Surrender

By Jewels Brandes

Softly, her hair slid away from her neck as she tilted her head to expose such a vulnerable place. Because in his presence, she didn’t have to hide it. And she invited him to take her higher. He was always up for the task. He could disappoint but never in a harmful way. And not now. Neither were afraid of heights.

His lips delicately pressed to her velvet-like skin, bonding his passion to her soul – the spirit left untouched because of it’s purity and still admired with respect. How beautiful it was, scathed and unscathed. Perfectly imperfect. Unique and still so relatable. She fed his passion still. And she was well aware. “Surrender is a funny thing”, she said. He nodded his head in agreement but stayed silent to encourage a little more. “I know I must surrender to fully understand, but I have already given so much.” He paused for a brief moment to take her words in as they were meant to be consumed.

“Surrender is not the same as sacrifice.” His words resonated like a feather with purpose to heal. She used to feel ashamed that she couldn’t see it before but now she let it hold her. He gave her wisdom worth remembering not for the sake of proving her worth.

“The things I have surrendered to have often caused me pain. I have battle scars that remind me of the sacrifices I’ve made. It’s all connected.” He wrapped his arms around her and pulled her close. The back of her perfectly aligned with his front. It always alarmed her of how natural and easy of a fit it was so she flinched momentarily until she allowed herself to melt into his embrace. Slower this time, softly into her ear, he repeated, “Surrender is not the same as sacrifice.” He could feel her heat rising and it amused him which only fueled the flame.

All he ever wanted was for her to burn bright and true so she couldn’t be angry. There was no blame here. And she was learning that fire could destroy, but it could also create. It could be hate, but it could also be love. Nobody understood her passion or touched her quite like he did. “Why is this so hard?” She sighed, still stuck on the topic she presented. He grinned, “I’m remembering being inside of you and liking what I see.” This time, the heat rose a different way, but she pushed it down for the sake of control. A warrior, she thought, cannot be charmed. But his intent was also never to fool. And it hit her like a soft ton of bricks. Surrender.