First Love Lost - part 5
Alexis was in heaven, or the earthly equivalent. She had awakened in Christian's arms. Her head nestled in his chest, her fingers brushing his abundant chest hair. He always slept with his arms around her, as if to protect her through the night. She felt safe within his arms, safe and loved. She had never been happier in her life. Until three weeks ago she couldn't conceive of the kind of joy she was feeling.
Her childhood had been dark. Living in the shadow of Helena Cassadine had left scars. She learned to expect random acts of cruelty, from both Helena and her first born, Stavros. Her only concept of happiness was an absence of cruelty. She survived by her wits and the kindness of Stefan. It wasn't until he sent her to America that she discovered normal human kindness. The six years she spent there, helped her realize that life didn't have to be lived in fear. She could make a life for herself that was free of the Cassadines, free of fear, free of cruelty. She could find some measure of real happiness. But she never thought she could find the kind of joy she had with Christian. She truly believed he was heaven sent.
She watched him as he slept, listened to his breathing and studied the rise and fall of his chest. She could spend forever just watching him breathe. In the last three weeks, she had come to believe she could hope for more than just a measure of happiness. In the last 24 hours she had begun to plan a future with Christian. Twelve hours ago Christian asked her to marry him.
They were dancing on the terrace of his cave. The sun was setting, the best time of day. Christian sang to her. He sang the same Sam Cooke tune she had requested their first night dancing, but he sang only the third verse, in Greek.
At first I thought it was infatuation.
But oh it's lasted so long.
Now I find myself wanting to marry you
And take you home.
In his hand he held a heart-shaped, diamond engagement ring. "This is my heart. You stole it the very first moment we met. Now I wish to give it to you freely, to hold forever. Please tell me you will give me your heart. Marry me. Be my wife." He slipped the ring on her finger.
Three weeks ago she would not have trusted her heart to answer. Three weeks was an eternity. "You have held my heart since that day we met. It is yours now and forever." Her tears were flowing freely.
"I love you so much Alexis" Christian kissed her gently. He pulled a second ring from his pocket. "This was my mother's wedding ring." He showed her a gold band inlaid with white diamonds. "I want it to be your wedding ring."
"It's beautiful Christian! I would be honored."
"Good! Good!" He was almost giddy. "I want us to be married as soon as possible, before we go to America. Do you need a big wedding? Because if you want a big wedding I can wait, but I don't want to wait. I want you to be my wife now!" She smiled, a full dimpled smile that melted his heart.
"I don't need a big wedding. And I don't want to wait either. A small simple ceremony will be perfect. The only person I need is Stefan, and maybe Nikolas. He could be the ring bearer . . . Stefan is coming tomorrow. We'll need a day to get ready. I will have to get you a wedding band . . . "
"Then it is settled. We will be married the day after Stefan arrives."
"I will be your wife in two days?" Alexis was ecstatic. "Won't Stefan be surprised?! I'm going to marry a hirsute caveman from Santorini!" She giggled and moved her hands up his white linen shirt to where his chest was exposed. She loved his chest. She loved his chest hair. It was soft and copious.
"Hirsute caveman?" There was a gleam in his eye. "You think I am a hairy cave man!"
"Your chest is hairy." She pressed her lips to his chest. "I love your chest." She started to unbutton his shirt, trailing kisses behind her sure hands. "And you live in a cave, ergo hirsute caveman."
"That makes you my cave woman, wife to be!" He embraced her, lifting her off the ground.
"That's me, one happy cave woman!" She wrapped her arms around his neck and her legs around his waist. "I can't wait to be you wife!" She kissed his neck as he carried her into his cave.
Alexis moved to sit up in the bed, careful not to wake Christian. He shifted so that his head rested on her shoulder, his arms encircled her waist and he sighed. As long as he was touching her, he would sleep peacefully. Alexis took in his sleeping form and smiled. He was perfect! He was perfect and he loved her! She grasped her mother's ring. I'm getting married tomorrow momma! I don't know what I did to deserve this but I am so grateful Christian has come into my life! I think you'd like him momma. He's kind and strong but so gentle. He's very good looking. Oh and he's smart too, momma. We are going to have great kids. I didn't think it was possible but I might actually have found true happiness.
Christian stirred at her side. Alexis leaned her head to touch his. She reached for the hand that was resting at her waist and began to plant soft kisses on his palm. She turned toward him. The kisses lead her up his arm, to his shoulder, his neck, his lips. Christian responded. He was sure he was dreaming the best kind of dream, until her tongue parted his lips. Their tongues danced, exploring, demanding more. This was the best way to wake up! His eyes opened and were met by his favorite site. His sweet Alexis filled with desire and wanting him. "Good morning wife to be."
"Good morning husband to be." She pushed him on his back and pressed her body on top of his. He slipped his hands under the gray Harvard T-shirt she was wearing as a nightshirt. He moved his hands up her back caressing her smooth skin, taking the shirt up with him. When he reached her shoulders, they both sat up tightly embraced. Alexis raised her arms in concert with him so that the shirt could be removed. Freed of restrictions they embraced skin on skin. Christian moved them so Alexis was now on her back and Christian was on top. He pulled the covers over them both and began to work his way down her body. Alexis moaned with delight. It was good to be a cave woman!
Alexis was in heaven, or the earthly equivalent. She had awakened in Christian's arms. Her head nestled in his chest, her fingers brushing his abundant chest hair. He always slept with his arms around her, as if to protect her through the night. She felt safe within his arms, safe and loved. She had never been happier in her life. Until three weeks ago she couldn't conceive of the kind of joy she was feeling.
Her childhood had been dark. Living in the shadow of Helena Cassadine had left scars. She learned to expect random acts of cruelty, from both Helena and her first born, Stavros. Her only concept of happiness was an absence of cruelty. She survived by her wits and the kindness of Stefan. It wasn't until he sent her to America that she discovered normal human kindness. The six years she spent there, helped her realize that life didn't have to be lived in fear. She could make a life for herself that was free of the Cassadines, free of fear, free of cruelty. She could find some measure of real happiness. But she never thought she could find the kind of joy she had with Christian. She truly believed he was heaven sent.
She watched him as he slept, listened to his breathing and studied the rise and fall of his chest. She could spend forever just watching him breathe. In the last three weeks, she had come to believe she could hope for more than just a measure of happiness. In the last 24 hours she had begun to plan a future with Christian. Twelve hours ago Christian asked her to marry him.
They were dancing on the terrace of his cave. The sun was setting, the best time of day. Christian sang to her. He sang the same Sam Cooke tune she had requested their first night dancing, but he sang only the third verse, in Greek.
At first I thought it was infatuation.
But oh it's lasted so long.
Now I find myself wanting to marry you
And take you home.
In his hand he held a heart-shaped, diamond engagement ring. "This is my heart. You stole it the very first moment we met. Now I wish to give it to you freely, to hold forever. Please tell me you will give me your heart. Marry me. Be my wife." He slipped the ring on her finger.
Three weeks ago she would not have trusted her heart to answer. Three weeks was an eternity. "You have held my heart since that day we met. It is yours now and forever." Her tears were flowing freely.
"I love you so much Alexis" Christian kissed her gently. He pulled a second ring from his pocket. "This was my mother's wedding ring." He showed her a gold band inlaid with white diamonds. "I want it to be your wedding ring."
"It's beautiful Christian! I would be honored."
"Good! Good!" He was almost giddy. "I want us to be married as soon as possible, before we go to America. Do you need a big wedding? Because if you want a big wedding I can wait, but I don't want to wait. I want you to be my wife now!" She smiled, a full dimpled smile that melted his heart.
"I don't need a big wedding. And I don't want to wait either. A small simple ceremony will be perfect. The only person I need is Stefan, and maybe Nikolas. He could be the ring bearer . . . Stefan is coming tomorrow. We'll need a day to get ready. I will have to get you a wedding band . . . "
"Then it is settled. We will be married the day after Stefan arrives."
"I will be your wife in two days?" Alexis was ecstatic. "Won't Stefan be surprised?! I'm going to marry a hirsute caveman from Santorini!" She giggled and moved her hands up his white linen shirt to where his chest was exposed. She loved his chest. She loved his chest hair. It was soft and copious.
"Hirsute caveman?" There was a gleam in his eye. "You think I am a hairy cave man!"
"Your chest is hairy." She pressed her lips to his chest. "I love your chest." She started to unbutton his shirt, trailing kisses behind her sure hands. "And you live in a cave, ergo hirsute caveman."
"That makes you my cave woman, wife to be!" He embraced her, lifting her off the ground.
"That's me, one happy cave woman!" She wrapped her arms around his neck and her legs around his waist. "I can't wait to be you wife!" She kissed his neck as he carried her into his cave.
Alexis moved to sit up in the bed, careful not to wake Christian. He shifted so that his head rested on her shoulder, his arms encircled her waist and he sighed. As long as he was touching her, he would sleep peacefully. Alexis took in his sleeping form and smiled. He was perfect! He was perfect and he loved her! She grasped her mother's ring. I'm getting married tomorrow momma! I don't know what I did to deserve this but I am so grateful Christian has come into my life! I think you'd like him momma. He's kind and strong but so gentle. He's very good looking. Oh and he's smart too, momma. We are going to have great kids. I didn't think it was possible but I might actually have found true happiness.
Christian stirred at her side. Alexis leaned her head to touch his. She reached for the hand that was resting at her waist and began to plant soft kisses on his palm. She turned toward him. The kisses lead her up his arm, to his shoulder, his neck, his lips. Christian responded. He was sure he was dreaming the best kind of dream, until her tongue parted his lips. Their tongues danced, exploring, demanding more. This was the best way to wake up! His eyes opened and were met by his favorite site. His sweet Alexis filled with desire and wanting him. "Good morning wife to be."
"Good morning husband to be." She pushed him on his back and pressed her body on top of his. He slipped his hands under the gray Harvard T-shirt she was wearing as a nightshirt. He moved his hands up her back caressing her smooth skin, taking the shirt up with him. When he reached her shoulders, they both sat up tightly embraced. Alexis raised her arms in concert with him so that the shirt could be removed. Freed of restrictions they embraced skin on skin. Christian moved them so Alexis was now on her back and Christian was on top. He pulled the covers over them both and began to work his way down her body. Alexis moaned with delight. It was good to be a cave woman!