He came into the bedroom and found her there just fresh from the bath, the water droplets still dripping from her chin, her elbows and running slowly down her thigh. She brought the towel to her face and dabbed away the wetness while staring into his face as he watched her intently. Time stopped for a moment as they stood observing each other. Waiting for some indication of intent.
“I thought you had gone to bed” he said as he laid his jacket on the chair. “You seemed in a hurry to get as far away from me as you could after dinner.”
“You weren’t very talkative yourself. I figured you wanted to get back to your work” she remarked as she continued to dry the water from her skin. “Why aren’t you in your work shed?”
He paused for a moment then slowly walked across the room toward her saying, “ I thought about what you said. I know I don’t say it much but…,” he took a deep breath, “I can’t go on like this. I am so afraid of losing you so I\’ll just lay it all on the line right here, right now.” He took the towel from her hands and dropped it to the floor. She looked up at him with questioning eyes while he put his hands on her hips drawing her close. “I love you so damn much it hurts. I have loved you from the moment I laid eyes on you and I have not stopped loving you for one minute since then. I am so sorry I hurt you. I have no excuse but … is there any chance that you could forgive me?”
She stood there, dampness still touching her skin but not caring as this man she loved, cared for and pledged her life to so many years before was baring his soul to her. He spoke words she never thought to hear from his lips. Somehow the awful events of the past few weeks seemed inconsequential to what was happening at this moment with him. She still felt hurt and a bit rejected but she also felt fresh hope that maybe… just maybe… something could be salvaged from the wreckage that had been their relationship before.
“What happened to us?” she whispered. “What changed for us to go down this path? I have felt so alone. Can we give it another go and maybe learn something from this?” She leaned into his chest, her wet hair soaking his shirt front as she held him around his waist.
Closing his eyes, he placed his chin on top of her head, holding her and drinking in her scent. This woman he now held wanted to try again. She wasn’t leaving… at least not yet… though there was reason enough. He felt desire for her surge. He tightened his hold and ran his hands up her body to cup her breast with one hand while caressing her back with the other. She moaned softly. That was his undoing.
She tipped her head up and his came down to meet her lips. They kissed like someone dying of thirst and fearing the water might run out. She ran her hands up his back feeling the muscles jump and flex as she caressed him. She began pulling his shirt out of his pants so she could feel his skin against her hands, raking his back with her nails.
“You have too many clothes,” she said between kisses. He ignored her demands and walked her backwards to the closed bathroom door. His hands never stopped exploring her body as if he hadn’t felt it for years, everything seemed new and full of promise now. How could this woman give him this chance and him not give her all he had to give. He vowed to himself that they would not regret giving it another go, for too many others before them had given up so easily over much less provocation.
She moved her hands from his back to work the buttons on the front of his shirt while he still held her pinned to door, kissing her lips, her face, her neck. She unbuckled his belt and unzipped his jeans but that was all she was able to do before he reached for her wrists and captured them above her head. She felt vulnerable, standing there with nothing to hide her but his body brushing against her. He was still fully clothed, if a bit disheveled.
“Can you feel how much I want you?” he groaned as he ground his groin against her lower belly. “I want to make it good for you. Let me show you a good time.” He brought his face close to hers in an almost kiss.
“I thought you\’d never offer,” she whispered against his parted lips. “I\’ve wanted this and much more from you for so long. Now here it is…at last.”
** This story is from a writing prompt with my Poetry & Prose Group. We had to use a song title to write a story. I chose Etta James and her song At Last. May you come to realize that getting to redemption may be challenging but the benefits can be amazing.