Samantha

Chapter Twenty-Three: Broken Dreams

It had been four glorious days since Nathaniel had proposed.

They had barely left the house, let alone moved from the room they were in. Samantha had never known such bliss before. She wondered, for the first time, aimlessly around his small but cosy home. Everything was organised, neat and tidy. Maybe from the lack of time he spent there. But still she walked, soaking in every last detail. The way the brilliant white walls clashed so harshly with the light brown tiled floor. The ever seemingly delicate leather couches that decorated his living room. The soft, dreamy blue that covered his bathroom walls. But what was even more impressive was his bedroom. It was the lightest of blues, so light it almost came across as white. And it was decorated with little black birds in the distance, clouds, and what appeared to be the Yorkshire Moors across the background. She could just about pick out the purples and pinks mingling with the fresh greens that made up the grassy terrain.

She smiled with appreciation. She had never been able to like art, because it had never been like this. She walked down the airy corridors to his kitchen, which was more glass than wall, but tinted, to keep privacy. He was standing there. Glorious in just a pair of grey jogging bottoms, and no top. He appeared to be washing some dishes, clearly preparing to make them a meal. Now Samantha had never been a true fan of food until Nathaniel had cooked for her. Now she couldn't get enough. The flavours jump started her taste buds, and she could taste the feeling and effort he had put into it, as well as all the spices and salts. It was beautiful to her. She padded over to him and wrapped her arms around his waist, burying her face in his broad back. It was all she could do not to spin him around and jump on him.

He chuckled, stroking her hands with his soapy fingers. Massaging the creases between her fingers. It was almost sensual. Then he went back to so carefully washing all the dishes from the night before. "You enjoying that?" Samantha asked as she peeped around his shoulder to watch him lavish the dishes in more washing up liquid before sponging them all down and rinsing them off. He turned away from the sink a little and looked down at her. "My thoughts have been keeping me busy" He smiled a little and kissed her nose turning to rinse the last plate before turning off the tap. He finally turned around and pulled her into him. Her small legs fitted perfectly between his. He ran his hands down her back, over her behind, before placing them back around her waist and pressing his face into her neck. He was smelling her. It was her undoing as she groaned into his neck. He laughed quietly and pulled back to look at her. She stared back, before remembering what she wanted to ask. "What were you thinking about?"

He stared at her for a moment before lifting her hand to his face and kissed her fingertips. She bit her lip as she inhaled sharply. That had felt good. "You". He finally responded watching her face as he waited for her breathing to slow down. "I hope it was good thoughts" She almost whispered as he stroked her hair. He took her hand from her face and pressed it to his bulge. It was unmistakable what it had done to him. She pulled her hand away, not in disgust, but as a sign of restraint. Acting opposite was the best option for her at the moment. She couldn't afford  to get distracted. She had some things she wanted to ask him. After a while of just leaning against each other, breathing in each others scents. She finally asked. "If I ask you something, personal, will you tell me?" She looked up into his molten brown eyes, and he stared back. At first he looked confused, but then he shrugged and pushed his hand through the giant puff on the back of his head. "Sure, anything you want". Samantha was sure he looked a bit nervous, but she couldn't understand why.

There was more silence, only their fast paced breathing could be heard. After a while he mumbled. "So are you going to ask?". Samantha looked at him, and took his hand, leading him from the kitchen. They walked back into his bedroom. The bed was nothing like how it had been four days previously. It had been made and neat and tidy just like the rest of his house. Now it was rumpled and ransacked, still a bit damp from their bodies, but warm and comfortable for them. She sat down and pulled him beside her taking both of his hands in hers. She took a deep breath and then looked up into his face, so she could see what emotion would register once she had asked her question. "I want to know about your life. Before you met me. What happened?". At first he just stared blankly back at her motionless like stone. He sat like that for a minute or two before finally being able to respond. "Do you really want to know?". Samantha nodded. She had been wondering for a while now, not since she met him, but since she had began to understand him. He nodded, and took a deep breath. "Alright then, I'll start from the beginning". Samantha sat back on the bed against a pillow and made herself a bit more comfortable.