"I am so glad that we didn't decide on a tandem bicycle, Penny," Erin teased as she paused near the stables of the Grand Hotel. "I am just going to pop in here and pet the pretty horses while I'm waiting for you!"
Her girlfriend shot her a black look, and Erin tried to swallow the smile that was curving her lips upwards. The crisp fall day was perfect for riding a bike in, and she wanted to make it into the interior of the park so that she could see all the colors of nature. The picnic basket hanging from the handlebars of her bike had everything that they would need to enjoy a lunch beneath the trees, but she felt the deep need to find the perfect spot for them, since she had a very important question to ask Penelope.
As Penelope caught up to her, she leaned in and puckered her lips. "I think I deserve a kiss for that, my love," she said dryly, and Erin nodded before leaning in and giving her a quick peck. "All right, that will do for now. Which road are we taking, again?"
"This one," Erin replied, motioning with her head down the road. Penelope nodded and Erin began to ride once more, glancing back to make certain that Penelope was keeping up. It was hard to keep from taking off and letting her legs fly, since she knew that Penelope wasn't the strongest biker, but as they continued on their way, she found it easier and easier to keep her speed down, making it so that they were next to each other as they went along.
Before long, the settled part of the island disappeared behind them and Erin found the quiet peace of a place with no vehicles settling over her soul. "I am so glad that you convinced me to leave our cellphones back in the room. I wouldn't want to destroy this peace with my ringtone." Erin turned her head and nodded, giving Penelope a dreamy smile as she did so. "And then you go and give me a look like that. Um, can I ask you something?"
"It depends," Erin replied, her brow furrowing as she came to a stop, picking up her bottle of water and taking a sip of it.
"I want to make love while we're out here. I've never been fond of quite so public a space, but there's something about these woods that makes me want to give myself over to you beneath these glorious trees." Penelope wasn't quite meeting her eye, her cheeks bright pink, and Erin found herself biting her lip, not sure what her answer would be. "I'm sorry, I knew it was stupid before I even asked…"
"No, I want to," she blurted out, before covering her lips with her hand.
A beautiful smile spread across her lover's lips as she leaned in once more to kiss her. This time, Erin let the kiss turn possessive, humming against Penelope's lips as she dug one hand into the soft curls of Penelope's hair. "I love you all the more for this, Erin. No one else has ever been so indulgent with me."
"Yes, well, we can afford indulgences, can't we?" she replied tartly before righting her bike once more. "All right, now the hunt is one for the perfect spot." Penelope nodded and followed after her. And then, Erin's eye fell upon a brilliant flash of red, and she knew that it was a large sugar maple there. "There it is," she whispered as she parked her bike next to the trail.
"Oh, it's beautiful," Penelope breathed out as she took the basket from Erin's hand and then grabbed hold of her hand. "You know how to pick the perfect experiences for us." Erin shrugged a little, feelings of love and happiness bubbling up inside her. When they reached the tree, she was glad to see that it rested in a small clearing, and she stopped Penelope, opening the basket and pulling out the blanket to spread out on the ground.
"Join me?" she asked, her hand going to her front jeans pocket to make certain that the ring was still there. Penelope sank to her knees in front of Erin, the skirt of her dress pooling out to cover her legs. "I still don't know how you've managed to ride in a skirt," she said as she reached out and fingered the silky fabric.
"It's what I'm comfortable in. I haven't seen you in jeans since…" Her voice trailed off, and Erin knew exactly what moment she was thinking of. The bank heist had been a turning point for so many unhappy circumstances in their lives. She wondered if that was the time when John had started to stalk her, or if he had waited until after it had been officially announced that Alex was rejoining the team. Absently, she rubbed her thumb against the scar that Curtis had left her, and Penelope sighed before reaching out and picking up her arm, kissing the infinity symbol tenderly. "I'm so sorry, I did not mean to bring up sad memories, not on such a happy day as today."
"It's okay, darling. We have to have the bitter with the sweet, otherwise we wouldn't know how sweet our life can be." Shaking her hand free of Penelope's light clasp, she cupped her lover's cheek and ran her thumb back and forth a few times as they stared into each other's eyes. "I love you."
"I love you, too, Erin. Which is why I'm glad that we came here today, in the majesty of the woods, so like a cathedral. Erin, I have a question for you." Penelope rooted around in the picnic basket and pulled out a small black box. A wide smile spread across her face as she reached into her own pocket and pulled out the ring she had for Penelope. "Of course, we would be of one mind here. My answer is yes, by the by."
"Funny, that was just the answer that I was going to give. Here, put the ring on me." She held out her left hand and Penelope pulled out the ring, slipping it onto Erin's ring finger. When it was in place, Erin followed suit and slipped the ring she had bought Penelope onto her finger. "I love this, Penny."
"I hoped that you would. I asked your children what you would like, and they suggested I go with a sapphire. But you went traditional on me, which is so fricking sweet and so like you!" Erin shrugged a little, looking down at the blanket and wondering if she had made a mistake in the type of stone to get for her beloved. "No, don't look so crestfallen! I love it, because it is you in a nutshell. After all, that's what this ring is for, right? To remind us of each other when we glance at it on our finger? You have the unconventional, like me, and I have the traditional, like you. Could you be any more perfect?"
Without warning, Penelope launched herself into Erin's arms, knocking her back against the forest floor and kissing her deeply. Erin surrendered to the embrace, letting her arms encircle Penelope's waist as they deepened the kiss. "Oh, Penny," she whispered when they broke the kiss, and she gently pushed her away. "We should eat first and then focus on more pleasant things. All right?"
"Ever the practical one, my love," she replied as she helped Erin back up. Erin smiled as she watched Penelope take out their food and she spread it out on the blanket. It was mainly finger food, which suited Erin just fine, and she smiled to see the strawberries that were included. "I love strawberries now, since you love strawberries. Isn't it odd the things that you change for love?"
"A little, perhaps. I mean, I am starting to listen to J-pop more now. And I'm playing more video games now, which I never thought I would be doing." Erin plucked a strawberry from the bowl and took a large bite, letting the juice dribble down her chin deliberately.
Penelope arched her eyebrow a little as she leaned in and lapped at the juice. A low groan tumbled from Erin's throat and she wondered if the woods would swallow up any noises that they made. "Let's save a few of these for our dessert," Penelope purred, causing Erin to nod slowly. Knowing that more pleasurable pursuits would be at hand shortly, she picked up a sandwich and nibbled at it, trying to squash the butterflies that were dancing excitedly in her stomach.
As soon as they were finished, Erin went to say something to her fiancée when Penelope beat her to the bunch, pushing her back against the cold ground and attacking her lips. Erin moaned against the kiss, her arms wrapping around Penelope's neck and tugging her down atop her. There was something so deliciously wicked about being in a private place, and yet having the very real possibility of them being caught dangling over their heads. "Penny," she groaned as her beloved dragged her lips down the column of her neck, her hands tugging the blouse from the waistband of her jeans.
"I know, but I have to feel your skin against mine," Penelope panted out as her fingers flew up row of buttons, still taking care not to rip them. They'd ruined enough blouses in their haste to feel and taste and love, and now they were more careful. "Um, that was sort of your cue to start undressing me?"
"Oh, right. I was fixated on what your lips were doing to my neck. Resume?"
A soft giggle spilled from Penelope's lips as she shook her head, pulling apart the blouse to gaze at her. "Erin, you are insatiable, and if I don't get naked before you do, things will happen before we want them to. So before I even dream of kissing your soft, delectable, beautiful, skin once more, you need to take off my skirt and my shirt."
Letting out an exasperated sigh, Erin firmly tugged the soft jersey shirt from out of Penelope's skirt and pulled it over her head. "Oh, I didn't realize. I, I should have done this first," she stammered out when she saw that Penelope had foregone a bra that day.
"See? That's what you get for not exploring, my love. Though I am wearing knickers," she teased, and Erin knew that she was trying to make her blush. Refusing to give in to her needling, Erin instead shrugged her blouse off her shoulders before letting her hands slip down to the zipper on Penelope's skirt, tugging it down her rounded ass before pushing it down her legs.
"All right, now I'm overdressed, so can you?" Penelope nodded and made quick work of the fly on her jeans tugging both pants and panties down Erin's legs. She shivered a little as her lover's knuckles brushed against her mons, and Erin bit her lip, wishing that she was feeling Penelope's lips there. Somehow, Erin managed to contort her body enough so that she could unhook her bra, smiling as her skin became dappled with the sunlight, streaming down on them like a blessing.
"Please, stay just like that," Penelope murmured as she sat up and turned, rummaging through the picnic basket before pulling out a small digital camera. "I don't dare take pictures on my camera, what with all the leaks there have been lately, but I need to capture just how you look right now. So ethereal, like a goddess of nature. Please?"
Erin nodded, suddenly feeling shy, even though she knew the pictures would be private. Looking away from her lover, she let her lips curve up in a smile, hoping that she still looked beautiful for her love. A soft breeze blew through the trees, and her nipples tightened in response, causing her smile to widen a little. Unconsciously, she reached up and cupped one breast, which made Penelope let out a little whimper. "Do you like this, my darling?"
"Yes," she said, and Erin turned her gaze back on her. "Oh, god, Erin, that is so perfect. Hold that look." She nodded, never taking her eyes off Penelope. "And now it is past time for us to make love," she said as she set the camera back in the picnic basket.
Erin arched her eyebrow as Penelope shimmied out of her panties before covering her body with her own. "Oh, Penny," she breathed out before kissing her lover passionately. As they lost themselves in kisses and caresses and gropes, Erin lost control over her mouth, letting herself moan and groan loudly.
She could feel her orgasm start to crest as Penelope trailed her lips down to capture a nipple between her lips, suckling softly in order to draw out her pleasure. "That's it, Erin."
"Penelope," she cried out as she slipped over the precipice, panting shallowly.
From the direction of the path, a loud clapping could be heard, and she tensed up, her arms holding Penelope tightly. "Yeah! You go!" came an unfamiliar voice, and Erin felt herself blush before she started to giggle against Penelope's shoulder. "Have a wonderful time becoming one with nature!"
"Oh, god, Erin, I so did not mean for that to happen," Penelope gasped out as she buried her face in Erin's shoulder. She shook her head as her laughter bubbled up out of her in a loud fountain of sound. "You find this funny?"
"A little, yes. It was bound to happen, since we are in public. At least we weren't interrupted by a deer or something. That would have been a comedy of errors. I mean, can you imagine a deer sniffing your ass while you were going down on me?"
The image must have hit Penelope's funny bone, as she started to laugh as well. Turning her head, she sloppily kissed Erin before flopping onto her back, staring up at the sun. Erin turned onto her side and watched her fiancée, smiling softly before reaching out and drawing patterns on her stomach. "That feels heavenly, Erin," she said, a dreamy smile curving her lips upwards as she closed her eyes.
"I know how else to make you feel heavenly." She straddled Penelope's body before placing quick kisses on both her nipples before letting her tongue dance down her lover's body. As she got closer and closer to her mons, Erin shifted Penelope's legs so that they were hooked over her shoulders, her hands cupping and supporting Penelope's ass. "Don't hold back, love."
"Oh, I won't," came the breathy reply, and she smiled before starting to eat her out. Even though her ears were muffled by Penelope's thighs, she could make out the way that Penelope cried out her name at a higher and higher pitch until her entire body stiffened, a sharp, long, cry tearing from her throat as she orgasmed.
A pleased smile crossed Erin's lips as she gently pushed Penelope's legs off her shoulder, snaking up her body to cuddle close to her lover. "Thank you."
"For what, Erin?"
"For choosing me. For wanting to be my wife. For falling in love with me when I wasn't certain that I could be loved any more. You gave me my life back, and I will always be grateful for that." She kissed Penelope softly before letting her head come to rest on her shoulder. "I suppose that we should get dressed now, since we have to be at the Grand Hotel for supper tonight."
"I thought you couldn't get us reservations? How did you manage to pull off this surprise?" Penelope asked as she maneuvered them so that they were sitting up.
"I have my connections. Or, I should say, David has his connections. Sometimes it is good to be friends with a famous author." Erin pushed away from her and began to gather up her clothes, shaking out her panties before shimmying back into them. It didn't take her too long to get dressed, and she packed up the picnic basket as she watched Penelope put her clothes back on. "I don't think I will ever get tired of watching you dress, my love."
"That's because I dress for you. That was one of the first things that I noticed about you, that you never took your eyes off me once we consummated our relationship." Penelope leaned down and kissed her softly. "Now, let's get going. I want to shower before we go to supper."
"That sounds like sheer perfection, Penelope," Erin said before taking hold of her hand and leading her back out to their bikes. In the basket of her bicycle was a hastily picked bouquet of flowers, and she smiled as she picked them up, bringing them to her nose to smell them. "And this is insanely sweet."
"Isn't it, though?" Penelope pecked her cheek gently. "I guess that we had an admirer. Or a gift from God, after becoming one with nature." She stood the bike up and climbed on, winking at Erin before taking off down the path. "Last one back to the Lilac Tree Hotel has to massage the other's feet!" she called out behind her back as she raced away from Erin.
"Not fair!" she cried in response and pedaled furiously after her fiancée, determined to get a foot rub from her before the night was over.