Fires, Shadows, and the passion along your skin

1

He could feel her breath on his cheek, hot and passionate. Her heartbeat against his, quickening. He held her close, breathless, unable to speak.2

It was dark, and no one was there to stop them.3

His hands, fluttering across her skin, tracing the soft curves of her jaw, trembled.4

It was silent, with no sound other than their breathing and the soft whispering of her hair as she moved her head closer to his.5

Their fingers touched, intertwining, loosed, and danced with each other, electricity tingling at each meeting.6

It was dark, and there was nothing standing in the way.7

It was silent, the air made of the passion flowing from their mouths.8

It was warm, beautiful, with her in his arms.9

It wasn’t right.10

The thought struck David’s mind like a sledgehammer. He had known it all along, as they slowly grew closer, more passionate, more sensual. It wasn’t right. Not yet. And yet even as his mind flitted through that thought, his hands traced the softness of the skin along her lower back where her shirt had inched its way up. His lips sought her neck, gently caressing her.11

Block it out.12

So he did. David shut out the thoughts of right and wrong, and attempted to drown himself in the passion along the curves of her face. It worked, for awhile. But still it knocked at the back of his head, this isn’t right, this isn’t right, this isn’t right. 13

Oh, but it was so right. He loved her, had promised to always love her, and absolutely sure he would. Of course it was right. 14

After all, isn’t this what lovers do?15

But I had promised to be different.16

This is different.17

This isn’t right. 18

This is love.19

But this isn’t…20

David’s thoughts were cut off as she touched his lips ever so lightly with the tips of her fingers, sending an electric wave of passion through his entire body. How could this be wrong, to love this way? This was the feeling of love, ravaging his senses and leaving him breathless and unable to control himself.21

…this isn’t love.22

Love me. Pull your body into mine and let me taste your love.23

This isn’t love.24

The softness of her skin is love.25

This isn’t right.26

He wrapped his arms around her waist, pulling her onto him so that their legs intertwined and her lips were inches from his. He ran his hands through her hair, ran them lightly down her spine, and stopped along the edge of her pants. 27

This isn’t right.28

David’s mind reeled. Somewhere deep inside he knew that this needed to stop, that he had allowed it all to go too far, but he couldn’t. With a massive effort he pulled his hand back and rested it on her shoulder, at the same time pulling himself back an inch or two.29

The softness of her skin is love.30

The smell of her hair is love. 31

The taste of her neck is love.32

And he was back again, his body against hers, warm, passionate, and made for his love.33

This isn’t right.34

This isn’t love.35

His mind kept banging against a brick wall in an attempt to reason himself out of a decision. David knew what they were doing went against the promises he had made to himself, to her, and to his God, but god, it was so right. There was no possible way he could stop. So he kept on, his mind holding itself in a strangle hold. 36

The smell of her hair is love.37

This isn’t right.38

The taste of her skin is love.39

This isn’t right.40

For a moment, he knew what he needed to do. Stop it. Pull back, grasp her hands tightly, and tell her what he was sure they both knew. 41

This isn’t right. Not now. Not yet.42

But every cell in his body wanted it. They choked him into silence, leaving nothing more than a rasping breath where he had meant to tell her what he knew. And then her hand brushed gently across his chest, and David could feel the electricity in it, even through his shirt. So he forgot right and wrong for the second time that night, and he grasped her around the waist, pulling her closer to him. 43

He couldn’t stop. Not now. But he was desperate to, so he willed her to stop it, then and there. He silently pled with her to say the word, any word, only to tell him to stop, and he would. He would pull back and look deep into her eyes and tell her he knew, that he was sorry, that they would be more careful next time, that he would never use her like that, that he loved her. But it never came. So David lay there motionless, hands trembling as his mind crashed into itself without relent.44

I love her.45

Then stop this.46

But I can’t. I’m not strong enough.47

Do you love her?48

Yes. With all I have.49

Then stop this.50

But…51

Her lips fluttered across his neck, leaving a trail of fire. David knew she was fighting a war in her mind the same as he, and was failing, the same as he was. And he wasn’t strong enough. He pulled her hand towards him, and kissed it gently. This wasn’t right.52

Do you love her?53

I can’t. I’m not strong enough.54

Love me. Pull your body into mine and let me taste your love.55

This isn’t right.56

Do you love her?57

The taste of her neck is love.58

Yes. With all I have.59

Then stop this.60

Do you love her?61

The smell of her hair is love.62

Do you love her?63

Yes. With all I have.64

This isn’t right; stop this. Now.65

David’s mind snapped. A battle had been won. He dropped his head onto her should and whispered in an agonized voice, “You know we can’t do this. Not now.” She replied in a choking sob, “I know. I know…I’m sorry…” They both pulled back, and she turned away from him, staring into the folds of cloth. He wrapped his arms around her and pulled her close, in a different way this time. When she finally looked up, he saw tears in her eyes.66

You are beautiful. Worth more than life to me.67

He whispered to her again, telling her that he loved her far too much to waste their love like this. She nodded her head, and he could feel the coolness of her tears upon his cheek.68

You are perfect. Not even a thousand years would make me stop loving you.69

He leaned close and kissed her softly, pulling her close for only a second, in fear that the fires would be lit again. She smiled a bittersweet smile, and he stood, taking her hand and walking with her out of the room to the doorway. 70

You are loved. 71

He grasped her in his arms again, one last time, whispered goodnight, and walked out the door into the soft light of the moon. David glanced back, hoping to see her face one last time, but she had closed the door. 72

Do you love her?73

Yes. With all I have.74

Then prove your love to her. Be strong.75