Brave Enough To Love Again

Chapter 10

Keane

The drive to the cabin was one of the most enjoyable rides I had had in a long time because of her. Her excitement was so evident, I could feel it in the way she held on. At one point she hugged me so tightly I had trouble breathing. But that only made me smile, because the sudden firmness in her grip felt reassuring rather than frightened.

My decision to bring her to the cabin was an impulsive one. All I knew was that I wanted to lessen the sadness in her eyes, and since it was my sanctuary, I had hoped it would brighten her up too.

Not even Amanda had any knowledge of the cabin. I had never had the urge to invite her into my special retreat during the whole time we had been together.

Why I didn't hesitate to bring her, however, was a question I needed an answer to, when I was alone and had time to think.

Her reaction to the beach made me smile involuntarily. I didn't expect her to dive in so fearlessly into the water. The sadness in her eyes had disappeared. Although I knew that it was only a momentary surge of joy and not a permanent one, I was still happy that I was the one who caused the blissful expression on her face.

My physical attraction to her was undeniable and it became more apparent when I saw her body along with the brightness her eyes. The sight of her in the sea, surrounded by the shimmering lights of the moon's reflection, was a magnificent one to behold. I was mesmerized by her beauty which was enhanced by her carefree smile that reached her vividly brilliant eyes.

I followed her into the water. The coldness didn't bother me, because I was filled with an inexplicable sense of giddiness that warmed my whole body. It had to have been her contagious euphoria that woke up my whole system and caused the delight I felt about that moment and about our togetherness.

I was happy about her reaction to me when I saw her blushing profusely after eyeing me in my underwear. Further, I felt relief knowing that I wasn't the only one who recognized the lingering physical attraction between us.

Eden.

Her name suited her perfectly. She was as beautiful and as alluring as the biblical paradise after which she had been named.

This simple exchange of our names seemed to have slightly cracked the foundation of my carefully erected wall around my heart and I couldn't fathom why. I held her hand while staring at the stars in the sky and it was done with the intention of being close to her. Not to use her as my personal painkiller to numb my wounds, which was initially my primary motive, or to satisfy my physical craving for intimacy, but simply because I liked her.

I really liked her and I enjoyed her presence very much. Despite the fact that we barely knew anything about each other and we had only exchanged a few sentences.

But all of a sudden a warning signal in my head demanded my attention. It wanted to stop me from opening up too much, and to make me aware of the consequences a deeper bond with someone would entail, again.

But I just pushed it aside.

Watching the sunrise with her was a special moment I wanted to treasure because it would serve as a reminder of my capacity to feel okay again. Like a survivor whose wounds had finally become bearable to live with.

Her nearness, while we gazed into the distance to witness the nature's wonderful spectacle of the sun's return from it's ethereal slumber, was comforting. In that moment I felt at peace with the world and with myself. I wished it would last longer.