A Little Forbidden Love: Flash Fiction Contest Entry

She still couldn't shake the previous night's dream-of leprechauns and Cheetos. And Ben, with his brown eyes, impertinent questions, and Cheeto-stained fingertips. She closed her eyes and stroked her sleeping husband's shoulder.

"Ben," she murmured, so her husband couldn't hear.

Ben came back, as if she'd never stopped dreaming.

"Why won't you run away with me?" he asked.

She laughed. "I'm married."

"To a freak! What the hell were you thinkin', Katie?" Ben touched her stomach, leaving orange fingerprints on her white nightgown.

Katie rubbed his hand. She knew it was just a dream.

"He's really sweet, in a mischievous kind of way," Katie said. "You'd like him."

Ben groaned. "It's magic, right? He put a spell on you, or bribed you. I know he's filthy rich."

"We met. He fixed my shoe; we fell in love. I could care less about his gold."

"You must regret it," Ben said, shaking his head. "The height difference alone is...Don't people stare? When you guys go grocery shopping? And think of the children! Please tell me you're not thinking of having children."

"Maybe someday."

"It's just wrong." Ben took his hand away. "Don't you miss me?"

"Sometimes. But I was so lucky to meet Sean."

"Lucky!"

"Yeah."

Ben sighed. "I should've pretended to be Irish."

"Don't beat yourself up," Katie said. "Thanks for the Cheetos."

Ben smiled. "Katie, wake up."

Katie opened her eyes, smiling back, and saw her husband's face instead of Ben's. His beard was the color of Cheeto-stained fingertips.

"There she is," Sean said in his merry Irish brogue, his blue eyes twinkling. "My Katie."

"There he is," Katie said, smiling even bigger, wiping the sleep from her eyes. "My little green love machine."

Source:
(AC insists that we cite all our sources, even on creative work, so here ya go.)
Personal experience with Aidan and Francis O'Malley, two leprechaun brothers who dig tall, blonde chicks. I wish they hadn't gambled all their gold away.