Monthly Bonus Content #3 - You Are My Haven (Farah Spring Scenario) (Patreon)

The Big City is as the Big City always is: busy, polluted, busy, loud, busy.

Did I mention busy?

Pedestrians whack into my shoulder as we try to wrangle through the crowds spilling out of towering buildings like water gushing through a dam. I rub at my arm, throwing a glare at the passers-by but they’ve already moved on before they can get the heat of my anger.

Of course, Farah is dodging everyone with easy moves, barely having to pay attention to avoid getting walked into.

“How far is this place?” she asks.

I trudge on forwards, glancing down at the gift certificate in my hand. Its delicate foiling and purple curling text seems so out of place amongst the grey hues of the city.

“Not far,” I say, pointing down a side street.

Thankfully, the building appears through the swelling mass of people and offer the promise of some respite.

A bell tinkles as we step inside, a woman greeting us with a wide smile behind a desk blooming with sticks of incense and flowers. The walls are a wash of pale pink and purple, the light wood furniture making the place seem so bright compared to the scene outside.

“Welcome to Secret Spa Retreat. The best-kept secret in the Big City for those looking for a little luxury,” she chimes before spreading her hands out. “Do you have an appointment?”

I nod. “Yes. We have a voucher.”

“Wonderful,” she says. I’m not sure how anyone could make such a song out of one word, but she manages it. “Let me just see.” She takes the voucher and scans it, her face lighting into a well-practiced smile. “A couple’s package. How decadent.”

“We’re hoping so,” Farah adds, slipping her hand into mine. “It’s our first proper couple’s thing.”

A tingle vibrates through me at that. I’m not sure why. We’ve been together for a while now, but still…being with Farah makes everyday so special that I’m not sure the feeling will ever wear off.

“We’ll ensure that today is a lasting memory,” she promises, pulling back a curtain and gesturing us inside.

I stare at the black void of the doorway and the steam pouring out from within. It looks more like something out of a horror movie than a relaxing retreat, but as soon as Felix smiles at me, I know I’d follow him into the gates of Hell itself.

-

Thankfully what is on the other side of the shadowed doorway isn’t Hell and is, in fact, a rather surprisingly large hallway bathed in golden sunlight that streams through long windows. Doors line the parts of the corridor that isn’t panes of immaculately cleaned glass, each offering all kinds of treatments within.

“You’ll begin with a massage. To help you both relax into the day,” the attendant states, gesturing to another door.

“As long as I don’t have to give it,” Farah says, throwing me a knowing look and a smile I can’t help but chuckle at.

Inside, the room is fresh with the aroma of jasmine and honey, candles flickering at the edges of the square space and creating a warm ambience even in the bright of the day.

“Here are your robes. If you dress into these and let us know when you’re ready, we can begin,” the attendant says, handing us a bundle of cotton clothing before disappearing out through the door.

Farah unravels her robe and hugs it to herself. “Ooh, super fluffy! Do you think we get to take these home? I could save one for Nate’s next birthday.”

“I thought we were here to focus on us,” I comment, shuffling closer and pecking a kiss onto her cheek.

“Babe, I think of nothing but you twenty-four seven,” she replies with a grin, pressing a slow kiss onto my lips that makes the candles’ flames flicker in jealousy. “So, we really have to strip down for this entire thing?”

I begin tugging off my jacket. “How else do you think they’re going to manage the massage?”

“Need help with that?” Farah’s voice ruffles the fabric of my outfit, or maybe it was just the speed at which she zipped over to me.

“Ah yes, because removing my coat is a real struggle,” I reply, but I let her grasp the edges of it anyway. She helps me shrug out of it, careful to ensure that her fingertips trace over every bare bit of skin that is available.

Just those small, light touches are enough to send my heart into palpitations. I’m suddenly thankful I’ll be having a relaxing massage to ease my thundering pulse.

“Not too much for you already, is it, babe?” she asks with a growing smile as she leans close. “Sounds like your heart is about ready to burst out of your chest.”

My expression wilts as I eye her. “Not all of us have the ability to rile people’s pulses with a mere look. That’s just a special Farah thing.” I wink at her, making to undress further when she suddenly grasps up my hand.

“You think it’s just me that does that to you?” she asks, a more serious tone to her voice than usual making me meet her gaze. “You don’t even need to touch me to send me into a spin, babe.”

I chuckle. “I think you’re trying to make me feel better.”

She tugs off her shirt with one easy move before retaking my hand and resting my palm against the cleavage revealed above her lace bra. Her hand rests over mine to press it even closer, her body shivering at my touch.

Beneath my fingers beats Farah’s heart. It thrums fast enough to match my own, especially being so close and seeing so much of her. My gaze roams over her before dragging back up to her eyes.

“I think we’re both going to need to see the medic soon if we do this to each other.”

She lets out a laugh before it softens into a smile. “You’ve done this to me since the day I met you.”

My mouth forms an ‘O’ before I can form words. “Are you serious?”

“Serious-serious,” she replies. “And it’s just gotten worse the longer we’re together.”

“That makes it sound like I’m an affliction or something,” I say with a chuckle of my own while drawing hand away reluctantly from her chest.

“You’re all cure, babe,” she states, curling an arm about me to pull us close together.

I throw the robe about us, tugging it close as we’re cocooned in our own cotton-covered world. If I could stay here forever—wrapped in Farah—I would. Nothing outside of us, of what we are together, seems as important.

My life before erm seems a blur. As though I’d been trudging through life waiting for her to appear. Now she’s made everything brighter, more real. As if I could do anything I wanted, and I know she’d be right there at my side cheering me on.

“Why are you smiling like that?” she asks, nuzzling her face into my neck and letting her lips trail across my skin.

I sigh happily. “Because of you. It’s always because of you.”

“Something that would make me smile is helping you out of your clothes,” she murmurs against the curve of shoulder.

I raise a brow at hers.

“Because of the massage,” she protests, raising her hands up as she takes a small step back. “Not sure where your mind went to.” She sidles up close again with a waggle of her brows. “Though you’re welcome to tell me.”

I laugh with a shake of my head.

Yes. Life is definitely more than it could ever be with Farah in it.