Sweet Stella

'And maybe we can repeat some of this tomorrow?'

I kiss him.

'And what else?'

He shifts underneath me, still holding me with his hands around my back. He smiles, sighs.

'I'd like to take you dancing somewhere, to see you do that thing with your hips again, like you were doing in the kitchen last night.'

I laugh.

'And then what?'

'Hmm, let me see - probably in about a year, maybe sooner, I'll ask you to stay with me forever, and after that, we'll give some consideration to having all those kids together.'

My breath feels trapped in my throat.

'I can't believe I thought you were shy,' I finally manage to say.

'Not shy so much as I don't want to say things unless I mean them.' He runs a thumb over my cheek. 'But first, we should probably wash this blood off. It'll get itchy when it dries,' skimming his hands down my back to my bottom and inbetween my legs, forcing another shudder out of me.

I stick my hands into his hair and push them around, messing it up, which makes him laugh and hug me tighter.

'I like the sound of those plans, Samir. I think they might work out.'