48

Of course they went out Friday. And Saturday.
Coffee breaks at work turned into lunch together every day. Dates began to occur in midweek in addition to the weekend. They spent almost every spare moment they had in his small apartment.
The touching, kissing, and cuddling continued to escalate. This went on for about four months and both were getting sexually frustrated, especially for Pam. Will would almost get carried away, then pull back at the last minute.
After a particularly intense session of kissing and fondling Pam thought it was finally going to happen only to have Will disengage. Her temper flared just a bit.
“Damn it Will, when are you going to make love to me? What’s holding you back?”
It caught him by surprise and he blurted out.
“I wanted it to be special for us. It was supposed to happen right after we got engaged.”
He realized what he was saying too late to stop it.
She sat upright on the couch and spoke so softly he almost didn’t hear her.
“You want to marry me?”
IN for a dime, in for a dollar, as his grandfather used to say. Time to commit.
“More than anything else in the world.”
Her eyes were huge.
“When were you going to ask me?”
“In about three months. I wanted you to know how much I loved you by holding out until then.”
“Where and how were you going to ask me?”
“I was going to do it here, where we’re alone together most often. I didn’t want to do it in front of an audience, I think it should be the most private and intimate discussion a couple in love should ever have.”
Although she was trying to control it, tears were starting to flow.
“Do it”, she demanded.
“Do what?” he was confused.
She held his face in her hands.
“Propose to me. Pretend it’s three months later.
How would you do it?”
He looked at her long and hard, then slid off the couch until he was on both knees in front of her.
He took both her hands in his, and looked her in the eyes with the most serious expression she had ever seen on his face.
“Pamela Maria Vincent, I love you. I think I loved you from the moment we met. I want to grow old with you , to never leave your side. I want our children to bask in the glow of our love. I want our friends to envy the joy we have. I want to love you to the best of my ability until I take my last breath on this earth. Pam, will you marry me?”
The tears were flowing steadily now, accompanied by huge, wracking sobs. Overcome, she fled into the bathroom.
‘That dear, kind man’ she thought. ‘He didn’t promise me eternal love, or forever and ever love. He promised to love me with all his heart until death robbed him of the chance to continue.
What woman could ask for more’.
She composed herself and came back into the living room. Surprisingly he was still on his knees in front of the couch. She felt a touch of panic, maybe he thought she was rejecting him. Getting on her knees and nuzzled his neck.
“Show me.”
She was almost whispering.
He roused just a bit.
“What?”
She slipped around to face him.
“Pretend it’s three months later. I’ve just screamed ‘YES’ at the top of my lungs. Show me how you would love me.”
She leaned back and slipped her top over her head.
Her bra was black and lacy, the panties matched he discovered later. She put his hands on her breasts.
“Please, my future husband, future life mate, future father of our babies, please, show me how you would love me.”
She held his face in her hands.
The kisses were slow and passionate at first, but escalated quickly. She was more beautiful nude than dressed, and he didn’t believe that was possible. He worshipped her body, even as he was rough and demanding. She reciprocated, touching every part of his body she could reach. They would have decades to continue, but the now, the first time ever, nothing would ever surpass it.
……………………..
Three months later to the day he proposed. Six months after that they married. Both were good with money, Will from good training by his parents, Pam from the mistakes of her first marriage.
Two years later they bought a nice house in a nice neighborhood. A year later their first child, a girl, was born. Twenty three months
later their son arrived.
They had a good life. They argued over simple things, but never carried grudges. Both had the same version for the future and that sustained them.
They were friendly, outgoing people, quickly establishing life long friends with many of the neighbors. They socialized, having the odd party or cookout, and attended many others.
It was at a cookout at the house of their friends Sam and Sarah that Pam got a glimpse of the temper Will kept hidden. The party started before dark and continued into the night. A set of new neighbors had been invited. Neither seemed to fit in. Tony was loud, and considered himself to be a gift to women. Lisa was jealous and had an acid tongue, Making it known she was watching all the wives because they were just like every other woman in town, lusting for Tony.
Tony closed in on Pam, probably because she was the best looking woman there. He proceeded to brag about his accumulated wealth, his sports
prowess, and indirectly, his sexual skills. Pam looked bored to tears. Finally she excused her self and left him standing alone. That seemed to challenge him because he kept following her around. Will had enough. He was going to politely collect Pam and start making their goodbyes before a confrontation developed but he never got the chance.
Sarah had banana trees planted all around the pool, creating a mini jungle. He was looking for Pam when he heard something that sounded like a pistol shot followed by a scream.
“You bastard!”
Pam came around the tree looking extremely agitated, followed by a blustering Tony.
He pulled up when he saw me and heard Pam asking to be taken home. He looked over with a smirk.
Will shocked everyone at the party when he made a loud announcement.
“We’ll be staying just a bit, but join me in wishing Tony and Lisa goodnight.
“I’m not ready to stop partying yet!”
Tony said belligerently.
“The hand print on your face says you are.
She’s my wife, so think before you speak.”
The tone of his voice, as well as the look in his eyes made Tony suddenly realize he had an early tea time. He made thier goodbyes to the host and left quickly.
Sam came over and stood beside Will.
“Thanks.”
Will looked over.
“Thanks for what?”
“For holding your temper. I’ve never seen the term ‘murder in his eyes’ actually occur until now. I don’t think I want Tony back in my house.”
“Good idea, next time it could be another husband, or a wife with too much to drink falling for his lines. Then it would get ugly. Its’ been an interesting night. I think I’ll walk my wonderful wife home and get in a little snuggling before I go to sleep.”
As they walked home Pam thanked him.
“For what?”
“For defending my honor.”
I think the hand print on his face meant I didn’t need to defend you.”
“I meant for later on. It could have gotten ugly
if you hadn’t spoken up. Even without raising your hand or your voice you scared him into going home.”
She held his hand the rest of the way home.
…………………….
The years passed quickly. The kids grew up, went off to college and then to their own lives. Both married, the daughter moving with her husband half way across the country, the son half way across town.
They moved up in their careers. He became plant manager, she ran the accounts receivables department. Life was good, right up to the present.