A thousand Boy Kisses

Poppy
I thought I had felt a breeze through my hair before. But nothing compared to
the breeze that whipped through my tresses at the top of the Empire State
Building.
I thought I’d been kissed in every way there was to be kissed. But nothing
compared to Rune’s kisses under the fairy-tale castle in Central Park. To his kiss
in the crown of the Statue of Liberty. In the center of Times Square, the bright
lights flashing as people rushed around us like they had no time left in the world.
People were always rushing even though they had plenty of time. Although I
had very little, I made sure everything I did was slow. Measured. Meaningful. I
made sure to savor any new experience. To take a deep breath and drink in every
new sight, smell and sound.
To simply stop. Breathe. Embrace.

---

Rune’s kisses varied. They were slow and soft, gentle and feather-light. Then
they were hard, fast and ravishing. Both left me breathless. Both made it into the
jar.
More kisses sewn onto my heart.
After eating a late lunch at the Stardust Diner, somewhere I decided may just
be my third-favorite place on Earth, I led Rune outside and around the corner.
“Is it my turn now?” I asked, as Rune took hold of my collar and pulled it close
around my neck. Rune checked his watch. I eyed him curiously, wondering why
he kept checking the time. Rune saw me watching him in suspicion.
Wrapping his arms around me, he replied, “You have the next couple of hours,
then it’s back to my schedule.”
I scrunched my nose at his strict attitude and playfully stuck out my tongue.
Heat flared in Rune’s eyes as I did. He dived forward and pressed his mouth to
my lips, his tongue immediately stroking against mine. I squealed and held on
tight as he dipped me back, before breaking the kiss.
“Don’t tempt me,” he said teasingly. But I still saw that heat in his eyes. My
heart skipped a beat. Since Rune had been back in my life, we had done nothing
more than kiss. Kiss and talk, and hold each other so impossibly close. He never
pushed for more, but as the weeks had rolled on, I had begun to want to give
myself to him again.
Memories of our night, two years ago, ran like a show reel in my mind. The
scenes were so vivid, so filled with love, that my lungs seized. Because I still
remembered that look in his eyes when he moved above me. I still remembered
the way his eyes watched mine. The way heat flooded through me as I felt him,
so warm, in my arms.
And I remembered his gentle touches on my face, my hair and my lips. But
best of all, I remembered his face in the afterglow. The incomparable expression
of adoration. The look that told me that, though we were young, what we had
done had changed us forever.
Joined us in body, mind and soul.

---

Truly made us infinity.
Forever always.
“Where are we going, Poppymin?” Rune asked, pulling me from my reverie.
He held the back of his hand against my burning cheek. “You’re hot,” he said,
his accent strong, the perfect sound running through me like a cool breeze.
“I’m fine,” I said coyly. Taking his hand, I tried to lead him down the street.
Rune pulled on my hand and made me face his concern head on.
“Poppy—”
“I’m fine,” I interrupted, pursing my lips so he would know I meant it.
Groaning in exasperation, Rune slung his arm around my shoulder and led me
forward. I searched for the street name and block, working out where to go from
here.
“Are you going to tell me what we’re doing?” Rune asked.
Ensuring we were heading in the right direction, I shook my head. Rune
pressed a kiss to the side of my head as he lit up a cigarette. As he smoked, I
took the opportunity to look around me. I loved New York. I loved everything
about it. Eclectic people—artists, suits and dreamers—all woven into the giant
patchwork quilt of life. The busy streets, car horns and shouts the perfect
symphonic soundtrack to the city that never sleeps.
I breathed in the fresh scent of snow on the cold crisp air and hugged closer
into Rune’s chest. “We would do this,” I said and smiled, briefly closing my
eyes.
“What?” Rune asked, the now-familiar scent of his cigarette smoke billowing
before us.
“This,” I said, “Us, walking down Broadway. We would walk the city, heading
to meet friends, to our schools or our apartment.” I nudged his arm over my
shoulder. “You would hold me just like this and we would talk. You’d tell me
about your day and I’d tell you about mine.” I smiled at the normalcy of the
picture. Because I didn’t need grand gestures or fairy tales; a normal life with the
boy I loved would have always been enough.

---

Even in this moment, it was worth everything.
Rune didn’t say anything. I had learned that when I spoke like this, so candidly
about things that would never come to pass, Rune found it best to say nothing at
all. And it was okay. I understood why he had to protect his already-breaking
heart.
If I could protect it for him I would, but I was the cause.
I just prayed, to all that was good, that I could also be the remedy.
Seeing the banner on the old building, I looked up at Rune and said, “We’re
nearly there.”
Rune looked around in confusion, and I was glad. I didn’t want him to see
where we were. I didn’t want him to be angry at a gesture kindly meant. I didn’t
want him to hurt at being forced to see the future that could be his.
I steered Rune left toward a building. Rune threw his finished cigarette to the
ground and took my hand in his. Walking to the register, I asked for our tickets.
Rune pushed my hand from my purse when I tried to pay. He paid, not yet
knowing where we were. I reached up and kissed him on the cheek. “Such a
gentleman,” I teased, and watched as he rolled his eyes.
“I’m not sure your daddy thinks that way about me.”
I couldn’t contain my laugh. As I giggled freely, Rune stopped and watched
me, holding out his hand. I placed mine in his and let him pull me to him. His
mouth landed just above my ear and he said, “Why is it when you laugh like that
I desperately need to take your picture?”
I looked up, my laughter fading. “Because you capture all aspects of the human
condition—the good, the bad, the truth.” I shrugged and added, “Because despite
how much you protest and exude an aura of darkness, you strive for happiness,
you wish to be happy.”
“Poppy.” Rune turned his head. As always, he didn’t want to embrace the truth,
but it was there, locked deep in his heart. All he had ever wanted was to be
happy—just him and me.
For me, I wanted him to learn to be happy alone. Even though I would walk

---

beside him every day in his heart.
“Rune,” I urged softly. “Please come with me.”
Rune stared at my outstretched hand, before relenting and clasping our hands
tightly together. Even then he stared at our joined hands with a hint of pain
behind his guarded eyes.
Bringing those hands to my lips, I kissed the back of his hand and brought
them to my cheek. Rune exhaled through his nose. Finally, he pulled me under
the protection of his arm. Wrapping my arm around his waist, I led him through
the double doors, revealing the show on the other side.
We were greeted with a vast, open space, famous pictures framed by the high
walls. Rune stilled, and I looked up just in time to see his surprised yet
impassioned reaction on seeing his dream showcased before him. An exhibition
of pictures that had shaped our time.
Pictures that had changed the world.
Perfectly captured moments in time.
Rune’s chest expanded slowly as he inhaled deeply, then exhaled with guarded
calmness. He glanced down at me and opened his lips. Not a sound came out.
Not a single word formed.
Rubbing my hand across his chest, under the camera that was hanging around
his neck, I said, “I found out this exhibition was on last night and wanted you to
see it. It’ll be here for the year, but I wanted to be here, with you, in this
moment. I … I wanted to share this with you.”
Rune blinked, his expression neutral. The only reaction he displayed was the
clenching of his jaw. I wasn’t sure if that was a good thing or a bad thing.
Slipping from below his arm, I loosely held his fingers. Consulting the
guidebook, I brought us to the first picture in the exhibition. I smiled, seeing the
sailor in the center of Times Square dipping the nurse back to kiss her on the
lips. “New York City. August 14, 1945. V-J Day in Times Square by Alfred