Never My Love

"I didn't know that," he grinned, "Are they nervous, do you think?"

"Well, at first they were," I said, "But my wife had a talk with them, and while I don't know what she said to them, I'm certain that whatever was bothering them is gone now, or at least that's what they told me anyway."

"I think the combination of your keyboard work and a live string section has a most unique sound, Jake," Rick told me, and then looked at Randy Keith and Rob, and said "And you three are very talented players who I find are extremely good at what you gentlemen do. As everyone knows, a band isn't really a band unless it has the perfect rhythm section now, is it?"

"Thanks, Rick," Rob smiled, "That means a lot coming from you."

"I agree," I replied, patting Rob on the shoulders, "These three guys are great players."

"Nonsense, they're better than great," Rick sincerely told us, "They are exceptional. Keith has the best lead guitar lines I've heard in over a decade, while Randy and Rob are so perfectly in sync, that there's no mistaking who controls the heartbeat of the whole group...like I said, you three gentlemen are exceptional," and then he gave me a knowing wink, as he teased, "Be glad you got them first, Jake, or I might be tempted to try and steal them away from you," which of course elicited hearty laughter from all of us."

"Thank you again, Rick," I humbly replied, "I really appreciate the compliment."

"It's like you Americans say," he laughed, "I'm not trying to blow sunshine up your dresses, mates, I'm simply telling you the truth..."

~~~~~~

We all had fun that evening, but as the saying goes; nothing ever lasts forever, well, in some cases anyway. At any rate, the time came that Lindsay and Rick had to leave. I could clearly tell that neither of them really wanted to, but knowing that they indeed had to, I made it a point to let the both of them know just how much we truly enjoyed having them there.

"Thank you for coming over, Lindsay," I sincerely told her, "And now that Ashlyn and I know that you live nearby, I honestly hope this won't be the last time either."

"Thank you, Jake," she quietly smiled, "I'd like that very much."

"It was very nice meeting you, Lindsay," Ashlyn kindly smiled, as she and I stood at the front door together, "Jake was serious when he told you that we hope to see you again."

"He's a good man, Ashlyn," Lindsay smiled, "I can see why you married him now."

"I married him because I love him," she softly replied, "His being a good man is just the icing on the cake."

"You take care, Rick," I grinned, as we shook hands, "I'm very pleased that you and I had the opportunity visit with one another regardless of how brief it was."

"It was fun for me as well; mate," he smiled, returning the handshake, "I reckon I'll see you tomorrow then?"

"Count on it," I grinned, "Lindsay told me that we're going to be on the main stage from seven to eight tomorrow evening. Why don't you and I have a chat before hand? I'll be in the dressing room backstage."

"I'll see you then," he replied smiling, "Thanks for the hospitality, mate," as he and Lindsay made their way to the car that awaited them at the front curb.

"Anytime," I smiled, "Anytime at all..."

~~~~~~

Because of the fact that my band mates were such great people, everyone lent a hand to help get everything cleaned up and back the way it was around the house in a matter of about an hour. Ashlyn and I both were very appreciative of it, and of course once order had been restored, Leah took off with Keith for a little while, as did Laura with Rob; leaving Ashlyn and I all alone once everyone was gone.

"Shit," I sighed, softly smiling at Ashlyn as I fell back onto the couch in the den, "I don't know about you, baby; but I could use a nice soak in the hot tub. What do you think?"

"Mmm," she purred, removing her clothes, "Why don't you go back into our bathroom and get us a couple of towels, my love? I'll meet you in the hot tub," as I made my way to fetch the towels...

~~~~~~

"Ohhh, yesss" I grinned, as I slowly lowered my naked body into the bubbling hot water, stretching out beside my beautiful wife, "This feels sooo good after the day we've had today."

"It sure does," Ash softly replied, moving around until her naked body lay atop of mine in the water, "You haven't given me any hugs all day, baby, and I've missed that."

"Aw, I'm sorry, Ash," I tenderly smiled, delicately kissing her soft lips while placing my arms around her waist, not being able to resist placing the palm of my right hand upon the firm globe of her left naked ass cheek, "Mmm," I smiled, holding her closely against me, "Is that better, my love?"

"I love you, Jake," she softly purred, grinding her pubic bone against my rapidly hardening cock, "I love you so much, baby."

"And I'm so glad that you do, Ashlyn," I warmly smiled, softly rubbing her hot little ass, "I meant what I said when I told Rick that I'm nothing without you. You now that don't you?"

"I'm so happy you feel that way," she smiled, "Because you're everything to me, baby, everything..."

~~~~~~

After we'd finished making love, Ashlyn and I lay snuggled in the bed with our arms around one another and her head on my shoulders and our faces only centimeters apart, basking in the afterglow.

"I've got a confession to make," she softly told me, "And I hope that you don't get angry with me, Jake."

"Come on, Ash," I grinned, "What could you possibly tell me that would piss me off that badly?"

"It's about Robyn Beryl," she began, "Even though you told me long before we got married that you were over her, I was afraid of what would happen if the two of you ever met again," and then tears began to fill her eyes.

"What were you afraid of, Ashlyn?" I pointedly asked her, sitting up in the bed so that I could look into her eyes, "I'm not angry, sweetheart, but I really would like an answer."

"I was afraid that you might've still had some feelings for her somewhere deep down inside of you," she began to cry, laying her head in my lap, "And...and...and I was scared to death that I was going to lose you," and then it was like someone had opened the floodgates somewhere, as the tears began to flow down her beautiful cheeks like a raging river that had risen out of its banks and flooded the nearby lands from the way she was now borderline hysterically crying, gripping me so tightly as if her very life would end were she to let go.

Needless to say it was very heart wrenching for me to see her in that condition, hence the reason I leaned over and physically picked her up off of the bed and placed her into my lap, making certain that she knew beyond a shadow of a doubt that there was no way in hell that I would ever leave her. I wanted to make sure that she truly understood that I was, and forever would be, with her and that she would be with me. That's why I lovingly and soothingly held onto Ashlyn just as tightly as she was holding onto me; silently calling out to God to help me get her calm again...

~~~~~~

After a few minutes she began to quiet down, her earlier fears abated so it seemed, and in that brief moment; I came to realize that the reason she'd acted the way she just had was more than likely due to having what I thought might be a form of Post Traumatic Stress Disorder, attributed to losing her family in the sudden and violent way that she had, which I later discovered I was right.

"Are you alright, my love?" I softly asked her, handing her a piece of tissue from the box on the nightstand once she'd calmed down, "You really had me worried there for a minute."

"I'm okay, Jake," she quietly said, taking the tissue and wiping her face, "I'm really sorry for acting the way I did just now."

"You have nothing to be sorry for," I tenderly replied, "And just so you know, there is nothing on God's green earth that will ever take me away from you. Do you understand what I'm telling you, Ashlyn Leigh Benson?"

"I understand," she smiled, "I really do love you, Jake, I love you with every molecule of my body."

"Now you understand how deeply my love for you goes," I said, making certain that there was no mistaking what I was telling her, "So, no more talk about Robyn Beryl and her bullshit, okay baby?"

"Thank you for putting up with me," she softly replied, "I've said this before, but I'm going to say it again. I don't know what I did, but it must've been something really good for God to have given you to me, my love."

"I feel the same way, Ash," I replied, leaning in and kissing her soft, sweet lips, "I don't know whether you know this or not; but you're the kind of women that most guys only dream about being with, and I'm the lucky stiff that you married so; I'm not about to do anything to lose you, okay?"

"I don't understand what you mean, Jake," she replied, a confused look on her face, "What're you talking about when you say that most guys only dream about being with someone like me?"

"I guess you don't realize how truly beautiful you really are," I knowingly smiled, "Do you?"

"I know that I'm pretty, I guess," she humbly replied, "But if I'm as beautiful as you say that I am, then how come I very rarely, if ever, got asked out on a date?"

"Because most guys are intimidated by beautiful women," I told her, "Or they're afraid of being rejected, I know that I sure as hell was...well, at least until I met you."

"I didn't know that," she said, "But speaking of which...tell me, why did you ask me out, Jake?"

"I asked you out because I fell in love with you the very first time I saw you, Ash," I softly replied, looking at my hands because I was feeling embarrassed, "I was scared shitless about doing it, but even if you had rejected me, I would've at least gone to my grave knowing that I'd made an honest effort to follow my heart."

Lifting my face up with her soft hand so that she could look me in the eyes, Ashlyn smiled and told me, "I'm glad that you did, my love. Otherwise we wouldn't be having this conversation, and we sure as hell wouldn't be married."

"I'm glad I did, too," I replied smiling, "Because now that you and I are married, I can't imagine my life without you, Ash."

"I want to ask you something, Jake," she mischievously grinned, "Do you remember the look on Robyn Beryl's face when I told her that I was your wife?"

"I wasn't really paying attention," I nonchalantly replied, "I was too busy looking at you."

"It was funny," she replied, now giggling like a school girl, "She looked like somebody had taken her favorite doll away from her."

"The only thing I remember was when she stomped away all pissed off," I laughed, "Which, by the way, was the best part of that whole encounter with her."

"She really is pretty," Ash said, "I guess I can see now why you were attracted to her to begin with."

"She's alright, I guess," I said in passing, then I pulled Ashlyn into my arms, "But there isn't another woman anywhere in the world who's as stunningly beautiful as you are, baby," and then I gently began kissing her on the underside of her throat.

"Mmm, Jake," she hotly breathed, "You know how much I love it when you do that, baby."

The next thing I knew, Ashlyn had climbed on top of me, and because she was grinding her pussy against it, my cock grew iron hard in a matter of seconds. We were both way beyond worked up at that point, making it easy for Ash to put me inside of her, and when she put her beautiful tits in my face, I began to suck her rubbery nipples, making her loudly hiss, followed by orgasm after orgasm, the walls of her pussy fluttering against my cock until I spewed my seed as deeply within her as was humanly possible...

~~~~~~

It hadn't been more than ten minutes after we'd finished making love when I heard Leah and Laura coming into the house. And although I knew that they were trying to be as quiet as possible, Ashlyn and I could still hear them giggling like they always had, a sound that I would've been able to recognize anywhere.

"I absolutely adore those two," Ashlyn smiled, "They're such pretty girls, and they've always been so sweet and kind to me since the very first time I met them."

"I know that they love you to pieces," I proudly smiled, "And when they were dancing with me at our wedding reception, they both made sure that I knew that if I ever let you get away, then they were going to scalp me...alive."

"Come on," she smiled, getting out of bed and putting her robe on, "I want to talk to them before they go to sleep..."

~~~~~~

"Hi, baby girls," Ashlyn smiled, as she and I entered the kitchen to find Leah and Laura sitting at the table drinking sodas and talking, "Did you two have a good time tonight?"

"Hi, Big Sister," Leah brightly smiled, at seeing Ashlyn, "I'm sorry if we woke you up."

"We weren't asleep, sweetheart," Ashlyn grinned, leaning down and kissing Leah's and Laura's cheeks, "I wanted to talk to you two anyway. I haven't had the chance to with everything that's been happening around here lately. So; what did you girls do tonight?"

"I got to meet Keith's father tonight," Leah happily replied, "His name is Garrett Davis, and he is such a nice man," and then she looked at me and said, "He asked me to tell you that he can't wait to meet you, Jake, and that he's really excited about getting to watch you guys play tomorrow."

"That's nice," I replied smiling, "I can't wait to meet him either."

"Rob's family asked me to tell you, hello, Jake," Laura grinned, "And his Mom, Maryann, wanted me to tell you that they really had a nice time when they were here; and she also told me that she thought you had a beautiful home, Ashlyn."

"How sweet," Ashlyn replied, "I'll make sure that I thank her tomorrow when I see her. They are going to be at the venue tomorrow evening, aren't they?"

"Are you kidding?" Laura grinned, "They're so excited that you guys are going to be the headline act for Friday, and get this. When Rob told his Dad, Will, about you guys opening for Rick Wakeman, he told everyone at the law firm where he works. He also told Rob and me that his partners of the law firm, Smith, Walters, Johnson and Hobbs, called the ticket office at Hofheinz Pavilion and reserved the whole center, front row section for not only the partners and their families, but also all of the band's family members as well. Wasn't that nice of them to do that?"

"Holy cow," I said, a huge grin spread across my face, "This thing just keeps getting bigger and bigger, doesn't it?"

"Just think, Lee-Lee," Laura excitedly grinned, grabbing her hand, "Our big lug of a brother is going to be a star."

"Now wait a minute," I told them, "Let's be realistic here, this is only one gig...a rather large one, but still, it's only one gig."

"Come on, Jake," Leah kindly said, rising up from the table and then coming around to where I stood, placing her arms around my waist and gently laying her pretty little head on my shoulder, "I know that me and Laura bust your balls all the time; but the truth is, we both love you very much, and we're very proud of you."

"We sure are," Laura softly echoed, suddenly appearing on the other side of me, doing the same thing as Leah, only her arms were around my shoulder and neck, "We're very proud of you."

"She's right, honey," Ashlyn softly smiled, hugging me from the front as she tenderly kissed my lips, "And we all love you very much."

"I love you guys, too," I softy replied, holding onto as well as being held by three of the four women in my life who meant the most to me. I thanked God for having them in my life and I would've gladly place my life on the line to spare any one of their lives, but especially that of my wife; for it was Ashlyn in whom my love, as well as all my hopes and dreams laid...

~~~~~~

When I opened my eyes very early that next morning, the first thing I saw was the naked body of my wife, as she stood in the first light of morning, gazing out of the back window. I didn't say anything at first; merely enjoying the splendor of the view I was beholding, her smooth skin covering the rounding curve of her perfect ass, and shape of her body, the tempting globes of her breasts as they hung high and proud from her chest...her flat, taut stomach as it made its way down to the soft tuft of hair that covered her mons; where her sleek, smooth, perfect legs joined her body, completing the faultless flair of her hips. And it was when I was gazing at the most stunningly breath taking, natural loveliness of her face, that she noticed that I was now awake and looking at her.

"Good morning, my husband," she softly smiled, "Do you like what you see?"

"No," I said, receiving the reaction from her I was looking for.

"What do you mean, no," she sharp coyly asked.

"No," I teased, "I love what I see."

"You can be such a shit, Jake, I swear," she lovingly smirked, "I love you, too."

"I'm glad," I softly spoke, getting out of bed and gently pulling her nakedness against my own, "Because, like I told you last night; I'm nothing without you, Ashlyn...nothing."

"As am I without you, my love," she purred, "I think that's why God put the two of us together, don't you?"

"I sure do," I quietly replied, "After all, we were joined before God in holy matrimony when we were married; and who are we to question his wisdom?"

"I agree with that, baby," she smiled, "Fully and whole heartedly."

~~~~~~

Ashlyn and I took a shower together, and because Leah and Laura were in the house, Ashlyn didn't want to have any fun, damn! However, it was very nice to come into the kitchen and find my sisters making breakfast, and a fresh pot of coffee that had just finished brewing.

"Good morning, big brother and big sister," Laura smiled, while she and Leah stood at the stove making breakfast, "I'd pour you some coffee, but I kinda have my hands full at the moment."

"Don't worry about it, baby girl," Ash coddled her, smiling as she opened the cupboard and got out a couple of coffee cups, "I got it. Thanks for making breakfast this morning, you two."

"Don't worry about it," Leah smiled, "It's nothing that we don't do at home."

"Bullshit," I teased, "Mom has to practically drag you two outta bed every morning."

"Not since you threw that water on us," Leah frowned, while still maintaining a civil tongue, "Now Mom says that if she has to come back in and wake us up, she's gonna bring the water in with her, thanks to you, Jake."

"Good," I teased, coming up behind the both of them and goosing them in the ribs, eliciting two girlish squeals, "Maybe it was worth getting the shit slapped out of me for no reason, huh, Leah?"

"I said that I was sorry about that, Jake," she quietly replied, "And I meant it, too."

"I know you did, baby girl," I softy told her, giving her a gentle hug, "I was just teasing you, okay?"

"Maybe so," she said, "But that's still a tender subject with me as far as I'm concerned so; please don't bring it up again, okay Jake?"

"I'm sorry, Lee-Lee," I quietly told her, "I promise to never say another word about it again."

"Good," she impishly grinned, "You can set the table just for that."

"It's already done," Ashlyn smiled, as I turned around to see plates and eating utensils already in place.

"Come on, Ash," Leah teased, "You spoil him worse than Mom ever did."

"Yeah, right," I laughed, "Don't you mean worse than I spoiled the two of you, young lady?"

"I don't know," she smiled, her face turning red, "Well, maybe just a little bit."

"Uh huh," I laughed, as Leah and Laura both knowingly grinned, "It was a hell of a lot more than just a little, and you both know it."

"But that's what big brothers are supposed to do," Laura grinned, as Leah said, "That's right, Big Brother," and of course Ashlyn simply laughed, not helping at all...