Chapter 42: I Like You Too

There must’ve been something magical in the air, because it seemed like the chemistry between them was stronger than ever. He kept finding reasons to look at her and her sensuous mouth that he wanted to kiss, and she kept finding reasons to touch him any- and everywhere she could get away with.

“You know, I think you have done your duty tonight at this celebration. Can I take you away from here?” Arthur asked, hoping that she said yes and wanting it to be as soon as possible.

“Sure, what do you have in mind?”

“Well, now that you asked, there’s a little cottage on my grandma’s property that I am charged with taking care of. It has a solarium filled with green plants. We could grab a bottle of wine and hang out in the solarium. How about it? Will you come with me for a private celebration, just for us two? I’d love to spend some one-on-one time together with you.”

“Okay...yes, I’ve wanted to do the same for a while now. Let’s go.”

# # #

“Would you like a tour of the cottage?” he asked, casually reaching for her hand.

“Nice.”

“Okay,” he said, his heartbeat racing in hopes of what might be about to happen.

“This is the solarium. And this is the kitchen, which we keep fully stocked at all times for long-term visitors. This is the bathroom. And this...this is the bedroom.”

They stared into each others’ eyes, knowing what both their hearts and bodies wanted, and before thinking, they were kissing each other. Fantasy and reality joined together as they began to satisfy themselves with one another’s lips. The longer their kiss endured, the more their passion ignited.

From that point neither one of them was speaking with words, just exploring with touch as they kissed each other for real and as though for the first time for what felt like forever yet not enough time. He scooped her up in his arms and carried her to the bed. It was as though he was the first man on earth and she was the first woman; he explored her body as he carefully removed each item of clothing slowly and deliberately from her body. He kissed her all over each place where her clothes had previously been.

“Is this okay? Am I moving too fast?” he was breathing hard and trying to take his time with her.

“Yes, and it’s wonderful.”

“You are so beautiful.”

Then he took off his clothes and climbed into the bed with her. He made love to her that night for the first time, the second time, and the third. After that, he passed out and slept soundly, holding Rachel in his arms as she rested on his bare chest and found solace in the constant rhythm of his heartbeat. For Rachel, that day had been like Christmas, her birthday, and Valentine’s Day, all wrapped up in one. Never had she been with such a tender, generous, or skilled lover.

Regretfully, she would have to descend from heaven with him in order to search for something to eat. She was going on donuts, coffee, and cupcake batter. She was beyond hungry. She was starving.

She decided to explore the kitchen. Just as he said, it was fully stocked. She made them an omelet with three, brown, cage-free eggs, locally sourced goat cheese, sun-dried tomatoes packed in olive oil, bacon, and pitted kalamata olives. She found some bananas, berries, and frozen vanilla yogurt and made him a smoothie.

It was 4 a.m., too late for dinner and too early for breakfast. But a savory dish and some crushed, sweet fruit might do the trick and give him a much-needed boost of energy after the evening’s activities. She took it to him in the bedroom on a bamboo tray that she found on top of the fridge.

He had just started waking up and feeling around, noticing she was no longer there, when she entered with his “breakfast” in bed. He sat up and she set the tray on his lap.

“Surely you don’t expect me to eat all of this on my own while you watch me devour this amazing-looking meal, do you?”

“Well...I was kinda hoping you might share.”

She opened his cloth napkin and showed him two forks: one for him and one for her.

“In my book, that’s the kind of premeditated planning that I like and appreciate.”

They feasted together, talking, laughing, and feeding each other. They reminisced about their initial hatred of each other. When they finished, Arthur put the tray to the side and showed her his gratitude for taking care of his appetite for food by taking care of her appetite for their love making.

“I’m not normally like this...so desirous for sex,” Rachel apologized.

“There is no need for an apology. All that matters is that you are that way for me,” he said, then kissed her for the umpteenth time. “I think I have fallen in love with you. And trust me, I’m not normally so captivated...but then again we didn’t know each other for me to be able to soberly say that to you...I’ve never met anyone like you, Rachel. I do love you.”

“I love you, too, Arthur. I don’t want our passion for each other to ever end.”

It was a lover’s paradise. Food and sex. Sex and food. Luckily Rachel was on the late afternoon shift at the bakery. When she got up to go to her rented room for a shower and a change of clothes, Arthur pulled her close for one more time.

“Call out,” Arthur begged sheepishly, “You have perfect attendance so far, right?”

“No. I can’t. Then they’ll know something is going on. I’m one of the Co-Managers. I have to live up to my responsibilities. And I can barely walk right now as it is.”

“I know. I understand,” he smiled, “And I love you for it. It was just a shot.”

“Don’t forget about your solarium plant duties. And restock the fridge. That was genius. You should pick me up tonight a little after nine. I’m closing.”

“We haven’t been together for 24 hours yet and already you’re giving me a ‘honey-do’ list?,” he teased her lovingly.

She left him behind, but carried the glow of their own “Project Success” for the rest of the day.