The thing was, I wasn’t thinking. That was okay, though, because my mistake of getting involved with Jason brought the man I was destined to spend my life with into my life.
Pulling myself out of my reverie, I glanced at my computer screen. I had been thinking so long that my screen had gone dark.
Knowing that there was no point in logging back into my computer, I grabbed my tea and headed out to the pond. The young wildflowers had poked their heads out of their cocoons and looked to the sun.
I sat among the blues, purples, pinks, whites, and yellows, thinking that I was a princess in my own fairy tale. Recently, I had even found a prince who had kissed me and brought my heart to life.
The young turtles made me smile. I knew that some turtle species were loners, but I guess these young ones enjoyed having playmates.
Closing my eyes, I lifted my face to the sun. I gloried in the warmth of the bright rays bathing my face. The breeze was a warm caress today, as opposed to the sharp, cold wind that had set upon me the night before.
Leaves from the trees rustled, singing their own song in tune with the birds. “Surely, this must be paradise,” I said softly.
“It is most definitely a paradise, and I have my very own golden goddess sitting on her throne of flowers, as is befitting a woman of such beauty.”
I turned to smile at the man who had quietly walked up behind me. I had not heard him with my ears, but I had sensed his presence as soon as he had gotten close to me.
He sat down on the ground behind me. His long, muscular legs that looked more like tree trunks than any man's appendage stretched out on either side of me.
I leaned back against him, my head tucked neatly under his chin. He wrapped both of his arms around me, holding me close. I was so relaxed I was half afraid that I was going to fall asleep.
“I thought you were supposed to be in your office working on your book,” he said.
“My book refused to be worked on. My characters refused to speak to me, and all of the thoughts and ideas I had seemed to have opened a tiny window in my brain and escaped.”
He laughed. “You certainly do express your thoughts creatively. I can actually picture tiny little words drawing a door, complete with a doorknob, opening it, and leaving. Just like in the cartoons I used to watch when I was a little boy.”
“You did not watch cartoons,” I told him. “You were never a little boy.”
“I was, too. When you have a chance to meet my mother, she’ll tell you all about it,” he said.
“I’m looking forward to meeting your family. I hope I get a chance to do that soon,” I told him. “I’ve always wanted a big family.”
“You might change your mind after you meet everyone in our clan,” he laughed. “What about you?”
I smiled sadly. A couple of tears formed at the corners of my eyes. He reached up to wipe them away with his thumb.
“I didn’t mean to upset you,” he said. “If you’d rather not talk about it, I understand.”
“No, it’s okay. My mom died almost five years ago. She fought breast cancer for a long time. Finally, she lost the war. Then, Daddy was diagnosed with lung cancer. He would have died a long time ago if it hadn’t been for me. He knew I needed him and just wouldn’t let go. He was worried that I would be alone in this world. I finally convinced him that I would be okay, and he let go. He died two months ago.”
“I’m sorry, my love.”
“It’s okay. I know he is with my mother. They were childhood sweethearts and were very much in love. They both would have loved you.”
“I’m glad. I’m sure I would have loved them, too. They had to be okay, or they wouldn’t have raised such an amazing woman.”
I felt the blush rising in my face.
“And know that you are never alone. Your parents are with you in spirit, and I am with you physically.”
I snuggled even closer against him. His body around me felt like a warm barricade against the world. Nothing could ever hurt me as long as I had Gage.
“How are you feeling?” He asked. “You know, since last night.”
“Great,” I replied, already feeling the now-familiar heat building inside of me.
Gage began kissing the back of my neck, and he squeezed my breasts firmly, but not painfully. He rubbed my nipples through the stretched fabric that covered my globes.