Todd held Tea's hand as he led her across the deck and onto the yacht he had rented. He persuaded her to let him blindfold her again, though she fought just as hard against it. Night had completely enveloped them, peppering the sky with the radiant white glow of the stars. A soft breeze swirled around them, giving the air a slight coolness, perfect for a warm, tropical night.
Todd studied Tea closely while her eyes were covered by the thin piece of silk. He couldn't always look at her the way he wanted; the yearning to posses her so strong, sometimes it was frightening. There were so many things he adored about her physical appearance. He loved her lips, the fullness of them and the way they felt against his scarred skin. He loved the definition of her cheekbones and how they seemed to become even sharper when she smiled. He loved the erectness of her posture, like she was the most confident person in the world. Most of all, he loved those eyes. Without a single blink, she could break his heart or make him fall in love with her all over again. Really, he saw no flaws, only the woman he was destined to worship for the rest of his life.
"Um, Todd, are we going to just stand here all night, with me blindfolded? Or are you actually going to take me someplace?"
"Oh, yeah. Sorry."
He took her to the side of the yacht where she had the perfect view of the house he rented for the weekend. It was built on a private island, with floor to ceiling windows on the side nearest the ocean. Cinderella's castle couldn't compete with the magic of the single estate. Even Todd was affected by its beauty; the perfect compliment to the magic Tea weaved around his heart.
He removed the blindfold slowly, letting his fingers linger against the back of her neck and graze her shiny hair. "Oh my god! Is that where we're going?" she asked, pointing to the house.
"If you want, I guess we could go there," he shrugged
"Oh my god! It's beautiful!"
Not nearly as beautiful as you, he thought. She smiled and looked at him, laughing to herself because he was so scared and yet he was trying so hard to give her the world. There was nothing else said as they moved through the calm ocean water.
Within no time, they were on the island and Tea was practically running to the glass door entrance of the back of the estate. Todd hung back a bit, much more subdued than she. He needed the time to clear his head and get his thoughts together. Tea was at the door before she turned to say something and realized he was far behind. She saw him slowly make his way down the path and toward the back door. "Come on slowpoke," she joked.
He took a deep breath and jogged to where she stood. Before they went inside, he leaned over and kissed her, more as an icebreaker than anything else. When they regained their breath, together they opened the door, blinded by the bleached white coloring of everything around them. It had a virginal feel to it, a yet to be tainted newness.
"This is the most incredible house I've ever seen. How did you?"
"Everything has a price."
Tea smiled at the irony of the situation. She had her price, once, but those days were long gone. The best thing in her life, and she suspected Todd's as well, was their love, and that could not be purchased. Todd's game with the universe with Blair, and Starr's custody, backfired on him and he fell in love, body and soul, for the first time. Tea's need for money became nothing but a distant memory once she felt that first flutter of something more than friendship for Todd.
They toured the rest of the house at Tea's insistence. When they reached the upstairs bedrooms, there was a sense of awkwardness. Everything was perfect, but the question on both of their minds was what the sleeping arrangements would be. Tea wanted them to share a bed, but that wasn't something she could tell Todd without chasing him away. Even though he was infinitely more receptive to physical touch and affection, she didn't want to risk chasing him back to that place of darkness. Todd wanted them to share a room too, but they had just found each other again and what they had, shouldn't be rushed. They stood in the doorway of the master suite, quietly with their hands unconsciously touching. Tea was the one to move away, though she did it in such a discreet manner, he didn't even realize it. There were three sets of double-doors that lead from the master suite to a balcony that gave them a marvelous view of the world below. When she opened them, the wind blew her hair backwards, creating a surreal image of an angel-like being.
Todd's breath caught at the vision before him. There she was in a mid-drift baring top and long skirt, with her brown hair blowing around her, her shoulders were relaxed and to him, she seemed to be completely happy. Nobody had ever been happy around him, yet there she was, smiling and breathing deeply and enjoying her time with him.
He tried to recall the last time he had felt so perfectly calm and as he went back through his memory, he realized that all the good times and calm times were spent with her. Years back, during his abuse and after, he was convinced that happiness was not something in his immediate future, or in his future at all. With everyone else, Blair and Rebecca, it didn't feel like it felt with Tea; in a way, it felt false, like he was living an illusion of love. What he felt for Tea, there was no doubt in his mind, was real.
Tea felt his eyes on her but she could not make herself turn around. She wanted him too badly and looking into his eyes at that moment would have brought too much to the surface and forced her to give him every part of herself. So, she looked out into the ocean and watched as the yacht that brought them there, sailed into the darkness. There was absolute privacy on the island, which was odd considering that Todd always ran away when things between them were too intimate. Not lately. Lately, he welcomed their private times. Everything about him had changed, yet there were so many things about him that were exactly the same. He was still haunted by the ghosts of his past but within him, he made the determination to not let them eat him alive.
She tapped the tips of her manicured fingernails on the balcony rail, listening as they blended with the sounds of nature around them. She was so tired but she didn't want the night to end. Once she drifted off and woke up, things might not be the same and Todd might have regressed into a man who was once again afraid of himself.
Her lips formed into a smirk as she thought about her father. If he could only see her now, on a private island in a bedroom that was larger than their old apartment, he would have had a heart attack. All those times he said she would never amount to anything were lost in the back of her mind because she had turned into somebody and she had everything she'd ever dreamed of.
"What's on your mind, Delgado?" Todd asked, hearing the noise she made when she smirked.
Still not turning to him she said, "I was just thinking of something my father said."
"Forget him; he's can't get near you ever again."
"No, it's not that." She turned around so that she was leaning against the railing. "I was just thinking about how he used to say, 'Teita, you're never gonna be nothin' more than a cheap whore, just like your mother.' And I grew up believing that, you know? I guess I was trying to live 'down' to his standards," she joked.
"Don't say that."
"It's true though. I was so messed up, hell, I'm still a mess but-"
"You have me to be messy with."
She smiled at him as he closed the space between them. "Something like that. Anyway, he used to say those kinds of things to me and it took me a really long time to understand that I am somebody."
"I don't get it."
"Get what?"
"You're like this woman…you're…okay." He ran his shaky and frustrated fingers through his hair as he tried to find the words to tell her all that he saw in her. "You're this smart, beautiful…people person that…that you can't help but love. I don't get how you could feel that way about yourself."
"When somebody tells you something often enough, you're bound to start believing it," she answered honestly. Both of their minds drifted back to the times he pushed her away and the hurtful words that he constantly used.
He took his eyes off of her for the first time and just stared into the darkness. He shoved his hands deep into his pockets and sighed, fearing that maybe she'd started to believe all of the hurtful words he'd spoken. "Did you…you know…start to believe the things I'd said to you?"
Tea took a step closer to him, wanting to touch him, yet keeping her distance. "I can't lie to you Todd. Yes, there were times when I believed what you said-"
"But you know I was just saying them, right? I didn't mean 'em."
"I know that now, but then, I wasn't so sure."
"Yeah?"
"I think we've come a long way."
Without warning, he grabbed her around her waist and brought his lips to hers. He couldn't stop kissing her, trying to reassure her that he loved her back then and he loved her even more as he touched his soul to hers. He had to pull away when they both began to struggle for air but he kept his forehead pressed to hers. "I…I…love you…Delgado," he whispered, pulling her closer to him.
She closed her eyes as he made his declaration. Of all the times he'd said he loved her over the past several weeks, the way he said it that time meant the most. "I love you."
Tea's mind kept wandering to the master bedroom and what Todd had planned for the night. With the breeze coming in from the water and the balcony doors open, it would be a perfect night for them to make love in the sheer covered canopy bed. She would let him be in control; take things at a pace that was comfortable for him.
"You tired?" Todd asked, looking at his watch.
"No. You?"
"You know I don't sleep." He paused before asking her if she wanted some wine.
Tea nodded and watched as he left the room. She looked around the room at the architecture and all the beautiful things that surrounded her. She went over to the bed and ran her hands along the lace trim and satin fabric. This was definitely not Todd's style, not really hers either but it was so romantic.
Todd watched her from the doorway as she gently stroked the side of the bed. He imagined himself as a piece of silk with the greatest luxury of all being her touch as she touched him with her gentleness. He felt himself twinge at the thought, desiring her with everything. He quickly moved into the room and grazed her hand as he thrust the glass toward her. "Um…here. And they had this junk in the fridge too." He put a platter of various cheeses, crackers and fruits on the table. "Guess it came with the place."
Tea was too stuffed to take advantage, so she just sat on the floor, in front of the chaise lounge and stretched her legs out in front of her. She lengthened her body, unintentionally exposing the bottom part of her breast. Todd's mouth dropped, saying nothing, noting everything about her, which had become painfully erotic. She noticed him noticing her and gave him an inviting raise of the eyebrow. "What are you thinking?" she asked.
"Nothin'," he replied, jumping up and walking to the other side of the room.
"Nothin'," she mocked. "It's okay if you want to look at me; I won't bite you. Well, that is until after midnight when I turn into a vampire." She laughed at her joke and her pitiful attempt to elicit laughter.
As pitiful as it was, he laughed and laughed and laughed, until he couldn't laugh anymore. He wasn't sure if he was laughing at her, with her, or laughing in the face of the Gods because they tried their hardest to keep him from feeling this kind of love that they didn't succeed. It dawned on him that it wasn't true and that they didn't succeed. That he had been through all this stuff and there he was, in a private house on a private island with the woman he loved less than ten feet away from him. There was nothing, nothing to stop them from being everything to and for each other.
"What's wrong?" Tea asked, suddenly afraid that maybe he had slipped into a place of, she couldn't really describe or understand it, but it was a place where no one could bust through his self-deprecating shield.
She had trust in her eyes and would let him do anything to her. She told him that repeatedly, that he couldn't hurt her as long as he shared himself with her. She said there was no one else and as she looked into his eyes caring so much for him, all he wanted was to give her every part of him. Wordlessly and surprisingly unafraid, he walked back to her and joined her on the floor. Kissed her sweetly, as he always had, taking great care to not get carried away. It deepened as his tongue explored her mouth, becoming more aggressive the further he was able to stick his tongue into her mouth.
"Wow," said Tea, breaking off their kiss. "What was that for?"
"I love you, Tea. I love you so much and I want you. I don't wanna hold back anymore. I want you so damned much."
"Todd are you sure? There's no pressure-"
"Look, we got this nice house on an island, it's like one of your dreams right? And I'm supposed to make all your dreams come true, right?"
"Todd-"
"No, I wanna do this, okay?" He kissed her upper, then lower lip. "I wanna do this," he whispered, biting her lower lip.
She put her glass down on the table and threaded both of her hands through his hair. He pulled back from her, still keeping his lips pressed to hers and his tongue in her mouth and led her over to the bed. He never wanted to stop kissing her because her lips felt so good on his, like they just fit perfectly. There was no clumsiness, only the comfort of two people who loved each other more than life. Through their kisses, they told of how much they loved each other.
After kissing her for quite some time, he let brought his hands to exposed belly and ran his fingers along her skin, pinching her ever so lightly. He'd never felt anything so soft and innocent and beautiful. He leaned down and kissed it, quickly bringing his lips back to hers.
"Love you," he kept repeating, feeling like he couldn't say it enough times.
She said it too, letting him set the pace and him touch her. She matched his aggressiveness, alternately rubbing his body and digging her nails into his skin. With every "I love you" he uttered, she said the same words just as passionately.
His hands found themselves tugging, and then ripping her knotted shirt from her body. He had to make himself stop kissing her so he could look at her swollen nipples and breasts that he dreamed of touching. He leaned down and kissed each of them, rubbing the hard nubs against his chin and taking them between his teeth. He flicked his tongue out, and when she moaned, he took the entire breast between his lips, sucking them incessantly.
"God, Tea. God."
Tea never felt such sensations from a man's touch. It was always somewhat of an effort to reach any level of pleasure, but with Todd, all she wanted was more. She could deny herself the feel of his body against her fingertips no more, so she gradually began to unbutton his shirt, exposing his skin. She moved his shirt to the side and kissed his cheek, ear, neck, and shoulder, all around his chest and down to his stomach.
With his shirt open and her shirt open, he felt the urge to be on top of her, feel her skin rubbing against his. He started to use his weight to push her against the pillows. He then brought his body on top her hers, moaning as their naked skin made contact for the first time.
His erection rubbed against her pelvis as he moved her body against hers. She wasn't sure how much she could take, with his chest against hers and his hardness against her; she wanted all of him. Without warning, she felt his hands moving up her thighs, lifting her skirt along with it. "Oh god," she muttered as his fingers rushed toward her center. "Oh Todd."
Todd touched her clitoris and when she unconsciously arched her body, rubbed that area even harder. He moved his fingers in a circular motion, applying more than a little pressure, causing her to moan into his mouth and move her body in the direction of his finger. When her moans became louder and more frequent, he slowed his pace, only to speed up once again. Her body writhed beneath his, moved with his, sweated into his and yearned to be one with his. Finally, he took his hand away and replaced it with the tip of his penis, which was threatening to burst through the front of his pants. He continued with the same motion until she mumbled for him to stop teasing her. Wetness oozed from her body, as she couldn't stop the spasms that traveled from every part of her body into her wetness.
Giving her a few minutes to come down from her high, he kissed her and fondled her breasts. Once she was ready again, he unfastened his pants and slid her skirt from her body. He looked in her eyes for approval and they told him everything he needed to know. She was ready and in love with him and wanted him as much as he wanted her. He calmed himself enough to push into her, moving slowly as to savor each and every thrust.
He made love to her as if it was his first time; in a sense, it was his first. Aggressive at times, gentle at others; that was his pattern. Never had he wanted and needed someone so badly. He couldn't stop looking at her glowing face from the moonlight that shone through the open balcony door. The breeze dried their sweaty bodies fairly quickly, cooling them at the same time. Each time he felt himself about to cum, he slowed his movements and fought to maintain control. He didn't want the night to end, never wanted to leave her body.
To Tea, making love to Todd was otherworldly. It was everything she'd imagined and so much more. It was someone making love to her with his entire being, and making sure she was satisfied. It was her every fantasy come true in her dream scenario.
At last, his unprotected love spilled into her, "I love you," in her ear.
*****
Todd and Tea made love many times that night. They took turns being in control, varied the speed, and varied their location. They loved each other throughout the house, making new memories with each passing minute.
The next morning, Todd awakened to breakfast in bed, brought to him by the woman he loved. That smile of hers, combined with the gorgeous sunrise, filled his heart with pure contentment. She climbed into bed with him, removing her clothes again and leaned onto a stack of pillows.
Todd hopped up quickly and streaked to the bathroom. Tea heard the toilet flush, followed by the sound of running water. When he came back out, he had the biggest grin on his face. "Had to brush my teeth."
He climbed back into bed and kissed her. "Good morning, Delgado."
"Morning to you too, Manning."
"I love you, Delgado."
"Love you too, Manning."
"Thanks for the food and stuff, but I had something else in mind for breakfast."
"Me too." She took the tray from the bed and put it on the floor. Hours later, the food was still on the floor, still waiting to be eaten.
