1 Scent of Spring

He inhaled a light scent of spring on her skin, that tone of coldness that spreads in the forest, when the winter is still lurking around the corners, clings on to the last few days, only to silently retreat in the ned. He immediately thought of her as a wild spirit dressed in greenery and with a crown of lily of the valleys on her head.

"Did you put on the perfume?"

She giggled in response – his nose was tickling her neck.

"You noticed?"

He sniffed again, letting the fragrance sweep over his mind. His hands encircled her waist and helf her closer.

He lifted his head up.

She felt his gaze, full of devotion and oh, such tenderness, and next he brought her hand to his lips. A light kiss fell.

She felt floor slipping from under her feet.

"Where are we going?" She asked softly, trying to tickle his ear with her warm whisper.

"I want to feel closer to you. Much closer." He said, mischievously, causing a small tremble in her chest.

He walked from the window towards the end of the room. But just as she was mentally preparing herself to be put on the bed, she noticed he walked past it.

Swiftly, he opened the door. Holding the precious person in his loving embrace, he walked out of the old villa that sheltered them for the past few days. The small staircase creaked under their weight. Next he walked down the path that lead to the familiar wooden bench. Over the years, its layer of rich brown paint started cracking and falling off, yet it was still as welcoming as ever.

He set down, still keeping her in his arms, and placing her on his lap.

She frowned. Unlike him, she had a very thin layer of clothing. The wind traveled down her collar, and was getting into every crinkle of her blouse. She shivered, and tried to squeeze herself into his coat.

A sound of pleasant laughter broke the silence. He shifted a bit and opened his coat in an invitation. Soon she found herself to be wrapped in his coat. It was just as warm as it looked.

"Your idea of being close is quite different from what I imagined." She murmered and snuggled up to his chest, rejoicing in the very comforting warmth.

"You were hoping I'd be more... indecent weren't you?"

She humphed at his happy voice.

She wanted to get out of his embrace, but the bench started ominously creaking as soon as she moved. It was quite an old bench, and looked like it would fall apart the next time you sat on it. She gave up any effort to get out.

"Maybe I was thinking of something like that." She gave out a sullen pout. "Unlike you, I am a very indecent person, you see."

"You are." he agreed, "Very much so."

"Hmph. And yet I'm not as wicked as you."

"Wicked, my love?"

"Yes, wicked. Dragging me out of the house, without a pinch of consideration for the fact that I do not like cold. Tricking me into thinking we will be doing some indecencies and then just keeping me outside, in this freezing weather. Ah, so wicked."

"I am not preventing you from going back into the house, love."

Yet contrary to his words, his hands tightened their hold on her, as if he was scared she will truly walk away.

She gave him another glance.

"Hmmm…Since you carried me out of the house, you should naturally carry me back in. Thinking of escaping the responsibility for your actions? That's wicked as well."

He grinned again. "Aye, love, I am so wicked. But only for you."

After a while, they headed back inside.

--------------------------

As he was massaging her legs, he suddenly caught a whiff of her spring perfume. He looked at her questioningly.

"Did you spray the perfume on your ankle?"

"Not really." She blushed, seeing him lift up her ankle to his nose.

"Oh? Not spilling the truth?" There was mischief in his voice. Next moment he started tickling her.

She resisted for a while, before finally squeezing out:

"Ah, will you stop it now? It's... it's nothing really. I just thought it'd be more fun. Somehow..."

She felt her cheeks getting hotter under his curious gaze.

"Whatever! Just...just forget about it, will you!"

She jumped off the sofa, and quickly run out of the living room.

He let out a small smile. He liked finding out her quirks.

Not long after, he noticed that each day she changed the place where she applied the perfume. She still kept using the perfume on her neck, yet she never failed to put it on another, seemingly random, spot on her body.

Once he found it on the hips, another time it was on her left shoulder-blade, then he caught the scent while kissing the inside of her elbow. It became the game they played, for him to find out where she put the perfume on.

He loved it. He loved roaming though her body, going through every spot of her smooth skin, looking for the trace of spring on her body. It made him go crazy for her. Her little mind games that she played, he adored them. He loved mysteries, he loved riddles and puzzles, and he loved weird things that didn't belong to their places. She knew all that and she used it to make him fall for her even harder. He knew it too, and he still loved it all, loved her, and was willing to fall for every little, and play all the games if it meant he'd be able to love her even more, love her deeper, because that was what she deserved.