The Dance

Chapter 167 Sleeping Beauty

Dear Readers,

@mamaschleis has returned for the union of Bear and Red. She's done them justice. -polaris1401

"Dinner is ready! Have a seat." Red announced as she poured the sparkling grape cider into a couple of glasses, and handed one to Bear.

"Here's to having dinner with the prettiest girl in Alaska!" Bear toasted her.

"Awww, gosh..." Red blushed.

"And here's to the sweetest and corniest boyfriend in Alaska! "

"But I seriously meant it! " Bear protested, laughing. He reached for her hand, and stroked his thumb across the back of it all through dinner. Red totally appreciated the way Bear devoured her sausage calzones. He was thoroughly thrilled that his girlfriend was such an awesome cook. He enjoyed listening to her talk about what she had baked, and the customers that visited her shop that day. It was what he had always wanted... a pretty girl he could just sit and enjoy a meal with. No pressure to make small talk, just an easy togetherness.

"You sure polished off that calzone in record time! I'll take that as a compliment!", teased Red, "How about some dessert?"

"Oh, I'm definitely ready for dessert!" Bear answered. He seemed disappointed when she came back with a piece of tiramisu on a dessert plate.

"I'm sorry, Bear. Don't you like tiramisu?" Red asked.

"Oh, I've never met a dessert I didn't like. I just thought we had established that I was bringing the dessert.", Bear pouted.

"Well, I thought we could double up on dessert.", Red told him as she grabbed a fork.

"Aren't you going to have any?", Bear asked.

"I thought it would be more fun to share." Red replied, taking a seat on his lap.

Bear couldn't stop the grin that spread clear across his face.

"Well, it's a good thing you have ears! Otherwise that smile would go clear around your head!" Red picked up a fork full and brought it to his lips.

"Mmmmm, that is so good!", Bear moaned.

"You know what they say about the way to a man's heart. It seems to be a true statement.", Red said, playfully licking some of the dessert off Bear's lips. Bear grabbed the back of her head and started kissing her passionately, she pushed herself into him deepening the kiss. When Red finally broke away from the kiss, breathless, Bear said," That is what I've been waiting for all day! "

He went to grab her again, and pulled her even closer, but his thumb got caught in one of her cuff bracelets. Bear stopped, and looked her in the eye, not saying a word. He stood up, lifting her, and turned around placing her on the chair.

Red gulped. She steeled herself for what she felt sure was coming next... that Bear couldn't deal with her past. He surprised her by getting down on his knees in front of her. He never took his eyes off of hers as he took one bracelet off and then the other.

"Rose, I understand if you need to wear these out in public when you are around people who might not understand. I accept all of you.", he said, placing a kiss on the inside of her right wrist, and then another." I embrace it all as part of you.", he continued, placing another kiss on her wrist. " And while I'm sad that you experienced so much pain and sadness in your life... ", he placed a kiss on the inside of her left wrist, and another," It has made you the person you are today, the girl I've fallen for." He added another kiss. "Please don't ever feel that you have to cover your scars for me. I don't want you to feel you have to hide anything from me. I promise I won't hide anything from you." He placed the bracelets on the table, kissed the back of her hand and pulled her up into a standing embrace. He noticed that her eyes had welled up with tears that were spilling down her cheeks. He kissed those tears away.