“Wow. You’re breathtaking, Loren. Thank you.”
His palm caressed my cheek, his thumb running under my eye, as it fluttered closed at the contact. It was caring, and I daresay, adoring. I felt Monroe lift one of my legs, hooking it into his elbow as he rocked into me. I opened my eyes again, staring intensely into his as he pushed forward with a little more force but still at that slow back and forth.
His pale green eyes felt alive, and I pulled his lips down to mine, wanting every inch to touch. It didn’t take much longer, and as we stared into one another’s eyes, I felt us fall over that edge, weaving our hearts together as we both gasped out in ecstasy.
“That was the most beautiful love-making I’ve ever experienced.” His tone held reverence, and I couldn’t deny he was right. It had been love-making; even if we weren’t saying the words out loud, our hearts had said them for us through our bodies.
Monroe continued to cherish me as he pulled out and walked into the bathroom. He returned a few minutes later with a warm washcloth and proceeded to pamper me. By the time he’d finished, I felt as if my muscles were jelly, and I’d become boneless. I heard the door unlock as he left the room, but I was too blissed out to move. A few minutes later, he came back, crawling in behind me as he wrapped me up in his arms again, spooning me.
“I checked on the boys, and they’re still asleep.”
“Oh, good.”
“Thank you for waiting for me. I think I was meant to meet you when I did, to show me I could have good things in my life. You’re my good thing, Lo.”
“I could say the same about you.”
“Well, I said it first, so tough cookie.”
Giggling, I rolled over so I could face him. “Since we’re thanking each other, I’d like to say thanks for being patient with me. I know I haven’t made it easy at times.”
“You’re easy to wait for. Especially when I get here, and you show me the real beauty you’ve been hiding. I feel like I’m the lucky one.”
“Well, we can both be lucky then.”
“I’ll agree to that.”
“You’re such a lawyer sometimes. It’s cute.”
“Oh, you think I’m cute?”
He rolled me onto my back and began to tickle me as he simultaneously left kisses. Laughing, I curled up into a ball, attempting to swat him off me. “I surrender. I don’t know what from, but I do.”
“You surrender to calling me sexy, or hot, or manly.”
“Fine! Fine! You’re very manly, Monroe. Oh, so manly!” Giggles poured out of me, and I couldn’t remember ever feeling this light, this happy… this free.
When he stopped, he gave my lips a quick peck before wrapping us up together in a hug. “You give the best hugs.”
He snuggled closer, rubbing his nose along my neck, breathing me in. “Is that so?”
“Mmhmm.”
“Would it ruin it then if I tell you it's so I can feel your body pressed against mine?”
“A little!”
“Well, then it’s definitely not that.”
“I’d say you’re cute again, but I can’t survive another tickle fight.”
“What am I then?”
“Hmm, you're like a warm hug.”
“A warm hug? So, I’m basically Olaf?”
“What’s wrong with being Olaf? He’s a great character. But you’re wrong. He said he liked warm hugs, not that he was one.”