It had been much too long, Katelynn’s eyelids fluttering closed upon the warm contact, giving a sigh of happiness. Responding to his kiss as she leaned in gently, one hand moved up his torso to gently cup the backside of his neck so she could hold on for dear life. She felt faint, like she could float away and gave no indication she wanted to stop.
Even if a part of her screamed that she didn’t deserve this love, another part craved it, relished it as her lips glided along his. How she had missed his affection, her misty eyes producing a tear as she snuggled closer against him.
Although his eyes were closed, Jack could feel her tears on his skin. As he cradled Katelynn close, his own tears began to roll down his cheeks. He knew it was stupid, and messy, to cry when he was finally kissing his love again, but he couldn’t help it – it was as if something tight inside him had finally relaxed.
Her lips were just as warm and sweet as he remembered. Her body was warm in his arms, and he could smell just a hint of her familiar scent, under the smoke and grime from wherever she’d been earlier. He’d missed holding her so much over the past weeks; having her back again was so wonderful that it almost ached.
He hated to break the kiss, but he needed to ask. “So … will you stay with me?”
“Yes,” she responded confidently, hardly hesitating. Her heart had spoken for her and she blinked from the realization. Unable to give up contact just yet she nuzzled her nose against his cheek, trembling slightly from the intensity of her feelings and the events.
“I want to say always but I can’t promise..but I will try for forever. I want to be yours…” She continued, her words having a double meaning though she suspected they weren’t ready to go further than kissing for now. It was still too soon.
Unable to keep from touching her somehow, Jack nuzzled her in return. He tilted his head slightly, so that his forehead nudged affectionately against hers. The honesty in her words was sweeter and more comforting than any flowery promise would have been.
“I’ll try if you’ll try,” he whispered back.
The last thing she had said, I want to be yours, made him suddenly remember. Slipping one hand away from Katelynn’s waist for a moment, Jack reached into his pocket, and brought out the silver engagement ring he had given her on Valentine’s Day.
“When you … when you left,” he said quietly, “I kept this. I’ve been keeping it with me ever since. I … I guess it was kind of a charm. A hope, that you’d wear it again someday.” He looked up at Katelynn, and offered the ring to her. “Will you?"
Jack Maple 