Steven and Louise cuddled together, naked in her bed for what could have been an eternity, talking, kissing, stroking each other, just enamoured with each other's company, each other's touch, each other's skin against their own.
As the afternoon continued, they were lost in each other, their bodies hugging, their souls intertwined. As well as physical touch, they talked, their minds were linked as their conversation flowed freely.
Eventually Louise suggested they get up, "Come on, we've got to go out."
Steven wasn't asleep, but he awoke from his trance, feeling groggy, tired from their earlier physicality, and so relaxed from his perfect companion.
"Where are we going?" he asked, knowing they were in the middle of nowhere.
"You'll see, get dressed," Louise replied as she started getting dressed herself.
She gathered up some things, a bottle and some snacks, "We're going on a picnic!" she announced.
"A picnic? It's nearly dark," Steven replied.
He put his pants back on and the shirt he was wearing. Louise put on some jeans and a jumper. She grabbed the bottle and snacks and a blanket and opened the door, ushering Steven out with her.
"Where are we going?" Steven asked as he headed for the car.
"Nowhere," she replied.
Steven was confused. Louise started to walk along the driveway past the house, up the ridge line on her property. He followed.
Only a couple of hundred metres away, up the small hill Louise came to a rest. She told him, this is the highest point on my land, you can see across the paddocks from here. There was a small firepit already set up. Louise laid out the blanket she'd brought along. She'd done her own preparation.
They both laid down on the blanket to take in the view. Louise pointed to the mountains to the west, "Sometimes you can see snow on the peaks there."
The view was breathtaking. Steven was impressed, this place was glorious. It was just on dusk, the sun was just about dip behind the mountain range. As it set low on the horizon, it bathed the whole valley in a warm golden hue. The trees, the grasses, the rocks, everything had an amber tinge to it. Steven stood up to look around, he could see the neighbouring properties, the farmhouses in the distance, all shimmering in the sunset. It was beautiful. He turned to Louise to ask her a question. His voice cut off when he saw her, glowing, radiant in the fading sunlight. She looked angelic, emanating warmth, beauty; a surreal glow surrounding her.
He walked back to her, his hands reaching out for her to stand up. He took her in his arms, holding her gently against his body.
"Louise. I was nervous to come see you. I've left my regular life behind for a couple of days to spend time with you. I took a chance that you'd be good to meet up with. You are better than any expectation I could ever have had. Today was amazing, we've made love twice, we've given each other otherworldly pleasure, we've talked, we've connected. Seeing you here, like this, bathed in this glow, there is only one thing I want you to know. I love you. I am in love with you."
Louise's stomach turned knots, her heart started to flutter. The words as they came out of his mouth did something to her. They'd spoken on the phone, texted and messaged online, said those words to each other. But she'd never heard them from Steven in person. She could see his genuine feelings on his face, his eyes glistening.