Valentine's Day Chapter 14

SPOV

The sun was very near the horizon when Eric woke me with a gentle kiss between my eyes, "Wake up, lover, Maria is bringing supper soon."

"Bringing?" I asked, my eyes still only partially open, "we don't have to go anywhere?"

Eric chuckled, "No where at all. We can eat right here in bed if you like, or at the table on the balcony, or inside the room. Completely your choice."

"Mm, I think at the table on the balcony is my preference, then," I said feigning a snotty, rich girl attitude.

"Your wish is my command, your majesty. The balcony table it is!" Eric said, mocking me without a hint of a smile. Just then a soft knock on the door let him know the meal had arrived. He rose and called to Maria to bring the tray to the balcony before extending a hand to help me out of the suspended bed.

Embarrassed at my "just out of the bed" appearance, I turned to look out over the hills while Maria set up the meal. As she backed away from the table, I turned and said, "Thank you, Maria, it looks wonderful!"

Shyly she answered, "Welcome, ma'am, enjoy." In a few seconds' time she was through the door. Eric pulled out a chair for me to sit, which I did eagerly. Suddenly I was famished. The meal was wonderful. I wondered if Eric had mentioned to Maria my penchant for fresh, organic vegetables and natural foods. When I asked he shook his head, his mouth full of the delicious fare.

"No need," he answered when he'd swallowed, "Maria insists on the same standards as you. She grows vegetables in the summer, organically, of course, and freezes or cans enough to last through the winter. We use our own grass-fed beef and free range chickens for meat, as well as the occasional game we take during hunting season. You may be assured that anything you eat while we are here is of the highest quality, Sookie."

"I love her already!" I replied, taking another bite. "Your family is so lucky to have her, Eric!"

"Indeed, Sookie, we are extremely lucky. All the people we have working for us here are top-notch. Our overseers, Emily and Russell, do anything we ask, and many things we don't think of, to make sure the place is well cared for and comfortable for us and our guests. Maria and Pedro are attentive and hard-working. We're very blessed to have them all," Eric's voice rang with pride, as well as affection. "They've all worked for us for many years. They're just honest, down-to-earth people. You'll meet Emily and Russell tomorrow, by the way. They have a house about a mile from here. That is, you'll meet them if you'll leave the room."

His voice was mocking now, and I could detect his subtle urging to move from serious to playful once more. "I'll leave if I'm not chained to the bedposts, or some such," I huffed.

"Damn, I knew there was something I forgot!" he said, banging a fist lightly on the table, "those silk scarves I was going to use to tie your wrists and ankles!"

We both just giggled then, and finished the meal. Eric placed the tray with the dishes outside the door, just like in a hotel, and we settled back onto a love seat on the balcony as the stars began to make their presence known in the darkening sky. Eric poured us each another glass of wine and we sat, silently enjoying the sounds of the evening. Soon he quietly leaned over and whispered, "Look, Sookie, can you see the deer at the edge of the clearing there?" His arm was pointing to a group of oaks that stood just beyond the rolling grass-covered yard. Three does stood, looking toward the house, no doubt sensing our presence, but not detecting any threat. They continued to walk into the open, cautiously grazing, but looking up occasionally to keep an eye on us. We sat still and silent, watching them for many minutes. Finally, they moved out of sight, and Eric turned to me, "I must have seen thousands of them here, but I never lose the feeling of awe they inspire. They are such beautiful, gentle animals. In a month, they'll have fawns trailing along behind them. The bluebonnets will blanket these fields by then, too. We'll come back so you can see. The land is always beautiful to me, but in spring, it's glorious."

Again, I recognized both pride and affection in his tone. "We'll go out exploring tomorrow," I said quietly, "I can't wait for you to show me around." He kissed my forehead, and I leaned my head on the back of the loveseat. I had been so focused on the deer, I hadn't noticed how many stars had appeared, "Oh, my God," I exclaimed, "look at the sky! I haven't seen so many stars in a long time! You can even see the Milky Way."

Eric laughed as he pulled me to him, "Living in town you can't see them because of the lights at ground level. It is quite a sight, isn't it?"

"Eric, why do you ever leave? Why don't you just live here? It's so beautiful, I don't think I'd ever go anywhere else," I gushed unapologetically.

"Well, work, for one thing. I could commute. Plenty of people do, but, I don't know. I guess I like to keep it more special, more exclusive, do you know what I mean?" he answered.

"Mm, yeah, maybe," was as much as I could say. I was taking in the lovely view of the stars and the distant hills, while listening to whip-poor-wills call to each other from the tree lines and the howls of coyotes in the distance. After the long nap we'd had this afternoon, I couldn't believe how drowsy I felt, but I think the relaxed atmosphere of the country, combined with the good food and wine were working on me.

"Shall I carry you to bed, Sookie?" Eric asked when he noticed my eyes closing. "We'd better sleep inside. The nights still get pretty chilly this time of year." By way of answer I raised my arms to his neck, and he maneuvered me to his lap, clasped his arms around me, and stood. I wrapped my legs around him, and rode that way to the huge, opulent bed in the center of the room. Eric set me on the edge and began removing my clothing. He took his time, working slowly, and lovingly caressing my body as he did so. Another desire I hadn't expected to arise so soon after our afternoon encounter replaced my wish for sleep. I put my hands on either side of Eric's face, pulling him to me for a kiss. There was no hesitation on his part, not that there ever was, as his tongue pushed passed my lips and sought mine. I moaned and scooted back onto the bed. That was definitely all the invitation he needed, as he stood, removed his clothing and climbed in beside me, "I think the country air agrees with you, Sookie. Maybe we will just live here after we're married."

"Mm, I don't know. I might need some convincing," I teased. He proceeded to use his most persuasive moves to do just that!

I awoke to sunlight streaming through the windows of the bedroom. Immediately smelling fresh brewed coffee, I sat up and looked for Eric. He sat in a chair near the windows, in all his glory, looking out over the fields of grass. "Morning," I said quietly, hesitant to disturb his reverie.

"Good morning to you, lover. You seemed to have slept well," he replied, heading toward me. Leaning over the bed to place a tender kiss on my cheek, he asked, "Coffee?"

I just looked at him. He knows full well I want coffee as soon as my feet hit the floor, "Thanks," I intoned, just to be polite. He walked to the other side of the room, where there was a mini kitchen set up with coffee pot, toaster, microwave and fridge. He had said we'd never have to leave the room if we didn't want to. As he walked away I took the time to fully appreciate his world-class butt. Eric was truly a thing of beauty. When he turned around holding two steaming mugs, I was totally busted. I knew he read the look of hunger in my eyes. I quickly averted them, but couldn't stop the smile that curled my lips.

"Like anything you see, ma'am? The proprietor of this establishment is more than happy to accommodate his guest's every need," he spoke seriously through his smirk.

"Just browsing for the moment, thank you," I said, echoing his mock seriousness, "I will take that coffee, though." He handed it to me after I'd settled myself back against the headboard. When I took a sip, I nodded my approval. The rich dark elixir woke my taste buds first, then worked with each swallow to urge my body fully from sleep. "Mm," I smiled at him, "perfect."

"Good. When you've had all you want, I thought we'd take a shower, then discuss what you want to do today. I told you last night we don't have to leave this room at all, but we'll do as you please. I want to use my parents' shower this morning though. It's large and quite impressive. I'll have one built in this suite eventually, but there wasn't time for Russell to have the work done for this trip. Take your time, though, we've got all day, well, most of the day. Mom and Dad will arrive around five," he enthused as I continued to sip silently. Was it wrong to hate that your partner was such a morning person?

EPOV

I was enjoying just looking out the windows at the fields I so love while Sookie slept. She had hardly moved all night, getting a good night's rest. My heart swelled with love for her and pride for the accommodations I was able to provide for our weekend visit. Russell, Emily, Pedro, and Maria had all outdone themselves to prepare the room the way I'd asked only a few short days ago. I'd have to be sure they received a bonus for the extra work. My bedroom had become an elegant suite, affording us every necessity and luxury we might require. I was lost in my thoughts when Sookie's sweet, sleepy voice drew me back. She was awake! Excellent news. Now we could begin what I hoped would be a memorable day, one in which she'd learn to love this place as much as I do. After she'd had some coffee, I handed her a robe, grabbed one myself, and ushered her out of the room and down the hall to my parents' suite. They'd had a new shower built a year ago. To say it was impressive was almost an understatement. It was Italian marble, which was beautiful, but that wasn't even the best part. It was huge, and a perfect set up, well, for what I had in mind anyway. The entry to the shower was open, with niches for fresh towels, as well as bars for used ones. Walking past this area, you turned right and entered the main "room" of the shower. That's the only way I know how to explain it. Shower heads were mounted on each wall, at varying heights, and on the ceiling. They could all be turned on, or only select ones used. There was also an automatic setting, so you could have them come on in rotation. Built in to the walls were benches, where you could sit or place a foot while showering. It reminded me of Roman baths or some such decadent venue. Walking down the hall to the suite, I was getting excited, I mean really excited, just thinking about sharing the space with Sookie.

When we walked into the suite, Sookie was taken aback at its elegance. My mother had done the decorating herself, with Emily's help. The finest homes of Europe would be hard pressed to match it. I let her walk around oohing and aahing for awhile, even though I was growing impatient for the next experience to begin. Finally she arrived at the bathroom and entered it. Facing the shower for a moment, she turned to me, mouth open, and said, "That's the shower? It looks like something you'd see at a fancy spa or something. Are you sure it's okay for us to use it?"

I walked up to stand behind her, as she was again facing the entrance to the shower, "Of course, it's okay. Mom would insist." Placing my hand on her shoulders, I moved closer still. I knew the exact moment she figured out what I had planned.

"Eric!" she cried, jumping away from me, "We can't do that in your parents' shower! I'd die of embarrassment if they found out."

I approached and put my hands on her waist, pulling her to me again, "First of all, they don't have to find out. Second of all, they still wouldn't mind. I doubt they think we're both virgins at this point. Maria will clean the shower within an inch of its life when we're out, she always does. Now relax. Let me show you a good time." As I talked, I punctuated my speech with well-placed kisses while ever so slowly backing Sookie further into the shower.

"Well, if you say so, but I still think it's a little naughty," she relented.

"Since when have you not liked naughty?" I teased, "I seem to recall..." Before I could finish, she'd removed her robe, hung it on a hook and was untying mine. "Ungh," was all I could get out now.

I set the jets to come on in rotation, just for fun, and we proceeded to "shower." Mom's imported bath washes added luxurious pleasure to the experience, as we caressed each others' bodies using the slippery lotions. As many times as I'd seen and touched her amazing form, in many ways I felt as though this were the first time. My arousal matched that of a first-timer, too. I was so turned on, I was having to fight to pace myself. After we'd rinsed the fragrant preparations from ourselves, I sat on one of the benches, and holding her hand, pulled Sookie to me. She leaned in and took my bottom lip in her mouth, sucking it gently. Pulling back she settled herself on my thighs, near the knees, then leaned in and engaged my mouth again, this time in a full, tongue-battling kiss. I placed my hands on her hips, and tried to pull her closer, but her palms on my chest protested. Instead, she broke our kiss, and pulled my head down to her ample breasts. I gave them my undivided attention, licking, nipping and sucking, until she distracted me by reaching between my legs to cup my balls in one palm, as she stroked me with the other. I did my best to focus, but I thought I would lose the battle, when suddenly she released me and moved forward on my lap. Our bodies now were as flush as possible on the cool marble seat. We just looked into each others' eyes as we ground and thrust our pelvises ever closer. It wasn't long before her eyes closed, and her head fell back in what I recognized as an approaching orgasm. I held her tight as we rode through it, then she lifted herself and moved to position my tip at her entrance. My excitement and her moisture made for an easy achievement of our mutual goal. Together we worked to bring the ecstasy we craved. When I felt my impending release building, I pulled her face to mine for another kiss. "Oh, Sookie," I moaned, "I love you so. I'll never get enough of you." She didn't speak, but answered with a low growl as her walls began to tighten around me. Unable to hold back any longer, I issued a growl of my own, and allowed my orgasm to bring my body to spasms.

After a minute or two Sookie moved off my lap and sat next to me on the bench. Our hands entwined, and she leaned her head on my shoulder as we recovered enough to stand up. When I felt my legs could hold me, I rose and grabbed two plush white towels from the shelf. Sookie stood as I came toward her, and I wrapped the soft terry around her still glowing body. After we'd dried each other, we put on our robes, and walked back down the hall to our room. "Want some fruit, or yogurt?" I asked, "It's right here in the fridge." Sookie answered with a nod. It struck me that she hadn't spoken since we'd entered the shower, if you don't count moans, groans, or growls. "You okay, lover? You're being awfully quiet." Again she answered me with only a shrug instead of words. "Sookie, you're scaring me! What's wrong?"

She walked to me and buried her face in my chest, "Nothing's wrong, Eric. Something's very right, as a matter of fact. Give me a minute. Let me gather my thoughts, and I'll tell you about it," she spoke softly as she took the food I'd retrieved from the small refrigerator. She seemed lost in contemplation as she ate. Finally she looked at me with a more serious look than I'd ever seen on her, "Eric, I don't think I've ever had any real doubts about whether or not we were right for each other. I just followed my heart, which knew it wanted you. But, this place, the way we are here, I don't know, somehow..." She stopped talking and took another bite of yogurt. I was about to scream when she finally continued, "I didn't think I could fall any deeper in love with you, but I have. That's all there is to it. I love you with all my body, heart, and soul. I always will, and, as far as I'm concerned, nothing, I mean absolutely nothing could keep me from spending the rest of my life with you."

I'm not ashamed to say tears welled in my eyes. I went to kneel in front of her before answering, "Then we agree, because I've felt that way for a long time." I lay my head in her lap, and let the emotions wash over me while she finished her breakfast, resting her bowl on my head.

After I'd regained some composure, I looked her in the eyes and asked what she wanted to do for the rest of the day. "Well, as much as I'd like to stay right here and prove I mean what I just said, I'm dying to see the rest of the land. Can we look around a little?"

A wide smile split my face, "I would be happy to show you around. There is a lot to see. I'll have Maria pack us a picnic while we get dressed. Pull out some of those clothes you got at Cabela's." I picked up the phone and called downstairs to ask Maria for the lunch. Of course, she was happy to do it. She had already prepared chicken salad and homemade bread, she had only to pack it for travel. Fresh squeezed lemonade would be poured into a thermos for us also, she assured. After hanging up, I pulled my own rugged clothing out of the drawer and checked on Sookie's progress. I smiled when I saw my own Dora the Explorer pulling on her boots. "Everything's arranged," I said, "Pedro's bringing the Gator around. We'll take it from place to place, but we'll do a lot of walking too, so I hope your new boots are comfortable!"

"Well, if they're not, you can carry me, how's that?" she laughed.

"With pleasure!" I answered, bowing at the waist.