Theme 12: Caramel (699 words)

"Who eats these things anyways?" Usagi threw a handful of cellophane wrapped caramel squares back into the Halloween candy bucket. The last trick-or-treater had left their apartment over an hour ago and all that was left in the bucket were the dreaded caramels.

Mamoru peered into the bucket, inspecting its contents, "I know one thing these caramels are good for. You can melt them and make Turtles candies for me. You know how I love chocolate and pecans with caramel. I can guarantee you that every last one of these caramels will disappear tonight."

Usagi's face brightened. She and Mamoru had been married for just 4 months and she was always eager to show him what a good little homemaker she was becoming. Picking up the bowl, she marched into the kitchen to tackle the project.

Mamoru knew that it was best to stay out of the kitchen when Usagi was conquering a new project. He picked up a good book and retired to the living room to wait out the storm. He did not expect miracles from Usagi, but he was trying to encourage her in her new role as a wife. Each adventure built her courage and abilities, so it was worth the trial.

After about an hour, Usagi emerged from the kitchen, strings of caramel stuck to her skin and entwined in her hair. She had smudges of melted chocolate on her cheeks and was flushed from her efforts in the hot kitchen, but she held a plate with five perfect candies on it.

"Here, Mamo-chan, I hope they're good." She held the plate towards him and held her breath while he bit into a candy.

"It's perfect Usako, just like you!" Mamoru smiled and took the plate from Usagi's hands, setting it on the coffee table.

Usagi relaxed and let out a happy sigh. She swiped the back of her hand across her forehead in a motion of relief, but left another smudge of chocolate on her eyebrow. "I'm glad you like them Mamo-chan. Can you come help me clean up a bit? I made a tiny mess in the kitchen."

Mamoru followed Usagi into the kitchen, but when she tried to hand him a sticky bowl, he set it on the counter saying, "I have a better idea."

Mamoru took his wife in his arms and kissed her. But instead of kissing her lips, he kissed her cheek, licking at a spot of caramel. Next he kissed her eyelid, sucking the chocolate smudge from her eyebrow.

Catching on to his game, Usagi allowed Mamoru to snack on her candy covered face and neck. But she was surprised when he stripped off her tank top and began to kiss her breasts, fanning out his kisses to areas that had not been covered in the sticky candy. Mamoru continued kissing her hungrily, removing pieces of her clothing as he reached them.

Finally, Mamoru threw a towel down on the floor and, scooping Usagi off of her feet, he laid her down on the kitchen floor. He ripped off his own clothing with an intensity that surprised Usagi before he knelt down and continued to devour her body with kisses. Usagi 's body melted as Mamoru's lips moved over it. She had never felt so free and spontaneous.

When they made love, Usagi's body quickly melted away like liquid chocolate. She felt like a confection being sculpted by a master candy maker. The warmth spread throughout her body, melting her limbs and thoughts into a sweet swirling pot of desire.

Usagi lay there, feeling like a candy, perfectly formed and ready for the taking. As if reading her mind, Mamoru went back to his earlier game of treating Usagi like a piece of candy. He licked and teased her like a child with a lollipop too large to fit in his mouth, but too delicious to keep his tongue off of. "Oh, my sweet Usako," he murmured.

When Mamoru finally fell to the floor beside Usagi in happy exhaustion, she turned to him with deep satisfaction evident in her eyes, "I take it back. Those caramels make quite a tasty treat."