I was getting ready in the mirror for my dinner with Paige. I could hear Blithe giggling above us as my father chased her around.
They had been in that playroom all day, sliding into the ball pit and drawing pictures on the walls. I gave Paige the space to do whatever she wanted for the day, and then she kicked me out so she could get ready. I loved it when she did that.
She wanted to get dolled up for me and surprise me with it. The anticipation of seeing her again got me so riled up. She could come out in a trash bag with hay in her hair, and I would still tackle her to the bed.
But the little number she stepped out in was beautiful.
She was in a form-fitting, crimson-red dress with black heels. She had her hair piled high on top of her head and earrings that dangled from her ears. She had sparse makeup on, but her lips were covered in this luscious tone of red that could only be described as a color I wanted on my cock later.
She left me speechless.
“How do I look?” she asked.
“Like my dessert,” I said.
She giggled as she slipped her arm within mine. Then we started for the stairs to head for the car.
“The two of you have fun!” my father called.
“Love you!” Blithe shouted.
The smile on Paige’s face lit up her eyes as I escorted her out of the house.
“Where are we going?” she asked.
“A place I figured you would like,” I said.
“There isn’t a Dick’s up here is there?” she asked, grinning.
“Hell no. In an outfit like that, I’m sure as hell not taking you to a place like that.”
“So, it’s a surprise?” she asked.
“Yep. Now sit back, relax, and enjoy the ride.”
My father let me borrow one of his cars for our evening out. It was a Lamborghini. The red of the car matched Paige’s dress, and I smiled as she squealed with delight when she saw our hot wheels.
I zoomed the car out of the driveway, and we cruised down the road, heading into the middle of Seattle. Now that my dad and I had patched things up, I didn’t hate the city so fucking much. But I couldn’t say I loved it, either. I’d always remain a mountain man at heart.
The car rumbled underneath us as Paige held my hand, her thumb stroking my skin like she had the very first time we met. At first, I thought she did it to soothe me and help me calm myself. I eventually came to find that she did it to soothe herself.
“You okay, baby?” I asked.
“Yeah, we’re just in an area with a lot of expensive restaurants,” she said.
“Paige, look at me.”
Her worried stare met my gaze as we sat at a stoplight.
“I’ve got the money for tonight,” I said. “I’m taking you out, and I’m treating you well, just like you deserve.”
She nodded, but I could still see the worry bubbling behind her stare. We pulled up into a restaurant that had valet parking, and I could feel Paige’s hand trembling in mine.
It killed me that she wasn’t enjoying this. That she couldn’t just take it all in. I knew her mind was crunching numbers, and I knew she was itching to look at our bank account.
I couldn’t even treat my wife to a fucking evening out without being a failure at it.
I led her into the restaurant, and they sat us at a table. The tablecloth went all the way to the floor, covering our legs from the world. I slid my foot toward her and slowly ran it up her leg. Her cheeks blushed while she looked at the menu.
“Zach,” she said. “Aren’t you going to look at your menu?”
“I’m looking at what I want right now,” I said.
“You’re insatiable, you know that?”
“And you love it.”
Her eyes fluttered toward mine above her menu, and she finally placed it onto the table. Our waitress came by and took our drink orders, then left without a sound. The restaurant had a softer atmosphere than the places we usually frequented. The shadows that played off Paige’s face somehow made her more beautiful than she already looked. I was mesmerized by her. Truly and unabashedly mesmerized.
“Zach, I need to tell you something,” she said.
“What is it?” I asked.
She paused. The tremble in her hand came back.
I promptly sat up in my seat. “How about this? I have something I have to tell you, too. So on the count of three, we blurt it out together.”
She grinned, confused. “What?”
“On three,” I said.
“Wait, wait. Zach. That’s insane.”
“One.”
“Zach.”
“Two.”
“Your father gave me money for Blithe’s medicine and for the gas for this trip.” Tears welled in her eyes.
“I, uh, I said on three, didn’t I?” I asked.
“Zach, I’m so sorry. Please don’t be upset. Blithe was sick, and I panicked, and my card got declined because I deposited something wrong at the bank. It was just fifteen dollars. That was all. And the gas? It’s only like eighty bucks? I told him I was going to pay him back. I’ve got two paintings who have interested buyers and—”
“Paige, stop,” I said gently. “I need you to take a breath.”
I reached over and swiped at the tear rushing down her cheek.
She inhaled deeply and let out a slow, shaky breath. “I know how you feel about charity like that, and I know our money situation has been tough lately. Blithe was sick, and I knew we all needed this trip to your father’s. A few days to just get away from all the worry and the stress and the sleepless nights.”
“You haven’t been sleeping?” I asked.
Her eyes slowly rose to mine, and I really looked at her for the first time in weeks. I saw the slight bags underneath her eyes and the way her cheeks were a little paler. There were crow’s feet at the edges of her eyes that I never remembered seeing before, and I knew what I had to do.
My girls deserved the best, no matter how I got it for them.
“You know I just want to see you happy, right?” I asked.
“I know,” she said, sniffling.
“And you know that I would do anything to give you what I felt you deserved, right?” I asked. “You’ve given me so much of yourself. And you’ve given it to Blithe too— adopting her like you’re doing. It’s only fair that I give everything I can to you, and her too.”
“Yeah. I know, Zach. Blithe and I both know.”
“My father wants to give us a house.”
Shock rolled over her face, and she slowly released my hands. “What?” she asked flatly.
I chuckled. “I know. That was my reaction, too.”
“That’s crazy.”
“Remember the conversation I was having in the hallway with him our first night there? The one you interrupted in nothing but a towel?”
“Yeah. Sorry. I was kind of tired and done with waiting for you to come inside.”
“It’s fine,” I said. “But that’s what he was dropping in my lap. He wants to buy us a house as a wedding gift.”
“But he paid for the wedding.”
“I told him that. He didn’t care. He said it was our money.”
“Well, I guess it is. But, you never seem to want to take it. Do you think he’s offering all these things just to have something to hold over your head?” she asked.
“I actually don’t think so,” I said. “I think he genuinely wants to do this. And I have to admit, I’m still a little weird about it. I wanted us to work toward something like that, you know? I’m proud of our little townhome. And part of me is afraid I’ll never be able to trust my father, so I don’t want to rely on his money.”
“I love our house too, but we’re going to outgrow it. Blithe’ll get bigger, and what happens if we get pregnant?”
The question completely derailed my train of thought. “Pregnant?”
“No,” she said, laughing. “Holy hell, I’m not pregnant now. But what if we do decide we want another child? You know, a sibling for Blithe? We’ve talked about it before?”
“I know. And I would love to, ideally. It’s just that, reality isn’t as pretty as fantasy. We wouldn’t have enough room,” I said
“Exactly.”
“So, I take it you like the idea?” I asked. “Of letting him buy us a bigger house? Or perhaps taking more of his money to do it on our own?”
“More of your money,” she corrected me. “It’s already yours; he’s given it to you but you just won’t take it.”
“More of our money,” I corrected her. “Because what’s mine is yours. And it seems you want more of our money, which makes sense.”
“I think it’s a really good idea, yes,” she said, smiling. “But I can tell you’re still apprehensive about it.”
“I’m just waiting for that moment, you know? That moment where all this stuff becomes leverage for the old man.”
“How long does he have to be in our lives for him to prove to you he’s changed?” she asked.
“Paige, I don’t know if I’m ever gonna fully trust him again.”
“You just left your daughter with him,” she said.
“I don’t know how to explain it, okay? I’m sorry.”
She took my hand. “Look. We’ve got time to think about this. I mean, he hasn’t just gone out and purchased something already, right?”
“No. I don’t think so,” I said. “Fuck. Would he do that?”
“The point is, I’ll live with you anywhere. I’ll struggle with you however we need to in order to provide for Blithe. And if we can never afford to have another child, then so be it. I love you, Zach. Not the life you can give me, or the life you feel you’re not giving me but could. Do you hear me when I say that?”
I nodded before I brought her hands up to my lips to kiss.
“If it doesn’t make you feel comfortable to take the house or get more of your inheritance money, then don’t take it,” she said. “We’ll find a way to make things work.”
“Okay,” I said. “I’ll give it some thought. And I’ll definitely take your concerns into consideration because it really is your money too. We’re a family.”
We ordered our food and took our time savoring it. Just being alone and in her presence was enough for me. We didn’t have to fill the silence with mindless conversation or philosophical arguments.
I watched her lips wrap around her fork and leave behind little trails of red. I watched her throat expand and contract with every swallow she took. I watched how her lips wrapped around the edge of her wine glass as her eyes fluttered over toward my gaze.
I couldn’t stand being in this restaurant with her any longer. I needed to have her.
I paid the check while trying not to grimace at the total before I took Paige’s hand. I led her back to the car, my hand slowly trailing up her leg the entire time. I could feel her shifting herself downwards, her pussy searching for the friction she wanted as I traced designs on the inside of her thigh.
She was panting by the time we got back to the house, and I carried her up the steps cradled in my arms.
I sat her on the edge of the bed and looked down upon her. I tilted her gaze up to mine and caught her sparkling green eyes. She smiled up at me as her hands quickly worked my belt off. Then she fiddled with the button of my pants as my thumb stroked her cheek.
“I am so in love with you,” I said.
Paige slid to her knees and pulled my pants down, springing my cock free for her taking.
“I could never spend my life with anyone else,” she said.
Then, with our eyes connected and her hands digging into my ass, she took my dick slowly into the warmth of her mouth.