Raina could barely focus on Monday morning when she went into her office. She’d gotten a message from Michael over the weekend, telling her that he had been pleased to see her, and that she was much more than he had expected, and that he was truly looking forward to spending time with her.
She had waited to reply back to him, so that she wouldn’t seem quite so eager. She told him that it was a pleasure meeting him as well, and that she, too, was looking forward to what they might discover together. It was as exciting as being seventeen and dating the most popular boy at school; something that she had not done, but had wished for a few times. There had been no contact from either of them on Sunday, and by Monday morning, she was jittery and it had nothing to do with her caffeine intake that morning.
Willow took one look at her when she walked into the office, and before she could even get settled into her seat, Willow was sitting opposite her at her desk, hands clasped in her lap, eyes wide and waiting to hear what had happened.
“So? You met him, I’m guessing? What was he like? What’s going on?” Willow asked with unchecked excitement.
Raina laughed softly and sat down, wrapping her hands around the mug of tea she had made for herself.
“You’re quite the perceptive one!” She hesitated, letting all of the memories and sweet emotions come washing through her before she answered. “We did meet, on Saturday. We had coffee at Scotty’s just down the road. He’s very nice, but you could tell right away that he’s really, really smooth.
“He’s in his element talking to women and making them feel the way that he wants them to feel; there’s no doubt about that. I haven’t felt that taken with a man in a long time. He knows just what he’s doing. I’m sure he’s like that with all the women he talks to, but I’d like to think that he was just that smooth for me, and just… luxuriate in that.”
“What do you mean?” Willow asked with a slight frown.
With a slight shrug, Raina looked at her earnestly. “Well, romancing women is his job. He gets paid to do it. He gets paid well, I bet, and he said he’s an actor; he gets paid to do that, too. So, how much of it can be real when he pours the Prince Charming act on like honey, saying and doing all the right things… everything that would make any woman feel special and excited… sexy and desirable.
“The man knows what he’s doing, and he was definitely…on… you know, working… but still, I’d like to pretend that it was all for me, that he isn’t ever like that with anyone else, and that I’m special. I know better. I definitely know better, but it was nice to pretend that I could turn a guy’s head that way and make him want me the way that he seemed to want me. It’s flattering. It’s not real, but it’s still flattering.”
Willow sighed slowly and nodded. “I get it. So… are you two officially a non-item?”
“Yes, I believe we are. He’s going to take some getting used to, and I think we’re going to try to take our time, but there was some serious chemistry going on between us, right from the start. So, I think that we’ll have to see. It might wind up going faster than I thought, but I am going to try to take my time so that I can stop myself from making any mistakes with him. I don’t want regrets later. I just want fun, and I think we can do that, if we do it right.”
Raina couldn’t hold back the grin that formed on her face. She did want the fun, but she had promised herself a thousand times since she had met Michael, that she was going to take her time and be careful so neither of them would get hurt or run into a problem.
“Well, it sounds exciting. How was he in person? Was he at all like his profile? It has been my experience that guys usually aren’t as good in person as they are on their profiles… at least as far as social media and things like that.” Willow waved her hand dismissively.
Raina raised her eyebrows and gave her head a slow shake. “Oh honey… he’s so much more in person. More everything… more handsome, more charming, more enticing… more all of it. More. In every single way. Do you know, he stood up both times when I left the table. I went to the ladies room once and back to the counter for another coffee, and both times he stood up because I was standing up. I didn’t think men did that anymore. Then, when I was going to get another coffee, he wouldn’t let me do it. He went and got it for me. He was being thoughtful and sweet, and I haven’t felt that spoiled in a long time. I’ll be honest… I could get used to a guy like that.”
Willow raised a finger in caution. “Just as long as you don’t want to get used to keeping a guy like that. He’s not for keeps.”
“Oh, believe me, I do know that. We talked about it, and we are both set on keeping this a strictly non-relationship sort of connection,” Raina agreed.
“Well then, it sounds like you found exactly the right guy for just what you had in mind. I hope that it works out alright for you both!” Willow gave her a smile and stood up to leave. “By the way, Jackson called and you need to go to Vancouver for a meeting with him. He wants you there at the end of the week, so I booked that house on sea that you like, and you have a rental car waiting for you at the airport.
You leave Wednesday, and you’ll come back on Sunday. Let me know if there’s anything you’d like me to take care of for you while you’re up there, and please bring back some maple sugar for me.” Willow gave her a wink and a grin, and walked out of Raina’s office.
Raina thanked her and updated her calendar. She tried her best to focus on work that day, but as the day passed, she found herself with a thought kept tugging at the back of her mind and she began to wonder about it seriously.
By that night, the thought had taken hold and it wasn’t going to let go. She had learned years before that she should go with her gut instincts; her women’s intuition, and she decided that this time was just as important to hold to that practice as any other.
She picked up the phone and called Michael. He didn’t answer right away, so she left a message for him, asking him to call her back. Half an hour later, as she was getting ready for bed, he called. She was thrilled to see his name come up on the caller ID on her phone. She answered it and tried not to sound as gleeful as she felt.
“Hi, Michael, how are you doing?” she asked, praying with everything in her that he would say yes to what she had been thinking of for them both.
“I’m very well, thank you. How are you doing?” he asked in return.
“I’m good. Thank you for calling me back so fast. I was thinking about something and wanted to see what you’d think of it.” She tried to draw in a silent deep breath so that it didn’t seem so obvious that she was breathless just talking with him.
“Certainly, what is it?” he asked curiously.
She ran her red fingernail over the golden thread design on her burgundy comforter as she sat on her bed, leaned up against pillows at her back. “Well, I have a business trip coming up this week, on Wednesday, and I thought that you might like to come with me.
It’ll be a fun one; it’s in Vancouver, up the coast. I’ll be there until Sunday. I have a house rented on the sea, and I am going for business, of course, so I won’t be around the entire time, but I will be around for most of the time. If you would like to come with me, I think it would give us a good chance to get to know each other, and I think it could be fun for you. I’ll take care of all of the expenses, of course.”
She stopped speaking finally, realizing that her nerves had made her go on a little more than she had meant to. It was a great opportunity for anyone, she thought, to have an all-expense paid trip out of the country.
There was a long pause before he answered, and she knew right away that she had surprised him. “Wow… that’s a lot of time together to start off with. Are you sure you want to do that?” he asked hesitantly.
She felt her heart skip a beat and she wondered for a moment if she really did want to spend that much time with a person who was practically a stranger. She made up her mind swiftly. “You know what, yes… I think it would actually be a really good way for us to get to know one another. I think people can choose to show certain sides of themselves when they’re out on dates or spending time together at the beginning of a new relationship, whatever that relationship might be. I am pretty confident that when people travel together they wind up learning a whole lot more about each other in much more honest and truthful ways. Our true natures tend to come out in us, I think.”
Raina felt even more certain about it as the words left her mouth. She’d definitely know in no time whether or not she was going to be into having an affair with Michael or not, if they spent that much time together in Vancouver. Even with the intervals of her business there, it would be exactly the best way to get to know him fast, rather than spreading the getting to know him out over time.
“Okay, well if you’re sure, then I’m going to say yes. I’ll go. I have my passport already, so that’s nothing to worry about. I just need to pack a bag I guess, and take care of a few things on this end, and then I’ll be able to go.” He sounded as if he was intrigued by the idea; as if he wanted to go and he was allowing himself the chance, even if he wasn’t sure it was a great idea.
Surprise overtook her as she realized that it was going to happen, and her heart picked up its pace. “You’re going to go? Well… great! That’s… that’s great. I’ll have a plane ticket ready for you. I’ll email you the information for the airline, and you can meet me at the airport. We’ll go from there.” She felt giddiness begin to well up inside of her. It didn’t feel real at all, but more like she was living in a strange dream.
“Oh! You’ll want to pack for fall; it’s cooler up there right now, and we’re staying on the ocean, so warm layers.” She offered him the quick tip and he thanked her before they ended the phone call.
She sat at the edge of her bed and wondered just what it was that she had gotten herself into. It would be a good trip, she told herself, wanting to believe the best of what might come to them. As she thought it all through for the tenth time, she decided that it would probably be a good idea to share her plans with someone else, for reasons ranging from safety to advice, to just plain sharing it.
She swiped her finger over her phone and called Aaron. He answered right away, sounding happy to hear from her.
“Hey, Raina! I was just thinking about you. What’s going on?” he asked with a jovial tone.
She pinched the hem of her blouse and ran her fingertip over the inseam. “Well… I wanted to talk with you. I guess I want to give you an update about what’s going on with some advice that you gave to me.”
“You’re actually taking my advice? Did hell freeze over?” He laughed. “I’m kidding… I’m just kidding. Kind of. What is it? What’s going on?”
With a deep breath, she launched into it. “Remember when we were sitting in the restaurant the other night and you told me that you were worried that I wasn’t seeing anyone, and you thought that I should go find someone to… spend some time with?”
“Yes, I remember it very well, and I still think that you should,” he answered honestly. “I don’t like the thought of you being alone so much. I care about you, and I want you happy.”
“Well, I took your advice and I found a guy…” she began, wondering just how to explain it all to him.
“You did? Well good! That’s great! Do we know him? Is it a friend of ours?” he sounded encouraging.
“No, it’s no one we know. I got a recommendation from a friend; she sent me to an escort service, and I found him there. He’s really interesting, and he’s pretty good looking, too, so we’ll see. I’m reserving judgment until I know him better, but he seems like the right fit for the situation I would like to have.” She wanted to share it with Aaron without saying too much.
“I fully understand what you’re talking about. I’m glad to hear it; I hope it will be a good move for you.” He was pleased, and she could almost see his smile through the phone.
“I’m going to find out this week whether or not it’s a good idea. I have to go to Vancouver for a business trip, and he’s going to go with me.” She felt as if she was admitting something much too racy to someone who might be affronted by it, but Aaron took it in good stride as he always did with her.
“I think that will definitely give you a good idea of what you can expect with him. I hope it goes well.” He meant it, and she knew it.
“How are things going with you?” she asked him, frowning a little. “The divorce is coming along?” she added, becoming direct about what it was that she wanted to know.
He sighed heavily. “Yeah, it’s coming along, but it’s not pretty. The woman she left me for wants her to take me for a whole lot more than we agreed to, and I’m discovering a side of Cathy that I didn’t know existed. It’s not good. I wish… well, I just wish that things weren’t the way that they are. I want her to be happy, and I want me to be happy, and I almost wish I’d never married her.
“There were good times in it for us both, so I can’t totally wish it away, because I’d want to hold on to those good times, but I’ll be honest, it’s tough. For a long while, I didn’t think I was going to find anyone I’d want to spend my whole life with, and you remember I had a few failures in college, one big one that didn’t even start and it stayed with me, but then I wound up being with Cathy and I thought she was the one. I thought it was going to work out. I really believed it.”
“I know you did, and I’m sorry about it. What a crazy twist, huh? No one could have seen that coming; least of all you, I’m betting. None of the rest of us did. I’m just glad that you found out before there were kids or anything like that.”
Raina laid back on her bed and stared at the ceiling. She could remember with perfect clarity the day that Aaron had met Cathy; she had been with him. She remembered him asking her to marry him, and then him asking Raina to be his best man/woman at the wedding. She had been certain that it would be right for them, too, but like Aaron, she had been wrong.
“What is it that Cathy’s asking for in the divorce?” she wondered aloud without bothering to hide her distaste.
“Everything. She wants the house, the cars, the money, all of it. Actually, you’re right, it’s a good thing that there weren’t any kids yet. I’m beginning to wonder if that’s still something that I will want in my life. I mean, you know I always have wanted kids, but now I’m getting to an age where I’m starting to wonder if I might be too old.
I don’t want to be sixty at my kid’s high school graduations, and now I’d be starting from scratch all over again. That prospect isn’t exactly brilliant for me.” He sighed quietly, but she heard it.
Her heart ached for what he was going through.
“I wish that I could fix it all for you. I wish that I could make her fall in love with you and only you, and want five babies with you, and you two could grow old together and be happy always.” She meant it.
He chuckled. “Five, huh? That’s a hell of a lot of college tuition.” He was quiet a moment. “Well, it is what it is, I guess. I’m just glad that there aren’t kids involved in the divorce. That’s an upside right now. I’m taking the good things as they come, no matter how ugly they are.”
“That’s the best way to do it,” she answered with a small smile, wishing she could give him a hug.
“So, when are you and Prince Charming heading off to Vancouver?” he asked, switching the subject back to her.
“Wednesday. We’ll be back on Sunday.” Her mind was drifting to the possibilities of her upcoming trip. Anything could happen, and she hoped with everything in her that no matter what did happen, it would be good.
“I know you’re going to have a great time. Just relax and look forward to it. Enjoy it,” he said with a smile she could hear.
“I’ll do that, Aaron. Thank you. Do you want me to bring back some salmon for you?” she asked with a grin. He loved it when she brought just about anything back from all of the places that she went to, but he especially loved it when she brought fresh salmon from the Pacific Northwest.
“You don’t have to, but if you do, I would love it. Thank you.” He sounded happy just thinking about it.
They said goodbye and she readied herself for bed, and all the while her mind was on the trip, and the fact that she and Michael were going to be side by side for five days and four nights. She couldn’t stop her imagination from going in nearly every direction, and most of what she thought of made her smile with a naughty grin.
***
It felt as if Wednesday would never come, and at the same time if felt like it came five minutes after the phone call she’d had with Michael. It seemed surreal to her that she had thought about it so much and then suddenly it was there and it was time for her to go.
She met him at the airport as they had planned. She walked up to her gate and went around a pillar looking for a seat, and there he was suddenly, standing before her wearing a soft dark brown suede jacket and a dark brown hat that looked as if Indiana Jones might have given it to him. His fingers were pushed down partway into his front pockets and there was a filled backpack at his feet, almost resting against his dark boots.
“Good afternoon!” he smiled at her and she was incredulous that she could feel as if she was frozen in place and melting into a puddle all at once.
“Hi! You look like you’re ready for an adventure!” She smiled at his attire and his stance. He could have been the hero on the poster for a wild action movie.
He gave her a nod. “You look beautiful.” He smiled. “Can I take that for you?” he asked, reaching out his hand to help her with her carry-on suitcase.
She wasn’t accustomed to men being quite so thoughtful and helpful, and she realized almost immediately that she liked it. “Yes, thank you! That’s thoughtful of you.”
He waited until she took a seat, and then he sat beside her. “Can I get you anything? Coffee? Water?” he offered, indicating the small mall of shops and eateries behind them.
Raina shook her head and the corners of her mouth turned up. The thought occurred to her that if he was going to be that sweet and considerate, acting the gentleman all the way through their trip, then it was going to be a great trip indeed. She mused that she could definitely get used to a man acting that way toward her.
“Have you ever been to Vancouver before?” she asked, feeling curious about him.
He hadn’t opened up much to her at all about who he was, and she found that the more he held back from her while actively getting to know her, the more she wanted to know about him. She found it intriguing and slightly frustrating.
He gave his head a shake. “No, first and only trip out of the country was to Mexico, for a friend’s wedding, actually.”
She smiled. “I think you’ll enjoy Vancouver. You seem to have a metrosexual sort of look and an outgoing personality, and Vancouver is in many ways a city filled with a young and vibrant crowd. There are neighborhoods where younger people tend to really spend a lot of time, especially at night, in clubs and places like that, and in the daytime those neighborhoods are busy with people going to coffee shops and art galleries. It’s also one of the most beautiful cities I’ve ever seen, and it’s fall now, so all of the leaves are changing, and the colors will be gorgeous.”
“I’m looking forward to it,” he said as he leaned closer to her, his eyes steady on hers. “Especially because I’ll be seeing it with you. I think we’re going to have a wonderful time.”
An irresistible grin formed on Raina’s face. She tried not to feel like a giddy college girl, but it couldn’t be helped. His confidence and flirtatious manner brought out the urge to be fun and naughty, and to let go of all of her inhibitions. It was a very different mentality and sensation for her, and she was swiftly discovering that she liked it. It made her feel young and beautiful, and the way that he watched her made her feel wanted and desirable; the combination of all of it went straight to her head.
They talked a short while longer before being boarded onto the plane. She had gotten them seats in first class, and he admitted to her that he had never flown first class before. He enjoyed himself right away, and seeing him enjoy himself so much made her enjoy it all the more, as well.
Their conversation ranged over a wide array of topics as they flew north, and when they had landed and gotten through customs, she picked up their rental car and began to drive to the house that she usually rented when she was in Vancouver.
Michael looked like a child seeing the world for the first time; he was intent on looking at all of it, as much as he could as they drove along. The differences, even subtle ones, in culture and small things like speeds being in kilometers instead of miles, and gasoline being sold by liters instead of gallons, all seemed to intrigue him.
She didn’t say much to him about it, except to point out the things that she thought might interest him. Raina loved seeing him discover everything different around them, and she found that it endeared him to her.
After a little bit of a drive and a fast stop at a small market for groceries, they pulled up to a fair sized house on the beach, at the edge of the city. It was a ranch with a loft A-frame ceiling. It was set directly on the beach, with a deck going around three sides of the house from the front to the back. It was colored a slate blue, with windows with white trim that looked out of every side of it. It was surrounded by green grass and several bushes and flower beds that were at the end of their season.
The house itself was nestled at the foot of a tall hill that was covered with pine trees. It was entirely secluded, except for the city, just around the other side of the hill and down the road. There was a peacefulness about the place, and a serenity that seemed to fill them both, all the way to their souls.
Michael looked around them as they walked through the little picket fence gate and through the yard to the house. They stepped inside and he looked around more, and said, “I see no reason to leave.”
She laughed because she knew that he meant ‘ever’.
“Well, we don’t have to leave until Sunday, so we do have some time here.”
They were standing in a small living room that was connected to a small kitchen. He followed her as she walked out of the living room to a bedroom. It was the only bedroom in the home.
“My assistant always books this place for me when I come to Vancouver. I’m not sure how you’ll feel about this, but there’s just the one bed here.” She indicated the bed before them.
It was a king sized bed, and on the wall opposite the bed, there was a long sofa.
“That sofa folds out though, if you want to sleep there, but you’re welcome to sleep by me in the bed, if you want to.”
She felt her heart speed up and she couldn’t believe that her nerves were tingling all over. She knew she had no business feeling nervous, but there was no doubt about it; she could barely breathe thinking about him being there with her.
He walked over to the sofa and set his backpack and her carry-on bag on top of the cushions, effectively claiming it for the luggage.
He turned and looked at her with a sultry smile. “I’d rather sleep by you, if you don’t mind.”
Her breath caught and blood began to pound through her heart. “I don’t mind,” she said with a half-smile as she gazed up at him through her thick lashes.
It was already shaping up to be a visit like she had never had.
Michael’s dark brown eyes lingered on hers again for a moment, and then he turned his attention to the fireplace that was on the wall to the right side of the bed, nearer to the bedroom door and the living room.
“It is cool in here, I guess because no one has been in here. Would you like me to light a fire for us?” he asked, turning to look at her again.
She gave him a nod.
“That would be nice, thank you,” she answered, and then she walked over to the glass door on the left side of the bed and unlocked it, sliding it open. Cold fresh sea air swept through the room and she shivered and breathed it in with a smile.
The waves were crashing in, loud and powerful, as mist and fog formed around the pine trees that spilled from the mountain right into the sea just off to the side of the house. There was a small wooden deck at the door, and just off of the deck there was sand and beach.
“If we’d been any closer to the water, we’d have been on a boat!” she laughed, speaking just over her shoulder without really looking back.
She felt him behind her before she heard him; his warm chest up almost up against her back. His hands closed over her hips as he looked over her shoulder out to sea. She could feel his warm breath on her neck and it made everything in her begin to race.
“I can taste the salt from the sea on my lips. Can you taste it?” she asked, staring at the waves and willing herself to stand steady in his arms.
“I’d like to,” he said quietly, turning her to face him.
She drew her breath in sharply and found her hands on his chest, her palms flat, her fingers light on his shirt.
His eyes were dark and smoldering; his jaw set firmly as he gazed at her. She felt flaming tension burning between them, and for an instant, everything felt as if it were precariously balanced between them, and the next moment, he drew her up to him, sliding his hands over her cheeks and around the back of her head and her neck into her dark hair. His mouth closed over hers, and he kissed her; slowly, tenderly, taking his time and learning the form and feel of her lips as his moved over them.
Raina’s breath caught and she felt everything in her tighten as he kissed her, and she began to kiss him in return, her lips softening and moving against his as a quiet sigh escaped her. His hands were warm on her skin, and his mouth was even warmer.
Gravity let go of her, and she felt as if she might be rising right up off the floor, and then he let go of her, slowly and gently, kissing her lightly once more before lowering his hands.
“I didn’t taste the salt, but I love the taste of you,” he said quietly, his dark eyes centered on her. He gave her a little smile and she tried to remember how to breathe.
Words escaped her and she could only look back at him, wondering again what she had gotten herself into. She couldn’t remember the last time she had swooned in the arms of a man, especially one who was five or six years younger than her. That had never happened. She began to wonder if she had been missing out, and she told herself that if she had, she wasn’t going to anymore.
He turned from her silently, and went to the fireplace to start a fire. She smiled to herself, thinking that he had just started a fire in her, and if he kept at it, they wouldn’t need one in the house.
Raina began to make dinner for them, and after Michael had a fire going in the bedroom and in the living room, he helped her with their meal. She made steaks and wild rice, and he cut up vegetables for a salad.
They sat and talked over their meal, drinking wine and discussing interests that they had, and goals that they wanted to achieve. Raina found more and more as they spoke to each other that she liked so much about him. He seemed to be a man of integrity and honor, of intelligence and wit. She liked that about him, and his genteel way with her. It appealed to her on many levels.
When the meal was finished, they cleared the table together and he insisted on doing the dishes. She liked that he was being helpful, and as he took care of what little work was needed, she pulled two wine glasses from the cupboard and opened a bottle of champagne for them.
“What is this?” he asked with a grin, watching her as he dried his hands on a towel.
“It’s champagne in wine glasses for us, so we can go walk on the beach and watch the sunset. They had champagne flutes here once upon a time, but they’re not here now, so we’re using wine glasses. You can get more champagne into a wine glass, anyway.” She winked at him as she handed one of the glasses to him. He took it from her, and he picked up the bottle and gave her a wink in return.
“To the best beginning we could imagine.” He lifted his glass to her in a toast.
She toasted him and nodded. “Cheers!”
“Well, I’m ready anytime you are. Lead on!” he replied happily.
She laughed at him and led them out to the beach, where they strolled slowly along the edge of the water, watching the waves roll in and the golden sun sink low. They drank their champagne and she handed her empty glass to him and waded into the water up to her knees. She turned once to see if he was enjoying it as much as she was, and she saw him grinning, his dark hair falling over his forehead as he looked down, pouring more champagne into her glass.
He was charming indeed, and sweet, and funny, and romantic. She knew that she was lucky to be with him there, and she knew somewhere in the back of her mind that he was lucky, too, though he had yet to say it to her.
She came out of the sea and took the glass from him. They toasted again, and stood side by side sipping their golden bubbly, watching fiery colors blaze across the sky before the light began to dim, and all the reds and oranges dissolved into dusky blues and violets. Stars began to twinkle, and a bright white half-moon rose in a periwinkle sky overhead. It felt like a dream to her.
They went back inside the house and he took care of their empty champagne glasses and the bottle while she made popcorn and put a movie in for them. They sat together on the sofa in the living room near the fireplace, side by side.
The movie had barely started when he reached for her hand and took it in his. She couldn’t resist the smile that came over her face, and she felt an innocence with them, and a sweetness that she knew she would enjoy if it stayed with them.
By the time the movie was half done, he had wrapped her in his arms and pulled her close. She let her head lay on his shoulder, nestled into the crook of his neck, and she found it comforting and quite warming.
When the credits of the movie rolled, she began to grow nervous again, just a bit, realizing that bedtime was upon them, and knowing that he would be sleeping next to her that night for the first time. She was looking forward to it, though she wasn’t quite sure what to expect. Normally one to take the reins in any situation, she found that she wanted to be sought after to a point; she wanted him to make the first move, and she decided to wait to see if he would do it, and if he did, just how he would.
Tossing her cares to the wind, she told herself that she should just let the evening play itself out, and whatever happened would happen. It was easier than anticipating and hoping; better than worrying and wondering. She would just see how it went, and if anything happened between them, it would be because of him.
The bedroom was dim as she went in after tidying up the living room and kitchen, and locking the front door. She was delighted to see that there were a few candles lit around the room, and that the fire in the fireplace had made the room cozy while giving it a warm light.
He was in the bathroom readying himself for bed, so she picked up a blanket and walked to the sliding glass door in the bedroom, pulling it open and looking with surprise at the beach in the night. It was only a few minutes later that he came up beside her to look out with her.
“Look at that!” she exclaimed in amazement as she stared at the phenomenon before her. “I’ve never seen anything like it before, have you?”
Fat snowflakes spiraled slowly down from a thick cloud overhead, falling onto the beach and the sand, dancing around them in a silent waltz. Michael stared at it as well and shook his head.
“No, I’ve never seen anything like that. It’s beautiful! I’m surprised, though. It didn’t look like there were snow clouds when we were out walking on the beach before.” He shook his head and slid his hand into hers, closing his fingers around hers. “Is this even real?” he asked in quiet wonder as he watched it all.
She shrugged and laughed softly. “If I’m dreaming, please don’t wake me.”
She realized then that while it was warm behind them in the room, it was plenty cool in front of them in the open air of the doorway they were standing in. She took the blanket from around her and moved to stand behind him, wrapping the blanket around them both and closing it in front of him as she stood in the doorway, and he stood on the wooden deck in front of her. She carefully set her chin on his shoulder and held them both in the warmth of the blanket.
“This makes me think of an old Edgar Allen Poe poem that I love,” she said quietly.
He turned his head slightly to look at her in curiosity. “Does it? Which one?” he asked in a soft voice.
“Annabel Lee,” she replied. Taking in a breath, she smiled to herself and began to recite it to him, speaking it barely above a whisper near his ear as the snowflakes drifted down around them toward the sand and the sea, and the waves rushed and crashed to the shore.
“It was many and many a year ago, in a kingdom by the sea, that a maiden there lived whom you may know, by the name of Annabel Lee, and this maiden she lived with no other thought than to love and be loved by me, and I was a child and she was a child in this kingdom by the sea…” She spoke the whole poem, taking her time, allowing herself to feel every word and every line, until she reached the end of it.
Michael turned to look at her, and his eyes were filled with wonder. “That’s tragic, but beautiful. Thank you,” he said quietly.
She nodded and smiled. “It’s one of my favorites. I’m glad to share it.”
“I was glad to hear it,” he replied, facing her fully and sliding his arms around her waist.
He stepped into the room with her and pulled her up against him, lifting his hand to the back of her head where his fingers got lost in her dark hair and his eyes searched hers, almost asking, and almost insisting.
There was a momentary stillness between them, a canyon of eternity as everything began to shift from what they had been to what they were about to be, and in the next moment, his lips met hers again, and she gasped as she closed her eyes and felt herself melt into his form, his kiss, and his arms.
Their lips moved slowly at first, but as their inhibitions dissolved, desire and heat began to fill them, and their mouths and hands began to move more urgently. As their kisses quickened, his fingers moved from her back and her hair to the edge of her jawline as he held her face in his hands.
Breath grew short between them as their tongues twisted around one another, and they nibbled and bit at each other’s lips gently.
His voice was deep and quiet as he lifted his face from hers and looked into her eyes. “I want you… right now… right here…” he spoke with a hoarse whisper. “Are you ready for this to happen between us?” he asked, searching her eyes in anticipation.
She was more than ready. “Yes,” she answered simply, bringing her lips to his again.
It was all he needed to hear. His hands moved beneath her sweater, pulling it off of her before they caressed her skin, his fingertips rubbing over her gently. He paused in their kissing to lean back and gaze at her before him in her black lace and pink satin bra; her full breasts half exposed to him.
Raina helped him pull his own shirt off, and in minutes he had slid her skirt from her body and was out of his jeans, and laying her back on the big bed behind them. He trailed his mouth from her lips down her neck, hungrily tasting her as his fingers moved nimbly to remove her bra. He took his time then, touching her body, discovering her and gazing at her, as she did the same with him, running her hands over the solid muscles of his chest, letting the dark hairs there tickle the ends of her fingertips.
Her body had gone far beyond growing heated with need; she began to ache for him, burning with desire as she pressed herself against him. His erection was hard on her, only separated from her by the thin cloth of her panties.
It seemed the breath of a minute before he had taken them off her, and pulled a condom on himself. He moved above her and spread her thighs apart, sliding himself into her slowly as her body grew accustomed to him. He held her eyes with his as he entered her, both of them holding fast to one another until he was in her fully, and desperate need overtook them both.
The wind and snow blew gustily outside as the ocean waves thundered, and the fire in the fireplace blazed hot and bright, lighting the curves and lines of their bodies; the dark of her skin and the paleness of his, all in perfect complement.
They rocked with each other slowly at first, sharing tender kisses and a close embrace, but passion ignited like a flame growing to a bonfire, and their hunger and desire consumed them both swiftly as they moved, wrestling against one another in need until ecstasy engulfed them, and they both cried out in release, shuddering together as they came for one another, their arms locked around one another, their fingers digging into their lover’s flesh, eyes shut tight, trembling breathlessly.
Slowly they came back to themselves, their hearts slowing, their eyes opening anew, and they laid back together in the deep pillows, gazing at one another as they found their way through the enormity of change between them.
He took her in his arms and held her close to him, kissing her softly on the lips, and then on the forehead, and after a while they fell asleep together, nestled against one another in harmony and comforting bliss.