The Swear Jar

  “I didn’t know the place was so big. I can see why Mike likes to come here. It’s like a small hotel,” he whistled.

  The front door opened to a large living room. The living room led to a dining room and an eat-in kitchen. Beyond the kitchen was a master suite with a full bathroom. They ventured upstairs to the second floor. There were three comfortable bedrooms and a full bathroom. They climbed the stairs to the third floor. He opened the door, letting her enter first. The sunlight-filled master suite spanned the entire third floor. The king-sized bed looked inviting with soft, comfortable white bedclothes. The front windows had an ocean view. The back windows had a view of the cottage, the pool and hot tub. Lush green grass surrounded the patio and outdoor grill.

  “Duncan, did you see this?” She pointed out the window.

  He leaned past her to look. He was impressed. He stepped back and brought her to the center of the room.

  “Remember, no expectations. What room do you want? You get first choice. Then I’ll pick,” he said.

  The butterflies in her stomach fluttered. She bowed her head. He raised her chin. If she looked into his eyes, he knew she would speak what was in her heart.

  She whispered, “I want the same room as you.”

  “What if I choose a bedroom with twin beds?”

  “Then I’ll sneak into bed with you and cuddle up.”

  “If we share a twin bed, you’ll fall out. We need a bigger bed.” He put his arms around her waist.

  She giggled. “You choose.”

  “Let’s start at the top and work our way down. If we do share a bed, there’ll be expectations.”

  Squirming, her face clouded. “Really?”

  He held her tight. “I’ll expect some cuddling, blanket snatching and some snoring. The last, mostly on my part. Deal?”

  “Deal.”

  He kissed her. “Let’s get our bags and bring in the food. March!”

  As she walked by, he couldn’t resist. He slapped her buttocks.

  Laughing, she whirled around. “Yes, sir!”

  They spent the next hour unpacking. They carried the coolers into the kitchen and he brought their bags up to the bedroom. When he returned to the kitchen, they were amazed at the amount of food Diana packed.

  “Maybe she thought you were kidnapping me for a month?” she grinned.

  “It crossed my mind. I have a lot of unused vacation time.” He nuzzled her neck. “Where’s all this stuff going?”

  “I’ll find room. Diana thought of everything. She packed charcoal and lighter fluid. I hope you can grill because I can’t.”

  “Then you’re in luck, I’m an excellent grill master.”

  “We’d have to eat five times a day to put a dent in this stuff. She even packed my homemade noodle and potato salad. She’s trying to say my food is terrible.”

  “I’ll be the judge of that. Remind me to look up the nearest hospital, just in case.”

  She slapped his chest. “Very funny.”

  They headed upstairs to unpack. They shared a large dresser with six drawers. He unpacked Mike’s book and placed it on the nightstand on his side of the bed. She placed her slippers on the floor on the other side of the bed. Laughing, their choice of bed sides mirrored Duncan’s bedroom at home.

  “Habit or comfort?” he asked.

  “A little of both?” she responded shyly.

  He had toiletries for the bathroom. He placed the items on a corner of the bathroom counter. She followed behind with her toiletries. She looked puzzled.

  “Why did you shove your stuff into the corner? Have they been banished to Siberia? There’s a whole counter. We can share.” Meara frowned.

  “I was expecting a multitude of feminine products to take over the space.” Duncan shrugged.

  Frowning, she stood with her hands on her hips. She was silent.

  “I’m mistaken. I was thinking of a typical woman. You’re not in any way, shape or form a typical woman. You’re extremely loving, kind, and willing to share. You don’t need any feminine products to look this beautiful, ever.” He gestured towards her with open hands.

  She was mollified for the moment. She placed her things on the counter, leaving plenty of space for him.

  He pointed to an item. “I haven’t seen one of those in a long time.”

  “Those, sir, are my birth control pills. I’m not convinced I need them, but I’m on them.”

  “You don’t need them because you want me to use protection or you aren’t planning on being intimate anymore?”

  “Oh, no Duncan! I want to. I don’t want you to have to use, you know. I’m not convinced I could get pregnant. I’m a little old for that.”

  “Have you gone through menopause? I love you, so I think I can be blunt.”

  “I’m fine with blunt. No, I haven’t gone through menopause.”

  “Have you ever been pregnant? Or tried to get pregnant?”

  “No and no.”

  “There’s always a chance. If you aren’t comfortable being on the pill, tell me. I can get protection.”

  “No. I’ve never been comfortable with condoms. I know men sometimes don’t like them.”

  “I’ll do whatever makes you happy, but I confess I’m one of those men.”

  “Then it’s settled. What do we do now?”

  “What do you want to do?”

  “The pool is calling my name. And we haven’t seen the backyard yet.”

  “We should have a pool party. Why don’t we change into our swimsuits and we’ll head out there?”

  “Change? Here? In front of you?”

  “Meara, you have to stop being so shy. I’ve seen you naked. I’ll ogle you a little, but I promised no expectations. If you want to change in the bathroom, go ahead.”

  “No, you’re right. I can’t promise I won’t sneak a peek at you either. You promised to behave, I didn’t.” She giggled, taking her swimsuit out of the dresser drawer.

  He froze. “That’s true. You never promised. Only I did. Now I’m nervous. Maybe I’ll go change in the bathroom.”

  “What was it you had me do? Oh, yes, close your eyes. If you’re quick, it’ll all be over before I start to drool.” She took off her shirt.

  He didn’t move. “My eyes are stuck open.”

  “Get your suit on or I’ll start the party without you.” She growled.

  He exhaled deeply, getting out his swimsuit. He took off his shirt, shoes and socks. He faced away from her to pull off his jeans and underwear. While his back was turned, she stripped and quickly put on her swimsuit. He pulled his swimsuit up. She got a good look at his buttocks and gave a low whistle. Grinning, he turned around.

  “What do you think?” He turned in a circle so she could see his black swimsuit and naked legs.

  “Sexy legs! I love your feet. They’re very cute. I guess I should give you a look. Don’t laugh,” she grimaced.

  She had on a deep blue, one piece bathing suit with a skirt that twirled when she moved. It hugged the right places and covered what she wanted to hide. To his delight, it pushed up her breasts. He fought the urge to grab her and stuff his nose in her cleavage.

  “Who’s laughing? If I take one step closer to you, I’ll break my promise about no expectations. Can we amend that right now?”

  “We’ll renegotiate in the pool.”

  “Grab your towel and flip flops, woman. I don’t know how much longer I can last!”

  Laughing, she picked up her towel. He grabbed her hand and led her downstairs. On the back porch, they stood in amazement. It was private, quiet, and green oasis. On the patio, a grill, large table with an umbrella, and several comfortable lounge chairs were invitingly arranged. The pool and hot tub were surrounded by grass and pebbles. A path led to the cottage, a miniature version of the house. They followed the winding path to the front door. The door was locked.

  “I’ll look for the key later. Mike said something about a key box,” he said.

  She pointed to the side o
f the house. “What’s that?”

  “That must be the outdoor shower. I was expecting a shower head with some walls around it. That’s an entire room. Let’s check it out.”

  Chapter Twenty-Six

  Opening the door, Duncan and Meara peeked inside to see an enclosed private shower room. The far wall held two large rain shower heads, towel bars, soap shelves and exercise steps. The floor and walls were tiled. Two of the walls had decorative stone shelves at random intervals. These shelves held candles. It was a practical, but romantic, setting.

  “I can see why Mike put in this extra shower. I’m impressed. What do you suppose those exercise steps are for?” she asked.

  “To adjust the water and shower head position? The candles are a nice touch,” he murmured into her ear, wrapping his arms around her waist.

  She eased back into his arms. “Want to check out the pool?”

  “Yes. Time to renegotiate.” He nuzzled her neck.

  “First one into the pool leads the negotiating!” she cried as she ran.

  She dipped a toe in to see if it was cold. Crossing the yard, he leaped into the pool. She entered the pool, slowly making her way over to him. He surfaced and swam towards her. He gathered her into his arms while she wrapped her legs around his waist.

  “You win!” she said. “Have I thanked you for doing this?”

  “Not officially, but since I’m the head of negotiations now, we’ll rectify it immediately.”

  “Thank you, Duncan.” She kissed him.

  Walking deeper into the pool, he pressed her up against the wall. “Now I’ve got you.”

  She giggled. “I could fight you, but I’m being humble and grateful. I’m having a wonderful time.”

  “We’re just getting started. Later, we’ll go for a walk on the beach. We’ll cook dinner. There will be other forms of entertainment, but we’ll play that by ear. How’s the negotiating going so far?”

  “No complaints. Are you going to keep me pinned to this wall until I prune, or are you going to let me swim?”

  “Good question. What do you have to sweeten the deal?”

  Adjusting her hips and tightening her grip around his waist, she breathed into his ear. “What do you want?”

  Aroused, he pressed her harder against the wall. “You’re lucky it’s the middle of the afternoon. I would take off your swimsuit and show you what I want.”

  She inhaled sharply. “How about we play a game of Marco Polo? Chasing each other around can be exciting.”

  “I don’t need to be excited, but if you want me to chase you, I’ll do it. What can I do to you if I catch you?”

  “Do to me? Not with me?”

  “Semantics. You’re trying to distract me. What do I get if I catch you?”

  “We’ll never know because you won’t catch me.”

  “But if I catch you, you’re mine.”

  “I’m already yours.”

  “Then why are we playing?”

  “Because it is fun and I want to have fun with you. I want to be chased.” She smirked.

  “All right, Lady Meara. I’ll let you go and we’ll play Marco Polo. I’ll chase you, but when I catch you, we’re going to have a different kind of fun.”

  He let her go. She drifted to the other side of the pool. He closed his eyes and called Marco. She lowered herself into the water as she said Polo very quietly. He made a lunge for her, but she was already out of arm’s reach. This wasn’t going to be easy. He concentrated on her movements. She didn’t like the deep end of the pool. He made a move, forcing her into the deep end.

  She treaded water. She held onto the side of the pool, waiting for him to call again. When he did, she called back and pushed off the wall to propel herself past him. He was quicker this time. With his eyes firmly closed, he grabbed her foot and pulled her towards him. He saw she was still under water and struggling. He lifted her up.

  “I win,” he said triumphantly.

  She coughed out water and giggled. He walked to the side of the pool and pressed her against the wall. Kissing her, he massaged her buttocks. Shifting her hips, she found he was aroused. He kissed her again and their tongues met. He snaked his thumbs under her shoulder straps, pulling them down to the top of her breasts.

  “You have two choices. Here in the pool or up in the bedroom. Think quickly. You don’t have much time.” He whispered.

  Gasping, she was breathing heavily as he rolled his hips towards her. “Bedroom.”

  “Let’s go,” he said.

  He walked with her around his waist until they got to the pool entrance. He led her out of the pool, following the path. He saw the outdoor shower and on impulse, he led her inside. He turned on both shower heads. She stood under the water. It felt like soft rain against her skin. He put his head under the water, but it did nothing to lessen the passion he was feeling. He had the urge to take her swimsuit off. He moved until he was standing right behind her. He hooked his fingers under her shoulder straps. She jumped, but didn’t pull away.

  He lowered her swimsuit off her body and made her step out if it. He hung it on a hook by the door. He came back to her, seeing her smooth, round buttocks. The water fell over her hair and ran down her back. He groaned. He pulled off his suit and tossed it into a corner. Standing behind her, he reached for the bar of soap. He held it under the water and lathered it up. He gave her the soap and ran the lather over her breasts. He pressed against her buttocks. He ran his thumbs over her nipples and pinched them. She was panting.

  He took the soap and lathered his hands again. This time, he bent her forward and ran his hands over her back and buttocks. He massaged her and she moaned. She leaned back against him. He lathered his hands for a third time. He ran them over her belly and down between her legs. He rubbed the soft mound roughly. She felt him pressing against her. They weren’t going make it to the bedroom. They were both out of control. She didn’t want him to stop.

  “What do you want me to do, Meara?” he asked, groaning in her ear.

  She placed his hands on her buttocks, rubbing them. He didn’t understand. He was losing control.

  “Meara, what do you want me to do?” he pleaded.

  She reached around and stroked him insistently. “Take me.”

  “What?” he asked, confused.

  “Do me,” she moaned.

  He sucked air into his lungs. She wanted him to enter her from behind. Relief flooded over him.

  “You want me to fuck you.” Shocked to say it aloud, he wanted it very badly.

  “Oh, Duncan, yes. Yes. Fuck me please. Now.” She nodded her head.

  She stood on one of the exercise steps. She bent over and pulled him closer. She held onto the towel bar. He thrust forward into her. She moaned and pushed back against him. He held onto her hips, as he thrust faster and faster. Her panting grew louder. He grunted a few times, his excitement building. She covered her mouth. She was trying not to cry out. He pushed her hand away from her mouth.

  “Say it, Meara,” he groaned.

  He gripped her hips and thrust hard against her buttocks. Her breasts bounced against her chest.

  “Oh, Duncan, harder. Harder. Please,” she cried out. “Harder.”

  He needed no further encouragement. He slammed her buttocks repeatedly. Her breathing came in hitches. Her body rocked as an orgasm hit her. She gripped the towel bar and let out a shriek that ended in a growl. He held her still as his orgasm washed over him. He turned her around and kissed her. She put her head against his chest. The water gently rained down on them. Their breathing slowed. Looking down, he became alarmed. He shut off the water and held onto her arm.

  “Are you all right? You’re bleeding.” He was visibly upset, afraid he had hurt her. “Why are you bleeding?”

  She looked at the water draining away. It was slightly tinged with red. She was a little sore, but not in any pain.

  “I’m okay, Duncan. This happens sometimes. I’m fine. I’m more worried about the neighbors calling the poli
ce. I’m sorry I was so loud.”

  “You weren’t that loud. It’s the middle of the afternoon. I don’t think anyone is around. Let’s get you inside and dried off. You should lie down. Did I hurt you? Why didn’t you tell me to stop? Sweetheart, I’m so sorry.”

  “Duncan, I’m fine.” She cupped his cheek. “We both wanted it. I didn’t want you to stop and it didn’t hurt. It’s possible the water made my skin sensitive. Let’s not turn something incredibly wonderful into something negative. Agreed?”

  “Agreed.”

  He put on his swimsuit while she took hers down from the hook. She covered herself. He held up his hand and went outside. He returned with her beach towel and wrapped it around her. He put his arm around her shoulders and led her into the house. He took her upstairs and waited for her outside the bathroom. He paced back and forth. He fought the urge to knock. She came out wearing comfortable clothes. She put her arms around his waist.

  “The bleeding stopped. It’s just a little red and raw. I was right about the shower water. I put some cream on it. I’ll be fine. Please stop worrying.”

  “Did it hurt while we were doing it? Why didn’t you stop me? Will it happen again?”

  “I didn’t notice while we were doing it. We were a little preoccupied. There was no reason to stop you. I don’t know if it’ll happen again. If we use lubricant, it shouldn’t.”

  “Do you have any?”

  “No. I haven’t had much use for it.” She shyly buried her face in his chest. “You should get out of this wet suit.”

  “You get into bed and I’ll change.”

  Meara pulled down the covers. “This bed is so soft and comfortable. And I get a show to go with it. Lucky me.”

  Duncan rolled his eyes. He gathered a new set of clothes. He waved to her and headed for the bathroom. She grumbled.

  “Not fair,” she said, sticking out her tongue at him.

  She pulled the covers around her and curled up with several pillows. She fought to stay awake until he returned. It had been a fantastic afternoon and the excitement was catching up with her. He came out, tiptoeing to his side of the bed. Slipping under the blanket, he agreed with her, the bed was extremely comfortable. He slid in behind her and pulled her close. She twisted around to face him. She was breathing deeply and she cuddled into him. She pressed her face against his chest and held her folded left index finger against her lips. This was the second time she had done this. He made a note to ask her about it.