“Leah sits naked on the edge of her bathtub”

Leah sits naked on the edge of her tub and passes her fingers through the water to test its heat. When the water turns hot, she plugs the drain and the sound of a running bath fills the room. Her imagination plays a montage of her recent flirtations. She feels a flush in her cheeks. Steam begins to rise from the water. Leah stands and walks out of the bathroom toward the full-length mirror propped against the wall beside her bed. She makes eye contact with her reflection. She hesitates briefly and then pulls up the corner of her mouth, turns her nose to the side and holds the pose. She flutters her eyelashes. Her face moves quickly through surprise and amusement. She looks down, lifts her chin and opens her eyes wide. This pose is for tall men at close range. She bends slightly forward to see herself from their perspective. She turns around and looks back over her shoulder. I should run more often.

It’s night outside, and a chill begins to cling to her skin. Still, Leah continues through her regular review of her body’s assets. Her hips may be too wide, but her breasts are nice. She likes the curve of her neck, and her shoulders go well with her height. She considers her hair and decides she likes it shorter. Overall she finds herself alluring and young.

The sound of water from the bathroom becomes muffled, and Leah knows the bath is ready. She steps slowly into the tub and savors the heat as it envelops her skin. She slides her body beneath the water and rests her neck along the curve of the ceramic behind her. She thinks of the yellow dress she’s picked out for tonight hanging from her closet door and then slides her hand back and forth along her inner thigh. Her thoughts circle around the fact that she is a virgin. Still a virgin. The thought used to be a point of pride, but over the last few months, it’s begun to feel like a weight. She feels, more and more, like life is leaving her behind. Still, she knows that she needs to wait. She’s too beautiful to offer herself to someone who loves her less than completely. Someday.

She brushes the hair from her forehead and water drips down her cheek. Maybe tonight it will begin. She imagines meeting someone and feeling suddenly off balance. He’s handsome but playful. She’s charmed by his laugh. Their voices create a kind of song. He tells her that she’s beautiful, and when he holds her she feels safe from fear. In time, they’ll be together, and she’ll offer him everything that he needs. Her heart beats quicker at the thought. Love… Soon I’ll be in love.

(This is an excerpt from the novel Pictures of the Sky. Here is a link to the full novel: https://www.amazon.com/Pictures-Sky-William-Minton/dp/0692423559/)