How Soon Is Now

Part One - Chapter Fourteen: Moving Forward

Nicola moaned into the kiss that she was sharing with Fernando, she wrapped her arms around his neck as they sat on the couch in the living room; she couldn’t believe that this was actually happening to her.

“Nando, we need to talk,” Nicola murmured breathlessly pulling back from their kiss, she knew that they couldn’t keep putting it off and they needed to talk about what had happened to them.

Fernando nodded his head not pulling away from Nicola as he started to kiss down Nicola’s neck, he wanted to leave his mark on the beautiful sun-kissed skin of her neck.

“I lost you once Cassandra, I won’t lose you again,” Fernando muttered determined to mark her as his, he wanted everyone to know that Nicola was his girlfriend; he couldn’t go through losing her again after everything that had happened.

Nicola closed her eyes and took a deep breath, she was dealing with the assault of memories a lot better than Fernando was and she knew he would hold onto them if she didn’t do something.

“That was four hundred years ago… you are no longer José Sanz and I am no longer Cassandra Matthews,” Nicola reassured, she had become an entirely different person and so had he; she wanted them to move on from that life and they needed to let it go.

Nicola knew how easy it was to slip into their past lives but they weren’t José or Cassandra anymore; they were Fernando and Nicola that was what mattered now and they needed to focus on that.

Fernando kissed Nicola softly wishing there was something he could do to protect her this time round; he was going to lose her and he could feel it and he wished that he could fight.

“We’re stronger now Nando,” Nicola whispered cupping his face in her hands, she had no idea how they were going to do it but she wasn’t going to let anything come between them; she would take on the world if she had to.

Fernando bitterly shook his head and pulled away from her, his head swimming at the memories of his former life; he had no idea what he would do if Nicola was taken from him this time.

“You said that last time… I still had to watch you die,” Fernando spat making Nicola flinch at the harshness of his words, she couldn’t take his guilt away for what had happened; it hadn’t been his fault that she had died the first time.

Nicola smiled softly as she moved closer to Fernando, who refused to look at her; she knew that she had to try something and she knew that it would cheer him up.

“I remember how we meet…” Nicola murmured starting to kiss Fernando’s neck, she nibbled softly as he started to relax at her touch; she didn’t want to fight when this was meant to be a time of celebration.

Fernando closed his eyes in relaxation, he had missed her so much and he knew that his life had all been leading to this point; he couldn’t believe how lucky he was to have her back.

“I was at the market collecting herbs… I walked right into you,” Nicola murmured moving to unbutton his shirt, she smiled a little knowing that when she had been Cassandra things had been so much easier for them.

Fernando slowly drew her closer, he remembered their first meeting as if it was yesterday instead of 400 years ago; he still remember how beautiful she had looked on that day.

“You were the most beautiful thing I had ever seen… stole my heart in that very moment, I was nothing more than a baker,” Fernando whispered opening his brown eyes and looking at her; he had never thought that someone would love him like Cassandra had loved him, it seemed unreal that they were soul-mates.

Fernando kissed Nicola softly, he brushed his fingers through her hair drawing her close and deepening the kiss; he had no idea what he was ever going to do if he lost her for a second time.

“I was so shy… I doubted you would even remember me,” Fernando whispered softly, his lips brushing tenderly against Nicola’s cheek; he smiled as he held her close wanting to hold onto this moment forever.

Nicola rested her head against his while Fernando leant back on the couch, she was straddling Fernando now and she felt completely relaxed about everything that was happening.

“I couldn’t forget you… I thought I had been enchanted,” Nicola replied making Fernando chuckle as he kissed down her neck; he had no idea what was going to happen but he didn’t mind holding onto the past a little longer.

Nicola brushed her fingers through Fernando’s blonde hair, she doubted that this was his real colour and she was curious about it; she wondered if it was still the deep red hair that it had been when he had been José.

“Not as much as I,” Fernando murmured while Nicola slowly started to unbutton his shirt, he kissed down her neck; he remembered the first time they had made love, it was something he wanted again.

Nicola pulled him down into a kiss, Fernando’s hands moved up her body pulling her closer in ways that they had only experienced on the wedding night; he could only imagine what it would be like now.

Fernando knew that it would be a while until she was his wife again, however right now he needed them to come one; he needed to hold her in ways only he knew and would only ever know.

Fernando rested his hands on Nicola’s hips before he stood up, he smiled as she was forced to wrap her legs around his waist so that he didn’t drop her; he headed straight upstairs and to the master bedroom so that they wouldn’t be disturbed.

Nicola laughed softly kissing Fernando as he kicked the bedroom door shut behind him and moved to settle on the bed; he slowly moved to help Nicola out of her blue peplum printed blouse and pull-on jeggings.

Nicola pushed Fernando’s flannel checked shirt from his shoulders, her fingers eagerly moved to his jeans while she kissed Fernando eagerly; she couldn’t believe that this was actually happening.

Fernando groaned at the sight of Nicola’s red satin spot balconette bra and Brazilian knickers; he wrapped his arms around her knowing that she couldn’t have worn a better colour right now.

Slowly the two of them found themselves united again in the only way that mattered to them; Nicola whimpered as she clung to Fernando, her body covered in a fine sheet of sweat as she gasped.

“I love you,” Nicola whispered her lips moving to brush against Fernando’s ear as she held him close, she had never said those words to Fernando before but it felt right to say them now; she had never felt like this before in her entire life.

Fernando swallowed thickly, he had no idea how they had ended up like this but he couldn’t bring himself to stop; he was head over heels for the woman that lay beneath him.

“I love you too,” Fernando groaned kissing Nicola, he drew her closer as they moved towards completion, Nicola buried her head into his neck; she panted into his neck knowing that she wasn’t going to last much longer.

“Stay with me, stay with me Nicola,” Fernando panted urgently as his hands trailed down her back trying to keep her with him; the blonde nodded as she closed her eyes trying to focus.

Fernando whimpered as he kissed her softly, he rested his head against hers; it wasn’t long until the air around them was thick with their cries of release.

Fernando kissed her softly moving to lay next to Nicola and not on her so he didn’t crush her; he had never felt this close to her before, they kissed softly as the sunset behind them.