Between by Mary Ting Read Free Book Online Page A

benefits.
    “ Thank you, Michael,” I said warmly.
    “ Only for you,” he replied, looking into my eyes.
    “ Must we go down?” I asked.
    “ Not at this minute. I want to show you the world.”
    He wasn’t kidding! As soon as the words left his lips, we took off through the clouds, flying over different cities and crossing over into different countries. We saw the Niagara Falls in Canada, the Golden Gate Bridge in San Francisco, the Eiffel Tower in Paris, the Great Wall in China, the Statue of Liberty in New York, the Coliseum of Rome and much more. Every time we burst through the clouds, we would be somewhere new. The perfection of the night was surreal. Magically, we were invisible, just Michael and me. Not a soul looking up could see us. We were nothing but a speck in the sky no matter what country we were in.
    Unfortunately, this too, like all of our other moments, had to come to an end. When we appeared back in my room, I was still tucked inside his wings. Reality settled in, and my heart sank. Michael led me to the edge of the bed, where he took my hand and kissed each finger, one by one.
    “ Claudia,” Michael said sadly.
    “ I know. You have to leave.”
    “ I’m sorry.”
    “ It’s how we are–no need to be sorry. I’m a lot stronger than you think.”
    “ I know. A lot stronger than me,” he said, gently tracing the outline of my hand with his finger.
    “ What are you doing?” I asked, enjoying this kind of attention.
    “ I want to memorize every part of you. I want to remember the smallness of your hand to the gentle touch it carries. I want to memorize how complete I feel when I’m with you,” he said, guiding my hand flat against his. He slid his fingers to intertwine with mine and brushed his lips against the back of my hand as he whispered, “Perfect.” He continued as my eyes held his.”I want to remember the softness of your hair.” His hands ran through my hair, all the while giving me chills. “I want to remember the delicateness of your face.” He lightly caressed it, making my heart skip a beat. “I need to memorize every part of you. Memories of you are the only thing I will have after it’s…”
    I could see anguish in his eyes. His face became long and pale. He didn’t need to finish his words; I knew what he meant. Sooner or later, this would all end, and memories of each other would be the only thing that remained.
    “ When you leave me?” I finished his sentence, trying to make it seem like it was no big deal.
    He stood up, unable to make eye contact. “I don’t want to, but I should leave now. But before I leave your world, I have to take care of something,” he said, deep in thought, looking upset.
    “ Where are you going?” I asked, knowing he had something up his sleeve.
    “ I told him never to lay a finger on you. He didn’t listen.”
    “ It’s okay, Michael. After tonight, he’ll be too embarrassed to even look at me or come near me.” Then I thought, why am I sticking up for him ?
    “ Don’t worry. I’m not going to hurt him. I’m just going to teach him a lesson.” He winked. “After tonight, he’ll never lay his hands on you again.”
    It was out of my hands. He did deserve it, after all. And who better to teach him a lesson than my guardian angel?
    “ But before I go,” he said, cupping my face, “a kiss to remember me by, until we meet again.” His eyes pierced through mine, luring me to him. He slowly leaned in closer and closer, taking his time. The tingling sensation was building up inside of me as I eagerly anticipated his lips on mine. Then our lips met, and I was pulled into the heaven of his embrace. His lips were warm and soft, molding perfectly onto mine. I could tell he wanted more; his kisses seductively ran down my neck, making my heart hammer faster.
    Playfully, he tugged my nightgown, slowly, pulling me closer, then pressing his body against mine. I was completely lost in his embrace and I melted into him. His lips