FEEL IT TWICE

chapter 15 - blood & blazes

Camila walked to the table, the bias-cut satin sliding sensuously against her naked skin. Shawn's eyes were hooded, his lips slightly parted, as he watched her. She felt like a goddess. He walked around and pulled out the chair for her, and as she sat he gently brushed her shoulder and ran a finger down her arm. She shivered, blushing as she realised her nipples now stood out clearly beneath the dress. She lay the napkin on her lap and removed the foil from the plates, revealing a Mexican vegetarian dish with rice and beans. A bowl of white corn tortilla chips she had found sat in the middle of the table, along with a a bowl of homemade salsa and some shredded cheese. It might not be authentic, but it was a little reminder of home, and it smelled delicious. Shawn poured the champagne into the flutes she had laid out and held it up, meeting her eyes with a smouldering glance.

"To us," he said in a soft, husky voice.

"To us," she agreed.

Before she knew what was happening, he reached down and picked up his guitar. He pushed his chair back a little and began to play, his voice so soft and beautiful.

I know a girl, she's like a curse

Camila felt her heart swell, it filled her whole chest, it was bursting with love for this incredible man. Why had she not seen it sooner, why had she not done anything about it, why had she run away from him a year ago, why had she said she'd marry Matthew? He kept eye contact with her almost the whole song and she couldn't look away. He knew she was trying to make the night special, but it didn't matter what happened, he had just done it by singing her the song he wrote for her. He finished the last words, then put the guitar down and turned to his plate.

She didn't think she'd be able to eat a bite, her stomach was doing flip flops and her heart was pounding. She took a mouthful of the food and looked at Shawn in surprise. Maggie was an amazing cook, and everything they had eaten so far had been absolutely delicious. But this was horrible. It was so horrible she couldn't even swallow it. She picked up the napkin from her lap and in a very unladylike move, spat the food into it. She looked at Shawn apologetically. He hadn't put the fork into his mouth yet.

"DON'T!" she yelled, standing to reach for his fork. In doing so, she knocked his champagne flute over and it spilled into his lap. He jumped up too, gasping at the cold, pulling the freezing fabric away from his crotch. The taste and burn in her mouth was horrific. She grabbed some champagne to wash it down, gasping as it spilled it down her front, plastering the satin to her skin. They looked at each other in shock, then both started laughing. He grabbed her hand and they ran up the stairs, Shawn having to stop every two steps for her to catch up. When they arrived in the bedroom he lifted the slip from the bottom and pulled it up over her head then rapidly stepped out of his own clothes, picking her up and carrying her into the bathroom. He turned the shower on and carried her in. As he gently swung her into a vertical position, she slowly slid down his body, igniting every nerve ending. The water sluiced over them and he lowered his head, taking her mouth in a searing kiss. They were still laughing and the water was getting in their eyes and mouths. He let her clean her teeth to get rid of the taste of the disastrous dinner and then he pulled back and picked up the body wash, squirting some into his hand and using it to wash them both, so they didn't smell like a winery. By the time he was finished, and had turned the water off, she was on fire, even as her body was cooling. They quickly dried themselves and then she grabbed his hand, pulling him into the bedroom. As they passed the bed, she tugged at the fleecy blanket that lay folded at the foot, and she lay it over the rug in front of the fire, sitting down onto it and pulling him down to her.

They lay side by side, he propped his head on his hand and stared down at her. The flickering fire behind her painted her body with swirls of golden light and put her face into shadow, yet he could still see the sweet curve of her mouth and he lifted a hand, rubbing his thumb across her bottom lip, then reached forward to gently kiss her. She lifted her arm and entwined her fingers in his hair, pulling him closer to her, lifting her head slightly to meet his kiss. It was a kiss that was at once soft and enquiring – do you love me? Do you want me? Will you have me? – and yet it was built on memories of every kiss that had ever come before, since their first kiss when he was only sixteen and she seventeen, to their last kiss on the day they broke up, to the frenzied kisses on the sofa in Toronto, and every single kiss they had shared in the farmhouse since the blizzard began. And as their mouths opened and their tongues entwined in a passionate dance, it made promises to love, adore, cherish, forever and ever. They would make love, of course, their blood was racing, their hearts thumping, their breath fast and sweet, but there was no rush, there was time for soft caresses, exploring hands, wandering kisses, for stroking and licking and nibbling. These were moments that would be etched into their hearts, and as they lay, side by side, pressed tightly together, staring into each other's eyes, no words really needed to be heard, but they so desperately needed to be said.