"dolphin, dolphin—"

 it was dark, but light was coming in from the bathroom down the hall and from the pool lights in the backyard. he told me to undress and i did. i didn't know why i trusted him implicitly, but i loved the way he watched me unsnap my bathing suit top. suddenly he was behind me, sliding his fingers under the straps and helping me the rest of the way out of it. his hand rested on my shoulder where the pain of an injury someone had given me a long time ago still ached.
he guided me by the hips into the beat up old waterbed and laid down with me, nestling his way between my thighs. he began to speak to me as i ran my fingertips over his skin, the texture of which was fascinating and magically raised, a thousand bumps over each bicep. i traced the lines of his tattoos as he placed his hand firmly across my pubis mons. a warm sensation spread through me.
"dolphin, dolphin—" i gasped as my fingers trembled over one of the tattoos.
"orca," he corrected me, smiling, and used his other hand to guide himself into me.
he placed his elbows beside me and i clutched his arms as he made love to me.
dolphin killer, my mind whispered, the less common nickname for the killer whale, Orcinus orca, the words too frightening to finish out loud. but then the racing of my mind had stopped, and the rhythm of our love was all i felt.
"do you know why i'm doing this to you?" he asked.
i moaned softly in response, unable to speak.
"because i love you," he said.

2005