More than Anyone

Mended

I start awake.

Numbing warmth is invaded by stark cold. My spine arches when he passes a frozen hand there. I hiss and watch a red-nosed Jace crawl back into bed with icicled legs and fingers. His cold lips catch mine once, twice.

"Jesus. You're freezing."

"I had to clean out the truck. The snow would've hardened," he whispers. He finds a nook between my neck and shoulder, legs twined around mine.

It's past noon. The things we did all morning, then snoozed; unspeakable. The ice blue glow of a foggy day comes through the window bathing the ceiling. I stare at that.

"Lots of other things could harden." I giggle. He's shameless, naked. He emphasizes that thought by bucking against my thigh.

Then I remember as his hands wander.

"What day is it?" I ask. He's now comfortably melted beside me, seeking his hand's favorite resting place. My knees slightly part when he finds it, heat crawling up and over.

"Thursday?" he muses.

I think and think. The bed suddenly shakes with my silent laughter. He cracks an eyelid to look at me. "What?"

"Dr. Hot-Pant's day off." And my mother made sure to keep us away.

I laugh more at his confused face. 

That sneaky, little bitch.

...

The steam wafts from behind the closed door as I push it open. I quietly tiptoe close and pull the curtain back a slit. Soap runs down his back from his hair and shoulders. His arms flex as he washes off his neck and chest to clean off... well, remnants of us. His eyelids are covered in soap. The stream washes it off, but his eyes remain sealed. His hands... I don't see his hands anymore.

Lasagna's in the oven. Salad's in the fridge. The wine is uncorked and served.

There's time.

There's nothing else but time now.

This love inside me is like a shiny, new tin heart.

I step out of everything and step in behind him. My damp hair from my earlier shower grows wet once again. I plant a kiss between his shoulder blades, press my cheek there, and maybe reach around so I can find where his hands are occupied.

He tenses with the surprise, but relaxes into me. He groans after the warm silence. I bite his shoulder and smooch it better.

I left the bed before the evening sunset. I had all of the ingredients and the wine waiting to be poured, the food seasoned and constructed.

Maybe I did secretly go shopping knowing a lazy day like this would occur, and he'd come find me. At the time, on aisle six at the grocery store, I told myself I was ridiculous, that I was still full of hope. I dropped the items in the cart and told myself it was for Mom.

Liar.

Flustered, I thank heavens I was right. Maybe he was right, too; I've always been a step ahead of him, knowing his every move.

I heard the shower soon after I was done in the kitchen, and you couldn't even blame me for looking.

He hooks his slick fingers around mine. I can't help but bite on a grin behind him, feeling him fall to pieces.

He can't hold back. I'm pressed securely between his soapy torso and the wall for a hungry kiss. We grow desperate so quickly.

He blindly turns off the shower, picks me up and we land on my bed with the speed of this insatiable yearning.