Note: Holy hot potatoes it's a year ago today since that amazing scene where our lovely Minx got it together in every sense…ya mean they had se…shush Muse our readers know what I'm talking about…yeah but I'm sure they won't object to a reminder…that's why I'm posting this…but Ela you're giving it a T when we both know you're well fit to do M …Muse!...what? I'm only saying….stop saying and go nap or something…spoilsport!...sorry where was I? Ah the anniversary, it got me thinking and of course that got me writing so here's how Minx might have chosen to celebrate that very special date. Enjoy ;-)
Filling In the First Anniversary
"Gabby sweetheart you need to pick one teddy, there isn't enough room in your bag for two."
Gabrielle Montgomery ignored her mother's cajoling words and chose instead to remove her PJs from her backpack so that she could stuff in Mr Snuggle along with Harry the Horse. Bianca watched in amusement as the little girl wrestled with the zip finally pulling it closed and turning to her with a smug smile.
"All done Mommy, can we go now?"
"Don't you think you might be needing your PJs?"
Gabrielle gave the aforementioned PJs that now lay upon her bed a disapproving glare.
"Mr Snuggle and Harry have to come so there's no more room. We got to go Mommy AJs in the car."
Bianca laughed as her precocious three and half year old give the PJs one more glare before shouldering her backpack and running from the room.
"What's so funny? And why aren't you in the car already?"
Marissa was doing a final check of the house, making sure windows were closed and sockets unplugged before they headed off for their long weekend away. She still wasn't sure where exactly Bianca was taking them; it was a surprise was all she could get from the brunette whose eyes seemed to twinkle more mischievously every time she said it.
"Gabby's decided she needs her teddies more than she needs her PJs."
Marissa grinned.
"Like mother like daughter then."
Bianca rolled her eyes.
"Hardly, I don't own a teddy bear."
Marissa sidled closer her gaze smouldering.
"I was talking about the PJs and the fact that you're as fond of snuggling as Mr Snuggles is."
A blush rose up across Bianca's neck and cheeks as she read the meaning in her lover's words and eyes. Marissa came so close they were practically sharing the one breath but then she stopped and Bianca couldn't bear the proximity without wanting more, she leaned in and closed that agonising distance between them capturing Marissa's lips for a heated kiss.
"Mom! You said five minutes ten minutes ago!"
AJs voice rang out from the stairwell and it was soon joined by his birthday twin.
"Mommy why won't you tell us where we're going? This is so not cool, it's like a 100 degrees in the car."
The couple finally separated when Gabrielle's voice joined her siblings.
"Harry wants the AC on Mommy and he wants to know where we're going."
Marissa chuckled as Bianca pulled away to grab her daughter's PJs from the bed.
"You know they're going to keep that up the entire journey, telling us now would save us an earful."
Bianca's shook her head refusing to give in.
"It's a surprise!"
/
Marissa sat on the same sun lounger she had chosen over a year ago watching as Bianca lathered Gabrielle with sunblock. The little girl was giggling as AJ and Miranda took running jumps into the pool creating huge splashes that threatened to reach the loungers.
"Mommy it's my turn. Are you done yet?"
Bianca rubbed the remaining cream into her baby girl's back before kissing the top of her head.
"All done off you go."
Gabrielle took a long run yelling out to her siblings as she leaped into the pool.
"Geronimo!"
The water skit up hitting Marissa's legs as the redhead got up to clap at Gabrielle's great splash.
"Wow Gabby that was massive, you go girl!"
Down in the pool the three kids were splashing and laughing and loving their surprise. Marissa turned back to Bianca catching the happiness and love so obvious in deep brown eyes.
"This was such a wonderful surprise baby, thank you."
Bianca stepped across taking her lover's hand.
"Don't thank me, join me. Kids watch out we're coming!"
The cheers and roars rang out as Bianca and Marissa made their run and jumped together joining their family in the hotel pool.
/
"This is the same room isn't it?"
Bianca nodded as Marissa closed the adjoining door on their three sleeping children and turned to her with an amazed smile.
"This is where you told me you were attracted to me."
The brunette nodded again.
"I couldn't hold it in any longer, you were so beautiful and so perfect and wonderful that I knew I couldn't share that bed without wanting you and it felt wrong not to tell you."
Marissa remembered those words so clearly, remembered too her choked response to them. And she had run, run away from the offer so obvious in Bianca's eyes because she wasn't ready to admit that she had felt it too.
"Did you suspect that I felt the same way?"
Bianca chuckled.
"No God no. I might have dreamt it on occasion but definitely never suspected it."
Marissa moved closer until Bianca was within reach.
"I dreamt it too, how many girls get to say that their dreams came true?"
Bianca kissed smiling lips.
"Two, you and I."
Marissa's hands began to wander seeking out favoured areas.
"I had a daydream earlier, how about we make it come true too?"
Bianca hummed softly as lips descended her throat.
"I'm listening."
The redhead decided to let her actions do the talking.
/
Hours later Bianca came awake to the feel of feather like caresses. Marissa was tracing her face with a delicate touch mind mapping Bianca's features.
"Why aren't you sleeping?"
Marissa smiled down into unfocused eyes. This was her favourite part of the day, waking before Bianca so that she could watch the brunette sleep. But it was Bianca's waking up that Marissa loved most, it was seeing sleepy brown eyes begin to clear and with that clarity there always came a beautiful radiant smile. It was almost as if Bianca had just woken up from a wonderful dream to realise that it hadn't been a dream at all which was just how Marissa now felt.
"I was sleeping but then a dream woke me up."
The redhead's voice had dipped in a familiar way leaving Bianca in no doubt as to what kind of dream Marissa had had.
"Uh huh so you had to wake me up to tell me about it?"
Marissa shook her head.
"No I'm not planning on telling you about it because I can show you instead."
Bianca's body came fully awake to the intent in her lover's eyes but Marissa did not follow her words through with anything more than a quick kiss.
"I woke you to tell you that I finally figured out why you chose to bring us here now."
Bianca smiled.
"Oh really?"
"August 16th was the day we first made love, that's a year ago today."
The brunette played dumb.
"It is?"
Marissa leaned down kissing smirking lips. The couple had had several discussion about anniversary dates neither really sure which would be the best date for them; was the date Marissa had declared her love better than the date Bianca had finally done the same or would the day they had made love for the first time be better than the day they had moved in together? Marissa smiled down at her teasing partner.
"Yes it is and you being the beautiful thoughtful woman that you are decided to combine that precious date with the place where we took our first step on our journey towards each other. Here in this hotel, in this very room."
Bianca smiled.
"Our journey towards each other, I like how that sounds. It's very romantic."
"Says the woman who just blew my mind with such a sweet and thoughtful anniversary gift."
Bianca twirled a tendril of red hair around her finger as she gazed up into beautiful hazel eyes.
"I wanted a do-over day. Last year after you left I had such fun with the kids but I missed you. And I knew you would have loved being here with us. You were part of our family even then. So I wanted to redo the day with you here, with us all here. But this isn't my gift."
Marissa smiled.
"You mean there's a gift on top of this amazing getaway?"
The brunette bit her lip, the action earning her a customary kiss that included a little nibble of her bottom lip.
"I'm your lip biter remember?"
"Like you'd ever let me forget."
Marissa rubbed her thumb along the puckered lip soothing away the teeth marks she'd left in it.
"So about this gift…"
"I don't have it with me, I wanted to see what you thought of it before I went ahead and bought it."
"Okay I'm intrigued, tell me more."
Bianca rolled over and reached into the bedside locker where she'd left her purse. Marissa eyed her with amusement.
"I know I was good baby but really there's no need to pay me for my services, your love is payment enough."
"Har har."
Bianca found what she was looking for and handed it to her lover. Marissa gazed at the picture in confusion. It was a ring, a very nice, very expensive very engagement type ring. This was not what the redhead was expecting.
"Em Bianca is this what I think it is?"
Bianca could see the trepidation settle in Marissa's eyes and rallied to relieve it.
"It's not an engagement ring."
The sigh of relief amused more than offended Bianca but still Marissa felt bad about it.
"Sorry God I'm sorry that sounded terrible, it's just I don't think I could do that again…not after…it was too much and then the divorce…"
Bianca soothed her lover's cheek.
"I know sweetie, I know. I don't think I could either. I love you, I'm head over heels in love with you and I want to spend the rest of my life with you so I definitely don't want to marry you…I mean…I don't want to ruin it…. no I mean…you know what I mean right?"
Marissa began to laugh as Bianca floundered for words.
"Yes I know what you mean. What we have, our family, our home, our life together it's perfect just the way it is. So why risk destroying it by getting married?"
"Exactly."
The couple smiled at each other.
"You know that would probably sound completely nuts to most people."
Marissa nodded.
"But we're not most people and I don't care what they think as long as I have you and we're together then it's all that matters."
Bianca pulled the redhead to her for a sensuous kiss.
"You will always have me sweetie. I'm yours forevermore."
Marissa's eyes began to glisten.
"And I'm yours."
"Now back to the ring that isn't an engagement ring, do you like it?"
Marissa refocused her attention on the picture of the ring.
"Yes it's beautiful."
"What would you think of us both getting one together?"
Hazel eyes met brown.
"This ring that isn't an engagement ring?"
Bianca smiled.
"It's an eternity ring sweetie, it would symbolise how long our love will last."
Marissa could feel her eyes begin to glisten again.
"For eternity."
"Yes."
The redhead sat the picture of the ring upon the bedside locker and pulled her partner to her.
"I would love if we both got one together but even more than that I would love to make love to you."
Bianca lost herself in the kiss Marissa bestowed and in the love she offered and made and promised for ever.
"Happy anniversary baby."