she won’t be able to doubt the way I feel about her when we leave here and are forced to face the real world that we’ve been hiding from for the past month and a half.
OUR LAST FULL DAY IN KEY WEST, Gray and I have only one thing on the
agenda: hang out and relax on the beach while drinking piña coladas out of pineapples with umbrella straws. Okay, he may not be into the whole frou-frou drink thing, but he’s definitely all about the other part.
Yesterday, we rented one of those cute little electric cars and spent the day exploring the island, having the time of our lives as we hit up all the main tourist attractions while stopping at several quaint bars in between. However, today we’re exhausted and just want to enjoy some alone time in this tropical paradise before we have to go home.
After a filling breakfast of omelets and French toast, we change into our swimsuits and claim two chaise lounges under an umbrella to the far left of the picturesque, white powder beach.
“Would you like me to rub sun cream on your back and arse, Mrs. Daniels?” Gray asks in a fake British accent, his eyes perusing my body as I shimmy out of my cover-up.
Batting my eyelashes seductively, I play along as I lie down on my stomach. “That would be bloody brill, love.”
Smiling, he grabs the bottle from my beach tote and lathers the lotion on my exposed skin, starting with my shoulders and working his way down. Thankfully, there isn’t anyone else near us, or they would definitely be getting a show by the time he reaches my butt. Massaging small circles into my supple skin with his well-lubricated hands, he dips first one, then another finger inside my bikini bottoms, lightly swiping up and down my hot center.
“Mr. Daniels?” I hiss as I peer at him over my shoulder, wiggling under his tantalizing touch. “What do you think you’re doing?”
He quickly withdraws his hand, fixing my bunched up bottoms, and pats my bum with a wicked grin. “I’m sorry, milady. My hand must’ve slipped.”
“Mhmm, I’m sure that’s what happened,” I reply, silently wishing he wouldn’t have stopped.
Collapsing in his own chair, he hands me the e-reader from the bag, still smirking, while grabbing his fantasy football magazine, and we both settle in for a lazy day of sand, sea, and sexual taunting.