this time last week...

Pour yourself a nice little cocktail, pull up a chair and I will share my lovely mini-break with The Southern Gentleman.

Go head, pour a little more booze in your glass. You need a proper drink. A bit of a kick never hurt anyone, other than maybe me on Friday night.

So the arrival on Wednesday afternoon. I looked adorable and feminine and soft and all those sorts of good things. He called in the morning when he was driving to the airport. Anticipation was palpable from both of us. During his call, The Southern Gentleman tells me, "I look a little different than last time. Something changed." I figured facial hair since that seems to be what changes when he is abroad. He tells me to guess to which I coyly tell him that I'd rather keep it a surprise for when I see him with my baby blues.

Of course, shit hit the fan at work the previous day and I was working like a dog to make sure everything was done so I could get out a bit early from my chains to fetch him. Only had a few straggling things to finish that evening and we'd be set.

I left later than planned but it gave him time to get his checked bag. I slowly drive along the pickup area looking for him and poof! the vision sitting out front - tanned skin, tall, muscular frame - oh this man is pure yumminess to the eye. He spies me as well and immediately he there before me and he envelopes me in a huge hug. The change was that he had a few blond (more orange) highlights on the front of his hair... no great shakes.

Immediately we are in the car heading to my house and we pick up as if it were only weeks since we'd seen each other - and not the 6 months that is reality. It was grand. I give him the tour of the house and he met the hounds. The hounds simply adore The Southern Gentleman. Especially the big hound. She was virtually trying to jump in his lap and give him kisses (which is very much out of character for her). If I did not know better, I would swear she understood when I told her for weeks that her new and forever daddy was coming to see her. The Southern Gentleman enjoyed them - that was genuine.

We talked a bit and then I went to finish my work in my 'home office', while he read on the couch and subsequently fell asleep on the couch. On Sunday, The Southern Gentleman got home from a long weekend in Sin City and he was exhausted. I woke him up and we decided to make dinner at home. We ran to the store, grabbed some steaks, lettuce, and stone crab claws. It was so fabulous! We were in the kitchen together and it was perfecto... felt more than natural.

He fed me stone crab claws. Our dear Southern Gentleman insisted he crack them all. I could get used to be cherished like that. More balance than I've ever known. After dinner we just stood in and talked and talked - catching up on the past 6 months in depth.

This house only has one bed. My plan was he'd sleep in the bed and I'd take the comfy couch. The Southern Gentleman was insistent that we share the little bed. He was the first under the covers and I followed after getting the hounds settled. I crawled in and he immediately cuddled with me.

It felt so good to have him right there next to me, enveloping me. My heart sang and simultaneously jumped out of my chest with pure excitement. No, no horizontal shenanigans occurred. But more on my theory of that later. I fell asleep surrounded by bliss and peace knowing that that very feeling at that very moment is a feeling that I will soon know daily. I am sure I slept with a smile on my face that night....