Aleksa had made Stinger promise to meet her here. She mutters to herself as she stands alone just outside the maze, "It's not nice to make a girl wait…" The night breeze is a tad chilly here in her pale blue spaghetti strap babydoll dress and heels. Her hair is up in a Russian style pseudo braid wound around to crown her head. Wishing she'd brought a shawl, she tries not to shiver.

From behind her a pair of hands reach around covering her eyes, "What took you so long?"

Pulling his hands from her face and wrapping his arms around her, she turns to face him in his embrace. "Where did you come from?" He's wearing an untucked black shirt with standup collar, top two buttons undone. The hems of his pants reveal bare feet.

"Inside the maze. Who waits for a tryst out in the open?" he teases. Then getting a look at her he admires, "Aren't you a sight…" before letting her go and sweeping his arm to usher her into the maze.

Around the first corner, the bees — which must be a cross with fireflies — light the way in various hues. This time the pair follows the path suggested and excitedly walk faster and faster, anticipation growing with each step.

Only 2 turns later, they're in the center. The garden is aglow in the light of the 3 moons overhead. Every flower is phosphorescent and smells even sweeter than this morning. The air is warm and alive with floating sparkling bobbing wisps.

"I swear that path wasn't there before," Stinger remarks with amusement as they run hand in hand to the center rise of the garden.

A little out of breath, Aleksa guesses, "Maybe the garden is looking forward to this as much as we are…" running a finger down his nose and tracing his mouth.

Chasing those fingers, he puckers his lips and catches her hand — weaving a trail up her arm and shoulder to just under her jaw. Her free hand snakes over his collar bone and around his neck, fingers dig into his hair finding purchase in the stripes. When he leans back to kiss her lips, she giggles and pulls her hand from his to wipe something from his face. Her fingers show a glowing dust - not changing the color of her skin, just making a bright spot. And he wipes a bit off her ear to show it was coming from the flower in her hair. Tapping her nose leaves an iridescent spot.

Nuzzling her neck he takes in the heady scent of the pheromones, this time heavily tinted with her lavender. Neither of them care that the garden is trying to influence them. It's a gift and they willingly surrender.

"I love you, Stinger Apini" she murmurs before nibbling his ear lobe.

Pulling her to him — one arm around her waist as his other hand starts to slide down around her curves - from her chest to her bum, his pulse his pounding in his ears. "And I, you, my incredible Lady Aleksa."

She steps back and runs a finger from his neck to under his chin and as her fingertips leave his skin, her eyes wily now - she makes a follow me motion with her index finger.

Chuckling to himself, he doesn't dally in following her up the stairs to the platform. Wisps in a lazy happy fashion circle them. Tugging on his shirt collar Aleksa pulls him into a deep kiss, as the couple descends into the glittery fermion field.

They step out of the beam into a grotto. Standing on a terrace, they survey the little tropical paradise. A freshwater hot spring with stairs leading down into it to their left and to their right a sunken bed open at the foot and covered in the same glowing flowers as the one in Aleksa's hair. Beyond that, are alcoves for them to explore. Several wisps seem to have followed them to light up the little cave as they bob in the air current.

Taking his hands, with eyes intent on him - she tilts her head toward the bed and pulls him over. "I haven't been with anyone in more than 20 years. Haven't wanted to… 'till you came along."

Brushing the back of his hand down her cheek and feeling her lean into his touch as she closes her eyes in the tender affection, he confesses, "Then we both have some catchin' up to do."

Slowly, she works off his shirt. Wings finally free, he lets them snap into place. Her hand reaches over his shoulder toward one, then jerks back a few inches. "May I?"

"I'm not breakable, if that's what you're askin'," he teasingly affirms.

It causes her to laugh, relieved she won't damage his wings.

Wrapping her arms around his neck as he leans in to kiss her, she runs a hand over the wing's smooth venation structure and papery film between. "Stinger, your wings… they're extraordinary."

Sitting on the bed, she scoots to the center and looks up with her bedroom eyes. He's mesmerized, as she pulls the pin out of her hair letting a cascade of soft curls fall around her shoulder and frame her face. "Come here, lover."

A quick buzz of his wings alights him at her side.

For this woman who truly loves him despite his faults, he desperately wants to give her a perfect experience. Thus begins their tender, passionate exchange of pleasures.

…

Laying next to her as he gets his breath back, he notices all the glowing trails on her body where they'd touched. Gliding a finger in a new path, he sees that section of skin shimmer too. She must have also noticed because she's kissing places on his face that she'd not before. Eventually the late hour claims them and they fall asleep in each other's embrace.

…

Stinger's the first to wake as light filters in from the window to the pond above them, and he brushes strands of her hair to reveal her face and chest. This time he notices the light freckles and lazily traces constellations.

Startling awake, she tries to place where they are and recognition dawns. She greets him with a kiss. "Good morning Lover."

"Did you enjoy last night, m'lady?" he asks and lays back - unsure he should have now that the question's out in the open.

She quips, "You need to ask?"

It earns her a grin.

He wonders how this amazing woman could really be here with him. Turning serious, he shares, "Love, you're the first in a long time to want me romantically, instead of a quick fuck from a famous drone."