Making Memories of Us

Content to let him lead, I watched his face. I watched as he licked his lips and smiled into his eyes when his lashes parted to meet my gaze. His lips moved in the familiar words but no sound came out.

I giggled, loving that I made him as breathless as I was. His eyes narrowed at my playful laugh and he sat up, wrapping his arms around my waist. I laughed again as he turned us over and loomed over me. His arms came down on the bed to bracket my head and I placed my hands flat on his chest.

"I love you so much, Christian."

He grinned. "I know, that's right."

I laughed, giddy with passion and delirious in love. He moved over me, inside of me and I lifted my hips to meet every one of his thrusts. We stared into each other's eyes and Christian dipped his head every few seconds to steal a kiss. I felt when he got close and I squeezed my legs and arms around him, my body tightening around his.

"Oh God, Maggie, I love you." He said more, words I lost in the rushing pounding of blood through my head and body. He moved faster and harder, his breath sawing from his lungs until he groaned and all but collapsed on me. He shifted off of me a second later and we lay on our backs, side-by-side, struggling to slow our breathing.

After a time, I rolled to my side and propped my head on my hand. I ran my other hand over Christian's stomach and up to his chest where I could feel his heartbeat under my palm. He put his hand over mine and turned his head to smile at me.

"Still bored, angel?"

I shook my head. "No. But I am hungry."

He grinned. "Me too."

We got up and threw on some clothes before heading to the kitchen. We warmed up some leftovers from the night before and chatted in between bites as we ate at the table. By the time we finished and cleaned up, it was fully dark outside but not late enough to go to sleep yet. We decided to read a book together while cuddling in the living room.

Christian went to grab the book while I grabbed a blanket from the hall closet. I sat on the couch and waited for Christian to get back. He came in and handed me the book. I laughed when I looked at the cover page.

"Wherever did you find this?" It was the book he'd bought way back when we'd first met at the Barnes & Noble. I'd always assumed he'd sold it or given it away since I'd never seen it again after that day.

Christian grinned as he picked up the TV remote. I smiled at him, turning the book over to read the blurb on the back. He came to sit beside me on the couch. I moved so he could sit against one side and I curled up against his chest. We spread the blanket over both of us and Christian turned on the TV while I continued to read the back of the book.

"What are you going to put on?" I asked.

"I thought we could go for a fire tonight." As he spoke, he turned on the 'fire.' I laughed, not having noticed him putting the DVD in the player. When we'd been searching for a place to live together here, we'd wanted a fireplace but the best place we could find was missing that as a feature. Instead, we'd bought the DVD and once in a while, we used it to set the mood.

Christian put the remote down and wrapped his arms around me. I snuggled up against him and turned the book over. Before opening it to read, I looked over my shoulder.

"I love you."

He smiled and bent close to press a kiss to my lips. "I love you."

Satisfied, I flipped the book open to the first page of the story and started to read aloud. After the first chapter, I handed it to Christian and he read the next one. I'd often curl up next to him with whatever book I was reading while he watched football on the weekends but we didn't always read to each other from the same book. I always enjoyed it very much when we did.

Christian handed the book back to me when he finished the second chapter. I read the first page of the third chapter and flipped to the next, ready to continue the line from the previous page. My words trailed off when I noticed some of the letters had been made bold with a black pen.

"Baby, someone wrote on these pages."

"Really?" I flashed him the book. "Hmm. So they did. What's written on it?"

I frowned at the letters that had been scored. "OK, there's a 'W' and an 'I'."

Christian leaned closer, and pointed out two Ls next to each other.

"L. L. Y. O. U." My frown deepened as the letter continued on the next page. "M. A. Two Rs. Another Y. And a--"

I stopped, all the air leaving my lungs in a rush. I sat up straight, leaving the warm comfort of Christian's chest and didn't even notice him moving off the couch.

"Christian. These letters, they spell..." I couldn't say it. I clutched the book, almost bending the edges in my hands and whirled to face Christian.

Who was kneeling on the floor by the couch. My heart stopped in my chest for a second before it stuttered to life again. The book tumbled from my hands when he lifted his, something held between his fingers.

"I know what the letters spell, Maggie." He gave me a sweet smile, his chocolate eyes so warm. "Because I wrote them."

I couldn't speak, my throat tight with emotion.

"Maggie, you have given me such a gift. You came into my life and brought light back into it. I called you my angel so long ago and that hasn't changed. You still are my angel. You're my lover and my best friend and I don't know how I'd survive without you by my side and in my life."

He reached down with one hand, keeping his eyes on my face, and picked up the book. He handed it to me and I took it with numb fingers, holding it open to that page he'd written on. I stared at him over the book and he grinned before tapping one finger on the top of the page.

"What were the last letters?"

A laugh escaped me just as tears spilled from my eyes. "You don't know? You told me you wrote it."

"I guess I need a reminder."

I blinked, more tears falling, but still didn't look away from his face. "M and E."

"Hmm." He lifted his other hand and I heard a soft creak as he flipped open the lid on a velvet jewelry box. "Will you marry me?"

I blinked a few times, glanced at the ring and back to his face. Everything was a blur through my tears but I didn't need to see him to give him my answer.

"Yes. Oh yes, Christian. With all my heart, yes!"

I threw my arms around him, the book falling to the floor with a thud. Christian caught me in his arms and held me as I slid down in front of him. I kissed him, tasting my tears and couldn't stop crying. He held me, as always, for as long as I needed it. When at last I caught my breath, Christian pulled back and smoothed the hair from my face.

"I love you, angel."

"I love you, too."

"Would you like to put your ring on now?"

A sound escaped me that was somewhere between a sob and a laugh and Christian chuckled as he pressed a kiss to my forehead. He drew his hand between us and popped the ring from the little box. I gasped as I got my first good look at it. It was simple white gold band with a beautiful round deep emerald in the center of a bed of tiny sparkling diamonds.

"It's beautiful."

"Not half as beautiful as you."

That started the tears all over again and we both laughed as I wiped ineffectually at my wet cheeks. He pulled my hand down as these tears passed and kissed my knuckles before sliding that perfect ring on my trembling finger. He kissed my hand again, over the ring, and drew me close with his hands on either side of my face for a real kiss.

He pulled away from the kiss only to rest his forehead against mine. "You make me so happy."

"Oh, Christian. You do the same for me. Every day."

Our eyes met and we nodded before kissing again.

Christian broke the kiss and smiled at me, brushing his thumbs over my flushed cheeks. "Should we get back on the couch and keep reading?"

I laughed and shook my head, sliding my hands behind his head and pressing my lips to his. "No. You should make love to me while I'm wearing nothing but the ring."

"Sounds like a plan to me."

He obliged. That night, and many nights afterward he obliged me in every way possible, in every facet of my life. We'd always known we were meant to be together forever. Now it was time to do it.

****

I'm gonna be here for you from now on

This you know somehow

You've been stretched to the limits

But it's all right now

And I'm gonna make you a promise

If there's life after this

I'm gonna be there to meet you

With a warm, wet kiss

And I'm gonna love you

Like nobody loves you

And I'll earn your trust

Making memories of us