CHAPTER SIXTY-ONE

Urs and Elena had one last look at the bay from the balcony and closed the doors half way before shedding robes and sliding under the light duvet on the bed. She pulled the cover up under her arms and he grinned at her, leaning on one elbow and looming over her recumbent form, pulling the cover back down to her hips.

“The view in here is even better than the one outside,” he said softly, his voice husky and his other hand busy skimming lightly over her skin.

She reached up to smooth his hair, letting the strands trickle through her fingers and he turned his head to capture her fingers between his teeth and suck on them, making her body spasm with the intense feeling.

“Urs…are you happy?”

His half-closed eyes opened wide in surprise at the question.

“Why do you ask, love? Do I not seem full of joy at the prospect of loving you and being loved? Because I am. This is like nothing I have ever experienced before, almost frightening in the power it has over me.” He leaned over to kiss her stomach and let his tongue slide into her innie, his hand stroking from her hip to thigh with a soft, smooth glide that didn’t stop, continued on up to her chest and wrapped around her neck to lift her head up to meet his mouth.

“It frightens me too. I look at you and wonder what I’ve ever done to deserve a man like you. I have so much love for you it makes my body ache at times just to see you across the room. And then you turn and our eyes meet and I can’t breathe. But I can’t imagine not feeling like this ever again. I don’t want it to end, not ever.”

He leaned over with his chest on her breasts and nestled his face into the crook of her neck.

“My parents have been married for nearly 40 years. I’ve lived all my life wanting what they have, the way my mother lights up when he arrives home from work, the way he has to feel her touch while they watch TV or when they sit in church listening to the priest, the way they walk hand in hand and seem to read each others minds. When I was very young I would think it was gross to even wonder if they actually had sex, though my brother and sisters are proof that they did….it just seemed like such a revolting thing for parents to do. But then I met you and all my thinking changed. I understand now. Before, for me, sex was just a biological need. Now, it’s making love, something we do to share our love, just as my parents still do, in small ways and I’m sure fully as well and as we always will. I have never wanted a woman the way I crave you, nor have I ever experienced the longing I see in your eyes for me. It makes me burn. What we have, my darling, is something we will nurture and keep fresh for all our days. But if there ever comes a day when the physical part of loving you is no longer possible, I will still love you with all my heart, soul and body. You are my life, Elena.”

He raised his head and saw that she was crying, tears racing down her face and dripping onto her neck.

“Baby, why does that make you sad?”

She laughed, a choked, quiet sound and turned her head away for a moment until he gently turned her back to look at him.

“It doesn’t…I’ve never been this happy before, never…it’s hard for me to believe at times that this isn’t a dream. Love me, Urs. Love me as only you can, now and forever.”

Gently, passionately he led her along that pathway that they knew would take their breath away, sharing a love that would last a lifetime.

**

The weddings were in three days and there was nothing else to do except decorate the party lawn and the house. David and Jan had taken care of the necessary paperwork and had a meeting with Father Bernardo, Seb was feeling much improved with all the resting everyone made sure he did, Elena had the last fitting on her dress and was thrilled with the delivery of the special ingredients she had asked her friend to find and that he had delivered.

They spent the day on the beach, Seb taking the stairs in slow increments on the way down and David and Urs picking him up for the return trip, ignoring his colorful swearing as they jogged up the stairs while David complained that ‘Frenchie’ needed to lay off the rich sauces.

They had a real Mexican dinner that night, Pechuga de Pollo, Arroz, Stuffed whole Red Snapper on the grill, a salad of Jicama and blood oranges, and all the usual condiments. After a dessert of various fruits cut into chunks and dressed with a splash ofraspberry balsamic vinegar Elena introduced them all to the Swiss Bliss, a drink invented in honor of the SRG by Marie Humphrey and Maureen Doyle on the Forum {Humphrey and Mrs. D.}. It was mind blowing, tasty and approved of by all, in fact had to be repeated three times before they all headed to the music room, some thinking they should have stopped at two when the room spun a bit.

“What did you put in that?” Sam Miller asked with a grin as he placed his feet very carefully on the tile floor that he was sure was moving.

Elena laughed as they all looked at her, Jan with her eyes slightly crossed.

“One shot each of Duchalet Original Swiss chocolate from Dettlinger and Marmot, Amaretto Di Soronno, and Original Willisauer Kirsch, the DIWISA label. It’s the cream you added that got you Sam,” she teased.

“My god…that’s 3 ounces per drink and I had three.”

Urs chuckled. “Well actually this is Mexico and they don’t pour normal shots here so it was likely about 5 or 6 ounces per drink.”

They were all very happy as they settled in the Music room and took turns entertaining everyone.

Urs was on the piano near the end of the night with Elena sitting on the end of the bench and everyone having one last Swiss Bliss, heavy on the cream this time. He started playing the intro for That’s all I Ask of You from the Phantom of the Opera and murmured to Elena. “Sing with me, Liebe.”

She flushed and looked at him, met his eyes and he asked her again.

“Sing with me, mein Liebe.”

He sang the first verse and she watched his eyes, started singing with him for the next verse, not even conscious of David taking the piano as they stood together, with Elena leaning back against his chest, feeling his voice through her back and they did the whole track, trading verses back and forth until the operatic ending after which Urs kissed her lovingly.

“Wow!!!” Hazel said softly and stood. “I’m going to bed while I can still make it up the stairs and boy, I am going to have lovely dreams tonight. See you in the morning, everyone.”

It wasn’t long before everyone had retired. Urs and Elena tidied up, out of habit and so Cena would come back to a clean patio and Kitchen in the morning, then strolled out on the party lawn for a few moments, enjoying the night air. Once again Urs started singing, Without You this time, and swept her into his arms to dance with her over the dewy grass.

“I have to go into town for an hour or so just before noon tomorrow,” she said as they paused by the outdoor kitchen on their way back.

“More secrets?”

She giggled. “Actually it’s a wedding present for you and no, I’m not going to tell you what it is, so don’t bother trying to tease it out of me.”

He wrapped his arms around her and tickled her neck with his mouth.

“You sure? There are some tortures I can think of that will have you in my power.”

“I can always sleep in one of the guest rooms, you know.”

He held his hands up in surrender.

“I give up. If you’re willing to go to extremes you must be serious.”

She laughed and they made their way quietly into the house to the lovely privacy of their suite.

**