Mercy

Of all the places he’d been to in world, nothing compared to her beauty.  He found himself thinking this but unable to see her face, staring blankly at the screen instead, absentmindedly running his fingers through her long, brown hair as his thoughts rested solely on her.

Phaedra was asleep, breathing deeply, restfully upon his chest.  He smiled as he thought about her last statement before nodding off, something to the effect of, “You’re so comfortable, I could fall asleep right here to the rhythm of your rising and falling chest.”

Dane’s back was twisted, his left leg was asleep from the awkward angle he maintained so as to not wake her, and he completely content in this, allowing himself a laugh because of it.

Her skin was so soft.  As tired as he was, he didn’t want to go to sleep.  Somewhere, deep down, he was afraid she was only a dream, and he didn’t want to lose her.  Falling asleep meant that at some point he’d have to wake, and he feared it.  Admittedly, although he really didn’t want to fall asleep, he understood that if he were dreaming, his ass would probably be a lot less tingly right now.

Dane shifted just slightly so as to get the blood flow going again.  And as soon as the pins and needles subsided, he twisted his body just enough to be able to get his hands under her, and he bent just enough for her head to rest on his shoulder.  Gently, and with ease, he carried her to his bed and laid her down, tucking her in carefully so as to not wake her.

He went to the other side of the bed and lay on top of the covers, staring at her until finally at long last, he drifted off.

Soon, he felt lips on his.  And in his dream it was Phaedra.  When he moaned involuntarily, she giggled at him and he opened his eyes to see that it wasn’t a dream after all.

“I couldn’t feel your heartbeat anymore, my love,” she told him.  He could see her smile by the soft light coming in through the window.

“I’m sorry.  I was trying not to wake you.”

“Well, I’d say you did a great job, but you forgot the most important part.”

“Which is?” he implored.

“You, silly.”  She moved the covers back so he could slip in next to her.  And very soon, she found her place on his chest again, and he smiled that smile only he could, and she could feel it.  “What are you smiling at?” she asked him, knowingly.

“I’m smiling at you, at us – the wonder of it all.”  It really was hard to explain, but she understood.

“Want to hear something cool?”

“Of course,” he said.

Phaedra smiled, “Our heartbeats are beating as one.  They’re in perfect unison.”

Dane pulled her in close, held her tightly.  He lifted her head by her chin and stared into her deep, brown eyes as he traced her face – and he kissed her.  When he pulled away he could see a faint smile, it appeared as though she was in another world, and he whispered, “I love you, Phaedra.”

“I love you, Dane.”  With that, she settled back on his chest, her arm on his shoulder, her legs wrapped around his, finding herself as close as she could possibly be to him, and they fell asleep.