Sully

I haven’t done the tourist thing in years, but I’ll do anything for Beckham, including angling for a glimpse of the Mona Lisa. The Louvre is nice, but after, I insist on taking her to the Orsay, the Orangerie, and finally, the Rodin.

“These doors are magnificent,” she says, looking at Heaven and Hell as interpreted by the master sculptor.

“They are,” I agree.

“Thank you for bringing me here.”

“You’re welcome. I had ulterior motives, though.”

“Such as?”

“I was hoping you’d recreate ‘The Kiss’ sculpture with me.”

I’m half-joking, but she grabs my hand, and leads me back inside. There are a few people photographing the famous piece, and she asks one to take our picture. She places her arm around me, and I lean over her as I touch my mouth to hers for the photo.

Yep, that’s the only reason I’m kissing her. For a picture, and nothing else. Liar of the Year, right here.

“Merci,” she says, standing up again, and taking her phone back from the other tourist.

“Thank you for that,” I tell her.

“Kissing you isn’t a hardship, Sully.”

“Good to know.”

I spend way too much on a small replica statue in the gift shop, but having a memento of the first time she let me kiss her again is priceless. We walk the streets after leaving, ending up near a Lauduree outlet. The joy on her face as I tell her to choose whatever she’d like, is mesmerizing. After biting her lip in thought, we leave with their largest box of macarons, all ready for us to try after the sun goes down.

We walk the Seine until dark, grabbing a snack and drink from a creperie cart about to close. I have been saying my prayers at the designated times, with Beckham standing by me like a bodyguard. I’ve wanted to kiss her so many times, but I know I can’t. The museum kiss was a gift, and I’ll wait for her to give me another one.

I realize we are near a mosque, and ask her if she minds me going in for evening prayer. “Of course not. I would go with you, if I knew what to do.”

“I will teach you, and take you when we’re back home. If you’d like.”

“I’d like.” She leans up to kiss my jaw, then sends me on my way.

When I come out later, I find her staring at the Tower. “Do you want to walk over after we get dinner somewhere?”

“If you don’t mind.”

“I don’t. Thank you for waiting for me.”

“You’re welcome.”

We grab some seafood at a small café, then walk hand in hand to the most famous monument in Paris. It’s sparkling, and even as jaded as I normally am, I can admit it looks magical. Maybe it’s the woman I’m with, but everything about this city seems magical, and I don’t want our time here to end yet.

“How would you feel about spending a couple more days here?”

“What do you have in mind?”

“You haven’t seen Notre Dame, the Arc, or the Catacombs. The Jardins du Luxembourg shouldn’t be missed, nor the little shops all over the city. I want to plan a surprise for the next day too, if you’re game for staying.”

“I’m game. It all sounds perfect. Especially if I’m with you.”

“I meant it when I told you I love you, Beckham. Not because you were hurt, or even because you came here to remind me of the life I want to live. I love you because you’re you. The woman who puts me in my place, kisses me like I’m the answer to her prayers, and fights for me, because she thinks I’m worth it.”

“Kiss me, Sully. Please.”

I don’t hesitate to pull her into my arms, and take her mouth as mine. It’s a sweet kiss, because this moment demands care, and not lust. She hasn’t specifically said she loves me back yet, she said it in general terms last night, I feel it in her embrace, and I let it envelope us both in the moment.

“We can come back here tomorrow night, and I’ll kiss you again. Down here, or up there.”

“The line is so long to go up.”

“I know people.”

“Okay. I’d like to be kissed again up there. By you.”

“Only here?”

“No, but only kissing.”

“I can live with that.” I can live with anything she’s willing to give me, because I’m damn lucky to have anything from her right now.

* * *

Beckham

Sully was right, and I’m so glad I didn’t leave after one day, and miss all of this. We did everything he suggested, and more. The kiss at the highest point we could go to on the Eiffel Tower was spectacular, but just holding his hand as we walked the streets, and climbed all the steps was even better. Even being underground in the Catacombs with him was romantic. It was like nothing ever happened, although a nagging part of my brain keeps reminding me it did. It’s why I can’t do more than kiss him.

Right now, we’re on an early morning train out of the city. He won’t tell me where we’re going, and even blindfolded me before we boarded. It’s romantic, and sweet, but I want to know.

“We’re here,” he says, just as the overhead announcement mentions Disneyland.

“No way!”

I told him once that I’d never been to any Disney park, because we couldn’t afford it when I was growing up. He said he’d take me to Disneyland sometime, but I didn’t expect it to be this one.

“Surprise.”

“This—thank you!”

I practically pull him outside, as he laughs. We have to take shuttles, and when he has us get off in front of the Disneyland Hotel, I’m practically jumping out of my skin with excitement. We check-in, leave our bags, and walk over to the main park.

We spend all day riding rides, and promising each other we’ll come back for various snacks when the sun goes down. Before that happens, we return to the hotel, dropping off our packages, and changing into fresh clothes. Sully says his prayers, and we head out again.

He surprises me with dinner at the Ratatouille-themed restaurant, which is really good. Despite—or maybe, because of—the giant plates, utensils, and champagne corks, it’s romantic, as well as fun. Who am I kidding? Any place with Sully is romantic.

After filling ourselves up, we go back and find the snacks we couldn’t eat during the day, because it’s still a little early, and we can share them all night.

“This is the best date I’ve ever had,” I admit, when he surprises me with Minnie ears that light up, and a stuffed Remy to remember our dinner by.

“Me too. We have one more surprise for tonight.”

“I don’t know if I can handle more.”

“You can.”

He leads me back to the Village area of the resort, and over to the lake. I throw my arms around him when I realize we’re going up in the hot air balloon ride over the lake. He hugs me back, and tells me he’s going to kiss me to the twinkling lights of the Eiffel Tower again.

The ride is short, but it’s spectacular, especially when we see the Tower, and Sully gives me my promised kiss. Fireworks go off as I snuggle into him, and when it’s over, I lead him back to our room. Tonight, we’ll talk and cuddle, but tomorrow, I’m going to give him more. I believe almost everything he’s told me, and I can’t wait to be with him again in every way. I can’t trust that he loves me, but I know he cares, and that’s enough.

* * *

Sully

We’re going home today, and I’m afraid the progress I’ve made in proving my love to Beckham is going to disappear. I’ve done all I could do over the last few days, but I hurt her, and you don’t just recover from that so soon. All I can hope for is that she’ll let me keep showing her how much she means to me.

I’ve made some decisions about myself, too. No longer will I hide who I am. Yes, I pray at work and I’ve never denied my faith, but I’ve kept quiet sometimes. At work I’m protected, and everywhere else, I just threw around money to distract people from my praying. It’s time for me to embrace my past, and live in the present. I’m going to surround myself with others who will support me, and not merely tolerate me because I buy their beer.

“You look like you’re trying to figure something out over there.”

I look across the table to Beckham, who’s curled up in her seat on the plane. “I have a bunch of things to figure out.”

“Your job’s waiting for you, if you’re wondering about that.”

“Matt told me. I know he’s pissed, but he said I still have a job.”

“So, what’s got you worried?”

“You.”

“Me?”

“We haven’t talked about what’s going to happen with us.”

“Well, if we get any sundown on this plane, I was hoping to join the Mile-High Club.”

She says it so matter-of-factly, like it’s not the big fucking deal it really is. “You want to be with me again—like that?”

I watch her as she gets up, helping her swivel my chair around when she pushes on it. She climbs onto my lap, and kisses me like she’s missed me. “Yes.”

“It’ll be dark in a few hours.”

“Think we can figure out a way to keep busy until then?”

“Yeah. I’m going to go nap in one bedroom, while you nap in the other.”

She pulls back, and her mouth drops open. “Are you kidding?”

“No. You know I can’t orgasm during the daylight hours, Beautiful. If we make out, I’m going to come in my jeans. I’m close right now, in fact. Very close.”

“Oh,” she says climbing off me. “I’m sorry.”

“Don’t be sorry, just take a nap, so when the sun goes down outside, you can set me on fire again.”

“See you soon,” she says, walking into the larger room.

I think about every gross thing I can to make my dick deflate. I can’t take care of myself, and I can’t sleep like this. It takes ten minutes, but he finally gets the hint, and I make my way to the other bedroom. Forcing myself to forget what’s going to happen in a few hours isn’t easy, but I do it, because I need some rest before the sun sets.