Always Ch. 04

*****

Raph awoke in the early morning. He reached his hand over and felt the space in the bed where Riley should have been. He raised his head and looked around. He saw the French door to the balcony open so he slid out of bed and put a pair of shorts on. He tiptoed his way to the door and looked out. He saw Riley, wrapped in her bathrobe. She was barefoot, as she tended to be. She was leaning her forearms on the railing, looking out at the sun as it emerged over the hills to the east, bathing the land below in its warm glow, burning off a low haze.

"It's beautiful, isn't it?" Riley said without turning around.

"The most beautiful thing I've ever seen," Raph said, talking about the view of the landscape and her lithe figure, standing with one leg straight and the other with her knee bent and only her toes touching the balcony floor.

Raph stepped outside and walked up behind Riley, sliding his arms around her waist as he nuzzled her neck, planting soft kisses on her exposed skin. Riley reached up with her hand, holding the back of his neck.

"I can't begin to explain how happy I am right now," Riley said.

"You don't have to explain because I know exactly how you feel. I've pinched myself so many times since I met you that I should be just one big purple bruise."

Riley turned in his arms and kissed him sensually.

"Don't worry," she said softly, "we've got the rest of our lives to pinch each other."

"Forever and Always," he said before taking her into his arms and carrying her back into the house -- their house.