Hold My Heart

Aria rolled over and stretched, her eyes cracking open as light filtered into the room. She rolled back over and snuggled against Vic, who didn’t open his eyes, but wrapped one arm around her waist, easing her closer to him.
“What time is it?” He asked sleepily, pressing a kiss to the top of her head. Aria shrugged in response, pressing her face into his side. Vic stretched, keeping Aria against his side and grabbed the alarm clock, pulling it so he could see it.
“Early.” Aria mumbled, grabbing his other arm and draping it over her, tugging him so they were spooning. “Go back to sleep.”
“It’s almost ten, that’s not early.” Vic replied, kissing her neck softly and unwinding himself from her, getting out of bed.
“Where are you going?” Aria asked, watching him. He didn’t answer, just pointed to the bathroom that was attached to their room and closed the door.
Aria rolled over onto her stomach and burrowed her head into the pillows, closing her eyes and drifting in and out of sleep. She heard the door open again and Vic’s feet on the floor as he staggered back to the bed, crawling back in next to her. Aria cracked an eye at him, seeing that he was studying her, half a smile on his face.
“What?” She asked sleepily.
“You have a little drool on your face.” He told her, trying not to laugh. Aria grinned and wiped her face.
“Musta been yours.” She replied. She rolled into his arms again and sighed.
“Are we going to stay in bed all day?” Vic asked her. Aria shook her head and stretched.
“No, I’m hungry.” She answered, flopping her arms over her head and craning her neck to study him.
“What are you going to make me?” Vic asked. He received a snort from Aria, who sat up and cracked her neck.
“I think you should cook for me instead. I’m thinking pancakes.” She told him and Vic shook his head.
“Do you want me to poison you? Because that’s what will happen if I cook for you.” He told her. Aria reached over and smacked him with a pillow, laughing.
“Fine, fine.” She said, and got up, skipping over to the door and waltzing out of it. Vic jumped out of bed and after her.
“I can mix it, if you want to cook something else. And you can tell me when to flip them.” He told her when he caught up to her in the living room on her way into the kitchen.
“Deal.” She said, linking her arm around his waist as they walked.
~~
“Vic, no. Don’t, wait, stop.” Aria snapped, pushing in front of him and taking control of the frying pan she had the pancakes in. “You’re going to ruin these by flipping them too early.”
“How can you tell without looking?” Vic asked.
“You just can, if you know what to look for. Go sit down.” She ordered, tapping his wrist with the spatula.
“I told you.” He said in a sing-song voice as he pulled himself onto the counter nearby, watching her face twist into a scowl as she tried to fix the damage he had done.
“How did you do this?” She asked, looking at the huge pancake in there.
“It just kept on spreading! I didn’t realize that it wouldn’t form in over itself.” Vic explained. Aria bit back laughter at this.
“It doesn’t just realize you want it to be a perfect size.” She told him, somehow managing to flip the pancake that had managed to take up the whole pan. “You are never allowed to cook again.” She told him, trying not to laugh as he tried to look as upset as possible.
They sat down at the island counter in the middle of the kitchen on the barstools, and chatted while they ate. Aria cut the large pancake in half and they split it, while Vic made a face when she did so.
“How’s that fresh squeezed orange juice?” Vic asked innocently as Aria took a sip and Aria almost spit it out with laughter.
“Fresh squeezed? I watched you pour it from the container I bought a week ago.” She said when she stopped laughing.
“I never said I squeezed it, only someone did.” He retorted. Aria dissolved into laughter again, resting her head on the counter as her body spasmed from the laughter.
“I’m glad I married you. You’re funny.” She told him when she finally managed to stop laughing.
“Yeah, well, if it keeps me around.” He said with a poker face and a blatant shrug of his shoulders. Aria stood up and patted him on the shoulder, then kissed his cheek before grabbing her plate.
“You can stay.” She told him, putting her dishes away. “I’ll meet you back upstairs. Whole day in bed, remember?” She said when he gave her a weird look as he got up too. He put his dishes in the dishwasher too and followed her upstairs. Aria was sprawled out on the pillows, TV remote in her hand, face screwed into an intense expression.
“What are you doing?” He asked as he got in next to her. Aria snuggled against him and flipped through the guide.
“Trying to find something to watch. I’m thinking cartoons.” She said, glancing up at him. Vic grinned.
“Spongebob.” He told her, slipping the remote from her hand and changing the channel. Aria shrugged and wrapped herself around him.
“Fine with me.” She said with a yawn.
~~
“I hate to say this, but I think you’re bored.” Vic muttered as Aria bit his ear again, then slid over him and halfway onto the floor.
“You’re right!” Aria said, sliding the rest of the way down, then getting up. “Lets get out of bed and do something. I don’t want to watch whatever is on right now.” She said flippantly, then went to her closet and began pulling on clothes, then stopped, chucking everything off and pulling on her bikini instead. “Swimming sounds nice.” She told him, attempting to tie the straps behind her.
“What?” He asked, watching her.
“C’mon.” She replied, dancing impatiently.
“Come here.” Vic told her, swinging his feet so they hit the floor and he was sitting. Aria walked over and stood in between his legs. He reached behind her and tied the straps easily, then put his hands on her hips and eased her back so he could get up. Aria went into the bathroom and grabbed towels, then followed Vic down the stairs.
“Where did I put my lounger?” She asked him when they got outside. The sun blared down on them as they walked.
“Babe, I haven’t been home for two months, I have no idea.” He answered as they reached the water. Aria dropped the towels and plunged into the water from the dock.
“But I want it.” She said, a frown on her face. “And I don’t remember where I put it. Did you see it in the garage at all?”
“Is it in the storage shed?” Vic asked. Aria thought for a moment, then swam out and ran over to the storage shed, coming out with a lounger and a giant dolphin floaty.
She tossed the lounge on the dock and hopped onto the dolphin, kicking her feet in the water so she was facing him.
“When did you get that?” He asked. Aria shrugged as Vic got on the lounger next to her.
“I was bored one day, and I went shopping with Frenchi and we bought this.” Vic shook his head and dipped his hands in the water spinning closer to her.
They floated across the water, talking to each other and enjoying the heat. They bumped back against the dock and Aria slipped off the dolphin and onto the raft with Vic, throwing the dolphin onto the dock and stretching out.
“Are you hot?” Aria asked after a moment as they relaxed on the raft. Vic nodded without opening his eyes. “Same.”
“So go in the water.” Vic told her. He felt her shift, then heard the ripple as she got in the water. Suddenly, the raft tilted and Vic found himself in the water. He pushed to the surface and glared at Aria, who was laughing, arms crossed over her stomach, body doubled over.
“Why?” He asked, pushing his hair out of his face. He glanced up and realized the sun was starting to sink low in the sky.
“It seemed like fun. Plus you were starting to burn a little. And you were starting to smell a little funky.” She said, crinkling her nose. Vic waded over to her, encircling her around the waist.
“Wanna go get something to eat?” He asked her, easing her hips closer to his. Aria nodded, easing closer to him. Vic smiled at her, then slid his arms down to her knees and flipped her backwards into the water. Aria came up spluttering and pushing her hair from her face.
“You’re awful.” She told him, laughing. Vic took her hand and led her inside. Aria whipped together a salad and some burgers, then sat down on the counter, eating.
“Its really hot in here.” Aria said when they finished eating.
“It is.” Vic answered, putting the dishes away.
“Let’s go back outside until it cools down.” Aria said, hopping down from the counter. She pulled Vic out the door. The sun had set completely and it was dark outside. They both slid onto the raft again, kicking it out into the middle of the lake. Vic craned his neck up and around them. There were no houses even visible.
“Do we have any neighbors?” He asked, putting his head back down.
“Yeah, but they live on the other side and only come up on weekends.” Aria said. “Nice older couple. They liked to invite me over to eat, and I always went. The wife could cook even better than me.” Aria told him. “Otherwise, no one.”
“So, if I shifted you like this.” Vic slid her up so she was straddling him. Aria slid her legs into the water and leaned closer to him. “No one could see.”
“Pretty much.” Aria said. She leaned back, and the raft tipped over, sending them both into the water. Vic wrapped an arm around her waist and linked his other arm through the raft and pulled them both to shore. The wind had picked up, and lightning and thunder crackled and rumbled in the darkness. They both eyed the clouds, and then picked up the stuff they had carted out and put it back in the storage shed.
Once inside, Vic turned on the light in the kitchen as Aria padded to the fridge, pulling out a pitcher of lemonade.
“Go check and see how bad the storm is going to be, then find a good horror movie. Nothing is better than a horror movie during a storm.” Aria said.
“Only you would enjoy that.” Vic said to her, but left the room and went into the living room, flicking the TV on and to the weather channel, where the weather man was saying there was a large storm heading their way.
“Big?” Aria asked, leaning against the door frame and sipping her drink. Vic nodded in response. “Where do you want to watch the movie?”
“In bed. I’m tired.” Vic said, his last sentence trailing off into a yawn.
“Not to mention a little burned. Shouldn’t your Mexican skin soak in the sun better?” She teased.
“Racist, that’s so racist.” Vic laughed, taking her hand as she stepped closer to him and shut off the TV. They walked up the stairs together and ditched their clothes before flopping onto the bed. Aria handed Vic the remote.
“Pick a good one.” She said, stretching out. Thunder crashed outside and the lights flickered as Aria reached to shut off the lamp beside her.
“Sinister.” Vic announced, selecting the movie and the load screen came up.
“I heard this was terrifying.” Aria said, scooting closer to Vic and yawning. Just as the load screen finished, the TV clicked off. Aria made a face and swore, then went to turn on her light, only to get nothing.
“Is it even raining?” Vic asked, getting up to peer out the large window behind their bed. Aria joined him, looking out in between the flashes of lighting that could be seen now that the curtain was drawn back. Rain pelted the window and wind pushed the trees against the side of the house.
“Oh yeah, its raining.” Aria giggled, sliding back down onto the bed. “Come get candles with me.” She said, finding Vic’s hand in the darkness and pulling him out of bed and down the stairs with her.