Disclaimer: The SWAT Kats are owned by Hanna Barbera and the Tremblay Brothers. I own the OCs.
Sorry for the delay, life got in the way, yet again. Plus this chapter was being a real pain in the tail.
After laying out in the sun for an hour, Candice woke up and heard Tim's very steady and relaxed breathing as he slept. She listened to him for a another minute and then decided to wake him up. She leaned forward and nibbled on his right ear while the claws of her left paw ever so lightly scratched his chest.
Tim groaned for a second but didn't wake like she wanted.
Candice lifted her head and frowned for a second. She then decided that she would have to become more aggressive with her antics if she wanted to wake her sleeping boyfriend. Candice started kissing his neck, then his collar bone, and finally, she stated nibbling on his chest while her paws gently raked his thighs.
Tim woke up and felt the light tickling of Candice's claws lightly digging into his thighs and her playful nibbles o his chest. He wanted to wrap his arms around her head to encourage her to continue, but instead, he closed his eyes and let her have her way with him.
Candice felt his heartbeat accelerate as she kissed and nipped his left pectoral. She shifted her gaze so she could look at Tim's face, then her right paw slid further up his thigh and under the left leg of his shorts.
Tim's eyes flew open as her paw found purchase at the apex of his thighs and was caressing his most sensitive area. As much as he wanted her to continue, he reached down and removed her paw, then said, "You are going to be the death of me." Tim brought her face up to his and kissed her, before he said, "If we didn't have reservations in an hour, I would be dining on your sexy body Candice. By Bast, I love you!"
Candice kissed him back then said, "And I love you too Tim and tonight, you had better have the energy to 'Play' with a very hot and bothered lioness!" She got up and walked back to towards the house with her tail moving in time with her hips so he could get a very good look at her backside in her bikini.
Tim quickly got up and followed as his eyes were glued to her lower half as she walked. Eventually, her seductiveness was too much for him and he sprinted over to her, picked her up in his arms, and carried her back to the house.
After they fooled around, Candice went to take a shower to wash the lake's water from her fur. She took with her a garment bag that contained a dress that she knew would drive Tim wild.
Tim went and took a shower in another bathroom and brought his suit with him so he could get dressed and leave Candice alone to get ready for their romantic dinner, since she wanted to surprise him with her choice of attire.
He finished getting ready before she did and went into the living room to wait for her. Tim stopped at the small mirror in the hall and checked his appearance one last time. As he adjusted his tie, he heard the gentle clicking of heels on the wooden stairs. He turned around and was about to say something. However, he could not speak as he gazed on the most gorgeous pair of legs in high heels he had ever seen. Tim watched as the feminine appendages strode down the stairs and his eyes roamed from her feet, to her curvy calves, up her shapely thighs which disappeared under the tight hem of a little black dress she was wearing. The dress did nothing to hide her hips and waist line as well as her breasts which despite her strapless bra, still had some bounce in them as she descended the stairs and finally, her long mane of red hair and very kissable lips which was painted bright red.
Candice's feet touched the floor and noticed her boyfriend gazing at her like a lost puppy. Her eyes wandered over his body in his well fitted suit and she licked her lips in anticipation of ever so slowly, removing it from his body after they returned back to the house. She sauntered over to him, wrapped her arms around his neck, and said, "I guess you like my dress Tim." She then whispered into his ear, "You are going to love it even more when you get to peel it off of me later."
Tim snapped out of his trance, placed his paws on her waist, then said before he kissed her, "Shall we get to dinner, before we decide to skip it and spend the rest of the evening in each other's arms? Not that I wouldn't mind that at all."
Candice kissed him back and wrapped her arms around his neck. Then she let her right paw slide down his back to his backside and gave the firm but supple muscle a good squeeze. Candice pulled back from the kiss and said, "Dinner first, play time later." She kissed him on the nose and walked out of the room.
Tim and Candice sat down to dinner in a very elegant restaurant. The small round tables were lined with a white tablecloth made out of the finest linen, the crystal water goblets contained napkins that were folded in way to make them look like sea shells rising out of the glasses, and the silverware was meticulously polished to a mirror shine. To the left; there was a wall of windows facing the lake with a dance floor in the middle of the restaurant and a large bandstand down at the other end with a swing band playing.
Candice looked around the restaurant and could not believe that such a quaint town had such a place right in the center. As she looked out of a wall of windows that faced the lake and saw the moonlight reflecting off of the water, she said, "This is really romantic Tim."
Tim didn't move an inch, he was focused on his girlfriend and her alone. He loved the way the dim light was shown in her eyes, how her hair seemed to be a blaze, and most of all, how lucky he was to be in love with her. Tim reached across the table, stroked Candice's left cheek with the back of his fingers, and said, "This place has been here for decades Candice. My parents came here for special occasions and I have never been here myself. My grandmother told me this restaurant was magical and almost every single couple that entered, left engaged to be married."
Candice turned her body back to face him ever so slowly after she heard his reply. She took his paw in hers, then asked, "Tim, are you saying what I think you are saying?"
Tim brought her paw to his lips and gave it a tender kiss before lowering it to the table. He looked directly into Candice's eyes and replied, "Candice, you make me feel like a teenager again who has found love for the first time. I meant every word I said back at your parent's. However, as much as I love you and want you to be my wife, I'm not going to propose marriage to you tonight. I do have a proposal that I think you will love though. Since we are already living with each other, would you move in with me? I.. I love having you next to me at night and I especially love those cute little purrs you make as you sleep."
Candice took her paw back and placed it in her lap. She was so nervous that Tim was going to ask her to marry him and she was going to have to turn him down because she was not ready to marry him. It was not because she did not love him, that was farthest from the truth. She loved Tim more than mere words could describe. Her mind just was not ready to become Mrs. Jones, not matter how ready her heart was.
Tim noticed the worried and almost disappointed look on Candice's face and said, "Candice, I'm sorry if I gave you the impression I was going to ask you to marry me just then. I do love you with all of my heart and soul. No other she-cat compares with you or could ever replace you. Please, talk to me. I don't want to lose the only girl that I am deeply in love with."
"Oh, Tim," Candice said. "I love you too and I want to move in with you. But I have a counter offer, I want you to move in with me. I have a better apartment and now, a house that we can move into once we are married." She grasped his paw, then continued, "I admit, I was expecting you to propose after you told me how special this place is. As much as my heart wants to become your wife, my mind is not ready to make that commitment. I hope you understand?"
Tim answered her the only was he knew. He leaned across the table and captured Candice's lips with his. He pulled back a few seconds later and said, "I understand completely Candice and someday; soon, I will ask you to be my wife. And hopefully you will say yes."
Candice took a sip of her water, smiled at him, then said, "Tim, when the time is right, I will say yes in a heartbeat."
Tim reached across the table, gently took her paws in his, and caressed her fingers while looking into her eyes.
The waiter came over to the table, carrying a tray with their first course. He was followed by Wine Steward who was carrying a wine bucket with a chilled bottle of wine. As the waiter served them their first course, the steward un-corked the bottle and poured a little of the wine into Tim's glass and waited for his approval before he poured some for Candice.
Tim lifted the glass to his lips and took a sip. The wine tasted alright to him and he lowered the glass back to the table. He then nodded to the steward.
The steward poured Candice a glass of the wine followed by serving Tim before he returned the bottle to the cooler and left.
"I didn't know you knew anything about wine Tim?" Candice asked before she took a sip.
"I don't," Tim replied. "I mimicked what I read in a book. I'm more of a beer and vodka tom."
Candice almost choked when he replied. She put the glass down, wiped her mouth with her napkin, then said, "Well, I am going to have to change that. My father has an expansive wine cellar that is completely stocked with some of the finest wines."
"Jean didn't mention that when we were there Candice," Tim said.
"Must have slipped his mind after mother started playing Bartender. Mom was always heavy handed with the pouring," Candice said before she took another sip.
"No kidding," Tim said. "There was so much rum in those hurricanes you mother was making that I was surprised everyone was able to walk away from the table."
"That's mom for you," Candice said. "I'm not calling her a lush. However, she enjoys her drink and likes them strong. So does dad, I guess they were made for each other."
"They are made for each other Candice, just like we are made for each other," Tim said. "Even my parents weren't in love as much as your father and mother still are. Don't get me wrong, they loved each other, but they weren't as amorous as your parents are."
Candice put her glass down and said, "Jean and Sasha are one of a kind. Do you have any idea how any times I came home from college and found them in the act? It was quite embarrassing to walk in with four of my closest girlfriends only to see your parents running upstairs, sans clothing."
It was now Tim's turn to choke on his wine and he didn't do it with the same finesse Candice did either.
"Are you alright?" Candice asked as she patted him on the back.
"Perfectly fine," Tim replied. "Shall we have our salad?"
They looked down at their plates and noticed the Cesar Salad sitting in front of them and began to eat. After they finished, a waiter stopped at their table and cleared the empty plates before he headed off to the kitchen.
While they waited for the main course, they heard the band strike up a tune. They played some slow ballad and noticed other couples going to the dance floor and swaying in time with the music.
Tim got out of his seat, made his way to her side, and extended his right paw to her as he asked, "Care to dance?"
Candice smiled, took his paw in hers, and responded as she rose from her seat, "I would love to."
They walked out to the dance floor still holding the other's paw. As soon as their feet hit the floor, Tim turned to face Candice, put his right paw on her lower back while his left fell to her mid-back.
Candice wrapped her arms around his upper body and turned her head to the right so she could rest her head against his chest.
They both started swaying in time with the music and the band's director noticed the young couple dancing and felt their deep love pouring off of them. He turned to the band, and said, "Alright, see that couple over there?" He pointed to Tim and Candice. "They need a little push in the right direction, if you get my drift. At Last on three. One, two, three."
The song 'At Last' started playing and the young couple's bodies responded. They swayed and moved as one and everyone else on the floor cleared so the couple could move freely.
Candice felt warm and safe in Tim's embrace and she never wanted this feeling to end. She held him tighter, purred, then said, "You dance divinely Tim."
Tim pulled her tighter into him and replied, "You are not bad yourself Candice. I love having you in my arms and dancing with you like this. I don't want this night to end."
"Neither do I Tim," Candice replied. "I have never felt like this before and it's all because of you, my love."
"Candice, nothing could make me happier than to come home from work everyday to you and our family," Tim responded. "I so want to hear those two simple words leave your mouth that binds us together for all eternity."
"Oh Tim, I want to hear those words too," Candice said. "One day, I will."
The song ended and Tim looked down at the she-cat he was hopelessly in love with. He gulped, let go of her, and dropped to a single knee.
Candice saw him drop to his knee and instantly her instincts took over. As tears started streaming down her face, she turned and ran out of the restaurant.
This was not the reaction Tim was expecting at all. His stomach dropped as he watched the love of his life walk out of the restaurant and possibly out of his life. As he got up and started going after her, he thought, 'How stupid of me! She told me she wasn't ready to get married and here I go and try to ask her to do the one thing she said she wasn't ready to do. What the hell is wrong with me!?"
Candice didn't get too far, she stopped over by the docks and leaned on a wooden railing overlooking the lake. As she looked out over the water, she asked herself, "Why am I so scared of making a commitment, especially to Tim? I do love him more than I ever loved another tom before, so why am I so frightened of getting what I really want!?"
Tim came around the back of the restaurant and found Candice standing out by the docks. He went over to her and when he was close enough for her to hear him, he said, "Candice, please talk to me. I know I messed up back there, but I meant every little action I made. I do love you and I want to marry you. The way we were dancing together and the look on your beautiful face was telling me that you were ready to take the plunge with me."
Candice heard every word he said but her eyes never left the lake. She wiped a few tears from her eyes, then replied, "Tim, you know how I feel about you and as much as my heart wanted for you to continue and for me to say yes, my mind is not ready for that type of commitment. I specifically told you that over our salad and here you go and drop to one knee on the dance floor." She turned to face him, then she asked, "I thought you knew me better Tim so why did you try to ask me to marry you?"
"Candice, I was caught up in the moment and I thought the time was right," Tim answered. "Candice, I love you more than I ever loved anyone else before. I thought this was something we both wanted."
"I do Tim, boy do I," Candice said. "I'm just not ready to get married yet. I guess since I have been on my own since I was nineteen, I'm used to doing things by myself and not have to rely on or ask the opinion of another. I'm a very independent female if you haven't figured it out by now and I don't want to lose that independence yet."
Tim understood every word she told him. However, her words did not change the way he felt about her. He reached out and took her paws in his before he said, "I understand completely Candice and I will wait as long as I have to until you are ready. But as soon as you are, nothing is going to stop me from asking for your paw in marriage."
Candice gripped his paws in hers and stroked his fingers while she said, "I can accept that Tim. Can we head back inside and finish our dinner? I'm still hungry and the food smells wonderful."
Tim smiled at her, bowed to her with flourish, then said, "Then allow me escort the most beautiful she-cat in the world back to our table."
Candice placed he right paw under his chin and lifted his face to look at her smiling face, then said, "My my, aren't you a smooth talker. Alright, let's head back to our table and after dinner, a moon lit stroll along the docks is on order. I need to maintain my figure."
Tim stood up and extended his left arm to her and waited for her to slip her arm through his.
Candice slipped her right arm through Tim's left and rested her head on his shoulder as they returned to the restaurant. When they got to their table, he let her go long enough to pull out her chair and wait for her to sit down so he could push her back.
Candice retook her seat and Tim pushed her back towards the table before he took his own seat. She took the neatly folded napkin off of the table and placed it in her lap before she took a sip of her wine.
The waiter soon arrived with their main course and served her first before serving Tim. He then lifted the two silver covers from the plates before bowing to the couple and leaving.
They ate their dinner followed by desert while making small talk to avoid the conversation they shared earlier.
After their meal was finished and Tim paid the check, he pulled Candice away from the table and extended his paw to help her stand up.
Candice took his paw and stood up before lacing her right arm through his left again and walking out of the restaurant.
They soon found themselves walking along the docks walking arm in arm.
A cool breeze blew in from the lake which made Candice shiver.
Tim took off his suit jacket and draped it over her shoulders before he asked, "Is it too cold for you Candice?"
Candice shivered once again and as she pulled Tim's jacket tighter to her body, she answered, "I guess it's a little chilly. Can we head back to the house?"
"Certainly dear," Tim said.
They walked back towards the restaurant's parking lot and went over to Tim's car. He opened the door for her then closed the door after she was safely buckled into her seat. He quickly went to the driver's side of the car and got in before starting the engine and switching on the heat.
Candice relaxed as the heat started to come up. As soon as she felt warm again, she removed Tim's jacket and draped it over her lap. Candice turned her head to the left and looked at Tim's as he drove back to the house. She noticed that he wasn't stealing those little glances at her as he normally did. Candice asked, "Are you alright Tim?"
Tim's kept his focus on the road ahead of him as he answered, "I'm fine Candice. I.. I guess I was sort of hoping that after tonight, I would be taking home my fiancé and not my girlfriend."
"Tim, stop the car," Candice said.
Tim pulled off to the side of the road and put the car in park before he turned to her and noticed, she looked pissed.
"We went through this at dinner Tim!" She screamed before she turned back towards the passenger window and sobbed, "Why are you making this so difficult for me? I love you and I want to have that family with you and you alone. Please give me the time I need for my mind to realize that what my heart wants is the best for me."
Tim reached across the seat and pulled Candice to him. As he held her tightly to him, he said, "I will give you al the time in the world Candice. If that is what it takes for you two become my wife, I'll wait as long as necessary."
Candice slowly turned in his arms and wrapped her arms around his neck. She gently kissed his cheek, then said, "Thank you Tim. Can we go home?"
Tim kissed her forehead then answered, "Sure."
They drove back to the house in silence. However, Candice's left paw was tightly intertwined with Tim's left.
They pulled up to the house and Tim shut off the car before he got out and went over to Candice's side of the car and opened the door for her.
Candice took his paw in hers as he assisted her out of the car. But as he did, he pulled her to him and wrapped his arms around her waist. He felt her breath against his cheek and lost all control. Tim leaned forward and kissed her.
Candice was not expecting Tim to kiss the way he did. However, she felt very warm, if not hot the longer he kissed her. She eventually took over and kissed him back with even more passion that Tim poured into it. She also reached out to his lapels and grabbed ahold of his shirt before pulling it open so she could put the palms of her paws directly on his chest.
Tim felt the cool night's air hit his chest, then her warm paws. His left paw traveled lower to the base of her tail and stroked the dense fur poking out from her dress.
A bolt of electricity shot through Candice's body. She pulled back from the kiss and said, "Tim, I want to to make love to me and I want you to make love to me now!"
Tim swept her up in his arms and carried her into the house. His lips found hers again as he kicked the door closed with his foot.
End of Chapter.