Lisa
I woke up with Jennie pressed against my back, her face burrowed between my shoulder blades and her arm holding me close. Elation filled my entire being and I wondered at how anyone who came before me could have possibly let this woman go.
I breathed in deeply and pushed myself closer. Jennie responded by tightening her grip around my waist.
"Good morning." she said. I smiled. Her morning voice was one of my favourite sounds. It lacked the refined edge of her constant offensive posture and instead invited me in to the soft recesses of exposure.
I rolled around to face her, our noses touching in soft gestures of intimacy. "Good morning, beautiful."
A small smile tinged Jennie's lips and she dropped her eyes. I smiled at her embarrassment.
"Suddenly the most self-assured girl I know can't take a compliment?" I teased.
"It's different when it's coming from you." she confessed.
"How so?"
Jennie considered my question for a moment. "When you compliment me, I actually believe it, not for sake of my own vanity or yours, but because you seem to truly see me." Jennie paused and looked me in the eye. "I've never had that."
I pressed a soft kiss to her lips. "You are the most beautiful woman that I've ever met because everything you believe, everything you are, shines through and you radiate decency, kindness, and love like no other person I've ever met."
Jennie kissed me. I was taken aback by her passion. She rolled on top of me and ran her hand along my jaw, my neck, my ribs. She rested her forehead against mine, with her eyes closed, and whispered. "You're perfect."
"Even if I am annoying?"
"Especially when you're annoying." Jennie kissed me again. "You can't parallel park."
"You hate running." I retorted. "Looks like we're still tied."
I pulled Jennie into me and kissed her again and again and again; I couldn't get enough of this woman. I love that her hair fell in my face when I kissed her and the scent of her shampoo and her skin wafted into my nose, intoxicating me. My hands trailed over her body, exploring every undiscovered corner of her body.
A loud series of knocks pounded against our door followed by the giggles of three small girls.
"Aunt Lisa, are you awake?" I heard.
Jennie laughed and rolled off of me. I pushed myself up in the bed. "Yes, you can come in."
The girls opened the door and rushed into our room, jumping on the bed. Alexis immediately cuddled up to Jennie, whom she followed around all night, last night, insisting that she sit between us on the couch when we watched a movie after dinner.
"What's going on little ladies?" I asked the girls.
"Can we do something today?" Courtney asked.
"Like what?"
"Play outside!" Courtney said.
"Build a snowman!" Alexis insisted.
"Go sledding!" Maddie added.
"I happen to know that your aunt loves sledding." Jennie informed my nieces. Their eyes, huge and imploring, turned on me.
"Aunt Lisa, will you take us sledding?" Maddie asked. Eleven years old and she'd already mastered the art of the puppy dog eyes.
"Pretty please?" Courtney begged.
"Pleeeeeaaaaase?" Alexis joined in.
"You know I can't say no to you lot." I said with a wide grin. "And I love sledding. I even packed my own sled!"
The girls, all excitement, jumped from the bed and dashed down the stairs. It sounded like a thunderstorm ravaging the house as they thumped on the staircase. We would hear their delighted squeals as they told their mom and dad that I would be taking them sledding.
We piled into two cars, my parents electing to stay at home and take care of a few things. Alexis insisted that she ride with us, while the other two girls went with their parents. I wasn't entirely sure where Jennie landed on public displays of affection, but I tried my luck when I reached across the car and intertwined our fingers. She glanced at me and smiled, rubbing her thumb along the back of my hand.
"Can you two be anymore disgustingly cute?" Jin asked from the backseat, still sullen that his permanent claim to shotgun was ruined by Jennie's new position in my life.
I stuck out my tongue in the rear view mirror which caused Alexis to giggle.
We drove to the park down the road. My sister and I had spent many days in our childhood sledding on the hills. One special year we found an old skateboard deck with the wheels pried off and we took turns trying to snowboard down the slope.
