 Louise
As Richard exited the driver's side door of his car, a deep breath of relaxation and relief was pressed out of his lungs. It had been another of those long and busy days where it seemed like he could not blink without getting interrupted. He was a young man who moved with fluidity as he closed his car door and smoothly stepped through the garage. He wore a white button up shirt with dark burgundy tie and a pair of gray slacks. His suit coat slung over one shoulder held by his left hand. In the right was his briefcase, containing both important contracts and research, as well as the inane doodles he made on legal pads during his lunch break or when he was deep in thought. The rhythmic and symmetrical pattern of his footsteps were indicative of either years of dancing or fencing. The repeated motion of each foot step beginning with the toe and rapidly moving pressure to the heel. The solid heels of his black, leather shoes made an echoing click on the concrete floor of the garage.
Work had been almost as average as ever for a legal consultant, tipping between stagnant and consuming. Richard enjoyed his job, it paid well enough to make him comfortable and gave him a sense of accomplishment, but best of all was that what he did was make suggestions for others. Thankfully for him, advice was a well valued commodity by individuals and companies alike. Aside from working with a colorful group of clients, most of his time was spent doing research, discovering the best options for those unsure of what to do. He had spent the majority of the day working on research for two clients, one who was wanting to get a patent on a computer program he had written and the other was for an old lady whose husband had passed and needed to set up her own will. There were some papers he had planned on looking over that night but was starting to feel the creeping hand of procrastination taking hold of him. Plenty had gotten done today and there wasn't any important deadline coming up, he could relax for the night.
He had enough of thinking of work for one day. He was finished and finally home, that time he could not wait to arrive everyday. It was not because he disliked his job, that was much to the contrary, but it was always a joy to come home and see his beautiful wife, Louise. Everyday, there she would be as she waited for his arrival. Always waiting anxiously, dressed in beautiful colors. Sitting on the love seat in their living room with her long, slender legs cross, her hands on her lap, and the vibrant smile that radiated a gentle warmth like the evening sun. She held a captivating sense of feminine mystique, almost like she was not entirely human, possibly even Venus herself. But woman or god, she was his lover and companion. One who would never leave him.
Just as he had expected, as he rounded the corner of the hallway into the living, there she sat, in the same posture as always. Today she was wearing a white, pink and green, floral print sundress he had bought for her not long ago. The occasional splashes of pink along the fabric complimented her skin tone and the light green along the edges accentuated the color of her eyes. Her feet were bare, the skin like the color of pure cream. The color continued up smooth legs then hiding under the cool green edge of her sundress. Richard looked at Louise, admiring the traits of her serene face. A pair of soft, pink lips surrounded by her delicate fair skin. Those brilliant, blue-green eyes of her glowed in the soft light of the sunset that filled the room through the large glass windowpanes. The day's last hours of light flickered through the room and glowed in the vivid auburn-red hair that framed her face. She stayed still, watching her husband as he set down his briefcase and placed his keys on the coffee table.
“Hello sweetheart.” Richard said with a soft and pleasant tone while he moved towards her. Louise said nothing, just answered him with her adoring smile. “I hope you have the night free, I was hoping we could spend it together.” He leaned into her and gently kissed her lips. He could taste sweetness from her lip gloss that stuck to him as he moved away. “Delicious as ever,” he whispered with a devious smile. “I'm going to change. I'll be back in a second.”
Richard undressed methodically. First removing his shoes then hanging his jacket,untying his tie and hanging it, removing his shirt and placing it into the laundry hamper. After hanging his pants he walked to his armoire grabbing a comfortable pair of jeans. Standing there in underwear and a white tank-top his frame was very clear. He possessed the look of a man who respected himself. His body was fit and defined, from his muscular shoulders, to his tight quads and calves. He took a few steps backwards to sit on his bed. As he did, he slid the pants up his legs onto his waist, but before buttoning them he lied back. With one forearm across his forehead he let out a deep sigh, breathing out all the pressures of his work life so they would not affect his private one. What felt like a brief amount of time passed and he heard Louise moving about in the kitchen. The sound seemed to remind him that he was home now and those anxieties he felt were left outside, washed off like a layer of grime that had caked to his body. Richard leaned himself forward, stood up and buttoned his jeans. He walked with a smile and brisk pace, like an child overflowing with excitement before opening a present.
He walked into the kitchen where he earlier heard Louise stirring. She was sitting on a tall stool at the counter with her back to Richard, her chin resting in her palm. Two glasses of wine sat on the counter, the one closest to Louise bearing the pink, tell tale sign of her impatience around the rim. As he passed by her he noticed the mole just below her right shoulder blade. He cracked a small smile, she was always so proud of it, saying that it was her beauty mark. He placed his hand on the right side of her waist and gently kissed her shoulder, slowly working his way to the edge of her neck. As he inched closer the intensity of his passion increased. Subtly changing from his lips to softly brushing her skin with the tip of his tongue. His left hand grasped her chest below her breast. He carefully worked his fingertips across her ribs as he reached her slender neck. His hands felt her chest while he could feel the beating of his own heart. With very slight pressure he traced a line up the sensitive skin of her neck, stopping just below he jaw. Then as suddenly as he began, he stopped. Thought the temptation to indulge in the warm waters or carnal sin was enticing, now was not the time. He put his arms around Louise and softly hugged her. As he let go he straightened the edge of her dress that had been ruffled along her thigh.
“Are you hungry for anything? We could go downtown for dinner. I hear at work that there are two new restaurants that we should try.”, Richard said to his wife, but she did not respond. Louise seemed to remain breathless, fixated on a stationary point across the room, but Richard understood. Sometimes the intensity of her lovers touch could cause her to swoon, become overtaken by the deep, sensual connection between them. He decided that he would cook them something light and they would spend the night at home. He walked into the kitchen and began to look through the refrigerator and pantries until he decided on making pasts with fresh salmon that Louise must have bought earlier that day.
Hours later they lie in bed together. Richard still awake with Louise's arm across him, her body contoured to against her husband. He turned his head to look at her beautiful face in the dim light. The serenity that came in sleep seemed so natural to her, a quality that she held with her, even in the hours of the day. It confused Richard how he heard many of the other men he worked with complain about their wives. They always found so many faults and reasons to be unhappy with them. However, none of their behavior warranted them the privilege of life with a woman like Louise. They all made lewd comments about the secretaries or female clients, their manners no better than the low class scum that they imagined themselves to be above. There was one secretary in particular that was the collective office fantasy. She was a young, blonde girl who had started working at the firm only five months ago. A college student whose weekend plans rarely extended past attending mixers set by her sorority sisters. Her body was small and slender, the slight curves of her breasts and tapir of her thighs made her appear younger than she really was. That paired with her perky personality and adorable voice portrayed her as an innocent, perpetually twenty-some girl without knowledge of the darker side of reality. Exactly what dirty minded, middle-aged men lust after, but not Richard.
It was more than luck that had brought him to be with Louise. In the pale light she lie with her eyes close, her hair sprawled across her pillow, the light softly touching upon her delicate features. It was these moments that made him realize just how fortunate he was. Without anything else, he could be happy with her. It was her and her alone that made him move, and the absolute knowledge that she would be there forever for him. It was only here in death was she brought to perfection. Every part of her body was what every romantic had tried to capture in their art. She truly was Venus, from her pearlescent skin to her crystal eyes. He could not stop sickness from taking his sweet, young wife from him, but she was still there. Though it may be considered taboo, even heinous that someone would keep a corpse, this was a special case. No one aside from them could understand their love. Her body alone still glowed with her essence, and he could never bury that. It had been a difficult process to embalm and preserve her, but infinitely worth the effort. Richard knew this is what Louise would have wanted, to be with him forever, she had even said so on their wedding night. This was their will together. Richard rolled to his side and pulled her close. Her head rested between his head and shoulder, fitting with him how she always had in life. He kissed her cheek and gently stroked her hair. She whispered softly to him, sweet words and loving praise. They were happy, now, tomorrow, and forever. He smiled as the night world began to dissolve around him. Tomorrow he would take an extend lunch break and find Louise something fantastic. Perhaps a new dress or necklace that would make her more stunning than ever. | 
