Electric Blue

Tears welled up, as she opened up to me about what she’d left behind. I felt bad for her, this girl needed love. I knew that from the beginning of course and yes, everyone needs love, but this girl needed something special.
“Poppy, I’m so sorry. We never ever have to talk about it again if that’s what you prefer.”
“Nah its cool, I’m open to answering any questions you have. Thank you for being so supportive and not hating me for it,”
“I told you already, you’re important to me.” I wiped her hair from her face, and kissed her on the forehead. “I love you Poppy,”
She smiled the way I loved, a big gleaming grin from ear to ear. “I love you too Laretta.” In that moment I would have given anything to kiss her, feel her, show her how I felt but it obviously wasn’t the right time for us, and besides, maybe she would be the one judging me, if I showed her how I felt about her.
I knew from the beginning I needed this girl in my life. She was everything I ever needed and wanted, perfect for me. I hoped we could stay in each other’s company for forever. It was not long before Poppy was asleep, in my arms. Just the way the universe had planned.
The next day, we woke up early, in the heat, had another swim and got back on the road. By night we were at our next stop. This was even more beautiful than the last place; this was a rock pool with a huge cave over it, and a beautiful waterfall coming down. The water was the brightest, clearest blue.
Of course, like always we made the most of the water and went in for a swim. We were splashing and kicking and carrying on. I still had those thoughts and feelings pestering me like a fly on a hot day.
“Poppy, come here. Look what I found.” It was a starfish, a bright orange one that looked amazing with the contrast of the blue water.
“Oh that is so cool. Hey, starfish split in half and grow their half back to reproduce. Just like energy changing forms like we were talking about the other day… If we were starfish and I was dying or getting old I would split in half and reproduce myself for you. So then I’d never leave your side. Technically we’d live forever.”
“That’s the cutest thing I’ve ever heard. Come here,” I pulled her in close. I had to do this now, I couldn’t waste any more time having this feeling hanging over my head. I kissed her, once on the lips, softly. I put my hands around her lower back and pulled her in closer. I kissed her more, this time slowly parting her lips with my tongue. She took my shirt off, and threw it on the ground.
The feeling was electric now. My body was buzzing. “We don’t have to, if you don’t want.”
“Shh!” She put her finger to my lips and slowly put it inside my mouth. Never in my entire life had I felt an attraction like this to someone, I nibbled her finger slightly before kissing her again, and taking her shirt off. We each took our pants off and dove into the water where we kissed more and more. Now we were naked, alone and so totally in love.
“Wait, stop.” I said
“What’s wrong?”
“I think it’s really important that you know more about me than you do. I don’t want you to find out about me later.”
“That stuff doesn’t matter anymore. I mean, I want to know, of course, but let’s forget about all our baggage, let it go and enjoy each other for who we are now.”
She was right, that was fair. And it would be totally selfish to say no to something we both wanted, just to talk about me.
“Embrace the moment,” I told myself.
The night had come to an end and we had made beautiful, sweet love to each other, connected as one. Now, Poppy was painting, a beautiful scenery, just like the one we were looking at, but slightly altered to her perception and singing beautiful songs. I could hardly take my eyes off her, how did this happen so quickly, a feeling I’d never thought I’d have towards another woman before but here it was.
This spot was far too beautiful to leave right away, we had a sudden attraction to it now and stayed for another five beautiful days before we got back on the road.
Before we left, Poppy painted a beautiful picture on the rocks, for us, basically a small mural of all the things that meant something to us, a creative expression of our life together so far.
We travelled for another two days, Poppy and I alternating driving and sleeping before we pulled in to rest. We were in a small town now, nearing civilization again but at least another fifty kilometres from the nearest city.
“What are we doing?” Poppy asked, rubbing her eyes, waking from sleep.
“I have an idea.”
There was a bar, with a bunch of motorbikes out the front and an old almost dilapidated shed next door. We entered the bar first, had a drink or two and a solid meal.
“So what’s you’re bright idea?”
“This,” I said, being as serious as I could. “Why, were you hoping for something more exciting in the middle of nowhere?” a smirk now arising on my face. Little did Poppy know I was just biding time before the real plan.
“Well, that’s true. Don’t think I’m being ungrateful, I enjoy my time with you no matter what.”
“Me too, and I don’t think that at all. Why don’t you go put some money in the pool table and I’ll go get some more drinks.”
“Okay, I love you.”
“I love you too.” I approached the bar, where an older lady with long, bright purple hair, dressed in leather was serving people. “Hey, I’ll take two beers thanks.”
“No worries,” She leaned over the bar and whispered to me, “Is that your girl over there?”
“Yeah, that’s Poppy, I’m Laretta.”
“On the house babe,” She handed the drinks over and smiled sweetly.
I rejoined Poppy at the pool table, where she was about to break. I snuck up behind her, and put my hand around her waist, lowered my chest to her back and whispered in her ear, “You’re so damn sexy when you lean like that.”
Shivers were sent all through my body, even as I said it. I stood up and walked around the other side to chalk my cue as she took her first shot.
We were so drunk by this stage; I was questioning whether it was even worth trying to play pool, but why not. After our game, which seemed like it had gone on forever, we went out the front for a smoke. The sun was going down now, it was getting late. We were definitely here for the night.
“Poppy, come with me,” I dragged her around the side of the pub, slammed her against the wall and kissed her ever so passionately, slowly sliding my hand up her skirt.
“Hey, you two!”, A big gruff voice called. Whoops. We both were serious now, our smirks turned to slight fear. “Why don’t you bring yourselves in here?”
I looked up, realising who it was, “Oh hey man,” relief struck Poppy’s face after she realised I was at ease. She slightly tugged my shoulder, hinting for me to let her on, to what was going on.
“Jet,” he held his big, tough hand out, shaking Poppy’s hand and her fragile frame.
“Poppy,” she smiled.
“Well come on,” Jet led us into the dilapidated shed next door and sat down. Considering the look on the outside of the shed, the inside was quite nice. There was a lot of artwork to look at on all the walls.
I had met Jet a few years back on my travels, we’d met at the same bar, I still had his card in my van, so I called ahead, pretty much as soon as I’d heard that Poppy wanted a tattoo.
“So who’s first,” he said.
“Poppy, go on.” I had taken a photo of the drawing she did on the rocks at the last place we were and sent it to Jet’s phone in advance, this was my surprise to her.
“What?”
“Sit down babe; did you forget I had a surprise for you?”
A smile arose on her face, I hoped she would like it and would go ahead with it.
“But I don’t know what I’m getting. Shouldn’t I think about it first”
“I’ve already decided that, only if you think it’s a good idea of course.”
Jet showed us the design he’d come up with that was a simplified version of her drawing with everything incorporated, it was perfect.
I could see tears well up in her bright eyes.
“Yes, that is the coolest thing ever Laretta, thank you so much!”