Total pages in book: 92
Estimated words: 86226 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 431(@200wpm)___ 345(@250wpm)___ 287(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 86226 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 431(@200wpm)___ 345(@250wpm)___ 287(@300wpm)
We lie there for a while afterward, not wanting the moment to end just yet before reality sets back in. Finally, Phoenix pulls away after giving me one last lingering kiss on the forehead, getting up without saying a word as though he doesn’t want to break the spell between us.
I lie there a few moments longer, basking in the afterglow of our passionate encounter.
Eventually, I force myself to get out of bed, my body still filled with pleasure and intensity.
“Can I ask you a question?” I begin as I watch him pull on a pair of gray sweats, his chest bare, muscled and delicious.
He turns to face me, an eyebrow raised.
“Why do you call me dove?”
“Because of a story my mother used to tell me,” he begins. “The Phoenix wasn’t just a bird but a creature of fire and fury, who had lived for hundreds of years, but had never known the joy of true love. Then one day, the Phoenix’s eyes fell upon the delicate form of a turtle dove. She was small and pure, with feathers as white as snow, and the Phoenix knew that it had found its soulmate.
The two birds flew together to a hidden corner of the forest and built a nest as their home. Here they were able to bask in their love, despite the mocking of other birds who did not understand their devotion. The Phoenix’s burning wings were a stark contrast to the turtle dove’s soft feathers, and they were a beautiful sight to behold, like two flames united in perfect harmony. No matter what those around them said, their love was strong, and nothing could ever come between them.
But as the Phoenix’s life drew to a close, it knew that its death would come soon. All it could think of was the love it had for its beloved turtle dove, and the thought of living without its love was unbearable. In an act of selfless devotion, the turtle dove chose to die and join the Phoenix in the afterlife. When the Phoenix rose from its ashes, so too did the turtle dove, and they were reunited in a new life.”
I gaze into Phoenix’s eyes and can feel the intensity radiating from his soul.
“That’s a powerful story,” I murmur.
“It is,” he replies softly. “It’s a testament to the power of unyielding devotion and eternal love. It tells us that even when the Phoenix passes away, it still remains with its beloved turtle dove in each new life, and that kind of love will never die.”
“It’s tragic, though,” I whisper, tears glistening in my eyes. “The Phoenix dies.”
He nods gravely. “Yes, it is a tragedy, but it’s also a symbol of the cycle of life and death, and of the power of true love that transcends time and space.”
“But you haven’t truly answered my question,” I say. “Why call me dove?”
“I call you dove because you are the one who completes me. The one I am willing to die for, the one I am reborn for.” He takes my hand, his gaze burning into mine with passionate intensity.
My heart swells with emotion at his words.
I don’t know how long this softness will last, as Phoenix burns cold just as quickly, but I’ll take it and relish it while I can.
I get out of bed, wrap my arms around his neck, and press myself closer to him so I can kiss him deeply. His lips are warm and inviting as our tongues meet in a passionate dance. We linger in our embrace, exploring each other’s souls with our lips.
The intensity of the moment is too powerful to ignore, and my heart opens to him like never before.
He holds me tightly against his chest, and I melt into him, feeling like I have returned home after a long journey. Maybe it’s too good to be true to believe that we can conquer any challenge that comes our way and live out our days in blissful harmony, but I want to tell myself that. I want to believe it’s possible.
“I love you,” I whisper softly against his cheek.
The words hang in the air between us—frozen.
Did he hear me?
Maybe he did and doesn’t feel the same.
I wait. And I wait. But I don’t hear the words in return.
I have to change this. I have to fix this. I can’t let those words break what we’re building. Trying to pretend I never said them to begin with, I blurt out, “I need you. I need to feel you inside me again, and again, and again.”
Return to the sex. Return to the part of our relationship I understand. The part of us that works effortlessly.
Phoenix takes me in his arms, pressing my body to his as he kisses me deeply. I feel the warmth of his lips as they move against mine, taking me on a journey of pleasure and passion. His hands are gentle yet insistent as they explore my curves, eliciting delicious moans from deep within me.