Magic

Chapter 11 - New Beginnings

The sun extinguishes into the ocean while Marcus and I snuggle under a blanket on the beach, with our feet buried in the sand. I realize I'm more intrigued with the exploding colors of the sunset than Marcus is when his lips graze my skin. At first I ignore him, focusing my attention on the sea, but his lips sink deeper. Resistance is pointless, I'm already addicted to him.

The warmth of his breath tickles my skin and sends vibrations through my body. I can hear his desire for me, even though he never says a word. I look back at him, but only catch a quick glimpse before he captures my lips in a powerful kiss. He slowly lowers us to the sand, our clothes fading away as we fall. We are skin to skin before my back hits the blanket.

Our kiss deepens. My legs cling to him and my fingers tangle in his hair as I try desperately to prolong the moment. I'm not ready for this to end, but already he's fading away. The sound of the ocean is distant now, and his silky voice is growing louder. I try to pull him in closer, but soon I'm clawing at air. Despite my best efforts, my sweet dream is over.

As the plea to wake up becomes clearer, I cover my head with a pillow, groaning with frustration. The dream was just getting to the good part, and I'm mad Marcus interrupted it. He couldn't wait just a few minutes? He chuckles at my frustration. He pulls the pillow from my face and greets me with his heartbreakingly beautiful smile. Not fair. He's using his secret weapon.

He's next to me, propped up on his elbow with a red rose in his hand. He slides the flower along my shoulder as his smile brightens. "You know, I can make that dream come true next weekend," he whispers seductively. "In fact, I can made all your dreams come true, even the naughty ones you haven't had yet."

"I'm going to hold you to that," I groan as I stretch. "So, is there a reason you woke me up before my dream was over?"

He places the rose in my hand and his lips on mine. "Happy Valentine's Day, my love."

"Happy Valentine's Day," I breathe when our lips part. I roll onto my side, still holding the rose, wishing we can fully celebrate our first Valentine's Day. "I thought we agreed this would be Alex and Eva's day."

He shrugs with a guilty look, while his fingers trace a line down my arm. "I know, but I can't let this day pass without sharing some of it with you."

"You've already planned something, haven't you?"

A mischievous smile envelops his face as he nudges his head toward the living room. The rooms transformation is a display of his love. The furniture has been replaced with a cozy table for two in an ocean of red and white roses. He wraps me in a white fluffy robe then he leads me to the table covered with eggs, bacon, potatoes and fresh fruit.

I enjoy my perfectly cooked eggs, while Marcus pushes his food around, disinterested in eating. He also has his thoughts closed off to me, so something's going on. "Talk to me, baby," I say sweetly as I stroke his cheek. "What's wrong?"

Marcus pulls my hand from his face and holds it between his shaking palms. "Nothing's wrong. Things between us are...great."

I frown when the words he really means slip through the door "Almost perfect? Not the words I expect to hear on Valentine's Day. What's wrong with us?"

"Nothing," he says quickly. His hands are uncontrollable now. "Nothing is wrong with us."

"Right, we're almost perfect." The words come out before I can stop them, and there's a sting of disgust that comes with them. "I'm sorry."

Marcus smiles, and his hands stop shaking. Now I'm really confused. "No, I'm sorry. I didn't mean we aren't perfect, we are. I just..." His voice cracks and he takes a deep breath before speaking again. "I love you so much. What we have is amazing, it's strong, and everlasting. You are my happily ever after, and I want to make if official."