The Lakes

Chapter 18

18

The next thing she knew she was laying on her back, he was propped up on his side with one hand and running the other one over her belly.

"Wow," was all she could manage to say.

"That's exactly what I was thinking." He nuzzled her neck and she put her free hand to his head and scratched it affectionately.

"Jeremy," she said a little reluctantly.

"Mmm," he mumbled into her hair and the pillow.

"Do you think that was stupid?"

"What?" he asked giving her his full attention.

"For us to...sleep together."

"Well," he said kissing her on the shoulder, "I can't speak for you but it's the smartest thing I've ever done." She turned to him and he smiled, kissing her very sweetly on the lips, like they had kissed like that a thousand times before and would another thousand.

"If you need to leave I understand, I know you've got a busy day tomorrow," she said hoping to God he wouldn't want to.

"Are you crazy?" he said looking tensely at her. "Why would I leave when you're here?"

She felt like her head was going to explode from ridiculous bliss. She had given herself completely to a man she felt sure she was falling in love with and he only wanted more of her.

"If you'll set an alarm for six-thirty I'll lock everything up and turn off the lights," he said in between kissing the length of her arm.

"Okay," she barely got out.

He sprang from the bed with incredible energy considering what they'd just done and she didn't hide the fact that she was enjoying the view. After he was out of her sight she weakly reached for her alarm clock and set it.

She got up momentarily to take care of some things in the bathroom. When she stepped back out before she clicked off the light she saw him lying in her bed propped up again and looking at her naked body like she was made of gold.

"I can't believe how lucky I am," he said as she turned off the light and crawled into bed with him.

He wrapped his arms around her and pressed his bare body against hers.

"Tomorrow is going to be fine you know," she said settling into the comforting feel of his arms.

"I don't know about that," he said and she could feel him tense up. She twisted and rolled over so they faced each other.

"Tell me what's going on Jeremy, why is tomorrow such a big deal? Why is it such an unsure thing?"

He rubbed the side of his face like he was slapping himself in slow motion.

"Chris? Do you love me?" he finally said softly.

She didn't think she'd heard him, surely he hadn't said what she thought he said.

"Do I..."

"Love me? Do you love me Chris?"

She gulped and looked towards her bedroom window; through her blinds she could just barely catch some of the stars. They seemed to twinkle brighter than they ever had before.