Dindi Pt. 05

My favourite one, though, was the one he'd taken this night when it had rained cats and dogs and I couldn't go home so I had spent the night with him. About a month into our relationship -if it could have been called that back then. I was looking right into his eyes behind his camera, and I had this funny expression on. My eyes sparkled, even though I wasn't smiling. I had this tender, deep look on. One of lust mingled with a certain degree of affection, too. He had his thumb brushing my lips, which were slightly parted. Welcoming. The colourless of the image made the contrast between my dark skin and his pale thumb hypnotizing.

I smiled, remembering the exact thought I had in my mind when he took that. I was thinking just how much I liked him, and how much trouble I'd get in because of that liking.

"That's my favorite."

I snapped my head to the side, and my eyes landed on his mouth. A breath got stuck in my throat. All those days I'd spent away from him hit me like a train. His smell seemed to be stronger, the heat that emanated from him reached my body as if I drained it.

"Mine, too." I said. Returning my gaze to the picture, afraid of the fluttering feeling emerging from the depths of my body.

"Thank you for coming." He said softly, letting me hear real gratitude in his tone.

I shook my head, daring to look into his eyes. "You don't have to thank me. I wanted to come."

Travis rewarded me with one of his white, lazy smiles. The same kind of smile that told me from day one he was going to bring a whole lot of trouble into my life. I noticed, belatedly, that he'd cut his hair. Not all of it, but a lot nonetheless. Where before it was long enough to brush his shoulders when he let it down, now it was considerably shorter. The new length made it slightly wavy. It was neatly combed back, giving him a professional businessman look. His beard was still there, but cut so close to his skin, it was barely not a stubble.

An awkward silence found its way between us and my attention managed to detach itself from his face to take in my surroundings.

"How ironic is it that this song is playing right now?" I said when I realized Dindi was playing in the background.

"Actually, it isn't ironic at all. It should play a lot tonight. After all it's the theme song of this whole section." He said, and my hand was in his hair that unexpectedly, having gotten there all by itself.

He closed his eyes, taking a deep breath before opening them again and gracing me with all that blue.

"You cut your hair." I remarked the obvious.

He chuckled softly taking my hand away from his silky new hairdo, and keeping it on his.

"Lotte said I had to. She said I look like a hobo."

"Shorter suits you." I observed, sincerely.

Damn him. He looked all the more gorgeous and delicious now than when he had the whole lumbersexual thing going on.

"So," He said, clearing his throat. "What do you think?"

Travis gestured to the photographies, looking a bit uncertain. Why, I had no idea. When did he ever have any reservations when it came to taking pictures of me?

"Ah, I think you're a creep." I joked, happy to see him smiling. "I don't remember you talking half of this pictures, Travis."

His mouth changed into that grin that had beguiled me into sleeping with him. All white, perfect teeth. How was it possible for someone to smile so much?

"That's the beauty of it." His eyes sparkled dreamily while he looked at me on his photos.

He was looking at our favourite picture, and I could tell with absolute certainty he was remembering that exact day, same as I. I had this funny feeling under my skin. I seemed to be acutely aware of his presence. Even more than I've ever been before. More than when his naked skin was touching mine. I convinced myself it was just my imagination. I had missed him too much. Now I clung to every shift in his breathing to make sure he was really here, standing next to me.

"Is this how you see me, Travis?" I asked him, almost narcissistically thinking how beautiful I looked through his lens.

He gave me a look that made feel like a naive child. "This is how you are, Dindi." He squeezed my hand, reminding me it was still in his.

After two weeks without seeing him, that little physical contact was making my body sparkle. If he were to kiss me, or touch more of me, I was sure I'd dissolve and crumble down like a sand castle.

"Thank you, Travis." I said. His confused blue eyes met mine. "They're gorgeous. Truly fantastic. Thank you for making me so beautiful."

He couldn't know what I meant, but he had no idea what this gigantic display of affection did for me. He loved me, I knew that. Now I was seeing that. Seeing myself through his eyes. Seeing how happy I was, in every single one of this pictures. Happy because of him, because I was with him, because he made me that way. How lucky I was he had not given up on me yet.

His expression softened. He brought my hand to his lips, kissing it the way he had months ago, back at that cafe. When I had difficulty keeping my thoughts from scattering all over the place, and had almost thrown myself at him.

"You've always been beautiful, but I'm glad you like them. You just won me a lot of money."

At that, I jerked my hand away from his touch. "WHAT?! You didn't sell this, did you?"

Fantastic. He had just ruined everything in a span of seconds.

He laughed loudly, throwing his head back.

"No! God, no! Dindi!" The relief that overtook me was almost like a physical weight being lifted from my shoulders. "Lotte bet you'd hate this, murder me for it, then scatter my pieces around NY."

"What did you bet?" He knew I wasn't that fond of having my picture taken.

"I told her you'd understand."

I supposed I did understand. He'd told me this one time how photography has power. It could show the world as it is, but it could also show what's behind the curtain. Those things people don't stop long enough to see. How crazy in love I was with him and how in love he was with me showed on those pictures. Obvious through his eyes and in,mine.

"How much did you win?" I enquired of him when it became clear he wouldn't dare sell them.

"A hundred bucks." He said in response, grinning like the Cheshire cat.

"You're right. That's a lot of money." I rolled my eyes at him and the attitude earned me an impossibly wider grin from his part.

"Enough to buy you dinner?"

I gaped at him. "Wow, you're subtle."

This entire conversation had a feeling of déjà vu to it. It was impossible not to recall the other time when we both had been standing in front of a picture of me he'd taken, while he tried to get into my pants. Now he was everywhere. The trouble would be to get him out of every inch of me.

Travis's smile dropped at the corners, and a frown accentuated the lines in his forehead. It was one of those moments he could read me like a book and tell what I was thinking just by looking at me.

"You know that day in the elevator? When you were full on pervert mode?" He laughed the laugh I loved, forgetting the serious trying to overtake his features. "I swear to god I never in my life wanted to kiss a man as much as I wanted to kiss you when those doors trapped us together."

The smile on his lips slowly vanished until that seriousness won.

"I miss you, Morena."

"Travis..." I miss you, too. I was going to say, but he interpreted my tone wrong and interrupted me, thinking I would turn him away again.

"I don't know what else I can do or say to you. I love you. That's all I have. I love you. I want you." When he said this, he moved closer to me and put his hands on each side of my face, creating a shiver that ran through my body from head to toe. "I understand if you feel you can't be with me. We have a lot of things against us. I just want you to know that you're the most amazing woman I've ever met. I'm sorry I hurt you. I want you to choose to be with me more than anything in the world, but if you decide that you don't want me, I don't want you to close yourself. Let someone in someday. If not me, some other lucky fucker, who I never want to meet, but just-"

For a moment there I was torn between laughing and crying. He was being perfect. Just perfect. He loved me enough to wish me to be happy with someone else when all I wanted from life was to be with him. Only him.

"Travis." I put a hand over his mouth to stop him talking more nonsense. "I'm in love with you. I can't let any other fucker in because you're already there." He blinked several times, confused as I said the words I should have said weeks ago. "I'm sorry about everything I said that day. I didn't mean that. None of that. It was rubbish. I love you and I'm sorry I took all of my fears out on you. I'm sorry about-" His lips shut me up.

His relieved moan echoed inside my mouth. My fingers were tangling themselves in his hair, and my body was pressing itself to his just as fast as my tongue invaded his mouth. My goodness, he had such soft lips. His beard tickled me while he kissed me in a sloppy manner, holding me to him with such eagerness it was hard for me to breath.

"Travis..." I tried to speak, panting on his lips.

"Shut up and kiss me, Dindi."

His mouth crashed mine again. This time even more urgent, demanding more. All that I was willing to give, and what I held back, too.

I'd been so stupid, so scared. Even as I told him I didn't want him, my body hummed in his presence. It wasn't just the physical need for him, either. Those two weeks I spent at home, had me thinking of the talks we had. All the times he made me laugh. The late nights when I woke up feeling his warm body pressed to my back, while his arms encircled me, and made me think that that felt even better than his tongue roaming my skin.

Travis's breath was hot on my face when he finally broke the kiss. I even oscillated on my feet, dizzily waiting for my world to shift back into focus.

"You're staying, right?" He leaned into me, pressing his forehead to mine. "Please stay. We're a fucking mess, but it doesn't matter. Fuck my mother, fuck your fiancee. Fuck them all. Just stay with me" His face was so close to mine, I saw his eyes as a blur of blue. "I don't know what this will become, Morena. I don't know if it will last. Maybe we'll have brownish babies together, maybe you'll dump me for good in a week, but I want to try and make this work."

"We'll make it work. I promise."

I chuckled a strangled sound due to the tears falling from my eyes. Not tears of sadness, heartache or any kind of pain. Just plain and cheesy tears of happiness. Travis terrified me. The things he made me feel were terrifying. Be that as it may, I couldn't be without him anymore.

I weaved my fingers through his hair, marvelling at how soft and silky it felt. "Just so you know, Keegan." I tilted my head back so I could see him clearly. "I'll never forgive you for cutting off my hair."

"Your hair?" He asked arching a brow and giving a smile that had me wetter than rain.

"Yes. You got rid of my bun. What am I to tug at now?" I said, leaning into him for another kiss.

"I may have a few suggestions." He said maliciously, leading my hand to just where he thought I should try my tugging.

I had to kiss him again. By the time we had the strength to separate our mouths, people were staring at us as if we were part of the exposition.

Travis took a few steps back, but kept his hands on me while his eyes roamed my body.

"Dear Lord, do you know what you can do to a man in a dress like this?" In his eyes was that expression he wore when I was naked in his bed, begging him for release.

"No." I answered him playfully. "But I know what I can do without it."

"Come here, Dindi." Travis pulled me by the hand leading me away from the curious eyes.

I caught sight of Gee when we passed by him and Lance. Travis didn't even stop, I doubted he'd even seen them. George's mouth formed an excited O, before he held both his thumbs up at me. I mouthed a thank you I hoped he could see. Where would I be if it weren't for him, I wondered.

In a flash, George was out of my sight and Travis was closing a door behind him, locking us both in a little storage room. His mouth was on mine in the blink of an eye.

"Take your dress off, Dindi." He demanded, already shrugging out of his jacket. "I haven't had any sex in over a month because of you. Now you'll make it up to me."

I laughed, shimming out of my panties in such a hurry I might have ripped them. Travis grabbed me by the hips, lifting me, then sitting me on a flat surface that happened to be, conveniently, behind me.

"You creepy pervert." I said, laughing at his lustful expression.

He stepped in between my legs, gluing his wicked smile to my lips. "You just wait until I get my cock inside you, Dindi."

When he finally pushed himself in I felt my body welcoming him, being stretched open, happy to have him back to the place where he belonged. Inside of me. In every way.

****

*ONE YEAR LATER*

TRAVIS

"Wake up, Morena." I whispered into her ear.

She shivered, but had the nerve to pretend to still be asleep. Like she could fool me...

"Morena."

She still didn't move.

We had less than three hours to get ready and get to the airport in time to catch our flight. The plane tickets I'd given her for her birthday were about to expire. For weeks now, we've been trying to find time to visit her mother, but our schedules just wouldn't allow us.

She had a new job. I had a new job. We had very little time for each other. The good thing was that we lived together now, so all of the precious hours we could share were spent in our bed.

The woman liked her sleep. She definitely wasn't a morning person. It always took me at least ten minutes every morning to make her get out of bed. This time, though, considering I didn't have the luxury to waste the money I had spent on those tickets, she'd have to forgive my rudeness.

She was lying on her side, completely naked to my eyes' delight. Strange how I never got tired of looking at her. Same thing I saw every morning, and every night of every day and I still wanted more.

I climbed on the bed, approaching her ass with all the care in world, then let my teeth sink into the flesh of one cheek with a studied force. She yelped, sitting bolt upright on the mattress and almost kicking me on the chin.

"Ouch! You bastard!"

I started laughing so hard I actually rolled on the bed.

"That's not funny, Travis!" She straddled me, putting her bed warm hands on my chest.

"Well," I caught a breath, forcing my watered eyes open. She looked pissed, but I saw the shadow of the smile she was trying to hold back dance on her perfect lips. "I called you a million times. You should've woken up on your own."

"You said my name wrong, you twat."

"Oh, did I?" She loved my nickname for her. Calling her Morena was a sure way to get under her skin.

She was naked on top of me. My damn cock twitched, not knowing that if I started I would never be able to stop in time to catch that plane. To aid in my cock's case, Morena leaned in rubbing herself on my groin and biting on my bottom lip. She was up to no good when she knew we were already late.

"Yeah, you did. Say it right." She said, circling her hips over my increasing erection.

"Ah, fuck...What will you give me if I say it?"

She reached a hand down, grabbing a firm hold of my already throbbing cock.

"What do you want?" She asked, liking her lips.

Dindi knew well what she was doing. She knew just the power she held over me. I decided to tease her a little, though. If I gave in to her whims -or mine- chances were we'd never leave our room.

"Let me eat the last brownie." I'd gotten her a dozen brownies only yesterday. Today? There was only one left, just waiting to be eaten. How she could eat so much and still be so little was one of the greatest mysteries of the universe.

She straightened her back, forcing her face to form a serious mask. Her hands, though, still moved up and down, making my cock harder with every stroke.

"No, Travis. I'm sorry. I love you very much. But I won't share chocolate with you." She said, using such a composed voice I had to laugh.

"That's a damn pity, Morena. I can't help you, Mo -Oh, fuck!" She grabbed my cock harder, stroking and squeezing it until I was about to climb the walls up.

"Goddamn, Dindi." I hissed.

Then her hand halted.

"That's it! That's my right name, darling." She said, pecking me on the lips then climbing off the bed like all was fine in the world.

I was left hard, and on the verge of cumming.

She disappeared inside the bathroom, reemerging with the toothbrush inside her mouth.

"Get a move on, Travis." She said, leaning on the bathroom door with a hand on her hip. "You don't want to be late now, do you?"

God, I wanted to murder her. I knew she was trying her best not to laugh at me when I stood on my feet with my rock hard cock pointing right at the object of its desire.

"Of course not." I'd play her game for a little while longer. "I want to see my mother in law."

She huffed. "Of course you do. She'll spoil you rotten." Morena went back inside the bathroom and I could hear her mimicking her mother's voice in there. "Would you like some more tea, Travis? Here, darling, have another biscuit. Oh, Travis darling, do you want me to make you something to eat, blah blah blah."

I took the chance to get the little suede box I'd been hiding inside a shoebox under the bed for a month.

"She'll make you fat, then I'll have to break up with you." She added when she was back in my field of vision walking towards the closet to study its contents.

"I really hope you don't, Dindi. I'm pretty sure they won't take this back."

"Take what back, Tra-" She spun around and her eyes fell on the ring I held in my hands.

I'd been wanting to ask her to marry me for a while now. A month ago I finally got around to buying the ring. George had been in ecstasy when I had asked him to help me choose one. I knew she wouldn't want me to do anything like candles and dinner, getting on one knee and declaring my love in front of lots of people. Instead, I just stood there, naked, holding the ring George and I both had agreed had been made for her.

"Oh my god you want to bloody marry me Travis." She said the words in a string, without pausing for breath.

Her surprised face was a picture. She just stared at the ring, open mouthed and as still as a statue.

"How very perceptive of you, honey."

"You...what...I...fuck." She stuttered, not forming a single coherent phrase.

I'd been waiting for the right moment to ask her. I loved her like crazy. There was no doubt in my mind about that. I knew she loved me, too. All that fear and reserve she used as weapons against me when we first met were long gone now. She was solid as a rock. Sticking by my side through good and bad.

She had agreed to move in with me when I asked her to, almost a year ago. She'd convinced me to visit my mother as often as possible, even though Mom made a point of telling me, every single fucking time, just how great her disapproval of Morena was. That when Lola, Morena's mother, had treated me like I was her own son when we had met.

Most importantly, Morena made a point of telling me she loved me everyday. Every chance she got.

I loved her, and wanted nothing more than to have her as my wife. But she was having some trouble processing my wish.

"Morena Rose, will you marry me?" I asked the actual question, making her tear her gaze away from the ring and look up at me. "I love you, woman. I'm crazy about you. All I want from life is you. You better say yes or I'll-"

"Oh, shut up, Travis."