Page 113 of Blossoms of the Heart
“No, I’m not torturing you. I just want to savor this.You.”
He sighed, looked up heavenward and reached for his dog tags. Bringing them up to his lips he kissed them like I’d seen most Catholics do with a rosary or a cross.
What was he doing?
“Dear God, it’s been awhile. Forgive me.”
Was he praying?
Tai clasped his hands together and continued looking up at the ceiling.
I stared at him in complete fascination. This guy…
This guy would always keep me fascinated.
He cleared his throat and continued. “Thank you for my life, and for the beautiful woman you have given me. Actually count her as two blessings because I know you lent me one of your angels.”
What a nice thing to say. Tai had this way of shocking me at every end of the spectrum. He could be incredibly outlandish, but he was the sweetest guy ever.
He just called me an angel and counted me as not just one blessing but two. Of course the irony of this big tattooed guy, praying didn’t escape me. But damn I felt like everything I could possibly want in this world was right in front of me.
He took a moment to look at me then returned his gaze to God. “Speaking of the said beautiful woman, I think that something is a little off with her. Or it’s possible she drank some of the wine she brought for us to supposedly share. Bottle did feel light when I picked it up.”
I started to laugh and couldn’t stop.
“Anyway, she seems to think we should go slow, as if the eleven years I was without her wasn’t slow as shit. Pardon my language. And given the nature of recent situations of complication. Please, please tell me why my woman believes this is a good idea.”
“God,” I cut in and giggled. “Forgive me for eavesdropping on Tai’s prayer, but seeing as I’m right here I thought I’d help with an answer. Please tell him when you respond that I count him as a blessing twice too, although you know it’s more than that. But, we mustn’t let his head swell. It’s big enough.”
Tai eased up onto his elbows making me slide down a little. He searched my face, looking me over. Adoration in his eyes. Just like always.
I continued. “Please tell him that the reason I would like to go slow, after an eleven year absence in each other’s lives, and given the nature of situations,recent situations of complication,is that I literally just want to savor him. It’s not often I date and I haven’t exactly had a real relationship in more than three years. I hope he understands. Amen.”
I knew he knew about Jason. And… knowing Tai I knew he wouldn’t ask me about him yet. He knew me well enough to know when I was okay to talk about something. He also knew not to ruin a magical connection like the one we were having, but to make it better.
He flipped me over, returning me to my back and him on top of me. then he kissed me.
“Message received and understood,” he spoke against my lips , his breath hot and alluring. Then he moved back to look into my face. “ Although I find it hard to believe that you haven’t had a relationship in over three years. Look at you, you’re perfect.” He cupped my face.
I had to fight tears, because he wouldn’t know just how much it meant to me to hear him say that.
Perfect.
Being called perfect by the man you’d always dreamed about was right up there with one of the things I valued most.
Sometimes it was the little things in life that counted. Not always the big, grand gestures that people made a show of. It could just be simple words.
It was so much the better when they were heartfelt.
“We’ll talk about that.”
“I plan to.” He smiled. “But guess what?”
I stifled a sigh when I noted the sly flicker of mischief in his eyes.
Trouble.
That meant trouble.
