Aperture

Chapter 2

I wake to the smell of mint and a smile forms softly. Thinking of the kiss between the god of a man and myself. The words he spoke so openly to me. The way his hands felt on my body. The way he wanted things to go further but made himself stop. He so sadly made himself stop. Instead he kissed my neck and my shoulder exposing my collarbone. His fingers traced lines on my jaw and lips. The way he spoke was so low and heartfelt. I had to actively remember that I didn't know this man and I just met him.

After we had our moment in my processing room. He stepped away, helped me off the table and we walked out like nothing just happened. When I saw Aaron look at us at the end of the hall I knew she knew. She bit her lip trying not to smile and turned and walked away. I knew she would question me later with every detail.

I told him about how I grew up in the country just outside the city and how my dad traveled a lot and my mom died when I was thirteen. He told me how he grew up poor in a city that felt like hell to him and all he ever wanted to do was go to America and become a singer or a guitarist. He said he even writes music and lets his brother sing the songs. His older brother came with him and they left their younger sister behind with their parents but they were hoping one day to bring them here. We laid around my room talking about our lives past and present. What we hope the future would be. He said he was seeing someone for a bit but he didn't feel the same way she felt so had to end it. His words were that she was a bit abscessed where I enjoyed her company on rare occasions.

It's about three in the morning now and the other guys had already left and I heard Aaron getting ready for bed. I didn't want him to leave yet but I was tired. He stood up from my chair and looked out the window so slowly.

" This is an amazing view, you know?" he says softly

" It's what sold us on this place plus the balcony and closeness to everything we need." I ramble on without thinking.

" I think I am going to get going." He says turning to look at me. I already couldn't keep my eyes open. He walks over and giggles at me.

" I hope you had fun." I say with my eyes shut. He leans down and grabs the knit blanket at the end of my bed and covers me. I feel him sit down on the bed and I reach for his hand. He takes it and kisses the back of it. I smile and fade more into my sleep.

" Yes I am very sure of it. You will be my light at the end of this very long tunnel" he sits there brushing hair off my face and holding my hand. Then he leans in and kisses me tenderly again on the lips. " I've never been so excited for light at the end of this tunnel."

As I replay all of this in my head this morning I am just so excited to see him again. I then realized just how long it had been since a man wanted to touch me. I have only ever been with three guys. One when I was in high school he was my best friend and we made an agreement to be each other's firsts. The second was when I turned twenty two. He was a guy I met while I was working at a coffee shop. He took me on one date and I gave it up too soon. I never saw him again. The other was my car guy. Bridge was nothing like any of them.

" Ronnie!" I hear from behind my door. " Are you awake?"

" Yes" I say rolling over and seeing her pop her head in the door.

"Good I couldn't wait any longer" she said, skipping to my bed and jumping on my bed. " How was he? Was he amazing?" Her smile is infectious.

" We didn't sleep together Aaron, we just kissed a few times." I say remembering every detail " But those kisses were amazing. We have a date on Monday."

" Yes, Hank said he has never acted like this before. Said he wasn't taking no for an answer from them last night. Said he would go with or without them. So he thought if he is this admit he had to see." She says taking a sip of her iced coffee. Clearly she had been up awhile.