Family Ties XIII

They ended up in bed anyway — with folders, pens and papers, and eyeglasses.

Laura wore one of his tanks and panties, while he wore the other and his boxer briefs as they both stretched out across the covers — her crosswise, head on his belly while he propped up slightly against the pillows — and read reports.

They’d had to do some sorting of their respective files after their activities in her home office. Things had gotten a little jumbled in their eagerness, but she hadn’t minded. It had very, very good, his thrusts coming in time with their kisses, his hands holding her steady while she clung to him as frakked them both to orgasms that had them gasping and groaning in unison. They’d laughed softly in the aftermath, caressed and kissed, whispered amidst their merriment and happiness.

A part of her still couldn’t believe the conversation that had led to the loving, mid-morning frakking, but she hadn’t been able to resist the opening that his little saying had given her, the innuendo too good to pass up. She’d been around long enough to know that men, or at least some of them, were obsessed with how big their cock was. Bill had never shown any sign of that particular male obsession, had always been consistently comfortable in his own skin, confident of his prowess without being smug, but she’d had to goad him to find out if he ever had been and he’d played along, much to her amusement and pleasure.

He was an absolute joy of a lover, markedly different than any other man she’d ever shared a bed with, short-term or long-term. Richard wouldn’t have been caught dead letting her measure his dick. But Bill … he’d accepted her challenge with a grin and daring, masturbated for her in the broad light of day then asked her if she wanted to “do the honors.” If she hadn’t been so aroused, she’d have probably dissolved into a fit of the giggles. Instead, she’d suggested a break and let herself enjoy the results of his efforts.

Now they were working together again, in bed, the sea breeze circulating around their bedroom while the waves crashed against the shore down below.

With a happy sigh, Laura raised a knee, propped the folder and its contents against her thigh and signed her name on the bottom line. She then closed it up and set it aside, atop the completed stack and reached for the next … only to find there were no more.

Grinning, Laura capped her pen and flipped it over with the finished reports then turned her head an looked up at her lover. Her heart fluttered finding him dozing and the sound of paper moving that she’d thought him working was caused by the breeze shuffling the pages in the open folder on the corner of the bedside table. His glasses set atop it were the only thing preventing them from blowing away.

For many long minutes, Laura just watched, loving how his hair remained mussed from earlier, that one unruly lock curled sexily against his brow. He looked the epitome of masculine vulnerability as he lay there, his features soft with slumber, dark lashes curled with a sinful elegance against his cheek and the beginnings of stubble shadowing his skin, darkest along his jawline and around his mouth.

Seeing him so made her want him again, slow and tender. She wasn’t sure her body was up to it, or if he would be ready but just feeling the desire was enough to have her turning her head the opposite direction, reaching up and brushing her knuckles back and forth along the length of his cock as it lay beneath the snug gray material of his underwear.

“Not exactly six now” came his voice from above her on the fifth pass and she smiled and looked back up at him, her hand stilling.

A smile was alight on the strong line of his mouth while his eyes peered down at her through lowered lids and lashes, the supernatural blue of his eyes visible and sparkling with good humor and affection. His hand came down, fingertips brushing over her brow.

“Mmmm, it’s perfect,” she breathed and watched his smile broaden indulgently.

“Finished with work?” he rasped.

She nodded, eyes drifting shut on an extended blink as he continued his touch, his thumb circling at her temple. She felt him take a deep breath, her head moving with the rise and fall of his torso.

When eyes opened, he rumbled, “Nap with me.”

“Okay,” she said softly then sat up. She put the folders and pen in the floor beside the bed then stretched beside him, laying a hand on his upper arm as he stretched it out for her. She patted his belly as she closed her eyes then smoothed her hand up to rest on his chest. His hand was so warm when he covered it.

“I want to take you out to dinner tonight,” he rasped softly. “That little place down at the harbor.”

She knew what place he was talking about. It was the one that made that salad they both liked. They had a two levels of dining on decks overlooking the water. Her favorite was the lower deck, right at the railing, near the small dance area.

“Dancing?” she asked, loving the thought of taking a few turns with him while buoys clanged and waves lapped. She felt his smile at the question.

“If you’d like,” he murmured, his thumb rubbing hers.

“Yeah,” she sighed and let silence carry the moment until sleep eventually claimed her. She slept soundly until Bill woke her late in the afternoon with a gentle caress to her cheek.

She looked up at him standing beside the bed. He was dressed for a night out, black slacks, a crisp, white shirt with the sleeves rolled up to reveal tan, corded forearms. His hair was damp and tousled and he smelled of his cologne.

“Reservations are in an hour,” he said softly, his gaze and smile tender.

Smiling, she sat up on the side of the bed and hummed when he pressed a kiss to the top of her head before wandering back around the bed to his side. Glancing at her nightstand, she noted that he’d put away her work files for her. She thanked him as she rose and headed toward the closet. He just smiled and she ducked in and selected one of her newest cocktail dresses. It was a black, off-the-shoulder number with three-quarter sleeves and a skirt that stopped an inch or so above her knees. The black fabric featured little glints of silver thread in the light and she smiled thinking how it would look at sunset and in candlelight, and how she would look on his arm.

Happy with her choice, she took it out of the closet, went to the dresser and picked out clean garments in black then headed to the shower. She turned it on then detoured to the toilet while the water warmed.

She made the shower a thorough but quick one, using one of her favorite body washes and shampoos scented with Caprican lily and white cinnamon. It was a soft, faintly sweet scent with a warm, spicy undertone. It was Bill’s favorite on her, often inspiring a lot of nuzzling from him, which she was of a mind to enjoy tonight. She liked when he lingered close, feeling his warmth, basking in the focused but quiet intensity he exuded when he was seducing her.

The seduction had already begun actually. Unconventional to say the least, he’d begun it with putting those files away, letting her rest as long as possible and waking her after having showered, dressed, and shaved, coming to her smelling all warm, spicy and inviting.

As she dried her hair, dressed and put on makeup and perfume, she found herself growing more eager for their evening to begin. They really hadn’t been out much since her cancer diagnosis, sticking close to home where she felt safest and the most comfortable — especially now that the news was out — but she admittedly missed the occasional meal out, dancing to live music. The beach party on Picon had reminded her of how much fun it could be. But tonight wasn’t going to be an outing with others or a communal gathering. It would be just the two of them, in public, enjoying a romantic setting complete with dinner, music, wine and candles in glass globes to shield the flame from the wind.

She was ready for that, all of it, and pushed aside fears that they might run across a reporter or photographer while out. She really wasn’t ready to deal with that but knew she couldn’t avoid it forever. At some point, they were going to find her and want a picture if nothing else, but hopefully Port Thetis would continue to offer them some privacy and anonymity for a while longer — at least for tonight.

Checking herself in the mirror, Laura gave her hair a few more tweaks then rejoined Bill in the bedroom. She smiled when she saw him standing by the back window, looking out at the sea. He turned, though, when he heard her switch off the light, then went dead still when he saw her.

The look that came over him…

Laura trembled and was suddenly breathless, as if all the air had been let out of the room. She flushed under the intensity of feeling that swam in his gaze, that saturated his weathered features as he moved toward her slowly. He didn’t say a word as he neared, just touched her cheek then dropped his hand to catch hers. She could do nothing but look into those fathomless seas of blue beyond blue as he lifted her hand. It was only when she felt something placed in her palm that she tore her eyes from his.

A lump rose in her throat when she saw a black, velvet box — a jewelry box — contrasting sharply against her pale skin. Somehow she managed to whisper his name, but managed no more, but obeyed when he whispered in turn, “Open it.”

The lid was tight but popped up for her fingers and her breath hitched at what she saw inside — a golden necklace with a ring-shaped pendant adorned with a series of faceted, crystal-clear stones that sparkled brightly in the light as her hand trembled.

“It was my mother’s,” he said softly, his fingers taking hold of the pendant and slowly drawing it out of the box, the chain dangling behind.

Her heart pounding, Laura didn’t know what to say so she just listened as she looked up to meet his gaze.

“I’ve had it since my father died,” he rasped then murmured softer still, “No one has worn it since her.”

Tears pricked Laura’s eyes and her stomach flipped and fluttered, understanding the importance of what he was telling her, of what he was giving her. To say she was touched was an understatement. She was just…

Laura shook her head because she lacked the words, any words to express what she felt and thought. He smiled at her with understanding then eased around behind her. She held her breath as he raised his arms and brought the necklace around in front of her, the golden and glimmering hoop swaying at the behest of her rapid breaths as he brought it down and lay it against skin. By rote, she lifted her hair out of the way and bowed her head, turning it slightly toward him as he fastened the clasp, certain one of the most beautiful moments in her life was taking place.

When he finished, he touched his lips to her neck and breathed her name warmly, his fingers skating along her shoulders as he stepped closer to her and murmured three words that set a tear free.

“I love you.”

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