Impressions Ch. 04

The first thing Aren noticed when he woke up was Gin, half-dressed, beautiful, and cuddled up next to him. Now this is definitely the way to start off a day, he thought as he shifted to look at the clock. Eight in the morning. Well, that's early. Probably because I fell asleep on her as soon as we got here. She's such a doll; she acted like it was perfectly ok. I wish I could have done something else. Maybe I should make her breakfast.

He started to roll out of bed, but Gin, still asleep, whimpered softly when he began to let go of her. Well, so much for that. Breakfast can wait. I'd rather cook with her later anyway.

Maybe I can just drift back into dreamland, Aren thought. Maybe I could recapture that dream from last night. Damn, I wish I could remember all of it. The fragments are so good... Something about Gin. She was dressed sort of Goth. That I remember. Black, fitted, sheer, off the shoulder long-sleeved shirt over a dark red cami, black miniskirt, fishnets, and knee boots. So incredibly hot, not that I don't go for the rocker girl look, because I definitely do... this just fit too... Her hair was normal, and so was her dark, smoky eye-makeup. But she had on blood red lipstick and that choker ribbon necklace. I don't remember the charm. I wonder what she'd say if I suggested she dress like that sometime. It's not like it wouldn't fit her personality. We were just walking through a city. Holding hands. She was wearing a wedding ring... Can that be right? I'm probably just trying to remember it the way I want it to be... Everyone was staring at her but she acted like they weren't there. She only looked at me. We were going somewhere, but even in the dream I didn't care where. Pure euphoria...

His thoughts wandered away as he fell back asleep, but sleep didn't last long. He awoke quickly when Gin stirred, rolled over with an adorably sleepy grin, and nuzzled a kiss into his neck.

"Morning, beauty queen."

"Hey," she said, her voice still syrupy with sleep. "What time is it?"

"Early, still. Around eight."

She murmured something he didn't understand and snuggled herself back into him. Apparently not time to get up yet, he laughed to himself. He knew he would be perfectly content if they didn't do anything else all day.

* * *

Several hours later, Gin had made her way to the shower and Aren, feeling much fresher after his, was making spring rolls and yakisoba for lunch.

Just as Aren was serving the food onto plates, he caught motion out of the corner of his eye.

"Hey, baby," Gin said as she kissed him just below his ear. It always gave him goose bumps, which she seemed to love.

"Perfect timing," he said, smiling. He started to turn around to finish serving lunch, after taking a moment to appreciate the way her jeans fit her bum. Then he saw what she was wearing around her neck. A black ribbon choker. And the charm gave him a nice strong dose of de ja vous. The word 'love,' in Chinese. He had no idea why or how he knew what it said, but he had no doubt he was right. They sat down to lunch on the back patio, which had an incredible view of the ocean.

"Dude, I know my neck is cute, but personally, I think my eyes are prettier to stare at. Or my chest. What's up?"

"Oh, umm, nothing. It's just your necklace... I've never seen you wear it before."

"Yeah. It's not new, but I haven't worn it... well, ever really."

"Why?"

"Umm... no reason. Not an important one anyway."

"What does it say?"

"Love. In Chinese."

"I like it. If it were up to me, you'd wear it all the time."

She laughed. "I'll consider it."

He couldn't believe it. It has to just be a coincidence. I'm going crazy. I don't see the future. I don't get premonitions. I... well, it's just crazy.

"Your spring rolls are fantastic. And of course, I love yakisoba. I could definitely get used to your cooking."

"Thanks, cutie. Your cooking is nothing to speak poorly of. In fact, I prefer it over my own."

"Funny, funny. I make, like, three things well. Aside from baking, of course. And fancy cake decorations, but what good are those except at weddings and showers and whatnot."

"You could open a bakery. I swear, people would pay a small fortune for one of your cakes."

"Perhaps. But don't count on me opening a bakery in this lifetime. So, what's the deal for today?"

"No plans. Maybe go hang out on the beach. Get some sand between our toes. That kind of thing. If you want later, we can go into town. Apparently it's a quaint little thing. The lady who owns this place loves it."

"Ok. If we get bored that sounds good. I think I'd like to get all sandy first, though." The wicked little smile she gave him made Aren wonder just what was up her sleeve.

* * *

Gin was standing in the kitchen finishing up the last of the lunch dishes. She had insisted that Aren go entertain himself while she cleaned up because she liked being domestic now and then, and doing the dishes after he cooked only seemed fair. She could see him sitting out on the patio. He had a sketch pad and seemed to be intensely focused on the beach house. I wonder what he's drawing out there...

She put the last plate in the cabinet and strolled out onto the patio.

"What's up, baby?" He sighed. She was barefoot. Which seemed only natural. She was very vain about her feet, but in his opinion she had every right to be... they were inordinately cute.

"Just seeing why you were drawing the beach house instead of the scenery. It doesn't even seem like it would be the best viewpoint from here. But I trust your artistic intuition. Can I see?"

"Sure. But I wasn't drawing the beach house, exactly. It was more like something inside."

Gin looked at the sketch, only to see herself, standing in the kitchen window drying a plate. The image was so simple, but never before had she seen herself through Aren's eyes. It brought a smile to her lips and nearly tears to her eyes. In the drawing, she looked so warm and happy. The only thing she could do was flop down in his lap and wrap her arms around him. Kissing on the shore sounded like the best thing in the world. The sketchpad fell out of his hand and hit the wooden plank patio as her lips pressed to his.

* * *

The sun was nearly completely set by the time Gin and Aren strolled their way back up the shore to the beach house. They had been walking and playing and snuggled up kissing on rocks all afternoon. It had been a beautiful day, but with sunset, the ocean breeze felt chilly. The relative warmth of the beach house felt nice to Gin.

"You have sand in your hair, beauty queen," Aren teased as he ran his fingers through it.

"Only because you put it there," she retorted.

"Go ahead and take a shower, if you want. I'll start dinner." Why on earth is she blushing? She's taken a shower with me around several times... He figured it out only seconds later.

"Umm, baby..." Gin said as she stepped closer to Aren. "Would you like to come with?"

Aren didn't say a word, but scooped Gin up in both arms and carried her into the bathroom, not even bothering to kick the door closed. Wow, now I'm blushing, he thought to himself. She just gets to me like that though.

He set Gin down and stepped back. She began to pull her top off, but he caught her wrists.

"May I?"

"Be my guest," she said. Her blush was entirely gone, except for a healthy rosy glow. He could tell it wasn't at all from being nervous but from having fun. This was play to her. Not that he doubted that she cared about him. A wickedly playful grin formed on her lips. What have I gotten myself into... He couldn't resist bending down to kiss her, full on. She parted her lips easily and in mere moments had him panting for breath by alternately nipping his bottom lip and doing tricks with her tongue.

She stood still for him as he looked at her; slowly, from head to toe and back up. Then, he reached for her. He ran his hands through her hair, then down over her shoulders and down to her hips. He held her for a moment, looking into her eyes; seemingly to make sure she wanted to continue. Gin nodded slightly and he moved for the hemline of her shirt. She raised her arms as he gently pulled it over her head. He ran his hand down her bare stomach, unfastened her jeans, and slipped them over her hips. She stepped out of the pile of clothing toward him, now nearly leaning against him. He slid his hands around her ribcage and unfastened her bra and let it fall from her shoulders. She sighed as he hooked his thumbs under the hip bands of her panties and slid them slowly down her hips.

She stood before him, totally naked. She thought she would be a little nervous, but she wasn't. His presence, while exciting, calmed her nerves. The tenderness and happiness and the little lusty glint she saw in his eyes as he gazed at her made her willing to do anything he wanted.

She reached for him, looking into his eyes for approval. He nodded and shivered when her hands met his sides. Aren's breathing had already grown slightly heavy. He knew he was in for a long night. He wasn't planning on going all the way with Gin tonight, but he didn't necessarily object to that.

Gin slid her hands under his t-shirt and pushed it up. Her raised his arms for her and helped it off over his head when it got too high for her to reach. He was more interested in her hands on the waistband of his jeans. He looked down to see her slender artist's fingers tracing lines from his navel to his waist band, back up, and then across his stomach just above his jeans.

"Ahh, Gin. Baby, please, just go for them," he nearly panted. She was having the time of her life teasing him. Good god, she certainly knows what she's doing. If she doesn't, she's a hell of a good guesser.

"Aww, you don't like it?" she pouted chidingly.

"Oh, I do. I definitely do."

She didn't respond, but quickly unfastened his jeans. She slipped them down gently, having little difficulty accommodating his excitement. She did the same with his boxers, taking note of his tremble as her fingertips grazed his cut lines. Then she took in the sights.

He pulled her to himself, making sure she would feel his hardness on her stomach. She was so soft. He knew she was from sleeping with her, but he had never touched her completely natural before. She was so beautiful. He thought she looked like a goddess.

Gently guiding her in reverse, he moved to turn on the shower. Making sure the water had warmed up, he lifted her up and set her inside.

They took much more time than necessary to wash one another's hair and bodies. Each loved simply to touch the other's body, but neither was in a hurry to go too far too quickly. Both were physically ready for a long night of making love, but, again, neither was in a hurry to go too far too quickly.

They kissed and cuddled and touched, but kept it as innocent as naked people in a shower can. When they were effectively clean and both breathing heavily, they stepped out of the shower and dried one another off. It was the most tender, affectionate moment either of them had experienced.

The held onto one another's bare bodies one last time before dressing. Then they went into the kitchen for dinner, Aren staring at Gin's backside the whole time. Damn, who would have thought it could look better naked than it does in those jeans. I'm a lucky man.

* * *

Gin was thrilled with the way things were going. It wasn't exactly what she was expecting, but she couldn't have been happier. She really was ready to give it up to him, but going slow seemed definitely like the better choice. It wasn't like they weren't going to have sex eventually. They were. They were just getting completely comfortable with one another. What better way than giving one another a shower, Gin thought.

She and Aren made tequila lime grilled chicken salads for dinner. For the first time since they had been dining together, Gin and Aren neglected the dinner dished. They went directly to a pile of pillows Gin had constructed in front of the French doors in the living room, which looked out to the ocean. They curled up together and Gin began reading aloud from one of the fantasy novels Aren had brought her.

She could feel he was hard again against her back, but his breathing was steady, so she just soaked up the moment. There will be plenty of time for all that later. What's this called... delayed gratification? One of my Zen principles. Gotta love it. She laughed and began running her fingers idly through his hair as she read. Plenty of time for all that later. Plenty.