Second Chance Ch. 03

Tim shook his head, knowing that there was no way to explain to her what he was thinking. He barely understood it himself, but it didn't matter. He was truly happy for the first time since college. In fact, he was much happier. Now he had the respect of his peers and the financial means to do what he wanted. Having Donna in his life made it perfect.

They left for the restaurant an hour early. He told Donna it was because he promised to stop and pick up Pete's watch at the jewelry store since it was on the way. Tim had given her the receipt to hold, telling her it was because they both knew how forgetful he could be about that kind of thing.

The car pulled up in front of the business. Donna turned and said, "Honey, the sign says closed. I hope Pete won't be upset."

Tim shrugged my shoulders, "Well, let me go check to see if anyone's still inside." He got out and ran to the front door, peering through the glass for some sign of employees. When he saw movement inside, he banged on the glass. A pleasant looking middle-aged man opened the door and they spoke briefly before Tim turned and waved for Donna to bring the receipt. She got out and hurried to the door, which the man held open for them both.

The man walked back behind the counter and turned to wait. Donna started to walk toward him, but Tim caught her arm. She gave him a puzzled look, which brought a smile to his lips.

So far, so good, he thought.

"Donna," Tim said, with a serious tone, "I want to tell you how much I love you."

She smiled and blushed, "Tim, I love you too, but we need to get going or we're going to be late."

"No we're not." Her expression showed a mixture of confusion and annoyance, so he knew it was time to stop teasing her.

"Sweetheart, the last eight months have been more wonderful than I thought was possible. When you showed up at my door, I couldn't have imagined my life was going to change so much, so fast." He got down on one knee and saw a tear wind down her face.

"I love you and want to spend the rest of my life with you. Would you marry me?" Tim held his breath because they hadn't talked about marriage a single time, so he wasn't entirely confident what her response would be.

Donna was quiet for a minute, just staring at him with her lips trembling, tears now streaming down her face unrestrained. "Yes," she said finally, "I'd be so happy to marry you!"

Tim stood and took her into his arms, kissing her with abandon. She tilted her head from side to side, leaving kisses across his lips, cheek, then finally burying her face against his neck. He squeezed her so tightly that it brought a whine of protest.

Finally, she pulled back. "I've been waiting so long for you to say that. I love you, Tim." Then she leaned her head against his chest, and sobbed quietly.

After holding her for a minute, he turned his attention to the salesman. He knew they had to hurry. The man hadn't said how much longer he could stay. Tim had only paid him until seven. The idea came from a popular movie he'd seen.

He let her go and stepped away. "Donna," he said proudly, "choose," waving his hand at the rings on display.

She looked around in wonder at the beautiful rings in the shop for several seconds while Tim held his breath in anticipation. Finally, she looked at the salesman and said, "I'm sorry sir, but the ring I want isn't here."

He tried to assure her that he would be able to order any design she wanted, or even custom-make something, but she shook her head and turned back to her new fiancée.

"My ring is at your house Tim. You bought it for me five years ago and it was my fault that I've had to live without it this long. I won't wear any other one."

Tim blinked back tears as her words moved him more than he thought possible. Even though that ring had held such bad memories, he hadn't been able to part with it because it also represented something else; a hope for the future that seemed like a childish dream. He had never considered the possibility that she'd want it over anything she could choose. Knowing that she did, touched him more deeply than he thought possible.

"I wish there was some way to tell you how much I love you."

"There is," she said smiling. "Take me home and get me my ring so I can show Pete and Trisha." She leaned forward and kissed him again, then they walked to the door. He turned and shrugged an apology toward the salesman, glad that he insisted he pay the man in advance instead of just depending on the commission the jeweler was planning to earn.

They drove the ten minutes to the house in silence, Donna snuggled against his arm. Tim wanted to say something, anything, but couldn't seem to find words to express his feelings. There were times when he really did still feel like the awkward geek from high school.

While she waited in the living room, Tim ran upstairs two at a time to reach the bedroom. The ring was in the drawer where he always had kept it, even after Donna had found it. Although he couldn't explain why, there was a superstition about it staying in the same place that felt important to him. He grabbed it, paused for just a second to glance at it one more time, then hurried back down the stairs.

When he reached the bottom, Donna was waiting. Tim could see her trembling. She looked so fragile and innocent he wanted to hold that memory forever.

"If you don't mind, I'd like to do this all over again," he asked, worried she would think it was a little silly.

She gave him an understanding nod. "I was going to ask if you'd do it anyway."

Tim got down on one knee again and repeated the proposal. When she said yes, the emotions felt every bit as strong as before for them both. He opened the box and put the ring on her finger, having to steady her hand. He rose and kissed her passionately then stepped back, and held her hands as he savored the moment. Donna was looking at the ring when she noticed her watch.

"Oh shit, Pete and Trisha are waiting for us." They both laughed, knowing that our friends knew Tim well enough to expect him to be late.

Thirty minutes later, they walked into the restaurant and saw the couple waiting at a table. Donna ran to them to show off the ring. There were congratulations and hugs all around as they ordered champagne to celebrate. Trisha cried as Donna related the proposal and her insistence on the old ring. The night dragged on for hours, as the women started talking about how to plan the wedding.

"Guys," Tim finally pleaded, feel exhausted. "We've been engaged for a couple of hours, can't this wait until tomorrow?"

Trisha gave him an exasperated look and turned to Donna. "Men are completely clueless."

~~~~~

October, 2006

Tim walked into the house at five o'clock sharp. He smiled, planning the things he wanted to do for Donna before she got home. It was pretty rare that he made it home from work before her. She had been remarkably tolerant of his schedule since the marriage, and he tried to make it up to her every opportunity he could.

As he walked toward the kitchen, he looked at their wedding photo, taken eleven months earlier. When it came to Donna, Tim always found it difficult to see her as anything other than stunningly beautiful, but seeing her that day left him speechless. He felt a twinge of pride, remembering the feeling of watching her walk down the aisle. Since her father had passed away, she asked Tim's dad to escort her. It was an incredibly thoughtful gesture and he had never forgotten it.

If anything, their lives had continued to improve since that day, with both finding contentment and security with each other. That didn't make everything perfect, however. There were some issues between them that had never reared their head in the college relationship. Tim found that for the first time in his life he felt jealousy. It didn't happen often, but a part of him couldn't seem to get past the idea that something bad could happen.

His newfound problem was without any apparent cause. Donna never gave him a reason to doubt her and seemed willing to bend over backward to address any of his concerns. She wasn't without her limits, however. Several times, Tim pushed too hard and found himself on the receiving end of his wife's normally hidden temper. When it came out, she could hold her own against anyone. Luckily, she was usually quick to forgive as well.

Those problems weren't overwhelming, however. They had a wonderful marriage and a sex life that was beyond Tim's wildest dreams. Donna had a great job that she loved, yet always found time to put their family first.

He smiled again at the picture of her from the wedding and turned to walk into the kitchen, intending to make dinner for her for a change. The sound of the phone ringing startled him out of his reverie. He walked over and picked up the receiver.

"Hello," he said pleasantly.

"Hi, is Donna there?" a man's voice asked.

Tim's stomach churned like he'd been sucker-punched. "No, she's not here. This is her husband, can I help you?" he replied tersely.

There was a click as the line went dead. Tim set the receiver down and stared at it, trying to make himself believe he had just imagined what he'd heard. Looking up he saw his reflection in the mirror, which showed a shaken man who looked like he'd seen a ghost.

Mother Fucker, he swore to himself. He stared at the phone, knowing there was no way he'd ever forget that voice, Jake.

~~~~~

"This is fabulous honey," Donna said pleasantly. "What's the occasion?"

Tim tried to hide his dark mood. "I just got home early and wanted to do something for you."

She sensed his discomfort. "Tim, is something wrong? You've been distracted all night."

"No," he lied. "Just a tough day at work."

"Well," she said with a smile, "since you did something so thoughtful for me, how about if I clear the table, then return the favor?"

He thought about telling her he was too tired, but decided that it would be unfair since there was nothing indicating she'd done anything wrong. All night he had studied her closely for any sign of some problem or clue as to why Jake called or even why he had their number, but nothing seemed out of the ordinary. The voice in his head screamed that he should talk to her about it, but he pushed it away, opting to wait and not let her in on how much he knew.

Donna finished with the dishes and held out her hand. He took it and followed her upstairs, trying to shake off his doubts.

She hasn't done anything, he reminded himself. At least nothing that I know of, the other voice added.

As they stepped into the bedroom, he did his best to put it out of his head, not wanting to spoil what was supposed to be a wonderful night with unsubstantiated suspicions.

Donna walked to the bed, undoing the buttons on her blouse. She shed it quickly, then stepped out of her slacks, turning to face him.

"Wow, I'll never get tired of that view," he said with a chuckle.

"And I'll never get tired of you telling me you like it," she answered with a smile, reaching behind to unclasp her bra. She shrugged her shoulders, letting it fall to the floor, then slid her panties down her legs. She stepped out of them, and put her hands on her hips, standing in front of him invitingly.

Tim stepped forward, taking her in his arms and kissing her longingly. She pulled away with a sly grin, her fingers working their way down his shirt. When she reached the last button, she leaned forward, kissing his neck. She moved lower, running her tongue down his chest, pausing to take a nipple in her mouth. Her eyes stared into his as she pulled back her lips and nibbled softly with her teeth.

"Oh wow," he moaned, realizing that her hands were skillfully loosening his belt while he was distracted. Donna made a throaty moan as she kissed her way lower, sinking to her knees in front of him. His pants fell to the floor of their own weight, and her hand reached into the top of his boxers to grip his erection. She leaned forward, softly nibbling the shaft through the cloth.

"What do we have here?" she asked innocently, pulling the waistband down and sliding her mouth over the tip. Tim's head fell back blissfully as her hand worked it's way up and down, her tongue circling the tip. She looked intently into his eyes as her tongue ran up the shaft and across the head, pulling a strand of pre-cum with it and making a show of playing with it, before she took the head back into her mouth.

"Baby," he moaned, as she urged him back until he was laying prone on the bed. She slid the rest of his clothes to the floor, then resumed her hand's motion. She moved her mouth lower, taking his balls into her mouth, first one, than the other. Her tongue ran back up the shaft, taking one last nibble at the head, then she continued moving up his body, leaving a trail of saliva across his skin.

She reversed her grip, and aimed the tip at her opening, running it through her wet folds several times. When she was ready, Donna pushed back, allowing the shaft to sink inside her slowly.

"Oh yeah," she groaned, reversing direction, sliding up a few inches, then pushing down until he was fully inside her. Her lips sought out his as she moved her hips forward and back in small motions, never rising off of him. Tim knew that when she was this aggressive, she was very turned on and knew exactly how to move to achieve a quick orgasm. He allowed her to control the tempo, content to let his hands run across her sides and back, savoring the softness of her skin.

"Almost...almost," she cooed, letting him know not to move. "There!" she called out as her body shook uncontrollably.

Tim pulled her tightly against him, delighting in her obvious bliss. She kissed him hungrily as he rolled her to her back taking charge with long thrusts. He hooked an arm under her knee and raised it higher, achieving maximum penetration. His lips found her breast, and he nibbled at her nipple just hard enough to draw a moan of protest without altering the rhythm of his strokes.

Her breathing took on the cadence of his thrusts, letting him know she was already approaching a second climax. With a sudden motion he withdrew, causing her to whine in protest.

"Turn over," he scolded. She rolled to her stomach and he pulled her up to her hands and knees. "You have such a great ass," he said appreciatively, leaning forward to bite her on the cheek.

"Ouch!" she yelped in protest.

"Sorry...couldn't resist." He pulled her back onto her knees while standing on the floor behind her. His cock slid back inside her warmth easily, allowing him to increase the force of his thrusts.

"That's it Tim, fuck me harder!" she cried.

He held her hips tightly, using the leverage to crash against her over and over in a frenzy of motion.

"Almost," she whined. Tim knew he only had seconds before he lost control, so he reached under her and strummed her clit. Her body was covered in sweat and slid against him, the sensation so erotic that he couldn't hold out any longer.

"Ah!" he cried, pushing against her as she collapsed to the bed. His body lay on hers as he came, his hand still trapped underneath. His fingertips continued stroking her as he thrust deeply and froze, lost in the sensation of her warmth.

Donna screamed into the pillow as her own orgasm hit just as his was finishing. Her body went through spasms more fierce than before, the walls of her sex gripping him so tightly he felt like he could come again.

He laid against her, feeling the ripples flow through her body. Gently he moved his arms around her, holding her close as she wound down from the exertion. When she stopped moving, he rolled over, pulling her with until they were on their sides, spooning. He could feel her heartbeat against his chest, her breathing slowly returning to normal. Tim leaned forward and kissed her behind the ear, drawing an additional shudder.

"Don't start it unless you're going to finish it," she threatened.

"I surrender," Tim said chuckling, still holding her tightly.

She looked so peaceful laying there, chest heaving, sweat glistening on her skin. Donna rolled over and kissed him tenderly, then squirmed under the blanket and snuggled back against him.

"That was wonderful," she said sleepily. "I love you so much."

As Tim watched her drift off to sleep he tried to assure himself that he believed her with all his heart.

~~~~~

"Are you out of your mind?" Trisha asked in disbelief. "There is no way she has anything to do with that asshole calling your house. Please tell me you are going to talk to her about it."

Tim looked to Pete for help, but didn't see any coming. He knew talking to them wasn't going to be easy; they both had grown to love Donna and wouldn't want to believe anything negative about her. The problem was, he didn't know what to do and didn't have anyone else to talk with. Despite Trisha's strong objections, Tim still felt he needed to proceed cautiously, in case something was going on under his nose.

"What if she does know about it? If I tip her off then I'll never know for sure what's going on. He didn't just call my house by accident, he asked for her. He knew that she was supposed to be there. I'm not going to jump to conclusions, but I want to keep this to myself for now."

"Tim," Trisha pleaded, trying to sound encouraging, "you told us yourself that he hurt her. Why would she want anything to do with him, even if she wasn't married? She loves you and would never risk hurting you again."

"I'm not accusing her of anything, Trisha," he said, trying to sound restrained. "I do know that she agreed to do a lot of stupid things because she couldn't seem to say no to the asshole. It doesn't mean that I think she's done anything wrong, but I need to know for sure. If she knows and hasn't told me, I'd rather find out as much as I can before I talk to her. Otherwise, I'm always going to wonder if I know the whole story."

Neither of his friends looked too happy about the decision, but Tim knew they respected him enough not to interfere.

Trisha looked at him sadly, "I hope you know what you're doing."

~~~~~

Tim watched closely for unusual happenings for two weeks. He had considered looking into a private eye or buying a bug for their phone, but thought that seemed too extreme. He still didn't have any indication from Donna that she had a clue about what was going on. If he overreacted and did something stupid, it could lead to major problems between them. It was only two weeks until their anniversary, and the last thing he wanted to do was ruin it with some half-baked accusations.

There had been numerous calls on the answering machine where there was no message left. Tim continually checked the caller ID, but the ones that weren't telemarketers came from an unlisted cell phone. Since there were a half-dozen calls from the same cell, he was very suspicious. However, it wasn't the number that Jake called from the first time, so Tim was still stuck without knowing anything more than before.

He was trying to decide if he was just losing his mind when his cell phone rang. He saw that it was from Donna's cell and picked it up immediately. "Hey gorgeous."

"Hi sweetheart," Donna answered. "I'm so sorry, but they want me to work over again. Michelle called in sick and there's no one to cover until seven."

Damn it Tim swore to himself. He tried to hide his disappointment. "This is the fourth time in two weeks, aren't they going to get any help there soon."

She sounded contrite, "Trust me honey, I'd much rather be home with you. I know this is a pain, but they are really understaffed here. They warned me that this might happen when I took the transfer. Please don't be mad. I promise to make it up to you when I get home," she said playfully.