Little by little the frantic beat of blood in the temple calmed down and the heart returned to its place in the chest. Omer rolled onto his back and carried Defne along with him. She snuggled into his long, muscular body and pressed her cheek to his chest. His heart was beating under her ear. Measured and clearly. At first often, but every minute more calmly and quietly. This sound was more beautiful than any melody. And his hands, which gently hugged her and brushed her hair, were most welcome. And the tenderness and gratitude that now welled up in her chest, the most sincere.

"Thank you ..." she whispered.

- For what? He asked, quietly.

Defne laid her bent elbows on his chest and rested her chin on her fist. Looking into obsidian black eyes she answered:

"Because you are you." For not giving up on us. For enduring my doubts. For stubbornly day after day, stifling your pride, you proved your feelings. That you didn't give me a divorce. That followed me into the neighborhood and lived there without complaints and indignation, - Defne smiled slyly. "For enduring Sabrina's claims."

Omer rolled his eyes and shook his head.

"As I recall, I was startled," he shivered. "And you, not helping me, only giggled."

"It was so funny," Defne answered his complaint, and her laughter sounded like overflowing bells. "You were so scared, and she was so pushy."

Omer squeezed her hands harder. It was as if afraid that his unpredictable wife would want to escape. And honestly admitted:

"I was afraid that you would be jealous."

- From whom? From Sabrina? – Defne's giggle turned into laughter, and her redhead again fell on his chest. Calming down, she wiped away the tears that appeared in her eyes and enlightened her husband. "My dear, I may be silly, but not a fool!"

Omer, with the speed of a hurricane, turned on his stomach and pressed Defne to bed. Holding his torso on his elbows, he stared intently into the laughing eyes and asked:

- Then why were you jealous of Iz?

Her giggles melted, and the smile slowly faded. Defne shrugged a thin shoulder and replied:

- This is Iz ... Beautiful, talented, daring ... special. Your first love...

"Silly," Omer leaned over and kissed her swollen lips, and then rolled onto his side and pressed Defne's head to his chest.

"You are the most special." You are my Love. My soul. Iz - was my childhood. I have never experienced a tenth of what I feel for you.

Defne threw back her head and looked into his face.

- True? She asked trustfully.

- True! He answered and kissed her cool forehead.

Defne hugged him around the waist and, not ceasing to smile, pressed her cheek to his broad and warm chest. Omer gently stroked her back. Defne purred with pleasure. His fingers, touching almost weightlessly, slowly began to stroke the sharp bones of her spine.

"How skinny you are ... It's my fault," he whispered repentantly. While he was licking his wounds in Marseilles, his girl was suffering from unbearable heart torment. Can he ever forgive himself for this? Omer sighed heavily and closed his eyes.

Defne heard. And guessed the reasons. But what was - passed, and no longer matters. She doesn't want Omer to suffer guilt and torment himself for what they were both to blame. She doesn't want the mistakes of the past to overshadow their present.

But persuasion and assurances that he is mistaken, now certainly will not help. But something else...

Defne gently tickled him on the ribs and mocked:

"Of course it's your fault." There was a covered table in the gazebo, I am hungry as a wolf, and you feed me with conversations.

Omer jerked up in bed. Defne involuntarily had to do the same. Holding a sheet on her chest, she looked at her husband with innocent eyes. He was scared and upset.

- Do you want to eat?

"Yeah," Defne nodded and made a mournful grimace. - Very.

- My Sunshine! What am I an unfeeling fool?

Omer jumped out of bed and, naked swept around the room. He pulled out his pajama trousers and, jumping on one leg, tried to get the other in his trouser leg. It was so funny that Defne covered her mouth with her hand and burst out. Always accurate in movements, unhurried Omer in a hurry pulling clothes - yes it's better than any movie. Too bad it is a short one. Long legs and strong buttocks finally hid under gray cotton and Defne sighed in disappointment.

Omer kissed her white shoulder and disappeared behind the door. She slyly looked after him and crawled out of bed to bring herself into a divine form. She would not have dinner wrapped in a sheet! When Omer returned with a tray full of goodies in his hands, Defne, in light green, silk pajamas, sat cross-legged on the bed and impatiently tapped her lips with her index finger.

Placing the tray in the middle of the bed, Omer sat exactly in that position and nodded at the food:

- Come on, start!

Defne rubbed her palms and reached for the fork. Picking up a piece of something pink-white and divinely smelling from her plate, she put it into her mouth and half-closed her eyes with pleasure.

- What is it? - swallowing she asked.

Omer bit his lower lip and smiled slyly with one corner of his mouth. Devils danced in his eyes. Defne was wary. Squinting suspiciously, she asked:

- What?

- Remember, once you didn't like one dish at all?

"Is it a red monster with huge claws?" Defne looked incredulously at the plate. The white-pink hill looked quite harmless. - This is it? - Omer nodded guiltily. "And you ordered it for me?"

"Sorry, my love," Omer bowed his head repentantly. "I ordered food at Alp's restaurant," I asked to submit everything that they have the most delicious. Whitefish and lobster mousse is a favorite on their menu. So it got on the tray. And for some reason, you chose it from the whole variety of dishes.

"Beautiful because," Defne sent another bite of mousse into her mouth. - And, as it turned out, delicious.

"Does this mean that next time we can order lobster in a restaurant?" Omer asked hopefully.

"No," she answered, cracking down on the pink and white mousse.

- Why?!

"His claws don't inspire me with confidence."

Allah! Well, how can you not love her?"Okay," Omer agreed and winked. - We will eat lobsters in the form of a mousse.

- I am for it! - Defne easily agreed and pointed with a fork at the drenched white lumps. - And what's that?

"Foie gras," Omer answered and explained: " Pâté de foie gras goose liver in a creamy sauce."

- Goose? - Defne grimaced. - In creamy? Nah. I definitely won't try.

- In vain. This is very tasty," Omer sent a piece of foie gras into his mouth.

"I believe," Defne agreed easily and reached for a thin slice of ham.

Together, they emptied the tray. Omer put it down on the chest of drawers, turned off the overhead light and lit candles. With a refined movement, he opened a bottle of champagne.

Defne watched, fascinated, as a golden liquid fills tall, narrow glasses, how a chain of tiny bubbles is born at the bottom and run to the surface. How the sparkling wine shimmers in the shaky light of the candles.

Omer handed her a glass. He looked Defne in the eyes with a burning gaze, and when her fingers grasped the goblet, he touched the edge of her glass with his own. The crystal rang and Omer said huskily:

- For us!

"For us," Defne echoed.

The whispering bubbles tickled the tongue. Defne wanted to hold them in her mouth, but they melted, leaving behind an aftertaste of happiness. And she took the next sip ... and the next. She closed her eyes to more fully experience the heady taste of wine, its icy freshness and that slight dizziness that covered her after the first sip. She was flying. Free from anything that in the last year was tied like a stone to her feet. She could love him again. Openly and unreservedly. With all her heart.

Omer forgot about champagne. His eyes were fixed on Defne's face. It changed every second. The eyelashes of closed eyes flinched, the wings of the nose fluttered, a smile wandered on her lips. She brought champagne to them, drank a sip, and Omer also swallowed thirstily. Excitation returned at the speed of an avalanche, and he could no longer control it. He didn't want to. It came ... their time to love and enjoy their love.

Defne, throwing her head back, drank champagne. Omer, not taking his burning eyes from her, drained his glass with one gulp, took hers and put both on the floor.

Defne fell back on the bed. And it seemed - like into a cloud. The body became weightless, thoughts dissolved. She did not think, only felt. Omer's hands on her lap, the severity of his body, the trembling of impatience, the crack of torn silk fabric and hot palms on her chest. An incoherent whisper in the ear and fire kisses from the collarbone along the neck to the chin and lips. His demanding mouth absorbed her lips. He had a taste of champagne ... a taste of happiness ... Defne groaned and reached for his bold lips and hands ... gave herself to her Omer ... her beloved husband ... with every cell, every breath ... penetrated his skin and did not understand - he was in her blood, or she was in his. It seemed to her - she could not stand such an acute pleasure, she would die ... become clouds and stars above them. And she clung to his shoulders and begged, she did not understand what. But Omer understood. His movements became sharper. On the hands that rested on the bed holding the torso, the veins swelled and the muscles turned to stone. A stronger push ... more ... Defne arched and screamed. Omer's growl echoed. He pressed her whole body to the bed and dropped his head near her neck...

There was silence in the room, broken only by Omer's uneven, hoarse breathing. Defne, without opening her eyes, quietly asked:

"Have we returned yet?"

- Where from? - hiding his face in her hair, he asked indistinctly.

"From the seventh heaven ..."

Omer raised his head and looked into her eyes blurred with pleasure. He shook his head and answered:

- Not. We are now registered there forever...

***

The first morning of the Iplikci family made its way into the room with ticklish sunrays. They kissed their bare shoulders: slender, milky white and dark-skinned, muscular. They tickled the hugged bodies. Climbed between closed eyelashes and demanded - wake up! A new day has come. It is waiting for you to give the life that you dreamed about.

Defne woke up. Without opening her eyes she smiled calmly and lightly. She reached out and threw back her head. She was fine. Not just good, great. The body basked in a pleasant languor, and the soul fluttered. High-high. Higher than clouds. And, for the first time in her life, she was not afraid to fall. Fears, grievances, doubts - everything is gone. Happiness was pure and complete. Like spring water. Defne absorbed it like a dry sponge - greedily, deeply. Every cell. Every pore.

And when Omer's lips covered her, she opened hers and reached for him. Without opening her eyes. Listening to that sweet thrill in the stomach that his hands and lips gave. Affectionate and light, it grew, got stronger, it covered her whole body. It turned into a frantic, raging wave, which with each push of Omer grew higher ... higher ... lifted her to heaven and weightlessly lowered into the warm sea waves.

"Good morning," Omer whispered.

Defne opened her eyes. Huge, deep, shining. And she smiled so that fanfare sang in Omer's chest. Without disconnecting their bodies, he easily kissed her on the lips and said:

- Thank you...

- For what? - Now Defne was surprised.

"Because you believed me and took a chance ..."

A guilty expression appeared on his face. He took air into his chest and admitted:

- Although I put pressure on you, I understood in my soul how hard it was for you. I understood, but could not accept ... because without you... - he exhaled and shook his head. But the next second his eyes lit up with tenderness. - And when last night, in a white dress, you came to me among a scattering of lights ... so beautiful and mine ... I was the happiest person in the world. Yesterday evening ... night ... this morning is a dream come true. The biggest dream...

Defne was melting. Omer said exactly what she, who loved him with crazy, unconditional love, so wanted to hear, but suppressed this desire in herself. After all, he is the magnificent Omer Iplikci. And she's just Defne. Plain girl. But now she realized - he loves her indefinitely. Her! Just Defne.

She smiled and said in a voice hoarse with feelings:

- So it's time to choose a new dream.

The tenderness in Omer's eyes turned into fire. He penetrated deeper into her body and exhaled:

- Yes! It's the time! - And his mouth fell on her lips swollen from kisses.

***

It was already noon when fresh after the shower, happy and very hungry, they went down to the kitchen and pounced on the refrigerator. It was filled with all kinds of goodies. Taking everything out in a row, Omer put on a table in the dining room olives, cheese, fruits, sliced meat and vegetables, and other delicacies that made him salivate.

Defne was cooking on the stove. An omelet was hissing gaily in a pan, in a coffee-pot, coffee raised a cap of foam, an electric grill spread throughout the room the breathtaking aroma of toasted bread.

Omer, licking his lips at these scents, complained:

- Well, how much longer? Аnother minute and I can't answer for myself. I will eat you.

She threw back her head and laughed merrily, and then, raising her eyebrow a little, shot him a look and asked:

"What if I eat you first?" - but when she saw how his face changed with lightning speed, she raised her hand in a stopping gesture and demanded: - Immediately remove the fire from your eyes. We will not return to the bedroom!

- And who's talking about the bedroom? Purred Omer.

He deftly turned off the burners and, grabbing Defne by the waist, set her on the kitchen table. He sank between her knees and covered her lips with his own. Defne answered the kiss, but when the bold Omer reached for the buttons on her white and blue striped shirt, she stopped his hands. She pulled away and whimsically declared:

- I want to eat. And then to walk around the island. And then to watch the sunset over the sea. And then admire the stars.

"I can raise you to the stars," Omer reminded her in a velvety voice and bit her little pink earlobe.

But Defne was inexorable. She pressed a hand to his lips and cooled the ardor of the insatiable husband:

"After we take a good look at them."

"You are cruel," Omer muttered and took her off the table.

Defne smiled slyly. She will not admit that, but from his kisses, her knees tremble and her legs give way. If he had shown a drop of perseverance and she would not give a damn about food, walk, sunset and stars.

When, after lunch, they were full and satisfied, they went outside, the sun was already shining at its zenith and the day was hot.

Defne rolled up her shirt sleeves higher, put on her baseball cap backward and cocky turned to her husband:

- Well? What are we doing?

He winked and exactly repeated her gestures: he rolled up his sleeves and, from the sight of his strong, dark forearms, the butterflies that had been sleeping in Defne's stomach, revived and stirred again; he put the baseball cap backward, and her heart began to beat in her throat. And when he put his sunglasses on his nose, she melted like ice cream at sultry noon.

- Do you know how to ride a bike? Asked Omer.

- A? - answered Defne fascinated. - I can ... probably.

Omer laughed. He hugged her by the shoulders and led along the path to the barn located behind the house.

- So you know, or probably? - asked cheerfully.

Defne hugged him around the waist. Adjusting herself to his wide male step, she marched alongside and answered the question on the go:

- In childhood, I tried. Then somehow there were no opportunities. And what, we will ride bicycles?

Her voice rang mixed with apprehension. And childhood impatience. And anticipation. This cocktail of emotions made Omer rejoice like a boy. Allah! How he loved to bring joy and pleasure to his Defne. More than anything else.

He opened the wide barn door and pulled out two bicycles. One male, sports, the second - female, with a beveled frame and a convenient arrangement of brake levers.

- Are we going? - Omer nodded to the dirt road, which began behind the barn and was lost among the pine trees.

"We're going," said Defne confidently, taking a deep breath.

She quickly recalled her childhood skills. But still, the fear of falling made her movements constrained. Defne clung to the steering wheel with all her strength and tightly controlled it every move. Omer rode a little behind and carefully watched his wife. Realizing that in this situation, she would not get any pleasure from riding, he asked her to stop. Having approached end-to-end, rested his foot on the ground, bent to Defne and kissed her. Tension instantly left her stiff muscles. She flew again. Free and easy.

Omer let go of her lips. He smiled encouragingly and said:

- Relax. Trust your body. It knows what to do. And you - look around and have fun.

She did so. Let go of fear. She forgot about control. She set her face in the warm wind and flew forward like a bird. Omer, laughing, pressed on the pedals, in two rotations caught up with her and rolled next. They examined the surroundings, exchanged jokes and rejoiced from a feeling of complete freedom.

As it turned out, the house only at first glance stood out of the way. But in reality, after some ten minutes, the couple in love was already entering the picturesque town. It was calm and quiet. It seemed that life in it had stopped in the century before last. White, more reminiscent of mansions, houses. Antique, hung with hanging flower pots with blooming geraniums, cafes. On narrow, paved streets, horses and horse-drawn landaus and bicycles. And only shorts with T-shirts dressed on passers-by, and even mobile phones in their hands reminded that it is still the 21st century.

Leaving their bikes in the parking lot near a colorful cafe, Omer and Defne stopped by for tea. They chose a table on a street terrace twined with wild grapes. The afternoon sun shone through the leaves and Defne, squinting her eyes, gladly turned her face. A ginger cat came up to their table. Purring and arching its back, it began to rub against Defne's legs. She leaned toward the cat and stroked between its ears.

- Hello, friend! - she cheerfully greeted and asked: - You felt a soul mate in me and came up to say hello?

It purred louder, jumped into a nearby chair, took the pose of the sphinx and stared at Defne with big green eyes.

"Holy heaven," Omer said indignantly. - I got a rival. Hey friend, he turned to the cat, do not look at her like that. Otherwise, I will be jealous.