Her cheeks rose and blushed over as shyness discovered her. “Thank you, husband.”
“Welcome, wife.”
The more time we spent together, the more we learned about one another. We traded our favorite holiday memories. One of hers was going skiing in Colorado with Maple, and one of mine was when I spent Christmas with a foster family, and they got a new puppy. We didn’t only talk about the happy memories. We explored the sad ones, too. One night after yet another romantic comedy, she shared her struggles with an eating disorder that landed her in the hospital.
“After that, Kevin made sure to eat three meals a day with me, even after I moved out. He’d take lunch breaks just to make sure I was okay,” Stella explained. “It took a long time, but I came around.”
“I’m glad you’re okay. And I’m glad you’re comfortable in your own skin now.”
She shrugged. “It’s a daily struggle. For example, when I broke things off with
Jeff, he called me a few names. He commented about my weight, and those small voices came back. The ‘skip breakfast’ voices and the ‘maybe no carbs this week’ whispers. It’s an everyday battle.”
“I hate him,” I told her.
“Me too,” she agreed. “But still, I hate those parts of me that still believe him.”
“I don’t say this to flatter you or make you feel better, Stella, but simply because it’s true.” I shifted against the couch and turned to her. “You are the most stunning woman I have ever come across. From the top of your head to the soles of your feet, you are breathtaking. Add that with your personality, and well… there’s no one more beautiful.”
Her shyness returned, and she rubbed her hands up and down her arms. “I’m not used to being called beautiful.”
“Okay,” I agreed, “then I’ll do it more often.”
She smiled and shook her head. “It’s just funny. Jeff was so concerned about how you looked at me. He said it was as if you stared at me as if I were—”
“The sun,” I finished.
Her eyes widened a bit, surprised. “Yes, like the sun.”
“Well”—I shrugged—“I supposed he was just as good as reading me as I was at reading him.”
24
Stella
* * *
The conversations with Damian grew in ways I couldn’t even believe. It was amazing to see where we begun and how far we’d come with our connection in just about two months’ time. Our living room confessions when we watched a Christmas movie were becoming my favorite part of each evening.
“Your photography is amazing,” I told him as he finally showed me some of his work.
He grimaced and shrugged. “It’s just a hobby.”
“It’s too good to be a hobby.” I sat up a bit on the couch. “You should do a gallery show like I did.”
He laughed. “It’s not that good, Cinderstella.”
“But it is,” I disagreed. As I flipped through his photos, I was blown away by how powerful they were. It was as if he captured his subjects more than ever before. “You’re amazing, Damian. I’ve never seen anything like this before.”
“I’ve seen Kevin’s work. He’s better.”
“No.” I shook my head. “He’s just different. I can’t explain it, but when I look at your work, it makes me want to cry because it’s so breathtaking.”
A small curve of bashfulness hit his lips. “Thanks, I guess.”
“Make me a promise?”
“Depends on what it is.”
“Promise me that when you’re ready, you’ll do a showcase of your work. You’ll share this with the world.”
He laughed. “Seriously?”
“Seriously.”
“Fine. When I’m ready, I’ll do it.”
I narrowed my eyes. “Give me your word.”
“I give it to you.”
I bit my bottom lip. “How much does your word mean to you?” I asked him, echoing one of the first things he’d ever asked me.
“Everything,” he whispered, his stare falling to my lips. Then when his eyes rose once more and locked with mine, he said it louder, “It means everything.” He stood and walked out of the room, then walked back in with his camera in his grip. He gestured it toward me. “May I?” he asked.
I sat a bit straighter and shifted on the cushion. “How should I pose?” I jokingly started tossing my arms around in the air striking ridiculous poses.
“Just be yourself,” he said as he began snapping pictures. I laughed, feeling goofy and a bit shy. He smiled and bit his bottom lip. “Yes,” he whispered. “Just like that.”
I felt a pool of heat fall to the pit of my stomach as I smiled his way, watching him fall into his passion, the same passion I’d watch Kevin partake in my whole life. Even though he never knew his father, it was no secret that pieces of Kevin still existed within Damian’s soul.
And at that moment, with the camera in his hand, Damian appeared happy. Free, even. He looked more like himself than ever before.
Just like that, Damian.
Just like that.
Sometimes, our evening conversations went places I never thought they’d go.
“What do you mean he’s never gone down on you?” Damian asked, looking extremely concerned. “That’s the bare minimum of what a man should be doing to please his woman.”
I shrugged. “We were young when we first hooked up. He said he didn’t like the idea of doing it. Said it was gross and never changed his mind.”
“Only an idiot would say some stupid shit like that. Going down on a woman is like going to your favorite restaurant and finding out it’s a luxury all-you-can-eat buffet.”
I laughed. “You make it sound like Disney World—the happiest place on earth.”
“Trust me, Stella, eating a woman out is guaranteed to be better than any ride at Disney.” He paused and then sat up on his elbows and studied me. “Wait. How many men have you been with before Jeff?”
“None. He’s my one and only.”
His concern grew deeper as he pushed himself to sit up from the couch. “So, not only hasn’t Jeff not gone down on you, but you’ve never, in all your years of life, had a guy go down on you?”
I shook my head.
He sighed and then began to unbutton the cuffs on his button-down and rolled up his sleeves. “All right. Let’s go.”
I sat up on my elbows. “What?”
“I’ve never heard such a depressing thing in my life, so as your husband, I am going to fix this harsh news. I’m going to show you what you’ve been missing.”
“You can’t be serious.” I lightly chuckled even though the butterflies in my stomach were going wild. Of course, he was kidding.
He cocked an eyebrow at me and tilted his head in confusion. “Of course, I’m not kidding.”
My heart was running wild within my chest as I stared at him in complete disbelief.