Chai Tea

final desires

"I missed you." Shai mumbled into the crook of Ed's neck. Her arms circled around his torso and bunched at his back, pulling her closer to his warm body. Ed was lying vertically on the sofa and Shai was on top of him. They were both caught up in a fatigued stupor but neither could go to sleep. They still couldn't believe that they were finally reunited.

"I missed you more." Ed answered. His gravelly tones rumbled in his chest and vibrated against hers, making Shai snuggle further into the warmth of him. His mind raced as he held her small priceless body in his arms; she was here. She was with him. Those weeks without having her near seemed liked a distant cruel nightmare that he never wanted to relive.

Ed was never going to let Shai go again.

"Marry me." He mumbled into her hair.

Shai sat up quickly, her body instantly becoming tense and agitated. "You don't mean that" she whispered, looking down searchingly into his face. "I do. Marry me, please." He spoke again, this time sitting up with her so she was settled in the hollow between his legs and her legs were circled around his waist.

"Ed, I'm nineteen, you're twenty two. It's an insane idea!" She whispered although they were alone in her home. Her small hand traced his jaw and gently ran across his face, the stubble feeling like sandpaper beneath her fingertips.

"I'm not asking you to marry me now. You don't have to marry me for years to come but one day I want my grandmother's ring on your finger and my name attached to yours. Marry me, Shai." His arms snaked around her waist and pulled her flush against him. With only a second of hesitation she embraced him equally as forcefully.

"Ok." She whispered into his neck.

"Ok?" Ed said excitedly, reaching forward to grip her dimpled chin between thumb and forefinger.

"Ok."