Zander
Six months later
I never imagined that I’d find the woman who would complete me. Don’t get me wrong, I knew I’d fall in love and settle down, but I didn’t foresee my firebird invading my mind and my heart. Hell, she’s so deeply entrenched in my soul that I can’t imagine my life without her and although we’ve been together for just over eleven months, it feels as if we’ve known each other for years.
We’re very close to Mac and Daniel. Actually, Daniel and I have become great friends. Along with Zach, the three of us meet up once a month for poker and beer, away from girlfriends, fiancés, work and babies. Although, I’m quite partial to those two babies; they’re the perfect mix of Mac and Daniel. They’ve got Daniel’s easy going nature mixed with a little bit of Mac’s crazy. But I swear they’re going to send their parents gray before their time, but it’s fucking funny to watch.
Sam and I stayed partners after my three month review period. We work well together, and slowly but surely, she’s loosening up. I still think there is some big secret she’s hiding, but it’s her business. If she feels the need to share it with me, she knows she can.
Kate and I are still living in our apartment. Mac finally moved her stuff out when they moved into a four bedroom, three bathroom townhouse further out of town. Mac hasn’t returned to work yet as the twins are taking up all of her time, and since she says it’s a ‘one time deal’ and tells anyone who’ll listen that her baby maker has ‘shut up shop,’ I know that she wants to spend as much time with them as possible before returning to work.
As much as we wanted to have the place to ourselves, Mia wanted to move back to Chicago, and Mom and I felt better if she were living with me while she found her feet. She’s just been accepted into a fashion design course which she’s really excited about, and the three of us are hoping to head home at Christmas since Thanksgiving was at Kate’s parents.
But that’s a whole other story.
“Babe, we need to get going if we’re going to make that movie,” I yell out from our living room.
“Coming.”
“That’s what you said half an hour ago.”
“That’s because you had me bent over a stool in the kitchen.”
“You weren’t complaining.”
“I never do,” she says, walking into the hallway looking as beautiful as ever.
Unlike the previous, very short relationships I had in college, I’ve never become complacent with Kate. I’ve never become jaded, felt trapped, or anything like that. It also helps that she’s totally on board with sex in public places. I swear she gets off on the thrill of getting caught more than I do. That’s how I know my plans for tonight are going to blow her mind.
I walk over to her and put my hands on her hips, looking down into her blue eyes which are sparkling with amusement. She reaches up to cup my jaw as I lean my head into her hand.
“Fuck, I love you, Firebird.”
“Love you more, Zan.”
“Not possible.”
“Try me?”
“I will later, for now . . .” I lean down and kiss her forehead, knowing fairly well that if I kiss her lips I’ll scoop her up and go straight back to our bedroom, “we need to get going. 8 p.m. movie showing. We don’t want to miss it.”
“You sure?” she says with a sexy smirk that is always my downfall, except tonight. Tonight I can’t give in because there is too much at stake.
“I’m sure. But you bet your ass that I’m taking that rain check.”
The beauty of this plan of mine is that I let Kate organize our ‘date night’ activities. This whole night has been her idea. As far as she knows, we’re going out for dessert after the movie—that she picked, of course. She found a dessert and cocktail lounge claiming to have Chicago’s best Tiramisu.
Halfway through the movie, an old Western that Kate thought I might enjoy, I get bored and turn to her for entertainment. I start by letting go of her hand that had been resting on top of her skirt, and pretending to tie my shoe up.
Wrapping my fingers gently around her ankle, I slowly trail them up her bare calf, caressing behind her knee, then moving my hand deftly under her denim skirt until I’m teasing the silk of her panties. She parts her legs and I can hear her breathing pick up. “Zan,” she husks out, putting her hand on mine when she thinks I’m taking it away. My little firebird is a hellcat in public, and she’s only getting better.
Turning my body into hers, I move my mouth to her ear. “Tell me what you want, baby girl.” It drives her mad if I call her that when we’re fooling around.
“I want your fingers inside me.” She’s also rather direct about what she wants and that drives me wild.
“With pleasure. Yours, hopefully,” I murmur as I trace the shell of her ear with my tongue. I slip her underwear to the side and run my thumb over her hard clit, making her hips buck up against my hand.
“Easy, baby, you know I’ll make this good for you.”
I cup her pussy, slowly inching one finger inside of her while my thumb continues to circle her clit. She turns her head, and our mouths meet. She thrusts her tongue into my mouth, smoothing it over mine as my free hand wraps around her head, holding her close to me as her moans grow louder.
“Shh,” I hear from the front of the theatre, but I don’t give a fuck right now. I push a second finger into her, and she whimpers as she thrusts her hips against my hand, her tight pussy gripping my fingers forcefully. My dick is throbbing, straining against the zipper of my jeans, but right now I want to feel my firebird come apart on my fingers. I push my thumb a little harder against her, increasing the speed of my fingers as I drive them deeper into her.
“Mmm, oh God,” she whispers as I move my mouth down her neck, leaving a trail of open mouthed kisses in my wake. I feel her muscles tighten, and I slam my mouth against hers to swallow her cries as her climax takes over.
I give a final few lazy strokes before removing my hand, and pushing back her underwear. Bringing my hand to my mouth, I lick my fingers clean which just makes her eyes darken again.
“Fuck, that’s hot,” she whispers, leaning in and laying her head on my shoulder as she tries to slow her erratic breathing.
“You’re hotter, babe. Now let’s watch the rest of this movie.” I wrap my arm around her shoulders and will my hard-on to calm down, until later at least.
When the credits start rolling, I stand up and hold my hand out to her. There’s one more surprise for her tonight, and I hope like hell she likes it.
We walk a few blocks towards our house, toward N.State Street. When we’re a hundred feet away from our destination, I stop and turn to face her. “You trust me, right?”
She looks at me and frowns. “Of course I do. What’s this about, Zan?”
“I need to blindfold you.”
“Why’s that? Seriously, we can’t fool around in the middle of the street.”
I try not to laugh. Her eyes are wide with shock, and I can see her mind ticking over. “Babe, I have a surprise for you, but I need to cover your eyes. I promise I won’t steer you wrong.”
“Okay,” she answers instantly. Fuck, I love this woman, and to think I came this close to fucking this whole thing up. Never going to make that mistake again.
I reach into my pocket and pull out a black blindfold, covering her eyes and tying it off at the back. I make a stupid face in front of her, and when she doesn’t laugh, I know she’s completely in the dark. In more ways than one, it seems.
“Take my arm,” I say. She fumbles for my arm and grips tightly when she finds it. “We’re going to start walking now.”
“You better not be punking me, mister,” she says, a huge smile covering her face.
The closer we get, the faster my heart starts racing. Am I doing the right thing? Too late now, Roberts.
We stop across the street from the historic Chicago Theatre. I look up to the marquee in front of the building and smile. It’s perfect. I had to call in a lot of favors, but it was worth it.
I take a deep breath and turn Kate to face the sign. Standing behind her, I lean down so that my mouth is by her ear.
“I want you to take off the blindfold now and look straight ahead. And remember to breathe.”
I move back and watch her hands come up to her head, dragging the blindfold down and away from her eyes. She stands there motionless for what seems like an eternity, her hand lifting to her mouth in shock. She spins on her heels and stops dead in her tracks when she sees me kneeling on the sidewalk with my arm outstretched, a diamond solitaire engagement ring held out to her.
Her eyes are filled with tears as she nods her head up and down profusely, and my heart stops as I realize my firebird has just agreed to become my wife. She’ll be mine forever.
I stand up and slide the ring onto her left hand finger before she jumps into my arms, wrapping her legs around my hips, our mouths crash together. Clapping and cheers surround us as we continue kissing, neither of us wanting to stop.
Eventually we have to stop, or else things will get graphic and we’ll be up on public indecency charges. Without putting her down, I turn to look at the marquee again. Smiling at the sign that just made my life complete.
“Katelyn Marie McGuiness, Be my princess. My life. My wife. Marry me?”