In Another Universe

I know this wasn't meant to be, not yet, but… gosh, I hope there's a universe out there where this actually happened between us…

“I'm surprised, I figured you'd want to go hiking with the others…”

“Well, you know… It's been a long couple of days. Thought I could do with a little relaxing by the campfire for a change.”

“Yeah, I feel that. That's a pretty long trail, they'll probably be gone a couple of hours…”

“…”

“You know, you should really get a Pop-a-Plate for your new camper, it really comes in handy.”

“What's a Pop-a-Plate?”

“Here, I'll show you…”

Hope and dread, but mostly hope, filled me as we walked to your camper door. Stepping inside, I looked around. It wasn't the first time I'd been in it, but it was the first time with you… The first time I'd been anywhere private with you, alone. You turned to me and smiled as you pointed to a thing hanging from one of the cabinets, holding a stack of paper plates.

“Oh, yeah… that does…”

Any remaining words I had were cut off as your lips smashed into mine, two planetary bodies colliding with extinction-event level force. Your hands, suddenly on my back, pulled me in, pulling me so close our atoms threatened to fuse. Instinct taking over, I wrapped my arms around you to pull you even closer still, closer and closer, the heat of the moment absolutely blasting away what remained of the morning chill.

All of that energy we'd both pent up… for years… finally releasing in an instant.

Breaking apart, you took a step back, holding my hands, gazing deeply into my eyes. We held this pose for a moment, each of us doing the calculus, wondering what it would mean, what would happen if we took the next step.

From this moment, an infinite variety of universes sprung. A critical juncture, perhaps the most important decision of our lives. But… this is a fantasy, so…

You unzipped my jacket, pushing it off of my shoulders and onto the floor behind me, before taking off yours while stepping backwards towards the bed.

We both rushed to remove our shirts, and as your bra fell to the floor, a decade of wondering was answered. And you stood before me, beautiful and bashful under my gaze, even more perfect than anything my imagination ever supplied.

I leaned in, pushing your hair back to kiss your neck, your shoulders. Kneeling in the cramped space, I worked my way down, taking in your breasts with every sense… sight… touch… smell… taste. Kissed your belly as I worked to unbutton your jeans.

Just as you started wiggling the jeans over those astonishing hips, one of the dogs started barking. Surely, the others weren't back so soon?

Hastily, we threw our clothes back on and rushed back out to the fire…

False alarm. Another camper was taking their dog for a walk. They gave a wave and continued on… But it was too late, the moment was over.

But something had changed, the world was different than it was before.

Because then we knew. No more guesswork, no more assumptions. The love we each felt coming off the other was made real. Tangible. All questions answered, but for one:

How?

Oh my gosh, so I wrote this before the trip, but decided to save it for after. I had seen the Pop-a-Plate in their camper when I took a brief tour of it a couple months ago, and looked it up to get the name for this letter. But that part of the letter ended up actually happening! She totally told me I should get a Pop-a-Plate. And a Pop-a-Towel, to boot. Lol.