Page 22
Story: Through the Flames
The next day was our last in Dallas, and I wanted to do something really nice for Amaya. I woke up early and started getting ready for a picnic.
While I packed the basket, Amaya was still sleeping. I took advantage of her new love of berries, as well as a variety of cold cuts, cheeses, and breads. I also got a cheesecake with strawberries on top.
This hotel was like a mall.
I woke up my girl after I had everything packed and ready to go.
Amaya was completely worn out when we got back to the suite last night. I took off her makeup and put her in pyjamas while she was passed out in my arms.
I let her sleep for most of the day because I knew how hard she had been working the last few weeks.
She was lying on the bed in a messy way, with her hair all over the pillows. Amaya couldn’t sleep like a normal person.
I got down on my knees on the bed and held her by the armpits, then lifted her off the bed and onto my hip.
I whispered, “Time to wake up, sleepy head,” and kissed her on the head.
I took her to the bathroom next to the bedroom and put her on the washbasin. Her head rested on my chest and her hands loosely wrapped around my back.
I started to pull her hair back and used one of the hair ties I always had on my wrist in case of an emergency.
I said, “C’mon pumpkin. I’m taking you on a date, so please get dressed.” When she heard the word “date,” she perked up, kissed me on the cheek, and pushed me out of the bathroom so she could get ready.
I had already showered, so I got dressed while she did. I wore a plain black t-shirt and knee-length cargo shorts to the beach picnic.
“You’re wearing shorts?” I heard Amaya say from behind me just as I pushed the box into my back pocket. Even though I was trying to fight off arousal, Amaya didn’t seem to care that she was in a useless white towel.
“Are we going to the beach? Should I wear a swimsuit under my clothes?” she asked all at once.
“Yes and yes,” I said, kissing her on the lips. “Get moving or we’ll be late.” I had to get out of that room and away from all the temptation.
I had to think that Amaya was excited to go because it was unusual for her to get ready so quickly. This quickly only happened when I was taking her out for ice cream.
Her denim shorts made her look great, and her pink top only drew attention to her amazing cleavage. Her pink trainers made her look even cuter in my eyes.
She begged me to let her hold the basket all the way to the lobby, but it was too heavy for her.
Our ride was already full in front, so I opened the door for her to get in. Amaya couldn’t sit still the whole ride because she wasn’t patient.
I thought she might have jumped out of the car as soon as we got to the coast, but even our driver wasn’t ready for the scream that came when we started driving on the sand.
We parked next to the cabana, and while she waited for me to get out, her head looked like it was going to explode. She used to run out of cars like a crazy person for years, but now she knows to wait until I get out and see if there is any danger.
As soon as I opened the door for her, she ran out and ran across the sand to our picnic spot in no time.
“You set all this up?” Amaya screamed, twirling around and around.
“Of course I called for help, but this was all my idea,” I said, putting the basket down.
This strange, bare, teepee-like building was where we had our picnic. There was a big red blanket on the floor with a small table in the middle and a few throw pillows around it.
I started to put everything out, trying not to laugh at how Amaya gasped every time I took something out.
Amaya still gets excited about everything, even after all these years.
“I can’t believe you did all this for me. You’re so romantic.” I was surprised when she climbed on my lap and kissed me, but I quickly melted in her arms.
I let her take charge, but I quickly regretted it when she told me to lie on my back. I was about to say “to hell with it” and take her by force, but Amaya suddenly pulled away.
She crawled off my lap and over to the other side of the blanket. She picked up a strawberry and started to eat it, as if she hadn’t just driven me crazy.
I was still trying to catch my breath when she acted like the strawberry in her hand was the sexiest thing she’d ever seen.
“I kissed you silly,” she said with a mischievous laugh. I sat up and narrowed my eyes at her while I picked a blueberry.
Tease
I asked Amaya, “Are you excited to go home?” as I gave her some fruit.
“I guess?” Anyone could have seen that she was in a bad mood, and I jumped on it.
“What’s wrong? Do you want to stay a few more days?”
“No! Well… maybe? I don’t know,” she said, scratching her head. “I really like it here. The beach is close by, it’s always sunny, there are a lot of different kinds of food, and it’s clean.”
“Did you really smell the air in Dallas?” I mean, Portland had a lot of smells, but Dallas wasn’t far behind.
“No, Cartie. I mean the suburbs. I’ve been looking into it, and it’s all so nice. There are some really great places to raise a family—”
I asked, “You want to live here?” because I wasn’t sure what to say.
“It was just a suggestion,” she said quickly. “I’ve been thinking a lot about the future, but I understand if you say no. I know it’s hard for you to be here with your mum and everything. I wouldn’t make you live here if you didn’t want to.”
“And before you say anything about how my happiness is the only thing that matters, this is one time when it doesn’t. I love you and your happiness is mine. I won’t make you do anything. Don’t even think about it.”
I didn’t say anything while she caught her breath. Her words made my heart and mind race.
“Get married to me.”
Her eyes popped out of her head, and the strawberry she was holding fell to the blanket.
“You can’t be serious,” she said, her voice shaking.
I took the small, velvet box out of my back pocket. “Really, I’m not joking. Not at all.”
“But you said, “Why now? Why would you propose now?”
I opened the box and slid it across the blanket so it would rest in front of her.
“I’ve wasted so much time. I’ve wanted you to be my wife for so long, but I was so afraid that I was forcing you to marry me. I just realised that even if you felt pressured, you’d tell me. You’ve grown so much, Amaya. You’re so much more than the broken girl I pulled out of that building. You haven’t been for so long.”
“So I’m asking you, no, I’m begging you. Will you marry me?”
****
I was bored.
Bored to death.
I didn’t have to work today, which was the best way to be bored. Tessa is going to the spa to treat herself and then going out with her other friends tonight.
Carter wouldn’t be home until later tonight, which was the worst of all.
To get him to be more social, I told him to go out for drinks with his coworkers after work.
I really wish I hadn’t done that.
I was the most restless person ever, and I had no one to spend my extra energy with.
I walked around the flat for no reason, wearing only one of Carter’s t-shirts.
As soon as I thought about cleaning the place, I knew I had to find something to do.
I decided to just eat a lot of food to pass the time, and like always, I wanted something sweet.
I got an idea, and it just got worse when I realised Carter wasn’t there to stop me.
I started making as many sweets as I could.
While I packed the basket, Amaya was still sleeping. I took advantage of her new love of berries, as well as a variety of cold cuts, cheeses, and breads. I also got a cheesecake with strawberries on top.
This hotel was like a mall.
I woke up my girl after I had everything packed and ready to go.
Amaya was completely worn out when we got back to the suite last night. I took off her makeup and put her in pyjamas while she was passed out in my arms.
I let her sleep for most of the day because I knew how hard she had been working the last few weeks.
She was lying on the bed in a messy way, with her hair all over the pillows. Amaya couldn’t sleep like a normal person.
I got down on my knees on the bed and held her by the armpits, then lifted her off the bed and onto my hip.
I whispered, “Time to wake up, sleepy head,” and kissed her on the head.
I took her to the bathroom next to the bedroom and put her on the washbasin. Her head rested on my chest and her hands loosely wrapped around my back.
I started to pull her hair back and used one of the hair ties I always had on my wrist in case of an emergency.
I said, “C’mon pumpkin. I’m taking you on a date, so please get dressed.” When she heard the word “date,” she perked up, kissed me on the cheek, and pushed me out of the bathroom so she could get ready.
I had already showered, so I got dressed while she did. I wore a plain black t-shirt and knee-length cargo shorts to the beach picnic.
“You’re wearing shorts?” I heard Amaya say from behind me just as I pushed the box into my back pocket. Even though I was trying to fight off arousal, Amaya didn’t seem to care that she was in a useless white towel.
“Are we going to the beach? Should I wear a swimsuit under my clothes?” she asked all at once.
“Yes and yes,” I said, kissing her on the lips. “Get moving or we’ll be late.” I had to get out of that room and away from all the temptation.
I had to think that Amaya was excited to go because it was unusual for her to get ready so quickly. This quickly only happened when I was taking her out for ice cream.
Her denim shorts made her look great, and her pink top only drew attention to her amazing cleavage. Her pink trainers made her look even cuter in my eyes.
She begged me to let her hold the basket all the way to the lobby, but it was too heavy for her.
Our ride was already full in front, so I opened the door for her to get in. Amaya couldn’t sit still the whole ride because she wasn’t patient.
I thought she might have jumped out of the car as soon as we got to the coast, but even our driver wasn’t ready for the scream that came when we started driving on the sand.
We parked next to the cabana, and while she waited for me to get out, her head looked like it was going to explode. She used to run out of cars like a crazy person for years, but now she knows to wait until I get out and see if there is any danger.
As soon as I opened the door for her, she ran out and ran across the sand to our picnic spot in no time.
“You set all this up?” Amaya screamed, twirling around and around.
“Of course I called for help, but this was all my idea,” I said, putting the basket down.
This strange, bare, teepee-like building was where we had our picnic. There was a big red blanket on the floor with a small table in the middle and a few throw pillows around it.
I started to put everything out, trying not to laugh at how Amaya gasped every time I took something out.
Amaya still gets excited about everything, even after all these years.
“I can’t believe you did all this for me. You’re so romantic.” I was surprised when she climbed on my lap and kissed me, but I quickly melted in her arms.
I let her take charge, but I quickly regretted it when she told me to lie on my back. I was about to say “to hell with it” and take her by force, but Amaya suddenly pulled away.
She crawled off my lap and over to the other side of the blanket. She picked up a strawberry and started to eat it, as if she hadn’t just driven me crazy.
I was still trying to catch my breath when she acted like the strawberry in her hand was the sexiest thing she’d ever seen.
“I kissed you silly,” she said with a mischievous laugh. I sat up and narrowed my eyes at her while I picked a blueberry.
Tease
I asked Amaya, “Are you excited to go home?” as I gave her some fruit.
“I guess?” Anyone could have seen that she was in a bad mood, and I jumped on it.
“What’s wrong? Do you want to stay a few more days?”
“No! Well… maybe? I don’t know,” she said, scratching her head. “I really like it here. The beach is close by, it’s always sunny, there are a lot of different kinds of food, and it’s clean.”
“Did you really smell the air in Dallas?” I mean, Portland had a lot of smells, but Dallas wasn’t far behind.
“No, Cartie. I mean the suburbs. I’ve been looking into it, and it’s all so nice. There are some really great places to raise a family—”
I asked, “You want to live here?” because I wasn’t sure what to say.
“It was just a suggestion,” she said quickly. “I’ve been thinking a lot about the future, but I understand if you say no. I know it’s hard for you to be here with your mum and everything. I wouldn’t make you live here if you didn’t want to.”
“And before you say anything about how my happiness is the only thing that matters, this is one time when it doesn’t. I love you and your happiness is mine. I won’t make you do anything. Don’t even think about it.”
I didn’t say anything while she caught her breath. Her words made my heart and mind race.
“Get married to me.”
Her eyes popped out of her head, and the strawberry she was holding fell to the blanket.
“You can’t be serious,” she said, her voice shaking.
I took the small, velvet box out of my back pocket. “Really, I’m not joking. Not at all.”
“But you said, “Why now? Why would you propose now?”
I opened the box and slid it across the blanket so it would rest in front of her.
“I’ve wasted so much time. I’ve wanted you to be my wife for so long, but I was so afraid that I was forcing you to marry me. I just realised that even if you felt pressured, you’d tell me. You’ve grown so much, Amaya. You’re so much more than the broken girl I pulled out of that building. You haven’t been for so long.”
“So I’m asking you, no, I’m begging you. Will you marry me?”
****
I was bored.
Bored to death.
I didn’t have to work today, which was the best way to be bored. Tessa is going to the spa to treat herself and then going out with her other friends tonight.
Carter wouldn’t be home until later tonight, which was the worst of all.
To get him to be more social, I told him to go out for drinks with his coworkers after work.
I really wish I hadn’t done that.
I was the most restless person ever, and I had no one to spend my extra energy with.
I walked around the flat for no reason, wearing only one of Carter’s t-shirts.
As soon as I thought about cleaning the place, I knew I had to find something to do.
I decided to just eat a lot of food to pass the time, and like always, I wanted something sweet.
I got an idea, and it just got worse when I realised Carter wasn’t there to stop me.
I started making as many sweets as I could.