Young Writers Society

Now they were married and neither could be happier. Kadi heard the shower turn off in the bathroom and playfully brushed her fingers through her hair. Jay walked in wearing only a pair of jean shorts that lay low on his hips. He was rubbing a towel over his dripping hair, but stopped short when he saw her staring at him.

He swallowed. Her beautiful, long legs seemed, to him, to go on for miles. She was covered only by a silk nightie that barely passed as a shirt. He threw the towel aside and smiled. “Morning, Love.”

Her heart beat faster when he smiled and a warm, tingly sensation spread all the way to her toes. “Morning,” she said lightly, draping her arm over his shoulder as he perched himself next to her.

“You look lovely,” he said.

“Thank you.” She looked him up and down. “So do you.”

And then he kissed her and she took in all the wonderful things about him: the way curly, brown hair fell into his eyes; his eyes, God those eyes; his smooth, warm skin; the way he held her in his arms as if she was something to break; his smile that always made her lose her breath; the way he loved her. They kissed for a while and she couldn’t think of a time in the foreseeable future that she would be able to breathe again.

His hand slid up her thigh and she pushed him away. “I have to get ready for work.”

Jay groaned. “I feel like you always do this to me.”

“It’s not my fault you always want it at the worst times.” She batted her eyelashes innocently.

He nuzzled into her neck and planted small kisses there. His lips were warm and inviting but Kadi knew she had to RSVP no this time. She couldn’t be late to work for a third time this week. It was embarrassing enough that everyone already knew why. So she kissed him lightly on the cheek and locked herself in the bathroom. Bracing herself against the sink and locking eyes with her reflection, she tried to bury the feelings that Jay had drawn out. Work, she thought over and over again until she found herself getting ready.

Finally ready to exit their closet of a bathroom, Kadi prepared for an ambush as she stealthily unlocked the door and crept out into the hallway. She was surprised to see Jay had already gone, but she smiled at the muffin and note he left in his place.

Kadi, go out with me tonight. Be ready by 7. ~Jay

. . . .

Jay was getting ready in the bedroom as Kadi studied herself in the mirror for the millionth time. Her hair was swept into a loose bun with strands of hair falling around her face. Made to look easy, the complicated hairdo had taken her over a half hour to get just right. Her earrings hung like chandeliers and sparkled like them too as she turned in the light. The matching necklace did the same as it lay just below her collar bones like it was meant to be there. The jewelry was really just to draw attention to her dress which clung to her body in halter form and gave out to a knee length skirt that fanned out when she turned. Always sitting in between tomboy and girly-girl, Kadi never knew how to label herself. But she did know that Jay always made her feel like a woman, so in turn she enjoyed dressing up like one for him.

She stroked the mascara brush over her eyelashes one last time before smiling at the results and smacking her lips in satisfaction. Someone’s fist landed heavily against their door: knock, knock.

Exiting the bathroom, she hoped it wasn’t one of those stupid door-to-door salesman; there wasn’t time for that now. The figure in the doorway was tall with broad shoulders, curly brown hair, and piercing blue eyes. Dressed for an evening out, he leaned casually against the door frame and smiled at her. He pulled a bouquet of carnations from behind his back and offered them to her.

“What are you doing?” She asked, but took them anyway.

The side of Jay’s mouth pulled up into a smile. “Picking you up for our date.”

Kadi’s heart melted a little; he thought he was being cute. He was being cute. “Come in silly.”

She turned to the sink to put the flowers in some water and when she turned back he was staring at her.

“What?” She asked, brushing her hands over her dress.

He smiled and pulled her to him. “You look beautiful is what.”

Her cheeks turned crimson and he got that protective feeling in the pit of his stomach that he only got when she looked her most innocent, her most beautiful. It made him want to hold her and never let go. He’d always wondered how he’d managed to land such a beautiful, smart, funny, compassionate girl. Jay had expected the lack of acknowledgment he received in high school; even back then she had been way out of his league. And after college he never expected a date either, he’d only asked for fear of regret if he didn’t, and boy would he have regretted it. She was perfect, absolutely perfect and he loved her so much he still couldn’t believe it was true. Some of those insecurities definitely resurfaced when he proposed; he’d almost sweat through his shirt.

“What?” Kadi asked again. “Why are you looking at me like that?”

The smile on his lips grew impossibly larger as he shrugged. “I guess it’s just because I love you so much.”

“Stop it.” She giggled, her cheeks heating up.

He bent down to kiss her cheek and her familiar scent rushed at him.

She smelled like summer rain, like his wildest fantasies.

God he never got used to it.

She smelled like heaven.

“Why,” he mumbled. “It’s true.”

He planted a kiss on her neck, on her cheek, and then on her mouth, wrapping his arms around her possessively. She sighed against his lips and he wanted her to do it again and again. He would do anything for her to make that sound.

“Jay,” Kadi whispered. “We have to go or we’ll miss our dinner reservations.”

“Who cares.”

“I do,” she stated pointedly. “I was asked on a night out and I want it.”

Jay groaned as his argument.

“Come on.” She took his hand and pulled him out the door. “This was your idea.”

He complied and pulled the door shut behind them.

. . . .

Kadi laughed. “She was not checking me out!”

“Was too,” Jay argued, just to hear the little hitch in her voice when she got riled up.

“Stop making things up.”

Jay smiled and pulled her into his arms. “Okay she wasn’t checking you out…”

“Thank you.”

“…She was checking me out.”

She wacked him in the arm with her purse, a clear response to his bad joke. Kicking off her heels, she walked into the bedroom to change. He followed her, rubbing his arm dramatically, playfully moaning to get sympathy.. Kadi took her jewelry off and laid it carefully in its velvet box.

“Stop being a baby,” Kadi laughed.

“But it hurts,” he whined.

She snorted. Just because she thought it was cute when he tried to get her attention didn’t mean she was going to give it to him. “Alright! What do I have to do to make you shut up?”

He breathed in sharply. “My pride!” And then he grabbed his chest dramatically and flopped back on the bed.

She shot him a playful glance in the mirror and finished taking out her hair. Jay was mesmerized by the way it fell in waves down her back. He got up, and wrapped his arms around her from behind.

“Hi.” She looked up shyly. She turned in his arms and put her lips to his ear. “Unzip my dress.”

His hand caressed the back of her neck for a moment before she felt the smooth material slide away from her skin. The dress dropped to her feet and Jay’s hands went back up to trace patterns on her back. Kadi shivered, reaching up to unknot his tie. He stared down at her and ran his hand through her hair. “Can I kiss you now?”

Kadi stood on her tip toes and pressed her lips to his. “You never have to ask.”

Jay flipped off the lights and carried her to bed in response.