Chapter 5: The Year According to Arthur

The year for Arthur was fraught with peril, trying to please Mallory at every turn, while also trying to fulfill his duties as Santa. He cooked her dinner, danced in the moonlight with her and even read in a comfortable chair with her beside the fire. Yet it seemed like nothing would penetrate the icy wall around her heart. Then one day, whether out of blind luck or stupidity Arthur asked the question that had been burned in his brain since he met his bride to be:

"Do you hate me?"

"What?" Mallory asked looking up from the thick novel she had been reading for the past hour. She squinted at Arthur's to bring him back into focus.

"I said, do you hate me?" Arthur asked again feeling slightly nervous.

"Why on earth would you say a thing like that?" Mallory asked looking obviously puzzled.

"Well because of how you act towards me, like everything I say or do is and imposition, and how you seem bored on our…um…dates." Arthur said timidly.

"Arthur, we've been hanging out for what…10 months now? What on earth makes you think I would hang around or even tolerate someone I hated? I don't even do that much for people I like." Mallory said plainly.

"Oh…then what do you think of me?" Arthur said feeling a little unsure.

"Ugh, do I have to spell it out for you? Can't you take a hint? You're special to me, Arthur, you're special because I love you." Mallory said looking both annoyed and embarrassed.

"You do? Thank goodness, because I love you too and I…can't hold it back any longer." Arthur said firmly, taking Mallory into his arms.

He felt her stiffen in surprise and felt her relax into his embrace, he took it as an invitation and leaned in to kiss her. All at once the culmination of many months wondering came full circle and he felt complete. He loved her and would spend every moment from this point on proving it to her. Gathering her in his arms he carried her to his bedroom, shock showing in every feature, she allowed him to do so. She never even gave resistance when he began stripping off her clothes. He took his time memorizing and loving her body with his tongue, worshiping her breasts, curves, and crease with his hands. However, when it became too much for Arthur to continue holding back she shoved him over onto his back, moving down the line of his body and swallowing him to the root. Her tongue loved him to the brink and when he thought he could take no more, she moved to straddle him and sheathed him in her warm wetness. It felt so good Arthur saw galaxies and the universe behind his lids and when she moved he thought she had killed him. She moved faster and faster until she could no longer stand it, her wetness clenching him so tight, that as she met her release, he went over the edge right along with her. And later holding her cooling body against his own, realized he'd never felt so right. If only that had been the end of it, the next morning he awoke to the sounds of Mallory pealing into the room like hell on wheels. She ranted on and on about her sister being gone and how it was his brother's fault. One thing he knew for sure, this would not end well. He followed Mallory to Steve's bedroom and watched his little spitfire ball out his brother. Watched her pace and wait for Steve to retrieve her sister and then watched her relief and anger at her sister and Steve's return. And finally watched her celebration at her sister's triumph, that's when he made his decision. He strolled up to Mallory, heart in his throat, got down on one knee and said:

"Mallory, I can't imagine my life being with anyone but you. You are my world and without you even Christmas dims to gray. I hope to spend the rest of my life with you. Mallory will you marry me and make me the happiest man in the world…no…the universe?"

Mallory looked him over, her eyes widened and narrowed and finally she wrapped her arms around his shoulders and said:

"Yes."

Then with tears in her eyes kissed the breath from Arthurs lungs, and that's when he knew everything would be alright.