Chapter 5 Our Firsts
Back at the apartment, Sly was just finishing up helping Carmelita pack. As she placed the last of her clothes she had space for into her suitcase, she zipped it up and looked to Sly. "Well, I think that's everything," she said to him as they sat together on the floor. "I'll put the rest in storage for the time being."
He took one of her delicate hands. "So…you think you'll be able to handle life with my eccentric gang?" he asked.
She smiled. "It will certainly be interesting," she answered with a laugh. "To say the least. But I think it'll be kinda fun too. Like…an adventure."
Sly grinned at her enthusiasm. It would be an adventure they would take together. "I'll sure miss this place though," he said. "Man did we ever have some incredible times in this room."
Carmelita smirked and shoved him lightly, causing the coon to snicker.
He then helped her up. "Alright, you ready to go?"
Suddenly she gasped. "Oh, I almost forgot!" She dropped her suitcase and dashed over to her chifferobe in the corner of the room, opened it, and dug around until she pulled out three familiar objects. She then turned and walked over to Sly with a knowing smile on her lips.
Sly stared at the objects in her hands in disbelief. "Ar-are those—"
"Yep!" she said with a smile. "The handcuffs you used to trap me on that bridge on the Krack-Karov Volcano, right after you kissed me for the very first time."
He'd always wondered what had happened to those.
He then pointed to the shriveled rose in her other hand. "And that's-"
She nodded. "The rose you left me with, complete with calling card, after we tangoed together at Rajan's palace."
He stared at the last object. "And this must be..."
Carmelita looked over the empty bottle of champagne in her left hand and grinned. "The champagne bottle-"
"From the night we first made love," Sly finished her sentence in a gentle murmur, nodding. And what a marvelous night it was.
He smiled, and laughed softly. "You actually kept these?"
"Of course," she answered. She set the empty bottle onto a nearby side table, continuing to hold the other objects. "I told Barkley that I'd lost the handcuffs so he'd issue me a new pair. Boy was he livid," she said with a devilish grin. "See, I'm quite sneaky too, when I wanna be. And the rose may have died, and the champagne may be long gone, but the memories last forever."
He gazed into her eyes and grabbed her waist to pull her closer. "And why are all those memories so important to you, Ms. Fox?" he asked in a silky murmur.
Holding each object in one hand limply at her sides, she looked up and met his gaze, her ears folded downward slightly. "B-because…they were firsts we shared…first kiss…first dance…they're very special to me."
"You're very special to me, Carmelita," Sly spoke softly.
Carmelita's lower lip trembled slightly. "Y-you're very special to me too," Carmelita whispered.
He gently took her soft face in his hands and could hear her heart thumping fiercely in her chest. "You know, when I kissed you on that volcano, it wasn't just escape-driven manipulation," Sly admitted.
"No?" she whispered, barely audible.
He shook his head. "It's also because I wanted to take a chance, because it was right then and there that I knew," he told her.
"Knew what?"
He smiled amorously, his caramel eyes warm as he looked down at her. "Knew that I loved you of course, was in love with you. Knew that I had it bad for the feisty fox that was always hot on my trail, pursuing me." He then leaned in close to whisper in her ear. "And crazy as it sounds, I'm even more in love with you now."
She trembled even more at his words as a shiver ran down her spine. She knew he loved her, but had never actually told her until this moment. "I-I love you too Sly, and…I'm in love with you…too."
Slowly, their lips met, and Carmelita could feel her feet leave the floor as Sly lifted her up. She dropped her memory treasures and lightly wrapped her arms around his neck. Sly embraced her tightly around her waist as the tender kiss intensified, their lips meshing together softly, perfectly. Both their hearts raced with newfound passion and desire. Their relationship had ascended to a whole new level.
When he broke away, his eyes dropped to her swollen belly. He smiled and slowly placed a hand on it. "And now we have another first together Carm," he whispered.
Carmelita placed her hands on his and a happy tear trailed from one of her eyes.
Short chapter, I know. Short but sweet, yes?
If you've read this far, I hope you continue, because the danger and suspense of the awaiting adventure is worth a read!