Who: Kirley Duke and Melinda Bobbin Where: Barcelona When: Saturday, June 11, 2016 What: Kirley has something to say Rating: verrrrrrry high
Barcelona. He'd been waiting for this day, planning for this day. He'd had to stop himself from telling Melinda how he felt so many times, it was getting painful. Just being around her made him want to explode lately, the confines of the tour bus making it all that much worse. He loved having her with them, though. The shows they'd played thus far has been perfect, and crawling into bed with her on the bus after was soothing in a way he didn't know it could be. It was only the beginning of the tour, but things were going well, and he could only hope they got better.
The day in Barcelona had been lovely, and he'd tried to make it as special for her as possible. They took in some sites, and had a quiet little lunch in a small local restaurant, one well off the beaten path. It was in the Muggle section of the city, and his Spanish wasn't great, but that just made it all the more interesting, he thought. A good local experience.
Then it came time for the concert. He'd almost not gone through with it. After all the planning, and all the practice, standing in the green room with the lads, he'd almost backed out. His feelings for Melinda were deep and true, and he wanted her to know, but for the first time in his life, he'd felt stage fright. What if the audience didn't like the song? What if Melinda didn't? He didn't think he could take it if she didn't like it. But with a bit of convincing and a good kick in the arse, he agreed. It was going to go fine. They had it all planned out. It was going to work.
When it was time for them to go on stage, Kirley was pleased to see Bea had Melinda standing right where he wanted her, just off to the side of the stage. Everything was in place, now they just had o put on a show.
The concert went great. Perfect even. The music was loud, the crowd was feeling it, and by now, they even knew the words to all of the new stuff that had just been released. Then it was time. The rest of the band took their places, standing near the back of the stage, and the lights dimmed. When they came back up, a spotlight was trained on center stage, where a stool and microphone had appeared. Taking his acoustic guitar from one of the stage hands, Kirley made his way to the stool, propping himself up with one foot still on the floor.
"So," he started, speaking into the microphone. "You lot are such a lovely bloody crowd, we thought we'd give you a little something special. Are you ready for something special!" The crowd roared, and he grinned broadly. "Fantastic!"
He adjusted the grip on his guitar before he continued speaking. "As many of you know, someone very important has recently come into my life. Someone I thought I'd never find, though to be honest, I wasn't really looking. It's funny how that happens sometimes."
Casting his gaze off stage, he could barely make Melinda's figure out, with the lights shining on his face, but he flashed a smile her way anyway. "A few months ago, I wrote a song for this very special lady, and I wanted to share it all with you tonight." Another roar from the crowd, and he laughed.
"It's a bit different than what you're used to, but I think you'll like it. It's called 'Love Potion.'"
Kirley took a moment to compose himself, and then he began. The words and music flowed through him easily, and for the few minutes he sat there on that stool, he didn't think about what the reaction from the audience might be. He didn't think about the stage, or the lights, or all the people watching him. He only thought of her.
It was a powerful song, full of emotion, and as he neared the end, he could have sworn he heard people singing along with him. Whether it was the band behind him, or the crowd before him he couldn't be sure, but it made him happy all the same. The song was good, and it was going to be a good foundation for their next album.
"You don't need a love potion for me," he sang, his voice getting soft in the last line of the song. "Cause I fell for you all on my own."
He strummed the last chord and pushed off the stool. The crowd was going wild. His ears were filled with the sounds of cheering and whistling, screaming and celebration and he took a few moments to drink it in. It felt amazing. Kirley thrived on attention and the approval from others, especially where his music was concerned, and this song was 100% his music. He had written every word, every note, and to hear the reception it got was an amazing feeling. But there was one more reaction he needed.
So as the band moved back to their places, he ran off to the side of the stage, and passed his guitar off before coming straight to Melinda. "I've got to go back out," he said, a bit breathless. He was shining with sweat from the lights and their performance, and he grinned as he stood before her, his eyes searching her face. "But… What did you think?"
---
Barcelona had been something of a romantic fascination for Melinda for many years. She had been no stranger to Spain - her mother’s family having been largely from Portugal made it easy to skip over to the small coastal towns along the west shore. She’d even been to Madrid on family holidays. Spain was something a little special to Melinda and had been for so much of her life. Barcelona? It seemed a bit like a fantasy village. It was so bright and vibrant. Like a village you’d expect to see in some fairy story.
Actually being in the city? Brilliant.
She had milked Kirley’s acceptance of her excitement for everything it was worth -- dragging him around all morning to all of the neighborhoods she had been told to visit in particular, and lunch in a cafe on the sunny, colorful streets. Of course, Kirley trying to speak Spanish was a particular treat for her. Not that her’s was all that great either, but her knowledge of Portuguese made it just a little more passable. After lunch, she’d begun their shopping excursion (which Kirley had been very much right about, though she loathe to admit it) when he had to head back to the venue. She’d wanted to stay out and continue exploring, but there was a look on Kirley’s face that brought her to agree to go back to the venue with him.
Keeping Melinda in the venue wasn’t particularly an easy task. Gibson and the litter of puppies the Sisters had managed to amass only kept her occupied for so long, even though they did end up going for a bit of a walk (something that wasn’t particularly the best of ideas, as she wasn’t exactly an unknown face to the Sister’s fans any longer). Corralling her to the side of the stage as the show began had been bit of a task. Not that she didn’t love watching Kirley perform - she did so very much - but there was just so much she wanted to do in the city in the short time they were afforded.
Melinda had managed to strike up a conversation with the guitarist of the opening band on that particular leg of the tour when the lights going out caught her attention. She continued her discussion with the guitarist, though half-heartedly as her eyes kept darting back to the stage to try and discern what the sudden change in their concert was about. And there was Kirley, in the middle of the stage with just his guitar and a microphone. When he started talking about her, specifically, she excused herself from the conversation, curiously walking towards the edge of the stage to join Bea, just far enough back that they weren’t easily seen off stage.
And then he started singing. She had thought at first that it would be a funny song, based on the title of it alone. Yet the way he was singing it, the words he had written, caused her breath to catch in her throat as she realized what it was he was really singing about. The feeling that was in his song. She’d barely made it through the first chorus by the time she felt tears slip from her eyes. Her hand rose to cover her mouth, trying to hide the fact that she was crying maybe. From whom, she wasn’t particularly certain. But she knew the tears wouldn’t stop, and no amount of smudged eyeliner or mascara could pull her mind away from him and that song.
By the time the song ended, it took nearly everything in her to not run out on stage and meet him. If she hadn’t seen him already doing that very thing, she just might have. As he approached her, she reached out to rest her hands against his chest. “Kirley, I--” she started, but didn’t know quite how to finish her thought. She simply looked up at him, tears still in her eyes. She didn’t think she needed to tell him that it was beautiful; it was written on her face.
----
He smiled widely at her, his hands finding her hips and bringing her in close. "I love you," he breathed, bringing her in for a quick, but deep kiss.
The crowd was still cheering, so he had some time, but not much. He knew it wouldn't be long before Myron was dragging him back out on stage for the last few songs. "I've wanted to tell you for weeks."
---
Those words - those simple, wonderful words - brought a soft laugh to her. She could feel the tears still streaming down her cheeks, and didn’t care to stop them. Each one was borne of happiness and those words bounced around in her head, even as he kissed her. For a moment, it didn’t feel real at all.
“I didn’t think you’d ever want to say something like that,” she confessed as her fingers gripped his shirt. She stood on her toes to steal another kiss from his lips before whispering against them, “I love you.”
---
He laughed and shook his head. "I didn't think I would either," he said before returning her kiss.
When she spoke again, when she returned his feelings, he felt a giant weight lifted from his chest. A lightness filled his body, and for a moment he could have sworn he could fly if he tried. She loved him. And he loved her. It was a change in their relationship, but the best kind of change.
He could hear the band calling his name then, but he pulled Mel in for another kiss. "We are going to finish this," he grinned, giving her a wink as he pulled back and ran back onto the stage.
---
Melinda’s fingers tightened in his shirt as he pulled her in for another kiss. She felt so very fragile and vulnerable in that moment, and yet… like she could conquer the world. It was exhilarating and wonderful. She could hear Kirley’s name being shouted by the boys, but she was loathe to let him go. She wanted to live in that moment for a little while longer.
But she let him go, smoothing his shirt out for him before nodding. “Go on,” she murmured, pushing him at his chest towards the stage. “Before the fans start chanting.”
---
Kirley ran back out on stage and grabbed his guitar. There were only a few songs left, and they passed in a flash for him. He was over the moon, and they ended the concert with a bang, just like all the rest. It had been a great show, but for once Kirley had no desire to attend the after party.
They said their thank you's and goodnights to the crowd and ran off the stage when the lights went down. He had no idea where the rest of the lads went, but Kirley ran right to Melinda.
He didn't say a word at first. Instead, he reached for her, holding her head in his hands, and pulled her in for a long, slow kiss. He could have stayed like that forever, but the bustle of stage breakdown had already begun. The band was going to be in Paris the next day, so they really didn't have that much time.
"Hey," he said against her lips when the kiss ended.
---
Melinda spent the rest of the concert with her eyes immediately on Kirley. Of course she knew the rest of the boys were there, she saw Kirley interact with them. But nobody really existed. Not even Bea standing next to her was really even there. At some point she’d even tried to wipe the tears from her cheeks and correct her makeup, but how useful that gesture was, she had no idea. She couldn’t take her eyes off Kirley.
As soon as the show was over, she straightened from where she’d been leaning. As soon as he found her, his hands cupping her face, her arms wrapped tightly around him. There had been a few times in which she’d complained about him hugging her immediately after a show - Kirley, you’re absolutely soaking! - but she couldn’t seemed to be bothered by it now. The heat from his body, and the complete dampness of everything about him was ignored in favor of that kiss.
“Hi,” she murmured, stealing a quick kiss from his lips. “I love you.”
---
"I love you too," he said into her kiss, moving his arms down to wrap around her waist.
With a quick squeeze, he lifted her up off the floor for a moment. "We should go," he said as he set her down. "I've got us a hotel for the night. Don't want to waste it, do we? Paris tomorrow you know."
---
A happy squeal escaped her as she was lifted from the floor. “A hotel?” She asked curiously. A smile spread widely across her features. “You really did plan this all out, didn’t you?”
---
"Well," he began, grinning down at her. "I couldn't very well half arse telling you I love you, could I?" Bending down, he kissed her once more, then took her hand. "Come on, you. Wren's already got us checked in and set up, so we can apparate straight there."
Giving her hand a squeeze, he closed his eyes and concentrated. A few moments later, he opened his eyes to find himself standing in the middle of their penthouse. "It's a muggle hotel," he said, pulling Melinda in again. "So we'll have to do things the slow way, but it's one of the best in the city, and it has a killer
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<b>Who:</b> Kirley Duke and Melinda Bobbin <b>Where:</b> Barcelona <b>When:</b> Saturday, June 11, 2016 <b>What:</b> Kirley has something to say <b>Rating:</b> verrrrrrry high
<lj-cut text="You don't need a love potion for me">Barcelona. He'd been waiting for this day, planning for this day. He'd had to stop himself from telling Melinda how he felt so many times, it was getting painful. Just being around her made him want to explode lately, the confines of the tour bus making it all that much worse. He loved having her with them, though. The shows they'd played thus far has been perfect, and crawling into bed with her on the bus after was soothing in a way he didn't know it could be. It was only the beginning of the tour, but things were going well, and he could only hope they got better.
The day in Barcelona had been lovely, and he'd tried to make it as special for her as possible. They took in some sites, and had a quiet little lunch in a small local restaurant, one well off the beaten path. It was in the Muggle section of the city, and his Spanish wasn't great, but that just made it all the more interesting, he thought. A good local experience.
Then it came time for the concert. He'd almost not gone through with it. After all the planning, and all the practice, standing in the green room with the lads, he'd almost backed out. His feelings for Melinda were deep and true, and he wanted her to know, but for the first time in his life, he'd felt stage fright. What if the audience didn't like the song? What if Melinda didn't? He didn't think he could take it if she didn't like it. But with a bit of convincing and a good kick in the arse, he agreed. It was going to go fine. They had it all planned out. It was going to work.
When it was time for them to go on stage, Kirley was pleased to see Bea had Melinda standing right where he wanted her, just off to the side of the stage. Everything was in place, now they just had o put on a show.
The concert went great. Perfect even. The music was loud, the crowd was feeling it, and by now, they even knew the words to all of the new stuff that had just been released. Then it was time. The rest of the band took their places, standing near the back of the stage, and the lights dimmed. When they came back up, a spotlight was trained on center stage, where a stool and microphone had appeared. Taking his acoustic guitar from one of the stage hands, Kirley made his way to the stool, propping himself up with one foot still on the floor.
"So," he started, speaking into the microphone. "You lot are such a lovely bloody crowd, we thought we'd give you a little something special. Are you ready for something special!" The crowd roared, and he grinned broadly. "Fantastic!"
He adjusted the grip on his guitar before he continued speaking. "As many of you know, someone very important has recently come into my life. Someone I thought I'd never find, though to be honest, I wasn't really looking. It's funny how that happens sometimes."
Casting his gaze off stage, he could barely make Melinda's figure out, with the lights shining on his face, but he flashed a smile her way anyway. "A few months ago, I wrote a song for this very special lady, and I wanted to share it all with you tonight." Another roar from the crowd, and he laughed.
"It's a bit different than what you're used to, but I think you'll like it. It's called 'Love Potion.'"
Kirley took a moment to compose himself, and then he began. The words and music flowed through him easily, and for the few minutes he sat there on that stool, he didn't think about what the reaction from the audience might be. He didn't think about the stage, or the lights, or all the people watching him. He only thought of her.
It was a powerful song, full of emotion, and as he neared the end, he could have sworn he heard people singing along with him. Whether it was the band behind him, or the crowd before him he couldn't be sure, but it made him happy all the same. The song was good, and it was going to be a good foundation for their next album.
"You don't need a love potion for me," he sang, his voice getting soft in the last line of the song. "Cause I fell for you all on my own."
He strummed the last chord and pushed off the stool. The crowd was going wild. His ears were filled with the sounds of cheering and whistling, screaming and celebration and he took a few moments to drink it in. It felt amazing. Kirley thrived on attention and the approval from others, especially where his music was concerned, and this song was 100% his music. He had written every word, every note, and to hear the reception it got was an amazing feeling. But there was one more reaction he needed.
So as the band moved back to their places, he ran off to the side of the stage, and passed his guitar off before coming straight to Melinda. "I've got to go back out," he said, a bit breathless. He was shining with sweat from the lights and their performance, and he grinned as he stood before her, his eyes searching her face. "But… What did you think?"
---
Barcelona had been something of a romantic fascination for Melinda for many years. She had been no stranger to Spain - her mother’s family having been largely from Portugal made it easy to skip over to the small coastal towns along the west shore. She’d even been to Madrid on family holidays. Spain was something a little special to Melinda and had been for so much of her life. Barcelona? It seemed a bit like a fantasy village. It was so bright and vibrant. Like a village you’d expect to see in some fairy story.
Actually being in the city? Brilliant.
She had milked Kirley’s acceptance of her excitement for everything it was worth -- dragging him around all morning to all of the neighborhoods she had been told to visit in particular, and lunch in a cafe on the sunny, colorful streets. Of course, Kirley trying to speak Spanish was a particular treat for her. Not that her’s was all that great either, but her knowledge of Portuguese made it just a little more passable. After lunch, she’d begun their shopping excursion (which Kirley had been very much right about, though she loathe to admit it) when he had to head back to the venue. She’d wanted to stay out and continue exploring, but there was a look on Kirley’s face that brought her to agree to go back to the venue with him.
Keeping Melinda in the venue wasn’t particularly an easy task. Gibson and the litter of puppies the Sisters had managed to amass only kept her occupied for so long, even though they did end up going for a bit of a walk (something that wasn’t particularly the best of ideas, as she wasn’t exactly an unknown face to the Sister’s fans any longer). Corralling her to the side of the stage as the show began had been bit of a task. Not that she didn’t love watching Kirley perform - she did so very much - but there was just so much she wanted to do in the city in the short time they were afforded.
Melinda had managed to strike up a conversation with the guitarist of the opening band on that particular leg of the tour when the lights going out caught her attention. She continued her discussion with the guitarist, though half-heartedly as her eyes kept darting back to the stage to try and discern what the sudden change in their concert was about. And there was Kirley, in the middle of the stage with just his guitar and a microphone. When he started talking about her, specifically, she excused herself from the conversation, curiously walking towards the edge of the stage to join Bea, just far enough back that they weren’t easily seen off stage.
And then he started singing. She had thought at first that it would be a funny song, based on the title of it alone. Yet the way he was singing it, the words he had written, caused her breath to catch in her throat as she realized what it was he was really singing about. The feeling that was in his song. She’d barely made it through the first chorus by the time she felt tears slip from her eyes. Her hand rose to cover her mouth, trying to hide the fact that she was crying maybe. From whom, she wasn’t particularly certain. But she knew the tears wouldn’t stop, and no amount of smudged eyeliner or mascara could pull her mind away from him and that song.
By the time the song ended, it took nearly everything in her to not run out on stage and meet him. If she hadn’t seen him already doing that very thing, she just might have. As he approached her, she reached out to rest her hands against his chest. “Kirley, I--” she started, but didn’t know quite how to finish her thought. She simply looked up at him, tears still in her eyes. She didn’t think she needed to tell him that it was beautiful; it was written on her face.
----
He smiled widely at her, his hands finding her hips and bringing her in close. "I love you," he breathed, bringing her in for a quick, but deep kiss.
The crowd was still cheering, so he had some time, but not much. He knew it wouldn't be long before Myron was dragging him back out on stage for the last few songs. "I've wanted to tell you for weeks."
---
Those words - those simple, wonderful words - brought a soft laugh to her. She could feel the tears still streaming down her cheeks, and didn’t care to stop them. Each one was borne of happiness and those words bounced around in her head, even as he kissed her. For a moment, it didn’t feel real at all.
“I didn’t think you’d ever want to say something like that,” she confessed as her fingers gripped his shirt. She stood on her toes to steal another kiss from his lips before whispering against them, “I love you.”
---
He laughed and shook his head. "I didn't think I would either," he said before returning her kiss.
When she spoke again, when she returned his feelings, he felt a giant weight lifted from his chest. A lightness filled his body, and for a moment he could have sworn he could fly if he tried. She loved him. And he loved her. It was a change in their relationship, but the best kind of change.
He could hear the band calling his name then, but he pulled Mel in for another kiss. "We are going to finish this," he grinned, giving her a wink as he pulled back and ran back onto the stage.
---
Melinda’s fingers tightened in his shirt as he pulled her in for another kiss. She felt so very fragile and vulnerable in that moment, and yet… like she could conquer the world. It was exhilarating and wonderful. She could hear Kirley’s name being shouted by the boys, but she was loathe to let him go. She wanted to live in that moment for a little while longer.
But she let him go, smoothing his shirt out for him before nodding. “Go on,” she murmured, pushing him at his chest towards the stage. “Before the fans start chanting.”
---
Kirley ran back out on stage and grabbed his guitar. There were only a few songs left, and they passed in a flash for him. He was over the moon, and they ended the concert with a bang, just like all the rest. It had been a great show, but for once Kirley had no desire to attend the after party.
They said their thank you's and goodnights to the crowd and ran off the stage when the lights went down. He had no idea where the rest of the lads went, but Kirley ran right to Melinda.
He didn't say a word at first. Instead, he reached for her, holding her head in his hands, and pulled her in for a long, slow kiss. He could have stayed like that forever, but the bustle of stage breakdown had already begun. The band was going to be in Paris the next day, so they really didn't have that much time.
"Hey," he said against her lips when the kiss ended.
---
Melinda spent the rest of the concert with her eyes immediately on Kirley. Of course she knew the rest of the boys were there, she saw Kirley interact with them. But nobody really existed. Not even Bea standing next to her was really even there. At some point she’d even tried to wipe the tears from her cheeks and correct her makeup, but how useful that gesture was, she had no idea. She couldn’t take her eyes off Kirley.
As soon as the show was over, she straightened from where she’d been leaning. As soon as he found her, his hands cupping her face, her arms wrapped tightly around him. There had been a few times in which she’d complained about him hugging her immediately after a show - <I>Kirley, you’re absolutely soaking!</I> - but she couldn’t seemed to be bothered by it now. The heat from his body, and the complete dampness of everything about him was ignored in favor of that kiss.
“Hi,” she murmured, stealing a quick kiss from his lips. “I love you.”
---
"I love you too," he said into her kiss, moving his arms down to wrap around her waist.
With a quick squeeze, he lifted her up off the floor for a moment. "We should go," he said as he set her down. "I've got us a hotel for the night. Don't want to waste it, do we? Paris tomorrow you know."
---
A happy squeal escaped her as she was lifted from the floor. “A hotel?” She asked curiously. A smile spread widely across her features. “You really did plan this all out, didn’t you?”
---
"Well," he began, grinning down at her. "I couldn't very well half arse telling you I love you, could I?" Bending down, he kissed her once more, then took her hand. "Come on, you. Wren's already got us checked in and set up, so we can apparate straight there."
Giving her hand a squeeze, he closed his eyes and concentrated. A few moments later, he opened his eyes to find himself standing in the middle of their <a href="http://www.abacbarcelona.com/en/rooms/penthouse">penthouse</a>. "It's a muggle hotel," he said, pulling Melinda in again. "So we'll have to do things the slow way, but it's one of the best in the city, and it has a killer <a href="http://www.abacbarcelona.com/en/getaways/romance_getaway>romance package.</a>"
He gestured around the room then there was champagne chilling on the balcony, candles lit all over the room, and flower petals scattered around. To describe the room as simply romantic would be doing it a disservice, really. It was a bit cliche, to be sure, but this was a whole new world for Kirley, and he was determined to do the best he could.
"What do you think?"
---
Melinda barely had time to protest or even ask questions before Kirley apparated them to their hotel. She shivered a little as the disorientation really hit her and immediately began to dissipate. Her eyes drifted around the room slowly as he pulled her closer. It was lavish, to be simplistic. Beautiful. The candles and the rose petals that were left carefully in the open space.
She could feel the tears start to sting her eyes again.
“It’s beautiful,” she said softly, looking back up at him. “You’ve done too much, really.” She said softly, her arms wrapping around him.
---
"Nah," he said, pulling her in close. "No such thing as too much for you." He bent his head and kissed her sweetly, then gave her a grin.
"So, what shall we do first?" he asked, sliding his hands down to cup her bum. "There's champagne out on the terrace, but I should warn you. Before we get to the real fun stuff, I should shower. You know how it is after a show." He was drenched in sweat and no amount of deodorizing charms was going to help that.
---
Melinda sighed happily into that kiss. It was too much, but she loved it. Being spoiled tonight, she figured, wasn't the worst thing to happen in her life.
“Yeah,” she said with a soft laugh. “Go shower. You're getting me drenched in sweat.” She kissed him once more before pulling away from him.
“Go on, gorgeous.”
----
Kirley laughed in response, and gave her bum a pinch before walking away, off to the bathroom. He quickly stripped, tossing his clothes into a pile in the corner for Wren to handle tomorrow after they'd left. He smiled when he saw that she'd put his favorite products out on the counter and in the shower, and made a mental note to give her plenty of days off when the tour was over. She'd earned it.
The shower was a rain shower, one of his favorites, and as soon as the water was hot enough, he stepped inside the spacious glass enclosure and let the hot water run over his body. All of the tension in his muscles began to fade away as he stood there, not even washing himself, just letting the water work its magic for a minute.
---
Melinda watched Kirley as he walked into the bathroom, a smile lingering on her lips. As she heard the taps turn on she took to wandering about the room. It was a lovely room, really - very nearly a flat in and of itself. Her fingers trailed along the back of the sofa as she walked out onto the terrace. The night was warm, the smell of the ocean thick in the air. Intoxicating. She walked out to the ledge, looking out over the city just beyond the wall and the street traffic below.
It was far too romantic. Wonderful, and maybe even perfect. A part of her was sad they’d only have the one night before having to move on. She’d have loved to stay a few nights in the beautiful city - just the two of them and their newly admitted feelings.
After a few long moments of just watching the city below them, she pushed off of the wall and continued her walk about the terrace. The hot tub had already been filled and turned on for them, rose petals floating lazily across the surface. They scented the air just a little with their delicate fragrance. Even the champagne had been set up for them. Her eyes drifted into the room for a moment before she began to shed her clothing, leaving the puffy skirt and the corset against one of the lounges, her undergarments piled on top. Slowly she sank into the warm water, letting out a soft sigh.
---
When it was clear Melinda wasn't going to join him, Kirley hurried the rest of his shower, washing his body and hair quickly. He wanted, needed, to be near her, and as wonderful as the shower felt, it was nothing compared to holding the woman he loved.
He didn't bother dressing after his shower. He merely dried himself off and combed his hair back before setting off to find Melinda.
Taking a moment to look around their room, he nodded in approval, but didn't see his girl, until he caught a glimpse of black hair through the window. So he headed out onto the terrace, barely taking a moment to take in the sights around them as he went straight to the hot tub.
"Hey," he said softly, not wanting to startle her as he grabbed the champagne bottle from the ice bucket, and the two flutes from the table next to it. Then he slid into the water himself, holding the flutes out for her to take.
---
Melinda had set to relaxing in the hot tub by the time Kirley found his way out to the tub. A smile tugged at her lips as she watched him walk towards her. “Hey, baby.” She said softly, sitting up as he slid into the tub.
She took the flutes from him as she slid closer. As he toyed with the top to the champagne, she pressed a soft kiss to his neck. It took every ounce of self-control she had to not set everything aside and take up a place in his lap. Of course that was exactly where she wanted to be -- close to him.
“What are we toasting to?”
---
"Well I was thinking," he began, a smile of triumph spreading across his face as he succeeded in opening the champagne. "That we could toast to Barcelona."
Leaning in, he kissed her swiftly on the lips before taking one of the flutes from her hand. It took a bit of coordination, and involved a bit of spilling champagne in the hot tub, but soon he was setting the bottle on the side of the tub and accepting his glass from her.
"So," he said, stretching an arm out behind her on the edge of the hot tub. "Barcelona?"
---
Melinda couldn’t help but laugh as he tried to pour the champagne. She could only imagine how tired he was, and how much his hands ached after every show. It was something she thought of when his hand was down her pants and he was working on making her beg.
“To Barcelona,” she repeated, holding her glass up to tap his own before taking a drink. As she did, she shifted to put her legs over Kirley’s. She took a second sip before she leaned fully against his side. “You are absolutely wonderful. Do you know that?”
---
"Well I do try," he said with a bit of a laugh, taking a large sip from his glass.
Shifting his glass to the hand around her back, he lowered his now free hand into the water, laying it on her thigh. He was tired, that was true, but he was also energized. Playing shows always did this to him. They wore him out, but filled him with such adrenaline he felt like he could keep going for hours. It was a bizarre mix, but one he'd learned to thrive on.
"I've been planning this for weeks," he told her, leaning his head on hers. "I kept having to stop myself from telling you. I didn't want to ruin all this."
---
“I’ve wanted to tell you since you gave me the key to your place.” She admitted softly. She finished off her glass before setting it on the side of the tub before finding herself back in the happy little nook against him. Her hands took his from her thigh to start rubbing his hand softly, keeping it in the warm water as she did.
“I mean, at the time I figured that was basically the equivalent of saying that you love me.” She added, an amused sort of grin spreading across her features.
---
With another laugh, he set his unfinished glass on the side of the hot tub and wrapped his arm back around her, letting his fingers play with her hair. He couldn't quite believe that this was actually happening, that they were there in Barcelona, surrounded by candles and flower petals, all their feelings out in the open. It wasn't a place he would ever have pictured himself.
"It was," he admitted, his voice soft. "I had already started planning all this by then. The song was even written. I just had to stop myself from actually saying the words. The performer in me, you know."
---
“You devil,” Melinda laughed. “You managed to get everyone in on this and none of them slipped?” She looked up at him and caught his jaw with a kiss.
Had Melinda any say in the matter, this might have been exactly where she wanted to stay. With him, in his arms, in the euphoric state they found themselves in. It was wonderful. Comfortable and warm in a way she would have never felt would have been possible. The smell of the sea and roses, and the soft sounds of the city just beyond the balcony made anything outside of the hot tub seem years away.
“I can’t believe you wrote a song for me.” She said softly, continuing to massage his hand beneath the water.
----
"I woke up with a melody in my head," he explained, closing his eyes. The attentions she was giving his hand felt amazing, and needed after playing a show. "Got it out, and the words weren't far behind."
He smiled as he remembered that day. The frenzy with which he played and wrote and rewrote to get it right. The nervousness in his stomach when he played it for Myron. The relief he felt when he got his brother's approval. "It was the first time I'd written one all by myself," he told her. "I've written before. Melodies for most of the songs, and we all help out with the lyrics from time to time. But this song… It was all me, start to finish."
Opening his eyes, he looked down at Melinda, and dipped his head in for a soft kiss. "And it was all for you."
---
Melinda’s hands slowed just a little as she listened to him, her eyes on him even though his were closed. It was a strange, humbling sort of thing -- to have a piece of art made because of her. Occasionally she felt small against something like that, the way they could create something and open it up to the world. As he spoke, that feeling crept into her. It was never in a bad way, and certainly not now. Humble admiration, and it showed on her face as he looked down at her. Maybe there was even pride there.
Still, she didn’t quite know how to respond to that. All of it for <I>her</I>. Everything about that night was for her.
Instead of saying anything, she caught his lips in another kiss. It was soft, of course, but deep. Loving. Her hands left his so she could wrap her arms around his neck. She could at least tell him everything in that kiss -- how much she loved him, how grateful she was for <i>him</I>. Be, for the moment, completely open to him, exposed. Vulnerable.
---
The corners of his mouth turned up in a smile as he opened his mouth to her. When she wrapped her arms around him, he moved his now free hand to her waist, and took the opportunity to pull her tiny frame properly into his lap so she straddled him.
Wrapping his arms around her, his hands moved up and down her back, sliding over her smooth skin under the water. "I love you," he moaned into the kiss.
It was perfect. Absolutely perfect. Having his feelings for her out in the open was a whole new world for him. He'd never imagined someone could make him feel like this, but when he was around Mel, his world consisted of just her. She was the center, and everything took a backseat to her radiance. He was such a fucking lucky man.
---
Those words brought a shiver to Melinda’s small frame once again. She adored hearing them. She adored hearing <I>him</I> say them. How she had managed to find that in him, she still wasn’t entirely sure. She had pried him open somehow and stepped inside and she was entirely sure that was exactly where she belonged. In return, she had made herself completely vulnerable to him. Open. And it felt right.
It would only be when her lungs burned for air that she let the kiss end. She didn’t move far. She couldn’t bear the thought of it. Her body pressed against his as she placed soft kisses against his lower lip. “I love you,” she murmured against his lips.
---
Moving away from her was the last thing that would have ever crossed his mind. Breathing was necessary, however, though their lips continued to brush against each other as they caught their breath. Kirley let his hands roam over Melinda's body, up and down her back, to her thighs and back again. He couldn't get enough of her body, and he wished he had more hands to touch her with.
He let his lips wander then, away from here to her jaw. He stopped when he found a nice spot on her neck, right under where her jaw stopped. "We have the room until twelve-thirty tomorrow," he said against her skin, his teeth gently scraping the thin skin.
---
Kirley’s hands felt too good against her skin. She couldn’t help but relax even further against him - any inches that existed between them slowly disappearing. Her own slid from their place around his neck to drift slowly down his sides.
“Yeah?” She asked softly, her eyes closing as his lips found a spot against her neck. Her head tilted back, encouraging his lips. “Have you already thought about what to fill all those minutes with?”
---
"Oh I've got an idea or twelve," Kirley said, giving her neck a quick nip followed by a swipe from his tongue. He loved her neck. It was long and pale and slim and he could spend hours on end giving it all the attention she could handle.
Letting his hands come up her sides to where their chests were pressed together, he ran his thumbs over the sides of her breasts. "And none of them involve sleeping."
---
The nip at her neck brought a soft, happy sort of hum from Melinda. Her eyes closed for a moment, enjoying the feeling of his touch, the pass of his tongue over her neck. As he spoke, a smile tugged at her lips. She relented to the pass of his thumbs, leaning back just enough to grant them access to her breasts.
For a moment, she wanted to remind him that he had a show tomorrow -- that as much as she wanted to stay up all night fucking him, they shouldn’t. Yet, those words never came. Not even as she looked back at him, or as her hand rose to let her thumb trace the curve of his bottom lip.
“I’m yours.” She said softly.
---
Kirley couldn't hold back his devilish grin as he dipped his head slightly in order to catch her thumb between his lips. Letting his hands move in, grateful for the access she gave him, he massaged her breasts as he sucked gently on her thumb.
He only sucked for a moment though, before taking her hand with one of his own and leading it down under the water. He guided her hand to his already half hard cock, then cupped her head with his hand to bring her in for a kiss. "I want you," he murmured.
---
A soft moan passed Melinda’s lips as Kirley captured her thumb. It brought a shiver to her small frame - one that was only made worse as his hands found her breasts. A shiver that was of course replaced by the warmth of arousal. She couldn’t take her eyes off him as he teased her thumb, something so very beautiful about the way he did. And sexy beyond all reason. It was attention that didn’t leave him even as he pulled her hand away, guiding it to his cock.
Slowly her hand stroked his length, her thumb teasing the crown of his growing erection occasionally -- she loved the feeling of it twitching beneath her ministrations. Her teeth grazed his lower tier, a soft whimper on her lips before claiming them fully in a kiss.
---
He moaned loudly into Melinda's kiss as she stroked his cock. God it felt so good. Her hand fit him perfectly, and he thought for the millionth time how lucky he was.
Pressing his tongue into her mouth, he explored her warmth and let his hands move down to grab her arsecheeks. He palmed the round flesh, massaging them as he lifted his hips into her hand.
---
Melinda couldn’t help but grin against his kiss. Her hand squeezed him gently as his hips rose. Of course, she took her time in her teasing - her hand sinking even further between them to massage his balls, giving them a gentle tug before moving back to his cock. Even as he was hard, ready for her, she continued to tease him. His kiss was too delicious in it’s need.
Melinda, however, couldn’t deny him forever. Even as she teased, she knew how wonderful it would be to have him inside her. She could feel just how much her body wanted him. Her teeth grazed his tongue teasingly as she lifted her hips to position herself over him. “Kirley,” she murmured against his lips, letting the tip of his erection tease her entrance.
---
Her hand on his cock and the tug at his balls had felt so fucking good. Her teasing was driving him mad in the best possible way.
"Please," he moaned, giving her another squeeze before moving one hand up to her hip. He resisted pulling her down onto him, but only just. It was so very tempting to yank control from her, but Kirley had to admit he liked it when he was at her mercy.
---
<I>Please</I>. That word brought another shiver to her small frame. She loved so thoroughly the way he said that. How could she ever deny him?
Melinda’s eyes, half-lidded and lustful, watched him intently as she sunk down onto him. The feeling of him filling her caused her to tremble. He always did. Her hands left him, finding a place to rest against his jaw as her hips met his. She couldn’t take her eyes off him through all of it, even as the feeling of him set her entire body aflame. He was too beautiful.
---
He gave her hip a gentle squeeze as she took him in, his other hand moving up off her arse to hold her other hip as well. Kirley's eyes met hers and all the rest of the world melted away.
He didn't sense anything but her. The sounds of the city around them faded away, the water lapping at his chest was nothing. All he could perceive was Melinda. Her face, her skin, the feel of her around him, wet and hot and tight. She was his entire world in that moment, and he moaned low in his throat as she took him in completely.
---
Once he was completely inside her, Melinda stayed like that for a long moment. She could feel her heart trip over itself in her chest as she watched him. Even her breathing was unsteady as she leaned forward to press a soft kiss to his lips. His beautiful lips.
He was everything.
“I love you,” she murmured against his lips. Her hips rocked against his slowly - just enough to cause friction between them. She wanted to feel him fully.
---
"I love you too," he said, capturing her lips in a deeper kiss as she began to move against him. He never wanted to move from this hot tub, he decided. Screw everything else in the world, this was where he belonged.
He did wish he could move against her though, but only to be closer to her, deeper in her. He had no greater desire but to be one with her, to fuck them both into oblivion. Any words he tried to say were lost in their kiss as he tightened his grip on her hips, always wanting more.
---
Ever so slowly, Melinda lifted her hips from his, surrendering him nearly completely before falling back onto him. It was a slow thing, the way her hips moved. She wanted to feel every inch of him claiming her, becoming a part of her once again. And again. It was the only feeling that existed in the world -- <I>him</I>.
A soft whimper melted against his lips, the sound lost as she tried to steal his breath from him. Or tasteuggled to him. Maybe even just tell him how much she felt for him. She couldn’t decide. She just wanted his kiss, his hands on her skin, as she moved over him.
---
He loved the way she tortured him. Oh how much he loved it. The way she clung to him, moved slowly over him, kissed him until his lungs burned, crying out for air.
He had to break the kiss at last, gasping for air as he held her body. "Fuck, Mel," he managed to say with a bit of a laugh. "Fuck."
---
Melinda couldn’t help but laugh. It was a soft, breathy sound as her lungs struggled to fill themselves with the breath they burned for. The even rhythm of her hips made that all the more difficult. Every time he filled her, it took her breath away. How it was even possible he could feel so wonderful was far and away beyond her.
“Kirley,” she murmured. Her lips pressed a few errant kisses against his jaw. “Tell me more?” She asked softly as her kisses left a soft trail down his neck. Her fingers traced over his chest, teasing the taught skin of his nipples as her fingers brushed against them.
---
Biting his lip as she teased over his nipples, Kirley squeezed her hips and grinned. "I'm going to spend all night making you feel good," he breathed. "Right here in this hot tub. Then I'm going to take you against the balcony. Fuck you from behind while we watch the city below."
He leaned in and kissed her neck, letting one hand travel up to push into her hair. "Then I want you everywhere in this room. The bed. The couch. The shower. God Mel, I just want you."
---
“Fuck, Kirley.” Melina moaned. Her head fell back once again, allowing his lips to do as they desired against her skin. Those words brought about a strange sort of feeling in her -- one she had only start to feel. That ache inside her that made her want to pull him closer, that made her crave him in a way she couldn’t quite comprehend.
Her hips sped just a little, but despite their slow rhythm, she could still feel her release painfully close. Each time their hips met her legs began to tremble around him. “Kirley, I--” She started, but couldn’t quite finish. Her hands rose to tangle in his hair. She didn’t dare pull him away from her skin, but rather, tangled themselves as though holding on for dear life.
---
His lips latched to her neck, Kirley held onto her, moaning against her skin. He wasn't ready yet, though he could feel the beginnings of his release building in his stomach. Still, that was no reason to keep her from her pleasure.
"Come for me," he said against her skin. Moving his hand from her hip, he brought it around to her front, finding her clit with his thumb. "Let go love. Come for me."
---
The press of his thumb brought a soft cry from Melinda’s lips. The trembling of her body increased. Each rock of her hips, each movement of his thumb bringing her closer. Her fingers tightened in his hair as his lips found his temple.
“KIrley,” she murmured, her voice shaking just as the rest of her body. She barely lasted a few more thrusts before he sent her tumbling over her edge. She cried out, his name on her lips, as her body tightened around him. Trembled. Her hips rocked quickly as she rode out her own orgasm, hiding against him until those last waves of pleasure had her hips stilling on top of him.
“Fuck.” She breathed against his skin, her eyes closing for a moment in those blissful moments of warmth.
---
He laughed against her skin, holding her tight as she recovered against him. Her tightening around him with orgasm brought him closer to her own but he still wasn't quite there. He was still on a high from the concert, and felt like he could go all night. It was certainly his goal, anyway.
"Just wait till I get you against the balcony," he murmured against her neck, moving both his hands to her back. He slid them up and down her skin, waiting as her body calmed.
---
Melinda laughed. Even as his hands caused small shocks of pleasure that echoed through her. After a moment, after her body had calmed, she sat upright. With a happy sort of sigh, her hands rose to brush over his cheeks.
“You think so?” She asked softly, leaning in to place a soft kiss to his lips. “You should take me there.”
---
Moving his hands down to her thighs, he gave them a gentle squeeze. "You're the one sitting on me, love," he said with a laugh.
Still, he helped her off him, his cock aching as it was freed. He wanted so badly to be back inside of her, to be one with her again. Once she had moved, he stood and removed himself from the hot tub. Holding out a hand down to her, he grinned. "Coming?"
---
Taking his hand, Melinda rose from her seat in the hot tub. She gave his hand a squeeze as she climbed out of it. Even in the warmth of the summer, the breeze that graced their terrace brought goosebumps to her skin. Or maybe that was just the feeling of being without him. She couldn’t really tell.
She walked over to the terrace -- the view of the villas a breathtaking sight with all the colors of the lights in it. The sight, however, didn’t really compare to the one she’d left in the hot tub. She turned to Kirley then, a smile on her lips as she pulled him closer. She claimed his lips in a soft kiss, pulling him against her as she drifted backwards the handful of inches until she found the ledging.
--
Bending down to kiss her, Kirley's hands found her waist. He held her close, his cock pulsing against her abdomen as she took them back to the ledge. The few moments they'd been separated had been a few moments too long, and his body ached to be one with hers again.
Once she was up against the ledge, he placed his hands on the stone on either side of her and let his lips wander down to her neck once more. "Turn around," he grinned against her skin.
---
Melinda sighed as his lips found her skin once more. Her eyes closed for a moment, her hands drifting down his body. The feeling of his cock pressed against her was a thrilling one. She wanted so badly to wrap her hand around it, to fall down to her knees and finish him, knowing full well the taste of her own pleasure would still be on his skin.
His words, however, brought a grin to her lips. “As you wish, my love.” She murmured. She stole one more kiss from his lips before she turned in his arms. Her hips swayed gently against his, teasing him just a little as she leaned back against him to press her lips to his neck.
---
Kirley bit his lip in a groan when she teased him, his cock twitching against her bum. "So naughty," he laughed softly.
Lowering his lips to her shoulder, he gave the skin a gentle bite as he reached down between them, grasping his cock in his fist. He bent a bit at the knees and guided himself in between her legs. "You're so fucking hot," he breathed against her skin.
"God Mel, I love you." Bracing himself against the ledge with his hand, he easily slipped himself into her from behind. He groaned and shifted his hips, thrusting slowly into her while he brought his hand around to hold her to him, his hand splayed out over the smooth softness of her belly.
---
The feeling of his cock inside of her again caused Melinda to gasp. Her body trembled around him, the pleasure that feeling brought her so much sharper after having come once already. “Kirley,” she moaned softly, her fingers grasping at the edge of the balcony. “Fuck. You feel so amazing.”
She pushed back against him, using her grasp on the balcony to meet his hips as they moved. Her stomach tightened just a little under his hand, the touch causing a wave of goosebumps over her skin. “So amazing,” she murmured, pressing a few wayward kisses to his bicep -- any part of him her lips could find.
---
Moving his hand up her body to cup her breast, Kirley sped his hips up, his body slapping against hers in the glow of the city lights around them. Any words he tried to say we're lost in groans against her skin, and he immediately felt his thighs begin to tremble, a sure sign his release was close.
She was hot and wet and tight and felt so amazing around him, their bodies dripping water onto the balcony. "I'm close," he breathed into her ear, giving her breast a squeeze as he popped his hips into hers. "I want you to come with me, Mel."
---
The shift in the speed of his hips brought a soft cry from Melinda. It wasn't enough that his sounds were beautiful things, but his cock managed to find every spot inside her that made her tremble with his current angle.
“My love,” she murmured. Her hand rose to take his from her breast to guide it down to her sex. “I'm so close. Help me?”
---
"Oh baby," Kirley moaned, letting her move his hand down her body. Gripping the balcony tighter, he dipped his hand between her legs, easily finding her clit with the pad of his middle finger.
His voice dissolved back into unintelligible grunts against her shoulder as he rubbed her in tight little circles as he fucked her. He could feel his body pulsing with every heartbeat, lights going off behind his closed eyes as he got closer and closer to release. Oh he hoped she was close.
---
The press of Kirley's finger brought another soft cry from Melinda. She could feel her insides coil tighter with every small circle his finger made, her legs beginning to tremble with the pressure that built in her. Her own hand wrapped around the arm he was using for support tightly.
It was barely a few minutes before Melinda’s body surrendered. His name fell from her lips as her body tightened around his, trembled as each thrust of his hips brought another sharp, beautiful wave of pleasure through her body.
---
All it took to set off his own orgasm was hearing her say his name. As she tightened around him, he let all the tension go from his body and moaned loudly. She just felt so good, and he wanted to stay here against this ledge with her all night. His thrusts slowed as he finished, easing them down gently from the high of release.
"Fucking hell," he breathed, peppering light kisses over her back as he brought his hand away from her clit, placing it back on the ledge, needing both his hands for support. "You are amazing. Just bloody fucking amazing."
---
As Kirley’s hips slowed, and those last waves of pleasure rolled through her body, Melinda could feel her muscles going weak. Her eyes stayed closed as she pressed her face against his bicep, hiding for a moment in that warm space he brought her after her orgasm. The world around her was lost completely, just the warmth, the pleasure, the complete satisfaction. And Kirley. Each kiss brought a whimper from her. They felt almost like thunder, and she loved it.
“Kirley,” she murmured. She didn’t quite try to move yet. She was very certain that the only reason she was still standing was that his body had pressed hers against the ledge. That she was grateful for. Instead, she left a soft kiss against his bicep before she looked up, her head coming to rest against his shoulder.
“How do you always manage to do this?”
---
"Lots and lots of practice," Kirley said with a laugh. He was fairly certain if he tried to move he would fall down. The muscles in his thighs were shaking beyond belief, but he couldn't keep her pinned against the balcony all night.
Pulling his hands from the ledge, he wrapped one around her waist as he gently slid his cock out from inside her. "Come on," he said softly, pressing another kiss to the back of her head. "We've got champagne to finish, and I think I spotted a tray of goodies inside."
---
“Practice in making me come completely undone?” Melinda asked with a breathless laugh. As he moved, she moved with him. Her arm wrapped around his waist, just as much for support as to keep him close. The muscles in her legs still didn’t want to really move. But they did.
“Inside.” She murmured, pressing a kiss to his shoulder. “Food sounds fantastic.”
---
"Mmhmm," he grinned, wrapping his arm around her waist as they slowly made their way inside. He'd have picked her up if he could, but he feared they'd both topple over if he tried, so he settled for just holding her close.
Once inside, he left Melinda at the bed and ducked back outside, appearing a moment or two later with their discarded champagne and glasses. "Can't forget these," he said with a grin, filling a glass and passing it to her as he sat down beside her on the bed.
Leaning over, he pressed a kiss to her cheek and gave her neck a quick nuzzle. "When the tour is over, we're coming back here."
---
Melinda had no trouble falling into the bed. It was soft and wonderful. It was easy to find a comfortable spot nestled amongst the pillows. A spot that was made so much better when he sat on the bed next to her. A lazy sort of smile crossed her lips as she took the glass from him, though she favored tilting her head to the side to encourage that nuzzle.
“Yeah?” She asked softly, her free hand tangling in his hair. “A nice vacation after all this travelling?”
---
Kirley grinned and nodded, setting his glass to the side in favor of drinking straight from the bottle. "I think so," he said, getting himself settled against the pillows next to her. Thank Merlin Wren had had some foresight when getting the room set up for them, and had gotten the hotel to place the tray of fruits, cheeses, crackers, and chocolates by the bedside so they didn't have to travel far. Or perhaps she'd done that herself. Either way, it was a good idea.
"The tour is frantic," he said, taking Melinda's hand in his, lacing their fingers together. "One day here, two days somewhere else, three if we're lucky, but always going, always busy. When it's over, we can come back here and spend as much time as we like. Explore every nook and cranny we can find. Do whatever we like with no time constraints. Nowhere to be, no shows to play. Just you and me."
---
Melinda shifted, finding it easy to lean against him as their fingers laced together. She gave his hand a gentle squeeze. A smile spread slowly across her lips as he spoke. She could feel her heart trip over itself in her chest at the very idea. A vacation -- just the two of them in such a beautiful city.
“Maybe spending the day by the water, the evening dancing in the warm night air?” She asked softly, surrendering her glad long enough to take a piece of fruit from the nearby tray. “I would love that. It sounds like a perfect way to remember how to slow down.”
She leaned forward, then, to steal a soft kiss from his lips. She let the kiss linger for a few moments before pulling away from him, at least, just far enough to press a kiss to his shoulder.
----
"We'll have to practice our tango," Kirley said with a grin, laying his head over hers. "Everyone will be jealous of us." He could just imagine the looks they'd get, and how they would revel in them. He loved being the center of attention, of course, and knowing everyone wanted to be them, or be with them, would make it all the better.
He took a swig from the bottle before resettling his head against hers. "Shit," he said with a little bit of a laugh. "Now that I've told you I love you, I should probably get serious about introducing you to my family."
---
“Everyone already is,” Melinda murmured as she took a bite of her strawberry. At least, in her humble opinion everyone already was. She'd seen it in the way fans looked at them together, and the ways people watched them as they danced in the hall back in England. Melinda could only imagine that she'd be doing exactly the same if she were in their position. The way Kirley looked at her was beautiful.
A smile spread over her lips as he made a comment about his family. She shifted then, curling up against his side. “I've met half of them,” Melinda offered hopefully. “You haven't met any of mine yet. I think you have a leg up on this one.”
---
Setting the champagne bottle off on the bedside table, Kirley turned slightly into Melinda, giving her hand a squeeze and placing his free hand on her thigh. He looked down at her and grinned, his eyes darting over her features. He loved looking at her like this, curled against him, still flushed from sex. Reveling in the afterglow of what they'd done out on the balcony, he placed a kiss on her hair. It couldn't have been a more perfect night.
"I think I'd like that," Kirley said, letting his fingers play over the skin of her leg. "I've never met parents before. Something to be said for new experiences."
---
The smile on her face turned into a bright, happy thing as she looked up at him. The idea that he might actually <I>like</I> to meet her family. She’d always imagined that there might have been some small degree of kicking and screaming involved in the ordeal. A surprise visit to their apothecary down the street when she knew both her parents would be there.
“You’ll like them,” she said softly. “They’re weird, too.” She pressed a kiss to his jaw.
---
"Too?" he asked with a grin. "Well that would imply that <i>you</i> are weird."
Bringing his hand up from her leg to cup her cheek, Kirley shifted and caught her lips with his. He kissed her long and slow, pouring himself into it. "You're not weird," he said when their lips parted. "You're perfect."
---
A soft whimper melted against his lips in that kiss. For a moment, in the wake of it, she felt small, vulnerable -- but neither of them were bad. She was open, completely. Honest. He’d brought her there with his own openness and she loved it.
Her arms tightened around him just a little, wanting to be as close to him as possible. “Not perfect.” She said, shaking her head. “That comes with way too much responsibility.”
----
"Well we definitely don't want that," he grinned, kissing her once more. "Responsibilities are for grown ups. Can't have that now can we?"
---
“Responsibility isn’t all bad,” Melinda said softly. Her hand smoothed over his chest slowly, appreciating the soft skin, and the subtle hills and valleys of his muscles. “I’d be afraid I’ll disappoint you somehow.” She pressed a soft kiss to his jaw before nosing it gently.
“I much prefer being your imperfect, weird, bony little lover.”
---
Kirley shook his head, stroking her jaw with his thumb. "How could you disappoint me?" he asked, but didn't really expect an answer. He couldn't think of any way she could, and no matter how imperfect or weird she claimed to be, she would always be perfect to him.
It was kind of amazing, he thought, how she had been able to work her way inside of him, change him like she had. Terrifying, but amazing, how this tiny woman had taken his heart.
Leaning in, he brushed his lips against hers and grinned. "I'll take you however you want to be."
---
Melinda didn’t really have an answer for him. She wanted to say that she might. That something might happen, or she might hurt him somehow, in a way she didn’t know she was able to yet. But it didn’t seem like a good answer to his question. It felt defeating and pessimistic and right now, in this place, this night, she felt anything but that.
His lips, entirely, were distracting from his question.
“I love you,” she murmured against those lips. She could very well spend the rest of her life getting drunk on those lips. She didn’t even care that it must have been the hundredth time she’d said those words to him -- the novelty of saying them to him and the weight behind them wouldn’t wear thin for a while.
---
"I love you too," he said softly, his heart nearly bursting each time he said the words. He'd held them in for so long, finally getting them out was the biggest relief he'd felt in a long time.
Releasing the hand he held, Kirley shifted, rolling over to hold himself above her. "Every time I look at you… Fuck, you drive me completely insane."
---
A soft laugh escaped Melinda as he shifted. Of course she moved easily with him. Her hands rose to drift slowly along his sides as she shifted, her legs finding their way around his hips so he could lay fully against her if he wanted. There was something about the weight of him on top of her that she adored so very much.
“Do I?” She asked softly, her lips pressing a soft kiss to his neck. “That can’t be good for you, you know.”
---
He didn't want to completely crush her, so Kirley rested his elbows on either side of her head so he could play with her hair, distributing his weight between his knees and elbows. "I think it's very good," he said softly, giving her neck a kiss of his own.
He pulled back then and looked down at her. She glowed in the candlelight around the room, and in that moment he thought she was the most beautiful person to have ever lived. "In fact," he said, giving her a small grin. "I think it's the best thing that's ever happened to me."
---
Melinda could feel the blush rise to her cheeks at his words. She looked down for a moment, though she knew she had nowhere really to hide from him. She didn't really want to.
“You sweet talker,” she said softly, her eyes finding his again. “I thought I was the luckiest to find you.” Her hand rose from his side to rest against his cheek. Her thumb brushed against his skin as she left a soft kiss against his lips.
---
"We're both lucky," he said, his voice barely above a whisper against her lips before taking her in a deeper kiss. Swiping his tongue across her lower lip, begging for entrance, he took a hand off the bed and let it move down her body.
Pausing momentarily to give her breast a good squeeze, he caressed her soft skin on his way down. He slid his hand between them when he reached their hips, but then shifted to his own body, taking his cock in hand. He was half hard as it was, just from simply being so close to her. It wouldn't take much to get himself ready once more.