secrets

twenty-eight

-SIMON-
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Silence.

It envelopes me into one big comforting hug, pulling me in. I'm in one of those moments when you stop and really pay attention to what is around you, how you got to this exact moment, and how you got so lucky.

I had woken up to Adele and I in our purest, rawest form; naked.

She is still deeply asleep. The bedroom window reflects off of her pale face, the raindrops forming little gray shadows down her cheek and neck.

I take a deep breath and try to figure out just how I got here to this moment. How did I get so lucky to be here with such a beautiful person, both inside and out? How did I get so lucky to share each and every morning with her? How did I get so lucky to be able to tell her I love her and for her to say it back to me?

She was just another woman to me that night when I first laid eyes on her. Though her features were particularly striking, I wasn't interested.

But the moment I saw her face up close, everything changed.

They say the eyes are the windows to the soul, and I became the truest believer in that when I looked into her own beautiful green eyes. It became instantly apparent that she was a patient, gentle, laid-back and incredible person.

Somehow, some way, she gave me a chance to love her. I have fallen more deeply in love with her since then.

I've fallen in love with the way that she loves the little things. Just a simple flower from the park is enough to make her day. She's selfless and always concerned about how her loved ones are. When she loves, she loves hard and that is something I never thought I would have in my life.

As I lose myself in admiring her soul, her body begins to move. I watch her eyes, anticipating the moment when she slowly opens them and their magical green color shines bright.

She suddenly opens them and her face is blank as she analyzes her surroundings. She looks into my eyes, staring for a moment and then smiling.

"Good morning, babe." She says in her morning voice.

"Good morning my beautiful love." I say, stroking the side of her face with the back of my index finger.

She rolls over, closer to me, and rests her head on my bare chest. I place my arm around her, my hand running up and down her smooth bare back. I trace the wings of her dove tattoo, then run my fingers through her soft wavy hair.

"Simon?" She asks, breaking the brief comfortable silence.

"Yes?"

"I don't deserve you."

Hearing those words melts me and amuses me. I had just said the same words to myself moments ago.

"No, I don't deserve you." I state.

"If anything, you deserve much more than me. I'm just an average young woman who learns everything through trial and error." She says.

I let out a small laugh. "You're a young woman who has big dreams, a heart of gold, a free spirit, and a beautiful soul."

She sits up in bed, looking deep into my eyes as if she is searching for something. I look right back into her own eyes, suddenly realizing that she is home. No matter what happens, I always go to bed looking into these eyes. They're safe, they're familiar, they're home.

"How did I get so lucky to be loved by a man like you?" She asks.

"How did I get so lucky to be loved by someone like you?" I ask her, just as serious.

It is these moments that make our relationship so perfect. Our admiration for each other being poured out of our hearts never fails to move me.

I hold her in my arms for a while, just admiring every detail of her. She's the most beautiful when she is in her most natural state, such as now. Makeup free, her hair flowing naturally, her body bare and every imperfection shown.

I'm in love with the way her body fits so perfectly in mine, her hair messed up with sleep, her face glowing and her big green eyes wide open. She's the very definition of beauty, and she's a woman I only imagined in my wildest dreams.

"Adele, I love you and everything about you."

There is a sound on the roof of the rain getting heavier. She pauses to listen for a second and then lifts her head to look directly into my eyes.

"I love you too." She says.

Those are the words I never get tired of hearing. Those are the words that have saved my life. Those are the words that I look forward to hearing every single day for many years to come.

"Let's do something crazy." I suddenly say, sitting up in bed.

She looks up at me with hesitation. "I don't like where this is going."

"You will." I say, holding out a hand.

She takes it and I lift her out of bed. "Shouldn't we get dressed?"

"Can your neighbors see us?" I ask.

"No." She shakes her head.

"Then no." I say, taking her hand and racing down the stairs.

I unlock the back door and sprint outside with her following close behind. She realizes my intentions and stops in the doorway.

"It's pouring Simon!" She says.

"That's the point! Come on, baby. Haven't you always wanted to kiss someone in the rain?"

"In my dreams, I have." She mentions, placing one foot out the door.

"Well, all of my dreams have come true, so maybe yours are too."

With a smile, she fully steps out of the house and runs into my arms. I hold onto her, pressing my lips against hers as the rain soaks our bodies.

It falls all around us, and I lose myself in her and in the feeling of it hitting my bare skin.

She breaks away, holding me close. "Now they've all come true." She says.

I process her words, then immediately press my lips right back onto hers.

This moment will be remembered as the moment that I finally understood that love is about so much more than being attracted to someone.

It's about being able to lose yourself completely in them and allowing your souls to become one.