Amber and Nathalies world

The first rays of sunlight fall gently through the half-closed curtains and graze my face. I blink, still sleepy, and see Mario. He is lying next to me, his face relaxed, his breathing calm. It’s the first time I’ve seen him so peacefully, without words, without movement, just pure and close.

His eyelids flutter and then he slowly opens them. Our eyes meet and a warm smile spreads across his lips. “Good morning, Amber”, he says softly, his voice low and still marked by sleep.

I smile back, the tingling inside me growing as he puts his arm around me and pulls me closer to him. Our bodies touch, warm and familiar, and I let my head rest on his chest. His heartbeat is calm, a steady rhythm that grounds me.

His fingers glide gently over my arm and I can feel how his touch changes - more tender, more intense. Our restraint from the night before seems to have been blown away. When he looks at me, there is a mixture of desire and tenderness in his gaze. “Are you ready, Amber?”, he asks quietly, almost reverently, as if he wants to make sure I understand his thoughts.

I nod. No more words are needed.

What follows is a moment that exists beyond words. His touch is slow, passionate and at the same time full of respect. Every movement feels as if he recognizes me in my entirety, as if I am not just a body, but something deeper that comes to life through his touch. It is a dance of tenderness and closeness, and I lose myself completely in him, in us.

After a while, we lie next to each other again, our breaths slowly calming down. The warmth of his hand resting gently on my hip feels like a promise - a promise of more than just this moment.

“Come on, Amber”, he finally says, his voice warm. “Let’s have breakfast. A good start to the day is part of it.”

He leads me downstairs and I sit down at the table, just like the night before. That evening, which on the one hand still seems as if it only ended a few moments ago - and on the other hand was an eternity ago. So much closeness in such a short space of time.

Plates and cups clatter quietly while Mario lovingly sets the breakfast table with fresh bread, butter, jam and fruit. The aroma of coffee fills the room and I feel a new energy rising within me. We eat together, speak little, but the silence is pleasant, almost like a dialog without words. He hands me a piece of strawberry and I take it, my fingers briefly touching his. It’s a small, intimate gesture that says more than words could.

Later, he suggests: “Today is a bathing day. It’ll do you good.”

I follow him into the bathroom, which turns out to be a small, private retreat. The warm light, the scent of lavender oil already hanging in the air - everything is so inviting. Mario lets the water run into the bathtub, adding a fragrant oil that makes the surface of the water shimmer.

“Sit down, Amber”, he says gently, and I step carefully into the water. The warmth immediately envelops me, releasing the last trace of tension in my body. Mario kneels down next to the tub and takes a soft sponge. He begins to wash me with slow, gentle movements. His hands glide gently over my skin and I can feel how he takes his time with every touch, savoring every moment.

“I want you to feel good, Amber”, he says, and his voice carries a tenderness that touches me deeply.

After washing me, he helps me out of the water and dries me off carefully. Then he takes a bottle of body oil and gently rubs it into my skin. His hands are warm, almost like the oil itself, and with every movement I feel the strain of the journey, the cold and the uncertainty of waking up fade away for good. My skin feels velvety soft, alive, almost new.

“Perfect”, Mario finally says when he’s finished, his eyes resting on me for a moment as if he’s trying to memorize the sight. “You’re beautiful, Amber.”

I smile, this time more confidently than before. It’s a new feeling to be so cared for, so cherished, but I begin to accept it - to accept him. This day, this life, for what it is: a dream of love that has come true.