Back to Main Page 

Paddling Upstream

By Strickland83

When school started, I didn�t get to see Lindsey as much. We did get together many evenings, though. Often, we sat together on her sofa or mine, as she graded papers and I wrote. Our lives were becoming entwined; we were becoming one. We had become a couple.

She also took an interest in my writing. She liked how I was using our experiences as a model for my book. The book was not about us, but she could see how we influenced the plot and she enjoyed watching how the story developed.

On a weekday morning, I called Maria. We were still staying in touch.

"Michael! How are you doing? How is the writing coming along?"

"All fine. I�m very comfortable here."

"Good. I try to match the person to the home. You seemed to be a good fit."

"Maria, who is a good jeweler I can trust to be discreet? Someone who can work with me on a custom project?"

"That�s easy. You need to go see Mr. Stein on Main Street. Stein�s is where most people have been going for generations. He is a manufacturing jeweler. He can even cast custom pieces for you."

"Thanks. That is exactly what I�m looking for."

"Anytime, Michael. I hope she likes it."

"I am sure she� Hey! How�?"

Maria giggled. "Fournton is a small town. It is no secret how much time you and Lindsey have been spending together."

"Thanks."

"You�re welcome, and don�t worry. I won�t tell."

I went downtown only to find that Mr. Stein was out until after lunch. I returned a few hours later to find the "Be Back Later" sign gone from the door. The brass knob, polished by the touch of countless hands over the years, opened the old wood door with its big glass window. A bell tinkled as the door swung and I smelled the age of the place. It wasn�t an unpleasant smell, but rather the scent of old wood trim. Glass topped counters lined both sides of the narrow store, with shelves behind them lining the walls. A grey-haired man came through a door in the back.

"Good afternoon," he greeted me cheerily as he leaned over the counter and held out his hand.

"Hello. I am Michael Newcombe," I told him as I shook the offered hand.

"Newcombe?" He thought a moment, and then said, "Yes, the writer. It is nice to meet you."

There was a pause as he waited for me to tell him why I had come.

"I�m shopping for some jewelry. I hear you can make what I have in mind. I also understand that you can do it without the young lady hearing about it."

"Certainly, Mr. Newcombe. What sort of jewelry did you have in mind?"

As he said that, he spread his hands over the case between us.

"A ring. An engagement ring."

"Ah, yes. A wonderful time. We can make something special for her. It might help if I knew the young lady, to design something she might like, you understand. If you would rather not say, that�s alright."

"No, not a problem. Perhaps you know her. Lindsey McAllister."

Mr. Stein could not hide the expression that crossed his face.

"Is something wrong?" I asked.

"No, not at all."

He thought for a few moments, an uneasy silence hanging between us. Finally, he spoke again.

"Mr. Newcombe," he began.

"Please, call me Michael."

"Alright, Michael. Shall we go in the back? We can sit down and I can show you some designs. I have an idea of Miss McAllister�s tastes."

He indicated the door with his hand.

The back room held a jeweler�s workbench. Beyond, the big gray steel door to a walk-in safe was sitting half open. He pulled over an extra chair next to his and we sat.

"Michael, please don�t take offense to what I am about to say. I am only saying this to help our discussion of designs."

He looked me in the eye. Seeing my confusion, he smiled slightly.

"I will make you the offer I have made before. If Miss McAllister does not like the ring for any reason, I will let you return it."

"I don�t think�" I started to say but Mr. Stein interrupted me.

"You are the fifth young man to ask me to make an engagement ring for Miss McAllister. I bought back the last four."

My eyebrows shot up at his remark.

"Miss McAllister was not ready to settle down. I don�t want to discourage you. Perhaps this will be the time."

The room felt a little warmer. I fidgeted in my chair.

"Don�t let that concern you. The decision is hers, of course. Let�s make a ring to try to persuade her, shall we?" he said as a smile broke out on his aged face.

He rubbed his hands together and started opening tiny drawers. He stirred his fingers in the contents, shut each drawer and moved on to another one.

"She has bought some things from me before. I think she prefers a simpler design."

He withdrew a simple gold band and held it up to me.

"This one is her size. We can start here. I can put together a mount with some fine detail. Did you have a shape of stone in mind?"

"I was thinking of a marquise," I said, now feeling a lot less confident than when I had entered the store.

"Were you thinking of a particular weight, or perhaps a price range?"

"How about a half carat?"

He thought about that, and smiled again.

"Yes, yes, a half carat marquise would be perfect on her delicate finger. Let me get a tray of stones for us to look at."

He got up and walked into the safe, returning a few minutes later carrying a wood tray. When he set it down, I could see it contained an assortment of marquise diamonds. He peered over the compartments, finally withdrawing one with tweezers. He held it up to the light on his workbench before setting it down on a light blue velvet cloth in front of me.

"This one is colorless and very clear. No inclusions visible to the naked eye. I have had my eye on this one ever since I bought it."

He told me the price and I agreed that it was alright. He handed me the tweezers and I held the stone to the light. It did look exquisite, with a fire that was striking. He took the tweezers from me and held the stone up to the light while he handed me a loupe.

"Look at it, see if you think this is the one. Remember that the one you pick will become her favorite piece of jewelry. It will be with her the rest of her life."

His words reminded me why I was here. I felt a lump in my throat as I realized the import of what I was doing. I blinked away a few tears and studied the stone. It looked as perfect as my feelings for Lindsey.

He sketched a few designs on a pad and I picked one out. Mr. Stein told me to come back in two days and he would have something to show me. I rose and thanked him as I shook his hand.

Walking out of the shop, I blinked in the bright light and looked around. I was really going to do this. I tried to think of what to do next. I knew the big thing I had to do.

About three blocks further along Main Street was the big Catholic Church. I had avoided church entirely since Theresa�s funeral. I guess I was mad at God for taking her away. If I was going to get married again, it was time to make amends.

The church was on a corner, an imposing stone and brick structure of considerable age. I tried one of the big oak doors and found it unlocked. I entered the vestibule and then the church itself. Crossing myself with Holy Water from the marble font, I walked into the dimly lit interior, my footsteps making hollow sounds in the empty building.

I chose a pew near the back, better not to be too forward just yet. The kneeler lowered with a soft thud, the sound echoing in the lonely chamber. I knelt and folded my hands. I didn�t know where to start.

I�m sorry? Well, that was a start. I waited too long to say this. I forgive you for taking her away. Now that was being presumptuous. I decided to get to the point why I had come. God, please let Lindsey say, "Yes." There. That should cover it. Oh, yes. One more thing. I will be back even if she says, "No."

I decided to leave before I said something to make Him angry. Back out on the street, I thought about what Mr. Stein had told me on the whole walk back. I was glad I had walked instead of driving because the time to think did me some good. I had to come up with a unique way to ask the big question. I wanted to show her how important she was to me.

I asked Amanda what I should do. We were still talking frequently, and I valued her advice even more since she pushed me to go to Lindsey after her grandfather�s funeral. Amanda was, of course, delighted when I told her that I was going to ask Lindsey to marry me. Amanda did her "Happy Snoopy Dance," as she called it, when I told her. Her advice this time was to talk to some of Lindsey�s friends and find out what really impressed Lindsey.

I had intended to keep the whole thing a secret until I asked Lindsey, especially since Fournton was a small town and news seemed to travel fast. This was impractical, I realized, since I needed help from a jeweler. Maria had already figured it out, so I suspected a few others probably knew I was thinking about this. I finally gave in and talked to some of her friends. I got the same advice that Mr. Stein had given me, about being prepared that I might become number five in a long line of refusals. Even if she told me no, I hoped we could stay together. If she wouldn�t marry me, I still wanted her in my life as a friend.

After listening to the suggestions, I went back to what had first brought us together�food. I put together an intimate catered dinner for two. Instead of in a restaurant, I would keep it private by serving the dinner at a table next to the pool at night. It was where we first really became intimate.

A catering company was selected. They agreed to serve the meal and then leave us alone after cleaning up. I installed a few outdoor speakers for background music, something I had wanted to do anyway. Amanda wanted me to call her as soon as I had Lindsey�s answer, but I convinced her that the call would have to wait.

I was back at Stein�s Jewelers, in the back room looking at what he had created for me. For us. The bell on the door tinkled, announcing the arrival of another customer.

"Mr. Stein?"

My heart leapt and I sweated as I realized I would know that voice anywhere. Mr. Stein put a finger in front of his lips and indicated with a hand gesture that I should stay where I was. I nodded.

"Just a minute, Lindsey. I�ll be right out," he announced.

I sat there and tried not to move so I wouldn�t make a sound. I could hear the two of them speaking at the counter.

"Hi, Mr. Stein. Is my watch ready?"

"Yes, it�s in the back. I�ll get it." Then, "No, wait here."

"What�s the matter?" she asked.

Mr. Stein spoke quieter now, but loud enough for me to hear.

"I have a young man in the back who is shopping for an engagement ring. I am sure you understand his desire for privacy."

"Of course," she said. Then, louder, "I hope she says yes," she called to me.

I stifled a laugh as they finished their business and Lindsey left.

I selected a Friday night, when it had turned cool but not too cold yet to eat outdoors. I was still using the pool but only because I was running the heater. A front had just come through and the skies were clear. "Mosquito Season," as the locals called it, was over. A cold snap had driven them away until Spring. The timing seemed perfect. I asked Lindsey to come over for dinner and dress nicely.

"Why? Where are we going?" she asked.

"Oh, nowhere. We�re just going to stay here, but I thought it would be fun to have a formal dinner at home."

"Just the two of us?"

"Yes, just us."

"Come on, Michael, that is not us. How about blue jeans and a sweatshirt?"

"No, a nice dress. Please, do this for me."

She finally agreed, though I could tell she was questioning my motives. I arranged for her to arrive at seven. The caterers came at five and started preparing. A table was set with fine linens beside the pool. Two candles provided illumination. The only other light outside was the pool light, giving the water a glow. When it was about time for Lindsey to arrive, I had the caterers move their van down the street and had them wait in the kitchen. I stationed myself at a window in the living room so I could watch for her.

Lindsey�s car pulled up at precisely seven. I walked out the front door to greet her. She was lovely, wearing a white dress that was elegant yet looked virginal.

"Hi, Michael. What�s going on?"

I smiled at her, and it was not just because I was so happy to see her. I was also trying not to let her see how nervous I was.

"Dinner," I said. "Come on."

I took her by the hand and, to her surprise, we bypassed the house. I took her through the side entrance to the pool, passing through the banana trees. I heard her gasp when we stepped onto the patio and she saw the table. I held out her chair for her and she sat, looking at me expectantly.

As soon as we sat, the sliding glass door opened and a server appeared with a wine bottle. Lindsey watched wide-eyed as she poured our wine and left.

"Michael, what is all this?"

I smiled as calmly as I could manage and said with a sweep of my hand, "Dinner. Enjoy."

I took a sip of my wine and tried not to look nervous. I wished I could calm down so I could enjoy the evening. In reality, I was afraid of what her answer would be. The ring in my pocket felt like a gigantic lump.

I finally decided not to wait until dessert. I couldn�t stand it any longer. After the salad plates were removed and before the entrees arrived, I made my move.

I looked the waitress in the eye and nodded. She winked and returned a moment later, placing a small pillow on the deck next to Lindsey�s chair before disappearing again inside the house. It was now or never.

The expression on Lindsey�s face was classic. It was a mixture of surprise and confusion. She didn�t see this coming. I stood and went to stand next to her. My left hand reached into my pocket to retrieve the ring as I went down on one knee on the pillow. Realization dawned on Lindsey�s face as I knelt, even before she saw the ring in my hand. She didn�t speak, perhaps because of surprise. Her left hand covered her mouth, a reaction of shock. I looked deeply into my beloved�s eyes and held up the ring to her as I spoke.

"Lindsey, I know we have only known each other less than a year. It has been a very rewarding yet very difficult time for both of us. You pulled me out of a deep dark place where I was lost. In that time, I have come to love you more than anything else, more than life itself. I realize now that the rest of my life can only be complete with you. Lindsey, will you marry me?"

My heart was pounding and I was sweating. I had said my piece. Now it was up to her. I remembered what I had been warned about her as I waited what seemed like an eternity for her answer.

Lindsey was watching me closely as I spoke those words. Tears started to slowly flow, but were they tears of joy or sadness? She moved her hand from her mouth and reached out for me.

"Michael, I�"

She stopped. My heart almost stopped. I continued to wait.

I watched Lindsey�s throat as she swallowed hard, the delicate skin moving quickly. I wanted her to say yes so badly. I wanted her to accept, but if she was going to reject me, I wanted it to be over quickly. I realized that I was trembling.

Lindsey opened her mouth but no words came out. She mouthed something but I couldn�t understand. She swallowed again.

"Michael, this is such a surprise. I don�t know what to say."

"Take your time, Lindsey. Take your time to think about it and then say what your heart tells you to say," I told her, preparing myself for the worst.

"Yes."

She hadn�t rejected me outright. She was willing to think about it. I took that as a good sign. I started to stand and her eyes grew wide as she realized I was moving. Her right hand grabbed my arm.

"Yes!" she said again, more forcefully this time.

I looked at her, confused. In explanation, she wiggled her left hand at me.

"Yes, Michael. Oh, yes."

"Yes?" I asked, still not comprehending.

She smiled through tears, realizing that I still didn�t get it.

"Yes, Michael, I would love to be your wife. Oh, yes, very much."

I blinked at her, my own eyes widening as realization dawned.

"Yes?" I asked, dumbfounded.

"Yes," she said, smiling and nodding slowly, still holding her left hand out to me.

The implication of her words finally hit home. I looked down to my hand still holding the open box. My hands were trembling as I removed the ring from the tiny box. I reached for her hand but my fingers were trembling so much that the ring slipped free from my grasp. It fell, hitting the concrete deck with a ringing sound. I looked down to see the ring bounce and reached for it but my nervous hands missed. It bounced a second time. The third time, it came down beyond the deck and disappeared into the pool with a sploosh.

After seeing it disappear into the water, I looked back to Lindsey with horror. Then, I didn�t think about what I was doing. I stood and leapt into the water, diving down to retrieve the ring. I came up sputtering, holding the ring triumphantly in the air. Lindsey smiled and stepped to the side of the pool. I watched as she jumped into the water, in her dress, and stood before me holding her ring finger out. I pushed the ring onto her finger, sliding it over her knuckle.

I looked up into her eyes, into the eyes of my fianc�e, and smiled. We both had tears in our eyes as our lips joined, sealing the moment. Our lips parted and we stood there holding each other. Lindsey held up her left hand between us, giggling and crying at the same time.

It was then that we became aware of the sound of clapping. The kitchen staff must have heard the splash when I jumped in the pool and had come to see if we were alright. One of them, a young girl, stepped forward and handed each of us a towel.

"Congratulations," she said. Then to Lindsey, "Can I see it?"

Lindsey held the ring out as she nodded vigorously and smiled broadly.

"It�s beautiful," she said shyly, before returning to the steps.

Lindsey laughed and said, "This is appropriate. It is where we started, after all."

"Yes, it is, isn�t it?" I answered. "Yes, it is."

I hugged her again before we climbed out of the pool, water dripping off our clothes. We toweled off as best we could.

"Would you like to change before we finish dinner?" I asked her.

"I think so."

We went to the bedroom to change. Lindsey had been keeping some clothes at my house for the times she stayed over. She dressed in what she had, t-shirt and shorts, so I did the same. It was tempting to head for the bed instead, but we were not alone. Besides, there was still the meal I had gone to great lengths to have prepared.

A few minutes later, we were again seated and dinner was being served. The meal was elegant even though our clothes were not. Lindsey didn�t care. She kept looking at the new ring on her finger. Then she would look at me and giggle. A minute or so later, she was looking at her finger again. It would have been funny only I was still trying to believe that she had really accepted. She had rejected four other proposals, but accepted mine. I was getting married. Again.

We sipped wine while dessert was being prepared. To be honest, we didn�t eat all that much. The meal was exquisite but our thoughts were not on food. Our thoughts were on each other and on our upcoming life together.

"Mr. Newcombe?"

It was the lady in charge of the catering.

"Yes?"

"I noticed you didn�t eat very much. I guess your thoughts were on other things tonight," the large black lady said as she glanced at the new ring on Lindsey�s hand. "Would you like me to put all the leftovers in the refrigerator for later?"

"That would be fine, Yes, thank you."

I had barely taken my eyes off Lindsey, my fianc�e, as I spoke to the lady. She leaned down next to me and whispered, though still loud enough for Lindsey to hear.

"I hope you realize how lucky you are, Mr. Newcombe. She is not known for accepting proposals."

Lindsey smiled and said, "Luck has nothing to do with it. I had just never been asked by the right person before."

She squeezed my hand as she said that. The impact of her words would have floored me if I had been standing.

We sat there, sipping wine and just looking at each other. A few minutes later, the lady returned to tell us that they were finished and were leaving. I got up and saw them out, passing out large tips and locking the door after they left.

I returned to find Lindsey still at the table. I sat and raised my glass towards her.

"A toast to us," I offered.

"To Mr. and Mrs. Newcombe," she said, raising her glass to mine.

"Mr. and Mrs. Newcombe. I like the sound of that."

After we drank, Lindsey put her hand on mine. I looked expectantly at her.

"Do you know what I really want to do now?" she asked.

"I can only imagine," I said with a chuckle.

Her eyes glanced to the water and then back to me.

"It�s where we started."

Her meaning took a moment to hit me.

"You mean skinny-dipping?" I asked.

"Uh-huh."

She smiled shyly and stood, delicately placing her napkin on the table. My eyes were incapable of leaving hers. She reached for her shorts and her fingers fumbled with the large button. Then I heard the sound of the zipper as her fingers moved lower. She grabbed her shorts and panties at the same time and moved them lower until just the very edge of her brown bush showed.

"Aren�t you falling behind?" she asked.

"Huh? Oh, yes. Yes, of course."

She finished removing her pants and stepped free of them as I struggled to catch up. My heart thudded as she pulled the shirt over her head. I knew she had not put on a bra when she changed out of her wet clothes. The shirt went over her head, leaving her fully naked. The curve of her waist, the fullness of her breasts, the shapeliness of her legs�the sight of her body captivated me. Seeing her woke other things on my body. I saw her eyes drifting lower. There was a trace of a smile on her lips as she saw the effect she had on me.

I stepped toward her and she held her arms out to me. I felt the warmth of her arms go around my neck. My erection touched her stomach before the rest of our bodies met. When we were in each other�s arms, I held on tight, not fully believing she had really accepted. I told her as much.

"I have waited all my life for you to come along, Michael. At times, I didn�t know what I was waiting for. When I met you, I felt a completeness almost from the very first day. I guess I didn�t realize what it was at first. When we were not together, there was an emptiness, like a part of me was missing. When we were together�"

"I know. I felt the same way. I only felt really alive when you were there," I confessed.

She looked down and bit her lower lip as she said, "I feel so bad about that when�"

"Don�t," I stopped her. "It was both of us. We messed up, but we fixed it. We couldn�t stay apart."

She didn�t answer me. She kissed my cheek and put her head down on my shoulder. I felt her tears on my skin.

"The air is cool but the pool is heated. Let�s get in the water," I suggested. She lifted her head and looked into my eyes, nodding. I took her by the hand and led her to the steps. The water felt warm on my ankles, then on my thighs. I knelt and pulled her body to me. The water was warm, but her touch was warmer still. I looked into her eyes, enjoying the goofy smile on her face and realizing that I probably had the same goofy smile on my face.

We kissed for awhile, enjoying being together. Then we played around, swimming and touching. It felt nice swimming nude, bare skin slipping through the warm water. Even nicer was when our bodies touched, slick skin sliding against slick skin. It didn�t feel strange being naked in the pool. It felt right, somehow. We had done this before and it was a very special occasion. Swimming in the nude with Lindsey just felt so right.

When we got out of the water, we realized that we had left the towels from earlier inside. The evening was cool, the air feeling more so against our wet skin. We ran inside and to the bathroom for dry towels, watching each other as we dried off. I was enjoying the sight of her nipples erect from the cold, but I am sure the effect of the cold on my body was not nearly as impressive.

I dropped my towel and took hers from her hands. I slid my arms around her trim waist and pulled her body to mine, reveling in the touch of her skin. She sighed as I crushed her chest to mine. I smiled and, wordlessly, led her by the hand to my bed. No words were necessary. Our hearts were doing all the talking.

She let me push her down onto the bed and she opened her legs by instinct. I moved into position between her legs, my erection now back in action. Using my right hand, I guided the head of my cock to her wet lips and slid the head around to gather her slickness. After watching her juices coat the tip of my dick, I finally looked up to see her breathlessly watching what I was doing, a faint smile upon her face. She looked expectantly at me and wordlessly communicated Yes.

I thrust my hips forward, the motion pushing me into her. Her body resisted for just a moment before her rubbery lips yielded to admit the intruder. She was so wet that I slipped through her tightness, filling her. She drew in a deep breath as I reached bottom. I leaned forward fully onto her and set my weight on her body. She responded by digging her fingernails into the cheeks of my ass.

I pulled back and re-entered her, over and over. The slight squeak of the bed was the only sound made by our coupling. We had been warm in the water, then cold in the night air, but this was the warmest we had been all night. The warmth of her depths was enough to melt me.

Then, I could see in her expression that she was cumming. I felt her hands move, sliding up over my back and then around the sides of my face. Out of the corner of my eye, I briefly caught the new sparkle on her left hand and felt a smile break out on my face. Her face became a mask of ecstasy. Lindsey was her most beautiful in the throes of orgasm and she was being very beautiful right at that moment. I watched with awe as she came. I felt her pussy contract around me and noticed her breathing change. She peaked, gave a soft cry, and slowly her eyes refocused on me. When she did, I smiled harder and she joined me. Then a determined look washed over her. I wasn�t sure at first what she was up to. Then I felt it.

Her pussy muscles started contracting rhythmically around my shaft, kneading me. I knew then what she was doing. She was going to make sure I had an orgasm as intense as hers. I didn�t want this to end so quickly but there was no way I could hold out against her ministrations. I had to give in to her will. She felt the first flutters deep within her as my cock pulsed in preparation of the first squirt. At the next pulse, we both felt my cum spurting into her depths.

I actually shed a few tears as I came into her. The moment was so perfect, the two of us joining so deeply as one. We were joined at the hip and at the heart; we became one being.

Lindsey watched me as I had watched her. She shared my orgasm that way. When I had finished and began to catch my breath, she spoke, breaking the silence.

"That was so beautiful."

"Yes, it was," I said, and started to move off her.

"Don�t," she said softly as she pulled me tightly against her.

She wasn�t going to let me move off her.

"I want to take my weight off you," I explained.

"I don�t want you to." She swallowed and licked her lips. "I like feeling you on top of me. You have no idea how sexy that feels."

I took her word for it and settled myself on top of her. I watched her to make sure she could still breathe comfortably. Seeing she did look comfortable, I put my head over her shoulder and lay down completely.

"Mmm," Lindsey said.

"What?" I asked her.

"I can feel you leaking out of me. That�s nice."

I was getting softer now but still managing to just barely stay inside her. As long as she was comfortable, I didn�t want to move.

"Michael?"

"Hmm?"

"What made you decide to do it?"

"Do what?"

"Ask me to marry you."

"How could I do anything else? I love you and I finally realized that my life was not complete until you were a permanent part of it."

"But�"

"But what?" I asked after she didn�t complete her sentence.

I felt her take a deep breath beneath me. I had to wait another minute or two before she got together the courage to ask her question.

"How�I mean, what, how could you do it, you know, after� after losing Theresa."

I felt that question. I had not dealt with that issue yet.

"I don�t know. I just know that I need you in my life. It�s time for me to get on with my life. I need to have love in my life again and I could only find that with you."

I lifted my head until I could look her in the eye again.

"When we were apart, it hurt so much that I couldn�t stand it. I finally came to terms with losing Theresa. I could not stand losing you."

She gave a weak smile and I saw a tear form. What happened next is not what I wanted to happen. I didn�t want it, but it just happened. I laughed. Her expression revealed that she was not amused. At least, she didn�t understand why I was laughing at her tears.

"I�m sorry. It is not what you think."

"Then what is it?" she asked, apparently trying hard to give me the benefit of the doubt.

"You got your wish."

"I know," she said, finally smiling.

"No, not that. The other day, when you were picking up your watch at Mr. Stein�s�"

"How did you know that?" she asked, clearly surprised.

"I was the guy in the back room."

I watched her ponder that for a moment before realization came. Then, with surprise, "That was you?"

"Yep. I sure am glad you got your wish."

"Me, too!" she said with a grin. Then, after looking down and pausing, she continued. "Have you heard about�"

"About how the odds were against me? About how I was the latest in a long line of unsuccessful suitors?"

"I guess I have a reputation for saying no."

"But this time you said yes," I told her.

"Yes, I did."

I leaned down and kissed the top of one of her breasts, then turned my face to rub my cheek against her soft skin.

"Thank you for asking."

"Thank you for accepting."

I touched my lips to hers and the kiss lasted for minutes.

My dick finally slipped free from her confines. She made a moue.

"It will get hard again and I promise to put it back."

"You�d better," she said.

I slid to the side, one leg between hers, and took most of my weight off her. Resting my head on an arm, I settled face-to-face next to her.

"What?" I asked her. I could tell she was trying to figure out how to ask something.

"How, how could you, I mean, you chose me. Me. How could anyone compare to your wife. Your first wife, I mean."

"Oh, that�s easy to explain," I answered confidently. "I fell in love with you. Once I realized I was in love with you, there was no issue. My life wouldn�t be complete without you."

"When did you realize you were in love with me?"

"Well, I knew you were special when I started seeing you at the farmer�s market. You were really cute and there was just something about you that kept appealing to me. Do you really want to hear this?"

Lindsey nodded enthusiastically and I felt her shift slightly, her wet pussy sliding a little along my leg.

"That day you showed up in your canoe, I was so happy to see you. The way you were so, I don�t know, enthusiastic about everything there was to know about me." I chuckled. "And there was the way you were so determined to find out who I was. But the pivotal moment�"

She waited, almost breathless, for me to continue. I was playing with her. I wanted her to ask. When she couldn�t stand waiting any longer (which didn�t take very long), she asked.

"Well? When?"

"The night you did the strip tease for me."

"That made you fall in love with me?" she asked.

"That made me realize I was already in love with you. Until that moment, I wouldn�t let myself believe it. I couldn�t. When you did that, when you gave yourself to me so completely, I knew."

"I was so embarrassed. When I first thought it up, I was sure I wouldn�t be able to go through with it. The only reason I did it was because I was desperate. I had tried every other way to get you to, uh, want me. I finally decided that I would throw myself at you. If that didn�t work, nothing would."

"That dance would have made a dead man hard," I commented.

"It was pretty sexy, wasn�t it?"

"It was hot," I said, and felt my erection start to return at just the memory. The smile on Lindsey�s face told me she felt me growing, too.

"All that time, I couldn�t believe that you were really interested in me. Amanda kept telling me you were interested, but I kept denying it."

"Amanda? Oh, your friend from the Internet?"

"Yes, I told you about her."

Lindsey nodded, recalling Amanda from our conversations after her grandfather�s funeral.

"Oh, that reminds me. I have to call her. She is probably dying over there, waiting to hear if you accepted my proposal."

Lindsey started to shift.

"Do you want me to get up and give you some privacy to make the call?"

I put a hand on her leg, stopping her movement.

"Certainly not. I don�t ever want to move from this position."

Lindsey laughed.

"I hate to break it to you, darling, but we will have to move eventually. We will have to eat, or use the bathroom, or something."

I pulled her more tightly to me, using my legs as well as my arms.

"Never," I declared.

"Trust me. I don�t know about you, but at some point I will need to pee."

"Okay, then you can leave my bed when you absolutely have to, but you have to return as soon as you�re finished."

"It is really nice being here with you, like this," Lindsey observed.

"Okay," I finally said a minute or two later, "let�s take a bathroom break and I�ll get the phone. We meet back here, though."

"While you�re looking for your phone, I want to round up something for us to eat."

I nodded and we separated. She padded off to the bathroom. I usually called Amanda from my computer, but this warranted an actual old-fashioned telephone call. Less than five minutes later, we were again snuggled nude in my bed. Lindsey had rustled up some snacks and wine.

It was ten o�clock in the morning. I wasn�t sure if Amanda would be home so I dialed her cell phone. It rang three times.

"Michael? Why are you calling m� Oh, shit! Oh, shit! You did it, didn�t you? What did she say? Did she say yes? How are you doing? Dammit, Michael, what did she say?"

I grinned at Amanda�s reaction and leaned over to kiss the ring on Lindsey�s finger. Lindsey was lying in my arms so she was close enough to be able to hear Amanda.

"Michael? Answer me! What did she say?" Amanda demanded.

Grinning, I mouthed Tell her to Lindsey. Lindsey�s eyes widened but I nodded vigorously.

"She said Yes!" Lindsey called out.

"She did? Who was that? Oh, Lindsey? You said yes? You really did?"

Then Amanda�s conversation descended to a yelp followed by a loud scream. After a few more screams, she was able to talk again.

"Really? You�re not shitting me, are you? You two are really getting married?"

"Yes, we are really getting married," I said, hearing my own voice say it out loud for the first time.

"I am so happy for both of you. I�m doing the Happy Snoopy Dance over here, Michael."

"We�re kind of dancing over here, too," I said, referring vaguely to what we had been doing since last night.

"Where are you? Where did you do it?" Amanda asked, still sounding very excited.

"Where are we? Well, we�re kind of�"

Lindsey�s eyes grew wide as she realized what I was about to tell Amanda.

"I didn�t want to make you wait any longer. I was afraid you were holding your breath and I didn�t want you to suffocate so I called you as soon as I could. We�re still, uh, sorta, doing the post-proposal screwing."

"Michael!" Lindsey exclaimed, swatting my arm in the process.

"Well, we are," I confessed.

"Lindsey, if you can hear me, it�s okay. Michael and I talk about everything. Don�t be embarrassed, hon. You have a great guy there. Hold on to him."

"I am," Lindsey assured her, and I felt her legs grip me more tightly.

"I�d love to keep you on the phone and talk all night about this, but I�m going to let you two love birds get back to what you were doing. Call me later when you come up for air. I want to hear all about it. Don�t worry, Lindsey, I don�t mean everything. I can�t believe you are getting married. Damn! Love you both. Talk to you later. Now go show her how much you love her, Michael. Bye."

There was a click and Amanda was gone. I smiled, imagining how she would smile through the rest of the day because of my news. Because of our news.

Lindsey laughed. "She sounds like everything you told me."

"Yes, Amanda is really something. She�s a good friend, though. She helped me through Theresa�s death. I don�t know if I would have made it without her."

"I�m glad you had a friend like that."

"Does it bother you that I talk to her?"

"Bother me? Of course not. She is probably your closest friend, from what you�ve told me. It sounds like I have her to thank for us getting together. You have done fine so far. Keep right on talking to her and doing everything she tells you."

Then Lindsey kissed me.

"I was worried you might not like the idea of me having such a close female friend," I told my fianc�e when our lips finally parted.

"You have made it obvious she�s just a friend. More of a sister, from what you have described," she told me.

I nodded.

"I certainly don�t want to come between you and a friend."

Back to Main Page