Virgin Lips

39. Valerie The Evil One

"This is incredible." I awed, grinning from ear to ear. "How did you manage?"

"A friend of a friend." Jeremy replied enigmatically.

I frowned, tilting my head to the side. "This friend of a friend doesn't happen to be marrying my employer, does he?"

My boyfriend laughed, pecking my lips. "Maybe." He hinted behind me. "Don't think about it, focus on that."

And how could I ignore it? Before our eyes, there was the most beautiful sunset I've ever witnessed. Back home I was always getting lost in it, I purposely went outside for it, it was one of the very few things that brought me joy back there. And to find something just as incredible here now ...

When Jeremy convinced me to get away for a weekend, I had no idea what was he planning, and given my recent dilemmas, I was reluctant. But when we reached the lake house, I forgot about everything else. I guess Elizabeth Bennet was right when she said, what are men to rocks and mountains? We hassle and fret, still thinking we're the center of the universe, but in the end, we're nothing compared to Mother Nature. Nothing. It's not that we lose meaning, though. If anything, we gain more.

"Thank you." I murmured, unable to take my eyes off of the last traces of sun, which was going to sleep.

"Anything for you." Jeremy said, embracing me from behind, to place a small kiss on my left cheek.

Anything, he said. In other circumstances that promise would have been void of any meaning, but when faced with the grandiosity of our world, it's difficult not to read into three simple words more than I would normally allow myself to. If I ever had any desire for romance, any dreams at the very back of my skull, Jeremy nailed it 100%.

I guess that's why I turned around in his arms and, having placed my hands on his shoulders, I nodded against his forehead. "Okay."

He was puzzled. "Ok, what?"

I chuckled a bit, feeling lightheaded yet ever so sure of my choices. "Jay, we're all alone in a lake house in Canada, and that was the most beautiful, most romantic sunset ever seen ..."

"I'm glad you enjoyed it, I ..."

"Jay ..." I pecked his lips, grinning. "Read between the lines, silly."

"That's never been my strong suit."

I chuckled. "Okay," I lightly raised on my tiptoes because he's taller than me, and I whispered in his ear: "I'm ready."

"You ..."

"Yes."

"No." A different voice interjected. Behind Jeremy, I could see him, looking at me expectantly, as if waiting for me to make up my mind. "We both know that's not it."

Time seemed to freeze, because Jeremy wasn't moving, he didn't move an inch even when I let go of him. "This isn't fair." I sighed.

"And choosing comfort over love is?"

"I'm not ..."

"Now who's the liar ..."

"I am ... I am ... I am ... I am ..."

"You're what?"

I screeched when, upon opening my eyes, I found someone in my line of sight, staring at me so close that I almost felt violated. "Valerie!" I screamed, sitting up and covering myself with the sheets, even though I was fully clothed. Stupid dreams.

"Surprise ..." she feigned enthusiasm. She was clearly mad at me.

"What are you doing here? How did you get in?"