Sweet Love

Raymond grew tired on his workout but he continued despite that. This was not the time to stop. He should be hard on himself to have a favorable fast and desired result. He wanted six packs, he had gotten that already with a body fit enough to win the men’s fitness award. He believed he could still be better. He switched between push ups, crouches and some kegels.

He didn’t want to leave any part behind. He must be fit all over.

Raymond wasn’t a lover of exercises or a man determined to have a great physique some years back but a lot can change fast and easy especially when someone met the love of his life. This was what happened to Raymond. Since he had met Grace, he became a new man, a man with one goal. Grace must be happy. He was ready to give her all she wished. 

Grace loved him as well. They were both high school dropouts with low income, meagre income to be candid. Their financial status didn’t hinder the way they showered each other with loves everyday. Grace wanted him to be a strong, rugged, sufficient man physically and mentally. To Raymond, that didn’t sound too much of a request from your lover. Since then, he had taken that as a routine and immersed himself. He had gotten an athletic body and a developed mind and he would not rest getting better,improving himself all day.

He felt Grace was a blessing to his life and the only way he could show his gratitude was making her happy. Her happiness mattered, a lot. Despite being an angel, exuding beauty with all parts of her body. There was something inexplicable in their relationship. Raymond simply termed it addiction, one that couldn’t be cured.

That would be enough as an explanation to anyone who deserved it. He,himself couldn’t understand the connection he had with her.

He continued his workout with a lot of struggles until he had enough and couldn’t go on. He fell weakly to the ground. 

He went into the room where Grace laid quietly on the bed. She was still sleeping. She had not touched the juice he brought her. Waking her up would just be like bothering her. He sat down beside her expecting her to wake whenever her brain deemed fit to wake.

Shortly after, she turned and laid on her back, opened her eyes slowly. Raymond welcomed her into the room with a smile. She smiled back and rubbed his chest. She drew a line with her finger through his six packs. 

That was what she wanted and she seemed happy. Raymond caught her hand and moved to his chest, then the sides. She chuckled as she felt the muscles all over.

“Ray! You are getting thicker” she screamed weakly. Her hands was still on his body. She was trying ccupping his flesh in her hand but everything seemed to be muscle lumps.

“For you” Raymond said with a coarse voice. He held her cheek and ran his thumb on her lips like he was cleaning off some dirts. He bent over to kiss her.

“Good morning” she held his head for a second before kissing him again. She sat up and saw the juice he had brought for her. She frowned playfully.

“You beat me to it again” she took a sip from the juice.

“That makes it sixty eight to three” Raymond gave himself a thumb up and kissed his fist. That was the count for who had brought juice to the other in bed. Raymond had always been winning. He used to wake ahead of her.

“That doesn’t sound good. I don’t like it. We will start over again” Grace shrugged her shoulders. Raymond knew that would come next. He tilted his head in a funny way expecting her to say something. She kept quiet and tilted her head too.

“That is what we always do,of course. The margin becomes too long and we start again” Raymond turned away from her and talked to himself. 

“I wish he starts oversleeping and I win” she also turned away to talk to herself.

“What? That was a very wicked wish. If I start oversleeping, won’t I get fired at work?” he held her and pulled her close. “Little girl, you better make another wish now” he threatened playfully.

“Okay, okay. I wish I had a grand wedding ceremony” she chuckled.

“A grand ceremony, like how much budget?” 

“Like five hundred thousand dollars” she laughed. She was definitely joking. That was unrealistic.

“Half a million dollar for a wedding?” he asked in amazement. 

“Is that too much?” she asked thoughtlessly. “The florals, the fireworks, the food, the wedding dress and all that”

“It isn’t. For you, it is not much” he replied slowly. His voice was shaky. This was something unachievable and that’s what she had decided to wish for. Grace looked at him and laughed loudly.

“What?” he couldn’t understand why she was laughing. 

“That was a joke, why are you so scared?” she wrapped her arms around him. 

“A joke? I thought you were making a wish” Raymond felt relieved. It should better be a joke. There was no way he could get that.

“And you are the wish granting genie?” she asked sarcastically. 

“Yeah, the genie” Raymond's voice was shaky again. He wanted to control it but he couldn’t. He was bothered by this conversation despite Grace making it clear it was a joke.

“No, you are not. You did not pop out of a bottle” Grace laughed. He wasn’t sure what made her laugh. It seemed she was laughing at him or she had realized how he felt and was trying to lighten the situation. 

“I popped out of a bottle like this, poof!” he demonstrated throwing up his hand. 

“Really, I don’t think you will go back in there” Grace frowned.

“Ma’am, just let me go back home, please” he pleaded pretending to be crying.

“No way, I can’t. Stand up” she signaled to him to stand. Raymond stood up, he was just obeying. He didn’t know why he needed to stand up. 

“Turn around!” she ordered him again.He rotated on the spot. 

“There is no way you are taking this body back into a bottle. This body is too good to be hidden in a bottle though” she stood up and was probably going to the bath. She stopped, she must have gotten something to say.

“From now henceforth, no one except me have the right to see this uncovered. All rights are reserved” she said seriously like she was sounding a note of warning.

“No one can see me uncovered? What if some big magazines come for a photoshoot for the cover of their magazines? The world will get to see me uncovered” Raymond wanted to stir her up like she had done to him with the grand wedding thing, though he knew she didn’t do that intentionally. She was apparently joking.

“Yeah, the whole world are going to see your bare body. Yes. But that used to come with some six or seven figure income and terms and conditions. We will need to hold a meeting to make a decision about that” she held out a finger and swung it like a pendulum continuously as she turned back to continue her journey to the bath. She put on a serious face like she was trying to reach a decision on a very important matter.