PART 3

The minutes turned into an hour and much to their relief the two angels in human form could listen as the thunderstorm slowly faded away. Now, only occasional thunders were heard at a distance and although the rain kept on falling, it wasn't as heavy as before. The wind had also diminished and everything seemed to be back to normal again.

"I guess it's over..." Andrew spoke, tenderly caressing her hair. He felt her nodding her head against his chest.

"Yes..." After a brief silence she spoke again. "I'm... I'm grateful that you're here, Andrew..."

A tender smile appeared on his handsome face and he pulled away just a few inches, and gazed down at her. The look in her sweet brown eyes, as if she was a scared child afraid of the thunderstorm, caused his heart to ache with much love. "There's no other place I'd rather be, angel, other than right here, holding you like this."

"Will you forgive me for arguing with you about the Garnets' dinner?" she asked, with a serious and guilty expression.

Smiling, he reached out and tucked a stray piece of hair behind her ear. Then, he traced an invisible line along her jaw with his fingertip. "Only if I get to see a smile back on this pretty face of yours!"

Those words were enough to make her lips curve into a meek smile and she raised her hand to touch his handsome face, gently caressing his cheek and chin. Andrew reached for her hand and kissed her palm, and then placed it against his heart. "There it is. Now I forgive you!" he joked.

Monica tilted her head as she eyed him with deep affection. "Have you ever imagined what we'll be like some years from now?"

"Hum... Certainly you'll continue this gorgeous, charming, lovely, enchanting, sweet, kind and generous angel!" Enjoying to hear the sound of her giggle, he went on talking. "And that cute little one God gave us will be a chatty little angel, making questions about everything and anything that surrounds her! And, most importantly, she will be more and more alike her mom. And this fact alone is enough to make me the happiest angel in all Heaven." He was quite amused as she blushed even more, visibly embarrassed with the evident resemblance between her and Angela.

"She... she will have more of your traits with time, I'm sure she will!" the Irish angel replied, and then searched his handsome face in an attempt to find any similarity. "Actually... I think she has your nose, Andrew!"

As he laughed, she sat up straight and facing him, and let go of his hand to cup his face. "Yes! I guess you do have the same nose shape!"

Andrew caressed her cheek and looked deep inside her sparkling pools, now aware that the fear and anguish caused by the storm were finally over. "Angel... apart from the colour of her eyes, that cute little one is... a little version of you!" She was even more embarrassed to hear that and lowered her head. "... my little Monica!" He lifted her chin up, and the power of his gaze told her many loving words. "And that's why she's just perfect!"

"She's perfect because she is yours too..." Monica replied, eyeing him with enchantment, "Because... whenever I look deep inside her sweet eyes, I see kindness and much love... exactly what I see when I look at you..."

Words soon ceased as they held each other's gaze. Their eyes sparkled with a multitude of loving feelings and through the strong connection that kept their souls together, they could feel a wave of love invading their hearts. Despite powerful, it was tender and gentle, and brought joy and fascination. After contemplating her meek face, committing to memory every small feature, Andrew crossed the small distance between them and as their eyes closed, their lips met. At first, it was a soft, feather-light touch. The blond angel moved his hand from her cheek to the back of her head, entangling his fingers in her long auburn hair, and seconds later, he deepened their kiss. Monica welcomed his loving caress with equal passion, allowing Andrew to taste her sweet mouth as she herself surrendered to his touch, enjoying the way her beloved husband held her in his strong arms.

Soon, Monica's hands were roaming along his naked chest and arms, exploring his muscles and amazed at the fact that so much strength and tenderness could be combined there at the same time. As their lips parted, Andrew started a small trail of tiny kisses along her jaw and neck, breathing in her sweet perfume, and causing her to feel pleasant butterflies at his warm breath against her skin. The Irish angel wrapped her arms around his neck, still caressing his strong shoulders and the back of his neck, delicate fingers entangling his short blond hair as she whispered to his ear. "I love you so much..."

"Angel... you're my entire world..." he whispered back, before capturing her mouth in another passionate kiss. It was in those moments that their souls were deeply connected and their hearts, beating in the same rhythm, in an eternal love promise. Without breaking the kiss, he reached out and gently unfastened the clasp of her bra. The small underwear item was soon discharged and now Andrew could explore more of her body and its graceful curves. The gentle touch of his hands caressing her silky skin nearly took her breath away, and she returned his kisses with more passion, more love.

Andrew felt nothing different. The sweet and tender angel he held in his arms was welcoming his loving kisses and caresses and putting herself in his hands, trusting him with her entire being. He felt honoured and sometimes undeserving of such a blessed gift. As if trying to reaffirm his eternal love without words, he kissed her deeply and yet so gently, he wrapped his arms around her body and carefully lay her down on the wooden floor - to him, she was a precious treasure that demanded all his attention and care. Andrew resented the fact that despite the warmth coming from the fireplace, there was no comfort in the small shack to offer his beloved angel. Just a blanket that had also been left aside for a while.

But these worried thoughts didn't last for long as the blond angel's eyes met her sparkling ones, filled with nothing but unconditional love for him. Monica was smiling at him, so adorable, so sweet that his heart skipped a beat.

"I told you... With you, any place on Earth becomes my home..." she said, raising her hand to stroke his face, eyes filled with reassurance. She knew him so well up to the point to see his concern, which was shattered by her loving words.

Andrew reached for her hand and kissed its back, returning her smile. "My sweet angel... You know what we'll be like some years from now? I'll continue to kiss you and hold you tight and tell you about my love for you, baby..."

She grinned at him and bit her lower lip, in a way he found especially endearing. "Then, could you start our future right now?"

Lost in admiration, he bent down and kissed her forehead, nose, cheeks and finally descended his mouth onto hers, in another long and languid kiss. Monica's hands were back to his shoulders and chest, as his own caressed her hair, neck and arms; their movements growing more intense and urgent as their heartbeats increased; their tongues dancing with each other as their kiss deepened.

Soon the rest of their minimal clothes had been discharged and their naked bodies became one, beautifully shaped by the flames dancing in the fireplace, as they shared something wonderful and amazingly beautiful. Even though it'd been a while since they had been joined as a couple, the fact that they fit so perfectly well together never ceased to amaze them.

And after their sweet lovemaking they lay there on the floor, the fire still burning and causing their human bodies to glow. The storm was gone by now and the silence of the night had only been broken moments before, by passionate cries and whispered loving words. Monica snuggled against Andrew, resting her head over his chest and their breathing little by little returned to its normal pace. He was quick to cover them with the forgotten blanket, and then started a session of soothing caresses over her hair, lulling her to a pleasant sleep.

Andrew held her tightly, protectively and somewhat selfishly, as if she only belonged to him. And that was not far from the truth.

"I love you so much... did you know that?" she murmured, with a sleepy tone in her voice, feeling her eyelashes growing heavily as her finger traced invisible circles on his bare chest.

Grinning, he kissed the top of her head. "Let's say I suspected it at the moment you removed your apron and stepped out of the kitchen!"

Their laughter filled the air, and Monica looked up at him. "I'm so sorry about that..."

"Don't be. You have no idea how cute you are when you get mad! So cute that it was hard for me not to kiss you at that very moment!"

The Irish angel giggled at his words. "You could have!"

He tightened the hold around her small body a bit more. "Could I have a second chance?"

"Always!"

Andrew stroked her cheek, taking his time to gaze at her, never tired of that sweet smile and those sparkling doe-like eyes permanently beaming at him. He pressed his lips against hers, but now their kiss was as serene and a summer breeze, a goodnight kiss to seal all those love promises. Soon, Monica drifted off to sleep in Andrew's arms, and he lay there enjoying to feel her body close to his, knowing that nothing could be better than what they were now sharing.