Love Will Keep Us - Book 5

Marry Me at Sunset (Part Two)

STEF POV

As the officiant has begun our beautiful ceremony, I am so proud as I grab Lena's hand and squeeze it as we periodically look back at each other. It's evident my heart strings are being pulled and I in some way want to pinch myself.

Had it really been almost 15 years that we first laid eyes on each other? Had all that time really passed from the first time we laid eyes on each other at that base? Had we gotten through so much heartache, pain, hurt feelings, broken hearts and death? We had gotten through all of that together and with so many doubts that we would never, ever end up together. Hell, I almost married another woman, I almost dated Tess and what if all of that had worked out? Would Lena and I still be marrying today?

But shit if I knew what I know today that I would gain all of these children, that the love Lena and I share is still very much strong and present, that we would be so happy together, and I wouldn't give it up for anything in this world. Ever. And now we have this beautiful family, with all these crazy kids and moving back to California was proving to be the best choice and we would start a life that we could only dream about before now.

"Now I want you two women to think. Think back to when you first met. Did you have butterflies. Was it instant? Was it a smile that caught you?" I snap back hearing the officiant as we both glance at each other smiling and I gently squeeze Lena's soft hand.

It was at one point a hand I could only dream of holding before. A hand I wanted to kiss, a hand I wanted to feel on my body. But I would have never asked back in '69. God no, but once I did feel it, once I did feel her touch me for the first time ever, ever in my life, I knew there was no way I could ever remain with Mike.

I had fallen for Lena so fast. Only in a matter of weeks if I recall and truthfully I wasn't really aware of when it exactly happened. I had seen her around the base of course and I could see her from my kitchen window as she would sunbath or sketch in her backyard.

But then I didn't know why I would feel so hot on the inside, or why I would flush or why I would have a strange feeling between my legs at the site of her body. I had no clue or if I did I in no way wanted to ever admit it.

FLASHBACK

"God, the beach was so nice today wasn't it? I'm so glad you came with me again!" Lena smiles as she pulls up her hair.

"I am too. I felt I needed to make up for that first disaster. You know when I ran afterwards?" I admit taking a seat beside her on her comfortable couch as she turns on Ed Sullivan.

"It's ok Stef. I understand now. I really do." Gently I feel her place her hand on my leg and keep it there and I didn't know what in the hell I was feeling.

Just warm and rather hot as she smiles at me and I can't help but study her face. God she was so pretty, she was so beautiful and more unkosher thoughts just ran through me. By now it wasn't unusual for us to snuggle at this time on the couch together as she sat closer to me and I let out a wide smile.

"It um...it was um, nice to get off the base."

"Very much so." She says looking at me.

"Sit closer to me. I'm cold." I tease as she laughs so hard.

"How can you be cold? It's like 90 degrees out! You just want to sit next to me so admit it!"

"Noooooo I'm cold!" I joke again as she moves even closer to me so close I can barely breath now.

It has been a few weeks that Lena and I started doing this together and I don't know what's going on. I don't know what I am feeling but I just know I like her being this close to me and I like how she feels next to me. I don't feel this way with Mike, ever, and I want to hold her. So I do.

"You're so sweet, Stef. Like the sweetest person I know." She says as I feel her hold my hands that I have wrapped around her waist. What did I know about holding a woman like this? Nothing but I know I liked it and it seems she does as well.

"I'm ok.." I shrug as I squeeze her closer, my stomach fluttering out of control.

"No. You are sweet. And never let anyone tell you different, silly!" Turning to face me her eyes look so deep into mine as I gulp. Yup. I don't look at Mike this way and he doesn't look at me this way. But my god she is beautiful and I want to....I want to kiss her. "And beautiful."

"You are too, Lena." I'm so flustered right now, I don't know what's playing on the television set.

"Ok let's watch the show!"

Wrapping my arms around her even tighter she leans back into me as my heart is beating a mile a minute. I am attracted to her without a doubt and it would only grow even more intense over the course of the next few weeks as we would continue to hang out with each other as much as we could.

We went off base often and splashed in the waves together and ran around like teenagers. It was the freest I had ever felt in my life and being with Lena was like nothing else. She would help me bake and sit on the counter eating the leftover batter while grabbing my hand and playing with my hair. Her touches were so intimate, so affectionate and sometimes she let sweet words slip out.

"Bake me another muffin. Pleaseeee, sweetheart!" She teases as I roll my eyes grabbing the spoon from her.

"I will if you stop eating all the mix." I tease but hand her the spoon back as she licks it.

"But it's not my fault you bake so good!"

"Well everyone has to be good at at least at one thing. Right?"

"You are good at many things. That's why I like you." Grabbing my hands she pulls me closer to her as she sits on the counter holding both of my hands.

"You are good at many things, Stef! Have you heard your voice? It's like an angel's!"

"Aww thanks."

"Of course. It's beautiful. Plus you're an awesome dancer and you are fun."

"Ha I'm fun? I don't know. Mike says I'm boring."

"You're far from it." Gently she cups my cheek and my heart races even more.

"If you say so," I whisper now as she looks deeply into my eyes.

"I do say so," she echoes as she moves even closer to me.

Our faces are mere inches apart as she smiles widely, then does the unthinkable. Her satiny soft lips touch mine, and for a second, I feel as if maybe I'm imagining things. My hands instantly grab her waist as I kiss her back, and the kiss lingers forever, my head now dizzy as all get out and my heart racing out of control.

"Don't be mad!" She finally pulls back as she covers her lips, and my face is so flushed, my body so hot, my head so foggy, all I can do is pull her off the counter and into my arms where we proceed to kiss over and over again.

That day, I burned the muffins, but I gained something else...the truth that I was very much in love with her, and life would never be the same.

FLASHBACK ENDS

Tears roll down my face as I remember our few months together on that base. How much in love I was with her and how that love never died but only grew stronger. It had as I look to her with tears rolling down my face and she smiles so softly now gently wiping them.

And as the sun sets over the ocean as we had planned, she recites the vows she had written, and I recite the ones that are on my heart. We are tied together as one...never again to be broken.