Journal Journeys_Me & Mrs. Jones

Julia got home to their hotel suite before William. He was stopping by to check on the construction of their house. Many of his more intriguing, and secret, plans for their future home stirred childlike wonder and excitement in her. It would be challenging not to have more people than needed to know find out about the installation of secret passageways and a tunnel for stealthy entrance or exit from the house. She felt like she was living in a novel. Of course, life with William had many other factors that brought on that quality as well. She reminded herself that his birthday was coming up soon and she still hadn't thought up an idea for a gift that sufficiently excited her. "There's still time," she thought.

As soon as she removed her shoes the exhaustion seemed to hit her. Now two months pregnant, she wondered how much harder it would get as she got further along. Today at the morgue was hectic, but she would not normally have felt this tired. Her feet hurt, her back hurt, "Maybe a quick, hot, shower," she thought to herself as she strained to remove her corset herself. She had already reasoned that she would have to stop wearing a corset soon. She needed to go to the dressmaker and have some dresses made for her upcoming change in shape too. She added it to her mental to-do list. She ordered dinner and then hurried to finish her shower before their dinner arrived, just in case William took longer than expected.

When William walked in the door and was hanging his hat, he heard the shower running. He himself was hot and sweaty from bicycling home, and he hoped to do the same thing before dinner. He decided to keep the flowers he had bought for Julia in his hand when he went to ask her if she had already ordered dinner. His body anticipated the sight of her naked, drenched body, as he entered the steamy bathroom. He noticed and chuckled at the automatic response. She was humming, and he thought to himself how wonderful it was that she was happy. "Julia, are you almost done?" he asked, volume high in order to be heard above the spray of the shower.

"William! You're home," she replied. She turned the water off and added, "I have already ordered dinner – it should be here any moment."

He waited at the door, "Good," he answered, deciding he would have to shower later.

Julia pulled the shower curtain back and quickly caught his eye. She enjoyed William's inability to keep his eyes to hers, feeling her insides twist and tighten as he dropped his eyes to absorb her body. Delighted by the feel of the moment – warm, damp air filling their lungs, misty curves entrancing his eyes, the couple paused. His eyes still black and low, she walked to stand in front of him. Reaching up to undo his tie she said, "The flowers are lovely William."

He had forgotten he had them in his hand. Pressing her wet body against his fully clothed one, she kissed him – soft, malleable, and then deep, basking in the taste of him. There was a knock at the door. Slowly, they broke off the kiss. William cleared his throat and said, "I'll get it."

Julia giggled and said, "Yes, I think that would be best."

After William closed the door behind the servers, he turned to find his wife standing behind him, now cloaked in her robe. She stepped in and wrapped her arms around his neck. "Husband," she said, "There is a dilemma for you… Shower, and then maybe you will be able to entice me into … getting closer to you … or … a warm dinner." She unbuttoned the top buttons of his shirt and opened it. She leaned in to lightly kiss him.

Self-conscious about his sweaty state, he kept his hands at his sides and replied, "Well, wife, I do prefer a warm dinner to a cold one…" She scratched the back of his neck along his hairline, pulling him to her, and kissed him more deeply, provoking a rise in his desires. She broke off the kiss and rested her chin on his shoulder. He exhaled, hot and strong across her ear and flooding down her neck. He found the sash on her robe and untied it. Then he slid his hands under the silky fabric. He stroked smoothly up her sides exploring her body. Quietly, she moaned, the sound lighting a fuse in his groin. "Join me," he said, then taking her in a passionate kiss as he slid the robe over her shoulders and let it drift to the floor.

They stood under the falling water together, relishing in the taste as they kissed and sucked the liquid off of each other. Julia soaped up her hands and swam them all over William's body, creating heavenly sensations for both of them. Once he was sufficiently lathered, she slipped back into his arms. The sudsy surface between them allowed for the most exquisite shimmying of chest along breasts and belly across belly. William tenderly nibbled on her earlobe, then whispered, "I want you," as he pressed his knee between hers, tempting her to spread her thighs further apart.

"Not here William – I can't," she said, her voice husky and low with arousal.

He turned her around to let the water run down her body, rinsing away the soap. Quickly he rinsed himself off as well, turned off the water, and gave her a hand to step out of the tub. He closed the bathroom door and backed her up into it. They made love against the bathroom door, both soaking wet.

Dinner was cold – although the warmth between the couple sufficed to content them during the meal. William told Julia that the secret tunnels at the house were completed and well-hidden from sight. He was happy with the work. "You never know when a good secret tunnel may be useful," he said. "There may be an invader with harmful intents," he reasoned.

"Or perhaps you might need to provide flight for a secret lover," she teased, reaching over to bump him with her elbow.

With a smile curled at the edges of his mouth he said, "Now Julia, you know you are the only one for me."

Bringing herself back in line with her plate she said, "Hmm … Although I generally hold that to be true, there was always the case of you and Mrs. Jones, William."

Deciding he was finished, he pushed the plate away. Releasing a sigh, he said, "Mmm yes, Mrs. Jones… Well, she certainly wouldn't classify as a secret lover… and really, my failed attempt at having a relationship her only further solidified my resolve that you were the only one for me in the end." His eyes had risen to meet hers by the end of his statement. They held hers, looking for her reaction.

She looked away, lifted her fork to her mouth and said, "Perhaps," then taking the final bite and pushing her plate away as well. Her eyes still down she added, "I can't deny that it hurt me … It did. I felt a great sense of loss – a loss the likes of which I don't remember ever feeling before that." Finally she looked at him, placed a hand to his cheek, and sighed. Her face betrayed that she was about to admit to something she would rather not. Removing her hand and leaning back in her chair, increasing the distance between them, she turned her eyes away and said, "Jealousy is an awful emotion. It tends to linger with anger … sometimes at the lost love, sometimes at oneself."

Leaning forward to her, he placed his fingers against her chin and turned her face to align with his. "Yes, I know. I have felt it too," he said, as if sharing the unpleasant experience could lessen the burden it caused her.

Julia wrinkled her face at the corners of her mouth and locked her eyes to his more firmly, accepting his truth, and replied, "Yes, I know you have." She stood and started to pack up the dishes. William assisted.

She asked, "William, we were thinking of sharing our journals about this last week. Do you think it might help me … us, umm … feel less of this bad taste in my mouth… about being jealous, I mean?"

He tried to remember what he had written so many years ago. He knew he had written about his struggle trying to let go of Julia – and about his continuous failing in that endeavor. "There was the time I tried to write an apology letter to Enid, but ended up typing 'Julia' instead," he thought. He answered, "I think there might be some parts to the entries that would enlighten you as to the degree to which I was unable to … stop … loving you." Not wanting to be interrupted, they rolled the dinner cart full of dirty dishes out into the hall, and then sat down on the couch with their journals.

William remembered it the moment he saw the page. He pulled a knee up onto the couch, turning his body so he faced her more directly and read:

Of course it was the name of the flower. But, when she said it – her voice sounded so misty, so romantic… "I think of you." My body betrayed my truth to me – I still love her. I think I always will. My breath caught – my heart halted and then raced with the hope. She's telling me she still loves me too. But no – just the name of the flower.

He looked up, sighed and wrinkled his face. It was working – she felt better. She nudged closer to him, "Yes, I remember it," she said. She took a deep breath and explained, "I told myself that your reaction – your startled look and asking me to clarify what I meant – it was just that you were worried that I was telling you I still loved you, and then you were relieved to find out that that was not what I was doing… And I told myself that if I ever did try to tell you this … And I did not intend to do so when I said the name of the flower… Well, I actually decided I would never tell you because it would make you uncomfortable and it would make you see me in an even worse light than you already did – as a selfish, immoral person. That telling you I still loved you would make you think I was weak and needy too. No," she shook her head, "No, I knew I would never tell you after that."

"Hmm, how much easier things would have been if we just told each other … I even dreamed that I told you that I still loved you – when I was injured, laid up, in my room at Mrs. Kitchen's," William said, rifling through the pages, trying to find the right spot. "You told me I would love another, but not in the same way. You told me that love was like gravity, and I had to let myself fall," he said, finding the page. He decided not to read it. "Oh, it was so pointless though … I was still falling – I swear I felt like I was falling more and more in love with you each day instead of less so," William said, shifting closer to her, demanding her eyes.

That definitely did it – there was no more bad taste in her mouth.

He pushed for more, "At one point, you came into my office with a wolf's tooth – Do you remember?" Julia nodded and William set to finding the right page. "Here it is," he said. Julia reached over and placed her hand on his knee as he read.

Why is it that when one of Julia's unruly curls escapes and dangles in front of me I am seduced so completely that I fantasize about taking her into my arms and kissing her – right then and there, while when one of Enid's escapes it has no such effect on me? I'm done with this. Julia may not take me back, but I cannot go on with Enid. It's just pointless and unfair.

Julia closed his journal. She put it down behind her and climbed into his lap. Her hair had nearly dried, and some of the shorter wisps seemed to dance at the edges of her face. William took one of them in his fingers. She gave him a short, soft kiss. "I feel better. I'm glad you found it so difficult to love another. I really had no idea. I was … terribly hurt, and I, well, you could say I had impure thoughts. I had a dream once that … I think I wrote it down," she said, sliding off his lap and reaching over to get her journal. "Yes ... I did," she said, settling in to read it to him.

It started so much like a memory. The Inspector was talking with William in his office and I came in. I asked William if he still cared about me. He got up from his desk – picked up a gigantic metal book and punched it into my stomach. He left me holding it, bent over and buckled to the floor in pain – wind knocked out of me, and he just walked out. He left. Then I was suddenly working in the morgue and William came in to tell me how much he loved Enid Jones. That he loved touching her. Suddenly she was there too – standing between us. She reached up and stroked William's face. They were about to kiss. I became furious. I started screaming at them, "Get out! GET OUT!" and I pushed and punched at them. The motions I made in my sleep, along with the screaming, woke me up – brought me out of the dream. I feel my teeth gritted together now as I write this. I am angry. How dare he parade his happiness around in front of me…?

I need to let him go – forget about him. He thinks I'm a piece of dirt anyway. God damn it. Who needs his stiff, religious, judgmental attitude? Let her have him.

Clearly, the emotions she read about had taken her, because Julia then slammed the journal closed. It was not until she looked up at his face that she was called back to the present moment. Regret flooded through her. She really wished she hadn't read that part. He looked hurt. She moved closer to him, "William … I'm… I'm sorry. Umm, I was hurt, and jealous, and angry," she cried as tears filled her eyes. "I thought you … were disgusted by me – and that hurt so badly. I know now that you weren't, but I thought so then."

He took a deep breath and moved towards her, trying to reassure her. "Yes, now you know that I never, for one moment, was ever disgusted by you," he sighed and continued, "I knew that I didn't understand why you chose to have an abortion – It's true, but I always believed you were a good person Julia. Always. I figured that it would come to make sense to me some day," he said. "It has, by the way. Umm, much the same way that, at the time, I would never have let a murderer go free, and yet years later it was something I knew I had to do to live with myself … I see now that you had to choose to abort the child – for you, for you to live with yourself. I understand now," he explained, all the while holding his eyes to hers, hoping his sincerity would be apparent to her.

Her tears had stopped as quickly as they had started. She smiled at him. "Yes," she said.

William pondered for a moment. He said, reaching for his journal once more, "You know, I thought you were mad at me – At least on a subconscious level I sensed it. Because I had a dream in which you were … quite angry, and," he said as he looked at her, raised an eyebrow at her, and then looked back to find the right page. "And you were very, umm, rough with me," he finished his thought. Once he found the page he explained that he had had a dream after the Prussian had chloroformed him while he was searching for Enid's lost son, Alwyn.

I'm sitting at my desk. It's foggy. My head is down on the desk but I hear a noise. I lift my head up – look at the door, "Inspector," I call out, then, "George." Through the glass I see the light get blocked by a red figure, female? The figure is walking away. I get up, open the door – go into a brightly lit room. I fall forward, landing seated at my desk again like before. From behind a billy-club is shoved roughly against my cheek. Julia's voice, "I'll be asking the questions here Murdoch". Julia walks in front of my desk – wearing a tight red, is it leather? dress. It's low cut and skin tight. She looks curvy and so … beautiful. Around her neck there's a black choker with red jewel dangling from the center, and bowler hat. Julia asks, "What's the nature of your relationship with this Mrs. Jones?" She keeps banging the club into her other hand threateningly. Then, from behind me, she pounds the billy-club hard against desk startling me and, grabbing a handful of my hair to hoist my head off of the desk, she spoke into my ear – I could feel her breath. She says, "She fascinates you, doesn't she?" When I awoke I felt aroused and yet also so uncomfortable – Is Julia angry with me for my involvement with Mrs. Jones? Am I afraid of having Julia mad at me?

Julia's mind was racing. Although the thought that William was concerned about whether or not she was mad at him back then intrigued her, she found her mind distracted by thoughts about the present instead. "I need to have my dress maker measure me for a … piece of lingerie, made out of red leather!" she thought. "And I bet I can get a billy-club from George. Oh, he'll love it! I wonder if I can get it done in as little as ten days…I will have to rush…" her mind continued. All of a sudden she realized that William was talking to her, was staring at her. She had no idea what he had been saying. Julia shook her head a little, trying to focus on what he said. "I'm sorry William, my mind was elsewhere. What?" she asked.

"Actually," he said, raising an eyebrow at her, "I'd rather hear about what you were thinking about."

Julia sighed and leaned back, showing her reluctance. "Uhh," she said.

"Oh, Now I really want to know," he declared as he reached over to slide his hand around her waist and pull her closer to him on the couch.

She cleared her throat and steered the conversation away from her thoughts about planning for his birthday present, "Well… there is an undercurrent to your dream that is very … stimulating. Don't you think?"

"I do," he replied. He leaned over, slipped his fingers deeply into her hair, tenderly cupping her ear, and taking her head firmly in his hand, and he kissed her. He paused the kiss and said, very quietly, in a voice that had such a low tone it melted her inner most being, "Very stimulating indeed." The next kiss was wilder – demanding and hungry. They were suddenly in a rush to be together, naked and close, to be intimately connected in their singular and distinct way. Tea-gowns, shirts and trousers went flying, as if their hot, hurried breathing could blow the garments away. William lowered Julia down on the couch, tucking her underneath his larger body. He roughly grabbed a handful of her hair and used it to pull her head back to open her neck to him. He had every intention of making a conspicuous love-bite mark as he nibbled and then sucked her supple skin. Her moans of pleasure and wanting drove him on. She grabbed at the part of him she most wanted, guiding him to her. They danced together on their couch, creating a rhythm that rocked their souls and a song of gasps and moans, hot, hurried breaths and heartbeats, which brought them to that momentary and eternal treasured paradise that only they knew.

Huddled together, both of them sweaty, world's slowing and spinning, they savored the sensations of completeness. "Oh William," Julia said, "I never dreamed this could feel so good. Everything is so much more intense now that I'm pregnant."

"That's a good thing, is it not?" he asked.

She caressed his cheek and answered with a chuckle, "Yes William, yes, it's a good thing."

"Good," he said. He rolled onto his side, freeing her. She stayed, bent a knee to orient herself more directly at him, and shifted her admiring touches to his shoulder and then down to the muscles on his arm. William tenderly explored down her body with his fingers. His eyes turned to rest on his hand as it stopped to cover and stroke her skin just above the mound of hair between her thighs. His mind drifted to thoughts about their child growing within her.

Julia said, "My womb's forcefully stronger contractions during our lovemaking would better prepare it for labor, if that were what I was going to do. It's so ironic that I will have these super strong uterine muscles, and instead of using it, someone will just cut it open… Science is amazing – It came up with another way, hmm?" She lifted her head to look at him. She recognized the expression, but it still surprised her. He was focused on his inner imaginings – he was solving a case. She knew something she had said or done had triggered a thought that broke things open for him. She waited.

Eventually he took a breath and turned to focus on her face. He was back. "Julia, you've done it again!" he declared excitedly. "Of course… I, everyone, just assumed she had to leave through the front door – as herself, but no one noticed her leaving as a suitcase – She was small enough to fit in the suitcase… And that means she had an accomplice – whoever carried the suitcase out – the carriage driver!" he explained. He was already off the couch. Julia followed him into the bedroom. They reasoned through the case as he dressed. He left, after calling the stationhouse to have a constable accompany him, to arrest the culprits. It would be a late night.

After the door closed behind him, Julia sighed. She couldn't help but worry, but at least she knew he would have a constable with him. She decided to read a medical journal for a while before attempting to sleep. Eventually she changed into her nightgown and turned out the lights, hoping sleep would come. Images of William discovering her in her sexy, red birthday suit ran a thrill through her. She fantasized about what would happen, until, at one point her mind came upon a thought that by then she would be nearly three months pregnant. Her thoughts now on the child growing inside of her, she felt grateful, fortunate. Sleep finally came.

When Julia awoke it was morning and William was sleeping next to her. Propped up on an elbow, she admired her husband in the warm glow of the dawn light. Images of sliding skin along skin, all soapy and warm in the shower the previous evening played in her mind, bringing a smile to her face and a twist of arousal to her insides. Feeling weak in the face of her desires, she decided to seduce him. "William, are you awake?" she whispered in his ear.

"Mmm," he replied, not moving a muscle. She started by running her fingers through his hair – he had left it as it was when he had gotten out of the shower, probably being too rushed to get to the arrests to consider adding the usual greasy treatments. Next, her fingers traveled the contours of his face. A light kiss to his lips, and still he did not stir. "Oh, he's enjoying this," she thought. Julia slid her hand under the blankets and undid the first few buttons on his pajama top. William still feigned sleeping. Her hand then slipped under the fabric to scratch and stroke his chest. Her husband remained motionless and tranquil. "Hmm," she thought, "He's milking this for all it's worth." Deciding to call his bluff, she ceased, just looking, waiting.

"Don't stop," his lovely voice whispered.

Joy took her for a ride. Her fingers once again made their exquisite contact. She added to the sensations, however, sliding her thigh over him and kissing his ear. Only moments later, he was quite involved in the sharing of loving touches. They made tender, sleepy, deep, love.

Over breakfast they discussed the case William had solved, with the stirring of his thoughts by Julia's reflections on there being more than one way to get a baby out of a uterus. Both suspects had confessed. The conversation migrated to discussing the construction of the house. As they were clearing the dishes, placing them on the cart to be taken back to the kitchen by the servers, William said that the outer walls would be going up today, and soon after the frame for the roof. Julia, who was standing to load the cart, stopped behind her husband who was still seated. She leaned down and wrapped her arms around his neck to give him a soft kiss on his neck. He guided her to his lap. Playing with one of her curls, eyes exploring her bosom, he said, "I need to stop by and talk to Jason before they start installing the inner walls upstairs. The master bathroom will need a bigger tub which should rest tightly up against the wall."

Julia placed a finger under his chin and lifted his face to bring his eyes to hers. She teased him, eyebrow raised, "Whatever for?"

He cleared his throat, feeling the slightest flush of blood running to his face, and replied, "To improve our … showering experiences."

Julia continued her taunting, "And, pray tell, what would a bigger tub, or it's being closer to the wall, have to do with improving one's experience taking a shower?" she asked as she leaned down to kiss and nibble on his ear. "Hmm?" she pressed with her voice low and intimate, sliding into his brain.

His mouth close to her ear, he answered, "I said our showering experiences … you and me … together." His hand moved down from her hip to her thigh. He pulled back and tilted his head, waiting for a kiss.

Julia obliged him, bringing her lips down to meet his. As the kisses deepened, William found the hem at the bottom of her skirt and slid his hand under it to caress the inside of her knee, and then travel up to stroke her inner thigh. "Mmm," she moaned, "I see. Yes, a bigger tub, closer to the wall…that sounds like a good plan." She agreed. She stood up and asked, "Will you be riding your bicycle to work?"

"Yes," he answered, "Perhaps I'll stop by the site on my way to see if Jason is there."

"Good," she replied.

"Lunch?" William asked.

"Oh, not today… I have some errands I need to run," she replied, knowing she needed to set her birthday plans into motion as soon as possible, "Sorry." They kissed and headed their separate ways.

William's Birthday

"A birthday treasure hunt, what better plan to make a detective happy?" she thought, "And a big surprise at the end that he will surely love." The plan was set-up for tonight to be the night. Constable Higgins would hand William the first clue just before he would be readying to leave work. By nightfall, the clues would lead him to their new, still under construction, house. Once there, he would follow the candlelight to come to the "room" that would eventually be his workroom in the basement, to be greeted by a picnic blanket set-up complete with peanut butter and jelly sandwiches and absinthe. Still no Julia to be found, he would next most likely notice, under a big red bow, his new desk. The clues would lead him to sit in the chair at the desk. Behind him, in the entrance to the secret tunnel, Julia would be hiding in her sexy, red-leather outfit, ready to "question" him. Her stomach flipped with anticipation.

Higgins reported that William received the first clue at around seven o'clock. Even if he were fast, he wouldn't be here before 7:30, and, since he would be using his bicycle, probably not until 7:45. Julia hid herself in the secret tunnel entrance at 7:30 to play it safe. The door/wall to the secret tunnel would eventually be a bookshelf, but for now it was simply a "door" cut into the wall. Inside, it was dark and narrow. She stood in the hiding place, illuminated only by the candlelight slipping through the cracks outlining the door. She was wearing a corset-shaped red leather top, which revealed a great deal of cleavage between the laces in the front. For bottoms her dress maker had made a pair of very short red leather "bloomers," but they were so short that the curves of her buttocks could be seen below the bottom of them. She was pleased with how she looked in the costume, her pregnancy "bump" barely detectable. She had chosen to wear the same black tie William wore when he surprised her in his "dream costume" many months ago. A cute little bowler-type red hat she had found was pinned into her hair. The final details were a scandalous pair of red high heels and the billy-club she had gotten from George.

Her heart pounded in her chest when she finally heard footsteps coming down the stairs. "He really is a remarkable detective," she thought as she waited, hoping he would end up sitting in the chair at the desk as she had planned. Unable to see the doorway through the crack in the door, she would have to wait for him to cross and sit in the chair to know for sure that it was him, but then …

"Julia?" he called out.

"It is him," she thought, feeling both relieved and highly excited at the same time. "Notice the desk William," she pleaded in her mind. Soon she saw him pass and sit in the chair in front of her. He opened the "file" on the desk and began to investigate the contents. He certainly seemed interested, as he slowly examined each of the postcards inside. "Great," she thought, "My devious plan has worked – Even William Murdoch can't pass up on enjoying, when thinking he is alone, pictures of nearly naked women holding seductive poses!"

The door to the secret tunnel creaked slightly as Julia opened it, prompting William to turn his head, but she got to him before he could turn sufficiently to see her. From behind him, she abruptly planted the center of the billy-club under his cheekbone.

"Julia?" he asked.

"I'll be asking the questions here Murdoch," she said in an authoritative voice, tantalizingly close to his ear. William's heart raced, his mind began to spin, his stomach flipped, and his groin jolted, as he tried to piece together her plan for him. He quickly made the connection to his "dream" about Julia's reaction to his … interest, in Mrs. Jones. His mind rushed ahead to remembering telling her about slamming billy-clubs and hair-pulling. Suddenly he remembered the red leather dress – "What will she be wearing?" he thought, pumped with eagerness.

Removing the billy-club from his cheek and beginning her ominous, repetitive banging of the club in her hand, Julia walked to the front of the desk. She stood menacingly in front of him, continuing the foreboding motion with the billy-club. She was more stunning than William had even dared to imagine. He couldn't help but stare. The look on his face was already enough reward for Julia – she was in seventh heaven. Making every effort not to smile – to remain in character, Julia coached herself to keep her voice deep and aggressive and demanded, "So, it is in your nature to fantasize about the women in the provocative photographs?"

"Err, uh, no. Julia, no," he replied, stumbling and blushing through the denial.

Fortunately, Julia had walked behind him again, out of his sight, when the unavoidable smile appeared on her face. She pushed her glee away for the urgency of the moment. Directly behind him now, as he turned to try to see her, she leaned to the opposite side and hurtled the billy-club hard down against the desk. "Bang!" the thunderous sound exploded, making William jerk, and erupting pangs of joyous excitement within her. She reached down and took a handful of the hair on the back of his head, using it to pull his head back. She said in his ear, scarcely above a whisper, "The enticing pictures fascinate you, don't they?" Not waiting for an answer from him, she took his neck in her teeth and then sucked the tender skin up into her mouth. Both startled and thrilled by his moan, she increased the pressure, guaranteeing the leaving of a mark.

He attempted to turn the rotating chair and touch her. She released his neck and once again hurled the oppressing billy-club down on the desk. "I will tell you when you can touch!" she instructed. He immediately acquiesced, encouraging her as he showed he agreed to play the game. She smiled.

"Jacket off," her sharp voice commanded from behind him. She walked to stand in front of his chair as he removed his jacket. His eyes held hers – her insides melted and flipped at the sumptuous sight of him. He was clearly very aroused, and she was fighting to stay in control of her desires. "Vest," she demanded. Keeping his eyes mesmerizingly glued to hers, he unbuttoned the vest and slid it off, tossing it to the ground to rest on top of his discarded jacket. "The tie is mine," she said, tucking the billy-club into the back of her pants and approaching him. William's eyes ravaged her cleavage while she seductively pulled the tie in reverse through its knots, and then slid it around the back of his neck. She draped it around her neck and pulled out the billy-club once more. "Now the shirt," she ordered, as she stepped back to enable herself a better view. William slowly removed the shirt, watching her eyes as they widened at the sight of his naked chest. The shirt quickly joined the pile.

Julia tucked the billy-club into the back of her pants again and glided the tie around her neck to firmly hold it in her hands. She stepped close to him, took one of his wrists and tied it to the chair with the tie. Afterwards she hesitated, and then slid her fingernails along his chest. "Lovely," she said. It sent a chill of excitement through him. She stepped back and watched his torment with his lust as she alluringly removed "the dream tie" from her neck. She tied his other hand to the chair as well. Julia sat in his lap, straddling him.

"Now you keep things under control mister," she threatened, as she took his head in her hands, raking her fingernails against his scalp. She kissed him, rough and passionately. She nibbled and kissed down his neck and shoulders. Harshly, she pushed against his chest and stood up, sending the chair and its captive rolling backwards. She kneeled in front of him. William felt his ability to keep control slide away into the dizzy spinning of his mind. In an effort to call it back he pleaded, "Julia …"

She reached up and forcefully covered his mouth with her hand. Her glare commanded silence. Her hands claimed his stomach for her mouth, reaching back behind him, digging her nails in and pulling him, chair and all, closer to her. Her lips, teeth and tongue devoured his stomach and then traveled southward towards his trousers, which her fingers were hurriedly unbuttoning. William moaned and then wildly twitched. "Remain still!" Julia barked. "Lift up your hips." She ordered, and then slid his trousers and underwear down to pool at his feet. Feeling completely exposed now, William began to look uncomfortable.

To distract him, Julia stood up and held his eyes. She found the bow at the top of the strings holding her red leather corset-top closed and pulled it, releasing some of the pressure of her breasts against the leather as the string gave way. She unlaced her top down to her belly button and then sat once again in William's lap. She placed her hands behind his head and guided his mouth to the paradise created in the space of her bosom. He moaned as his cheeks touched the soft skin and her scent flooded his senses. He kissed and sucked the malleable flesh. Julia lifted herself away from him, stood and removed her bottoms. William twitched with desire once more. She lifted a leg over him to stand above his lap. She smoothly sat down, kissing him deeply. She found the neckties binding him to the chair and undid them, releasing his hands. She started the motion they both knew so intimately, soon allowing William to take over. His hands firmly gripped her hips, pulling her down to him. Julia tightly wrapped her arms around his neck and found his ear lobe, taking it in her mouth and moaning passionately, sending the sound deep, deep into his very soul. He made love to her until the explosions of pleasure rocked them both over the edge of ecstasy.

Finished, drunk with delight, William tried to speak, "I … uh,"

Julia whispered, her breath husky, warm and damp smothering his ear and flowing into his brain, "Happy Birthday William."

After they had redressed, Julia in the dress she had worn to the site, they indulged in their meal and some absinthe. They lie together on the picnic blanket, kissing and feeling a rise in desires once again, when they heard a voice call out from upstairs in the dark. Constable Marks had noticed the candlelight coming from the "unoccupied" home and decided to investigate, concerned about potential vandals or ne'er-do-wells. They reassured him all was well and thanked him for watching out for the safety and security of their home.

After the constable left, William sighed. The potential for having been discovered in their quite compromising states of amorous activity earlier sent a both a thrill and a bolt of relief through him.

Julia teased, "But William, you know that was part of what made it exhilarating!"

He turned red and said, "Only part of the thrill, Julia … Only part of it." They shared a laugh and then packed up and headed home. William left his bicycle and they took a cab. On the ride home he made sure to tell her that her present was surely the best birthday present he had ever received. They both knew they would keep it as a fond memory until the end of their days.

Julia asked, "And about you and this Mrs. Jones …?"

William blushed again and said, "Believe me Julia, you should be more worried about the photographs."

"Yes," she said, "I must remember to remove them from your desk drawer … Or do you want to keep them as part of your present?"

William cleared his throat and blushed even more, "I am plenty aroused by my beautiful wife, thank you very much. Besides, I will be abstaining from lovemaking for a while, along with you, very soon – within only a short month. Let's play it safe and remove temptation, hmm?" William reached into his jacket pocket and pulled out the photos. He handed them over to Julia.

She took them and playfully hit him with them. "You pocketed them William?!" she exclaimed. "These are definitely going into the fire, husband," she said, tucking them safely away in her purse, and then lovingly tucking her arm under his elbow. They laughed and shook their heads. A happier birthday there could never be.