The Redemption(79)

When I lift my lids, I finally see the love I’ve waited for what feels like a lifetime. It lies in the depths of her amber eyes. A jolt of reality restarts my heart to make every beat count from this moment on. Her nails scrape lightly up my back setting every nerve on fire and I start thrusting, all my energy put into the act.

Rochelle squirms, taking all I give and giving all she has, her desire a turn on and her confidence sexy. “God, Dex. You feel so good.”

“You feel better.” My words are slurred from the haze I’m under. My body moves of its own accord, sensations and frustrations building deep inside. Her body drives me for more, making me want to steal her soul like she’s stolen mine. “Fuck. I’m gonna come soon.”

“Come with me. Harder. Faster.” Her words just escaping breaths. Her mouth tantalizes me, flipping my world upside down, and making me want to f*ck her into oblivion. I f*ck. I f*ck hard as her groans of pleasure instigate. My eyes shut tight as I overcome desires that turn into bonfires, my body burning in her ecstasy as we come. I pulse and she squeezes, our bodies working as one with no end and no beginning, just us together.

I collapse, exhausted with no will or inclination to move. Rochelle’s fingers weave into my hair holding my head to hers. “I love you,” she whispers in my ear, making me smile.

With my eyes closed, I say, “I really could get used to this.”

“I hope you never tire of me.”

Lifting up, I push her dark hair away from her face and kiss her chin, her cheek, then the side of her mouth. “I could never tire of you. I’ve loved you my whole life.”

She smiles, soft and more beautiful than ever before. “You keep saying things like that and I might start believing you.”

With a chuckle, I lean my head against her chest. “Deal.” When I hear a soft sigh of contentment, I ask, “Are you tired?”

“I am.” She moves to get up. “Is the nearest bathroom in the house?”

“Just through the office in the corner over there. Sorry, it’s small.”

“No worries. I’ll be right back.”

I lay there, my chest burning. Putting my arm across my forehead, I stare up past the netting and through the glass, the moon seeming bigger and brighter than usual. My mind drifts to the woman I just made love to, curious if we can move beyond this night. The door opens and I look over, watching her, wanting us to be more than tonight, wanting it more than I have ever wanted anything else.

When she returns, she crawls under the covers and I take my turn in the bathroom. I come back and start turning out the candles.

She takes one and looks at it. “It’s battery-operated. That’s cool.”

“Can’t have the greenhouse filling with smoke.”

“Clever.”

“Not my idea, but I’ll let Cynthia know.”

She laughs lightly, then says, “Let’s go to bed.”

After I turn off the last candle, we lay in the dark, letting our eyes adjust. Lying on our backs, we look up as moonlight fills the greenhouse. “We should have made love with just the moon above.” Cuddling into my side, she closes her eyes.

Whispering, I say, “Keep your eyes open just a few minutes longer.”

She readjusts and looks up. As if on command, the first one lights up on her side of the bed. Sitting up abruptly, she says, “Are those fireflies?”

“They are. Lay back with me.”

Slowly, she lays back down and smiles. “It’s magic. Butterflies and fireflies. You gave me magic, Dex. It’s the most romantic thing I’ve ever seen.”

“You deserve romance and more. I’ll give you everything I can because you gave me a reason to live. You gave me life.” Rolling onto my side, I run my hand over her arm. “I never thanked you properly for saving me.”

“I didn’t save you, Dex. I think you might have saved me though. You fill my heart where a hole used to exist. Expecting more would be greedy.”

Caressing her cheek, I lean forward. “I like you greedy… and horny.” I slide my hand between her legs and her eyes look up to meet mine as a small, devious expression appears.

“Let’s be greedy and horny together.”

Under the moon, in a house made of glass, we make love slow and gentle, taking our time, frivolous in the knowledge of having a forever together.





When I wake up in the morning, I open my eyes, and see the love of my life asleep next to me. An orange, black, and white butterfly sits on her temple, slowly opening and closing its wings. Both of them true beauty personified. I take a mental picture since I know it will fly away if I move.

Cautiously, I put my finger to her temple and the butterfly moves onto my finger. When I lift it up, it flies around the enclosure of the mosquito netting before finally settling on the sheer fabric.

“A fairytale,” she whispers and I look over before following her gaze up. The outside of the netting is covered in butterflies of all different sizes and colors. Rochelle kisses me on the cheek and says, “Enchanting.”

I kiss her hand, letting my tongue taste her sweetness. “Like you, my love. Good morning.”

“Good morning.”

“We should go soon. We have a long drive back.”

“Can’t we stay forever?” Although I know it’s rhetorical, the way she asks makes me want to make her dreams come true.