Abstract Love

by Samantha Christy

  We break apart and he cups my face, rubbing his thumbs back and forth on my cheeks as he stares into my eyes. No one has ever looked at me the way he does, like I’m the only person in the world, like I’m the only thing that matters to him. “You own me, Keri. Every piece of me. Let me make love to you. I want to make love to you with my voice and my body.”

  His spoken wishes and passionate words cause my body to tremble with warmth and need. “Jace . . . yes. I’m yours,” I say, my proclamation laced with lust and want for him.

  He removes his clothes and then slowly undresses me, taking time to appreciate every single part of my body as he exposes it. The way he looks at me has me aching. My body is on high-alert, responding instantly to wherever he touches it. “You are so exquisitely beautiful,” he says, laying me down on the bed beneath him. He leans down to kiss me and my eyes close as he lets out a growl of desire when our naked bodies touch, igniting my incessant greed for him.

  “Look at me, Keri,” he says with panting breaths. “Watch me as I love you. See how you make me feel.” And as he enters me and we become one for the first time, I cry out at the pleasure of him filling me gently, perfectly and completely unlike any other person ever has. As he moves within me, he whispers declarations of love and devotion and when he kisses me, I feel the truth of every word he has spoken.

  My body tightens around him, lights explode behind my eyelids and euphoria bursts within me as I arch my back through the incredible release. My body continues shuddering as his own climax pulses through him. Then as we lay tangled together in breathless bliss, I realize that I am truly his—wholly, deeply and unconditionally. Happy tears stream down my face as he pulls me into a kiss. A kiss that trumps all other kisses. A kiss so sweet and full of meaning that it would have sufficed in the absence of his words. A kiss with promises of more-than-enough love.

  Epilogue

  One month later . . .

  I’m still riding high from his grand gesture of love. Jace finally wore me down and I have agreed to take a position at The Third Watch. But only with the condition that I get to remain heavily involved with day-to-day operations and most importantly, that I still get to interact with the kids. I’m both scared and excited to begin my Master’s program in the fall. Luckily, I can go to school part-time and still fulfill my duties as the new Residential Coordinator for the foundation.

  In celebration, Jace is surprising me with a night out. After a few minutes of driving, I smile because I know where he is taking me. We both love going on the yacht, and every chance we get, we come up with some kind of charity function that will allow us to utilize it without feeling any guilt.

  We pull into the parking lot and he comes around to open my door, and he helps me from the car. He grabs my hand and we walk blissfully over to the sidewalk. However, when we get there, he pulls me in the opposite direction, back towards the darkened entrance of the chemo clinic. “What, do you want to live out an old fantasy and make-out with me in front of the clinic?” I tease.

  He laughs at me. I still can’t get over his laugh. I’ve made it my mission every day to hear it at least a dozen times, but it’s not hard. He makes me happier than I ever dreamed. “Something like that,” he says, winking at me. He goes to push the door of the clinic open.

  “Jace! What are you doing? It’s dark in there. They aren’t open. Do you want to get arrested?”

  “Oh, lighten up bit and live a little, Keri. Come on.” He pulls me through the double doors. He walks me into the main room of the clinic and a light flickers on. I’m surprised to see who is here. I look around at all of the faces of those who went through chemo with us. There is Grace, Mel, John, Ann, Peggy, Eileen, Jenny and even Dylan. Most are in the same seats that they used during treatment. With one exception. Steven’s seat has been left conspicuously vacant and I take a second to remember him before I see who else is here. Lining the walls behind the large leather chairs are our nurses, Stacy and Camille, along with Trina, the masseuse. And rounding out the bunch are Chaz, Tanner and Jules.

  I smile so big when I see everyone. I can’t believe he’s arranged yet another surprise party for me. And all because I’ve agreed to work with him at the foundation. I’m touched that all of these people would show up for this. “Wow, thank you all for coming. I’m so flattered you’re here. It’s nice to see you all.” I start to walk over to them to greet them individually when Jace grabs my hands and pulls me to the middle of the room.

  “Keri, this is where I first met you. It is where my life changed. I had to bring you here on this day. There isn’t any other place I could imagine bringing you on this very day.”

  His eyes well up and I begin to think that the purpose of this little gathering is not, in fact, a surprise party at all. My heart races, blood pounds in my ears, and tears threaten to fall as he continues to speak to me.

  “When I was first diagnosed with cancer, I felt like someone ripped the very ground out from under my feet. I couldn’t help but think ‘why me?’ I would sit in my loft and stare at that painting of you that I made all those years ago and draw courage and inspiration from it. It was you, that painting, that got me to come here and it was here that I met you. So, I no longer ask ‘why me,’ instead I say ‘thank God.’ Because now I know that no matter what my prognosis is in a few weeks, I know that you will be by my side.” His voice cracks and he whispers to me that he’s still getting used to using it, making me laugh.

  “You are the best side effect of cancer, Keri.” He smiles at me as we laugh at our private joke through our tears. “I can’t imagine spending the rest of my life with anyone else. You are ashamed of your past, but your past has made you who you are today. It has made you into the woman I love. You are the strongest person I know. When life took your parents, you turned it into a career for helping children. When life gave you cancer, you said ‘screw you’ and cupped your breasts. You gave up the man you loved because you unselfishly thought it was the best thing for him. And you stood between the barrel of a gun and a monster to save a boy from a lifetime of regret. That is the woman I love. She is the one I want to spend my life with. She is the woman who can teach our children to be amazing—just like she is.”

  My ears tell me that we are not the only two people shedding tears of joy in this room. But I can’t pull my eyes away from Jace to look at anyone else. We share a moment that etches itself forever into my soul. Then he smiles at me and drops down on one knee. “I have a question to ask you, Keri. I’ll whisper it, I’ll text it, I’ll scream it from the mountain tops . . . as long as I get the answer I want. The answer I need to bring happiness to the rest of my days.” He reaches into his pocket and produces a ring. It’s the most beautiful thing I’ve ever seen. It is not a huge diamond, one that will weigh down my finger and make me feel pretentious. It is a perfectly-sized diamond, but it is positively, undoubtedly, absolutely . . . more than enough. “Keri, will you do me the honor of becoming my wife?”

  Even blurry through my tears he is the most handsome man I will ever lay eyes on. I can’t imagine a more romantic proposal, topping even the art gallery gesture of last month. I know that this man will love me and continue to surprise me until we cease to exist on this earth. I believe that our love may even transcend this world and follow us into the next. I pull out my phone.

  Me: Yes! A million times, yes!

  Acknowledgments

  First and foremost, I have to thank my family for putting up with a crazy wife and mother during this process. Bruce, you have always given me the freedom and support to follow my dreams and for that I can never have enough gratitude. Dylan, Austin, Kaitlyn, and Ryan, you had to endure month after month of your mom being locked in the office, typing away on the laptop while you fended for yourselves. I couldn’t have asked for more wonderful and responsible children and I’m so proud of you all.

  I can never fully express the appreciation I have for my editors, Jeannie Hinkle and Ann Peters. Without the two of you, my books wo
uld never see the light of day. Thanks for your honest, and sometimes brutal, opinions and guidance.

  To my beta readers, Tammy Dixon, Lisa Crawford and Stephanie Smith, your feedback kept me writing and your words of encouragement kept me from burning my manuscript in frustration.

  When the idea behind this book came to me, I wondered if I could write a book about chemotherapy without having actually been there myself. I did a lot of research and read countless internet blogs on the subject. I can’t go without thanking Gwen Schell and Marty Danko for sharing their very personal experiences with me, giving me some insight into the world of cancer. I certainly have a new appreciation for you and everyone else who has or is now dealing with this awful disease.

  About the Author

  Samantha Christy’s passion for writing started long before her first novel was published. Graduating from the University of Nebraska with a degree in Criminal Justice, she held the title of Computer Systems Analyst for The Supreme Court of Wisconsin and several major universities around the United States. Raised mainly in Indianapolis, she holds the Midwest and its homegrown values dear to her heart and upon the birth of her third child devoted herself to raising her family full time. While it took time to get from there to here, writing has remained her utmost passion and being a stay-at-home mom facilitated her ability to follow that dream. When she is not writing, she keeps busy cruising to every Caribbean island where ships sail. Samantha Christy currently resides in St. Augustine, Florida with her husband and four children.

  You can reach Samantha Christy through her website www.samanthachristy.com.