Sweet Lantern

Chapter 34

Darry

Bringing Alice to the beach was the best idea I've had yet. When she took off running for the water, like a little kid seeing a candy store for the first time, I couldn't take my eyes off her. I tried to run after her, but I couldn't keep up. She was in the water before I could reach her.

We stayed playing in the water until the sun went down and then we moved to a blanket on the sand to stare at the moon and listen to the waves hitting at our feet. "This has been the best day. Thank you so much for doing this", Alice says to me. She's laying back on the blanket, wrapped in a towel, one arm behind her head. She doesn't look at me, instead she watches the night sky above us, full of shimmering stars. The moon is full, it's light bouncing off the waves, and lighting up the beach around us. There aren't too many people left at this hour, just a few couples scattered here and there down the beach, watching the stars, like us.

"I couldn't think of a better place to spend our honeymoon. I knew how much it meant to you to get to the ocean. I'm glad our first day here has gone so well."

I lean over to pull her closer to me, putting my lips over hers. She snuggles up to my chest and starts playing with the fuzz that has taken up a place on my chin. "I kind of like this. You should keep it", she tells me, looking up at me with an expression on her face that I have come to know very well in these past few weeks. An expression that wakes my body up, telling me it's time to get off this beach.

"You do, huh?" I rub my chin on her shoulder, gently scratching her with the stubble.

"Mhmmm."

"I think it's time to go back to the room", I tell her, standing to my feet and bending down to get her hand, pulling her to her feet. She looks at me with a knowing grin on her gorgeous face and nods, leading me toward the hotel.

The next morning, I'm awake before Alice. Sitting at the little table in our room, enjoying a hot cup of coffee, I watch her as she sleeps so peacefully. Her hair is spread across her pillow, covering half of her face, her arm thrown over my pillow. She's got one leg out from under the covers over another pillow, and one leg tucked under the covers. Her tiny body is partially covered up by her white gown, that's pulled up on one side just above her hip. It's the cutest scene and I don't mind sitting here taking it in.

Out of the window behind me, I can see that the sun is rising over the ocean. As the light begins to fill the window, I can see that there's already a couple sitting on the beach, wrapped around each other, watching the sunrise. I make a mental note to try and catch a sunrise over the ocean with Alice before we leave. And another sunset too, for that matter. Last night the sky was incredible; the pinks and purples dancing over us as the sun sizzled out and dove down to hide behind the vast body of water. Seeing a sunset over the farm and seeing one over the water are two completely different experiences.

I'm on my second cup of coffee when Alice finally starts to stir in the bed. I walk over to her side and kneel beside her. Kissing her shoulder, I whisper, "Good morning, sunshine. I've been waiting for you to wake up."

She smiles and hooks her arm around my neck, bringing me down into the bed with her. I catch myself so not to fall on top of her and hold my body over hers with my arms. "Crazy girl, you don't want me to crush you two." I move down to kiss her belly and she squirms underneath me. "I have to pee!", she says as she pushes me over on to the bed next to her and takes off running for the bathroom.

I lay on the bed, laughing as she makes it to the door and closes it, but not before turning to shoot me an annoyed look, warning me to stop laughing at her.

"Sorry, babe, you're just too cute. I couldn't help but laugh." I call to her through the door.

When she opens it, she's in a much different mood than when she went into the bathroom. Her hair is brushed neatly, brown curls hugging her face, falling down her shoulders. She's moving slowly and seductively, on purpose. Her arm is above her head, her body leaned against the door frame, her hip pushed out as her left foot drags halfway up her right leg, just like in the movies. She's teasing me, I can see the fire in her eyes from here.

I don't say a word, I just pat the bed beside me and watch as she slowly walks over to me, making sure to sway her hips just so. She's feeling sexy today... and playful, apparently. I'm a lot of things, but I'm not a stupid man, I'll take this mood she's in and run with it for sure.

It's lunchtime before she even suggests leaving the room. I'm starving, so I know she is. "Let's go get something to eat", she says.

"What are you in the mood for?" I ask, knowing better, experience telling me that this will not be a simple answer.

"I don't know. What are you in the mood for?" she says, knowing we're just playing a game here. We are both well aware that the first thing I say will be immediately shot down. So, I've learned to let the first suggestion from my mouth be the one thing I don't really want.

I'm getting pretty good at this married thing if I do say so myself.

"How about tacos?" I say, waiting for the inevitable.

"I don't know...maybe", she says, a smile coming up on both sides of her mouth as she turns her head sideways, peaking at me out of the corner of her eye. "What about Chinese food?" And I know right then that we'll be having some kind of sweet chicken smothered in sauce and noodles with vegetables for lunch.

I smile and agree to Chinese food.