Two Arts

Chapter 23

Sunday was pretty great.

We were cold for most of the day after our swim, but neither of us seemed to regret it.

We just needed to hold onto each other a little bit closer.

No complaints there.

We prepared lunch together in the early afternoon. It was peaceful and intimate. It was domestic in the way our Sundays used to be when we were dating.

I watched Sadie cut slices of oranges for a salad and got lost in the movements of her fingers.

I was head over heels.

After the third time I watched Sadie blow a strand of hair out of her face I stepped behind her. I picked up her hair for her and tied it in a ponytail.

She froze and set her hands on the counter.

I watched her shoulders and back get goosebumps as my fingers grazed her scalp and collected her curls.

Her bumpy neck was too inviting not to place my lips on it.

Sadie sighed and turned in my arms. Orange-stained fingers left a sticky trail on my waist, under my shirt.

I was in paradise.

Everything she did felt heavenly.

The way she looked at my mouth alone made everything in me stir.

I kissed her lips softly, once, twice, ten times, and pretended we never had to go back to our lives.

The soup overboiling brought us back to reality.

I gave her one more kiss before leaning to the side to turn down the stove.

Nothing could ever be more urgent than tasting her lips one more time. 

I opted for shared plates again and Sadie didn't question it.

We had one massive bowl of curried butternut squash soup and a big salad to share between us.

I watched her take her usual tentative bites and I tried to keep the conversation light.

"I can't believe Gabe is getting married in two months," I said in between spoonfuls of soup.

"I can't believe he wants to do a beach destination wedding in the middle of the winter," Sadie scoffed, "He never seemed like the type," She raised an eyebrow and poked at the salad.

"But Amy is totally the type if you think about it," I tilted my head.

"Mh," She nodded, "You're right." She brought two pieces of lettuce leaves to her mouth, "Have you picked out a dress?" She looked up at me curiously, "Or a suit?" She then added.

I shook my head ."I'll be standing with Dan and Nate on Gabe's 'best whatever' side, Amy has her bridesmaids and they've got some specific color scheme going on," I casually filled up my spoon with soup, and brought it to Sadie's mouth, just to see what she would do, "So I think I'll see what the boys are wearing and get some suit that matches theirs."

Sadie ate the soup from my spoon without flinching, her eyes focused on me and what I was saying.

"I can't wait to see you in it, can I help you pick it out? Maybe we can do a video call if I'm back in L.A. then, or you can send me pictures?" She said hopeful.

My chest tightened at the idea of Sadie going back to Los Angeles, but I didn't let it show.

I nodded, "Have you seen Rory's dress?"

Sadie rolled her eyes and smiled going back to the salad, but only to push a piece of orange to the side, not actually taking a bite. "Of course I've seen the dress! Your moms had me help them choose."