#cowriter

           The faint brush of her feet against the floor was the only warning that she was getting close. She hovered just out of reach at my side, craning her neck to see the menu in my hands. I pushed it ward her and turned, leaning my hip against the counter. She nipped at her bottom lip as she skimmed it.

           “Leigh?” I queried gently. “Do you… could you… trust me?”

           Her body tensed as she glanced up at me. “What do you mean?”

           I moved my hand closer to hers. Our fingers didn’t touch, but I could feel the heat from her sun-kissed skin. “When I say that I think you’re beautiful, do you believe me?” My hand crept closer. “When I say that I want to touch you… to hold you… to… do you think I’m telling you the truth?”

           She hesitated, her gaze going to my hand so close to her own. “I don’t know.” Her voice was small, frightened. “I want to believe it, I think.”

           I took a deep breath and brushed my fingers along the back of her hand. When she didn’t move away, I slid my fingertips up her arm with a barely-there pressure. Leigh closed her eyes, her breath coming in faint little sighs, as I curled my hand over her shoulder and up against her neck. My thumb brushed the line of her jaw as my fingers skimmed back into the thick braid of her hair.

           “You are more than just beautiful, Leigh,” I said firmly. “You are loyal. Kind. Intelligent. Strong. I know enough about you to know that much. And anyone who doesn’t see it… who doesn’t want to see you… to be with you… they’re a fool.”

           For a moment, I thought I’d gone too far. Then, she leaned into my touch, her body turning to fully face mine. She looked at me with those brilliant eyes, her cheeks a desperately attractive shade of pink, and rested her palms on my ribs.

           “I want to be here with you,” I whispered. I cradled her face in my hands, thumbs brushing her cheeks. A soft smile curled my lips. “Even if we’re just friends.”

           Leigh looked up at me, her fingers sliding along my ribs and around my waist. I dipped closer, my forehead settling against hers. The scent of her enveloped me, and I wanted so desperately to gather her close, hide my face against her neck, breathe in the smell of her hair and her skin. I couldn’t explain it… this feeling that raced through me.

           “Kenny,” she said quietly. Her voice made my chest ache in a painfully wonderful way.

           I brushed my nose against hers. “Leigh,” I murmured. My fingers stroked her skin, the wisps of her hair.

           We stood like that for what felt like a long time. After a moment, she rose onto her toes, tilted her chin up, and pressed her lips against mine. Her arms twined around my neck, pulling me closer. I swept my hands down her back, clutching her against me. I quickly lost myself in the taste of her lips and the feel of her soft curves.

           The kiss was slow and lingering. It was something different than anything I’d ever felt before. She let out a barely audible sigh against my mouth. I smiled into the kiss, pressing her closer, lifting my hand to cradle the back of her head. Her fingers slid into my hair, twining the curls around her digits.

           My heart pounded in my chest so hard I was surprised that she didn’t sense it. She broke away, sinking back onto her feet. Leigh skimmed her fingertips down the side of my throat and down against my chest. Her palms splayed in the center, and I knew that she could feel the rapid beating there.

           “Kenny,” she whispered, smiling shyly. Her hands smoothed over my chest, up to my shoulders. It was hard to think.

           I settled my lips against her forehead, still curling her against me, happy to feel the softness of her body. She might disagree, but I thought everything about her was beautiful. I remembered the rise of her hips, the thickness of her thighs. Everything about her was burned into my memory.

           Leigh gently disentangled herself from my hold, sliding her fingers through mine. She nipped at her bottom lip as she pulled me toward the sofa in the living area. She sank down, tucking one foot beneath her as she settled to face me. I scooted as close as I could, our knees brushing.

           “Can we do that again?” I asked playfully, stretching my arm out on the back of the sofa. I grinned, hoping that she knew I was joking.

           She reached out, fingertips grazing along my jaw. I wanted to close my eyes, to lean into that feeling, but I forced myself to keep my eyes on her. I didn’t want to miss a moment with her.

           “It’s hard for me to get used to the idea that you…” She looked away, somewhere over my shoulder. Her eyes drifted closed for a moment.

           I leaned closer and put my hand on the outside of her knee. Goosebumps ran over her skin. “That I want you?”

           Leigh nodded. My thumb stroked against her flesh in what I hoped was a soothing arc. She licked her lips. “Yeah.”

           “I’ve got the time to convince you,” I said with a smile. I didn’t know where those words came from, but I meant them completely. “If you’ll let me.”

           Her eyes suddenly lit up with something hopeful. The flecks of green and brown glittered as she watched me. I counted each thud of my blood in my ears, waiting for her to say something. Anything.

           She moved, sitting up on her knees on the cushions. “Let’s start with lunch? And Ragnarok?”

***

           “I can’t believe people complained about this one,” she said, leaning in against my side. My arm settled around her, fingers splayed on her beautifully ample hip. An almost-eaten pizza sat on the coffee table in front of us.

           I kissed the top of her head and smiled. “People complain about anything that isn’t a repeat of everything they’ve seen before.”

           She turned, tipping her face up toward mine. It was an easy thing to close the space between us and settle my mouth on hers. The feel and taste of her lips was as familiar as if I’d kissed her every day for the whole of my adult life.

           I let my fingers trace the curve of her ear. “Do you want to go down to the beach?”

           “That would be nice,” Leigh said, closing her eyes and nuzzling against my jaw. “I’d like to feel the sand between my toes.”

           We sat that way for a moment. The truth was that I could stay like that forever. For the first time in a very long time, I felt a calm that didn’t come from being in the ring. Sitting on that sofa in paradise with Leigh Keene for just a moment was like a month in my out-of-the-way cottage in Winnipeg.

           She was a peace that I didn’t know how I could leave.

           Leigh got to her feet and held out her hand for me. Our fingers threaded together as we slipped out of the bungalow, across the pier and down onto the beach. The surf rushed up to meet us, and I smiled as I watched her kick her feet in the foam as we walked. I pulled my phone from my pocket and snapped a picture of her, the wind in her hair, the sun bright above her, and the ocean rising up to rush up against her calves.

           She was beautiful. She was breathtaking.

           And I wanted her in every way that wanting was possible.

Tag List