A Woman's Guide to Love

[Ramona's POV]

"I love you so much," he whispered and leaned down and pressed his lips softly against mine. I tasted his whiskey on his lips as I kissed him back passionately. He broke our kiss and pulled me into his lap as he cradled my face in his large hands. Our tongues intertwined as we kissed. He kissed my cheeks and then my neck as he traced his lips down to my chest. He wrapped his hand around my waist pulling me closer as I cupped his face in between my palms, bringing our bodies impossibly close together.

He broke the kiss after a while to rest his chin on top of my head and rub my stomach gently with his other hand. I closed my eyes happily and sighed as he caressed my belly with his free hand. "I've never been so happy. It feels so right." He said and continued to press soft kisses along my shoulders, neck, and jawline before he moved up my hair to kiss my forehead. His eyes looked into mine and his lips curved up into a loving smile, "What have you done to me, sweetheart?"

I smiled lovingly at him and wrapped my arms securely around him as he rested my cheek on his shoulder and just held me close to him for what seemed like forever. He stretched out his arms over his head releasing a loud groan as he did it. As always, when I saw how gorgeous he was I just wanted to kiss him. The only time that I got too close was during one of those rare occasions when someone else had caught him off guard because otherwise, he would be more careful about not looking like he was about to murder someone. Even though most people assumed that I had gotten tired of waiting, that had never once occurred.

He ran his fingers through my hair. The curls that framed my beautiful face bounced with every move. He brushed the strands out of my face as he placed a tender kiss over each eyelid and finally rested his lips against my forehead again. "And you made sure that I wouldn't get sick of you any time soon," he teased.

His words were light but there was an undercurrent of seriousness to them that made me feel guilty. After all, this wasn't even the first time I'd come close to getting sick of him since I had met him nearly four years ago. "You didn't need to do anything for me, sweetheart. You could have just stayed by my side the whole way through the hospital and waited for me to wake up."
"I didn't want you to feel bad.

That is why I came here with you," I murmured guiltily as he sat up straighter and looked at me intently. The serious tone of his voice softened. "Don't worry. I know that you're trying to keep me healthy but I can do this myself without being dependent on your help."

"Well if you say so," he muttered skeptically but didn't sound convinced. "You'll still tell me what's wrong?"
"Of course," I nodded emphatically. I knew that he cared deeply for me and he would do anything for me. "As soon as I'm comfortable enough, I'll let you know everything." Alright," he agreed easily and lay back down beside me.

His arm draped across my stomach possessively and he drew me tighter into his embrace. We stared out our window at the night sky as we listened to the birdsong outside the window and watched the streetlights turn on one by one. I rested my head against his chest and breathed deeply in his scent, enjoying the warmth that radiated from him and the closeness we shared.

He stroked my hair gently while I tried not to think about how many times we'd spend together."It's kind of beautiful isn't it?" he commented as he reached behind him and grabbed a book from where I had dropped it on the bed last night. He started flipping through it absentmindedly while he stroked my leg with his thumb. My eyes drifted shut while he read to me from the cover. "'A Woman's Guide to Love.' Do you know what's written inside?" I asked curiously as I felt his hand start to trace patterns on the skin beneath my shirt.

My uncle laughed quietly as he replied. "No, but I'd rather find out than be told."

I chuckled lightly. "I guess I understand that especially since I've probably found that out before now anyway." I smiled fondly. "But what I mean by beauty comes from within. You might think that a beauty show or a runway show or something like that is something that makes you look pretty. It isn't. Beauty is found inside and not outside. When a woman thinks that she's going to die and has no intention of telling her husband goodbye because she doesn't know if he will come back to save her, that isn't beauty. It's a lie. The truth is much different. All these things are lies and illusions and they hurt." I stopped talking and sighed heavily, feeling overwhelmed with emotion again.

I hadn't realized that I was beginning to cry until he wiped away some tears from my cheek. His hands rested lightly over my cheeks as he looked straight into my eyes. He kissed me gently and slowly before continuing.

"The truth is that it's all fake and nothing lasts forever. There are no guarantees or promises in life. But I promise you, Ramona. If anyone should ever break our hearts, it should be us."I know, I know. You make me feel invincible and untouchable." I assured him.

"When I meet the right person I'll marry them and you'll never doubt my happiness ever again."
"Do you really believe that? What if it happens to you instead?" he frowned slightly.

I smiled. "What happens when it happens? We fall madly in love and it will go away. And when it does, we'll know that it's real. It won't be something we make up, no matter how hard we try. And no one has ever loved me the way you do. You're my family and you're not just my brother either," I explained softly.

"There was never anyone else but you." He smiled softly and pressed a chaste kiss on my lips. "Well, I hope that I never disappoint you with my devotion."

I shook my head and kissed him lightly again. "You could never disappoint me. Not ever." I promised. I closed my eyes and smiled. "Now please... let's talk about something else. Something else that has nothing to do with love."
He smiled and took my hand. "Okay, baby, whatever you wish."

"Anything you want."Hmm," I said thoughtfully as he kissed my fingers. "How would you describe your current job?" I asked curiously."Oh, I don't know. It's good. I'm actually proud to call myself an editor for a small local newspaper," he answered thoughtfully. "I also get paid quite well for it."

"Oh really?" I asked eagerly. I wanted him to expand on that statement so that I could know which company he worked for better.

"Yes," he nodded and gave me his trademark grin. "They pay me a lot of money."

That sounded promising. I grinned back and asked, "Is there anything you hate working for?"
He laughed softly. "Not much."

I nodded in approval. "Good."

He leaned over and pressed another kiss to my lips. "Can I ask you something, sweetheart?"

"Sure." I smiled.

"Where exactly did you grow up?" he inquired.

This question threw me off guard. Of all the questions that I thought he was going to ask I expected a more specific one. "Why?"

"Just curious."

"Uh-huh." I narrowed my eyes and folded my arms, raising a brow at him.

"What?" he asked defensively.

I raised my eyebrows higher and tapped my foot impatiently. "If you must know, I grew up in Atlanta where I lived with my parents. I attended the University of Georgia for three years. At the end of two years, I graduated with honors. In addition, I had been studying in Paris for seven months before that."

"Paris?" he said in surprise.

I nodded." Yes, it is a place where I am extremely fortunate." I paused for a moment as I watched him carefully."You aren't worried about the fact that I went to Paris by myself?"

He shook his head."No, why would I be?"

"Because I can assure you that the people who run that city are very dangerous. They may take advantage of a young girl. So please be very cautious when you walk around, okay? Just because they don't have any guns doesn't mean that they won't attack a stranger on the street. And you should be aware that they might not be able to use guns but they can always kill you from behind using some type of poison," I warned.

He nodded thoughtfully. "So how old are you then?"

"Twenty-five. Why?"I asked hesitantly."I wonder if you are still young enough to enjoy the thrill of exploring new places and experiencing new things."

I rolled my eyes and laughed. "I'm twenty-five, not twenty-six."

He shrugged innocently. "Does' that give you some advantage? Because I heard that girls my age are always looking to get married after college. They're usually taken care of by their families after high school."

"Yeah, but my father isn't married either and neither are my mother or sisters," I reminded him."And besides I haven't been planning to get married for a long time. Not since I left Paris. It's just not something I really think about anymore."
He studied me closely as my words sank in. "Are you sure? You could get married someday. You might even make a good wife."

I laughed loudly and punched his shoulder. "Please, Uncle. Don't even joke about that stuff! I haven't even dated anyone."