𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐬 𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐰𝐞 𝐬𝐭𝐚𝐫𝐭𝐞𝐝, guy germaine

𝐓𝐖𝐄𝐍𝐓𝐘-𝐎𝐍𝐄 | loving a girl like her

An excerpt from For Better Or Worse: Chapter Nine - Wedding Bells.

SHE WAS AT MY side in the morning, kissing my cheek. Soft light from the windows poured in that day. She was her usual pale with rosy cheeks, rosy lips, and I kissed her with a satisfaction only being married to the love of your life can bring.

"The light is hurting my eyes," she spoke softly, her eyes still closed, "I don't wanna be up, I'm sore."
"Hide your face..." I encouraged, guiding her cheek to the crook between my arm and chest so the light wouldn't disturb her. I kissed the top of her head, snuggling her closer.

"I love you." I told her. "You feeling okay?"
"Yeah, it's a good hurt." She sighed. "I love you."
"I'm sorry baby. Anything I can do?"
"Hold me. It's really not bad, just sore."
"I know, but I feel bad." I gently picked up her wrist, kissing it before holding her hand in mine. "I'm sorry it hurts. I don't want you to be hurt."
"It was worth it. Thank you."
I brushed some of her hair back from her face, admiring her pure beauty. There was something about her that always held an innocence. After everything, she still had it - even after last night.

"Yesterday was the happiest day of my life." I mentioned. "And now every day will be even happier."
"I dunno about that... I can't be that pretty every day." She teased, finally looking up at me.
"You don't even have to try."
She kissed me rather passionately, rolling onto me more before realizing she had no shirt on. She paused, laying her head in the crook of my neck. I rubbed small circles into her upper back, kissing her shoulder.

"Am I still beautiful to you?" She asked. "I know I... I know I'm not perfect, it's ok if I'm not. People think I'm real pretty but when they see me, really see me, that changes."
My heart just about shattered into a billion pieces. How could she ever think that about herself? Did she really think that because we had sex, she wasn't pretty anymore?

"You're the prettiest girl I've ever laid eyes on. And you get more beautiful every day, Opal. I hate when you talk so bad about yourself." I hugged her tighter to me.
"You aren't just saying it to say it?"
"No way. I love you so much... from the minute I first saw you, I knew."

Nothing I had ever said was more true. When I saw her strumming her guitar on the corner of Fifth and Broadway, there was something in her face that told me everything I needed to know. That all I would ever need was in front of me, and that I needed to protect her from all the world's evils. It hurt me so much to know I hadn't - that she had still been touched by creeps who wanted to hurt her, rejected by music labels, and given one of the worst diseases on earth to carry on her small shoulders.

She called me her superhero, but there was no saving I could do. All I could do was stand by her and take care of her; tell her I loved her and that she deserved the world.

She sat up on her elbows, letting her chest rest uncompressed against my own. I would be content dying like this, not like it was killing me.

"So what did you think of last night? Was I ok?"
"Babe, you don't need to ask that. You were perfect." I kissed her cheek. "Maybe you need more kisses to stop thinking so bad about yourself."
My hands gently roamed her bare skin, finding a nice seat on her waist and her butt. She chuckled, flipping her hair back with a sharp shift of her head.

"Maybe I do... or maybe more." She teased, running her finger down my chest. "Maybe I need a lot of loving to fix my head."
"I think you just need to believe what I say about you. I know it's hard, but you are everything."
She bent her forehead to meet mine, her hair encaging us.

"Make love to me again." She asked. "We can do it as much as you want."
"I dunno, I'm tired." I joked, rubbing her cheek. "We could shower together instead."
"So long as we can snuggle in our pjs after. I have a hangover from the champagne."
"It was non-alcoholic!"
"I know!"
I got up, scooping her up in my arms and whirling her around before setting her down in the bathroom on the counter.