“…the Second Order is the essential woman’s business, of keeping the fire of love alight upon the hearth…The deepest wells of mysticism are there hidden, and must always be hidden, from the outer world.”—Evelyn Underhill, The Essentials of Mysticism
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In sustain and blow of the changing wind, first autumn frost arrived as silver world in morning light as she woke again before hearth ash and embers.
Drawing away of blanket and throw, she rose and remained in way and dress in which she fell to sleep close to his body in hold: white panties of fabric, smooth in gloss, that seemed way of pearl in sheen; and her hair in fall and body cover—her nearest wearing to a gown.
In cool of the night that surrounded in room, skin rose and dimpled in expose as she tended to the hearth restoring warmth and light from hearth’s embers.
Flame took again, crackle and pop of cure and grain as fire lit and lapped upon the lengths of split-wood’s face and blackened as it burned.
In light of fire’s take, she looked to him still in sleep, a smile of love-affinity becoming her countenance in witness to his restful peace knowing, so often, it was he that first to rise, witness, and morning-adore her still in sleep repose.
It was a sign of love—to lay and rest, undisturbed, in the presence, touch, and holding of another. In each other, they found this peace.
She smiled and adored a moment more then left him in his peace as she began further living of the day in start of morning coffee’s make.
Scent filled the room in percolation, soft sounds of the brew accompanying those of fire’s burn. Made, she stood in the open frame of door in gaze on golden wake; light of radiance and ambiance-spirit glowing pearl of her covering, her rays of hair’s fall, and the fairness of her open and facing skin enlivened in cool of the air and first-light’s touch as heat stirring spirit and flesh.
She stood in the light, sharpness of sense in the moment-live. Her lips upcurled in restore and smile of another sensing.
Unseeing, she heard his wake, his footsteps, sensed is nearness before the ever touch; heat of the light, anticipation sense.
Pass of his hands and arms to sides, forward wrap and cradle hold of undercup and rising curl into cover and draw of her body back and into his; heat of his breath over face and neck, the scent of him surrounding; his change of hold, hand and forearm’s press over span of breasts, his other arm tight in same and parallel beneath; his soft bend of knees into full stand, heat-press to pearl that lightened her on feet; her turn of face and find of lips; wander-start of hands’ caress; his draw away of hair in cover, his affections to revealed—touch, then mouth, heat of his breath upon, then returned rise of mouth for hers—kiss’ keep and body moved as he led her from door frame open back again to lie before the hearth; roll of their fall; hooked wrap of legs, body’s fast-drawn sweep to his; raised curl ready of low small of back; high rise bounce and settle-back of breasts with movement-sweep; butterfly feel into swoon of first deep touch; sense-raise of skin but not of cool, his cover of weight and heat; rhythm-set of kiss and deep-touch’s strengthen into spilling amaze of spirit dawn and arrive in resonant one; their glow in after—bodies and spirits—radiant before hearth of love-made home.
All the day, glow and spirit lasted: no race, no rush, intimacies gifted; fire of love alight, enkindled, hidden from the outer world.