Prologue
The blue silk sheets on the king sized bed glistened in the sunlight eminating from the open shutters. I stood in the doorway, my arms clutched around myself as I let out a wracked sob; my body shaking and trembling as my hands found their way up to my tear-soaked face. I hung my head and slowly slid to the floor.
I could still feel his warm hands on my waist and the way his soft lips touched mine. I could feel his breath on my face; the way he whispered my name softly as he kissed my open mouth. But that was all gone now, and I couldn't get the image of his furrowed brows, the way his lips curled up into a sinister, earth-shattering grin.
"You're mad," he screamed. "Completely out of your mind."
The memory of the hatred in his voice at that moment stung and the tears flowed from my eyes like a rushing spring.
It wasn't supposed to happen this way. We were supposed to be holding each other in a warm embrace, stealing quick kisses in the dark while there was nobody around. But now that was broken and I was left in a too-bright hotel room, alone, crying on the floor like I actually was out of my mind. And maybe he was right about that.
I stood, feeling utterly pathetic and walked over to the bed that felt empty as I sat on its edge. I reached my hand across the soft sheets and remembered the moment him and I had shared mere hours ago.
We lay clutched in one another's arms, our naked bodies intertwined as our lips moved furiously together. It was a steady rhythm which caused us to breath hard and fast. It was exhilirating and right and damn near perfect. His large hands caressed my body, his thumbs making circles on my heated skin.
"Do we have time?" I asked him, my voice hoarse and breathy.
He didn't say anything - simply smirked, and the sight of the dimple in his cheek mixed with the lust I could see in his green eyes, it send me reeling. Over the edge.
I hooked my leg around his hip and could feel his arousal beneath me. He bucked his hips up to meet mine and we made love with more passion - more purpose - than I could have ever imagined possible. His body moved in synch with mine and I couldn't keep my eyes off of him. He didn't know, would never know, the things he could do to my body.
I moaned in ecstacy as one last thrust sent me over the edge, and it wasn't long until he was tumbling down with me.
"Hhh... oh!" I groaned as he took my head in his hands and kissed me. His tongue was everywhere and his hands were exploring every inch of my body. I nestled my head into the crook of his neck and bit down hard.
The groan that escaped his throat was animalistic; the gleam in his eyes was dazzling.
"Baby, I fucking love your body," he moaned into my mouth.
I couldn't say anything - I was uttered speechless as I let his words sink in. Nobody in this world had ever told me the words that he did. And that was how I knew I loved him. There was never a doubt in my mind that he loved me, but when he told me those things, it made my body electric - sent my mind somewhere I had only dreamed about.
Finally, I unwillingly pulled my lips from his and took his face in between my hands. We locked eyes and I couldn't help the tears from welling. He kissed me softly again and smiled and my heart lept in my chest.
How could this one man do so many things to make me happy? How could this love I had found even been real? I thought.
I was euphoric. He was satisfied. We were infinite.
But now, here I sit, alone on the same bed where he had made me feel so special - so absolutely in love. It was only a memory now, and I couldn't face the fact that a memory was all it would ever be.