Lily slept.  I watched her sleep.  I wasn’t sleepy.  Her fair skin glowed in the light of the candle, which still burned, nearby.  Lily is a morning person.  Early to bed, early to rise.  I was in the habit of staying up ‘til all hours.   So, I watched Lily sleep, and I listened to her breathing.  I had to tell myself not to touch her.  I didn’t want to wake her up.  It was more important that she sleep, now.  These past few days have been very full of people and activity.  And the next day, we would begin our trip to China.     I felt that it was safe to touch her hair.  I brushed it off her shoulder.  Then I pulled the quilt up a little higher over her.   It was cold out.  I thought that, maybe I could risk touching her on top of the covers.  That way, she probably would not notice.  I took my arm out from under the covers, and gingerly rested my hand across her stomach.  No reaction.  I edged a little closer, and relaxed.  I felt her stomach rising and falling with every breath.     I thought about the day’s events, how I had been only too willing to pledge, no make that vow, my eternal love and devotion to Lily.  And the touching way she had made her vow, how she said that she gives me every part of herself, and holds nothing back, and how she would honor and care for me, bringing me only good, never harm, that she would always love me, and never leave.  She said that she considered it her purpose to bring me joy, peace and love.   Then, she said that her vow was permanent and irrevocable.   I remember that part, word for word.   And, I believe her.  Wow.  If ever I felt like crying in my life, it was then, when she said that.  It was as if, she would rather die, than break my heart.  But, what she doesn’t know, is that my heart is already broken.  This love, that I possess for her (Or, does it possess me?), has crushed my defenseless heart to bits.  It’s history.     I started thinking about the previous four months, since Lily and I met.  I thought about my whole life, really.  The life I led before, seemed good and right, at the time.  But now, that life seems so flat and, well, sad.  I guess, it was because I was alone, and my life was about me.  What I wanted to get out of life.  I got pretty good at it, too.  I thought I was enjoying myself.  I probably was enjoying myself.  I didn’t know any better.  But, when love hits you between the eyes, everything changes.     Lily stirred a little, in her sleep.  I lifted my hand, in case that was the cause.   I was feeling such an intense desire to embrace her, and express my love to her, once more.  But, I just couldn’t bring myself to wake her.  I had waited a lifetime, for our first time together.   I could wait until tomorrow, for our second.  I rolled onto my back, so that I could look at the ceiling, instead of her.  I was hoping that would let me get my mind off of her, and onto sleeping.  It didn’t really help.  I could still hear her breathing, and feel her warmth.     I decided to get up, and blow out the candle.  I tried my best not to disturb Lily, but my movement caused her to wake up, just enough to roll over, facing my direction.  Her arm now laid across my side of the bed.  I took one last look, by candle light, at my beautiful divine angel, the Holy Innocent I had just de-flowered.  She seemed just as holy and innocent as ever.  I blew the candle out.     There was nothing else I could do.  I lifted up her hand, and got in bed.  I kept hold of it, and laid her hand down on my chest, my heart.  I covered her hand with my own.  Our wedding rings touched.  I pulled the covers up, and looked over at her.  But, I could not see her anymore.  I think Lily awoke, but only barely.  She seemed to be conscious enough to be aware of my presence.  She made a happy sound, and stretched a little bit.  Then she slept again.  I shut my eyes, and made a happy sound, myself.     I was awakened by the smell of something baking in the oven, and by the soft sound of singing.  I laid there, absorbing the fact that I was a married man, and life was really good.  I got up, and grabbed my robe from the closet.  I noticed that our clothing, which had been on the floor when I went to sleep, were gone.  Donning the robe, I went into the bathroom, to relieve myself, and give my teeth a quick once-over with a toothbrush.     When I came into the kitchen, Lily put down the mixing bowl she had been drying, and met me half-way, jumping into my arms.  "Are you awake yet, beloved?!" She exclaimed, then gave me a big kiss, ignoring my stubble.  I kept hold of her, and kept kissing her, as I carried her over, and sat her on the countertop.  "Breakfast… will be ready… in fifteen."  She got in, between the kisses.  There were eggs simmering on the stove.     "Yes!  I am definitely awake now."  I was glad to see her.  I was smiling, and I rubbed her thighs.  This was a welcome change, from what I had been used to experiencing in the morning.  It had seemed like getting up, when the time was still in the single digits, was positively unnatural.  But this morning, I had someone I actually wanted to see, waiting for me, when I got up.  And, it wasn’t even 9 AM yet.  I asked, "what’s in the oven?"     "Muffins," she answered, as I slipped my hands underneath her robe, and around her bare hips.     "Smells great."  I told her, "Fifteen minutes, huh?  What do you say we spend that time, having our way with each other?"  I held her more tightly.   She wrapped her legs around me. Lily giggled, and said, "yes, please!"     "Cool," I replied, grinning.  I carried her to our bedroom, as she started having her way with my neck.  "Shall we try a little different position, today?"     "If you think I’m ready for it," Lily answered.  I put my knee on the bed, and laid her down.     "It’s mostly the same."  I assured her,  "I’ll talk you through it."     "O.K." Lily answered, not knowing what to think.  I wanted to kiss her more, but concern about scraping her with my unshaven face, made me decide to use my hands and tongue, instead.     Lily apparently doesn’t need much foreplay.  Because, not even a minute later, she was squealing,  "pleeeease!"  And, desperately pulling at me.  I laughed for joy, but she was serious.     "All right," I began, as I got between her legs again.  "put your feet flat on the bed.  I’m going to put more weight on you, than I did last night."  Her heart was beating, but she had a happy look of anticipation on her face, this time.    "You sure are one orgasmic woman," I told Lily.  We laid there, in each other’s arms, waiting for the kitchen timer to beep in a minute, signaling that breakfast is ready.     "Hee hee," she gave me a giggle, in reply.  "Well," she explained, "they say that I would be nearing my sexual peak, at my age...  But, I also heard, that women never really peak, they just keep getting more orgasmic, as they get older."     "Wow, that’s hard to imagine," I said.  Lily giggled again.  "I mean, that you could get more orgasmic," I hastily added.     "Yeah, I know."  Lily replied.  I wasn’t sure, if she meant that she couldn’t imagine that either, or if she knew what I meant, before I explained it.  But, then I didn’t care, because Lily told me, "I love you, Rick."  She kissed my chest, then laid her head back down again.     I kissed the top of her head, and told her, "I love you, too, Lily!"  I rubbed her arm, and furrowed my brow.  How can those few words express what I needed her to know?  How could I communicate the depth of my feeling?!     The timer started beeping.  ‘Ooooooooh!  I don’t want to leave this room!"  Lily crooned.  She held me tighter, not wanting our time together to end.     "Don’t worry," I told her, "you don’t have to leave, just yet.  I will go bring you breakfast in bed."  The timer was still insistently beeping.  I made myself let go of her.   I put my robe on again, on my way out.     "But, it’s not the same without you,"  Lily pointed out.  I turned back around, and blew her a kiss.  I got to the kitchen, but I had to stand at the stove for a second, until I found the proper button to press, to get the thing to stop making noise.     I brought in Lily’s breakfast, and told her, "You eat.  I am going to go shave.  I can’t stand having to keep myself from kissing you."     "O.K."  Lily reluctantly acknowledged the need.  I took a bite from the muffin, and left again. I finished shaving, and went to get my own breakfast from the kitchen.  I noted with pleasure, that Lily was singing again.  I took my food back to the bedroom, but when I came in, she stopped.  I asked her, "Your singing is so beautiful.  Why do you stop, when I come in the room?"   She was done eating, and was laying flat on the bed.     "The sight of you is just so distracting.  You take my breath away."  Lily explained, as she sat up.  I must admit that I like it, when she tells me I look good.  She was smiling contentedly, at me. I sat beside Lily, and made it a point to kiss her, before I started eating.  But, I had to pay attention, to not spill my plate and cup.  While I ate, I asked, "So, what do we have yet to do, today, before we leave?"     "Not much.  The list is on the fridge, but I don’t want to think about that, yet." Lily replied, "…not in here.  I just want to be with you for a while longer."     "Yes, me too," I readily agreed.     But, since I made the mistake of mentioning it, Lily had to do a little planning, before she could relax again.  "Let’s see… I think we need to get out of bed by eleven, or maybe a little before," she told me.  "What time is it now?"     I put my cup down, and reached over to turn the night stand clock around, again.  "9:40," I answered.     "Good.  We have at least an hour to ourselves."  Lily had resolved that issue, and could come back to living in the moment.  She kissed me on the cheek, then just held me, as I finished my food. I figured that Lily might want to talk, so when I was done, I crossed my legs and said, "come sit on my lap."  She came and curled up in my lap, with her arms around me.  She didn’t say anything, she just listened to my heartbeat.  So, I started with, "so, how do you like married life, so far?"     Lily sighed, and answered, "heavenly."     "Yeah, that’s a good word for it: heavenly," I agreed.     "I’ve got another one: blissful."  She added.     "Blissful, yes!"  I laughed, and repeated, "yes.  I’m really glad you think so."  Lily looked up at me, when I said this, but she didn’t reply.  She just had that same beautiful, loving, happy look on her face.  When Lily looks at me that way, I find that it’s impossible to keep talking.  So, I just looked back at her, in wonderment, receiving that look, as if it were a priceless gift.  But Lily continued, staring into my soul, feeding me love, until I couldn’t take any more.  I could barely breathe.   Finally, I cried out, "Lily!"  I had to look away… "It’s like staring into the sun!"  I said, aloud.     Lily spoke, "I look forward to showing you how much I love you, Rick.  It’s going to take an eternity."

  Go to the top of this page.
  "Love Among The Ruins" by Sir Edward Burne-Jones, courtesy of CGFA.
  Contact the author of this page and "A Lily Among Thorns," by emailing LilyAuthor@excite.com
  Thank you for visiting!