Iwas making dinnerfor tonight and tomorrow, when Jenny and Luke were coming over. Rae was at the kitchen island working on a batch of cookies. She seemed so happy still, like facing her fear of the dark last night was like a reset her heart and mind needed.
I put the food in the oven and set the timer before walking to the sink to wash my hands.
As I passed by her, I gave her a small smile and then kept looking at her from across the kitchen. I couldn’t get enough of her. Just being around her felt like...Home. She caught me staring. “Do I have something on my face?”
“Actually, yeah. Here, I'll get it for you.” I crossed the small space and in one swift motion dipped a finger in the flour and brushed it on her cheek.
She began laughing. Gosh, I would never tire of hearing her laugh.
“Caleb, I'm gonna get you for that!” she shouted as she swiped flour across my chin. We both stood there laughing, and I threw my hands up as if I was surrendering.
“Okay, okay. We should probably be mature adults.” She giggled.
As soon as she started to turn back to the counter, I flicked flour at her, laughing the entire time.
“Oh, now you're asking for it,” she said as she tossed flour at me again.
We began to have a flour fight. We ducked behind the counter and held up cookie sheets to block ourselves from getting hit. Duke watched from the couch, and laughter filled the kitchen.
The battle only ended when I caught her around the waist, pulling her away from grabbing another handful of flour. “Nope, I gotcha this time!” I lifted her off the ground as she laughed uncontrollably. I spun her away from the flour and sat her on the counter. Standing between her legs, I stared at her, getting lost in her green eyes. Even covered in flour, she looked beautiful. Her smile was so bright.
My thumb rubbed the inside of her wrist. Heat coiled low in my stomach, but I forced myself to breathe steadily. This wasn’t about me. It was about her.
I picked up the towel next to us and began wiping flour off her face. I gently wiped the towel across her forehead and cheek, then went to the sink to get a bit of warm water on it. I felt her eyes on me the entire time.
I stood in front of her again and began wiping at the remaining traces of flour on her face.
Much to my surprise, she leaned in and kissed me so lightly. I slowly returned the kiss as I put my hands around her hips and pulled her closer to me. Her kisses were timid, and I followed her lead. Her arms were resting on my shoulders and one hand traced circles on the back of my head.
I moved my hands from her hips to her lower back, and my finger traced the small space where her shirt had lifted. I moved slow enough that if she wanted to pull back, she could.
When I touched her skin, I felt her smile through her kiss. After a moment, I put my hand under the back of her shirt, tracing her curves with my fingers. She stilled for a brief moment, and I pulled my hands back from her body.
“Do you want me to stop?”
“No, sorry, I just needed a second.” Her eyes were closed and she took a deep breath. Then another.
“Sunshine, you just say the word and I'll stop at any point.”
She smiled and then leaned in and kissed me again.
I kissed her back and then trailed kisses down her jaw and then throat. I saw a smile cross her face before her head fell back. I stopped at her collarbone and pulled her tank strap down so I could kiss her shoulder. Her breath stilled for a brief moment, and I watched her out of the corner of my eye.
When I felt her relax, I continued and let my hands wander again, taking my time but remembering how her ex had hurt her. She moved her arms off my shoulders to touch my arms and I smiled at her before putting her arms back on my shoulders.
“Not yet, Sunshine, it's my time to take care of you. I promise I will not do anything to hurt you. That okay?” I whispered in her ear as I ran my fingers up and down her arms. She breathlessly nodded, and I continued kissing from her ear down her neck again.
Each of my movements was slow and careful. I wanted her to know what it's like to be loved, cared for. The bastard that hurt her didn't know what he would be losing.
I moved my hand under the back of her shirt, tracing the lines of her bra straps while my other cupped her cheek while I kissed her.
I began to lift her shirt up over her head, but she stopped me—not deliberately. It's as if it was a reflex.
“Hey, Sunshine, talk to me.”
“I'm so sorry, I'm just nervous. What if you don't like what I look like or—”
I lovingly shushed her. “Not like what you look like? Rae, you're perfection. Beautiful.”
