Something Else

Chapter 8: My Kind of Beautiful

After dinner and The Hunchback of Notre Dame was over, Misha busied himself with making tea for Chrissy while she curled up on the end of the couch; she rested her head against the arm of it. He brought the tea kettle and cozy over, setting it on the coffee table as he sat next to her. He poured her a cup, letting the tea steep. She turned her body to face him. He ran his hand up her leg in a soothing motion.

"I'm sorry", she mumbled. He glanced at her, holding the mug out to her. She took it and he watched as she took a hearty sip from it.

"Don't be sorry, baby. You never have to be sorry for your ex coming around. It's not your fault", he whispered. She let out a sigh and then her gaze shifted to the clock.

"It's late, can we talk about him tomorrow?" She said quietly. He nodded and continued to rub soft circles on her soft, smooth legs.

"I have other things in mind we could talk about", he ventured. She looked at him from over her cup and his eyes met hers. She could see lust hiding deep within the dark, cobalt pools. The lust she could see for sure, but there was something swirling around in those dark irises that she couldn't put her finger on it. She chanced a soft smile.

"I love you", she said. He squeezed her knee and smiled back at her, one of those full, all teeth showing, loving smile.

"I love you too. But, I'm curious. What do you love about me? Why do you love me? And why those reasons?" He questioned. She sat up, excited. She loved it when he would ask deep, personal questions.

"Let's see...What do I love about thee..", she began tapping her finger against her chin playfully.

"I love it when we pick up the kids and I see this radiant smile. You're just...so happy. I love your eyes. Because even when you're upset, you're so passionate and full of such fire; it's exciting", she started. He smiled and watched as her eyes lit up with excitement, as if she were seeing her favourite movie, not declaring what she loved about him. She set her mug down, the tea gone.

"I love it when it's just you and I doing something so small as cooking a meal together that we act like children and make a mess of ourselves. I love how fun and outgoing you are", she continued.

"Or what about when I steal a batch of cookie dough and a kiss?" He stated with a laugh. She laughed and her eyes closed as if she was remembering the night it happened as well.

"I love you because...You make me feel safe. You believe in me even when I don't believe in myself. You have me believing I can do or be anyone I want to be. You never doubt me, at least it doesn't seem like you do. You never make me feel less of myself and you give me warm fuzzies", she said.

She leaned forward and ran her fingers through his hair, down his jaw to cup his cheek. She gave him a soft, chaste kiss on his lips and stood, picking her mug up. She walked to the kitchen setting her mug in the sink when Misha wrapped his arms around her waist and quickly picked her up, carrying her off to the bedroom bridal style. She laughed, squealing as he tossed her onto the bed. She bounced and as she rolled thinking she had more room, fell right off the bed with a dull thud.

"Oh, shit, babe! I'm sorry!" He exclaimed as he rushed to the opposite side of the bed. She was still as he knelt next to her.

"Baby", he said turning her onto her back. She had a reddish mark forming on the side of her forehead and he guessed that she hit her bedside table. He picked her up and placed her on the bed gently, checking her pulse.

"Chrissy", he said, panicked. He patted her face gently with his hands and was relieved when she twitched, her eyes opening slowly. He pressed against her forehead, making sure everything was fine, nothing was swollen as far as he could feel.