Natalie

The Forbidden

Chapter 5: The Forbidden

"Why would you put green peppers on a pizza?" Chess argues as she picks off the small peppers off her pizza. We were splayed out on my couch facing a warm alight fireplace.

"If you don't want them, I'll have them." I say. My head was resting on her leg, so I just open my mouth wide as she drops the peppers in.

"Ironically, I feel like I'm throwing them in the garbage can."

"Is that another Ernest Hemingway quote?" I ask sarcastically.

"As if," she says, then takes a large bite of pizza.

I sit upright and get myself a slice, "Can I ask you a question?"

"Depends on the question." She smiles.

My heart pounds, "Say if some one , lets say... James, went through some sort of...traumatic event, something so horrible they wouldn't want to talk about it with anyone. but, then they met someone,... let's say Jess...and wanted to tell them everything so Jess would understand why James is the way he is."

Chess sets down her glass, "You really got me on a loop here, what's the question?"

"My question is, if James told Che-...Jess what happened, would she see James differently?"

"Of course she would."

My heart falls into, my age old friend, that fiery pit that is my hope in life.

Chess's hand slips onto my leg, "but that doesn't have to be a bad thing."

Hope restores itself, and I press my mouth against hers.

"You are the perfect woman." I say in between kisses.

"Funny enough, I don't even try."

I push her away, but only so I can see her face. "You understood that I'm figurative James and your figurative Jess, right?"

She brushes my hair out of my face, and let's out a breathy laugh. "how dull do you think I am?"

"I don't think your dull at all, I'm just kind of a roller coaster right now- well, all my life really- and I really don't know if you you should ride it with me. It would probably be better for you if you didn't."

She kisses me softly, "there is a charm about the forbidden that makes it unspeakably desirable."

I tenderly kiss her back, "Ernest Hemingway?" I ask, her head now cupped in my hands.

"Actually no. That was a quote by Mark Twain."

"Who is that?"

She shrugs, "He was the author of one of my favorite childhood books. You should read it, it was very interesting, for me at least."

"Later," I pull her into my lap and fuse her mouth with mine. My hands leave her face and travel up and down her beautiful body with a sudden rush of desire.

"We still haven't finished packing you know." Chess laughs.