‘This goes out to my shining Star.’ A simple piano intro began, and a shiver travelled down my spine. The familiar lyrics to Hozier’s ‘Take Me to Church’ began to fall easily from Fin’s full lips. A lump formed in my throat, and once again, everyone else within the room disappeared, and my shy, reluctant rock god bravely locked his gaze on me and sang as if showing me that stepping out of his comfort zone was getting easier thanks to me.
Commanding the stage as he always did, the crowds of people stopped chatting amongst themselves and watched in awe, as did I. Something profoundly moving about the lyrics and the way he sang them to me made tears well in my eyes, and I observed in wonder as he once again told me his innermost feelings through song.
When the song was finished, Fin jumped from the stage and made a beeline for me, avoiding all of his well-wishers. Without speaking, he slipped his hands into my hair and crushed his mouth to mine in a kiss that took my breath—and my heart—away.
32
Fin
We arrived back at my place after a really fun evening. I was relieved Tom’s enthusiasm over her art hadn’t made Star run for the hills, and I was so excited at the prospect of seeing her work displayed for everyone to see. But all I had wanted to do from the moment I stepped off the stage was to bring her home and show her what she meant to me. How the hell I had fallen so quickly was beyond me, but I wasn’t about to fight it any more.
Star glanced at her artwork where I had now arranged it in a variety of frames on the walls of my lounge. ‘They do look nice framed, don’t they?’ There was a hint of surprise to her tone.
‘Now do you believe me? People are going to love seeing them on display. You just wait and see.’
She chewed on her lip. ‘Hmm… we’ll see.’ And with a dramatic change of subject she turned and tugged me down for a long lingering kiss.
* * *
Lit only by the moon shining through the window, we lay in each other’s arms for a long while, just holding each other close until a loud rumble from my stomach made us both break out into giggles.
She pushed herself up and gazed down at me. ‘I think maybe we should eat.’
I gazed up at her, her pink hair fell over her face and I tucked it behind her hair. I trailed my fingertips over her cheek.
I could’ve ravished her all over again but she was right. My empty belly was protesting and I need to sate it. I allowed myself a few more seconds of taking in the wondrous sight of her perfection above me.
She wrapped her arms around herself. ‘You’re staring, Hunter.’
I nodded slowly. ‘I’m well aware of the fact. You’re much more beautiful than any photograph I’ve ever seen. Even your own, and that’s saying something.’
The pink in her cheeks intensified and she slapped my arm playfully. ‘I think hunger is affecting your eyesight. Go eat.’ She slid off me and dashed to the bathroom.
I pulled on my boxers and T-shirt and went to find something... anything, edible in the kitchen. I was distinctly lacking in the grocery department and plumped for cheese on toast. I prepared the meagre meal whilst I heard the shower running and waited for Star to return.
We sat at the little kitchen table and munched away on our Welsh rarebit, silently contemplating... well, whatever.
* * *
Spending time with Star was by far one of my favourite things to do. Our weekends together consisted of long talks, walks through the city, talking about anything and everything, and passionate hours tangled together between the sheets.
Seeing the city through her eyes was awe-inspiring. Intriguing. She told me she wanted to take me to one of her favourite places, and as soon we had the opportunity, I was excited to discover this place she loved so much. Armed with her camera, she led me through the bustling city on a sunny Sunday morning. Distant church bells sounded, adding to the idyllic day in all its sunshine and glory. For a while, we walked without speaking, hand in hand, content in each other’s silence down the Royal Mile towards the palace of Holyrood where it stood behind wrought iron gates in all its royal, neoclassical grandeur. The Royal Standard of the United Kingdom was flapping in the breeze from one of the turrets, indicating that her Royal Highness the Queen was in residence.
I watched Star in my peripheral vision. It was fascinating to see the expression of awe on her face as she revelled in the exquisite diversity and beauty of the city—the place I had called home, and taken for granted, for all of my life. Seeing her joy made me smile.
Since meeting Star and allowing her to show me the place through hereyes, I had started to look at Edinburgh in a whole new light. I no longer walked around with my eyes veiled, but instead I began to appreciate the myriad of architectural styles all around me, seeing something new along each and every well-trodden route. This also applied to the people that graced the city streets. The more I people-watched, the more I realised my fortune at finding Star—of us finding each other—out of all the endless possibilities surrounding us.
We continued to walk along, but it was clear there was purpose to her steps. She evidently had a destination in mind—somewhere she was leading me. We ambled to the bottom of the Royal Mile where the stark geometry of the new parliament building faced us; a jarring blot on the landscape in my opinion. From here, we turned left, cutting through to Calton Road, the crowds lessening as we moved away from the familiar tourist trails.
Eventually, we walked through wrought iron gates into Old Calton burial ground. Star released my hand and glanced around with a serene smile on her beautiful face.
I chuckled and shook my head. ‘Well, it’s official. You. Are. Weird.’ I couldn’t help thinking that of all the places to go with your new love, a graveyard seemed right up there as a locationnotto choose.
She shrugged. ‘Hmm. I think I’d prefer interesting, quirky, or maybe even mysterious rather than weird.’ There was mirth in her eyes.
‘No, Mendoza, you can’t sugar coat this. You’re just plain weird.’ I stepped towards her and slipped my arm round her waist before tenderly kissing her head. ‘But I adore you for it.’
Star smiled up at me with a mischievous look glinting in her chocolate brown eyes.
