Sunday morning I woke up earlier than my usual waking time, feeling that I was being watched. I opened my eyes and saw Sally sitting on a chair gazing at me. She was naked, holding a cup of coffee in her hand.
"Sally darling, can't you sleep? Was the bed mattress too firm for you?"
She chortled, "Not really. I was so tired, that I slept like a log. I am a morning person and the birds chirping sound like love songs welcoming a very nice day."
"I am used to having many birds around here and I don't pay attention to the sounds they make. But watching you sitting gracefully, sipping your coffee is just a treat. Would you mind if I take your picture in this pose?"
"Howard, are you saying you wish to take my picture in the nude?..."
"I would have tried to sound poetic about it and quote the biblical Song of Songs, but I know that you want me to be straight with you. So the answer is YES... It's not only your perfect figure that I want to capture, it's your comfortable pose, your smiley face, and the way the sun rays reflect on your body..."
"Howard, it still sounds poetic to me... Being more realistic, what happened to the photo when you get tired of me?"
"Darling, I swear to god that I will never let anybody else lay their eyes on the picture. I'll put it on an external hard drive, hopefully with other intimate photos in the future, and hand it to you IF we ever separate!"
"OK. You were nice to me until now and I trust you, but please don't break my heart..."
I jumped off the bed, grabbed my camera a shot her from 3 different angles.
"Honey, my first instinct seeing you sitting on the chair was to kiss you. I didn't dare to do it before brushing my teeth. Ogling your angelic body was my second thought..."
"Big boy, let's have breakfast. Remind me on a weekday to go with you to an ophthalmologist to check your eyesight."
I showed Sally her sitting photo I loved the most, "Isn't she perfect?"
She hesitated, "Not bad. But I think it has more to do with the photographer than the subject..."
"Sally, I hate you! Why can't you accept that you look exceptionally wonderful and attractive? Why do you always self-deprecating?"
She grinned, "I lived most of my life without somebody commenting about my looks, so I never thought of myself as... appealing to anybody."
"Girl, those days are over. I am here to remind you how pretty, beautiful, and sexy you are. And unless you learn to accept and admit that I am right, I'll find ways to make you sorry!"
"Howard, I love the way you pretend to be tough. By now I know that you are a just big teddy bear... I'd make us breakfast, but I didn't find anything in your fridge. Let's go to the nearby Denny's."
While munching on our food I asked her, "Sally, you mentioned before that you like traveling. I feel the same about trips. Can we go somewhere together?"
"Good idea. It's good timing as well. The school allows me to take a week's vacation almost any time within the next 3 months."
"Fantastic! We'll check later today the best times for us. Any preferred destination?"
"Howard, I still don't know what you like to do during your vacations - Seashore, culture tour, big cities, scenery, physical adventure..."
"Darling, I'll go with you anywhere you want. The only thing I'd rather avoid is prolonged shopping!"
Sally's million-dollar smile reappeared, "I hate shopping myself. For many years I had a dream that one day I'd go for it, but I didn't dare to do it by myself. It's to climb Angel's Landing."
"Do you mean the tough trail in Zion national park?"
"Yes... But if you are not interested, we can go to another destination."
"Dear girl, Angel's Landing IT IS on one condition. When we climb, I am behind you uphill. I may get bored going up and up. I need in front of my eyes a view that will motivate me to continue forward!"
"Darling, I start understanding how your brain works. If watching my backside was your intention, you wouldn't have mentioned it to me. I bet you the real reason is quite different. You want to make sure that I do not slip, or need help..."
"I didn't think about it, but thanks for giving me credit for it... BTW, if I am in front of you and slip on top of your body, what then? I weigh so much more than you, that you'll be crushed, right?"
"You are such a liar! I know I was right, but you'll never admit that you are a good person."
I sighed, "Woman, I don't want to fight you on that one. My father told me when I was very young to never argue with a woman, she'd always be right."