Part 29 (2/2)
”We could just promise never to have problems.” She knew her grin was so wide it probably made her look crazy, but she couldn't help it. It was hard to be serious for long with Callie. She made every problem seem like it was very temporary.
”How about this? Maybe you could try to talk about things as they come up. Then you don't have to walk around in a fog.”
Regan took the hand away and kissed the back of it. ”I'll try.” Gazing at the lovely hand, she tentatively kissed it a few more times, heartened by the way Callie kept it right by her mouth. ”Will you try to do something for me?”
”Of course.”
She looked up and let their eyes meet. ”Will you try to fall in love with me again?”
Callie's eyes closed as a beautiful smile bloomed on her face. ”I've never stopped loving you. Not for a minute.” The expression that Regan had seen many times but had never been able to define appeared. ”Do you really think it would take me this long to find a lover if I was serious about it?”
”No.” She moved another inch closer. ”You could do it in five minutes. Maybe even four.”
”I think five is right. No need to brag.” She smiled and warmth filled Regan's entire body. The rush made every cell sing with pleasure.
”So, if I love you and you love me...”
”We should do something to commemorate this discovery. Any ideas?”
”Come here,” Regan said softly. She raised her arm and Callie scooted the last inch to rest against her.
”Best place on earth.” Callie sighed, s.h.i.+fting her shoulders and increasing the contact. ”I haven't been here often, but each time makes me feel like all's right with the world.”
”I feel best when I'm with you, and even better when we're touching. You ground me.”
Callie turned her head and looked into Regan's eyes. ”I can see my future.”
”With me.”
”Yes. Definitely with you.”
Regan gently stroked her cheek. ”Don't be nervous.”
”Why do you think I'm nervous?”
”You're s.h.i.+vering.” She ran a hand down her arm with goose b.u.mps following.
Callie looked down at her arm. ”I guess I am. I feel like we're about to take a very big step.”
”Yeah. Very big.” Regan put her hand on the back of Callie's head and brought it to her chest. She stroked her hair for a few seconds. ”I feel like I'm right on the cusp of taking one of the biggest steps of my life, and I want to make sure I do everything right.”
”You don't have to worry about that.”
”Oh, I think I do.” Regan moved back enough to let Callie see her grin. ”I've got a lot more on the line than you do. I'll never get another chance for a woman as good as you.”
”That's true. But that's the great thing about being in love. You're not alone. We're making this choice together and we'll always have each other for support.”
”Isn't that fantastic?” The mere thought made Regan's head spin.
”Completely. There's nothing better than being loved.”
”I love you,” Regan declared, sure and confident. ”I love you, Callie, and I'm going to love you for as long as I live.”
”Then kiss me. A whole lot.”
Regan caressed the back of Callie's neck until she saw her beautiful eyes blink slowly. Leaning in, she pressed their lips together tenderly. It had been nine months since it had happened, but she'd thought of their first kiss thousands of times. As soon as their lips touched that first frantic kiss was gone from her memory. Her body flooded with sensation. The soft firmness of Callie's lips, the sweet scent of her hair, a hint of peppermint from her mouth, even the down in the pillow she lay on suffused her senses. She stilled and let her body speak to her. Consciously opening herself to whatever came, she let Callie into her soul.
”This is wonderful,” Callie murmured when they broke apart for a moment.
”So, so nice. Just like my dreams.”
”Just like mine.” She nuzzled her face into Regan's shoulder. ”When I was taking my nap I had a dream about you.” She batted her eyes. ”It made me happy.”
Regan gently stroked her cheek, amazed by its softness. ”Tell me about it.”
”I don't remember the whole thing. But we were in bed together and I knew we were going to make love.” Tears sprang to her eyes and she blinked them away. ”I dream about you all of the time, and I usually wake up sad when I realize it was just a dream.” A brilliant smile slowly formed on her lips. ”I never have to have that feeling again.” She pulled Regan close and hugged her tightly. ”I'll always have you.”
Chapter Twenty-six.
Breaking apart for a moment, Callie looked into Regan's eyes, her gaze a little unfocused. ”Are we going to make love?”
”Definitely.”
Callie's head spun when Regan grasped her firmly and placed a dozen hot kisses on her lips. ”Wow!” Callie lay on her back, with Regan sprawled atop her. ”You're really good at that.” She grasped Regan's chin between her fingers. ”Have you been practicing on the girls in Scituate?”
”Nope.” She shook her head, her dark hair slipping over a shoulder. ”Pent up demand.” She took a few nibbles along Callie's neck, stopping only when her squirming blocked access. ”You know,” she said deliberately, ”I was full of it when I said s.e.x wasn't very important to me. It is.”
”Good news for me. How'd you figure that out?”
”It wasn't hard.” She looked a little embarra.s.sed when she held her hand out and shook it. ”I think I've got a repet.i.tive motion injury from thinking about you.”
Callie took her hand and inspected it carefully. ”You can give it a nice long rest.” Kissing it gently she placed it over her heart. ”So, you've been fantasizing about us?”
”Not us. You. I think about any part of you and I'm gone.” Her downcast eyes and slight flush made her more adorable than ever. She was so eminently teasable.
”When did this start? After you talked to Delaney?”
”G.o.d, no. It was probably a month or so after we got back from the Bahamas.” A guilty-looking grin stole across her face.
Callie playfully slapped at her. ”That long?”
”Yeah. I felt guilty about it for a long time, since I was still really heartbroken, but I got over it.” She shook her hand again. ”Obviously.”
”Why'd you feel guilty?”
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