Imperfect Desires

His every touch on her skin wrote a melody in a way that even ecstasy was left envious. It was a piece of music she had never heard. She could discern the sensuality of love that seemed like a charm that actually spellbound her. His touch was tender and yet wild in a way that her nerves would remember it. And her senses? Well, she could say she had long lost all of her senses to him.

With every single move of his, she felt thrills rippling inside of hers. The wild abandon and arousal that only he managed to invoke in her made Xiu realize just how much power he had over her now. Not only that the idea of wild ecstasy was a mere fantasy to her but now, she felt herself yearning to live in that wild ecstasy. It felt like a place she belonged in. And he felt like the one she belonged with.

Xiu was lying limp after their wild affairs on top of Darren's hard body. She could vaguely feel his hand brushing against her spine in slow motion. In the middle of the night, he slowly got up with Xiu still tucked in his arms and walked towards the bathroom. He filled the bathtub with slightly hot water to ease her ache before placing her in.

Xiu opened her eyes slowly as her body slowly dipped into the water. She looked at Darren's face with a lazy expression as she muttered, "Of course, how can a romantic night end without a bathtub scene?" she was being derisive with her words because it really felt like a scene straight from a movie.

Darren splashed some water at her face as he rolled his eyes at her for such a remark. She'd really say anything and everything in her drunk state. She really was a sight to see when she was drunk. He was being considerate by washing her sticky body and she was spouting nonsense. However, he couldn't deny that one reason for choosing to give her a bath had been that he loved seeing the artwork that he had done all over her body. Those bright red marks spread all over her body instinctively lifted Darren's mood up.

Xiu wiped the beads of water from her face that he splashed on her and held his arm that he had stretched to wipe her body. She looked into his eyes strangely and said, "As much as a romantic genre seems pleasing, you must know that I'm not a very big fan of it. I've acted in those cheesy pieces way too many times and I found them rather enjoyable. How naive I was. Sigh!" She caressed her cheek against his arm as she went on, "But I must say, erotica is now my favorite genre."

*Cough!!!*

Noticing his reaction, she frowned and added, "Don't look so surprised. Erotica is also romance but just a bit explicit. But then again, what's wrong with explicit romance? Erotica is a misunderstood genre. Believe me, it has so much more to offer."

Darren choked on his own saliva as he coughed profusely at her sudden confession and just as he opened his mouth to say something, he felt like the weight on his arm had increased. He looked down and found that Xiu had gone to sleep while leaning her head on his arm. Or more like, she passed out.

He heaved a long and deep breath before he continued with the task at hand. After giving her a bath, he wrapped her in a bathrobe and brought her to his bedroom. Xiu only stirred in her sleep but seemed like she had no intention to wake up at all. Her exhaustion must have finally caught up to her. Darren shook his head at her before he dried her hair with a towel. Pulling the duvet above her body, he went to take a bath himself.

Just as he came back, he looked at Xiu's peaceful face and smiled. She seemed to be having a good dream since there was a smile etched on her face. He kneeled down beside her side and his knuckles brushed against her cheek gently and affectionately. 'Erotica is now my favorite genre.' Her words rang in his mind again. He dropped a kiss at her temple as he whispered, "I really hope you remember what you said. Because I certainly would enjoy the aftermath of this drinking escapade of yours."

He slipped under the duvet right beside her and held her in his arms. As she felt a familiar presence close to her, Xiu immediately leaned into him and snuggled against him with a content smile.

From his previous understanding of drunk Xiu, it was that she'd act crazy. But only tonight, he got to know that she was rather a wild drunk as well. But he wasn't complaining. Oh, no! Not at all! If anything, he loved that side of hers even more. It was like she always managed to show him a different side of herself and it made him crave for her even more.

Oh, how he wished that she would stay in his arms for good. Recalling how she asked him about his idea of an ideal wife, he pondered over it for a while... Hmmm... Well, he certainly never thought about this subject before. It seemed so foreign to him that even he was surprised himself. Perhaps, that's why he chose not to answer her at that time and more so because he wanted to give her an answer when she was sober.

It wasn't that he never thought about marrying before but he never got to that stage where he'd go on his knee to propose someone for marriage. It was rather weird how he never had the slightest wish to spend his life with another. Not even with Chen Xiu. Yes, he wanted to stay by her side but for some odd reason, his desire to own her was non-existent. Rather than owning her, he wanted to set her free. But it was very different for the one lying in his arms right at that moment. 

With Xiu, it was like a desperate cry from his soul to hold her and never let her go. As if, he wanted to own all of her. And it was ironic, how the person in his memory and the one in his arms were actually the same person!