Casey surprised me with a smile. “Sounds perfect!”
The next hour seemed to drag on until finally we were in the car on our way to the resort. It had been a long, exhausting, exciting, and draining one hundred eighty-seven days since Madeleine had entered our lives. Though I adored her more than anything in the world, I was grateful to have a break for a night. I looked in the rearview mirror at a red light and noted how different my backseat was from how it used to be. Instead of the neat, empty leather seats I was used to, the extra car seat we had took up one of the seats. Beside it was a messy pile of burp cloths, baby blankets, and spare diapers. This was life as a father.
“Babe, you’re an amazing mother,” I said, turning to Casey just a few miles from the hotel.
“Well, thanks, sweetheart,” she said. “Where did that come from?”
I shrugged. “It’s just been so chaotic since Madeleine was born that I don’t know if I’ve ever stopped and taken the chance to tell you that you’re doing great.”
“So are you,” Casey said.
“But, tonight,” I started. “You’re not a mother. You’re just a wife, and a woman who could use a little break.”
Casey chuckled. “Can I still call Katie to check on the baby?” she asked. “You know how I am.”
“Of course you can.” I paused as I decided how to phrase the joke that had immediately popped into my mind. “Just limit it to once an hour.”
As we pulled into the parking lot up to the valet stand, Casey didn’t hold back her excitement. She went on about how gorgeous the building was and how beautiful of a job the landscaper had done.
The room was waiting for us with rose petals dispersed on the bed and a bottle of chilled wine on a table beside it, just as I’d requested. “This is incredible,” Casey said. She smiled at me tenderly. “You’re the best, babe. I love you.”
“I love you, too,” I said, leaning in for a kiss.
“This hotel is magnificent,” Casey said, reiterating everything she’d already said half a dozen times.
I couldn’t help but laugh. “You say that every time we go to a hotel. Better get used to it!”
“You don’t get it,” Casey said, her tone shifting to one more solemn. She sat down on the king-sized bed and patted the spot beside her, signaling for me to join her. “I stayed at decent hotels three or four times with my mom when she was alive. Even then, they were nothing compared to the places you’ve taken me. No foster parent ever wanted to waste their money taking me on vacation.”
“Case, I didn’t mean—”
Casey shook her head. “No, it’s alright,” she continued. “I just wanted to explain so you understand. I didn’t step foot in a hotel from the time I was nine years old until I was a sophomore in college. I went on a few overnight trips with friends, but we were broke college kids, so they were all shitty motels where we had double the recommended occupancy.”
I knelt down on the floor to have my face just inches away from Casey’s. “Casey, I don’t want you to ever forget where you came from,” I said. “But I also don’t want you to have to worry anymore. This is our life now, and I want to take care of you. You deserve all of this and more. I’m just sorry your foster parents didn’t see that.”
Casey fell into me for a hug and said what I’d been thinking for days. “I’ve missed our alone time together.”
“Me too,” I said. “We have a dinner reservation downstairs in twenty minutes, so let’s get ready for that.” I raised my eyebrows. “Maybe, when we come back, I can show you just how much I missed you.”
“Uh, babe?” Casey gulped, completely ignoring my attempt at setting the mood.
“What’s up?”
Casey picked up the duffle bag I had packed for her. “Did you pack me something appropriate for dinner? I know if it was up to you, you’d just have me go naked, but I don’t really think that’s appropriate here.” She gave me a cheeky grin.
“I packed you two dresses, so you have options,” I said, impressed with myself. “I’ve never seen you in the purple one, but I saw it in your closet and thought it would look great on you.”
I was right. The dress was a dark shade of purple, and the halter top came in around Casey’s chest to give a little glimpse of the girls. The bottom of the dress was form-fitting, perfectly hugging each of her curves. This was Casey’s first time dressing up since our wedding. Even though it had been three months since the baby was born, Casey had been openly self-conscious about her post-baby body, and she’d been living mostly in oversized shirts and leggings. I hoped seeing how smoking hot she looked in this dress would give her the confidence she needed. I wanted her to see what I saw—absolute perfection.
It was still a bit weird, after all this time, seeing Casey without the bump. It had become a fixture I was so accustomed to, but I was thankful to be able to get right up against her without her stomach stopping me. It took me back to the early days of our relationship. As if she was reading my mind, Casey slipped on the heels she’d worn on our first real date, one of the three pairs of shoes I’d packed her.
“Wow,” I said. “You look breathtaking.”
Casey blushed. “Stop it. I look like a frumpy woman who just had a baby.”
“Case,” I started. I pulled her over to the full-length mirror and stood her in front of me. “How can you not see what I see? You look gorgeous, and I promise that not a soul besides those who know you would guess that you’ve ever been pregnant with that sexy body of yours.”
“Why are you always so perfect and charming?” she said with a grin. “Let’s get going. I worked through lunch today, so I’m famished!”
This dinner was the first time I got to know Casey’s wine preferences. After all, she’d been pregnant with my baby before our first date. I decided that, no matter how much time passed, that story would always sound funny. As with everything else, we were complete opposites. Casey preferred sweet white wines, while I preferred my wine red and dry as can be. At Casey’s suggestion, we ordered the restaurant’s wine sampler, which let us try ten different wines in miniature wine glasses. The closest we came to agreeing was with a Portuguese red wine that was on the sweeter side. It was still a bit too sweet for me, and a bit too dry for Casey, but we agreed it was a good compromise if we ever wanted to share a bottle of wine.
By the time we each took our last bite of the chocolate chip cheesecake we’d decided on for dessert, Casey was at least a little bit tipsy. Tipsy Casey reminded me of frisky Casey from our wedding day, and that was one of my favorite sides of Casey. She barely waited until we were in the room before she started kissing my neck.
Casey pounced on me with clear eagerness as she pushed me onto the bed. “I’ve been waiting to do this all day,” she said. She slipped her tongue between my parted lips and we kissed deeply and passionately. Piece by piece, Casey stripped me naked, then she took off her own clothes like she was doing a striptease.
I could’ve fondled Casey’s breasts all night long. Instead, I kneaded her delicious breasts and rubbed my fingertips against her tight nipples in a circular motion. I kept going and going until she moaned with pleasure and pulled my hair, looking for an outlet for her desire. I wanted to surprise her, to try something new, but it was clear to me that she was taking the lead tonight.
Casey reclaimed my mouth with hers and bit my lip in that sexy way of hers. She pulled away, leaving me wanting more, and moved her head slowly until her breath was fresh on my ear. “Show me what you can do with that tongue,” she whispered. Her seductive voice was enough to send me into a frenzy of bliss.
I kissed my way down Casey’s warm, naked skin, stopping at her plump mounds to give them extra attention. I pressed my lips against her abdomen and slowly made my way between her legs. When I reached the lips of her pussy, I began to lick them as if I was tenderly licking her mouth. She moaned and her juices began to flow. I ran my tongue over her clit and sucked on it, rubbing my soft lips all over it to stimulate her plea
sure. When she arched her back and wrapped her legs around my head, I penetrated her with my tongue.
She let out a long, satisfied moan. I played with her most sensitive area with my tongue, and she pushed my head in further, further until I tasted deep within her. I teased her with my tongue, moving it slowly up and down. Her soft, slow moans kept me revved up until I decided it was time for the main event.
Casey got down on all fours at the foot of the bed, and I thrust inside her from behind. I arched into her as I exerted all my energy into moving back and forth, faster and faster. Placing my hands in the small of Casey’s back, I moved deeper into her. “Oh, oh, oh,” Casey cried. It was music to my ears. I eased myself further into her until her pleasure point was reached.
She shuddered as orgasm after orgasm began to rush through her body. Her climax thrilled me and I thrust in, one final, powerful time. With that, my cock exploded in pleasure, sending strong surges of cum into her pussy. She felt me pouring into her and the feeling sent a fresh wave of orgasms through her.
We collapsed into one another, trying desperately to reclaim our breaths. It had been a long time since we’d been able to enact such pleasure without the interruption of the baby crying. I’d missed it immensely.
Chapterow 37
Casey
I stared out the window on the drive back home, wondering how my life had turned out quite this good. Less than a year ago, I was a lonely, underpaid receptionist who longed for a family of my own. Now, I had an incredible, sexy husband, a gorgeous little girl, and a job I actually enjoyed going to each day. On top of that, my relationship with my husband was strong, our sex life was incredible, and we went on tons of exciting adventures.
I was sitting in a car that probably cost more than three years’ worth of rent at my old apartment, driving to a house ten times the size. Of course, this new reality was about so much more than money, but I couldn’t deny that the newfound financial security took tremendous stress off of me. It was a relief not having to check my bank account three times a week to make sure enough rent money was there. Alexander had taken over all of the finances, and I was beyond grateful for that. Though some people had casually brought up the idea of me not needing to work at all, what with Alexander’s business booming, that was a thought that I’d never even considered. The housewife life just wasn’t for me. The mom and wife life? I was happy to live it.
“Babe, where’s your head at?” Alexander asked.
“Right here,” I said. I turned toward him and kissed his prickly cheek. “With you and Madeleine, the best anniversary presents I could ever ask for.”
We spent the remaining half hour of the car ride listening to the ‘80s rock music I had finally gotten Alexander to love. When we finally pulled up in the driveway to the gorgeous stone house I still couldn’t believe was mine, I ran to see Madeleine. She had only been in my life for three months, but she was the missing puzzle piece to my perfect family. Even a single night apart from her was difficult. Of course, having my hot husband with me had made things a bit easier, but it was still nice to be home.
In the living room, Madeleine was fast asleep on Katie’s lap. Katie mouthed me a “Hi!” as I went over to greet them. As soon as I got within a few steps, Madeleine’s eyes shot open.
“Well, at least I tried,” Katie said with a laugh. “This girl has got some serious mom radar. She’s been a little cranky this morning.”
“Oh no!” I said. I picked up Madeleine and held her up in the air. In my baby voice, I added, “Are you being a little cranky-pants this morning?”. Like something from a movie, my baby’s eyes suddenly lit up as she let out a smiling coo. She moved her little hand all over my face.
“Or maybe she just missed her mommy,” Katie said. She showed me a smile that told me she sincerely believed that.
“Thank you for everything, Katie,” Alexander said. He emerged from the foyer with our suitcase. “I’m sure you probably had better things to do this weekend than change diapers, so we really appreciate you helping out.”
“Of course! It was my pleasure. I love little miss Madeleine!” We said our goodbyes and Alexander walked her to the door.
I looked down in my arms at the twelve-pound human who had become my whole world. “Mommy loves you so much, Maddie girl,” I said. I walked her into the kitchen and took a seat at the center island.
The outfit she was wearing belonged on a baby fashion runway. She had on a sparkly pink onesie with the cutest little distressed baby jeans and jacket. A pair of ruffle socks completed the look. A thought struck my mind. “Alexander?”
“What’s up, babe?” Alexander called. His footsteps echoed down the hallway, and he emerged beside me.
“I don’t remember buying this outfit,” I said. I realized that this clueless man of mine probably didn’t know any more about it than I did, but it was worth a shot. “Any clue where it came from?”
Alexander blushed, an occurrence I’d only seen on a few rare occasions. “Actually, yes,” he said. “When I was jogging out by work last week, I saw this outfit in the window of a children’s boutique. I thought it would be adorable for Madeleine, so I went back the other day and bought it.”
“You really are something special, huh?” My heart turned to mush as I remembered this was the man I got to spend the rest of my life with. Alexander told me to go relax in the living room with Madeleine for a bit, a notion I decided was part of the anniversary festivities. My downtime had been greatly limited since Madeleine’s arrival, so I didn’t bother arguing with him.
After a few minutes of bouncing on my lap and alternating between crying and cooing, Madeleine’s eyelids slowly began fluttering. She was sleepy. Perfect timing, I thought. Nap time for both of us. I put Madeleine in her sleeper on the floor beside the couch and stretched out my legs. Pulling a blanket Alexander’s mom had crocheted over my tired body, I began to fall asleep.
The smell of fresh food—Italian, maybe? — wafted through the air and greeted my nostrils. It was definitely more pleasant to wake up to than my phone alarm or Madeleine’s crying. “What are you up to, Alexander?”
“Just putting together a little something for lunch,” Alexander said. “It should be ready in ten or fifteen.” I knew better than to believe his version of “a little something” was actually, in fact, little. To kill the time, I picked up Madeleine from her sleeper and rocked her back and forth in her favorite rocking chair, a gift from her Auntie Liana.
With a grumbling stomach and baby needing a bottle, I made my way into the kitchen. On the center counter was a cooling rack with cookies placed atop. As I got closer, I saw that they were my favorite cookies, white chocolate macadamia. “I can’t believe you made these!” I gushed.
I reached for a cookie, but Alexander playfully swatted my hand away. “Uh uh uh,” he said. “Those are for dessert. This is what’s for lunch.”
Alexander reached into the top oven— I still couldn’t get over that we had a top oven and a bottom oven—and pulled out a large casserole dish. In front of me, he held a gorgeous lasagna, coated with sauce and covered in bubbling cheese. My favorite.
“You’re the sweetest,” I said. The truth was, I felt a bit guilty. Alexander had become so accustomed to making sure I always had my favorites—my favorite meals, my favorite toothpaste brands, my favorite movies. I didn’t want him to ever think I took that for granted. “I feel bad, though. You always worry about my favorites! We can have some of your favorites sometimes, too!”
My handsome husband just smiled. “Your favorites are my favorites, because you’re my favorite.” He carried the lasagna over to the table as I grabbed the bottle he’d prepared for Madeleine and joined him.
“I have one more little surprise for you,” Alexander said. I couldn’t even begin to guess what it was, but I was willing to bet that it wasn’t small, as he’d suggested. In the few months we’d been married, his surprises had entailed everything from a pre-planned spa day to a birthday dinner for me
at one of our favorite restaurants.
“Is that so?” I asked playfully. “You know how much I love surprises.”
Alexander drew in a breath loud enough to make me look up from my plate. “Well, this one is definitely coming out of left field,” he said. “And, if you don’t like it, no need to keep going with it.”
Color me intrigued. What sort of gift did I need to keep going with? Alexander got up from his chair, kissed Madeleine’s forehead, and walked over to the pass-through that connected the kitchen and living room. As he came closer to the table, my eyes were drawn to the neatly-wrapped gift box in his hands.
“I thought we agreed on no anniversary gifts,” I said, flustered.
I was both annoyed at Alexander for breaking our agreement and annoyed with myself for believing him, until he told me that it wasn’t an anniversary present. “This is a ‘just because’ gift,” Alexander explained. “I’d been waiting on it for a while, but it finally came in this week.” He paused. “Go ahead and open it.”
After removing the wrapping paper in a messy pile, I found what appeared to be a clothing box. Maybe it was a sweater from LOFT that I’d been hinting at for my birthday. That was the only guess I could come up with, but the box felt far too light to be any sort of clothing. “What is it?” I asked.
“Keep going,” Alexander said with a laugh.
I pulled the lid off the box to reveal and dark colored folder. Anticipation filling my mind, I flipped open the folder to find a small stack of papers in the right pocket. I struggled to fill my lungs with air as I recognized the logo on the top left corner of the first paper in the stack. Dear Mrs. Preston, We are pleased to inform you that you have been accepted to our institution for the fall semester, in your selected major of Business: Marketing. As a transfer student…
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