Moonlight

203 2 0
                                    


Unfortunately, Valentin didn't stay for dinner. He had to leave and complete his college work. Before he left, he apologised to Paul and told us he'll see us tomorrow. Paul and I had our dinner in the gardens. "This food is so good." He would say after every bite, and I would laugh. I had changed into a sheer white slip that hit the middle of my thigh and wrapped my robe around myself.

The wind was blowing gently, my hair moving with it. I requested someone to bring blankets and champagne. It was my birthday after all. We spread the blankets under the thick forest trees, near the small lake. Paul sat down, his back against the trunk of a tree, and I sat between his legs, my back against his firm torso. The moon glinted off the surface of the water, washing everything with a pale light. His arms came about me, one hand resting on my thigh, under the robe and dress, his other hand tracing a path down my neck and chest, playing with the soft hem of my robe. I reached over to pour us both some champagne.

"I've never had champagne before." He said softly, as I handed him the glass. "Ive never had beer before." I confessed. "What?" He asked, chuckling. "That is like the first thing a person drinks!" He said. Now it was my turn to laugh. "Dom Pérignon, the guy who made champagne, said it tastes like the stars. It's even in 'The Fault in Our Stars.'" I told him. "I haven't watched it." He said. "Are you serious!" I exclaimed. "We're going to watch it, okay?" I twisted to look at him. He smiled a warm smile at me, one that brought heat up to my cheeks. I came back to my original position, trailing my arm up and down his thigh.

"Is it weird that I share a bathroom with my father and you have your own damn lake?" He spoke after a moment of silence. This startled me. I had not expected Paul to care about my material possessions. "No. It's not weird, because it doesn't matter." I replied. "So modest." He said, and I felt him shake his head. I twirled my glass between my fingers. "Okay, yes, I have money, a lot of it. I am very privileged and beyond comfortable. Sadly, people fail to see beyond it, beyond the fancy house and shiny car. I don't have what really matters." I said in a rushed tone, my empty hand making wild gestures in the air. "What?" He asked. "I don't have my parents. I hardly have any friends, and all the people I meet are rarely— they are— I don't know if they are friends with me because of this or me." I said, exasperated. Paul wrapped his arms around my torso tightly. The gale stirred the water, soft ripples coming to the rim of the lake. "I got you, no matter what." He murmured against my ear. His warm breath relaxed me. We stayed silent.

"De la Cour" I whispered, a while after. "My mother's name was Sophia Pierrette De la Cour." I spoke louder now. "It's why this house is so big and old and castley." I said, absentminded. "I don't understand." Paul said, taking another swig of his drink. I felt him swallow against my back. "De la cour- it means 'of the court.' My ancestor was from the court of the King. He got this huge patch of land as a gift. He made his house and fields and whatnot. Which is why it is so big." I tried to explain haphazardly. "I get it." He spoke. "Then some of the land was sold for profit and now this is what it is." I added. I didn't know why I was telling him this. "So, from that black road, to this lake?" He asked. "No. From that black road, to a stone wall a minute's distance from here inside the forest." I corrected. He chuckled, then sighed.

"Tell me more about yourself. Now that we are here, I feel like there is so much more about you." I giggled, refilling my glass. "What do you want to know?" I dragged my fingers up his leg. "Your secrets, princess." He whispered in my ear. I set my empty glass down and turned around, straddling him. The lights in the house had been switched off, Josephine and the others gone to bed in their own chambers, except a few pale bulbs. The warm glow from the handful lampposts around was enough for me to see every detail of Paul's face. His broad, pink lips, slightly parted. The round curve of his nose, the angle of his cheekbones, the hollow under them. His strong jaw and sun kissed skin. I looked into his eyes, the pupils wide, the brown warm and shiny, like smooth, melted swiss chocolate.

I kissed his forehead, the smooth surface between his eyebrows. My hands grabbed his face, fingers knotting in the tangles of his dark hair. Can this be forever? I crushed my lips against his. He made a startled moan in the back of his throat. I bit at his lower lip, tugging on his hair. He kissed me back like there was no tomorrow, his hands sliding under the fabric of my clothing and up my bare back, clutching my skin with pressure, his fingers digging in my flesh. His tongue made its way into my throat, our teeth occasionally clinking. He pulled back, panting. I took deep breaths, my chest touching his with every inhalation.

"I want to show you something." He said raggedly. His lips were pink and swollen. "Okay." I said in a soft voice. "Come on." He spoke. I got off him, he grabbed my hand and led me into the forest. "Now where is that stone wall?" He asked. "Just walk straight." I pointed to the distance. The one time I was in a forest with Paul, things had been quiet peculiar...

The last moment I was in this forest was when Valentin and I had been playing cricket, and he had shot the ball right into the forest. "Six!" He whooped. We had been dating then. I walked to the edge of the trees trying to look for it. I hated fielding! "I can't find the stupid ball!" I had screamed. "Dieu, we'll find it, Cheri." Then we had ventured into the forest to look for that annoying green sphere. Ultimately, we had ceased searching, drenched in sweat and irritated as hell. Then we had made out behind a tree.

Paul intertwined his fingers with mine. We were at the wall now. A three-and-a-half-foot light grey stone structure that seemed to go endlessly in both directions. The forest was eerily silent, the chirping of crickets the flow of a stream the only sounds to be heard. There was enough light from the moon to let me see him mistily.

Paul lifted me up, setting me down on the wall. He kissed my lips once again. "I am going to show you," Our mouths met. "my other self." he pulled back, taking his snug navy-blue t-shirt off. His stomach was as chiselled as I remembered it. He ripped of his trousers next, his boxers following after.

I sucked in a breath.

Memories of our first time flooded my mind. His heated body against mine, his hands roaming all over my skin, sending electrical sparks up my veins to shatter my heart. I reached out and placed a hand on his carved chest. He took my hand and kissed it. "Don't be scared." He whispered. His eyes shown with a certain type of doubt

Paul walked a couple paces away from me. Then he phased.


lake

Oops! This image does not follow our content guidelines. To continue publishing, please remove it or upload a different image.

lake


Haven (Paul Lahote Fanfiction)Where stories live. Discover now