Five Years Later

"H appy sixth anniversary."

"We do this every year… We've been together for five years," Rachel said.

"I like to think that we've been together for six. We just took a really long time to have sex," Violet replied and kissed her girlfriend on the cheek.

"And as someone who thinks that numbers should be accurate and important and who also dated someone else for however briefly that year, I think we should tell ourselves the truth," Rachel argued before she rolled over and moved on top of Violet. "But you're sweet." She smiled down at her. "And happy anniversary."

Violet pushed the long, dark hair away from Rachel's face and smiled up at her.

"God, I love you," Rachel added.

"I love you, too," Violet replied.

"And I'm so glad we finally got away for an anniversary. I feel like we both need to be without reliable internet, or we'll just work for at least part of our anniversary."

"Well, I guess a small cottage on a Greek island with spotty internet fits the bill," Violet said and ran her hands up and down Rachel's back under her shirt.

"And it's perfect. You're perfect. I love you and can't wait to go swimming in the ocean on our first full day here."

"Swimming? That's what you're looking forward to?" Violet asked.

"I love swimming."

"I know, my love. And I love watching you swim. I especially love it when you do it naked and come out of the pool using the steps. I lie there and wait for you to climb into my lap."

"Ah…" Rachel said and began rolling her hips. "You do seem to like it when I do that."

"I do because I tend to sunbathe naked, and it usually leads to us…" She looked down and watched her girlfriend's body move against her. "You're teasing me. "

Rachel removed her tank top and said, "I plan to deliver, too, beautiful."

Violet sat up, and with one hand on Rachel's back, the other reached for a breast, and her lips engulfed the other nipple.

"This is what you wanted, was it?"

"Oh, yes," Violet replied. "It's been too long."

"It's been three days," Rachel said, laughing a little, as she removed Violet's shirt.

"Yes, too long," Violet repeated. "I hate not touching you. I want to always touch you."

"You can touch me right now," Rachel said and shifted off Violet's lap to be able to remove her panties, which was the only other article of clothing she had on.

Violet quickly pulled off her own, which made Rachel chuckle before she climbed back into her lap.

"Eager, are we?"

"Very," Violet answered honestly. "I love you so much."

"I love you, too, baby," Rachel said and kissed her hard.

Violet kissed her back even harder, wanting to tell her in that kiss just how much she'd loved the past six years of their life together. Yes, it was technically true that they'd only been a couple for five of those years, but Rachel had made her life better in every way.

They'd told Mark about their relationship after only a month together because they'd known how real it was. He'd had them speak with HR, and they'd signed a piece of paper that said they wouldn't sue the company if something went wrong. A year after that, Rachel had moved in, and Apollo became their dog, even though it had always felt like he was their dog. Violet's bedroom became their bedroom, and the pool became Rachel's because Violet only ever used it when Rachel begged for her to join her in the water. The following year, Violet had been promoted to the C-suite, with Mark's departure, and that made her Rachel's boss. They'd navigated that fairly well, only bringing work arguments home a few times and turning them into some of their greatest sex ever. It had taken Rachel another year before that promotion to SVP came, and it had to be approved by a massive hiring committee and HR due to her relationship with Violet, but everyone knew that Rachel had earned it and was qualified for the job.

They'd gotten their second dog during their fourth year together, a little brother for Apollo, and Apollo was an even happier dog now that he had Janus. That name had come from Violet, and since it went with their god theme for pet names, it was easy to reason it as such to Rachel without having to explain that she'd chosen it because, in Roman mythology, Janus was the god who could see into the past with one face and into the future with the other, frequently symbolizing change, transition, and time, like the progress of past to future or from one vision to another.

They hadn't been able to get away for any of their prior anniversaries due to their intense work schedules and things always popping up around that time of year, but this time, Violet had insisted they take a week off and go somewhere. They'd decided on Greece, for obvious reasons, and would spend three days on an island doing not much more than make love, eat delicious food, and swim in the ocean before they do a little of the touring that Rachel craved, even though Violet never wanted to leave this bed because Rachel's mouth was on her nipple and her hand had just slipped between Violet's legs.

Rachel stroked her softly at first while she sucked, and Violet closed her eyes, trying to push the nervous thoughts away and just enjoy the touch of the woman she loved so much. She'd insisted on this trip for exactly three reasons. One, they'd never had a true vacation together. A few weekends away at best, but nothing like this, and Violet had worked out a big surprise for this trip that she'd tell Rachel about later and hope that it would be okay after the other two things she wanted this trip for.

"God, don't stop," she said as Rachel moved inside her, curling and flicking in the patterns that she knew would make Violet squirm for her.

"I won't," Rachel whispered into her ear. "I'll never stop touching you like this. You are my dream woman in every way."

Violet opened her eyes and stared into Rachel's for a moment as Rachel moved deeper inside her. Seconds later, Violet came at her touch. Then, she rolled Rachel onto her back and felt overcome with the desire to taste her, make Rachel come undone with her mouth, and to then move inside her and make her come again, only hoping that she could possibly, even in some small way, convey just how much Rachel meant to her.

"You were very…" Rachel was still trying to catch her breath as she came down. " Aggressive is the wrong word. Is it eager again? I already used that one, but math is more my thing. English… is… hard when you've just… I can't."

Violet laughed before she sucked Rachel's nipple into her mouth again.

"Best orgasm ever. That's what I meant to say."

"Yeah? Best ever?"

"Definitely. Your mouth this morning… God."

"I'll make a note of this and make sure to give you a repeat performance in…" Violet looked at her wrist, pretending there was a watch there. "Twenty minutes?"

Rachel laughed wildly, and Violet kissed her all over her body, tickling her sides and wanting Rachel to always laugh like this.

An hour later, they finally put on some clothes so Violet could give Rachel what she'd wanted to do since they started talking about coming to this island for a few days. The whites and blues of the houses and the few businesses only made the clear blue of the water and the sky above it pop more somehow, and Violet watched as Rachel stripped her shorts and shirt off and hurried into the water, wearing a black bikini that only made Violet want to take her right back to bed.

Rachel didn't so much swim as she played in the water for a few minutes before she ran back onto the beach and jumped into Violet's lap, forcing Violet to lie back on the oversized towel she'd laid out for them. Her book was tossed aside by the woman on top of her, and Violet realized that this might be the best moment for her to ask the most important question she'd ever ask someone. The ring was in her bag. She'd brought it with her to Greece and had planned to carry it with her everywhere they went in case the right moment appeared.

"Marry me?" Rachel said, breathing hard and staring down at Violet with a wide smile on her face. "Marry me here, in Greece. Before we go home. Just marry me, Violet. I love you. You make me so happy."

Violet hadn't been prepared for that, and instead of answering, she burst out laughing.

"This is funny? Why is me proposing to you funny?"

"Because…" She reached for her bag with her free hand. "Open that zipper for me."

"What? Violet, I just asked you to marry me."

"I know. Open it."

Rachel sat up to straddle her and unzipped the bag's pocket. She reached inside, and her eyes widened when she found it. Her hand slowly came out of the bag, and she held the black velvet box.

"I was just about to ask you the same thing," Violet shared as her hands moved up and down Rachel's thighs. "I thought you'd want a long engagement, but if you want to get married here, let's find the place to get the marriage license because I would have married you every day for the past six years."

"Five," Rachel corrected as she opened the box and stared down at the ring. "Oh, Violet… It's beautiful."

"You like it?"

"It's perfect." She met Violet's eyes. "I have one for you in the room."

"You do?"

"I was going to ask you tonight over dinner, but I just couldn't wait anymore. I was out in the water, which is beautiful, but I turned around, and there you were. And you're gorgeous . I ran to you because I couldn't wait. I want to stop calling you my girlfriend. I want you to be my wife."

Violet took the ring box from her, removed the ring, and slipped it on Rachel's volunteered finger. Having kissed the finger as well as the palm, she pressed Rachel's palm to her own cheek and breathed in deeply. This was the second reason she'd wanted this trip for them. The third one, though, might just be the one that would change things more than even a proposal.

"So, we're getting married here?" Rachel asked. "We'll just find a random witness?"

"I will gladly marry you here."

"We can wait until we get home, but I don't want a long engagement. I want a short one. If you want to plan something, we can. Maybe we start next week when we get home."

"We're actually not going home next week," she revealed.

"We're not?"

"I was going to surprise you."

"With what, exactly?"

"One week here, and then one week in Italy."

"Italy?"

"You wanted to see Pompeii, so I booked us a hotel in Naples. And we'll fly out of Rome, so two nights there, too."

"You're serious?" Rachel smiled and covered her mouth with her hand.

It was with the same hand that she now wore her engagement ring on, and Violet smiled wider seeing it.

"Yes. It's your anniversary present, technically. I made sure to clear our schedules at work and–"

"Janus and Apollo?"

"Your mom knows. She's taking care of them when the dog walker can't. You know she loves her grandbabies and will make sure they're spoiled while we're gone."

"Oh, there's a can of worms."

"What?"

"Grandbabies for my mother," Rachel said and shoved at Violet's shoulders until she was lying back on the towel. "I thought I wanted to be married for a couple of years before having kids, but we've waited this long to get engaged, so I think I'm ready, babe. Whenever you are, I'm ready."

"Really?" Violet asked as she ran her hands up and down Rachel's back. "I was worried you might be rethinking that, with work and us being so busy."

"What? No, I want our kids, Violet. Let's talk to the doctor when we get home."

Violet pulled Rachel all the way down on top of herself and held her tightly.

"You are the love of all my lives," she whispered.

"And you're mine," Rachel replied.