Page 77 of Serenity
“What?” He asked, issuing a crooked smile.
“You love me.”
Laughing, he rose from his wheel to kiss my lips. “I do.”
On day three, we explored the underground caves of Derinkuyu. The warm, creamy-colored caverns were nothing like what I’d anticipated. At the sound of “caves,” I thought, dark and fearful. Hospitable and bright shirked those expectations. The caves of Derinkuyu were far from what a cave ought to be.
That was the wonderful thing about travel. Confined notions and beliefs were expanded with exposure to the magnificence of the surrounding world. Such adventure kept me grounded, embracing cultures, customs, and beliefs that varied from my own. Sharing that adventure—those experiences with Duke was even more rewarding.
On day four, we went horseback riding in Red Rose Valley. Upon return to our hotel room, I was spent. Immediately shedding my clothes, I prepped for a shower.
“Your day isn’t finished yet, Bee,” Duke announced.
“What do you mean?” I asked, curious to know what more was even possible. Tirelessly, Duke ceased to amaze me. Slowly, I was beginning to learn that absolutely nothing fell outside of his aptitude when it came to me. Far and deep, his consideration for me ran.
“Open the box,” he instructed of the large container resting in the middle of our bed. With my focus on cleansing my sweaty limbs, I hadn’t noticed its presence.
“What is this, Duke?”
“Just open it, Bee.” Unamused by my hesitancy, Duke disappeared to the bathroom.
Lifting the lid from the behemoth of a box revealed a peach-colored dress. The flowy garment boasted a deep V-cut near the busts and long train, which I didn’t realize until I had it on. After freeing his bladder in the bathroom, Duke stiffened as he regarded me with his toasty brown orbs. Gripping his chin, he nodded his approval.
“Good. It fits. Now you can go do your photo shoot in the morning.”
“A photoshoot, Duke? Seriously!”
“You’ve been raving over how beautiful everything here has been. I wanted you to have something to remember it by. The photographer is slated to capture you near the balloons and in the Turkish rug shops early tomorrow before liftoff. In the morning, do your makeup and shit. I couldn’t find an artist out here I felt was skilled enough to enhance your beauty.”
Collapsed into a frown, my face prepared to ugly cry.
“Don’t do that, Bee.”
“Why not? You consume me.”
“Consume, baby? You mean like when I’m devouring that pu—”
“No,” I tittered.
Sitting on the edge of the bed, I emphasized my level of overwhelm with a sigh.
“I’m consumed, Duke Stepford. Overflowing with love, adoration, exultation, and appreciation. The way you consider me. The way you know my thoughts and feelings sometimes, even before I know it myself. The way you love me…”
“What you describe of me, I feel magnified by ten with regard to you. Never have I felt so adventurous and youthful in my life. Never have I wanted to explore and share the world with anyone the way I desire to do with you.
“Now that I think of it, you used the right fucking word. A consummation, a completion. That’s what’s supposed to happen, Bee. I found you. Lost among so many, too many who were unworthy. Wholly and unreservedly, I believe you’re my twin. My person. The other portion of my soul. A substantial fragment of me that’s been missing. I found you, Bee, and I’m never fucking letting go.”
The solo shoot on day five turned into a couple’s shoot. Though Duke tried to decline, I insisted he participate, refusing to continue the shoot without him in it. His inclusion was paramount in the souvenir of our memory. It marked the subtle shift in our connection as we plunged into love. Into surrender. I wanted all parts of this trip tattooed on my heart permanently.
Day six consisted of quad biking in the Cappadocian valley. We ended the day with Turkish baths and champagne at a hammam, the Turkish name for a spa. It was so needed after our week full of activities.
On a large stone slab, we were instructed to lay naked. Surprisingly warm, the slab issued immediate relaxation. A masseuse attended to each of us, scrubbing our bodies from head to toe. Utilizing sinks built into the room, water was added to the mix as our bodies were exfoliated from all the dead skin. My body never felt cleaner. Every nook and cranny was touched and cleaned. Only after the cleaning did they begin the actual massage. It was undoubtedly a luxury service. The deep-tissue massage added another hour to the already lengthy experience. As the service was being rendered, I contemplated adding something similar to my spa enterprise.
Once the masseuses left, Duke ambled toward me with a look that only he could give. A look that set my body ablaze. Set my heart in a craze and my head in a daze.
“What?”
“There’s something I’ve been wanting to do to you for a while,” he confessed.