People Change


    “Had enough already?” Lucien teased as he tucked a lock of my hair behind my ear. He used to do this


    a lot for me when I was younger and much shorter. Back then he would bend down to my level and fix


    my hair…


    “Can you stand?” Lucien asked as he pulled me onto my feet and supported my waist my wrapping his


    arms around them.


    The sudden movement of being pulled to my feet brought me back to my senses and I realized that I


    was standing very close to Lucien that the lengths of our bodies were practically touching. I shook my


    head a little to clear my head of the image of the younger and seemingly kinder Lucien that I just saw.


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    Why am I thinking of that right now?


    “You better not be thinking of another man when you’re with me…” Lucien’s warning rang out sharp


    and clear.


    Despite his harsh tone, the hand he patted the top of my head with was gentle and loving. This is so


    confusing…


    “…I was thinking about you…Nothing!” I realized toote that I had mumbled my thought softly. Lucien


    just cocked his head slightly to the side. He probably doesn’t know how adorable I find this habit of his.


    While my body wanted to enjoy a passionate night with him, my mind couldn’t wait for this to be over


    and done with. This whole ordeal is confusing me, and my mind didn’t like it. Seeing Lucien from the


    past and the present ovepping like a mirage in the back of my mind was not helping.


    “Should we just do it?” I asked abruptly. To my own surprise, my voice did not waver.


    “What do you mean…should we just do it…” Lucien asked solemnly as his removed his arm from


    around my waist.


    Good question. Why did I say that? More like, why did I have to say it like that?


    I looked down, unwilling to look into Lucien’s eyes. My hands were balled tightly into fists by my sides. I


    realized for the first time tonight that I was scared. I feared what I would find…or not find…if I looked


    into his eyes right now.


    I felt Lucien’s stare on me even if I wasn’t looking at him, I could always feel his eyes on me. It had


    always been like this; Lucien was always watching me. Time continued to tick by as silence enveloped


    us. I couldn’t bring myself to look at him while he continued to stare at my downcast face.


    Suddenly, I felt hisrge and warm hand cup my cheek. I fought against my natural reaction to look up


    because I knew that his face was right there in front of mine. I kept my eyes firmly down on the floor;


    however, his next words shocked me.


    “Are you scared…that…I might have changed?” Lucien inquired slowly as if had just collected his


    thoughts.


    Without stopping to ask myself how he could read my mind and my fears so well, I nodded my head


    slightly while keeping my eyes glued to the floor. I heard Lucien let out a sigh.


    “Look at me…” Lucien instructed, tipping my face up with his fingertips under my chin so that I had no


    choice but to look at him. His face was calmer and more rxed than I thought it would be in this


    situation as he smiled gently back at me. My voice caught in my throat; I couldn’t bring myself to say


    anything.


    “Time goes by, Natalia, and people change. In our case, I think the one who has changed is you rather


    than me. I’ve stayed pretty much the same, you just grew up. How you see me and how you see life in


    general has changed…” Lucien exined his point of view as he slowly stroked my hair.


    Was it true? Was Lucien always like this? I was the one who had changed…?


    “Come over here,” Lucien waved me over towards the ss window where we could see the night view


    of the city. Slowly, I grabbed the skirt of the wedding dress and walked over to stand next to Lucien.


    I ced my hand on the cold ss separating us from the beautiful night view outside and beyond.


    Despite the tension in the room and the turmoil of emotions that Lucien and I went through, the view


    outside felt bright, calm, and just as beautiful as the first that I hadid eyes on it when I first entered


    the room. I stared far into the distance until the view blurred right in front of my eyes.


    I felt the warmth of Lucien’s body on my back before his arms wrapped around my upper body. I


    breathed in his familiar scent as he leaned his head on mine. As if by pure reflex, I felt the softness of


    his hair running through my fingers before I realized that I had lifted my hand up to touch and y with


    his hair. I felt the tension between us and within me start to melt away as our bodies silentlyforted


    each other. Perhaps he was right, I’m the one that is changing. For better or for worst, I didn’t know.


    “Lucien…how do you think I’ve changed?” I asked curiously.


    I felt his arm tighten quite possessively around my body as our eyes met through our reflection in the


    ss. The night view blurred in the background when I focused my eyes on our reflection instead. We


    look like we were one person as our reflection joined.


    “I think…you’ve be more beautiful, desirable and you’re starting to think more for yourself. I love


    you all the more for it…but unfortunately, my girl is drawing a lot of attention…” Lucien answered in a


    low seductive whisper.


    “Lucien…I think you’ve be more of a flirt…or have you always been one?” I teased back before


    letting out a soft purr of pleasure when I felt his warm lips kissing the side of my neck.


    I arched my head to the side to give him easier ess to my neck. I felt his warm breath on my neck


    when he ran his tongue slowly up along its side, slowly until he reached my ear. His right hand cupped


    my breast as he ran his other hand through my long hair. I moaned louder when his hand squeezed my


    breast through the dress.


    --To be continued…