Ever

I lay on the velvet red bed waiting for Char. Rose petals were strewn about the faded green comforter, my heart was thudding relentlessly, and my cheeks were flushing. Red against red, black against green, fire against ice. This was it. Char and I were finally going to consolidate our marriage. The crimson petals radiated a musky, earthy smell and I found myself absentmindedly picking one up and twirling it about my finger. The earthiness reminded me of my beloved, Char; of his goodness, his practicality, his naïve innocence, and most of all of his love for me. The corners of my mouth lifted at the thought of Char and I… together. What would it be like? I could not fathom how my life had become what it was, and I knew I was blessed for having suffered so much in order to meet the love of my life.

Char, my dear, strong, kind, beautiful, quirky, handsome husband.

I loved him so, so heart-wrenchingly much. I loved the hasty splattering of freckles about his nose, his clear ocean blue eyes, and the way it contrasted so sharply against his swarthy complexion. He was the very definition of perfection.

And best of all, he was mine.

I heard a rustle outside the bedroom door, and propped myself up on my elbows to seek the source of the sound.

And my breath hitched. The air had inexplicably been vacuumed from the room and I suddenly found it very hard to breathe. Char was standing right outside of our bedroom door, his doublet half open, his nightshirt fighting to peek through the rich, royal fabric of his doublet, and he was gazing at me with a lopsided smile—so uncannily him that I had to fight back a giggle.

But when I gazed into his eyes, I stopped mid-giggle. Char's normally ocean-blue eyes had miraculously turned a deep, dark, navy blue. Perhaps Mandy's magic altered him. Perhaps he wanted to look different for tonight—to please me. But why would he want to do so? I loved him for who he was.

Within seconds, Char stumbled towards me, his gaze never leaving my face, and then his smirk grew even larger when he surveyed me from head to toe. I felt as if he could see past my sheer nightgown, and I suddenly felt naked and helpless—vulnerable in front of Char. How could that be?

His searing gaze prickled my skin, sending a panorama of Goosebumps and shivers about me, but inside, my heart was boiling fire.

Char and I locked gazes again, and I saw his eyes progressively transition to an even darker shade if that was even humanly possible. And I wondered if my bright green ones were mirroring his. All thoughts were banished from my mind when he spoke.

"Ella, you are beautiful."

And his lips were on mine. Gently at first, then harder, rougher, and I had the impression that he was trying to suck the very oxygen out of my lungs. Our lips were fighting a losing battle, each trying to dominate the other, but to no avail. I tentatively threaded my hands throughout his hair, but then I forced myself to stop, wondering if I was doing the right thing.

Char murmured hoarsely into my mouth, "Don't stop. Please don't stop."

I briefly detached myself from him and gasped for air before proceeding to attack his lips with a voracious zeal and tugging at his hair as his tongue entered my mouth. I felt liquid heat pool between my legs, and I had somehow lost all of my strength. My legs were becoming shakier and I found it difficult to stand upright. Somehow, in my distraction, his strong arms had wrapped themselves about my waist, propping me against his chest, and his fingers were drawing small circle patterns on my stomach.

I giggled again. Did he not know that I was ticklish?

Char grinned at me and I burst out laughing.

"Do you not like that, Ella?"

He looked concerned.

"Are you referring to us kissing or you trying to get me to choke on my saliva while you torment me with your tickling?"

"Oh," he rasped. Then the corners of his mouth tugged into his signature lopsided grin and he closed the space between us as he pulled me flush against his body. I felt the tension, the hardness, and the pulsating need. And suddenly I understood.

"Oh," I gasped.

And my gaze shifted downwards towards his loins to where his breeches were becoming more and more tented.

My eyes grew wide, and suddenly I felt like I was in the middle of a desert and was deprived of water.

"Kiss me again," I demanded throatily, my voice sounding foreign even to my ears. Char smiled lovingly and brought his lips back to mine. His forehead was touching mine, and he stared at me with lust and trust. I gazed back and saw my own irises reflected against his. Emerald against Sapphire.

Char's fingers were trembling as he began to unbutton my nightgown. He looked both simultaneously serious and mortified as if he could not quite decide which emotion to choose. I grinned at his silliness, all traces of my nervousness ebbing away from me.

"Shall I assist you in the ever complex task of undressing me?" I smirked.

"That would be very kind of you, my love, and I would forever be indebted to you for your generous assistance." He was grinning again now.

When the buttons melted away, Char brushed my hair from my neck and let my gown drop unceremoniously to the floor.

I was naked, save my wrapper, corset and pantaloons.

I did not need a mirror to see that my face was as ripe as the color of Mandy's strawberry pie filling.

Char stepped behind me and proceeded to remove my wrapper, letting that join my gown on the floor before unlacing my corset.

I was now completely topless, my bare breasts peeping through ebony hair, and I brought my arms across my chest in a futile attempt to hide them.

"Ella," Char gazed deeply into my eyes, "Please."

I could feel the fire roam my skin; across my stomach, my forearms, my legs, to where more and more plasma heat was pooling between my legs.

And I let my arms drop.

The blast of cold air scurried across my bare chest and instantaneously prickled my nipples into hardened peaks.

Lust was plainly evident in his eyes. The sapphire blue had lost itself in wide, black pupils. Char was staring unabashedly at my chest, and he moistened his lips. He was gazing at me with an almost hungry, primal expression—one of which I had never seen before, and it shocked me. My heart began to pound harder and harder; a jagged thumping. I was terrified.

Char must have sensed my tension. He embraced me tenderly, stroking my back while he kissed me softly and lightly.

"It's going to be okay, my love" he whispered against my lips, "I want you to know that I would never hurt you."

I gazed up.

"Ever."

And with that, I offered him my complete trust.

Char tenderly scooped me up and laid me back down on the bed. He began to suck on my neck, tugging at the thin flesh with his lips that it was bound to leave marks for the coming day. But it was delivering my neck with the same searing fire as the one that had creeped across my chest. I could not help but let out a tiny whimper.

He took that to signify my appraisal as he dipped his head down even further and kissed his way towards the valley between my breasts.

I moaned.

My breath hitched when his mouth latched onto my breasts and he began to draw lazy circles with his tongue. And I gasped and reflexively arched my back, offering myself to him. He began to kiss and nibble on my hardened nipples.

I groaned.

His muscles rippled against my arms, my chest, my neck, and my legs. He was touching me in places no man had ever ventured to or dared to do before. My skin was burning with each searing kiss, and I was whimpering like a small child. Char smirked against my lips.

"I love you, Ella" he moaned.

"I love you, Char," I mimicked.

I began to undress him.

"It's not fair that you get to see me all bare and vulnerable while you are still completely modest and respectable and in your full attire," I complained slyly.