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“Looks like jewelry…” he breathed and hesitated. “Oh shoot – the champagne. Let me pour another glass for you. I’m sorry. I’m just not…”
“And here,” she whispered, pointing to her lower stomach as he literally squeaked audibly in his throat… and dropped one of the glasses into the water. “Oh, Max – let’s get that. If it breaks, we’ll have glass everywhere,” she said, alarmed, and he immediately dove for it before dunking himself and swimming a few feet away to fill the two champagne flutes again… only to scoot further down the side of the pool.
Was he running from her? she thought in disbelief. He obviously liked the green bikini, and the golden rings that made up the chain were so elegant that it had been an automatic purchase for her despite her fears. Stepping deeper into the water, she saw him standing there – his eyes pinched shut.
“Max?”
“Hang on…” he said hoarsely, not opening his eyes. “Don’t move, okay?”
“Is something wrong?”
“Nope.”
“Do you want me to get out of the pool? If I’m bothering you, I can…”
“Man, if you get out of the pool or walk around in that, they are gonna charge me a fee to clean this pool,” he said hoarsely. “Just let me catch my breath.”
“All right,” she replied… and smiled mischievously, feeling as beautiful as Eve at this moment. Everything in her wanted to savor these reactions he was feeling because she was feeling them too. He made her feel beautiful, made her feel wanted, and when she was with him, she was so focused on savoring the way he looked at her because it outshone anything that her subconscious mind tried to tell her.
Without hesitation, she swam up behind him and heard his panicked exclamation, laughing throatily as she reached over his arm for one of the champagne flutes.
“Excuse me, husband…”
“Oh, you’re excused,” he blurted out, his eyes pinched shut still and his hands clenched in fists.
“I can’t reach,” she teased, whispering in his ear, and pressed herself to his back, successfully extracting another noise from him. “I thought I’d get my glass while you take your time…”
“You’re mean,” he chuckled, grinning – and remained there with his eyes shut. “I love it, but it’s torture too.”
“Now I know why people want private pools,” she breathed, taking a sip of her champagne… and then she kissed his shoulder.
“Ohhh mercy…” he hissed.
“Do you think they’ll mind if we skinny-dip…” and blinked as water suddenly splashed into her eyes, and Max was there, facing her. He’d turned around, grabbed her wrist, and was pressing her against the side of the pool wall, staring at her.
“You are torturing me…”
That soft, tender, beloved smile on his face said so much. He was proud of her for reaching out to him and playing with him, and he wanted her to continue down this path. It was there written on his face, reflected in his eyes, and she sincerely loved the way he viewed her, realizing Eileen was right. It wasn’t his dark eyes, that slight dimple on his cheek, the way he appeared, but rather, the soul mirrored in his gaze. It was how he reached for her, treated her… how he loved her.
Max loved her with everything in him – and it showed.
“Should I stop?” she breathed, realizing that she wasn’t afraid of him in the slightest but wanted more, so much more from him… and boldly leaned forward into his hold. “Am I doing something wrong, husband?”
Only to hear him curse right before he kissed her desperately. She could taste the champagne on his lips mixed with something that was just him, reveling in this feeling inside of her – only to have him break the kiss as he paused, pressing his forehead to hers.
“You and me, we’re forever,” he whispered, releasing her hand and circling an arm around her waist, pulling her to him. “You are the woman I want to grow old with. I wanna be the one to give you your blood pressure medication, tend to your bunions, and give you a stool softener when you’re ninety,” he said softly… as her mouth dropped open, bursting out laughing wildly at his strange words before sobering.
Max wasn’t laughing.
He was telling the truth.
It wasn’t a joke; this wasn’t him teasing. It wasn’t a ploy to elicit a laugh or a smile from her, but words ripped from his very core – unfiltered and raw. He meant every single thing he said, wanting to be a part of her life, even the un-glamourous moments, because he truly loved her.
He wanted to be the person she turned to, even if it was nothing at all or completely embarrassing. This was true intimacy between lovers – all the elements of life in their most basic forms, no matter how horrible it sounded aloud, and she understood so much now, feeling her eyes well up with tears as she looked at him, trying to speak his love language.
“I’ll get your cane, help you adjust the bars on your toilet seat, and keep your ear and nose hairs trimmed so you look presentable…” she whispered, holding his gaze that shimmered with emotion.
“You and me…” he whispered hoarsely, nodding.
