Page 18 of Eternal Love
He raised his gaze to meet hers. “What did you do, Julia?”
When she didn’t answer, he asked her again, louder this time. “What did you do?”
“What I needed to.”
His eyes locked onto her head, the blood trickling down from her scalp.
“Who did that to you?” he growled, storming over to her, yet touching her so gently she could barely feel his fingers brushing over her. He took her hand, pulled off her scarf, and moved her into the kitchen. He sat her on a chair and began dabbing at her wounds.
His hands were shaking, and it was like he was trying to swallow down his temper. “Tell me,” he demanded.
So, she did. She closed her eyes and told him everything.
When there was no response, she said, “I know, okay? I know. But what’s done is done, and I found what you need to ... move on.”
The cloth on her head stilled. She could see her reflection in the window. The blood was gone. It was just a surface wound. It didn’t even hurt anymore. What hurt was seeing him hurt.
“You think I want to move on?” he asked through gritted teeth. “It’s the last thing I want to do. I’ve been ready to move on for so long ... but the second I saw you, all desire to move on vanished.” He ran his fingers through his hair. “I’m already ... seeing them.”
Her breath caught in her throat. “Your family?”
He nodded. “They’ve come to me, telling me it won’t be long until I can cross over, until we can all be together again.” He shook his head as if shaking that from his mind. “No, I’m staying right here—if you’ll have me. I know I can’t give you everything you need...”
“No, you’ve given me more, everything I need. Please stay. I’m asking you to stay for as long as you can.”
“For as long as I can,” he echoed. He nuzzled into her neck. “Why can’t I stay angry at you?”
She chuckled. “Punish me all you like,” she whispered against his lips.
“Punish you? No, with whatever time I have left, I intend to worship you.”
A thrill laced up her spine at that. She wanted to be worshiped, at his mercy. He could see the look in her eyes and understood it, like he had always been able to understand her. He scooped her up, carrying her all the way upstairs. He stripped her of her clothes slowly, agonizingly slowly, dropping an item to the floor one at a time. For every item of clothing he removed, he would kiss her now naked skin. When he finally got where she wanted, needed him, she was desperate. There was no lead up. It was like they both knew what the other required. He slid inside her with one thrust, pushing her nearly all the way up the bed. He held her legs open wider, so he could go deeper, harder. Her hands traced his powerful body, and all the way back up to his face, his hair. The idea that she couldn’t have this, or have him whenever she wanted, sent a burst of emotion through her: anger, sadness, wanting.
Julia pulled him tighter, closer into her, dragging his face down so she could kiss him and kiss him and kiss him, until they were both gasping.
“Together,” he said, his thrusts becoming more rapid.
“Together,” she said, as she tightened around him, and they both cried out.
As she fell asleep in his arms, she could’ve sworn she heard him whisper those three little words.I love you. She smiled.
What a lovely dream.
