“I’m trying.”
“No, you’re not. You think Renee has always been the fixer in your relationship because she has a degree on the wall that says she gets paid to solve people’s problems, but it’s not true. Don’t you know that she depends on you just for breathing? You stole that girl’s heart when she was just sixteen, and I can promise you without a shadow of a doubt that it still beats just for you my friend. And if I was a betting man, I would say it doesn’t work without the matching half.”
“Thank you. I don’t know why I keep putting myself through this. It was a slip, that’s all it was, and I’ve been regretting it ever since.”
“Yeah, but it’s time to let it go for good. Believe me, she has. She needs her husband and best friend back in her life and not just for show. If you are in, then you have to be in all the way because she deserves nothing less.”
Dalton was right, he always is when it comes to me and Renee. He’s been our friend for a long time and one of the few that we both get to vent to without judgment. I wanted to see my wife. I needed her. “Hey, you busy? Good. I’ll be there in twenty minutes.”
I practically sped away from Dalton’s office like a race car driver. I was eager to get to my wife but more importantly to make her night in the best way possible. It just came to me as I was listening to Dalton go on about me and Renee.
I had phoned Alison to make the necessary arrangements I needed to pull off quite the surprise for my girl. She needed this and if I was being honest, I did too.
“Okay, sir, I got it. They will tell me at least two hours but that’s their way of getting it done under an hour and looking for a bonus tip in their payment.”
“Whatever it takes, I just want it all to be ready to go by the time I arrive with Renee.”
“It will be and you have the perfect night for it.”
“Thank you, Alison. I appreciate you dropping everything to make this happen.”
“No problem. I was reminded earlier that you are the boss.”
“About that, I didn’t mean to be so curt with you.”
“I’m sorry, I shouldn’t have overstepped. It’s my job to make sure everything runs smoothly for you but sometimes I can be a little overbearing.”
“Preach, you and me both. Thank you, I’ll wait for your text.”
I parked my Lexus right out in front of Renee’s building and told the valet to keep it close. I wanted to run in, get Renee and begin my night with her. Unfortunately, everyone knows me here and it never fails for at least one or two or more staff members to stop and say hello. I was prepared this time and made a run for the elevator waving at one of the security guards. By the time I reached her floor my body was buzzing. I was so excited to see her.
“Dad! What a great surprise. Chris called and told us you were on your way up.”
“Hello, Emily, I have no time to chat right now. I’m here for your mom. Where is she?”
“She’s in her office and you would be happy to know she’s resting. It’s been a long day and I think she’s worn out.”
“Okay, let me go check on her. I love you and we will catch up soon.”
“Love you. You’re up to something, right?”
“Stay tuned,” I said over my shoulder as I walked down the hall to Renee’s office. When I walked in she was on her sofa with her leg up. “Renee, time to wake up.”
“I remember hearing those same words a while back.”
“Yeah, well I said them every other minute for five days until you did.”
“Thank you for that. So, what’s up?”
“First off, how are you feeling?”
“I’m good. I took it easy and listened to my body when it was tired.”
“Excellent. So, are you up for a little excursion?”
“Depends on what you have in mind.”
“I have many things on my mind but first we need you to get up and off this couch and into my arms. I’ll carry you out of here if I have to, but I need your body pressed up against mine for my next breath.”
“Well, if that’s not incentive I don’t know what is. Let’s go.”
The smile Renee wore on her face was transcendent. She never looked more beautiful. She was carefree and happy, a look and a feeling I never wanted to go away again. We have spent a lifetime together and it has been an amazing one. Yes, I know it has taken a few hits these past few months, but it has also made us stronger and better for it. I guess there truly is a silver lining in every storm cloud.
“Our apartment? You brought us here?” she surprisingly asked as I helped her out of the car.
“It was the closest and highest place I could think of in a short amount of time. Come, you’ll see once we get there. Can you make it? Or do you want me to carry you?”
“You are the most gallantry man on the planet. I don’t want to break your back, I’ll manage.”
I growled at her comment as I lifted her protesting body into my arms. “What did I tell you about putting yourself down? I don’t want to hear that kind of deprecating talk come from your delectable mouth again, do you hear me?”
“Yes,” she answered quietly.
I held my wife in my arms the entire elevator ride up to the top floor. Once I stepped out to our private rooftop garden, she knew exactly what I had re-created for us. She happily squealed in my arms and lovingly kissed me. I placed her down and her eyes scanned the entire roof strewn with twinkling lights and candles encased in glass mason jars where I had a blanket arranged for us.
“Oh, Lawson, it’s wonderful,” she said and then wiped away her tears before I could. She wrapped her arms around my neck and kissed me senseless until I had her lifted off the ground holding her against me. I never wanted to let her go.
“Can you set me down? I need to.”
“Oh, my, your leg?! Are you okay?” I asked as I placed her down on the blanket and pillows.
“Yes, stop worrying. It’s been a long day and the leg is stiff. I need to take my brace off and let it relax and I think this is perfect to do so.” She gestured to the multitude of floor pillows I had all around her.
“Okay, I guess I got carried away. I just wanted to make you comfortable.”
“And, I am. A massage would help loosen up the muscles.”
“Your wish is my command.” I began a slow rhythm massaging her calf and working my way up to her thigh. Her hand stopped me from going any further but I pushed it away and kept going. I knew what she was doing and what she didn’t want me to see but I didn’t care.
“No, Lawson, I’m fine.”
“Baby, it’s just a scar.”
“It’s so much more than that. It’s ugly and I hate when you see it.”
“Stop it right now. I don’t give a flying fuck about your scar. If anything, it’s going to remind me for the rest of my life to treasure every single second I have with you and not take what we have for granted. You are alive because something bigger than the both of us decided your fate and kept you here with me. Please, let me touch you. Let me love you, scars and all.”
With a smile that set my heart on fire, she slowly lay back on the blanket and allowed me to keep massaging her until I reached the inside of her thighs and placed a path of kisses leading up to her soaked sex. It had been a while since we made love with Renee recovering from the accident, I improvised on what I could do to bring her pleasure. We had gotten the all clear from her doctor but still hadn’t made love. Well, that changes tonight.
I loved that she was wearing garters and stockings clipped to her barely-there underwear. It was like unwrapping a Christmas present. Layer by layer, I released her from her bindings and then she was on full display for me to ravage and I did beginning with my mouth. Her hands immediately found my hair and she forcibly tugged at first until lessening her hold. Reaching her first orgasm was effortless. She was already over the edge screaming out my name as waves of pleasure raced through her body. I wasn’t done with her. My explorations of my wife’s body we
re just the beginning. I ripped my shirt off and tossed it to the blanket as she sat up to begin to unbuckle my belt and remove me from my pants. I kissed her and did it myself.
When we were both naked, my body covered hers and we just got lost in the other’s eyes until she reached up and kissed me. “I love you, Lawson, make love to me, please.”
We said nothing more and began to make love under my version of the stars and were surrounded by burning candles just like our love. My heart only burned for my wife, I thought as I picked up the tempo and thrust deeper into her sexy wet pussy. Her one leg was wrapped around my waist as the walls of her vagina tightened around my dick. She was close as her eyes closed. “Baby, open your eyes and stay with mine. I need to see you as you come. Hold on, baby, and try to wait for me.”
“Oh, my god, Lawson, I have to come. This feels so fucking good, damn, I missed this,” she said as I kissed her passionately and commanded her to let go. She did, we did in spectacular fashion. Our bodies were soaked in sweat as we clung to each other.
“Holy shit! Lawson, you sure don’t fuck like you’re fifty.” I laughed before descending to her neck.
“I love you. I love you. I love you. You were magnificent,” I said as I continued to kiss my wife still connected with her.
She contently sighed. “I love you too, now feed me.”
“I just did.”
“Caveman, and you most certainly did.”
“I don’t want to let you go, Renee, but your wish is my command. I pulled out from her body and I couldn’t help but notice how she winced. “Did I hurt you, baby?”
“No, just a little out of practice but nothing to worry about.” We cleaned up and dressed in minimal clothes while we dined on strawberries and champagne. “These are amazing, and the champagne is perfect.”
“I’m glad you are pleased. Do you remember the last time we did this?”
She didn’t answer right away and then the recognition of the memory had come flooding back to her. She leaned over and kissed me. “Yes, Lawson, I remember everything and for you to do this for us just means the world to me.”
PRESENT…
Renee
“Why has it taken us so long to do this? Picnics and lovemaking under the stars should always be on our calendars. New rule,” I said as my husband wrapped his arms around me. I moved as close as I could to his body. I wanted to feel every part of him.
“Thank you for this. I will never forget it. I’m sorry it’s been so long, totally my fault for making feeble excuses putting our time together off. I promise I will not do that again. I’ve turned over a new leaf and I am going to stay true to my new promises. You want to hear them?”
“Yes, I do.” He laughed and kissed my temple.
“Well, it was why I needed to go into the office today. If this accident has taught me anything is life is too short. We all know this but yet still behave as if it’s forever. The accident changed that line of thinking for me. I was scared, really scared that I wasn’t going to wake up and I would die listening to desperate cries and pleas for me to come back to you. When I did wake up and you were there, it was like I had a do-over to right all the wrongs I have made with us. So after careful consideration, I am going to scale back from the practice.”
“Are you sure? Because I don’t want to be the one that holds you back from anything you want to do, especially your work.”
“Oh, Lawson, isn’t that one of our problems that drove you to ask me for a divorce in the first place?”
“No! Renee, I was stupid and behaved so badly that night. All you were trying to do was give me a good night and I broke your heart in the process.”
“No, I accused you of that, but you didn’t. And I didn’t bring this sore subject up to hurt you. You have always given me the room to grow and shine and you never once complained. I would be incredibly selfish if I allowed you to keep doing that for me. My practice has grown by leaps and bounds over the last few years and now with Emily and Gus on board with running the Yoga Wellness Center, I can scale back. I want to do this for us. I’m not giving up my career, but I can take a break once in a while and that break is now.”
“Thank you, baby. I love you so much.”
After our rooftop picnic and another round of lovemaking, I was pretty much toast and in need of sleep. Although I protested and could walk on my own, my husband carried me once again to our waiting car and drove us home.
He massaged my entire body including working overtime on my leg. My entire body was Jell-O and I never slept better. It could have been a combination of things to why that is, but I wasn’t going to overthink it. Lawson and I were in a better place and I was just excited to complete my physical therapy and burn my brace once and for all. I still had a couple of months to go but like me, Lawson also promised to scale back and give our son more responsibility at the helm along with the fieldwork he was doing.
My father in law has been a godsend with his mentoring of Rogan. They are two peas in a pod and practically attached at the hip. I sometimes worry about our son because all he wants to do is work, which is a good thing to a point. He tells me all the time not to worry about his love life or finding the perfect girl for him. He said his little black book suits him just fine for now and he’s happy just dating. Okay, I know when I’m outnumbered but I’m a mom and I just want my kids happy. As for Emily, her wedding is back on and I am giving it my all to be able to dance with Lawson.
“Come on, Renee, one more set and you are done.” said my sadistic trainer standing above me as he placed the bar in my hands.
“Robert, I didn’t injure my arms, it’s the leg that needs the work.”
“For once, stop arguing with me and just do the reps. You are almost there, I promise.”
After I finished working out, he gave me a health assessment of my progress and my leg. “You know you are a pain in the ass, right?”
“Yes, I know. Tell me something I don’t know.”
“I’m clearing you and releasing you from my care.”
“What?!” I shouted, startling the other patients.
“Yes, you heard me. I spoke to Dr. Amsterdam and viewed all your recent scans. We are confident that you can be released and continue on with maintaining exercise on your own. I worked you hard, Renee, but that was the reason to get you back to where you were before the accident. I’m proud of you.”
“I don’t know what to say, Robert,” I hiccuped between my happy tears.
“I think thank you will suffice and stick to your program to continue to gain strength.”
“I will, I promise,” I practically leaped off the table and into his arms to give him the biggest hug I could manage. “Thank you for giving me my life back.”
“It’s my job, and you’re welcome.”
After a rest in the sauna and a shower, I felt ready to take on the world but I decided I needed to celebrate and knew exactly who I wanted to call. Yeah, you’re probably thinking my sexy husband, right? Well, you wouldn’t be wrong but today it’s about Emily. She has been amazing throughout this entire ordeal. She put her wedding on hold for me and worked a million hours at the office while I was away recovering. Now with the wedding only two weeks away, it’s time for the mother of the bride to treat her daughter.
I called her from the car and told her that I would be picking her up, yeah, that is so Lawson. I guess I learned a few things from my over-the-top husband. She was bouncing with excitement when I pulled up in front of the building. Gus was with her.
“Hey, this is girls only.”
“I know mom. I was just keeping her company. Have fun babe,” said Gus, and then he leaned in once more to kiss Emily goodbye.
“Thanks, I will. Love you!” she called out from the window as I pulled away.
“Okay, mom, I’m here, now where are we going?”
“Spa day!” I said as I shifted gears and sped on.
“What’s the occasion? Or do we really need one?”
�
��Today we are celebrating my official release from my sadistic but loveable physical therapist, Robert. I am 100% recovered.”
“Oh, my goodness! That is fantastic but why am I here and not daddy? I would think you would want to go out on the town and celebrate.”
“Oh, we will and there will be plenty of dancing but I’m saving my grand entrance for your wedding young lady. I told you I would not miss my chance of dancing at your wedding.”
“You are amazing, and for the record, I never believed otherwise.”
“Okay, I’m happy you agree. Time for some major pampering.”
With cucumber slices on our eyes and champagne in our hands, both Emily and I were in a blissfully relaxed state. We just had our massages and were currently soaking our feet in lavender waiting on our pedicures. It felt like heaven.
“Mom, can I ask you a personal question?”
I removed the cucumber slices from my eyes and tilted my head over to Emily. “You can ask me anything, you know that.”
“It’s about you and daddy. Do you think my marriage to Gus will be as wonderful as yours is with daddy?” I let out a deep sigh after hearing her question because our Emily was simply a hopeless romantic and always wanted everything to be perfect.
“Em, when I look into your eyes, I can almost see stars dancing in them. You remind me so much of myself when I was a young girl falling in love with your father. My goodness, what did I know at sixteen? Your grandfather hated the fact that I, too, had my head in the clouds when it came to your father, but I fought him at every turn until I broke him down and made him accept my choice.”
“Why did grandpa give you such a hard time?”
“I guess he was just so protective and only wanted the very best for me.”
“And he didn’t think dad was the one?”
“In a way, yes. When your father got deployed overseas, I think a lot of his early reservations for him just shifted from hating to supporting him. A military man is a big deal and Lawson didn’t hesitate to honor his commitment to our country and to me. He promised he would come back and marry me. To give me the future we always talked about when we were lucky enough to have those stolen moments without interruption. Yes, your father was my first and only. My girlfriends back then told me I was crazy for not experiencing multiple boyfriends and the thrill of falling in love over and over again but Emily, I had all I needed with your father.”
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