The sun’s golden rays crept through the kitchen window, painting warm stripes across the tiled floor. The air was thick with the lingering scent of lovemaking, a heady mix of musk and sweat. There were peeled clothes on the floor, along with a table full of untouched breakfast. The kitchen, a place usually bustling with the sounds of breakfast preparation, became a sanctuary of intimacy. The clatter of dishes and the sizzle of bacon had been replaced by a quiet symphony of sighs and whispered endearment.
“Fuck Cate right there.” The brunette had her eyes closed as she welcomed Cate’s tongue in her, “God please…fuck.”
Sandra had her back on the kitchen counter, her body still flushed from the intensity of their collision. Her eyes were closed, her chest rising and falling softly as she let the moment seeped right through her. Beside her, Cate was leaning her arm on the kitchen counter, her gaze slowly tracing the contours of her face, too drowned by the beauty unfolding right before her. Sandra knew Cate’s gaze was on her – knew how the blonde’s eyes were tracing each of the sweat beads that was sliding off her neck down to the pool of her collarbone and she loved it. She loved every second of her attention.
“Stop staring.” There was a hint of mockery and pride unfolding through the brunette’s tone as she gave her a quick glance, “I’m gonna melt.”
Cate chuckled before she moved her fingers to touch Sandra’s face; her touch was light, almost reverent, as if afraid to disturb the delicate peace that had settled between them. Sandra’s skin was soft and plump beneath her fingertips, and she felt a surge of intense longing for her. She knew what they had was ephemeral and any time, the brunette could take it. Lost for words, Cate leaned in and kissed her forehead, her lips lingering for a moment before retracing their path to Sandra’s lips. The kiss was soft and tender, filled with the unspoken language of stay.
“Good morning,” Cate murmured, her voice husky and deep.
“Good morning, beautiful,” A low chuckle went out of Sandra’s lips as she pulled the blonde against her; Cate landed on her before the blonde settled her face into the brunette’s chest, “Don’t be upset.”
“How can I not?” The blonde backed away as she looked at the brunette in all seriousness; -her eyes became even bluer and Sandra knew her eyes weren’t the only ones that were blue, but Cate too, “How can I not when you’re not mine to keep? And how I wish I had a fever forever so you’d stay.” The shrine of their past history was crumbling; its pieces were imprinting an immense pain yet again, and Cate bit her lip, trying to stop herself from crying.
“Cate…”
“I love you.” Those words did not sound saccharine, instead it sounded like an infinite goodbye, as if a last phrase spoken on the deathbed; it was Cate’s proclamation of her regret, “And I am just so sorry for everything I did. While I was drowning myself in camera lights and all the applause, I was drowning you in pain too. No matter what I would say, cheating on you could never be justified by it, but I just want to tell you again that I’m so sorry and if you will just give me another chance, I will spend my whole life making up for it.” Cate took Sandra’s hands and kissed it, her desperation flowing through her veins, “Please…”
“Whatever we had before, it has ended already. And I’m afraid that if we give our love another chance, then we might hurt each other ag –”
“I won’t hurt you.” Cate cut her off, “I promise. I will make up for everything, I promise you.” The blonde looked at Sandra solemnly hoping that her words could open her heart once more, “It has been almost three years, but every single day, every single second of every day, my heart beats your name and yours only.”
“Cate, ple –”
“No, let me speak.” It was when Cate’s tears started to fall in which she wiped it so quickly, “And believe me, I have tried.” She turned around, her arms flung open as if to make a point, “In all the corners of this house, I have brought women and tried to love them. But every time their cloth floors on the floor, the spaces of their skin somehow write themselves saying they’re not you and every time, I would end up kicking them out like burglars. I tried to love others, but my heart just can’t. When we parted, I straightened up. I’m not the same woman you broke up with. And before I forget, I just wanna show you something.” Cate then walked back towards the brunette, held her hand and took her back upstairs.
On Sandra’s face was a sheer confusion, yet she went along with her. She did not have any idea what to expect when they stood behind a closed door and Cate beside her had her face full of tears.
“No one have entered this room other than I and now, you.” Cate held the doorknob and Sandra felt the abrupt racing of her heart.
“Cate, I…”
Sandra’s face dropped when the blonde opened the room. Inside the room were countless paintings of her. The wall was filled with paintings of her and there were still countless pieces left on the floor and on every corner. It was messy, chaotic at best, but it was also painfully beautiful.
“You… what… what are these?”
Cate shrugged her shoulders, “In here are 456 paintings of you painted by me. I painted you each time I missed you because it was the only way that I could pretend you are still here with me.”
Sandra’s eyes roamed around the room. Her gaze lingered on every piece – there was a painting of her laughing, a painting of her on bed, there was her as a college student with a book, her as a doctor and many more versions of her she didn’t know Cate had in mind. To say that she was shocked was an understatement, yet in lieu for the reply Cate was waiting, Sandra ran towards the blonde on the other side and kissed her.
“You fucking woman.” She cupped the blonde’s face before placing a quick kiss on her lips, “You are such a fucking simp,..” Another kiss on her lips, “…you know that?”
“As I should. Losing you was the shittiest thing I ever did and I just —“
Sandra gave her another peck on the lips, “You won’t. Not again.”
“What?”
“You heard me.”
“Oh my fucking goodness. Say it again!” Cate started jumping out of joy, giddy like a little kid that it made Sandra laugh, “Say it! Oh my God. Am I dreaming?”
“We’re not official yet, but I promise you let’s take it. Another chance, you and me.”
The blonde felt so overjoyed that she could stay there in that very moment forever. She then cupped Sandra’s face as well before leaning in for a kiss.
“I love you. I love you so much and I promise you, I’ll forever be making up for all the wrongs I did.”
“I lov –” Sandra wasn’t able to answer when Cate’s bell started ringing.
“Must be the pizza I ordered.”
“Pizza?” The brunette scrunched her nose at the statement, “Really? You didn’t change at all, did you?”
“College habits die hard, I guess.” A low chuckle went out of her lips as the blonde ushered the brunette to come out, “Will you please get it for me? I’ll just arrange few pieces here and then I’ll come down for breakfast. Will you?”
“As you wish, baby.”
***
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