“Can you boys keep a secret?” Jay asked.
“I can,” Thom said. “Not too sure about him.”
“I can to keep a secret,” Aaron said.
“Well, if I show you something then you have to promise not to tell.”
“Just Mom?” Aaron asked.
“No,
anyone
. You can't tell
anyone
.”
“I promise,” the boys chorused.
Jay disappeared up the stairs and came back with a tiny red velvet box. “I planned on asking your Mom to marry me,” he said, opening the box and showing the boys the sparkling diamond ring inside.
“Wow,” Thom said enthusiastically.
“Mom's gonna love that!” Aaron said.
“Now, remember,” Jay said seriously. “It's a secret. I'm trusting you.”
“We won't say anything,” Thom said. “We promise. Don't we, Aaron?”
“Uh huh,” Aaron agreed willingly. “Jay? When you and Mom get married, will you be our real dad?”
“I guess I will,” Jay said.
“Good,” Aaron said happily.
* * *
“You boys look happy,” Alex said suspiciously.
“Aren't we supposed to be happy?” Thom asked.
“Of course,” Alex said looking at Jay who shrugged. “You just seem, well,
really
happy.”
“It's nearly Christmas, Mom,” Thom said.
“Yeah, Mom. Who's not happy at Christmas?” Aaron added.
“Okay,” she said. Something was off, but she couldn't put her finger on what it was.
“How about we finish up, and then we can trim the tree,” Jay said, eager to change the subject.
“Good idea. Who's turn is it to put on the star this year?” Alex asked.
“Mine,” Aaron said with a smile. “I'm gonna give my turn to Jay though.”
Jay looked up from his plate with surprise. “Thank you, Aaron,” he said. “That's
very
generous of you. You don't have to, you know.”
“I know,” the small boy said sincerely. “I want you to do it.”
Alex looked on worryingly. The boys were really attached to Jay. Maybe she should have shielded them. Not let them get so attached. If Jay wasn't serious enough, the kids could end up getting really hurt.
“If you're finished eating, boys, you can rinse your plates and go and watch TV,” she said.
“Aren't we gonna do the tree?” Aaron asked.
“In a little while,” Alex said, a little snippier than she meant to be. “Rinse your plate.”
“I was askin’ Jay,” Aaron said.
“Aaron, your Mom said in a little while,” Jay said. “Do what she says.”
“Come on,” Thom said, getting up from the table.
“Don't be long,” Aaron said. “I been waiting all day.”
“I know. We won't be long,” Alex said, gently this time.
“What's wrong, honey?” Jay asked when the boys had left.
“Nothing,” Alex lied. What was she supposed to say? I think it's time you asked me to marry you? There's no way she could do that.
“Are you sure?” Jay asked, wrapping his arms around her as she plunked dishes into the dishwasher.
“Yeah, I'm fine,” Alex said, allowing him to turn her in his arms. What was wrong with her anyway? She had a wonderful guy, and he'd promised her he was here to stay no matter what. She loved him, and he said he loved her. What difference did a piece of paper make? “Just a little tired I guess.”
“Let's go do this tree, and then the boys can settle, and we can have an early night.”
“Yeah. Good idea,” Alex said brightening. This was the first Christmas she'd been really excited about for a long time.
“Saturday, we might get Kel and Rick to babysit if we can, and we'll have a quiet dinner at my house.”
“Sounds like fun.”
* * *
“When are ya gonna ask her?” Aaron whispered to Jay as loudly as he could whisper without actually talking.
“Shush,” Jay said in a real whisper. “You'll let the cat out of the bag.”
“When?”
“Saturday,” Jay said. “Your Mom and I are having dinner.”
“Can we come?” Aaron asked.
“Not this time, sport. Your Mom and I need to be alone for this one. Aunt Kelly and Uncle Rick are babysitting.”
“Why?”
“I have a romantic dinner planned.”
“Why?”
“Because ladies like to be made to feel special on occasions like that.”
“Mom ain't no lady, she's our Mom.”
“
And
she's very special. Sometimes, grownups like to be alone.”
“So you can kiss and talk love stuff.”
Jay smiled. “Something like that.”
Aaron screwed up his nose. “That's gross. I'd rather play with Uncle Rick.”
“I'm sure you'll have
lots
of fun.”
* * *
“Be down in a minute!” Alex called when she heard Jay downstairs.
Thom came out of nowhere. “Do you still have the ring?” he asked excitedly, almost under his breath.
“Of course,” Jay said. “I'm not likely to lose that, am I?”
“What ya eatin’?” Aaron said, “We're having pizza.”
“Not pizza,” Jay said with a chuckle. “I made something special.”
“Really,” Kelly said. “Why something special?”
“No reason,” Jay said nervously.
“Oh my God!” Kelly said. “You're going to do it!”
“Shhh,” Jay and the boys all said turning on her together.
“Leave him alone, Kel,” Rick said, suddenly joining the group.
“You
knew
!” Kel said accusingly. “Why didn't you tell me?”
“Shh,” Rick said. “Because you would have told her.”
“You're gonna ruin the surprise!” Aaron whined.
“No, we won't,” Rick said. “We're all going back to the kitchen where we can't ruin anything,” Rick hissed grabbing his wife's hand and towing her away despite her protests.
“Thanks, Rick,” Jay said.
“No problem.” he said. “Have fun, guys.”
* * *
“I could have walked over here, you know,” Alex said happily. “You didn't have to come and fetch me.”
“I know,” Jay said. “I wanted to come and collect you. Close your eyes.”
“Ooh, why?” she asked. “Is my Christmas present in there?”
“It's not Christmas yet.”
“Well, it could be something that you don't want me to open in front of the boys,” she said curiously. “Is it something you're going to spank me with?”
“If you don't just close your eyes, I might find something,” Jay said giving her bottom a smack.
“Okay, okay,” she said squeezing her eyes shut. “Hang on to me.”
“Always,” Jay said.
“Okay, you can open them now,” Jay said, trying to keep his nervousness and excitement at bay.
“Oh, Jay!” Alex said. Her eyes lit up as they scanned the room. There were fairy lights everywhere, and in the corner by the fireplace was an undecorated tree.
“I thought you might like to help me decorate this tree,” he said. “It's the first one I've had in my own home.”
“I'd love to,” she said.
“After dinner,” he said.
Alex sat at the table that had been tastefully decorated with red candles and holly and waited while Jay served their food. “It's delicious, Jay,” she said. “It's all lovely.”
“Thank you,” he said proudly. “I have to confess, I had a little help.”
“Did the boys help you do it this afternoon when they were here?”
“Yeah,” Jay said. “Aaron wasn't too happy that I didn't want to decorate the tree.”
“I bet,” she giggled.
“And he did think that the food of choice should be pizza.”
“Of course he did.”
Jay fussed over the food and dessert, serving each course without much of a break in between. It almost seemed like he was rushing through the meal he'd gone to so much trouble to prepare on purpose. He must be excited about trimming his tree, Alex thought. It was kind of sweet, really.
“Well, guess we better get this tree done then,” Alex said, happy to be putting Jay out of his misery at last.
“Let's do it,” Jay said.
After they'd spent an hour or so hanging brightly colored balls on the tree, they were nearly finished.
“I think I have one more box,” he said, producing a box from behind him.
“They're pretty,” Alex said. As she opened the box she noticed the six balls had writing on them.
“Oh, Jay, how sweet!” she said lifting a ball out of the box with Aaron's name emblazoned across it.
“You like them?”
“They're beautiful,” she said, taking out the next one that was Thom's.
“Here, I'll take the box while you hang them on the tree, and I'll pass you the others,” he said.
Alex hung both boys’ ornaments on the tree. She couldn't wait to see their faces when they saw them.
Jay put the next ball in her hand. “Will,” she read.
“Who's Will?” she asked, trying to remember if Jay had mentioned someone called Will.
Jay rolled his eyes and passed her the next one.
“You,” Alex read. She looked at the ball, blinked, and then looked at Jay who had dropped to one knee. She was speechless. Tears filled her eyes as the man of her dreams held up the last two balls.
“Marry me?” he asked. “Please, Alex. I don’t ever want us to have separate Christmas trees in separate houses again.”
“Neither do I!” she cried. “Of course I'll marry you!” She threw herself into his arms, knocking both of them over in the process.
“I love you, Alex,” he said after they spent a long part of the rest of the evening making love in front of the fire. “I can't wait to start married life with you.”
“I love you too,” she answered. “I can't wait either. Although we've been doing that really for the last three months.”
“Except for the part where we both have to go home every night. I want to wake up next to you every morning for the rest of my life.”
“Which brings me to the point,” Alex said. “Which house are we going to live in after we're married?”
“Do you care?”
Alex thought about it. She'd started her last marriage in the house next door. It would probably be good to have a fresh start. “No, I don't mind,” she said.
“Do you think the boys would mind?”
“Are you serious?” she giggled. “They will
own
the pool.”
“Don't tell me they only love me for my pool?” Jay said, with a much-hurt face.
“It's winter, Jay, and they adore you anyway,” she said.
“I know, I was only joking.”
“So, I guess this means if we live here, it's your rules,” she said with a twinkle in her eye.
“Yeah, pretty much,” he said. “Can you live with that?”
“I don't think I could live without it,” Alex said contentedly.
Epilogue
Jay massaged lotion into his wife's naked body as she lay face down on a towel.
“So glad we chose this place,” she said. “Loving the privacy.”
“If we didn't have this private beach, there's no way in hell you'd be sunbathing naked,” Jay said dropping a kiss on each bottom cheek as he massaged down each leg.
“You love it,” she said.
“Uh huh,” he said. “You'd still be naked. You'd just be naked inside.”
Alex giggled. “Finish your story yet?” she asked, knowing full well that he hadn't.
“Nope. Stuck on the end.”
“That's a shame. I
love
what you have so far,” she said, that familiar excitement twisting her belly and making her clit throb.
“You read it?” Jay asked.
“I sure did,” she said. “Love the wedding and the youngest of the two boys being your best man and the oldest walking the mom down the aisle.”
“I thought that was a sweet touch too,” he chuckled. “I think maybe the bride needs a hot spanking to end my story.”
“Maybe,” Alex said. “You know, I was very naughty when I was reading your book.”
“Oh?”
“You were sleeping, and I borrowed your computer. I snuck it out here to read it in the sun. The scene where they made love right on the beach when they first got here made me hot as hell,” she said. “I had to touch myself. Right out here in the open.”
“You did that? You opened your legs and played with yourself right on the beach?”
“I did,” she said. “I know it was bad, but I couldn't help it. I bet if the bride in your story did that, she'd get a spanking.”
“Oh, yeah. The punishment would have to fit the crime. She'd get spanked right out here on the beach.”
Alex was sitting now, listening intently. “Maybe you should show me,” she said. “Just a little practice for when you write it.”
Jay took Alex's arm and tipped her over his knee. He patted the beautiful, slightly tanned bottom. “It's very naughty to touch yourself out in public,” he said, bringing his hand down with a sharp smack several times on each cheek.
“Ooh, that stings,” Alex said wriggling herself against his hard cock.
“That's what happens to naughty girls. They get their bottoms spanked, and it stings,” he said tapping her bottom several times on each cheek.
“Touch me,” Alex said almost in a whisper, raising her bottom.
“Soon. I'm going to spank your bottom first,” he said, his hand clapping off her wriggling bottom rhythmically. “I want it to be hot and red and sore, so you'll feel it when I sink into you.”
“Then spank me harder,” she said bouncing up and down on his legs to spur him on.
“Careful what you wish for,” he said, and he started spanking in earnest.
“Ow. Jay!” Alex yelped as the fire in her rear end built.
“You're nearly done,” he said spanking her bottom all over one more time. She groaned as he finally slowed to gentle pats.
“Now?” she asked.
“Now.” Jay said. He flipped her onto her back and took a few seconds to admire her and explore with both his eyes and his fingers. His wife, his beautiful, confident wife, sprawled out naked without a care in the world.
“Too tired, cowboy?” she asked sassily.
“No,” he said. “Definitely not too tired.” Within moments he was sinking deep inside her warm and welcoming body.
The End
More Books by Constance Masters
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