They asked him,
How is your life?
He smiled and said
She is fine.
***
The motorcycle lurched forward, my hands tightened their hold against his waist until my nose was pressed into the hard muscles of his upper back.
Ace slls so good, almost heavenly, a perfect combination of fabric conditioner, soap, and his natural sweet scent. The result is a unique, intoxicating scent that I get accustod to inhaling whenever he's within my radar.
As the motorcycle traversed the wide, spacious highway, I gradually relaxed. The embarrassnt that consud my cheeks and turned it a deep shade of crimson faded slowly. Ace had a point when he told not to feel embarrassed. He was right when he said we did more than holding hands before, and definitely did more than just a hug. Faith Vienne was the proof we once were intimately involved.
Yeah, we once were intimately involved. I repeated inside my thoughts and my heart fluttered wildly inside my rib cage. We've been husband and wife. The realization was overwhelming. The handso demigod in front of was once mine…. Yeah 'once' ans past tense but it didn't affect the soaring spirits inside .
Having him this close was overwhelming. I have everything I ever wanted within my grasp. I couldn't think of anything for a mont except how his body felt against my own. I felt safe, secure, and protected as if no one would co and dare hurt as long he's here.
The trip to the coffee shop seems to take forever. Not that I mind. The truth is I enjoyed it. It's the best trip I ever had in my twenty-fifth years of existence in the world. I would go anywhere as long as Ace would stay here by my side.
Just when I wished we could stay like this for another while, the motorcycle finally pulled into a stop in front of a small, yet cozy coffee shop. A pang of disappointnt hit as he maneuvered the motorcycle on the last available parking space and stopped the engine.
He climbed out of the motorcycle first. He then helped get down by holding my fingers firmly until I'm steadily standing on the hard, cented pavent.
I tried to take my helt off but the fastenings refused to break free. I fumbled more but failed to take it off despite my best efforts. Ace on the other hand successfully took his helt off and placed it on top of the motorcycle. Seeing I was having trouble taking it off, he moved a step closer until his powerful thighs were almost touching mine, and helped fumble the lock. It clicked easily.
Before I knew it, he pulled it from my head and secured it beside his helt on top of the motorcycle.
His big hands captured mine and I suddenly took a deep intake of breath. Surprised to feel the return of tingling sensations. Ace was the only man who could make feel differently the way no other man did. He will always have this profound effect on which makes him stand out among everyone else. Even if I'm in the middle of a room full of strangers I will still recognize him. One touch is all it
takes and I will instantly know if it was him.
"Is sothing wrong, Phoenix?" He asked with eyes filling with worry. He must have noticed I lapsed into silence all of a sudden.
"Nothing had ever been this right, Ace." I wanted to say but didn't. "I'm fine. This is beautiful, Ace." I mumbled instead while staring at the elegantly decorated interior of the coffee shop. It looks so lavish and welcoming despite the small space it occupies. The atmosphere feels like ho too.
"Glad you like it." He said, his hands possessively tightened around my fingers. The delicious sensation his hands burned to my skin was making a bit uncomfortable but I didn't pull away.
He ushered inside the glass door without letting my fingers go. A sudden hush fell into the room when we entered. If sothing is dropped into the room it will surely be heard as it landed in the bottom. Ace on the other hand didn't seem to notice the sudden shift in the atmosphere. He continued to act as if nothing happened. I wonder if the people inside the room recognize him.
The stunned small crowd finally recovered. The conversation continues but it was not as loud before. When we reached the vacant table near the glass walls that overlooked the streets, Ace pulled the chair for . "Thank you," I mumbled and perched on the soft cushion of the chair. When I settled on the chair, that's when he moved to the vacant chair across from and occupied the seat.
"Madam Stella referred to this place. I agreed it was excellent. They don't just make well-blended coffee but this place is also popular with their cakes and ice cream."
I didn't have ti to respond. The waitress wearing a black and white uniform ca to our table. "Good morning Ma'am and Sir. Welco to Les Amore Cafe. Please take ti choosing your orders. Here's the nu." She handed Ace the nu card before she retreated to welco the newly arrived custors sitting on the far corner of the room.
"Have you decided what to order?" Ace finally asked after reading the nu card for a while.
"I want to have Ice cream cake. I haven't eaten one for quite a long ti." I replied without taking my eyes off the mouth-watering image of food on the nu. Just looking at the picture was enough to make my saliva drip down my mouth.
"I would order the sa as yours."
"And for our drinks, I recomnd we have Mo—" I didn't finish the words and shut my mouth tight. I couldn't tell him I would order coffee. He would undoubtedly think his ex-wife was weird. Who would want to pair a cold ice cream cake with a piping hot coffee? That would be an unusual combination.
"Don't be embarrassed. He said, his eyes glowing with amusent.
I bit my lower lip hoping my cheeks weren't as red as a ripe tomato. I reluctantly raised my head to his and when I did, his lips slowly curved into a smile, flashing a perfect set of pearly white teeth that strongly reminds of a toothpaste comrcial model. Every ti he uses that smile on , my knees turn to noodles.
"We've been married for long five years, Phoenix." He continued, "If there is soone who knows you better it would be . I know about your weird addiction the way I know every mole in every part of your body." He said the words in a hoarse whisper. I don't know if it's just my imagination but he said the words in an intimate way.
I opened my mouth to speak but no words ca out of my lips. I was saved by the bell when the waitress arrived to take our order.
"Can I get your order, Sir?"
"Two Ice Cream cakes and two Caffé Mocha, please. That all would be." He said and handed the nu back to the waitress who retreated back to the counter after taking both the nu and our order with her.
"I know Ice Cream cake and coffee is a weird combination." I managed to say weakly, after the waitress was gone and I recovered my voice. "But you don't need to take the sa order as ," I added, cheeks burning with chagrin.
"Of course not, I wouldn't order that If I don't like it. We've been married for long. Whatever strange appetite you have, I managed to adapt them." He smiled, his eyes glowing with fascination.
I don't know if I should be thankful or not because of it.
These past few days after the confrontation we have on the balcony, things have changed greatly. The thick layer of the wall that separated us seems to collapse making us closer the way we've never been before.
It wasn't just an intimate kind of closeness but there's sothing more than that as if we've finally arrived into an understanding that whatever had happened in the past should stay there. It caused us nothing but pain and bitterness after all.
We've suffered enough. Until now we're praying for the price of our recklessness. The best thing for us to do now is to live today without regrets. Whatever mistake we did in the past could never be undone. However, we could use the lessons we learned from our mistakes to build a bright future ahead of us.
We must slowly rebuild our lives together. Not as lovers but best friends. Though the feelings we have for each other are still there, we're not ready to enter on to the next level yet. We're better as friends. We're still healing deep old wounds.
Only ti would tell if we would be more than just that. But for now, whatever we have.... It's more than enough.
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