Major Arcana: Sex, Love, and Tarot

He lowered his hands to her hips and began rocking her up and down. Letting go, Rosemary relaxed into his embrace. Her body followed his lead, feeling the strength in his arms as he raised and lowered her on his erection. Although his hips didn't move, she felt each penetration like a raw thrust.

"For a long time, I was angry about my legs," Fabricio went on, moderating his tone, filling in the pauses in their lovemaking with his words. "That was before I realized how goddamn lucky I am. Since I was twelve years old, I've been figuring out my body and how to use it. Do you know how many parapalegic guys have to totally change their idea of what sex is? What orgasm is? I never did, that's how much luck I've got. Who cares if it feels different for me than for other guys; I'll never know, so don't worry about it. I can give you everything you need. I can get hard for you. I can come for you. One day," his voice was back to a whisper, matching the rhythm of his arms guiding her down, "I can even give you a baby."

She moaned, surrendering to his seductive words, and his touch. Rosemary felt her inner muscles tighten, her core aching with the need to be filled. Never had she felt this turned on. He filled her body and her mind, the complete lover.

"You'd like that, Rosemary?" he said softly in her ear.

"More than anything."

"Then let me give it to you. Let me give everything to you."

It was all too much; Rosemary cried out as she felt her orgasm building. Fabricio let go of her hips so she could move, and she rocked herself rapidly against his cock, feeling it hit her G-spot with rhythmic bumps. Holding her with one strong arm, Fabricio maneuvered his free hand down between them and pressed his thumb against her clit. Rosemary gasped, shuddered, and abandoned her body to the whooshing ripples of pleasure.

Somewhere in the midst of her climax, she reached for Fabricio's chest and found his nipples. Gently she pinched them between her fingers, but even that light touch seemed to affect him like a wrench. He grunted sharply, throwing back his head and gritting his teeth.

"Holy sh—I'm coming," he hissed, and his fingers clenched on her buttocks as his torso began to jerk in the harsh, helpless throes of orgasm. Rosemary tightened her thighs around his hips, spread her hands wide across his chest, and held on for the ride.

They sat together, her on his lap, both breathing heavily for several minutes afterwards. Rosemary layered tiny kisses along his jaw line and neck, tracing a trail back up to his lips. Fabricio cupped her ass in his hands, squeezing with teasing pressure—a sexy reminder of her earlier spanking. Eventually, Rosemary nuzzled his neck and stood, releasing their bodies from their intimate connection.

"That was amazing," she murmured.

"Hell yeah, it was." He pulled her into a generous kiss. When he looked up at her again, his eyes were soft and hopeful. "Did you, ah, plan to stay the night?"

Rosemary smiled timidly. "I didn't know. I brought a bag with all the stuff I need for tomorrow... just in case."

Fabricio's smile lit up the whole room. "Fantastic! God, you are wonderful." He kissed her again, deeply and with tongue. "I can't wait to sleep next to you tonight. And wake up next to you tomorrow. Maybe have a little more of this in the morning..."

"Set your alarm early, then," Rosemary said with a laugh. "Because I have to be at work before eight!"

"You got it."

With a happy sigh, he rolled away enough to finish taking off his jeans and underwear, replacing it with a pair of gray sweatpants. Then he clicked the armrests back into the wheelchair. All of this seems like such a process, Rosemary thought. I'll just have to get used to it, I guess. Just know some things take longer, some things will be different. Everything will be better, though. With him.

Finally dressed, Fabricio wheeled over to his desk and grabbed a little bag out of the top drawer. Seeing her curious look, he smiled and said, "Catheter. Gotta do it. Be right back... and you'll be in bed, waiting for me, right?"

With a flirty twist of her hips, Rosemary leaped into his tiny dorm-sized bed. Fabricio chuckled. "Oh, now you do what I ask. Don't want another spanking, then?"

"Not tonight. Maybe tomorrow..."

Shaking his head, still laughing, he rolled out the door, careful to close it before anyone in the hall could catch a glimpse of Rosemary inside.

*

They made love again, waking in the early hours of the morning with passion overwhelming any desire for sleep. Fabricio, it turned out, was amazing at oral sex. Rosemary decided she must have found the world champion of cunnilingus. As she lay back against his shoulder, spent and panting after her second orgasm of the night, Fabricio leaned over and kissed her cheek.

"This is unbelievable," he whispered. "But when we tell our kids how we met, let's just mention the art museum, okay?"

Chapter 15: The Star

They fell into romance like a Hollywood movie. After dragging herself to work the next day, Rosemary went home, packed a bag with the necessities, and promptly moved into Fabricio's room. For the next two weeks, they did nothing and saw no one besides each other. Work and school excepting, and then Rosemary felt like she was counting the minutes until they could be together again.

It was amazing how easy they were together. Rosemary could never have believed it possible, to find someone who matched her so well. On Friday night, she lounged naked in his bed, nibbling on a plate of fruits, cheese and crackers he'd brought up from the dining hall. Fabricio sat in his wheelchair beside her, lazily stroking her ankle.

"We should adopt a Pit Bull," he said suddenly.

"Why a Pit Bull? Why not, I dunno, a Beagle?" Rosemary asked, popping a grape into her mouth. She chewed slowly, enjoying the fresh, cool burst of it. This moment—him, the light through the window, the green grapes; all of it felt exactly as it should be.

"Because they're sweet dogs, and so misunderstood. You know, there are more Pit Bulls in kill shelters than other breeds? People think they're dangerous. Fighting dogs. But that's not the way it needs to be. No animal should have to suffer just because people are idiots. Plus, they're actually sweet. Did you know they used to be used as nanny dogs for kids on the farm?"

Rosemary rolled onto her side, offering him a view of her breasts as she leaned up.

"Okay, a Pit Bull," she said. "We'll name it Mr. Pickles and it will be adorable."

"Nah, we'll call her Dawn. Like a new day." He chuckled, bent down and kissed her on the lips. "She'll be super protective and intimidate everybody, but secretly she's a softy."

"Like somebody else I know..." Rosemary twined her arms around his neck, like ivy vines, pulling him close. They kissed for a long, silent time. Moments stretched into hours. By the time they finished, grapes had rolled all across the floor.

*

On Saturday and Sunday they did nothing besides lolling in bed, ordering pizza, watching mindless TV series on Netflix, and making love. They took their time, gently exploring one another's bodies, figuring out what their partner loves. Rosemary discovered that normal sensation for Fabricio ended a couple inches below his belly button; by stroking one finger right at the edge, and dipping her tongue into his navel, she could have him moaning and twisting in seconds. His nipples were amazingly sensitive, which already had her thinking about fun toys for the future.

The strength in his arms and hands was unbelievable. He held her by the hips, supporting her above his mouth as he licked and sucked, forcing her to come—shaking; helpless, braced against the wall and shuddering between his hands. For his part, Fabricio was very visual. He loved watching her suck his dick; or ride him, back arched and torso undulating as she rubbed at just the right spot.

They spent hours talking. More and more, Rosemary got the feeling that they'd been together for months, instead of mere days. The way they thought, communicated, planned and dreamed for the future—it all seemed impossibly perfect. Though she'd never been one for signs and destiny before, Rosemary began to feel like they were fated to be together. Like they had been made for one another.

By the time Monday rolled around, they were both exhausted. Not to mention sore from all the sexual positions they'd tried out. Rosemary trudged off to work and Fabricio wore dark sunglasses to class, so he could snooze. It was hard to focus on the kids, with Fabricio always on her mind, and Rosemary made several dumb mistakes. She muddled through more or less unnoticed, though, until Latysha showed up to relieve her.

"Girl, you sick?" Latysha blurted.

Rosemary turned to her with dreamy eyes. "Hmm?"

"Uh huh." Latysha gave a curt nod. "Yeah, you sick all right."

"No, just tired. I had a busy weekend, didn't sleep much."

"Yeah, and I can tell you why. You was in bed with somebody all weekend, weren't you?"

"How did you know?" Rosemary asked, truly shocked.

Latysha shrugged. "I got an eye for these things. And you got the look of somebody who is not doing okay. You're sick with love. Worst kinda sick there is."

"What's the cure for it?"

"Marriage. That's the only thing can fix love."

Rosemary thought this over on her bus ride back to Fabricio's dorm. Was she a total idiot to be thinking about marriage with a guy she'd only just started dating? Did it even make sense to bring it up to him? She hadn't used the 'L-word' yet, but Latysha had done so right away... so did that mean she loved him? How would she know?

All her good questions were erased with a single kiss. Fabricio drew her into his lap, tilted her head back, and slipped his tongue into her mouth. And with that, Rosemary was lost in passion for yet another day.

*

By Wednesday Thyme was starting to get concerned. He'd sent several texts, none of which Rosemary had answered. When he actually called and left her a long, convoluted message, she knew it was time to get back on the grid.

Also, she was running out of underwear.

After work, Rosemary texted Fabricio to let him know she would be a little late, and hopped on a bus toward her North End neighborhood. It felt strange to enter her apartment after so many days away. Her empty rooms felt accusing, as if the furniture was grumpy about having been left alone so long. She laughed at the kitchen table's squatting indignation.

"Hey, don't be like that!" she told it. "I still pay rent here, so I'll be back."

She wandered through her bedroom, grabbing underwear and a few other things as she went. It was only on the way out, when glancing over at her bookshelf, that Rosemary remembered the Tarot.

"Woops. So much for the whole card-a-day thing..."

Feeling rather guilty, she reached into the abandoned Tarot bag and drew out a card. The Star was a beautiful woman kneeling by a clear pool of water. Above her, bright stars dominated the evening sky, and were reflected in the pool. Everything—from the gentle colors, to the serene expression on the woman's face, to the shining water and rich, green grass around it—conveyed a sense of rightness, of well-being. It felt like a blessing. Of her; of Fabricio; but mostly of their relationship together. If this is a message from the Universe, it's a pretty damn strong one. And, for once, a good one.

She set the card carefully alongside its mates on the top shelf. Even there, The Star seemed to shine out from among the other cards, standing as it did at the end of the line, like the happy ending of a story. With a happy sigh, Rosemary gazed at it for several long, satisfying seconds, before closing the door and heading back to Fabricio's.

*

It was Sunday again when reality began cracking their blissful cocoon. Spring was well and truly entrenched, almost ready to cede its place to summer, and along with that came academic midterms.

"Rosemary, I hate to do this," Fabricio said, sounding miserable, "But if I don't do some serious studying, like, tonight, I'm not sure I'll be able to pass my Renaissance Art exam. And if I want to graduate in June..."

"I get it," said Rosemary, cutting him off. "You've got to do what you need to get the grades. Especially since you're still waiting to hear back about grad school."

"I know, but... this sucks. I don't want to spend the whole midterm week without you." He raised his eyes to hers, and she melted into their liquid depths. "I don't know if I'll be able to sleep without you," he added, softly.

She felt his words resonate straight to her heart. Tenderly, she stroked a lock of curly dark hair away from his forehead. "You can do it," she insisted. "I believe in you."

Rosemary leaned in for a soft, lingering kiss, and when she pulled back again she was smiling. "Besides, I need some time to recover. Don't you?" She trailed her fingers down his chest as she said this, tugging suggestively at his chest hair, her nails grazing across his nipples.

Fabricio growled deep in his throat. His eyes went dark and smoldering, and Rosemary knew she had woken the monster. He reached for her, grabbed her arms and pulled her roughly to him.

"I'll never get enough of you," he murmured, while kissing her neck and tugging her skirt up above her hips. She cried out as he lifted her, holding her up with one arm while undoing his jeans with the other. They came together hard. Rosemary groaned and rocked against him, taking him deep as he bent his head to her shoulder in erotic surrender. Their breath came in tandem as she pumped rhythmically in his lap, until he and she released almost at the same time, shuddering and gasping until they were both spent.

In the aftermath, Rosemary held him inside her, dropping butterfly kisses all across his face as his breath gradually slowed. He wrapped his arms around her with a great sigh, tugged her against his chest and laid his chin on her shoulder. They were silent for several moments, just enjoying their closeness. Rosemary tilted her head so he could kiss her neck. This, she thought, this instant right here -- this is perfection. Nothing in my life has ever felt so right.

Fabricio kissed his way up to her ear and gave it a playful nip. She giggled, and finally he began to talk. "Hey," he said, slowly, shyly, "I know I'm not supposed to say this so soon, and especially not just after sex..."

"During sex," she amended. "You're still inside me."

He smiled cheekily and gave her ass a squeeze. "Well, that makes it even worse, then."

"Why? What are you not supposed to say?" Although she asked, Rosemary knew in her gut what his answer would be. Her heart pounded so hard she was sure he could feel it, and her skin began to tingle, as if thousands of tiny wings were fluttering against it. She tightened her grip on his shoulders to steady herself.

"That I'm falling in love with you."

Even expecting it, the words hit her with shock. She began to tremble, overwhelmed by the intensity of her emotions. How suddenly her world had changed! Fabricio pulled back with a worried look, keeping his arms securely around her.

"Rosemary?"

"Oh, Fabricio. I... I was hoping you'd say that because... I think I'm in love with you, too."

*

On the bus ride home she thought it over, reliving the way they had made love again, slowly, with aching tenderness, after their mutual admission. The Star came to mind once more, and Rosemary realized it must be the North Star: a beacon of light, a solid direction, never changing. Reliable and true. I guess that's what love is, she realized, wide-eyed with wonder. Like a guiding light. Something to count on. He's my Polaris.

Chapter 16: Judgment

While Fabricio buckled down and devoted his week to passing the midterm exams, Rosemary caught up on all the things she'd been putting off. She cleaned two weeks' worth of envelopes out of her mailbox and plopped them on the table to deal with later. The apartment finally got a decent cleaning. Rosemary cooked dinner for the first time in what felt like ages. And meanwhile, of course, she daydreamed about Fabricio, burning her omelet in the process.

Tuesday morning before work, she went to her Tarot bag (rather guiltily, considering her lack of attention to it lately) and grabbed her daily dose of wisdom. The card was Judgment: a shining angel with a trumpet at his lips, calling down toward the gray, dismal figures on Earth. For some reason, the image stressed her out. Rosemary couldn't put her finger on it, but Judgment felt heavy to her. Portentous. Although she didn't like it, she set it up beside the others anyway.

It grated at her all day, so when she met up with Thyme for dinner at his apartment, Rosemary was feeling strange and unsettled. The sight of her brother in an apron, wine bottle in hand, with the stern expression on his face that meant 'you will tell me everything,' didn't exactly help matters.

"Parsley's worried about you. She was about to report a missing person," he said, deftly opening the wine and pouring two generous glasses as he spoke. "This guy had better be worth it."

"I think he is, Thyme. I really think he is."

"Hm," he grumbled. Then, "Cheers. Have a seat. I'll just go grab the chicken."

Rosemary was halfway into her chair when it struck her like a frying pan. "The... chicken?!"

"Yeah."

"But aren't you, like, vegan or something this month?"

Thyme returned, clicking his tongue against his teeth in brotherly exasperation. "Sister mine, you are way behind the times. Bruce and I talked about it, and figured out that my balance was way off. See, meat is fine—so long as it's organic and free range—but gluten, man, that stuff is poison. So I made roasted chicken with a quinoa pilaf. Totally gluten free."

"Okay, Thyme," Rosemary said, unable to suppress a giggle. "I'm just grateful you're serving me real food!" In a teasing tone, she added, "So, you and Bruce talk a lot, huh?"

"Of course. We're dating."

That almost made Rosemary choke on her wine. He patted her on the back until her coughing fit subsided.

"Excuse me, I must have heard that wrong. Did you just say Bruce is your boyfriend?!"

"That is usually how you refer to the guy you're dating."

Rosemary shook her head in amazement. "Wow. I never thought I would see the day."

"Yeah, well, he is pretty great. And totally gorgeous. And good in bed. I'm getting used to the way he—"

"Okay, you can stop there. I get it." She couldn't help grinning, thinking about her undateable brother finally with a steady guy. Rosemary would never say it to him, but Thyme had needed this for a long time. Maybe Bruce really is the man for him, she thought, hopefully.

Thyme served them each a helping plate of chicken and pilaf, poured more wine, and then got right to business. "Right. I didn't invite you over just so you could stuff your face. Time to spill."

A bite of chicken only kept her busy for so long. With a fortifying gulp of wine, Rosemary began. "Well... we pretty much haven't gotten out of bed for the last two weeks."

He chuckled. "That's my sister."

Always an attentive listener, Thyme ate quietly while she muddled through her convoluted thoughts and feelings. When she admitted that they'd both said 'I love you' he raised his eyes, but made no comment. Rosemary was winding down just as Thyme poured the last of the wine into her glass.

"So... are you guys gonna get married or what?" he said, bluntly.

"Thyme! We haven't even talked about that!" Then, realizing they kind of had, she added, "I mean, not concretely. Just in the abstract. Like, 'wouldn't it be fun if...' kind of thing."

"Um hm." Thyme took a sip of his wine. "Yeah, people don't do that if they don't mean it. So you're totally getting married."