“I know.”
He flipped us around once more so that he was on top of me. “You can trust me. I just want to make you feel good.”
We grew silent. Our quick breaths mixed together as we observed each other. “You’re beautiful.” He cupped my cheek. “Your striking brown eyes, your cute cheeks, your full lips...” His fingers moved across my cheeks and lips ever so gently. “This mole right here...” He touched the spot on my jaw. “Everything. I like every part of you.”
I was mesmerized by the way he looked at me and touched me. “Are you sure you’re not drunk?” I whispered.
“No, but I feel like it. You’re fucking with my mind. I don’t need alcohol to drown my thoughts when I have you.” His fingers traced my forehead, nose, lips... “How does this feel?”
He slid his hand over my neck and collarbone, and my breathing grew heavy. I closed my eyes. “Good.”
“Open your eyes.” I met his heated gaze. “Don’t hide from me.”
He leaned down and planted a kiss on my collarbone that sent a shudder down my back. Holding my waist possessively, he lowered his lips across my skin until he reached the scoop neck of my dress. He looked at me when I stopped him. “What?”
“I...” I glanced away.
“What?” he pressed for an answer.
“I...” I closed my eyes again. I was too ashamed to admit what was on my mind. “I have small breasts. So, they’re not so pretty.”
He astounded me when he started laughing. It was a hearty, at the top of his lungs laughter, and I blushed to the roots of my hair.
“Why are you laughing?” My voice gave away my mortification. I covered my breasts, but he gently pried my hands away from them. His eyes were incredibly soft as he looked down at me.
“Yeah, I noticed you have small breasts. I have eyes, you know? And it’s high time you check your hearing, since I just told you I like everything about you. Even your small breasts.” Palming them, he kissed one breast over my dress and then the other.
“Hayden...”
I clutched his head when he moved up and sucked on one sensitive spot in the hollow of my neck. It was slightly uncomfortable, but more than that, it evoked pleasure, and I squirmed.
I tugged at his hair. “What are you doing?”
He pulled away and looked at that spot with clouded eyes. “Leaving proof that you’re mine.”
His hands became restless, touching me everywhere before they stopped on my most intimate part, and it felt too good. I never let go of him as he made me experience something that was carved deep into my mind to be remembered forever. His lips on mine drank my moans before the world stopped to exist in my rapturous haze, and I’d never felt more blissful than right now. I loved him. I loved him so much.
“You’re so beautiful. I love you,” he said hoarsely and hugged me close to him.
“Hayden, that was... I...” I didn’t recognize my own voice. “I love you so much.”
Our lips met again, and we continued kissing until someone turned off the music downstairs. Moments later, people started the countdown. It was already midnight.
“The countdown,” I told him excitedly.
“Come here.” He sat up and pulled me to him. “I finally get to start a new year with you.”
“4!”
“3!”
“2!”
“1!”
“HAPPY NEW YEAR!”
Hayden pressed his lips on mine before I could say these exact words to him. He slid his tongue over mine, and I felt like my heart was going to burst from the sudden explosion of emotions. I ran my hands over his strong back, basking in the feel of his muscles underneath my fingertips—basking in him. I felt beyond happy to be able to share this moment with him and start a new year in the most special way, memorizing it forever.
“Happy New Year, Hayden. I love you.”
“Happy New Year. I want to spend so many more new years with you.”
“We will. We’ll spend many, many more... That’s a promise.”
He gave me a quick, soft kiss. “I have a present for you.”
I raised my brows. “Another one? You already gave me a Christmas present.”
He’d gotten me a book on coloring and lighting for digital paintings, which showed me once more how well he knew me, gifting me something so special.
He pulled something out of his back pocket. “Yeah, but this is something I wanted to give you tonight. To show you how important you are to me.”
I studied the envelope he held. “You didn’t have to.”
“I had to.” He handed me the envelope, and I noticed slight embarrassment in his features, which indicated my reaction meant a lot to him.
“I’ll like it for sure,” I reassured him.
He stared at some spot on the bed, avoiding my gaze. “Just open it.”
I opened the envelope and drew out a folded paper. A smile played across my lips when I saw a poem.
“For Sarah.
We’re two dysfunctional pieces that will find their way to become a whole again.
Happy New Year
You. Me. Nothing. Everything.
Love. Hate. Success. In vain.
Dark and light every day, and it drives me insane.
But what is the sun without the rain?
Just like happiness without pain?
You gathered the pieces of my broken mind.
You helped me see hues when I was color blind.
You were the one who showed me happiness is real.
You kissed away my darkness and allowed me to heal.
In your kisses and touches I see my light.
Your smile and joy give me the reason to fight.
You’re injecting life into me and keeping my pain at bay,
I’ve been running away, but now I’m here to stay.
Hold onto me and never let me go.
I’ll keep you safe through every high and low.
I’ll love your sorrow away and keep you near.
Together, we will conquer our darkness, pain, and fear.
You’re my next intake of breath, my next heartbeat, my next reason to be happy.
I’ll hold you forever.
I love you.
Hayden”
My hands shook by the time I finished the poem. The warmth in his words enveloped me and filled the old dents in my heart with all-consuming love.
“You said you wanted me to write you poems. So...”
I met his gaze. “This... This is beautiful. Thank you so much!”
My chest constricted with burning adoration that propelled me to clutch his shoulders and kiss him hard. I felt delirious as my hands found their way over his chest and stomach, pouring all my love into the contact of our lips and bodies. He grabbed my hands and moved them under his clothes, letting me feel his abs. The contrast between his soft skin and the hard ridges of his muscles was ravishingly attractive.
I pulled away to look at him, curling my fingers against his waist. “I love you so much. This is the best gift.”
I pecked him on the lips a few times, and they curved into a breathtaking smile. I was so in love with him.
“You’re as excited as if you won the lottery.”