The Coach House by Florence Osmund Page A

opening up her heart and letting him explore every inch of it.
     
    I’m in love with the night mysterious,
    The night when you first were there,
    In love with my joy delirious,
    When I knew that you could care,
    So taunt me, and hurt me,
    Deceive me, desert me,
    I’m yours till I die,
    So in love…So in love…
    So in love with you, my love, am I.
    “I feel like I’m living inside that Cole Porter song,” he said under his breath. Marie had been listening intently to the words of the song, and now her pulse raced. She turned herself around to face him and locked her eyes with his.
    “Marry me,” he said.
    * * *
    The next morning Marie awoke in the bright sunlight pouring through the window. She stared at the ceiling while she took a few seconds to remember where she was. Expecting to see him next to her, she turned her head, but his side of the bed was empty. She wrapped her arm around his pillow and held it close to her face, the lingering hint of his scent intoxicating.
    The last thing she remembered was him holding her as she fell asleep. His hands had flowed over her curves like a stream, his touch slow and gentle at first. He had explored every inch of her body with his hands and then his lips.
    The smell of coffee wafting into the bedroom interrupted her thoughts. She listened for several seconds trying to identify the song he was humming. When she did, it brought a smile to her face.
     
    Even without you
    My arms fold about you,
    You know darling why,
    So in love with you am I.
    She had a feeling it would become their song.
    She appraised herself in the bathroom mirror. No makeup and messy pillow hair. Well, he may as well see now how I look in the morning. She slipped on her robe and entered the kitchen.
    “Morning, gorgeous. Sleep well?” he asked without looking up from the kitchen counter where he was preparing breakfast.
    She walked up behind him and put her arms around his waist. “I wouldn’t call me that if I were you until you’ve actually seen what I look like first thing in the morning.”
    He turned around and looked at her, then put his hands around the back of her head. His stare was long and gentle. “Good morning, gorgeous,” he said with a sweet smile before kissing her. “What would you like in your omelet?”
    They looked across from each other as they ate, neither one saying anything about what had happened the night before. Marie finally broke the silence.
    “I didn’t hear you get up this morning.”
    “I’m sneaky that way,” he said with a smile, not looking up.
    “It took me a minute when I woke up to realize where I was.”
    “I know the feeling. It happens to me all the time when I travel.”
    “Then it took me another minute to recall what we did last night.” She looked up to see his reaction. His eyes met hers.
    “Any regrets?”
    Marie shook her head imperceptibly. “No. No regrets.” She paused for a few seconds, her gaze straying downward. “It just happened so fast.”
    “I’m sorry. I’ll try to slow it down next time.”
    “No, not that!”
    He tilted his head and looked at her with a soft smile. “What then?”
    “What I meant was we’ve only known each other for three months, and now you’ve asked me to marry you.”
    “And you said, yes.”
    “I know. Like I said, it’s all happening so fast.”
    He gave her a comforting glance. “Do you want to forget last night ever happened and slow everything down?”
    She knew full well she had already lost her heart to him. “No. I don’t want that, either.”
    “Maybe you just need time for this to sink in,” he said.
    “I think maybe I do.”
    “Tell you what. It’s been snowing all night, and there’s got to be about a foot of it on the walks and in front of my garage. I’m going to go out and shovel. Do you mind cleaning up the kitchen?”
    “No. Not at all.” And she meant it. She did her best thinking while preoccupied with something mundane.
    “I love you, Miss Costa. But I think I