Perfect

“I can’t believe it’s only been 6 months. It feels like we’ve been together 6 years.” John took my hand and smiled that crooked smile that makes me melt. We were sitting at our favorite little restaurant for our 6-month anniversary dinner. As usual, we were sitting on the same side of the booth like we always did.
“I know, it’s crazy.” I grinned at him and squeezed his hand.
“Hey, I got you a present.” He grinned.
“You didn’t have to get me anything!” I exclaimed.
“I wanted to.” He reached in his pocket and pulled out a jewelry box and handed it to me. . "Open it!” He grinned like a little kid. I opened it and found a necklace. I picked it up and examined the pendant. It was one of his guitar picks, but it had been cut into the shape of a heart and he had written a date on the back. I racked my brain trying to figure out what it meant but nothing rang a bell.
“I love it, but what’s the date?” I asked, slightly nervous that it was a date that I should know.
“That would be the date of the first time I told you I loved you.” He smiled at me.
I thought back to that day. We were play wrestling and ended up on the floor. He had managed to get on top of me and pin me down, when he suddenly stopped and looked me in the eyes. He kind of blurted it out, I don’t think he was planning on saying that he loved me, but I knew he meant it. I just looked up at him wide-eyed, not able to say anything back. He told me that I didn’t have to say anything, and that it was okay, that he just wanted me to know. That day was about a month ago, and I still hadn’t said it back, even though he continued to say it. I don’t know why I never say it, because I know that I feel it. I know that I love him; I have since probably 2 months into our relationship. I am just scared I think.
I looked up at him, my eyes a little watery. I couldn’t believe that he had memorized that date, or even that that date meant as much to him as it did to me. I’ll never understand how I was able to get someone as amazing as him. He was so patient with me, never trying to pressure me into anything. He’s always putting my wants and needs in front of his own. I just want to make him happy but it’s so hard when his number one goal is always to be making me happy.
I wrapped my arms around his neck and squeezed him in a hug, hiding my face in his neck to hide my tears.
“Are you okay baby?” He asked rubbing my back soothingly. I nodded and pulled back from our hug just enough to kiss him. He wiped away a stray tear from my cheek and smiled lovingly at me.
“I just really love the necklace.” I told him. “And… I really love you.” I said, looking him in the eyes. His loving smiled quickly turned into the biggest grin I’ve ever seen on him and he pulled me into a tighter hug then I had just given him.
“I love you too baby, so much. You don’t even know.” He whispered into my neck. After what seemed like not enough time, but was probably a while, we pulled apart. John asked for the check and I rested my head on his shoulder and held his hand as we waited. Once we paid, we walked out hand in hand and started to walk back to John’s apartment, which was only a couple blocks away.
I was lost in my thoughts, when suddenly I was lifted off the ground. John had picked me up and was now spinning me around.
“I John Cornelius O’Callaghan V am in love with this girl right here and I want the whole world to know!” He yelled through the streets. I wanted to protest but I couldn’t stop laughing at how ridiculous he was. He put me down and grinned at me.
“You are crazy.” I laughed.
“Yeah, crazy in love with you.” He wrapped his arms around me. I grinned and pushed up on my tippy-toes and gave him a kiss. After a moment, he went to pull away but I pulled him back into the kiss and deepened it, putting my arms around his neck. His tongue licked my bottom lip, asking for entrance, which I gladly granted him. After a minute, I pulled back, not wanting it to get too intense, at least not yet.
“Let’s go home.” I bit my lip. He nodded in agreement and kissed my forehead before releasing his arms from around me and grabbing my hand and we continued the walk.
We arrived to his apartment in no time. We both kicked off our shoes and plopped down on the couch. He wrapped his arms around me and pulled me into his lap. I smiled and brought his face closer and found his lips with mine. The kissing became heavy and passionate fast this time. I wasn’t paying attention to anything my body was doing, just focusing on how good John felt and how good he tasted and the passion that was radiating between us, until he pulled away abruptly.
I looked at him, not understanding why he pulled away.
“I think we need to stop.” He told me reluctantly.
“Why?” I asked him and he just looked down. I looked down and realized that I was straddling him, and neither one of us had on shirts.
“I just don’t want this to get too far for you.” He told me. There he goes again. Putting me ahead of himself. Always looking out for me, always worrying about me. He knew that this was the point where I always stop him, not ready to go any further. I had never gone any further before, not with anyone. He understood; he knew it was a big step for me and he always respected me, never trying to convince me differently when I stopped him.
I looked him in the eyes, and he looked back. There was nothing but love in his eyes. I put my hand on his cheek gently and kissed him softly, but put as much passion as I could muster into it. I pulled back, just barely, just enough to look him in the eyes, but still able to feel his breath on my lips.
“I’m ready John.” I whispered. “I love you and I want you. No, I need you.”
“Are… are you sure?” He gulped. I nodded.
“I’m positive.” I told him and then instantly crushed my lips to his. He hesitated for a moment, but then gave in, wrapping his arms around my bare back. He started to stand up, taking me with him, not even breaking our kiss. I wrapped my legs around his torso as he walked us to his bedroom and shut the door.
Everything is perfect. He is perfect, and he is all mine.