A Heart-Felt Wish

She sat in front of the mirror; staring but not really seeing as she ran the brush through her damp hair, the music played softly in the background. She paused; her brush still entangled in her hair listening to the lyrics, and sighed softly. She loved this song from the moment she had heard it, Ms Pausini's voice lifting wistfully to the haunting melody, a sad yet somehow comforting story of love lost. She pulled the bristles free and laying the brush on the polished wood of her vanity unit.

Turning away from the mirror she shivered slightly. Pulling her robe more snugly around her breasts she walked to the window, the soft pile of the carpet pushing between her naked toes. A slight breeze stirred the sheer curtain that protected the privacy of her bedroom. The window was large; it didn't matter, she was 20 stores up in the penthouse apartment of a very expensive complex that boasted all the latest features and security.

The apartment wouldn't have been her first choice but Michael had loved it, prancing around the large open plan apartment like a child in a toy store. She smiled softly as she remembered the pleading look in his eyes as he asked her for her opinion, silently willing her to say she loved it too and that they would take it. Of course, she had, she had never been able to refuse him anything.

As she pulled the curtain back she caught sight of her wistful smile in the glass. It faded quickly and the haunted look returned to the dark eyes reflected in the equally dark window. It was well after midnight, yet far below there was still the bustle of a large city. It looked kind of pretty from up here, she thought to herself. There were raindrops on the outside of the window, giving everything a gentle stretched effect. Suddenly the blackness was shattered by a blinding flash; a low grumble followed almost drowning out the soft notes of the stereo. Samantha shuddered again and let the curtain fall back into place.

Tears had started to streak unbidden down her cheeks. "Not a storm" she pleaded silently, "not tonight, please God. Not tonight!"

It was two years exactly from the fateful night when she had lost Mike. The weather had been just as bad as it was threatening to be tonight. They had gone to see "Message in a bottle" her hand searching out his in the darkness of the cinema as she heard the song - now playing in the darkness once more - for the first time. Tears glistened in both their eyes when the end titles rolled, they had laughed and made jokes about the air being smoky, all the while knowing that it was the film that had caused the dampness on each others cheeks. Then they had dined out at the fancy restaurant around the corner from the cinema to celebrate the fact they had moved into their "dream home" at last.

Later, they ran home through the rain, laughing like children, they had tumbled onto the bed and made long, slow love together, steam rising lightly from their damp, heated bodies. Closing her eyes on her tears, she let the memory flow, amazed that it was still so vivid even so long after; this one song always helped her to remember that night clearly.

Even now the thought of their love making brought a flush of warmth to her skin, a sigh escaped her lips. If she concentrated hard enough she could almost feel him there with her. Her fingers clenched, and she was shocked to feel satin beneath them. Opening her eyes she saw that somehow whilst lost in her memories she had moved to the bed and sat on the edge. The deep burgundy satin sheets crushed in her hand.

She drew a shuddering little breath, half sob, half hiccup and buried her face against the cool satin pillowcase. The bedding wasn't used that much now, in fact just three times since she had brought it. It had been on the bed that first night, her housewarming surprise for Mike.

It had been scattered with white rose petals when she had led him by the hand into their room. Scented candles filling the air with their heady fragrance. His eyes held more love then she could have ever imagined when he looked at her as they tumbled onto the bed.

"I love you so much Sammi! you do know that don't you?" He asked her, serious grey eyes intent on her liquid brown ones.

"Of course I know that you silly fool! But you could always show me" She smiled mischievously. Then she stretched her arms over his neck and locked her hands so she could pull him to her to kiss her.

That had been all the invite he needed and he had proceeded to undo her silk and chiffon dress with expert fingers. His warm skin brushing hers lightly as he coaxed the tiny, delicate mother of pearl buttons undone.

The light of the candle flames danced over them. His eyes never leaving hers as he slid the silk off her body. She lay there hardly daring to breath, fearful that her heart would explode with the unspoken emotion it held. She wanted to tell him how much she loved him, how she had waited for him all her life, how he was her soul-mate but somehow she couldn't find the words. His eyes stole away all power of thought and speech, yet somehow she knew he understood, that he could read the sweet torment in her eyes as they filled with soft tears.

"Hush now" he cooed, bending to kiss her tears from her cheeks. "I know babe, I know! I feel the same." And suddenly she became aware that he was trembling as he held her to him. He was bare-chested, she couldn't recall when he had removed his shirt but she couldn't deny the feel of his warm skin against hers.

He seemed to take hours, just kissing her, all over. Taking her salty moisture from her fevered flesh after coaxing her to yet another peak with masterful fingers. The pressure of his hard shaft against her body promising deeper delights to come. It was all a delicious blur, his touch all over her skin, enveloping her soul in a myriad of sensations.

Slowly shifting position so that he was above her he looked deeply into her eyes, almost as if seeking permission before he entered her. He must have seen something of her desire because he hesitated only a moment before steady increasing his weight on her. His hard shaft jumping slightly as her moist pussy lips parted to allow him to enter her. He never broke his gaze from hers as they moved in unison, their bodies fitting perfectly together as they slipped against each other and the satin below them.

When the orgasms hit them they both cried out, then held each other as if they would never let go again. For a long time they lay together like that, till his shaft withered to lie on her thigh. Samantha had thought he had fallen asleep and was reluctant to move incase she woke him, but he lifted his head and kissed her deeply.

"You're mine, now and always Sam, I am NEVER letting you go! Not for anyone or anything! Never forget that!" his voice shook but there was a possessive edge to it. She looked up at him and smiled, tears falling from his cheek splashed and mixed with hers.

She had fallen asleep contented in his arms.

Some hours later she woke, alone. Confused she rolled over and turned on the lamp beside the bed. The candles were just waxy pools on their saucers, the rose petals were scattered on the floor and stuck to her skin, and the bedroom was empty other then her. A loud crash of thunder startled her, moments later a bright flash illuminated the room.

Pulling the sheet around her as she stood she called his name softly, not receiving a reply she walked towards the en suite bathroom. "Mike?" she repeated a little louder this time to be heard over the storm, still no response.

Then out of the corner of her eye she saw a note propped against the mirror on her vanity unit. A white ghost after the flash had died away again. She walked over to it. Tucking the sheet between her ample breasts she took the note in a shaking hand and opened it. It smelt of his after shave lotion, she inhaled deeply.

Reading it as she walked back to the bed she started to sob a little, "Why didn't he tell me this earlier?" she thought to herself. It said that he loved her very much but he had to head out of town for a day or two, nothing to worry about and he would have a surprise for her when he got home! He apologised for not waking her to say goodbye but that she had been sleeping so contentedly he hadn't had the heart to wake her. He hoped she understood and would forgive him. He promised to make it up to her on his return.

He had signed it simply "M". She dropped the note among the crushed petals, curled onto his pillow and cried herself to sleep.

Sniffing Samantha lifted her head and wiped at the damp patch on her pillow. Standing she walked over to the vanity unit and opened a small drawer just under the mirror. As her hand touched the creased notepaper a blinding flash tore through the room. Jumping a little she reached for the paper again. The ink had faded slightly and the paper was fragile were it had been folded and unfolded many times but it could still be read.

Samantha ran her fingers over the paper, ignoring the storm outside as she traced the familiar "M" at the bottom. Her knees gave and she sat heavily on the stool in front of the mirror again. She took out another piece of paper that had been under the note. She looked at it as tears hit the surface with tiny splashes, her shaking fingers trailing the outline of the face she knew she would never see again. His eyes still so serious despite his laughing mouth, they seemed to bore into her soul from the picture.

The storm had raged through the night and it was barely light when there was a pounding on the door, "Ms Samantha, Ms Samantha open up please Miss" the frantic edge of the voice of her doorman came through the door. Half asleep still she slowly rose and grabbed Mike's robe from the back of the bedroom door as she padded towards the main door.

"Just a sec, I am coming" she called, "Hell, where's the fire" she muttered to herself as the pounding continued. She tugged open the door and the sarcastic comment died in her throat as she saw the uniformed woman behind her pale faced doorman.

"Ms Newman?" the uniformed woman asked politely. She could only nod in response. "May I come in please?" Samantha stood to one side, dread holding her heart and stealing her voice. As the woman passed the threshold Sam closed the door.

"Ms Newman, I was told by your doorman that you knew Mr Lawson, is that correct?" Sam only heard as far as the word "knew", tears threatened to fall as she crumpled to the chair. "Ms Newman, did you know Mr Lawson?"

The uniformed woman crouched in front of Samantha, "Ms Newman, I am so very sorry. Mr Lawson…"

Samantha looked up at the face of the officer, she was a pretty lady even under the solemn expression she wore. Tears coursed down Samantha's face as she watched the pretty mouth form the rest of the sentence, the pity in the dark eyes obvious, "Mr Newman was killed early this morning, the car he was travelling in was hit by another one that seemed to be out of control after hitting a flooded road. I am so sorry. I can stay with you till someone can get here, is there anyone I can call?"

A sudden gust blew through the room; her nerveless fingers dropped the photo and note onto the vanity. She lifted her eyes to the mirror and scrubbed the tears from her face. Then she froze, staring at the mirror. She wanted to turn but something whispered a warning into her mind not to, there was another flicker of lighting and briefly it seemed that there was someone stood behind her, someone familiar to her aching heart.

"Mike?" she whispered breathlessly, "Mike is that really you?"

The shadow moved a little closer, and she caught a faint puff of the after shave he used to wear. "Oh Mike" it was a soft sob, and she closed her eyes silently berating herself for being silly. Her mind had often played tricks on her after Mike's death, she would think she had seen him just ahead of her in the street only to go running up, touch his shoulder; and have a stranger turn to look at her with confused pity in their eyes.

Just then she felt strong gentle hands on her shoulders, pulling her back to lean against firm thighs. Tears swelling under her closed eyelids she let a soft cry escape her lips. Then suddenly as it had come, the sensation of being held disappeared. Her eyes sprung open with a startled cry as the loss registered.

Just as she resigned herself to the thought that she had imagined it all she felt a gentle hand take hers. Lifting her stunned face slowly from the hand that hardly seemed to be holding hers, her eyes travelled up a frame that seemed insubstantial, not quite there. Her tear puffed eyes met serious grey ones, which held just a hint of laughter. "Mike, how... Oh Mike" her voice shook with emotion. He held a finger to her lips and tugged at her hand.

She followed him willingly, her eyes full of wonder, hardly daring to breathe in case the illusion was shattered. He led her to the bed and laid her gently on the rumpled satin. His lips found hers and held them; it felt strange like a butterfly fluttering its wings against her skin. Slowly she closed her eyes and the pressure on her lips increased.

She concentrated harder, dragging every shared moment that they had together close as if to lend him strength. It seemed to work, the more lost in memories she was the more substantial his caresses felt.

Softly, so she couldn't be sure if it was the voice of memory or not, she heard him whisper "I love you Sammi; I always have and always will!"

"I love you too Mike, always, I have missed you so" She sighed contentedly as fingers pulled her robe apart to caress her skin.

His touch was like a cool breeze against her warm flesh and she shivered delicately. She felt ghostly lips caress her body at the dip in the base of her throat lingering over her pulse point. Slowly they moved down over her chest, pausing to tease a nipple into its erect splendour before moving on over her stomach and teasingly close to her now moist womanhood.

She arched her back and moaned as remembered fingers sort the very centre of her womanhood. He gazed at her face longingly as if to etch forever every contour of it as she moaned and writhed under his caresses. As she peaked she cried his name, desire dripping like honey from each syllable. He groaned and moved over her, she felt him enter her and raised her arms to hold him. She gripped his insubstantial shoulders and twisted her fingers through his hair.

They moved together, not saying a word, passion building with each thrust till they could hold back no more. Trembling Samantha cried out, tightening her grip on her lover, fearful that he would slip away from her again.

He stroked his fingers through her hair, "Sammi, Sleep now – it is all right!" She looked up into his eyes and shook her head, "I can't. I won't lose you again Mike, I couldn't bare it!"

"Sleep Sam" he commanded tiredly, and reluctantly she found herself closing her eyes. She felt him lean over and kiss her brow and she smiled in spite of her fear. "Never fear my love I will stay as long as I can, just sleep now and see what the morning brings"

"Stay" she begged sleepily, as she nestled into his chest. "Always" he whispered, though his voice already sounded fainter.

* * *

The sun was streaming through the window when Samantha woke, she stretched and smiled contentedly. She pulled the sheet around her and walked to the window, it was going to be a beautiful day, last nights storm a forgotten memory.

She walked towards her little kitchenette to put the kettle on, as she flicked the switch she felt strong, warm arms circle her waist. She smiled and nestled back against a warm firm chest. She listened to the steady beat of his heart for a minute before murmuring "You stayed, thank you." She twisted in his embrace so that she could look up into serious grey eyes that held just a hint of laughter.

"Of course" he replied as he crushed her lips with his, then raising his head to look deeply into eyes that were full of wonder, "I won't ever leave you again!"