Dreams: A Collection Of Romance One-Shots

Ethereal

 A subtle scent of salt and water clung to her hair as I pulled her into me, engulfing me in the ocean aroma. Her palms were hot against my back and as soon as she looked up at me, I felt myself being swallowed whole in her venomous eyes. They shone brightly, as green as the spring grass and full of tropical storms. I wanted to slip into her irses and lay in the soft blades of grass and I wanted to dance to the sweet music of crickets and birds under the moonlight of her pupils. The moment my gaze dropped to her lips, my wants and needs changed as quick as a flash of lightning. Dancing under stars would no longer satiate my needs. I wanted to surrounded in the color of her bright red lipstick. I wanted it to burn in my mind when we were in the throws of passion, I wanted it to be the color the sun bled into the room when sunrise woke us, and I wanted it to be the intensity of her whispers against my neck of the delicious things she wanted.

I set my hands on her hips, her skin still damp from her dip in the ocean and watched as color exploded in her pale cheeks. She took a step into me, leaned against me, and filling me with warmth. Although she was freezing against me, a red hot feeling kept my bones warm. The sun hung lazily on the horizon, as if sneaking a peak at the both of us as we curled up on a blanket. Before it painted the sky in an angry red and violent oranges, the sun seemed to sit in the sky, staring in envy or perhaps aesthetical. At the mention of envy, I recalled a story of the sun and moon she had told me. How the sun were once lovers, torn apart and doomed to never see each other except at sunset and sunrise and I had told her how lonely that seemed and she had shrugged, telling me "It is," and dropped the conversation.

After what seemed only like a few minutes, the sky was dipped in darkness like something being dropped in dark chocolate and coming out again with a dark coating and stars began shining brightly. Although, none of the stars seemed to shine as bright as the mysteriousness that danced in her eyes but, were beautiful nonetheless. The pale face of the moon snuck up the horizon, a melancholy feeling clung to its soft glow. Perhaps it was because it had missed its lover in the passing of tonight.

I looked down at her face, watching as a smile bloomed on her face as she watched the moon rise, color bursting in the apples of her cheeks. She then turned to me and cupped my face and kissed me. Not intense but, not softly. She slid onto my lap, kissing me as if I was a drug and she an addict. I slid off her shirt, and moonlight kissed her skin, making her almost ethereal. And in that moment, she truly was.

I sank onto the towel gently, her hair tickling my nose as she straddled me, her lips hovering teasingly above mine, her breath hot against my face. Her fingertips were like little lightning bolts against my neck, stinging but, only briefly, leaving behind a delicate scar of beauty.

The color red flashed behind my eyes, the color red in her lips and in the atmosphere. The color of her maroon bra and the color of her laughter. Smooth and elegant. My hands got tangled in her hair as I tried to undo her two braids, and a giggle escaped her throat. After we had sorted it out and taken out the braids, our attention was back on stripping and kissing. It wasn't as I had imagined earlier, bright colors seeping into the room casting golden lights on the walls and her skin but, it was the violent red I had imagined. Desperate and hot. And with every touch, I wanted more like I had become the addict instead.

A cool breeze washed through our hair and skin, soothing and calming. Her bright eyes were like beacons in the dark night and captivated my attention more than the pretty view that hung above us. But, what held me captive was her voice, as delicate as a rose petal but, just able to cut as easily as a freshly sharpened knife. She chose each word carefully, pausing to consider which words would leave an impact and which word would fall away like rain on a car window. "You look amazing," I muttered under my breath and watched as soft smile pull at the corners of her lips. "Thank you," She said before bringing a blanket to cover her whole body, a not so subtle shiver awakened goosebumps along her skin."Should we start heading back to the car?" I asked and watched as consideration flashed on her face before she shook her head. "I want to lay here a moment longer." And we did. 

When we finally got in the car, we sat in silence, both going over what had taken place. Warmth flooded the car as I finally turned it on and soon music echoed in the quiet atmosphere. Although, it made for an awkward ride back to our small apartment, no words needed to be said. No I love yous as we slipped into our seats or stepped out, no conversation, and no reassuring. Although, once tucked under piles of blankets, I would hold her against me, telling her how she had saved me, whispering how much I loved her, and saying that I would never let her go.

I kept my promise. I had to let her go in the morning but, the grip of my heart on hers was strong. And when clothes came off, I always had a hand on her, feeling her skin beneath my palm. And each night I would tell her, "I'm always going to hold onto you." And each time she would reply with a smile or a giggle or turning to face me, a smile wide on her face. Words never answered me. 

And soon, that color red began to fade to a black. Dark hole had burned into my heart when she began changing. Dark colors clung to my vision as I watched her become rattled, anxious, and nervous. And dark colors burned my lungs as I lit a cigarette, my gaze scanning the room when boxes sat all around. And dark colors stung my throat as I threw her into the wall, pressing my body onto hers, a gasp escaping her chapped and pale lips. She had kissed me hard then, her hands harsh in my hair and her nails were like fire against my skin. And then dark colors when I sat alone in the apartment. A cold beer in my hand and a black hole in my heart.

It was those moments, moments when there wasn't a sound in the house, that I replayed memories in my head, reliving the passion and hurt that radiated off of each memory. And clung to old emotions that resurfaced feelings of hurt like the dark waves of an ocean crashing hatefully on the shore. Those happy feelings turned into raw and desperate emotions, scratching my chest as they welled up in my eyes. I would never give that monster that lived in that bottomless pit of my stomach have the satisfaction of seeing me wallow in my regrets but, instead gave in the satisfaction of bedding others. Running my hand through their soft hair, and kissing all too harshly and afterwards, drink until I fell asleep or vomited.

Dark colors seemed to swim to the surface when I caught a glimpse of green eyes or brown hair in the streets, a feeling of hatred and hopefulness would burn my skin as I ran to her only to have surprise tear through me as she turned, revealing the face of a stranger. And after spending a few minutes apologizing, I would slip into a bar and order a shot or two to wash away the humiliation. 

And so, I sat on my couch, recounting memories of the beach. Remembering every curve and every edge of her body and every note her laugh struck and the electrical feeling that danced along my spine whenever she touched me. I kept true to the promise I had made. I was still holding on. Holding onto her hand in memories and holding onto words that escaped her lips. Holding onto her. But, she...she had run. Disappeared from whatever had troubled her. And ran from me.