On the Line

The sunrise was casting a soft orange glow over her flat when I opened my eyes. I knew it was early, I could feel it, but I was fully awake. Her breath was warm and slow against my neck, fast asleep, her left hand stretched across my chest, fingers lightly gripping my shoulder. I shifted, bringing my arms around her hips to pull her fully onto my chest, and she stirred, her bright blue eyes blinking rapidly. “Shh, shh, go back to sleep,” I whispered, kissing her forehead. She never said a word, she probably never even woke up, she just laid her head back down and fell back to sleep quickly. I pulled her shirt up and ran my fingertips across her bare back, swirling shapes and patterns against her warm skin, watching the way the sun began to slowly brighten up her bedroom.
I turned my head and studied each shelf of her bookcase. It was easy to find her favorite books, their spines faded from being cracked open so many times. She had a brother, I borrowed his clothes last night, and he was in quite a few photos; sharing a bubble bath as toddlers, dressed up as Ariel and Sebastian for Halloween, wearing matching uniforms on their first day of school. They seemed to be pretty close, and the pride and joy of their parents. On her beside table was a photo of the four of them, dressed up to head for church on a Sunday morning.
I stretched an arm out and picked that frame up, pulling it closer to check the details. Lillian was the spitting image of her mother, but she had her fathers eyes and smile, bright and wide.
She slept soundly for another hour. She began to stir slowly, looking up at me with sleepy, droopy eyes. “Hi,” she whispered.
I gave her a small smile, amused at how slowly she blinked, her eyelids still heavy. “It’s still much too early for you to be awake,” I whispered, tucking her hair behind her ear.
She shrugged. “I wanna be with you,” she said simply.
“I’m not going anywhere.”
She wiggled around for a bit, settling down beside me, her head on my shoulder. “Sorry, I didn’t mean to totally lay on top of you.”
“You didn’t, I dragged you there when I woke up.”
“I didn’t crush you?” she asked, laughing, rubbing her eyes.
“Of course not,” I smiled, rolling onto my side and throwing my arm across her waist. “I like to watch you sleep,” I admitted.
“Why?”
I shrugged, skimming my fingertips across her stomach. “I don’t know. I just do. I like the way you gravitate towards me, too.”
“I like feeling you against me,” she whispered, intertwining her fingers with mine.
“I like holding you,” I replied.
“I like how warm you are.”
I smiled, leaning in to press my lips to her forehead. “I just like you.”
“Me too,” she agreed, smiling. “What are you doing awake?”
I shrugged. “I’m not really sure. I just woke up and thought I’d take a little time to admire the pretty girl who let me share her bed.”
“Lets go back to sleep,” she suggested, rolling over so her back was to me. She scooted back until my chest was pressed flush against her, her butt pressing into my hips, a perfect fit. I held her tightly and closed my eyes, instantly falling back to sleep.
She must have been worn out, because she was still asleep when I woke up a few hours later. She was curled into a ball, her arm stretched across the bed, hand resting on my chest. Her flat was fully lit up now, but her bedroom was still dark, shielded from the light by her bookshelf. It was nearing eleven o’clock and it wasn’t like her to sleep this late. As I rolled over her, she straightened her body out, her long legs stretching out against the bed. Her shirt had ridden up around her middle, her stomach rising and falling slowly with her deep breaths.
“Lillian,” I whispered, pressing a warm kiss to her neck. “Lillian.”
It took some coaxing and about one hundred kisses before she finally stirred, slowly opening up her blue eyes. “Hello,” I said, kissing her forehead. “Good morning.”
“Mmm…hi,” she whispered, stretching, rolling her ankles and cracking her joints. “Sleep good?”
I nodded, moving to sit up, but her long legs wrapped around my waist, holding me down.
“Stay here,” she mumbled as I laid my head on her chest, her fingers disappearing into my hair to massage my scalp. “I’m not ready to start the day yet.”
“I gotta pee,” I muttered.
She laughed, unwrapping her legs from my waist. “Fine, but come back to me.”
I came right back, as promised, to find her face down on the bed, her tshirt discarded onto the floor. All she wore was a pair of black panties, the rest of her body was beckoning me closer, bare and soft.
I collapsed on top of her and laughed as she grunted beneath me. “Move!” I rolled off and she turned to me, glaring at me, a smile playing on her lips.
“Where’s your clothes?” I asked, skimming my fingers over her shoulder.
She shrugged. “I ditched the shirt, it wasn’t comfy. I’m just as naked as you are,” she said, hooking her finger into the waistband of my boxers and giving it a tug before letting it loose, smiling as it popped against my skin.
“Hey! Ow!” I yelled, reaching out and doing the same to her. She squealed, swatting my hand away.
“Be nice!” she scolded, giggling.
I rolled my eyes, but gave her a smile. “C’mere,” I mumbled, opening my arms up. She scooted closer until her chest was pressed to mine, but I kept leaning in until my lips met with hers, until she sighed against my mouth, until she was breathless, until her legs were wrapped around my waist. I pulled away when I finally had my fill of her, and she gave me a shy smile as I sank back into the mattress.
“What was that for?”
I shrugged. “You just look really cute first thing in the morning.”
“Yeah?”
I nodded, smiling. “Yeah. Your hair is a mess and your eyes are droopy and your voice is really scratchy…You’re just cute.”
She opened her mouth to reply, but she stopped, her eyes widening, a laugh falling from her lips. “Remember how I told you my neighbors like to have really loud sex?”
“Yeah..?”
“Listen,” she whispered, nodding towards the wall.
I held my breath, listening and…there it was. Soft moans, the gentle creaking of the mattress. “Jesus,” I breathed, laughing.
“Just wait,” she whispered. “It’ll get loud soon.”
“How often does this happen?”
She shrugged. “Every couple of days. Honestly, I don’t think it’s the same guy each time. She has a boyfriend, and he travels a lot, but she’s always having sex! It must be him, though, she’s never had sex in the middle of the day before.”
She pulled the blanket over her chest and settled down onto her back, closing her eyes. “May as well enjoy the show.”
“How long does it typically last?”
She snorted, fighting back a laugh. “Like, ten minutes, tops. Now, shh, free comedy show.”
And that’s what it was…A show. “She’s totally faking,” I laughed, shaking my head. “Christ, she’s not even good at faking!”
She laughed quietly next to me. “I’ll have to teach her a thing or two… I mean, you fell for it.”
I turned my head, cocking my brow up, glaring at her. “Not a chance, you were not faking.”
“Whatever,” she said, rolling her eyes. “Just tell yourself what you need to hear.”
I scoffed, shaking my head. “No way, that was real. I felt your thighs shaking for ten minutes afterwards, I rocked your fucking world!”
She laughed, nodding her head. “Okay, sure.”
“You want me to do it again?” I challenged. I knew I was right, I knew she saw stars, but I wanted to make her eat her words, to regret teasing me.
She laughed, shrugging her shoulders, eyes flashing. “If you think you can.”
I glared at her, my blood boiling in my veins, but the realization set in at the last second. She was too shy to ask me to touch her, so she was daring me to prove her wrong. I leaned back into the blankets and pulled my arms up behind my head. “No, I don’t think I will. I’d hate for you to have to suffer through something so unenjoyable.”
“You’re just going to let it go? Just lay back, knowing you can’t please a woman?”
I nodded, closing my eyes. “I just don’t care. I can always find someone else who will appreciate my hard work, maybe someone who’s not so hard to please.”
She was quiet for a few seconds. Her hand fell to my chest as she sat up. “Niall, I was teasing.”
It took all the strength I had in me to hold my smile back, to keep my face stone cold. “Whatever, Lily.”
“No! Niall I was just kidding! Hey, look at me, please?”
I pushed her off, keeping my eyes closed because I knew I’d laugh if I looked at her. I could imagine the worry on her face.
“Niall, please? I’m sorry,” she muttered pathetically.
“Too late, Lily.”
She sighed. “I…I’m sorry.”
We laid in silence for a few minutes, and I could hear her picking at her fingernail polish. “Did you lie?” I asked, ready to kiss and makeup.
“About what?”
I smiled, opening my eyes. “About faking. Did you lie?”
She smirked, nodding her head. “Yeah.”
I nodded, grinning. “Yeah, I know. I made you feel so good, didn’t I?”
She nodded, laying back as I pulled myself over her.
“Want me to do it again?”
She bit her lip. “If you think you can,” she teased, smiling.
“I think you know I can,” I whispered, hooking my thumbs into her panties. I pulled them from her long legs and tossed them aside, guiding her ankles up over my shoulders, turing my head to kiss the side of her leg. “Comfy?”
She nodded, curling her leg around my neck, pulling me closer. I smirked, slipping my hands down her thighs, resting them at her hip bones, and leaning forward until my chin brushed against her. I let out a long, warm breath, watching her squirm, goose bumps popping up along her stomach. “Let’s show your neighbor how it’s done, yeah?”
My lips ghosted over her clit as I spoke, and her eyes rolled back into her head, her fingers slipping into my hair, gripping firmly. I pressed my lips to her inner thighs, dragging my tongue against her skin, smirking as she rolled her hips, whining above me. “Niall…”
“Impatient,” I scolded, softly brushing my tongue against her entrance.
“I want it,” she whined, thrusting her hips upwards toward my mouth. “Please.”
I laughed, opening my mouth wide and pressing it down onto her, swirling my tongue in one big circle. I laughed again at her moan, pulling back to wipe my mouth. “Mmm I love it!” I yelled, licking my lips. “Louder.” I didn’t give her time to say anything, I just put my mouth back to her, licking and sucking moans from her. My face was coated in her, my hands pushing against her thighs to keep her spread open for me. I’d never eaten a girl out like this before, hungry for more, wanting more from her, and doing whatever I had to do to get her screaming. Normally, half way through, my dick would be busting out of my boxers, and this time was no different. I was totally focused on her, wanting her to scream louder and louder, wanting her body to twist and writhe against her sheets.
I got what I wanted, too. She came fast and hard. She was still riding out her high when she sat up and pushed me back, crawling into my lap and attacking me with her mouth, her tongue hot and fast against mine. I held onto her thighs, still shaking violently as I slipped my hand back down to her sensitive center, wondering if she could come twice. She shrieked against my lips as I pressed my fingertips to her clit, her hips following my movements as I started quick, short circles. I drove her into a second coming before her first had fully died out and she collapsed on top of me, her fingers buried into my hair, breathing erratic, her heart pounding in her chest.
I held her close, brushing my fingertips over her back as she came down. She sat up, finally, and kissed me again before crawling away and burying her face into the pillow. “Oh my god,” she mumbled, shaking her head. “I—fuck.”
“I agree,” I mumbled, rubbing my hand across my crotch, trying to push away the tightness. “I think we showed your neighbors what a real orgasm sounds like.”
She turned her head toward me, her eyes looking into mine. “I like when you touch me,” she said simply, no hiding, no embarrassment. “Not just when it’s sexually. Just, all the time. You make me feel sexy and wanted and important.”
I gave her a small knowing smile, nodding my head. “Me, too. Lily, you are important, you are so important. And you are sexy, and you are so, so wanted. You’re everything,” I whispered, brushing her tangled hair from her face. “Okay?”
“Is it always going to be like this?”
“Like what?” I asked, running my fingers over the freckles across her shoulder.
“Just…with us. Will it always be this good?”
I shrugged. “I don’t know, I can’t promise that. But I hope so. Is that enough?”
She nodded, sighing softly. I leaned in and kissed her forehead. “How about,” I added, “if you ever feel like you’re not wanted, or not important, or not sexy, or not enough…I’ll let you punch me in the face. I just want to make you happy, Lily Pad.”
She nuzzled into me, crawling back into my lap, her lips pressed to my neck, arms wrapped around my waist. “You’re doing a great job so far.”
I held her for awhile, just enjoying the way her skin felt against mine. I liked to hold her, because she was different when I held her. While she was holding herself together, I had a feeling she was incredibly stressed out, between work and school. She always seemed to relax just a little bit more when I fully encased her into me, breathed a little easier. I held her until she sat up, leaving a kiss to my jaw. “I think I’m hungry,” she whispered, running her fingers across the stubble on my cheeks.
“I think I need to shave,” I laughed, turning my head to kiss the palm of her hand.
She sighed, shrugging her shoulders. “I like your smooth face, but I like this, too. What do you want for breakfast?”
“Well,” I started, scanning across her face. “I already had you, I’ll call that pre-breakfast…” I trailed away, laughing at the look on her face, a mix of embarrassment and amusement.
“Niall,” she groaned, slapping me across the chest, her cheeks pink.
“Best meal of the day!” I exclaimed, laughing even harder when she covered her face with her hands.
“Oh my God, Niall, that’s so…”
“It’s sexy,” I offered. “Everything about you is sexy, all the time.”
“Do you want fucking eggs, or what?!”
I laughed even harder, shaking my head. “You just can’t accept a compliment…Yes, please, scrambled. Do you want any help?”
She wrinkled her nose and shook her head. “No, I can manage.”
She moved to crawl out of my lap, but I pushed her onto her back and held her down. “Do we have plans for today?”
She didn’t fight me, instead she opened up her arms and wrapped them around my shoulders as I got comfortable on her chest, wrapping a lock of her hair around my index finger. “Did you have something in mind?”
I shrugged, forming a curl. “No, I just thought we’d spend the day together, unless you’re busy.”
“Hmmm…” she hummed, scratching her nails softly across my back. “How about, after breakfast, you go home for awhile and give me some time to get some last minute studying done. Do whatever you need to do-“
“Like shave,” I interrupted. “And dishes. And laundry.”
“Right,” she laughed. “And when I’m done studying, I’ll come over to yours and we can…I don’t know, we can do something.”
“Can we have another slumber party?”
She snorted. “Slumber party?”
“Yeah!” I exclaimed, overly excited. “We can watch movies and talk about cute boys, we can paint our nails, and maybe I can make your thighs tremble again.”
Her eyes widened at the end of my sentence and she laughed. “I wasn’t ready for that last part.”
“Yeah, I snuck that bit in there. But, really, come stay with me tonight. I’ll make you dinner, we can turn all the lights out and pretend the power is out like we did last time, get in the hot tub…Or we can take a bath! I’ll even buy that wine you liked so much. C’mon, please Lily??”
She sighed, shaking her head, but she was smiling. “Okay.”
“Alright,” I whispered, grinning. “Alright, good. What are you studying for this afternoon?”
She rolled her eyes. “I have a finance final Monday morning.”
“A final? But it’s so early in the semester for finals?”
She nodded. “I’m in fast track courses, they’re taken in half the time. It’s a nightmare, honestly.”
I nodded, impressed with her. “So, when do you go back to school?”
“Actually?” she started, wincing. “I’m not going back.”
“You’re graduating?”
She shook her head. “No, not anywhere close, actually. I’m not actually studying for anything.”
I nodded, but I was lost. “So, you’re just…in school?”
“Yeah…I was bored, so I thought I’d take a few courses that interested me to pass the time.”
“Oh,” I said. “What did you decide to take?”
She shrugged. “I took a few art classes for fun-“
“Any good?”
“No,” she laughed. “The finance class was beneficial for me, but I only took it so I could learn how to do my own taxes. I took a literature class for the hell of it. But, now I’m bored with that, so I’m onto a new hobby.”
“What’s your next hobby going to be?” I asked, sitting up and reaching for her tshirt. She watched as I turned it right side out and let me pull it over her head.
“I’m not sure yet,” she said, pulling her arms though her shirt holes. “What do you think I should do?”
“I can teach you guitar, if you want. You told me once that you’d always wanted to learn.”
“You’d teach me?”
“Yeah,” I smiled, ruffling her hair. “Of course. We can start with something easy, you’ll be a rockstar in no time.” I picked her hand up from the mattress and kissed her fingertips. “You’ll have to develop calluses, it’ll hurt for awhile.”
“Are you into girls with callused fingertips?” she teased.
I shrugged, laughing. “I dunno, never dated one. But, if it’s you, I’ll be into it.”
She smiled, shy. “I like your callused fingers,” she whispered, her cheeks pink.
“Oh?” I asked, quirking up my brow. “How come?”
She shrugged, blushing. “I dunno.”
“You don’t know?” I asked, brushing my fingers across her arm. “Do they feel good against your skin?”
“Niall…”
“Where else do they feel good, Lillian?” I skimmed my fingertips across her thighs and watched her eyes close, her chest pull upwards as she sucked in a surprised gasp of air. I chuckled, pulling my fingers away from her. “I’ll save it for tonight, yeah?”
She rolled her eyes, turning her head away from me, but I caught her biting her lip. I let it slide and rolled out of bed, pulling her up with me. “C’mon, my pretty Lily, let’s get breakfast.”
I left her flat in the early afternoon, and she promised to be perched at my kitchen table by six o’clock that evening. As I walked to my vehicle, her kiss still tingling on my lips, I realized I was smiling like a lovestruck teenager after receiving his first hand job in a dark closet. I drove home and plugged in my phone, which had died overnight, and waited for texts to roll in. A few from the boys, wondering why I’d left the bar so early, one from my mother, and one from Lily.
I can’t wait to see you later. :)
I grinned widely, for the millionth time, and texted her back, saying that I was excited too, and to get back to her studies. I showered quickly, shaved, and threw my laundry into the washing machine before I lounged onto my couch, pulling the blanket over my legs as I laid back, flipping on the game highlights. I never thought I’d skip game highlights before bed for a woman, but apparently Lily was making me into a new man.
Neymar had an interview on the television, so I settled in to catch up with him, talking about his upcoming season. I made a mental note to give him a ring soon, maybe even get tickets to one of his games. Maybe Lily would like to go.
As Neymar continued to talk, my eyelids grew heavier and heavier, and I fought to keep them open. I knew if I just got up off the couch, I’d wake up, but I was warm and comfortable…and really, I had nothing I needed to do…
“Niall…Niall, honey, wake up.”
Through a thick fog, I pulled my eyelids open and groaned, wincing at the bright light. “Hmm?”
I sat up, kicking the blanket to the floor, my body covered in a coat of sweat, my hair sticking to my forehead. “Ugh,” I groaned, shaking my head. “Fuck.”
She hummed, running her fingers through my sweaty hair. “Oh, honey. I hate those kinds of naps, you wake up feeling worse than before.” She gave my cheek a gentle pat, a soft smile on her lips. “You awake?”
I nodded dumbly, my head still foggy, my body hot and sticky. I grunted. She laughed.
“C’mon, let’s get you sobered back up from too much sleep.” She held out her hand and I reached out for it. She pulled me up from the couch and pushed me to the back door, pulling it open and shoving me into the cold wind. I stood on my concrete patio, letting the bitter wind cool my body down and wake me up. I didn’t move, just held my arms out at my sides and closed my eyes, feeling the wind blow through my fingers.
“Better?” she asked from beside me, rubbing her bare arms for warmth.
“Yeah,” I said, my voice thick and scratchy from sleep. “C’mere.” She stepped into my open arms and I wrapped her up tight, hoping to warm her up just a little bit more. “Go back inside, I’ll be there in just a minute. This wind feels good, I’m burnin’ up.”
She left me after placing a kiss to my cheek and I watched her run back into the house, her hair flying behind her. I yawned, turning away, surveying my yard and spending a few minutes picking up sticks that had fallen from the trees after a heavy wind a few nights back.
Finally, I realized it was dark.
I went back inside and locked the door behind me. Lily sat at the table, one of my jumpers pulled over her tshirt. “What time is it?”
“Almost eight,” she said with a smile.
I sighed, shaking my head. “I’m sorry, I didn’t make dinner. I fell asleep on the couch and-“ I was interrupted by the timer on the oven. She stood up and got an oven mitt and pulled out a lasagna from the oven.
“You had everything sitting out on the counter, so I just assumed you planned on lasagna,” she said, setting the pan down on the stove.
“Why didn’t you wake me up when you got here?” I asked, stunned.
She laughed, smacking me lightly with the oven mitt. “I tried! You were totally gone, though. I rang the doorbell twice before I dug around and found the spare key.”
I hung my head, embarrassed. “I’m so sorry,” I laughed, shaking my head. “I didn’t realize I was so tired.”
She sighed, tilting her head to the side, a funny look on her face.
“What’s wrong?”
She shrugged. “Can I ask you something?”
I stepped closer to her, tucking her hair behind her ear. “Always. What’s up?”
She exhaled slowly, her eyes fluttering shut as my fingertips brushed against her cheek. “Can I hug you?” she whispered, her shoulders slouching. “I know this sounds stupid, but…I really, really missed you today.”
I smiled. “We were only apart for a few hours.”
“I know!” she groaned. “I know! I’m so…I am so gone for you. Just…gone.” She buried her face in her hands and groaned. “I feel so stupid.”
I leaned in a little closer and slipped my hands around her wrists, bringing her arms around my waist. I pulled her in close and wrapped myself around her, resting my chin on top of her head. She latched on tightly, breathing me in, her face pressed into my chest. She let out a satisfied hum and I felt her body relax. I stood and began to pull away, but she held tighter, clasping her hands behind my back. “Not yet.”
I dropped my hands to the backs of her thighs and gave them a little pat. “Up,” I whispered. She gave me a little jump, her legs wrapping around my waist, tightening her grip around my neck. Forgoing dinner, I headed straight to bed, laying back gently. She rested her weight on me, sighing contentedly, her breath fanning across my neck. “I missed you, too,” I whispered, running my fingers though her hair.
We laid in the darkness, silent, for quite awhile, the only sounds our deep breathing. I didn’t know what she needed, but I knew she wanted a bit of comfort, so I lazily drew patterns across her back and twirled her hair gently around my fingers. She kept her face pressed into my neck, and her arms wound around my shoulders. Finally, after what seemed like hours of holding one another, she lifted her head up and dropped her lips onto mine. “Thank you,” she whispered.
“My pleasure,” I assured her.
She wiggled off of me and laid on her back, stretching her left arm toward me and hooking her index finger into my belt loop, like she were afraid I’d leave. She pulled, a gentle tug, and I smirked as I looked over at her. “What?”
“Your turn, c’mon.” She gave my jeans another tug.
I rolled over and pulled myself on top of her, my knees on either side of her hips as I pressed my face into her neck, instantly soothed by her arms wrapping around me. She smelled the same as she always did; a soothing, comfortable mixture of strawberries and a subtle hint of floral.
“What are you smiling about?” I asked when I felt her lips curl up at my cheek.
“I like your jeans,” she whispered. “Look how cute your butt looks.” She reached down and gave my bum an appreciative pat.
I lifted my hips, an awkward twerking motion, and she burst into giggles. I kissed the side of her neck and waited for her laughs to subside before I said anything.
“Lily-“
“Niall-“
Both of our eyes widened, grinning as we both laughed at one another. “You go first,” I whispered, sitting up on my elbows to look at her.
“No, you go. I’m nervous to say it.”
I took a deep breath. “Lily…I really, really like you. A lot more than I let on, a lot more than I thought possible, and a lot more than I planned.”
Her lips curved into a smile. “That’s what I was going to say,” she whispered.
I leaned in, cradling the back of her head in my hand as I kissed her hungrily, my lips moving quickly over hers, her fingers raking through my hair. I pulled back to look at her, her lips glistening in the dim lighting, her eyelids opening slowly. Even in the darkness, I could see her pupils enlarged, her cheeks flushed.
“I want you so badly,” she whispered, pathetically, her defenses down. “Please.”
In my head, I answered, “Yes.” In my head, I gave in and slowly undressed her and kissed her from head to toe before I finally joined with her so perfectly in a blissful sear. In my head, we came together and laid against the mattress afterwards, whispering in the darkness, our naked bodies tangled together until we fell asleep. In my head, it was a picture perfect scenario.
But that’s not what happened.
“Marry me,” I heard my voice whisper, begging, pleading. “Marry me.” I traced my fingers across her face, gently, like I was afraid she’d break. I didn’t raise my voice, didn’t move too quickly, never let my eyes budge from hers. This moment was fragile and rare, anything sudden would surely crush it.
For a few seconds, she stared at me like she hadn’t heard me. But, slowly, her eyes widened, her jaw fell open and she spoke. “Okay.”
And even though she agreed, I hadn’t been expecting it, so I sat up, proving my case, my words rushing out of my mouth. It was like a preplanned speech, like the words had been on the tip of my tongue for days. “You said you didn’t wanna be my girlfriend, that it was a step down, but you wanna be mine. I want you to be mine. All mine, completely, forever. I know we haven’t known one ano-“
“Okay, Niall. Yes.” She sat up, her face tilting to the side as she drew nearer, softly placing her lips to mine. “Lets get married.”
“What?” I whispered, cradling her face in my hands. “What?”
She nodded softly, her big blue eyes innocent, childlike. “Yeah. Let’s do it. Tonight.”
“To-Tonight?” I stuttered, hardly believing my ears.
“Yeah,” she whispered, excitedly, her fingers brushing against my neck. “There’s a chapel across town, open all night long.” She smiled, her eyes flashing vibrant. “Let’s do it, Niall.”
A laugh bubbled up from my stomach and tumbled from my lips. I felt like I was high, drunk on adrenaline, my skin tingled, my hair stood on end, and the smile on my face was electric and it spread like wildfire from my skin to hers. I closed my eyes for one second and took a deep breath, breathing in the scent of her, of me, of my house. What would it be like to come home to a new scent? To come home to my cologne mixed with her perfume, for her strawberry shampoo to mix with mine? For her things to intermingle with mine? To weave our lives together, to live together, in holy matrimony, till death do us part?
“You wanna marry me?” I asked.
She took in a deep breath, her shoulders rising as she filled her lungs with the same hope, the same high, the same dreams as I did. “Lets get married.”