She's Golden

Phase Twenty-Nine: Bond

Author's Note:  The song for this chapter is "O Re Piya" (Oh My Beloved) by Rahat Fateh Ali Khan from the Bollywood movie "Aaja Nachle".  The song is in Hindi, so I put a version here with the English lyrics, but the meaning is no less powerful.  People who know me in real life know that I listen to a lot of songs in languages other than English, and I'm a sucker for foreign language love songs.  I really have a special place in my heart for this one - it's the most beautiful one I've ever heard.  The only one that comes close is another Hindi song - "Teri Ore" (Moving Towards You, thanks lyricalprincess!), sung by Shreya Ghoshal and, who else, Rahat Fateh Ali Khan.  In any case, you should definitely have a listen while reading this chapter, and as always, I hope you enjoy reading!

------

This was heavenly. 

Julian didn't know which was more intoxicating - the lovely scent that rose from her soft, moistened skin and her hair or that her lips where still mere inches away from his, and he could kiss her again at any time.  Either way, he found himself drunk with yearning for this beautiful woman he captured his lips a few moments before, who he held firmly in his arms.

His Georgia - his dear Georgia.

The pain that radiated in his chest moments before ebbed away, giving way to a euphoric high he couldn't wrap his head around but nonetheless welcomed.  The quietness of her breathing was like music to his ears, soft and rhythmic keeping with the time.  Tendrils of her wavy hair caressed his cheeks as she placed her forehead against his, breathing in deeply.

So, this is what true happiness is like, he thought to himself, content.

Georgia was happy, too.  He could feel her contentment with every beat of his heart, with every quiet breath.  He could see her happiness in the swirl of her golden eyes, soft and full yet clouded with timidity.  How he loved being able to see her naked eyes, uncovered by her usual specs, like this.  There was something about those glasses that subdued the vibrant wildness of her beautiful eyes, so to see them like this was always a pleasure.

Julian didn't want to let her go.  He wanted to keep her close to him like this forever, enveloped her warmth and inhaling her sweet scent.

"I know I came out here to do something," she began quietly with a small laugh. "But I can't remember what that was, especially after...that."  Georgia looked down at her feet, smiling shyly.  "What can you say after that?"

"You don't have to say anything."  He tilted her chin so that their eyes met once more.  "I don't mind."

"But I came out here to apologize to you."  Julian bit back his disappointment when her arms slipped away from his waist, but felt his heart soar once more as she took his hand into hers.  "You were right - I've been giving you mixed signals all night, and you don't deserve that."

"I'm sorry, too."  He gave her hands a gentle squeeze.  "I should haven't blown up at you like that, frustrated or not.  I didn't mean to come be a jerk about it, and I really didn't mean to hurt you."

"I know you didn't.  It's just that..." Her voice trailed.  She shifted from left to right as her body tensed up, and once again she was unable to look at him again.  "Oh my God, this is going to seem to silly coming out of my mouth."

"No, it isn't," he ran his fingers through the side of her hair, reassuring her.  "You can tell me."

"I know I can tell you.  It doesn't make it any less silly - "

"Georgia."  She inhaled and exhaled deeply, and her body began to relax.  "Please - tell me."

"All right."  With one last sigh, her eyes met his once again.  "It's just that - that I've never done anything thing like this before.  Wait...that's not true.  What I mean to say is that it's been a long time since I've been this close to someone before - a very long time."