you’re around.”
“What do you mean?”
“I mean, most of the time I feel numb. I only come alive when you’re near me. I can’t play music, read, study, or write unless you’re somewhere nearby. You’re my muse,
strimani
. It seems I don’t have much of a life without you. And because we’re being open, I’ll say that I’m fairly certain I’m falling in love with you again. As for the jealousy, I would say that emotion is definitely making a comeback. I’m sorry for the socks. No one told me we were celebrating until the last minute, and Kishan tossed me the gift, which I now think he might have done on purpose.
“I do like your scent. Now that you mention it, peaches and cream is an apt description. Sorry about the ice cream, but I do like peanut butter–chocolate better. I promise not to dance with Nilima. I think you’re beautiful, and if you don’t believe me you can read my poem again. It was you I was describing. I think you’re interesting, sweet, clever, and compassionate. I even like your temper. I think it’s cute. And if it wouldn’t make me violently ill, I’d be kissing you right now.”
“You would?”
“Yes. I would. Does that about cover everything?”
“Yes,” I whispered quietly.
“Are you sure there’s nothing else I promised you? Is there anything else you’ve been angry about?”
I hesitated. “Yes. There’s one more thing. You promised me once that you’d never leave me.”
“I didn’t have a choice. I was taken. Remember?”
“You chose to stay behind.”
“To save your life.”
“Next time, don’t. I want to stay and fight with you.”
“I don’t think I can promise that one. Your life is more important than my desire to have you around. But I’ll stay with you as long as I can. Is that good enough?”
“That sounds like
Mary Poppins
. You’ll only stay until the wind changes. But I suppose that’s the best I’ll get.”
Ren turned to face me. “There’s one more thing I want out in the open.”
“What is it?” I asked.
“Do you still …
love
me?”
I looked at his handsome face and was overwhelmed with emotion. My eyes filled with tears. I paused only for a heartbeat before nodding once. “Yes, I still love you.”
“Then damn the consequences.” He cupped my chin lightly with a shaky hand and touched his lips to mine. He wrapped his arm around me and drew me over so I was stretched out almost on top of him. He murmured against my lips as he kissed me, pressing his hands against my back. “If I … don’t touch your skin … it’s not that bad.” He trailed brief kisses from my mouth up to my ear.
I tentatively stroked his hair. “Does it hurt if I touch your hair?”
“No.” He smiled and pressed his lips to my T-shirt–covered shoulder.
“Is it worse when I kiss
you
?”
I kissed him at his hairline then moved my lips to his forehead and pressed a couple of light kisses there.
“When you kiss my hair it doesn’t hurt at all, but when your lips touch my skin, it burns. Almost in a good way.”
He grinned lopsidedly. I lowered my gaze to his lips, and he crushed me to his chest and kissed me again. It was passionate and sweet, and I returned his ardor. All too soon, though, his body began to shake. He tore his lips from mine, gasping in pain.
Ren panted, “I’m sorry. Kelsey. I can’t. Be near you now.”
I shifted away from him and moved far back against the headboard. Ren sprang up and to the veranda door where he took several deep breaths. He smiled at me weakly, his face pale, and his limbs trembling.
“Are you going to be okay?”
He nodded and said, “I’m sorry. I can’t be near you now.” Then he disappeared.
I sat on the bed for a while and breathed in his scent from the pillow. I didn’t see Ren the rest of the day but found a note on my bed. It read, “Who could refrain that had a heart to love, and in that heart courage to make love known?”
Who indeed?
Mr. Kadam, determined to
“What do you mean?”
“I mean, most of the time I feel numb. I only come alive when you’re near me. I can’t play music, read, study, or write unless you’re somewhere nearby. You’re my muse,
strimani
. It seems I don’t have much of a life without you. And because we’re being open, I’ll say that I’m fairly certain I’m falling in love with you again. As for the jealousy, I would say that emotion is definitely making a comeback. I’m sorry for the socks. No one told me we were celebrating until the last minute, and Kishan tossed me the gift, which I now think he might have done on purpose.
“I do like your scent. Now that you mention it, peaches and cream is an apt description. Sorry about the ice cream, but I do like peanut butter–chocolate better. I promise not to dance with Nilima. I think you’re beautiful, and if you don’t believe me you can read my poem again. It was you I was describing. I think you’re interesting, sweet, clever, and compassionate. I even like your temper. I think it’s cute. And if it wouldn’t make me violently ill, I’d be kissing you right now.”
“You would?”
“Yes. I would. Does that about cover everything?”
“Yes,” I whispered quietly.
“Are you sure there’s nothing else I promised you? Is there anything else you’ve been angry about?”
I hesitated. “Yes. There’s one more thing. You promised me once that you’d never leave me.”
“I didn’t have a choice. I was taken. Remember?”
“You chose to stay behind.”
“To save your life.”
“Next time, don’t. I want to stay and fight with you.”
“I don’t think I can promise that one. Your life is more important than my desire to have you around. But I’ll stay with you as long as I can. Is that good enough?”
“That sounds like
Mary Poppins
. You’ll only stay until the wind changes. But I suppose that’s the best I’ll get.”
Ren turned to face me. “There’s one more thing I want out in the open.”
“What is it?” I asked.
“Do you still …
love
me?”
I looked at his handsome face and was overwhelmed with emotion. My eyes filled with tears. I paused only for a heartbeat before nodding once. “Yes, I still love you.”
“Then damn the consequences.” He cupped my chin lightly with a shaky hand and touched his lips to mine. He wrapped his arm around me and drew me over so I was stretched out almost on top of him. He murmured against my lips as he kissed me, pressing his hands against my back. “If I … don’t touch your skin … it’s not that bad.” He trailed brief kisses from my mouth up to my ear.
I tentatively stroked his hair. “Does it hurt if I touch your hair?”
“No.” He smiled and pressed his lips to my T-shirt–covered shoulder.
“Is it worse when I kiss
you
?”
I kissed him at his hairline then moved my lips to his forehead and pressed a couple of light kisses there.
“When you kiss my hair it doesn’t hurt at all, but when your lips touch my skin, it burns. Almost in a good way.”
He grinned lopsidedly. I lowered my gaze to his lips, and he crushed me to his chest and kissed me again. It was passionate and sweet, and I returned his ardor. All too soon, though, his body began to shake. He tore his lips from mine, gasping in pain.
Ren panted, “I’m sorry. Kelsey. I can’t. Be near you now.”
I shifted away from him and moved far back against the headboard. Ren sprang up and to the veranda door where he took several deep breaths. He smiled at me weakly, his face pale, and his limbs trembling.
“Are you going to be okay?”
He nodded and said, “I’m sorry. I can’t be near you now.” Then he disappeared.
I sat on the bed for a while and breathed in his scent from the pillow. I didn’t see Ren the rest of the day but found a note on my bed. It read, “Who could refrain that had a heart to love, and in that heart courage to make love known?”
Who indeed?
Mr. Kadam, determined to
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