Eleven (10 page)

I backed away, going down on my knees
between his legs. I ran a single gloved finger along the inside
edge of both his feet, then slid my hands up the legs of his pants,
caressing his calves and trailing my fingers along the side of his
shins. I pulled my hands from under his pants and ran them firmly
up the inside of his thighs.

I instructed him to stand up. As he
did, I tugged on the waist of his pants with clenched teeth and
pulled them down to his knees using only my mouth. I looked up as
his massively engorged manhood that had sprung free from its
confinement.

My tongue gradually snaked up the
inside of his thighs. When I reached his heavy balls, I lingered
for a moment with my mouth open allowing my hot breath to warm
them. I found a soft, sweet spot in the middle, underside of his
sack and began to lightly flick my tongue against it. This elicited
another groan.

I smiled while dancing my tongue up the
midline to the base of his cock. Its heaviness was straining toward
me. My tongue flicked up the underside.

I looked up into his eyes as I took him
into my mouth and began working my lips back and forth, sucking,
opening up my jaws to take him in deeper and deeper with each
stroke.

We both began to groan with the rhythm
of my movements.

I looked up again and saw he had
somehow managed to free himself from his restraint. Overcome with
lust, he looked down at me with a wicked gaze and ran his fingers
through my hair. He pulled my face away from him and lifted me up
and into his arms.

“
Damn, girl! You’re the most
beautiful woman I’ve ever seen,” he said in a low, deep tone as he
kicked off his pajama pants and swept my up in his arms.

He carried me down the hallway then
stood me on my feet at the side of the bed. He began feverishly
kissing me while undoing the clasp on my bra. My breasts sprang
free. He reached up with one hand and traced the choker on my neck,
leaving it intact. His mouth hungrily moved from my neck down to my
breasts and belly. I ran my gloved fingers through his hair as he
devoured my body.

He positioned me on the edge of the bed
and pulled my thong down and off over the boots. He looked down at
my body that was draped with my legs dangling over the side of the
bed. He coaxed my knees apart and kneeled in front of
me.

The way he pleasured me with his tongue
was exquisite. He lightly teased me with intermittent licks and
light suction on my swollen, throbbing rosebud—building me up into
a frenzy. By the time he was done working his magic on me, I had
easily climaxed three times.

He stood up and moved me to the center
of the bed. Tenderly removing the choker and long leather boots, he
climbed on top of me. Our bodies melded with entwined limbs as we
engaged in passionate, needy kisses. He placed the bend of his arms
against the bend behind my knees and pressed against me.

With a gasp, a sigh, and a moan, he
entered me. We became one.

It was more significant than love. It
was more tangible than lust. It was a searing, breathing, palpable
existence that only those who are lucky enough to experience can
fathom. It was recognizing your soul for the first time in the
reflection of your lover’s eyes. There are no words that can be
expressed. There is no troth or vow to be taken. It is pure
knowledge—knowing you are in the arms of the one for which you were
created. It can only happen once in a lifetime, if at
all.

We said nothing to acknowledge what was
happening. We smiled and fell into it.

Chapter 15

Ringing

We slept in late the next morning, then
awoke for yet another roll in the sheets.

We were breathless and spent from the
sheer exhaustion of our passionate indulgence. There was
desperation in our desire for one another; the likes of which,
neither of us had ever experienced. We knew our lives would no
longer be singularly defined. We needed one another in the most
basic way to complete the entirety of our existence.

He looked into my eyes and expressed
with great tenderness, “I’ve never wanted anyone this much. I’ve
never needed anyone like I need you. I need you as much as I need
the air I breathe and I can’t imagine my life without you in it.
You are the one I have waited for, for so long. You have completely
and totally stolen my heart.”

I returned his emotion, “You have my
soul, Mister. You are my soul.”

He smacked me fully on the backside and
changed his tone, “What’d ya say we hit the Plaza today? I need you
to help me pick out some things for the house. I bought this place
a couple of months ago and it is in dire need of a woman’s touch. I
think you just might be the woman for the job.”

We climbed out of bed and this time, we
showered together. We enjoyed playfully running the soap over each
other’s bodies. The feel of his fingers entwined in my hair as he
shampooed and massaged my scalp sent a tingling shiver down my
body. It was Heaven!

The downtown Plaza of Santa Fe was
bustling with tourists that day. We enjoyed the local flavor by
indulging in French pastries and coffee for breakfast, then hit
Pasquale’s for lunch.

We meandered in and out of the shops
and galleries. It was refreshing to discover we shared similar
tastes in art and décor. We picked out several colorful, abstract
pieces to hang on the walls of his house. We found colorful
Moroccan rugs and pillows at Seret & Sons. I assisted him in
stocking up on utensils, pottery, stemware, and cookware for the
kitchen.

It was the most fun I had ever had
shopping. He spared no expense. In between selecting items for the
house, he lavished me with several purchases. He rather enjoyed
picking out things for me to wear; beautifully woven tunics,
leggings, hats, and jewelry. His most extravagant gift was a
gorgeous, full length leather coat with a silver fox fur collar. He
also treated me to a funky pair of vintage boots that were
oh-so-Santa Fe.

Our weekdays were filled with feasting,
shopping, touring pueblos, and museum hopping.

Our nights would end the same;
indulging in the pleasure of each other’s bodies. We chased each
other through the rooms and christened damn near every one of them.
From pressing me against the panes of great room windows to tracing
and teasing my body with the chocolate covered strawberries on the
dining room table—we made special memories in every square inch of
the house.

Friday evening arrived all too quickly.
It would be our last night in Santa Fe. We would drive home on
Saturday so he could get ready for his flight to Dallas on Sunday.
He was flying to the Metroplex to attend the final hearing and sign
the divorce papers. I was ready for it to be behind us—so he could
be all mine.

We parked by the St. Francis Cathedral
and walked through the Plaza one last time. We strolled through the
streets and made our way on foot, hand-in-hand, to Tomasita’s in
the Guadalupe district. While enjoying our meal, we noticed it had
begun to snow outside.

As he paid the ticket and we prepared
to leave, he offered, “It’s quite a ways to the truck. Do you want
me to go get it and come back for you?”

I laughed and replied, “Don’t be silly.
I don’t mind walking in the snow.”

After all, I was wearing the vintage
boots and long leather coat he had given me earlier in the week.
And there was no place else more beautiful in December than Santa
Fe. The Plaza and surrounding area were decorated for the season.
Everywhere we turned, there were fragrant pine boughs, red chile
ristras, and farolitas.

We walked outside, and made our way
through the winding streets and sidewalks. It was a beautiful
snowfall. The ground was already covered from the previous day’s
snow. The falling snow flakes were huge and soft; slowly floating
down to renew the white cover on the ground. It created a quiet
stillness in the air. It was surreal and I knew it was a moment I
would never forget—being there with him.

As we approached the Old Santa Fe
Trail, he took my hand and draped it through the crook of his arm.
He had seemed a bit nervous and preoccupied during dinner. I
assumed he was feeling some anxiety regarding the events that were
to take place in the upcoming week.

He looked down at me as we were walking
and said, “Come this way, there’s some place I want to take
you.”

We walked in front of the gothic
structure known as The Loretto Chapel. He asked me if I knew the
story of the miraculous staircase inside its walls. I told him I
had heard of it. He began to tell me the story: how the sisters of
the church were desperate to find someone to make a stairway up to
the loft of the chapel. The building’s original designer had not
taken the loft into consideration and a traditional staircase would
not work due to the limited size of the room.

He continued telling me about how the
sisters prayed about the staircase and just when they thought it
was a lost cause, a carpenter rode into town and offered to build
the staircase. When he completed the staircase, he mysteriously
left. The miraculous staircase became legendary due to the fact
that many architects and carpenters have since studied the
staircase and have been unable to figure out its miraculous,
perfect design.

He softly said, “You know, that chapel
is a lot like my heart. I’ve tried to find the perfect fit. I’ve
tried to make the things that didn’t fit work. I’ve prayed to God
for an answer. I’ve prayed for a miracle. And, you know what? My
prayers have been answered. I’ve found my miracle. I’ve found my
perfect fit. On Christmas Day, I want to marry that woman in this
chapel. That woman is you.”

In front of the Loretto Chapel, the
handsome man that had captured me fell to one knee. From the coat
of his pocket, he offered a dark blue velvet box.

He looked up at me with tears brimming
his deep blue, gorgeous eyes while he said, “I know this is crazy.
I know it’s happened fast. But I also know that what we have only
happens once in a lifetime. It’s rare and it’s precious and I don’t
ever want to be without you. Because I truly love you now—I will
love you ‘til the day I die. Please say you’ll do me the honor of
marrying me and be my perfect fit for the rest of our
lives.”

I stood there with my hand over my
mouth as sobs of pure joy rocked me. I couldn’t believe this was
happening! How did I get so lucky? He was worth
everything—everything I had gone through. I had finally found him:
the man I deserved—the man who deserved me!

He opened the box to reveal the most
beautiful ring: a hefty pear-shaped diamond that was offset on a
wide gold band encrusted with diamonds, sapphires, amethysts and
opal panels. It was quite unique—and quite extravagant.

As he slipped the ring onto my left
hand, he rose up to meet me and I gave him my answer, “Yes! Yes!
Yes! I love you, Mister! And, yes, I will love you ‘til the day I
die!”

He lifted my feet off the ground as we
hugged, spinning me around in the air. We kissed each other in the
heavy falling snowfall. The bells of Santa Fe began to ring out
through the air signaling the eleventh hour. And once again, the
rest of the world melted away and we were alone in our
universe.

We practically ran the rest of the
short distance to the truck. We were so caught up in the moment we
had forgotten how bitterly cold it was outside. I was shivering
from the cold and the excitement as we got in the cab of the truck
and he started it up. He turned on the interior lights so I could
get a better look at the ring that was sparkling on my outstretched
hand.

“
I hope you like it. It
reminded me of you—when I saw it, I just knew it was the one. It’s
different. It’s colorful. It’s beautiful. It’s one of a kind. They
say it’s a pear-shape, but I liked it ‘cause it looks like a
raindrop. And the first time I remember seeing you was in the
rain,” he explained.

I smiled and said, “It’s absolutely
perfect. I love it. And I love you—so very much.”

He leaned over the console, giving me
the sweetest look and kiss before pulling out of the parking lot to
head back to share our last night together in the mountains of
Santa Fe.

That night, we made love to one another
tenderly. There was no impatience or rush. We must have declared
our love to one another no less than a thousand times. We released
the past to take hold of our future. All of the pain, the
heartache, the loneliness we had suffered without each other. It
was over. And that night, we were together and everything in our
existence was made right.

We drove back to Texas on Saturday.
During the drive, we made plans. With his other situation becoming
finalized within the next week, we would be able to share our good
news with our families. He was anxious for me to meet his
boys.

“
The boys are gonna love
you. You’re gonna make a good mama someday, you know,” he assured
me as he winked and squeezed my leg.

There was security and relief in
knowing I had found him. For the first time in a long time, my
heart felt safe with someone worthy of that kind of
trust.

It wasn’t as hard to say goodbye to him
this time. I knew I had a whole lifetime ahead to get used to him
coming home to me.