A/N: It's been forever and a day since I update this, so here goes nothing. this is for the upcoming holiday ;) This may or may not be when Lana was conceived lol. Enjoy! xx Mariah
Ages:
Faith - 76
Jim - 46
Melinda - 42
Katie - 17
Aaron - 13
Mackenzie - 7
Melinda was exhausted.
She pulled her jeep into the lineup of cars and tried to hold back her yawn. The snowy weather outside was doing nothing for her mood, making her feel lazier than she really was.
"Are we going to get out mom?" the quiet voice of her middle child came from beside her.
She put the jeep in park before turning toward the teen boy. Melinda offered him a small smile as she looked at him.
At thirteen, Aaron was still the quietest of her children. He was also the one that looked most like her husband, Jim, with his dark brown wavy hair, jaw, height, and everything in between, but he had her eyes. Her older daughter Katie was her clone inheriting all her features, but her jaw and height whom her father gave to her. Mackenzie was more of a mix with Melinda's facial structure, but Jim's eyes and nose and his cheeky little smile.
"No, we're going to wait here for Kenz. It's too cold today, don't you think?" She asked.
"It is cold," Aaron said softly. "But you know how Mackenzie always wants to show you something."
"You stay in here then," she nodded back at him, unbuckling, just as the bell rang outside, signaling the end of the school day. "I'll go get her."
She moved to get out of the jeep, walking carefully to the shoveled sidewalk in her heeled boots skillfully. She pulled on her skirt a little when she noticed more than just a glance for a few of the dad's, one with his wife standing next to him.
"Melinda!" A man smiled as he locked his car. "I haven't seen you since the party at the hospital. How have you been?"
"Hi, Joel," she smiled, holding the door for him as she shuffled inside. "I've been good. Just a little tired, Jim and I just got back from a nice little weekend with the kids at our cabin." She explained. "It was so nice to get away with them and have some good ole fashioned fun in the snow."
"I bet," Joel smiled. "I wish I could do something with my son like that, but with the chief of surgery position being up for grabs at the hospital, and ever since my wife passed last year, it's been hard to get away."
"Jim says you're the best candidate for that position," she said as she walked toward Mackenzie's classroom which also happened to be the same one Joel's son was in too. "And know if you ever need anything, just give us a call."
"Thank you, Melinda. That means a lot, and I know Jim would be great at it too," Joel shrugged. "Too bad he's not looking into it."
"He's comfortable with where he's at now," she explained. "Being the head of general gives him a lot of room to do so many things and work fewer hours then he used too." Joel's son was quick and to his father's side in a second, but Mackenzie was busy coloring something. "Well this is where we bid goodbyes," she waved and smiled at the little boy. "Bye James, Joel. I'll let Jim know you said hello." They both waved as Melinda maneuvered toward Mackenzie. "What are you drawing, baby?" She kneeled by her daughter.
"It's for James, his mommy told me to draw it," Mackenzie whispered. "She told me he really misses her."
"Oh? I bet he does," she said softly, pressing a kiss to her daughter's head as she crouched down to her level. "Have you seen her because I haven't," she said softly.
"Yeah, only sometimes." Mackenzie hummed, tucking the picture into her folder. "I'll finish it at home."
"Well, what did she say?" She followed the little girl to her cubby where she grabbed her coat and hat and mittens.
"That he was sad and missed her. She said this would cheer him up. He really likes fish and his favorite color is orange," Mackenzie shrugged and put the folder in her backpack and pulled it on.
Melinda helped her pull it on and zipped it closed. She bent down to tug her hat down over her ears and pinched her cheek before kissing it. "Was she around today?" She asked, the little girl took her hand happily and smiled up at her.
"When his dad came and got him, like always," Mackenzie explained. "Haven't you seen her?"
"No," she shook her head.
"I think she crossed over," Mackenzie shrugged. "I see people who have all the time."
"You do?" She asked.
"Yeah," Mackenzie smiled. "I saw grandma the other day. She was just watching you and she told me it could be our little secret. We play goldfish all the time when I can't sleep."
"Grandma?" She kneeled in the hallway to talk to her daughter. "Like my grandma Mary Ann?"
"Yeah, great-grandma. The one whose picture you have up on your desk at work," Mackenzie told her. "She is very good at playing card games. She always beats me."
"Yeah, she was. That's nice that you get to see her," she smiled and felt a tear in the corner of her eye. "Has she said anything?"
"Not really," Mackenzie shrugged. "Can we go home, mommy? Everyone's gone."
"Yeah," she smiled as she stood up and wiped away the tear without her noticing. "Let's go home. Aaron's probably bored in the car."
They made their way through the halls of the elementary school and talked about how her day had been. Something about too many gross candies that daddy would like came up and something about veggie pizza in the cafeteria that was super tasty.
"I'm glad you have a good day," she said as Mackenzie held the door open for her and they walked toward the jeep. "Did you get any valentines?" She asked.
"Some, but not from anyone interesting." Mackenzie shrugged. "I think their mom's made them sign them." She laughed at her daughter's wisdom and opened the backseat door for her. "Did Daddy get you a Valentine's day present, mommy?" Mackenzie asked as she moved to sit down in the seat.
That was a little bit of a sore spot for her today.
Jim had been out of the house long before she had even gotten up with the kids for the day, having an early surgery or something at the hospital she presumed. She didn't know exactly where he'd gone this morning because she'd been too busy at the store with tourists to text and ask.
She'd be lying if she said she wasn't disappointed. Valentine's Day was one of her favorite holidays and the no acknowledgment from her husband stung. Sure, the meaning had changed over time as they had gotten older and of course since they had the kids, but it still made her a little sad.
Especially when she remembered that her husband hadn't even woke her up to give her a kiss this morning, let alone wish her a Happy Valentine's day.
"Mommy?" Mackenzie asked. "Can we have spaghetti for dinner?"
"That's a good idea," she smiled and closed the door and shuffled to the driver's seat.
She drove home, her mind completely distracted by the thoughts and questions her smallest daughter had presented. She pulled into the driveway, another yawn escaping her lips as she turned off the vehicle. She followed the kids into the house, sighing through her yawn.
They clamored for the stairs to do their normal routine, while she peeked in to see Katie and Hannah settled in the living room.
"Hey girls," she ran her fingers through her hair and yawned as she leaned against the couch.
"Tired, mom?" Katie asked.
"We can make some snacks for all of us if you want to go take a nap," Hannah suggested.
"That's nice of you," she yawned again. "I'm gonna go do that. Make sure to wake me up before five?"
"Sure thing," Katie closed her laptop and shuffled into the kitchen.
She pulled off her boots and hung up her coat before sliding her keys onto the hook and making her way up the stairs, nearly running into Aaron as he ran down to get something to eat.
"He's crazy," Mackenzie giggled as she soon followed at the normal pace.
She sought the solace of her bedroom for a moment, glad Hannah had recommended a nap. She really did need a break from the hustle and bustle of her young family for just a second or maybe an hour. She laid down against the bed for a moment, closing her eyes as she took a deep breath.
She curled under the blankets and zonked out.
It felt like seconds, minutes maybe when she felt a soft hand on her shoulder.
"Mom? Mama, can you hear me?" Katie's warm voice came through her ears. "Mom?"
"Yeah?" She muttered sleepily, only opening one eye. "Is something wrong?"
"No, it's just five. You asked me to..." Katie smiled.
"I know," she muttered. "There's no way it's five already..."
"You can keep sleeping if you want." Katie shrugged. "We're fine."
"I'm up," she muttered. "It just felt like a minute."
"You can keep sleeping, we'll get dinner started," Katie replied.
"No, I'm coming." She sat up and pulled her hair into a ponytail before walking to meet her daughter with a hug. "Is everything calm?"
"Yeah, Kenz did her homework already and is with Han downstairs, and Aaron's in his room," Katie explained. "Grandma Faith is here by the way. She's downstairs too."
"Grandma Faith?" She yawned.
"Yeah," Katie smiled and bounced down the stairs happily. "She dropped by."
Melinda sighed slowly as she rubbed her eyes. When she was finally downstairs, she put on a cheerful smile when she came face to face with her mother-in-law.
"Faith, hi," she smiled as she let them into the house. "Did I know you were coming or..."
Faith smiled, touching her arm gently as Katie headed into the living room. "You don't remember?" She shrugged while racking her brain, she couldn't recall making arrangements for Faith to come over, and Jim hadn't mentioned anything last night before they went to bed, but he had been pretty preoccupied. "Oh, before I forget..." Faith went to her purse over on the sofa, which brought her out of her thoughts once more. "Happy Valentine's Day, Melinda." She held out a pale pink envelope to her. Melinda quirked an eyebrow at her mother in law. "It's not from me," she chuckled. "Take it."
Melinda bit her lip and took the envelope from Faith just as she went to join the kids again and watch the rest of the Disney movie. She walked into the kitchen and leaned against the counter, holding the envelope in her hands. It was only then that she noticed her name scrawled on the front of the envelope in Jim's chicken scratch handwriting.
That bastard. He did have something planned.
She wasted no time opening the flap and pulling the card out. She smiled at the front, the words on the pretty green paper were simple. She sighed when she opened it, smiling when she saw he had written her a letter on the inside.
Mel,
I bet by now you think I've forgotten about Valentine's Day. The fact of the matter is, I didn't. I've just had a really hard time coming up with something special to do, for you. You deserve so much more than I can possibly give you. You are my life, me and our kids would be NOTHING without you. You are the glue that keeps us together; you keep me together.
Who else would blend vitamins into my morning smoothie? Who would go through what we did just to have Katie? And with Aaron, you struggled the tourist season and the holidays with him kicking your insides every step of the way. Then Mackenzie's birth was even crazier.
Who else, simply, would choose to love me? You've given up a lot for our family, and I feel like I could never thank you enough. But tonight I'm going to try. Starting with dinner. I want you to go upstairs, look in your closet and find the one dress that wasn't there when you got dressed this morning. It's red, it's lace and I think it will look spectacular on you. Wear those black heels that I love so much.
See you soon. Love, Jim.
She smiled as she closed the card before pulling it to her chest. She closed her eyes for a moment before leaving the kitchen and peaking into the living room. She smiled briefly when she saw her girls watching the Little Mermaid, though Katie seemed to have Faith's attention on something else entirely as usual.
She slipped up the stairs unnoticed and closed the bedroom door behind her. She took a moment, before running to the closet and throwing open the door.
The dress was easy to find, mainly because she had an idea about what she was looking for.
It was red, and lace, and at first glance, it made her blush. Having three children had done a number on her body. After each one she hadn't quite bounced back, and she still felt like she was still carrying around a small amount of post-baby weight, especially at her hips.
She wasn't twenty anymore, she wasn't even thirty. She was a woman and some days she didn't feel right in her body much like she had back then.
But the bag around the top of the hanger drew her thoughts away from the dress for a moment and how she wondered if it would fit.
It's pink, and she can distinguish that it's from Victoria's Secret. When did Jim have time to go to Victoria's Secret? There were days that she barely had time to wash her hair, and he's running off to a lingerie store. But her curiosity easily took her over and she had the bag over the hanger before she can think anything else. There's a note on top of the pink telltale tissue paper, written on a blue piece of printer paper that she immediately recognized as a leftover from Aaron's birthday invitations.
For the sexiest woman that I have ever known. Here is something to make you feel as gorgeous as I see you every day. PS I cannot wait to peel these off of you later.
"Jim!" She whined and looked inside the bag more, moving the tissue to reveal the delicate strapless black bra in the bag.
There was a matching pair of the most see-through panties she has ever seen at the bottom of the bag. They were lace, like the bra, and something she would've had in every color back in college. Back when she first met Jim.
Words on the bottom of the bag catch her eye. She almost chuckled, thinking about him writing them there.
Stop blushing and get dressed. I'm waiting for you, beautiful.
She chuckled and dropped the bag to the floor, scooping up the undergarments and heading across the hall to take a quick shower. She found the next note in her makeup bag.
Don't worry about putting too much of this stuff on. I love you just the way you are.
She did as he instructed, but probably used more makeup than he wanted. She worked until she felt satisfied in her appearance, wrapping her robe around her body once she had finished applying her delicious smelling lavender body butter and headed back to the bedroom to put her dress on.
She smiled as she looked down the stairs, the sounds of her girls singing along with the movie caused a feeling of contentment to come over her.
Melinda was ready before she could even realize it, and as she stood in front of the mirror she realizes he was right. The dress fit her like a glove, accentuating her more mature curves in all the right places. She actually felt so good, and she hasn't even seen him yet. She had to dig for a few minutes in the closet to find the shoes he mentioned and once they're on her feet she finally felt up to going downstairs.
"Wow mommy, you look so pretty," Mackenzie called from the front door.
"Yeah, that's a stunning dress!" Hannah smiled as she pulled her feet in her boots.
"Aaron, we're going!" Faith called and they heard a thud, most likely from him jumping from the top of his bed, which was the top bunch of a bunk bed and his desk was underneath it for schoolwork and such.
"Where are you all going?" She asked.
Mackenzie held her arms out and she snapped out of her daze enough to notice, walking over to the front door to hug her son. "Mommy, we go to nana's house!" Mackenzie squealed excitedly when she pushed her fingers through her hair. "She said we can spend the night!"
"Are you?" she eyed Faith who was standing over to the side, watching her.
"I'm under strict instructions to take the rugrats to my house for the night," Faith smiled.
"I'll be needing the keys to that big bad jeep of yours..." She chuckled as she looked at her mother in law, before pointing to the key hook beside the door.
"Here mama," Katie smiled as she passed her another piece of blue paper. "It's from Daddy. He told me to give it to you after you got changed for your big date." Katie shrugged, raising her shoulders much in the same manner Jim did. "You look beautiful."
She laughed as she took it from her and hugged her oldest, kissing her cheek. Aaron just made it down the stairs and started to get his boots and jacket on.
"Thank you, bug. I'm glad everyone knew about this date, but me," she smiled and pulled Katie's hat down over her ears. "I love this hat on you. It's so cute."
"Yeah, we were all in on it. I know, I love it too." Katie grinned.
"Before you read that, why don't you say goodbye to the kids?" Faith suggested gently. "We have a date with McDonald's and a movie at my place that needs to be watched," she winked.
She sighed as she looked over her kids. They all smiled up at her, clearly okay with going to grandmas for the night. Especially because it meant they would be spoiled. She went down the line, hugging each of her babies tightly. If they were going with anyone else, she would worry. But this was Faith, and she knew her children were in the best care possible.
"Have fun with Daddy, mommy," Mackenzie giggled as she opened the door.
"I will baby," she smiled and pressed a kiss to her cheek.
"I bet you won't even make it up the stairs," Hannah giggled.
"Shut up," she hugged her and kissed her cheek.
"Don't worry, just have fun." Katie smiled.
"I will," she said before leaning over to whisper in her ear. "Help grandma, okay? You know how those two can be..."
"Yes mom, stop worrying," Katie grinned as she hugged her once more before following the crew out to the jeep.
She stood up and smiled at Faith. "I guess I should say thank you. I should get some stuff together for the kids... " She sighed, going toward the house. "It'll only-"
"Jim brought me their stuff this morning," Faith smiled as she patted her arm. "Everything is taken care of, Mel. Just have a nice night."
"Did he remember their vitamins? They need to take them..." She explained.
"He did and he told me they get them before bed, and he also told me Mackenzie doesn't like the purple ones," Faith winked, smiling.
"And what about their toothbrushes... I bet he forgot," she turned on her heel to go back upstairs to the bathroom.
"Got them," Faith smiled. "And the blueberry toothpaste too. He got it all. We'll be fine and I'll bring them, and your jeep home tomorrow. Enjoy your night Melinda," Faith winked. "You deserve it."
"Thank you," she clutched Jim's note in her hand before giving Faith a hug. "I hope they're good for you..."
"They will be. See you, tomorrow sweetheart." Faith smiled. "Give my son all my love."
Melinda watched as Faith walked out to the jeep and got in after making sure the kids were all buckled. She waved as Faith pulled the jeep out of the driveway, and soon they were out of sight. Remembering the note in her hand, she unfolded it.
Don't be sad. They are going to be back tomorrow afternoon. We deserve an adult night out and in, so I want to get them all out of the house. They're going to be just fine, and yes I remembered Mackenzie's inhaler just in case. When you look up from this note, a black town car will be pulling into the driveway. Grab your coat and lock up, Jerry will be taking you to your next destination. To me.
She looked up from the note, and almost on cue, a shiny black town car pulled into their driveway. She grabbed her coat just as he instructed and picked up her bag before locking up the house.
"Mrs. Clancy," the older gentleman smiled when she approached the car. "I'm Jerry, I will be taking you to Mr. Clancy this evening..."
She nodded, accepting his hand when he offered it to help her into the car.
It took half an hour to get to their destination, though for Melinda it could've been a day. She just wanted to see Jim, to hug and slap him for making her think he'd forgotten. Her eyes are glued to her surroundings, watching the scenery pass her by. It didn't take much longer for the car to come to a stop.
Thank God.
"We're here, Mrs. Clancy," Jerry smiled from the front of the car before getting out.
She smiled and nodded, taking a deep breath before he opened the door. Only it wasn't him who opened the car door. Jim stood there in a black suit with a red shirt to match her dress and black tie. He looked so handsome.
"My love," he smiled as he held out his hand to take hers. "It's so nice to see you."
She took his hand in hers as he gently tugged her from the car. She smiled as his warm hand enveloped hers. They were parked in the lot of one of the more upscale restaurants in the area. "Jim," she whispered as his hand came around her waist, coming to rest on her hip. "Hi."
He thanked Jerry with a firm handshake with his free hand before starting to guide her towards the restaurant. When they had made it to the walkway leading to the restaurant, he stopped short of opening the door, grabbing both her hips in his hands and pulling her against him.
"Hey you," he whispered, before leaning down and pressing a soft yet lingering kiss on her lips.
Melinda felt her breath hitch when his mouth met hers, whimpering when she felt his lips press against hers. "Hi Jim," she breathed when he pulled away after a few moments.
"I've been wanting to do that since I left you in bed this morning," he whispered as his fingers left her hip to trace her jaw.
She blushed under his gaze. "You could've woke me up, you know," she murmured.
"You looked too peaceful. Plus, I was gone pretty early. I didn't think you would have appreciated me waking you up at four am." She groaned as she thought about getting up at that time, silently thanking God that he hadn't. "Shall we?" He gestured to the front door of the restaurant, breaking her from her thoughts.
He escorted her inside the upscale restaurant, one that was new to them. She couldn't help but stare at him as he talked to the hostess, giving their name before giving her his fabulous half-smile. His hand stayed firmly on the small of her back while the waitress, Nicole, led them to their table.
Jim pulled out her chair for her as Nicole left with the promise to return with water and a wine list. He placed her coat on the back of her chair, and she shivered when his hand gently moved up and down her back, moving her hair out of the way to caress the bare skin of her neck. He leaned over and pressed a kiss to her cheek before walking around to his side of the table. Nicole returned with the wine list and waters, waiting a moment for Finn to choose a bottle of red for them to share.
"Jim, this is..." she looked around the room. "Perfect... I love you."
They weren't alone, but there weren't very many other couples around them.
"The night has only started," he winked as he picked up the menu.
Once they had decided on their meals, him going with a plate of veal parmesan while she chose stuffed pasta shell, a quiet and comfortable silence had overcome them. Melinda sipped on her glass of wine as she just took a few moments to take in the atmosphere. It was quiet, and to Melinda it was odd.
She wasn't used to the quiet, especially at dinner time. She was often the one bouncing between children, cutting meals, and helping children eat. It wasn't that Jim didn't help, because he did. It was just that she was better at it. It was what she did and she wanted Jim to be able to relax when he'd been busy at the hospital all day.
His hand reaching across the table broke her from her thoughts and brought her eyes up to his.
"I love you," he smiled.
"I love you too," she blushed.
He ran his thumb over her knuckles as he continued to gaze over at her.
"I feel like I don't tell you enough, you know," he murmured as his eyes stared down into hers. "Or that I'm not around enough. I know sometimes I have to work long hours and..."
"You do have such long hours," she whispered, cutting him off gently. "But Jim, I know that… I'm married to you."
He shook his head. He stood up from his chair and walked around to her side of the table. "You're so special to me Melinda," he whispered as he knelt in front of her, taking her hand in his. "You're my life and I just...I love you so much."
"I love you too..." she whispered back. She brought her own hands up to his chin and gently ran her thumb along his scruffy jaw. "I understand that our life is busy and that sometimes we don't get to see each other as much as we want, or sit down and just talk, but there isn't anything about our life that I would change. You are the love of my life, and I know that you love me too...we have three beautiful children to prove it," she laughed.
"We have Hannah too," Jim chuckled softly, the intensity at the moment was gone.
"Yes, the child who told me we wouldn't make it to the bed tonight." She brought her own hands up to his chin and gently ran her thumb along his jaw. "Which is probably true, at least for the first round."
"You're the best thing that ever happened to me," he whispered. "You said everything I wanted to say and now all I have left is to give you this," He reached into his suit jacket and pulled out a long box. "Happy Valentines Day, Melinda."
"Jim Clancy," she muttered and shook her had. "You didn't have to get me anything."
"Just take it. I saw it and instantly thought, I have to get this for Melinda," he blushed as she took the box from him.
She gently pulled at the red ribbon he had tied around the box before slowly pulling the lid off. Inside, was a beautiful necklace in the shape of a drop, with two heart-shaped stones. Their names were engraved in the cool metal next to the corresponding birthstones.
"Jim," she breathed in softly, smiling at him. "This is beautiful..." She held it up to look at the pendant closely. "It's...everything is..."
"It's not too much," he whispered. "If that's what you were going to say...baby, you deserve everything and more. And I just...I want to spoil you tonight because I can. Because I'm the chief of surgery at Mercy General."
"What?" She gasped. "I thought you weren't looking into that?"
"I wasn't," he chuckled. "I was appointed by Adams himself this morning, a bit of a surprise, but I accepted. I couldn't turn that kind of job down when it was offered to me first before anyone else."
She leaned forward, grasping his face between her hands and pressing a kiss to his lips. His hands ran up and down her sides, coming to rest on her hips as the kiss began to escalate. When he pulled away, he blew out a breath of hot air that skidded across her face.
"Are you mad?" He shrugged.
"You're the chief of the whole hospital. How could I mad?" she muttered, shaking her head and then moving to sit on his lap. She moved her hands through his hair and kissed him properly. "I told you'd be the best damn doctor. I told you."
"I know you did, and I love you for it." And with that, he kissed her once more.
When they got back to the house, they were quiet. Melinda followed Jim into their house and she shrugged off her coat as he made his way into the kitchen. She found him rooting through the refrigerator and she bit her lip as she watched him hunched over.
He must have felt her staring, because he stood up, a small box of chocolate-covered strawberries in his hands. He held them up to her before picking up the bottle of wine and glasses he had set on the counter.
"Where did those come from?" She asked quietly as he walked towards her.
"I bought them last night on my way home from work. Brought them in while you were sleeping," he shrugged. "I know they're your favorite."
She smiled softly as he stepped closer to her, gesturing for her to follow him to the living room. He sat the wine and glasses on the small table in front of them as she sat down beside him. She curled her legs under her as she got comfortable beside him. Her heart raced as he held the first strawberry out to her. She leaned in and gently took a hold of the chocolate covered treat with her mouth, careful not to take too big of a bite. His eyes stared down at her as she chewed the small bite before he popped the second part into his mouth.
As their eyes fused together, she leaned over and grabbed another strawberry and held it up to his mouth much in the same fashion he did for her. He gently nipped at her fingers as he took a generous bite, grinning at her a little bit as he did so. He chewed slowly as her eyes zeroed in on his lips. When he swallowed, he leaned forward immediately and captured her lips with his, sharing the sweet taste of chocolate that still remained on his lips.
His hands instantly reached for her waist, pulling her closer to him.
"Jim," she whimpered when he pulled closer to him, her hands finding his cheeks as his hands came to rest on the small of her back.
As the clock ticked, the kiss ignited as he swiped his tongue across her lips, begging for entrance. They pulled away with a gasp after a few moments, the need for air taking over.
His mouth instantly sought out the skin of her neck, laving it with attention as she wrapped her fingers through the short hairs at the base of his neck. She moaned as he hit the spot behind her ear, clutching his hair just a little harder. She gasped when he pulled her earlobe between his teeth for a moment before letting it go.
She moved his head so they were facing each other, and as they stared at each other Melinda slid her hands from the back of his hair and gently took his hands in hers before untangling her body from his. She smirked as she pulled him up from the couch before letting go of his hands.
She bit her lip for a second as she turned to head for the stairs, not before calling, "Don't forget the strawberries," as she dashed out of his sight.
He groaned and grabbed for the package before quickly following her towards their bedroom. She knew immediately when he came into the room. She waited, with her body turned towards their bedroom window for him to come to her. She wasn't disappointed, when moments later she felt him step close to her. She sucked in a breath as she felt his warm breath on her neck and his hands come to rest on her hips.
He pressed warm, slow kisses on her bare shoulder. His left hand traveled up from her hip, burning a trail up her arm, causing goosebumps to rise on her skin. He gently moved her long hair over her shoulder before placing his mouth on the skin of her neck. She shuddered as his lips sucked at the skin along her hairline, her eyes falling closed as his hand came around from her hip to press her closer to him. She groaned as he backed her into his chest, his arousal becoming evident to her as he held her close.
His mouth trailed from her neck and back over to her shoulder as his fingers found the small zipper at the top of her dress. She sucked in a breath as he pulled the delicate piece down, the dress giving way the further down it went. His mouth followed the course, causing her to tremble as his mouth traced down her spine in a pattern of kisses and small licks as he exposed her skin. When the zipper was undone, he moved back to the straps of the dress and tugged them away from her shoulders until the dress fell and puddled at her feet. His face buried in the crook of her neck for a moment, a deep breath emitting from his lips.
"I love you," he whispered into her skin as his hands reached around and skimmed the skin of her stomach.
His touches were gentle and light while his fingers explored the expanse of skin that he had become so familiar with over the last twenty or so years. She whimpered as his hands moved up, gently playing with the band of her bra.
She gasped as his hands tentatively touched her breasts over the lace material. She inhaled sharply as he palmed them both slowly. His harsh breath in her ear caused her to whimper as he continued to knead her through the material. When she couldn't take anymore, she tried to will her hands to move, arching as she did so. She wanted, needed his hands on her bare skin. She froze when she felt his hand on hers, his throaty chuckle in his ear.
"Not so fast," he breathed as he moved her hand down. "We have all the time in the world,
all the time in the world."
She sighed as he pulled her hand back to her stomach, and placed it under her belly button, just above the scar she carried from the eventual emergency c section she had with Mackenzie.
His fingers danced along with the lacy trim of her panties, fingering the lace as he traced across the elastic. His fingers teased down to between her legs as her breath hitched, avoiding the one spot that was truly going to make her come undone. He avoided her folds, choosing instead to dance between her thighs, moving along the insides very carefully. She widened her legs ever so slightly as his fingers tickled the inside of her thighs.
"You're so beautiful," he whispered as he sucked on the juncture between her neck and shoulder.
She gasped as his fingers finally traced over her folds, first over her panties. His hand slipped under the lace after a few minutes causing her to purr. The sounds she made as he touched her intimately were almost unintelligible and his own breath became ragged as he teased and touched her wet folds with his talented fingers. A moan ripped through her throat as he gently slid one finger inside, her knees buckling at the sensation.
He held her up with his free arm that was wrapped around her waist. She fell back against his body as he braced her, his finger moving smoothly within the confines of her panties. She whined when his finger left her folds and she made a move to grab his hand to force it back into the confines. Instead, he gently turned her around in his embrace and coaxed her to look up at him as his hands rounded her body and pulled as close to him as he could. He squeezed her ass in his hands as he lifted her up in his arms, stumbling the few steps to place her on her back on the bed. He stared down at her intensely for a few minutes, his hands still on her ass.
They stared at each other, both of their chests heaving with exertion, want and need.
He surged down and pressed a hot kiss on her lips as she whimpered against his mouth. He dragged his lips from hers, starting a burning trail down her jaw, towards her neck where he nipped and sucked until a mark appeared on her skin. He smirked; it had been a long time
since he'd left a love bite on his wife.
Their lovemaking through the years had changed, long gone were the days they could laze in bed and make love for hours. Now it was more hurried, more rushed, more silent than before, not they were quiet now, but quieter than before.
It was about getting there, much like it had been when they were in their twenties. Tonight it was about the journey. He wanted to love her until neither of them could stand it anymore. And that time was coming, he could feel it.
He stared up at her as he moved over her body, peppering her chest with wet kisses. He kissed along her bra before he finally reached behind her and released the clasps that were holding the black lace to her body.
"Gorgeous," he whispered as he stared up at her, his hand coming up to gently grasp her breast.
She moaned and arched into his touch, her arousal rising by the moment. He touched and plucked her left nipple to attention before leaning down to suck the taut bud into his mouth. She cried out when his hot mouth met her skin.
"Oh God," she moaned as he sucked on her breast while using his fingers to play with the other. She arched her back into his mouth, trying to bring his mouth closer to her flesh, nibbling on it. "Jim... don't... stop..."
Her hands found his hair as his mouth left her left breast, kissing its way across to the other. She purred as he lavished the same attention and almost cried out when she felt his talented hands peel the panties away from her body. His lips left her breast and trailed his lips back up to hers. She kissed him eagerly as her hands immediately sought the buttons of his shirt, trying to get it off as quickly as she could. He chuckled against the skin on her neck and gently pulled away from her for a moment to remove the offending garment.
She ran her hands up and down his chest for a moment as his eyes fluttered closed at the sensations. She scraped her nails up his chest before he growled and ran his own hands down her body, moving her legs so they straddled each of his hips before he dove in and reignited their passionate kisses. His touch drove her wild, as he swiftly pushed two fingers into her folds she mewled at the sensation as she tried to buck her hips against his. She could feel his erection pushing through his pants and as he continued to torture her with his fingers, the need she felt to get closer to him and feel him inside her grew.
"Pants," she whimpered when his mouth pulled away from hers. "Please..."
He smirked against her skin as she clenched her thighs around his hips and drove her heels into the small of his back. Her hands fumbled down to his waist and immediately went for the button of the black dress pants he wore. She whined when he tried to kiss her mouth as his fingers halted inside her, she needed him so badly and nothing was going her way at the moment. He pulled away from her hesitantly as her fingers continued to try and undo the button of his pants. He untangled himself from her just enough to push his pants down, along with his boxers.
She sighed when his erection sprang forth from the confines. There was no doubt about it that Jim was well endowed.
When they first got together it was a fact she was quite aware of and something he had learned to use to his advantage. Sex with Jim had been amazing from the beginning, each of them learning from each other as time went on.
He stood at the side of the bed admiring Melinda for a moment, the way her hair was tousled all over the pillow, her body was stretched out on the mattress that had seen its fair share of romps but most of all he just looked at her.
This was his wife, the woman he loved more than breathing most days.
His breath hitched just at that thought.
The movement of her legs and the keening whine that came from her mouth broke him from his thoughts.
That was so hot, he thought.
The moment of her legs as she inched closer to him, her eyes hooded as she looked at him without a single word coming from her mouth.
Melinda whined as she waited for him to join her once again, her arousal only increasing as she looked at him through hooded eyes. She ran her hand down her body as she felt him stare at her, hearing his breath quicken as she brought her hand to the apex of her thighs.
He was taking too long and she was beginning to get restless. His hand sought hers immediately and she sighed when he pulled it away, instead of replacing it with his own after he climbed on top of her.
She welcomed the feel his heavy, warm body on top of her own and she instantly parted her thighs around his solid body. She cried out as he teased her, the sensations increasing by the moment. She was climbing fast, the slow-burning sensations in her body were burning through her being. She bucked her hips as he teased her bundle of nerves and she arched her body into his as he slid his fingers back inside.
He kissed her jaw as his fingers pumped into her steadily. "Just let go, baby," he panted into her shoulder.
She arched her back again as he pressed his thumb to her clit just right and the explosion hit her right behind the eyes. She gasped as she pulled at the back of his head, holding it to her jaw as her release claimed her, her hips bucking against his waist while his fingers softly retreated as the waves ended. Her breath was erratic, her heart raced as she loosened her grip on his hair and his thighs but still kept him close.
"Oh my god," she breathed as a hot puff of air left her lips. "This is what I needed all fucking day... not sleep, this... this release of all my worries and doubts."
"Stop worrying so much," he chuckled.
He ran his sticky fingers up her sides as his mouth moved over to place a soft kiss on hers.
She could feel his erection pressing into her thigh as he kissed her and her legs automatically spread wider, allowing him to drop fully between her thighs.
She moaned as he moved above her, adjusting their position unintentionally, his erection brushing her folds. She whined as her hips bucked against his as his hand found her hip.
She reached between them and took hold of him, moaning when she felt how hard and stretched it felt in her hands. His kisses to her neck instantly stopped as she held it in her hands and she felt herself growing heady as he breathed into her neck erratically.
"Mel," he whispered.
She moved her hand slowly up his long shaft as he moaned into her neck. She increased her movements slowly, allowing the feel of his member in her hands to take her over. He bucked against her hands and after a few more pumps he reached down between them and removed her hand.
"Mel," he croaked as he pulled her hand away, placing it above her head and lacing their fingers together. His free hand maneuvered between them, spreading her legs a little wider before swiping his fingers up her folds one more time before lining up his member with her entrance. "I love you," He whispered into her ear as he slid into her, finally.
She cried out as she wrapped her legs around his once more, arching into his body. He pumped into her steadily, keeping the rhythm that was completely theirs.
"Mel," he moaned into her shoulder as he squeezed her fingers. "God, you feel..."
She whined in response as his hips slapped against hers. She lifted her hips to his, to meet his thrusts one after the other as he moaned into her shoulder. She pressed her heels into his ass, trying to bring him closer than he already was. He untangled their fingers that he had stretched above her head, using his arms to pull himself up so his face hovered above hers and his hands found the sides of her head.
She opened her eyes to find him staring down at her, his eyes bright with lust and love as he continued to thrust into her in earnest. She gasped after a particularly hard thrust, her eyes falling closed slightly at the feeling of him filling up every part of her.
He sucked on her neck, finding that spot behind her ear that drove her wild and caused her to move her hands from their place on his shoulders to his back, digging her nails into his skin as he thrust against her.
The panting in her ear got louder, his thrusts were becoming more erratic. He was almost there, almost spent.
She forced her eyes open to look at him as one of his hands moved to palm her breast before moving between their joined bodies. She mewled as he touched her and she arched against his body as she felt that feeling rising in her again, the slow burn that she craved again and again.
She can feel him pulsing inside her, and the force of his thrusts tell her he was almost there too. He could feel the fire burning in his belly as he moved his hand between them, touching her and pressing against her as he tries so desperately to achieve release.
As he stared down at her, his breath ragged, the tightness inside him begins to snap and he started to piston into her faster and faster, giving her all he had as the urge to rush to completion takes over. He moved to pull out, to control himself.
"No," she whispered. "You don't have too."
"What if-" He muttered.
"If that happens then so be, we have one more added to our bunch." She smiled. "We can handle anything."
His hand dropped from between them as he felt her start to tremble and pulse around him, using his hands to pull her hips up into his as he snapped one final time before his orgasm erupts and he came inside her. She squeezed and milked him through her own orgasm as he groaned and collapsed carefully on top of her.
He took a minute when it was finally over before rolling them over so her body was rested on top of his. He ran his hands through her long, sweaty hair as they both tried to calm their racing hearts and get their breathing under control.
He pressed a soft, loving kiss to her forehead as he wrapped his arms around her waist and held her tight. She turned her head towards his, resting her hands under her chin as she propped them up on his chest.
"I love you," she whispered as her eyes found his, staring at him sleepily.
"I love you too," he whispered as he ran his fingers through her hair. "so much."
She smiled contentedly as he leaned down and pressed a soft kiss to her lips before pulling away. She sighed contentedly as she laid her head on his chest, closing her eyes as she drifted off to sleep to the steady sound of his strong heartbeat.