[Past] Salt Water and Sandwiches

Mina laughed, a real laugh, as she imagined Colt up-ending Ruth into the river near-by. He'd be so upset at it, but... the grin it gave her spread from ear to ear. Ruth was one of the last of her "clients", and since she and Colt were having more and more of these dates, the day would come when she'd tell Ruth no more -- that was rapidly approaching, and to be honest, the two of them loved one another in a way that what she had started to feel for Colt wasn't, and she knew now why it wasn't, and she was happy for it. Now, if she could find Theo someone nice to curl up with, that would be the last of her favorite clients list to try and find alternatives for.

Of course I'm a snuggle bug, I have a good snuggler at my back that keeps me nice and warm and safe, who wouldn't want to snuggle up with someone like that. She laid her head back to his shoulder as she watched the trees and the flowers that were blooming around the wooded area. There were trees she hadn't ever seen before, and there was a bloom she had only read about in books right there that they just passed. And, the dew hadn't yet been burnt off the leaves and grass there under the canopy, so everything looked like it dripped in crystal when a beam of sunlight caught it.

And then there was the opening, when it came, and the launch into gallop down the road, the wind scaring her at first, until she realized that Colt wouldn't let anything happen her, and she knew he wouldn't, so her arms went out, and she let him hold her down from flying away, or so she felt like -- they couldn't go fast enough for her to fly, but in that moment she felt like she could.

Alive. That's what it felt like. Being alive. The way her hair streamed out past her, the dress fluttering, air catching in her nostrils and making it so that she had to open her mouth to breathe, the sudden rush of air over her face making her feel like she was drowning for just a moment before she realized to open her mouth. Really Living. This was what it felt like, the exhilaration as her heart sped up, the fact she could trust Colt to hold her making her even more sure of herself than before. Yes, this was what living really felt like. And once she was breathless from the whooping, breathless from the excitement, from the open sky and miles of clarity to see, she sank back into his hold and tilted her head back, a kiss pressed to the tender skin of his jaw. Thank you.