Dakota, Are You in Love With Me Too?

Laying silently on my back staring up at the ceiling, I deeply inhaled the scent of Strawberries and Champagne, one of the fragrances from Victoria’s Secret. It has always been my favorite scent from that store but I had never smelled it outside of the store; until now. The noise from the shower within the bathroom had stopped a good five minutes ago, my girlfriend walked out in just one of my white t-shirts and a pair of panties about four minutes ago, and since then the scent of her body wash, lotion and body spray, all of which smell of Strawberries and Champagne, have filled the room.

Outside I could hear the mighty roar of the sea crashing down onto the perfect sands of San Diego, and with the windows open along with the French doors that lead out to the patio open, I could feel the morning breeze caressing my bare torso and naked legs as I sleepily continued to lay on my girlfriend’s queen sized bed.

Dakota and I decided that we’d hop on a plane and fly to San Diego for the weekend. Dakota really missed home and it seemed like her apartment was the only place that she would be truly happy and we’d get some much needed privacy, the privacy needed to let our relationship grow the way we want it to.

Since arriving late last night, not once as Dakota raised her voice to me and called me an asshole, she of course cursed like a damn sailor but that’s just the way she is, she has a potty mouth. Dakota even decided to hold my hand as while walked through the San Diego airport, something she rarely does.

We’re learning each other I suppose you could call it. We’ve both already confessed our undying love and need for each other, we’ve told each other our life stories, and some of our deepest secrets now we’re just being together. When we arrived at her apartment last night, we merely said five words to each other before making love for the first time.

I can’t really put into words how I felt last night because the passion and intensity of everything was ten times greater than I ever felt with Peyton and with every passing second that I’m with Dakota I wish that I had met her sooner. I swore that Peyton was ‘the one’ but now I’m slowly realizing that Peyton was merely one of my many ‘ones’. I know this is wrong to say and Dakota will never replace the love I had for Peyton but Dakota is honestly everything I want and need.

She gives me space, she’s not too lovey yet I know that if I really wanted her to be, she would be. She can be a total bitch but at the end of the day she curled up in bed next to me and we forget everything we fought about that day. Dakota Mae is what I had wished Peyton was. Dakota doesn’t put up with my bullshit like Peyton did, Dakota calls me out and tells me when I’m taking it too far and she doesn’t care if we’re alone or in front of a crowd of people. Dakota doesn’t need me like Peyton did and that’s one of the attractions, it’s one of the things I love.

“O’Callaghan?” I heard Dakota mumble from the balcony that comes off of her bedroom.

Turning my head I looked over at the open French doors to see Dakota standing against the railing as the wind carelessly blew my shirt up, showing off her polka dot panties that are absolutely adorable may I add, “What love?” I answered with my voice dry and weak sounding.

Dakota’s shoulders raised slightly as she inhaled a deep breath of air before exhaling it loudly, “It’s beautiful out here this morning, I didn’t realize how much I missed my view.” She said softly, “Come out here with me,”

I made a face to myself, not wanting to get up at all. I haven’t been asleep, after the events that happened between Dakota and I just a few hours ago, I haven’t been able to force myself asleep just yet.

“Get that fuckin’ look off of your face and get your boney ass out here, now.” Dakota demanded, that stern tone in her voice that I fell in love with from the first time I heard her use it, “It’s not gonna fuckin’ kill you, God damn, O’Callaghan.”

I smiled to myself then forced myself to get up, dragging my feet, I made my way out to the balcony and took my place behind Dakota. Wrapping my arms around her middle and resting my chin on her shoulder as I tiredly looked out at the ocean that was just across the street from her two bedroom apartment, “It’s gorgeous.” I mumbled.

“I know it,” Dakota replied then she gently placed her good hand over my own hands, “John, will you never move out of Arizona? Not even for this view … and me?” She whispered in a soft tone.

I frowned a little then I shrugged, “Maybe for the view,” I smirked.

Dakota turned around in my arms then looked into my eyes with a serious look to them, “I mean it, O’Callaghan,” She muttered, “Will this continued to be just my home or will it turn into our home?”

Deeply, I stared into her eyes and tilted my head a bit, “What are you saying Dakota Mae?”

She stared back into my eyes just as much intensity and spoke, “I want you to move in with me,” She said simply, “I want San Diego to be our home, not just my home. I want out of Tempe, out of Arizona, away from the people who know your past, I want a relatively new start.” Dakota paused for a moment as she sighed nervously, she obviously hasn’t done this before, “I want this to be our … our morning thing, to come out here and stare at the ocean for a while together. I want this to be our one place where we can go to just forget the world, I want this to be home and it wouldn’t be home anymore without you.” She blushed deeply after she spoke those words, “I know, that was sappy.”

I smiled a little and caressed her lightly freckled face, “Dakota Tempe to San Diego is a big move,” I whispered.

As I said those words all hope left her beautiful blue eyes, “But,” I started to finish, “If you give me two weeks to get my shit together, say my goodbyes and figure out a band practice schedule, I’d be more than willing to make this our home.” I smiled gently.

Dakota mirrored my smile then she nodded, “Two weeks it is,”

I ran my hand through her gorgeous blonde hair and smiled, “How do you do this to me?”

“What?”

“Make me act like this.”

Dakota shrugged her shoulders a little then turned back around to look back at the ocean, “Hold me tighter,” She ordered simply.

Not being able to refuse, I hugged her tightly to my body before lightly pressing my lips to her temple, “I love you,” I whispered against her soft skin.

Dakota nodded her head.

“Cross my heart and hope to die,” I went on, “Believe me?”

“I believe you,” She assured, “I love you, too.”

“I know it,” I nodded then I turned her around so she was looking at me once more. With a frown upon her beautiful face, she glared at my evilly, “What?” She snapped.

“Let’s go in, and sleep.” I whispered.

Narrowing her eyes on me, “O’Callaghan…”

“The ocean will be right where you leave it when you get up,” I smiled, “Come keep me warm,”

“You want in my panties again,” She mumbled.

I smiled, “Maybe when I wake up but I truly do want sleep, I’m exhausted Dakota Mae.”

“Stop it,”

“What?”

“Calling me that, Dakota Mae.”

“Then you stop calling me O’Callaghan,” I smirked.

Dakota made a face then rolled her eyes as she pushed by me and went in, “Shut the doors,” She growled as she crawled into her bed.

I smiled with victory as I walked back in, shutting the doors behind myself as I did so. Laying myself onto the bed next to Dakota, I carelessly pushed my arm up her shirt and traced her side softly while she snuggled into me.

“Tell me a secret,” I demanded as I traced a heart onto her skin.

Dakota looked at me, “I’m jealous,”

“Of what?”

“Peyton,” She mumbled.

I frowned, “How so?”

“I don’t know, it’s hard to explain.”

I wrinkled my nose then kissed her lips lovingly, “Don’t be,” I demanded, “Tell me a different secret,”

Dakota inhaled then she smiled, “Um, I’ve always wanted a very traditional wedding, I never want to go and get hitched in Vegas or Reno or down at City Hall. If I do it, I do it right and I only do it once,” She frowned, “I don’t ever want to get a divorce but if there ever comes a time where I need one, I don’t want it to be messy and I want to still be friends with whomever I’m divorcing, especially if there are kids involved.” She made a face, “I hate divorces and I hate the pain that they cause everyone, even in the ‘nice’ divorces it’s horrible.”

I pushed some of her hair out of her face and smiled, “When do you want to get married,”

“Before I’m thirty, I’m no big rush.” She smiled cutely, “But if someone happened to ask me, I definitely wouldn’t turn that someone down.” Dakota frowned then laid onto her side so she was looking at me better, “I never believed in love at first sight until you,” She said.

“Me either,”

With her bright blue eyes she stared a hole through me, almost like she was peering straight into my soul, “Let’s do it,” I whispered before I could stop myself but once those words were out in the open I felt no regret.

“Do what?”

“Get married,” I answered.

“O’Callaghan,” Dakota sighed.

“Dakota Mae,” I replied, “What’s there to think about?” I questioned, “We love each other, isn’t that all we need?”

She rolled her eyes, “You’re crazy,”

“And you’re fucking insane,” I laughed, “But for some reason, we fit together flawlessly and you know what, I don’t want anyone else.” I licked my lips and frowned, “Even if I had a second chance at the life I had with Peyton, I wouldn’t give this up for that,” I shook my head, “I swear it,”

“John,”

“I’m serious,” I sat up and stared down at my girlfriend, “Be my Wife, Dakota Mae. Be the bitch that I have to answer to for the rest of my life,” I smirked.

Dakota sat up and smiled back at me, “Make me a promise,”

“Anything,”

“When that fucking pussy emo band of yours makes it, and I know you will, don’t change.” She demanded, “Promise me you won’t change and you’ll always be my cocky jackass of a boyfriend … or husband.”

“I promise,”

“Ok,”

“So, will you Marry me?”

“Yes,” She answered then she wrapped her arms around me tightly, “I don’t want some other bimbo to get a hold of you and make you her own, so I need to get you off the market and make you a married man.” She joked.

I smiled as I held her close, “We’ll go look at rings later,”

She pushed me away and held up her left hand that’s stuck in a cast, “No, not until my hand is better,” She growled.

I made a face, “You don’t want a ring yet?”

“No,” She shook her head quickly.

“You don’t even want to look?”

Dakota sat there for a second then shook her head, “No, not yet.”

“Ok,” I rolled my eyes, “Whatever,” I laughed then I took her broken hand and lightly kissed her finger tips, “You’re fucking crazy.”

“Speak for yourself.”

I laughed then I shook my head as I tugged my shirt off of her body, “You look better without it,” I admitted truthfully.

Dakota rolled her eyes then she laid back down, “Let’s set a date,”

“Hmm, ok.” I laid myself down on top of her carefully then made a thinking face as she wrapped her legs around my hips, “Spring, Summer, Fall or Winter?”

“Spring,” She answered cutely, “March,”

“March,” I smiled, “I can handle a March Wedding.”

“This coming March,” She pointed out, “That gives us time to plan it so we’re not completely rushed, it gives you enough time to deal with all your recording shit,” She made a face, “And it still gives me time to keep you to myself before you leave on tour,”

I frowned but said nothing.

“You know you’re gonna leave on tour,”

“I know,” I nodded, “But how did you know?”

“I’m not stupid John, you have an EP that you’re going to be putting out soon, you’re going to be recording up in LA for your first full length, tour is unavoidable,” Dakota said matter-of-factly.

“It is,” I agreed.

Tightening her legs around my hips more, Dakota stared up at me, “When should we tell everyone?” She whispered, “When I get a ring or before?”

“I don’t care when we tell people, we can call everyone we know now and tell them,”

Dakota bit her lip a bit then unwrapped her legs from my body, “Your band …”

“What about the band?”

“They don’t like already, when they find out you’re moving and we’re engaged, they’re gonna fuckin’ hate me.”

“No,” I shook my head, “They’re just getting used to you, they don’t hate you, trust me.”

“Their girlfriends hate me,”

“Fuck them,” I growled, “Since when does my Dakota Mae care about what other people think?”

“Since your Dakota Mae fell in love and a certain boy made her a fucking vulnerable mess.”

Leaning down, I gently kissed her lips, “It’s ok to be vulnerable, but it’s not ok to give a shit what those bitches think. They grew up together, they’ve had the same fucking friends since preschool and they don’t like new people at all, it’s their God damn loss that they don’t want to take the time to know you.”

“I’m a huge bitch, huh?”

“Yes, and you always have been from what I gather; continue to be that bitch.”
I smiled then I kissed her again, “Fuck the world and what they think about us, we know what’s true, that’s all that matters.”

Dakota shrugged then she closed her eyes, “Hold me,” She ordered in a gentle tone.

Moving off of her, I laid myself down close to her before wrapping my arms around her body. Resting her head against my chest, Dakota clung to me like if she were to let me go, the world would come to an end.

“I love you, Dakota Mae,” I mumbled as I closed my eyes slowly, “No one is ever going to change that.”

“I love you, too.” She whispered back but said nothing more after that, she just fell extremely quiet and the only thing I could hear was her breathing mixed with the sound of the seagulls barking outside.

Pressing my lips to her forehead, I kissed her a few times while I traced her spine lightly and let myself fall asleep; being completely content with Dakota and how my life has changed for the better.