Tightrope

Chapter 5

Istanbul, May 2007

"When you get to the top, just wait for me on the deck. Don't go in, okay?" Can made Sanem promise.

She nodded enthusiastically. She couldn't stop smiling and her eyes were sparkling with happiness. He couldn't resist leaning down to give her a quick kiss on the lips.

Sanem climbed up the ladder to the treehouse ahead of Can. He was right behind her, and her skirt swayed against his face with the movement of her hips. He knew what was hiding under that skirt, and he felt a strong urge to bite her. Smiling slyly and holding tight to the ladder so he'd be able to catch her body with his if she slipped, he lifted her skirt carefully so she wouldn't notice and he bit the back of her thigh.

She squeaked loudly and lost her footing for a second--just like he expected she would. He pressed his body against hers so she wouldn't fall and laughed as she swatted behind her blindly, trying to make solid contact with some part of his body. "Can! Are you trying to kill me?"

"I couldn't resist, Sanem. It was just right there in my face," he said, laughing at her and dodging her hands.

She looked down at him and gave him side eye that made him swallow his laughter, but when she turned back around, she smiled and kept going up the ladder.

Can reached the deck right after Sanem did. He came up behind her to cover her eyes with his hands and he guided her to the door of the treehouse. He took one hand away from her eyes to reach around her and push the door open with one hand, and both Sanem's hands came up to cover the hand that still covered her eyes. He carefully led her into their hideaway and kissed her cheek. "You ready?" he asked. She nodded and he took his hand from her eyes.

She opened her eyes and her hands flew up to cover her mouth. She was in awe of how beautiful their treehouse looked; it was filled with beautiful wildflowers from their field--the field where they played, where they laughed, where they shared secrets, where they gave themselves to each other for the first time--the flowers were in vases of different shapes and colors all over the small room, and they were also scattered beautifully on the floor and on the bed of cushions and blankets he had made for them in the corner. He'd draped sheer fabric and fairy lights from the ceiling to canopy the cozy place he'd made for them.

She turned around to face him, her hands moving from her own face to his. "Can!" she said in dreamy disbelief, "it's so beautiful! When did you do this?"

He brought his hands up to wrap around her forearms and turned his face into her palm to kiss it. "Do you like it?" he asked, his eyebrows raised and his face hopeful. "I picked the flowers yesterday, and I decorated this morning before school."

"Can, I love it!" she said.

"I'm going to miss you while you're gone, Sanem, and I wanted to do something special for you before you left. We've never been apart for more than a couple of days before. What will I do without you?"

"I'm going to miss you too," she said, "so much." She and her family were going to visit her Uncle Mihtat in Göynük, a small picturesque village a few hours away. Her uncle didn't have a phone in his house, so she wouldn't be able to communicate with Can at all while she was gone. She squeezed his cheeks between her hands and stood on her tiptoes to kiss him. She intended to give him a quick peck, but he wrapped his arms around her and gathered her against his chest, deepening the kiss. She sighed into the kiss and her arms snaked around his neck to hold him closer. Their tongues danced against each other as they kissed, their heartbeats raced, their bodies grew warm.

"I love you so much, Sanem," Can said against her mouth, still kissing her. His hands delved into her long silky hair, holding her head as he moved his lips over her face, dragging them across her cheek and over her ear. "You're so beautiful," he breathed into her ear. His words, spoken with such passion, made her core clench with need. He bit her earlobe and she moaned, a shiver going through her body. "I just have to look at you and I want you," he continued. He pulled away from her and took her hand in his. "Come with me," he said as he walked to the makeshift bed in the corner.