When the Night Falls: The Purpose of Love, Part 2

BLAKE

I came to Norway because I needed a change.

When I moved to this secluded cabin in the Arctic, I just wanted to get in touch with myself.

What I didn’t expect is that I’d soon meet the woman of my dreams, too.

Or that she would ask me to become friends with benefits.

But now, as our relationship blossoms, I am faced with one unassailable question.

Can we continue as “just friends”? Or will my feelings get in the way?

***

A gentle smile plays on Aria’s face as she looks at me. My fingers play on her skin as the snow falls in the background.

The temperature has dropped drastically, but we’re warm here. Underneath the sheets, our naked bodies touch each other in a gentle rhythm. It’s peaceful and quiet.

“What are you thinking about?” Aria murmurs as she places her hand on my chest.

“Nothing,” I whisper, watching her.

I never expected Aria to be so affectionate. In the back of my mind, I believed Aria would move away as soon as we finished what we started.

It took me by surprise when she asked if we could cuddle after we came.

I couldn’t say no… I wanted to experience what it feels like to lay beside someone after having sex.

I can easily count the number of times I have been with a woman.

I’ve never felt like staying the night with anyone before, nor did anyone ever volunteer to stay the night.

I remember one time, when I genuinely liked this Persian woman, I asked her if she wanted to stay the night with me in the hotel room. She merely shrugged her shoulders, picked up her coat, and said, “If you want to meet again, we can do that. But I’m not going to stay the night here.”

She left the hotel room before I could even respond… not that I had had much of a reply. I was a bit of a novice to sex at this point, too. I was clumsy and had very little knowledge or experience with keeping a woman happy in bed.

After having two or three brief encounters, I realized that the women I was involved with were not very receptive to my approach—I was usually a bit hurried.

I acknowledge that I hadn’t made much of an effort. It’s not like I missed being with women. I felt calm and content, keeping busy and working for Theodore.

“You’re zoning out.” I hear her voice say.

I’m pulled out of my thoughts as Aria touches my cheek. Her touch brings me peace.

“I have some garlic bread in the fridge. We can heat it with the leftover tomato soup from this morning.”

“That’s a good idea. I’ll clean up first,” I say, and she nods.

She sits up, the covers falling over her lap. I stare at her breasts. She pulls on her sweater and smiles at me.

“I’ll use the downstairs bathroom.”

She gets off the bed and goes over to the wardrobe while my eyes follow her everywhere she goes. She stands there, sifting through the clothes, and her sweater barely covers her naked ass. She has cellulite on her butt, and I think it’s beautiful.

She picks out a pair of new underwear from the wardrobe and leaves the room while I stare at her figure. Is this what it feels like to be smitten by a woman? I smile to myself, shaking my head.

***

Aria hums a song that I don’t know as she sets up the table. Sometimes I think she makes up melodies as she goes.

“I got these flowers in the morning but forgot to put them in some water!” I remember suddenly.

“Grab a vase,” she smiles, pointing to the cabinet. “Bring whichever one you like.”

I wander towards the cabinet and open it to see a variety of different vases.

“I didn’t know you were such a vase collector,” I grin.

“Oh, the collection isn’t mine, exactly. They belong to my grandma. She’s very into flowers, and my grandpa bought her the vases during all of his travels. They were passed down to me and my brother.”

I pick a jade green vase, which makes her smile.

“Is your brother’s name Baug or Borg? I got confused the other day when someone called him Borg.”

She laughs. “My brother’s middle name is Borg. Sometimes, close people call him by his middle name. It’s also Noah’s middle name, which I am sure can be confusing. Don’t be surprised when people call them both Borg.”

I nod my head. “I assume Borg is a common name over here.”

“Yes.”

We spend the rest of the night eating, talking, and enjoying the calmness of sitting together.

Later in the evening, I walk to my cottage with a smile on my face, thinking of Aria, thinking of how lucky I am to be her neighbor.

And wondering if we might be able to be more?