by Thorn, Ava
“Hank,” she whispered, straddling him.
“Yeah baby.” He stirred slightly and went back to snoring.
She laughed and kissed him all over his face. “I’m going for a walk along the beach.” She nibbled on his ear.
Kari shrieked as Hank pulled her back on the bed and hovered above her. “Where you going?” he asked, his voice filled with sleep and lust.
“Sex on the beach, I mean, walk on the beach,” she stammered as Hank began to kiss each and every part of her body. A moan escaped her lips as his teeth grazed over her breasts, sucking and licking her until she felt her pussy dripping and her body shaking and craving for more.
“Sex in the bed,” he laughed.
The sunlight shined brightly into the bedroom causing this beautiful glow around Hank, his grey eyes captivated her. Reaching out, she ran her finger down his broad shoulders, flat abs and narrow hips. He captured her chin to draw her face to his.
“I miss you even when I’m with you.” He sucked her earlobe into his mouth, as he settled his weight between her spread legs.
“I want you now,” she begged, arching up off the bed.
Hank slid the head of his throbbing erection into her. Inch by inch, he filled her to capacity allowing her to adjust to his size. Hank groaned in pleasure as he nipped the side of her neck.
“Oh God!” she cried out.
When Hank withdrew from her sopping wet pussy and quickly slid back in drumming up another moan from Kari. He could feel her muscles constricting around him, he began to move faster.
Kari’s moans became screams as Hank drove into her lush sweetness. Faster and faster. Deeper and Deeper. Harder and Harder.
Their bodies glistened with sweat in the early morning rays. Kari shouted her release with Hank right behind her.
Hank collapsed right on top of her. The room smelled like sex, tropical flowers and sweat. When he rolled over Kari immediately missed the warmth that he provided.
“Wow,” she laughed, yanking the cream sheet on top of them.
“Amazing.” He reached over and pulled her closer to him.
Laying in silence next to Hank was magnificent, there was this overwhelming feeling that this was right. She traced her fingers on his chest as Hank’s breathing changed letting her know he was drifting off back to sleep.
“I can hear your mind thinking,” he mumbled.
“Really,” she smiled. “What is it saying?”
Hank covered his mouth as he yawned. “It’s unbelievable that you found someone that you want to spend your life with and to procreate with.”
Kari bit on the inside of her cheek to keep from smiling. Commitment, monogamy and making a new family came to her mind as she laid next to Hank. “You’re the light at the end of my tunnel.”
Hank eyes pop open. “Are you ready to take the most important walk that you will ever take in your life?”
“Besides when I started walking at nine months?”
Hank placed his finger to her lips, silencing her. “Down the aisle?”
Kari didn’t know what to say, the word no couldn’t form on her lips. “I…I…”
“Wait one second.” He got up from the bed and rushed to his suitcase and pulled out every article of clothing before he found what he was looking for which was a balled up Dallas Cowboy shirt.
“If you think I’m going to be a Dallas Cowboy fan than you have another thing coming…” She stop talking when he kneeled down holding a stunning diamond ring. “That’s not the same ring,” she gasped.
“It’s not,” he smiled and intertwined his finger with hers. “I purchased this ring yesterday when I went out with Martin. Do you know what infinity means?”
Kari’s heart soared. “Endless.”
“The infinity symbol means forever and endless. The man at the jewelry place said that a diamond infinity ring is a symbol of unending or unbounded.” Hank slipped the ring onto her finger.
Kari examined the diamond twisted band with the shiny sparkling diamond in the center. “I don’t know what to say,” she said in a shaky voice.
“Allow me to show my love and commitment to us and one another.” Hank looked up in her eyes. “I love you…I want you to be my family.”
“Even if it’s a simple piece of paper?” she mused.
“Sugar, that legal document tells the world that this beautiful creature is my family…I want to be able to spend the rest of my life with you. The person who loves me-I honestly can’t see myself finding anyone like you...Say you will marry me?”
“I get to spend my life with my best friend, whom I admire and love tremendously…that’s an easy answer.”
“Is that a yes?” he asked.
She nodded her head and squealed when he picked her up and twirled her around. “Yes! I will marry you,” she giggled as Hank pulled her into a long sweet kiss.
After coming up for air, Hank held Kari in a tight embrace. “I thought you were going to say no, I proposed once and you said no then.”
Kari sighed. “I wasn’t ready to ride this Chevy down a little dirt road.”
He looked at her with a puzzled look on his face. “What? Where did you get that from?”
“I’ve been learning how to sound a little country,” she laughed as Hank shook his head vehemently. “It didn’t sound right.”
“Now, all we have to do is get hitched.” Hank wagged his eye brow at her.
Hank sat on the bed and pulled Kari onto his lap. “My attorney already filed for divorce in Texas all we’re waiting for his for Natalie to respond back to the petition.”
“Oh God!” Kari put her hands into her face. “Getting to the altar is not going to be easy.”
“Natalie will sign the divorce papers.”
“I’m not going to ruin this proposal by talking about her,” Kari said, standing up. “I’m going for my walk along the beach.”
“Want me to come?”
“Nope just need time to reflect and show my ring off.” She kissed him and walked out the room.
“Breakfast on the terrace in thirty,” he called out.
Kari paused as she stood outside the bedroom door. “Make sure there are waffles.”
“Anything for you, princess.” Hank laid back on the bed to get more shut eye.
***
Later that morning, Hank took a tour around the oceanfront Mediterranean styled home that was tucked away at the foot of the Baja Peninsula between Cabo San Lucas and San Jose del Cabo.
When Kari talked about the villa he never pictured something so enormous and extravagant. He walked past the living room, the house was magnificent with the soaring cathedral ceilings with exposed wood trusses accented with sparkling iron and crystal chandeliers. His eyes traveled up the scrolled iron railing that was detailed and delicate on the curving grand staircase. He’d been with Kari for two months and knew that she designed the railing. The living room was richly furnished with dark wood.
“Señor, breakfast will be served in the courtyard.” A maid smiled, as she carried a pitcher of orange juice out the sliding door that lead to a marvelous balcony that overlooked the golden beach and azure sea below.
Hank began to follow the woman when he spied Kari walking alone the shoreline of the white sandy beach, her lavender dress blowing in the wind. He laughed when the hat she tried desperately to keep on her head flew away from her.
“You’re in love with her? Yes?” A voice said in a thick Spanish accent.
“Yes, ma’am,” He sighed, his eyes met those of a pair of beady light brown eyes that belong to Rita Gonzales.
“Shall we take a walk around the hacienda?” She took hold of his arm, steering him towards the stone staircase. Immediately they was surrounded by lush tropical flowers and the smoothing sound the ocean waves crashing against the cliffs in the distance.
Rita broke the silence between them. “Congratulations is in order.”
“Yes ma’am. I finally had a chance to get it right.”
“Should we call for Kari?” he asked.
“Kari should be here in a few minutes,” Rita smiled and took a sip of her black coffee. “But this gives us the chance to get talk about the future.”
Rita was like a mother bear protecting her cub, it didn’t matter that she wasn’t Kari birth mother or that she was just the nanny. Hank could see that the woman was genuinely concerned about his relationship with Kari.
“What does love means to you?” Rita asked, catching Hank off-guard.
He smiled as he thought about the look on Kari face when she saw the ring he slid on her finger. “Loving Kari means doing whatever it takes to make her happy. No matter what the expense may come with. I will always be there for her, even when I’m having a bad day or even when she makes me mad with her.” Standing up, he picked up the metal picture frame. “The pain without her in my life overrides anything in my life. Life is so much better with her than without her.”
Rita face was scrunched up like she was trying to believe if he was telling the truth or not. “I’m not Kari’s mother. I love her like a daughter though.”
“She loves you like a mother,” he replied.
“Me and my Martin been blessed to been married for thirty years, it wasn’t easy we separated twice in those years due to money and infidelity.”
Rita’s admission struck a chord with him. “I was married previously, I know all about fussing about money and infidelity.”
Rita sampled a piece of steamy croissant. “I assume that the second one will be better this time around?
“I cannot blame Natalie solely for the destruction of our marriage because I do take fault in the demise of our breakup. The most important thing I took away from my marriage is that one person cannot be the constant giver while the other is a constant taker.”
“I told Kari that I think she made a wonderful decision when it came to you,” the smile on her face fell. “But I want you to know that there will be people not happy with the decision you’re making including family and friends as you fine young couple walk down the aisle. I want you to know it’s about the two of you guys and no one else.”
Hank thought back to what Kari said in the bedroom. Getting to the altar won’t be easy. He didn’t want to agree with her at that moment but now that he had to think about it, his divorce from Natalie was in the beginning stages. “I will never allow anyone to come between Kari and myself.”
“Prepare each other from what’s coming next; the nasty rumors, money issues, and a vengeful ex,” Rita said quietly, as they heard the sound of Kari’s infectious laughter.
Hank stood up to pull out the chair next to him for Kari. “How was your walk?”
“It was great but now I’m starving,” Kari exclaimed, giving Rita and Hank a cheek kiss before sitting down.
“That ring looks brillante,” Rita said with enthusiasm, holding Kari’s finger.
Kari reached over and fixed her plate with waffles, bacon and fruit. “Are you happy, baby?”
“Darling, I’m happier than a hog in mud.”
“What?” Rita laughed.
“You’re so country.” Kari chuckled with a mouth full of food.
“You love it.” Hank nudged her.
“That’s right and I can’t wait until I walked down the aisle to you Mr. Jackson, next step is the walk down the aisle.”
Hank covered Kari’s hand with his. This was the person he believed in. He knew firsthand that love wasn’t easy, but he wasn’t living in a fantasy or all up in his feelings. For a few months he discovered that love was choice something that Kari always preached about.
With a steady head and heart he chose Kari. It was the simpler things with Kari that made him fall head over heels with her even if she never learned how to cook, it was her laying against him on the sofa watching the cowboys play, or fighting for more cover. He didn’t want to fight for cover, watch a cowboy game or come home to burnt food to anyone else but Kari. There was no doubt that they could make each other happy for the rest of their lives together. He would be willing to get him the last piece of apple pie. Charlene used to say you’ll know when you truly had something great-something truly spectacular and rare.
“What is that smug look on your face?”
Hank noticed it was just him and Kari outside in the courtyard. “I can’t wait to add Jackson to the end of your name.”
“I love you, baby.” Kari kissed him before going back to eating her food.
Hank took a sip of his orange juice and continued to watch the woman he chose to be the person he wanted to make a life with. This is what it was supposed to feel like to have an imperfect love.
The End
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