Chapter 4: Once Again
Kem's thoughts return to the present, where John is tilting her chin up to his face. Her deep brown eyes return his intense gaze, as her mother's question fills her thoughts, "Which life will you choose?"
She places her slender, delicate hand on the back of his neck and gently urges his mouth to hers. Oh, how she's missed that mouth, she thinks as they begin to kiss.
It's a gentle kiss. A kiss meant to erase the anguish of their separation, and it is filled with the taste of their mutual tears.
When they finally part, both lovers feel like an eternity has passed, and even so the time spent during their kiss was still too short.
No words are spoken and then in a hushed barely audible voice, Kem says, "I love you."
John stares at her intently, but does not speak. Myriad thoughts race through his head. Weren't these the words that he wanted to hear? So why didn't he say something? Was he in love with the prize? Or had he onlybeen in love with the pursuit?
"I love you so much", she continues in a somewhat louder voice that is still tinged with the euphoria of their recent kiss.
He continues to stare at her intently as he measures the light weight of her in his arms. He raises a hand to caress her face – a face whose features are so exquisitely delicate that every time he sees her she makes him think of a porcelain doll maker's masterpiece effort.
A wide smile begins to grow on his face as he thinks, Oh my God, she really is the one…The feel of her…The taste of her. She really could break his heart.
He wants desperately to tell her again that he loves her but he cannot seem to get words to come out of his mouth. Instead, he pulls her close to him again and as he does his mind fills with the memories of their first all-night talk, their first kiss, and their first time as lovers.
One thought now dominates all others in his mind – their kiss this time would not be gentle and would not be innocent.