Love In a Maze

Asphalt

She had been up the last few days working on a project. Spending hours cutting up little letters words and phrases from old magazines and newspapers. It had been three days with no calls or visits from him and she had finally accepted that morning as she left his arms were their last. He had not said a word or given an inkling he was leaving, but that may have been the reason he kept her a free willed captive for so many days. Everyday he didn't show she would close her window a little bit further. The window fully closed now, but not locked... not yet. She had begun to sink back into her old routines and it was nice for a break in their pace. Though the nagging emptiness of an absent goodbye could never be filled.

He watched her through the closed window. She sat on the floor her dark curls littered with clippings. She looked as though she were trying to put a puzzle together. Her face highly focused on the unknown task. Music booming from the stereo, permeating through the single glass pane, shaking it lightly. He had found it odd that she had finally closed her window, after weeks and weeks of keeping it open for him. He hesitated wondering if he was still welcome. Opening the window quietly he slipped in as he always had. She didn't even acknowledge him as he entered. The stereo blaring the unequivocal sound of Taj Mahal. She sat on the floor as she worked a cigarette bounced in her mouth as she sang, her sneaker clad foot tapping out the bass line on the wooden planks underneath her.

She raised her head to nod with the bluesy slide guitar and finally noticed his figure as he stood leaning casually against her bookcase. Large golden flecked eyes forever watching as if inspecting her, with that stupid gentle smile on his face. Her heart jumped with excitement, she hadn't been expecting him at all, and she struggled to stay calm, as cool as he looked at in this moment. Taking the cigarette into her hand she smiled a bit uneasy, trying with so much effort to mask the joy that begun to bubble just beneath her surface. With a low whistle she responded, "Wow look what the cat dragged in. I thought you were long gone."

"I wouldn't leave without saying goodbye."

"Uhh huh" She smiled suspiciously and put out her cigarette.

Standing up the pieces of extra clippings fell to the floor like snowflakes. She had been working for hours covered in glue, paint and ink she was sure she looked a mess. Of course he was perfection, always in an over sized black tunic the wide neck causally exposing the strong soft caramel skin of his shoulders. Their last few days together he barely had worn anything and it had seemed a shame to see him so covered now.

His fingers smoothed the spatter of purple paint that was streaked across her cheek, and kissed her. It had felt like an eternity since he had touched her mouth, his tongue rolling over hers tracing the soft slippery appendage with his own. The memory of her the day before as she moved over his body leaving a slick trail of longing behind her as she grazed his skin was a vision he was certain he could never forget.

"You had one more day and that window would have been locked for good." She smiled mischievously, walking over to the record player to turn down the volume.

"One more day?" He questioned following her.

"It's been three since I've seen you. I mean I know our two days were fun but I didn't think you needed that much recovery." She chuckled to herself thinking he had a bit more stamina than that.

"It's been three days?" He ran his hands through his hair nervously, he had wasted three days away from her. In the studio there were no windows, no clocks, nothing to signify the passing of time. He couldn't believe he was working on those songs for so long. He had wasted so much away from her. "I didn't know that window had an expiration date." He cooed trying to compose himself.

"It doesn't ." She smiled. "Mostly empty threats. I'll probably always leave that window open for you... probably." Her finger lovingly traced the edge of the stubble that lined his jaw.