The Day After

Joanne wiped the betraying tear from her cheek with the back of her hand. She had fought hard to keep her emotions hidden from the other typists. From her desk in the back, she had to endure the other women fawning over their gifts as they were delivered one by one. As the clock neared the end of her shift, Joanne's desk still sat undecorated with anything to celebrate Valentine's Day.

"It's a stupid holiday anyway," she mumbled under her breath. "Too commercialized for me and Darren."

"Maybe he's got a bit surprise planned for you after work, Jo."

Joanne turned and saw that her best friend and coworker, Laura, stood behind next to Joanne's desk. She felt the tears sting her eyes. Shaking her head, she replied softly, "No, more than likely he's forgotten. I mean, we've been together for nearly two decades. You'd think I'd learn by now."

Laura smiled but couldn't chase away the sadness her friend was feeling deep inside. "You don't want to be like the others anyway. They've had guy after guy and only complain that they can't find someone who'd be there when they're not dressed to the nines. Darren loves you, Jo. He'd walk through fire for you."

Sighing heavily, Joanne glanced at her watch. Shift was finally over bringing an end to the torture of high pitched giggles and fake fawning over flowers and candy. Joanne stood from her desk, scooped up her purse, and pulled her coat from the back of the chair.

As she slipped into it, Joanne forced herself to smile. "You're right, Laura. I'm going to not let this day get to me until I see what he's got planned at home."

"That's my girl," replied Laura. She gave Joanne a quick hug. "It'll be fine."

Joanne simply nodded and made her way out of the building. She quickened her pace as she walked through the parking garage. Maybe Darren really did have something planned for her at home. The drive home sped by as her mind raced from thought to thought. Her excitement grew making her anxious as she slipped her key into the front door. The smile on her lips died as she opened the door and saw Darren asleep on the couch.

Slamming the front door, Joanne marched over to the couch and tossed her purse onto Darren's stomach. As he bolted awake, she laid into him. "How could you forget? How could you make me the laughingstock of the typists?"

"Huh? What?" he asked as he pushed the purse off of him and onto the floor. "What are you talking about, Jo?"

"Valentine's Day, you idiot! The day I was sure you wouldn't forget as it's been advertised since Christmas!" Joanne felt the tears again but this time she didn't stop them. They flowed freely down her cheeks.

Darren sat stunned on the couch. His surprise at her tears was the least of what he was feeling. Shame at having forgotten her ate at his heart. He could only imagine how she got through the day. He felt like a bum for not sending something at the very least. Darren rose from the couch and started to take his wife into his arms when she backed away.

"No, don't touch me. I'm sleeping in the guest room until you can explain to me why you think about things. It's been years since you've done anything for me that was romantic. Even when I send you little emails or write notes and leave them in your lunchbox, you don't do the same. Hell, even a single flower now and then would mean something."

"Jo, I'm sorry. I'll make it up to you. I swear."

She grabbed her purse and started toward the stairs. Turning back to face him one more time, she wiped the tears from her cheeks. "We'll see."

The next morning, Joanne pushed the covers from her and sat straight in the guest bed. Though she had slept like a rock, she felt horrible about the way she had yelled at Darren but wasn't ready to forgive him just yet. As she sighed, she stood and stretched her arms over her head. Still wearing her old, ratty long t-shirt as a nightgown, Joanne opened the bedroom door. When she stepped over the threshold, she felt something weird underfoot.

Looking down, she gasped in surprise. The hallway was littered with flower petals. She could make out rose petals but they weren't the only ones. Scattered among the roses, she could see petals from tulips, carnations and lilies -- her favorite flowers. Joanne tenderly stepped along the hallway until she reached the bathroom.

She half expected the room to be decked out when she opened the door. Instead the bathroom looked as it always did with one exception. A note had been taped to the mirror with her name on it. After she did her morning routine, Joanne gingerly took the note from the mirror and opened it. Inside were instructions to dress in jeans and a sweatshirt and then go out to the backyard. It was signed with a small heart and the letter 'D'.

Her interest piqued, Joanne dropped the note into the sink and headed to the bedroom to change. She could feel the excitement and anticipation growing inside her. While she slipped the sweatshirt over her head, doubt stilled her hands. How could she be so sure that he had something planned? Maybe he just needed help in the yard.

Joanne sat on the bed, heavy with mixed emotions. For 18 years, she had tried time and again to get Darren to open up to her, be romantic in the small ways. She didn't need big fanfare but every now and then, she wanted to be swept off her feet. After taking a deep breath and letting it out slowly, Joanne finished dressing before walking downstairs. She didn't stop moving until she reached the backdoor.

Looking into the large backyard, Joanne noticed a canopy tent had been put together near the tarp covered pool. Of course, it was cold during February but thankfully no snow covered the ground. Joanne opened the door, slipped outside and closed the door behind her. She walked over to the tent pulling aside one of the flaps.

"Oh my," she said with a stunned look upon her face. "Oh, Darren."

Within the tent, the floor had been covered with more petals. In the center a king-sized air mattress had been made up with several blankets and pillows. To her left, Joanne spied several small tables filled with fruits, chocolates and several bottles of wine. Looking to the right, she saw Darren standing with a towel laid over one arm holding a bottle of wine and two glasses. When he took a step toward her, she realized he was wearing a pair of black shorts and not much else.

"What is all this?" she asked. Her mind raced to memorize every detail.

"Will madam please come inside? It is a bit cold out there," said Darren as he neared her. He waited for her to step further into the tent before he sat the bottle and glasses on a nearby table. Darren quickly closed the flap and secured it tightly.

Joanne started to speak as Darren raised a hand. He smiled as her frustration showed within her eyes. Instead of answering, he led her to the mattress and helped her to sit.

"Now, let me speak without interruption," Darren began as he lowered himself to his knees before her. "I am not the most romantic man out there. I know I'm also a prick most days than not."

"I wouldn't..."

Darren put a finger on her lips. The tingle of electricity from his touch sent shivers down her spine that she couldn't hide. He withdrew his finger, smiled and continued.

"Yesterday was painful day for you. For that, I can never be sorry enough. Knowing that I caused you to hurt and feel humiliated, it cuts me deeper than I can explain. All my life I've been the one most thought wouldn't amount to anything. You were the only one to believe in me."

Joanne couldn't stop him as Darren moved closer to her. She felt him untying the laces of her tennis shoes, slipping them off of her feet and moved onto taking off her socks. The chilly air swirled around her bare feet bringing a small shiver to her.

"I know you expected something yesterday with it being Valentine's Day and all. But I couldn't give into the buying frenzy. If I can't show you how much you mean to me during the entire year, I shouldn't do it on the same day as everyone else in the world. You mean so much more to me than that."

Joanne's heart quickened as he spoke. She barely realized that his hands had never left her right foot and was slowly massaging her foot moving toward her ankle. His touch never failed to make her want him. Combined with his heartfelt speech, she knew she'd be lost within moments.

"I'm an idiot. I'm a thousand different names you could ever think to call me. But I'm also sorry, so very sorry that I have hurt you. I will spend this day making it up to you."

She started to tell him that he shouldn't be so hard on himself when she felt his lips upon the top of her foot. Darren kissed his way to the hem of her jeans on the right foot before moving over to the left and doing the same thing. Joanne couldn't help but feel turned on at the image of her husband on his knees before her.

His hands began to message her legs through her jeans reaching the knee and then working their way back down again. Darren repeated process trailing his hands with kisses. Joanne couldn't stop her fingers from slipping into his dark brown curls. As he kissed up her inner thighs, she gasped and gripped his hair tightly.

Darren stopped kissing her as he let his hands wander further up. Joanne didn't fight him as he undid the buttons on her jeans. It wasn't until he began to tug the jeans off of her that she felt the stab of uncertainty. She tried to grab the jeans but he had already tossed them from the bed.

"Darren, we're outside! It's winter and the neighbors could be outside!" she said as her voice quivered.

He had begun his trail of kisses from her right ankle again. When he had reached the top of her inner thigh, he trailed the edge of her underwear with his tongue. "No one's going to be out here on Saturday morning when there are a ton of sales going on. We have this tent which I have added enough blankets here to keep us warm. Just let me love you."

Joanne bit her lower lip as she fought to keep from bolting back inside. She and Darren hadn't done anything like this since they were teenagers in the back of his Cutlass. Now, nearly 20 years later, she was finding it hard to fight the waves of pleasure and excitement he was causing her. The waves were battling the anxiety for her and were winning.

Darren had his sly grin upon his lips as he helped Joanne out of her sweatshirt. He was happy to see that she had decided to go braless. Her nipples instantly reacted to the chilly air inside the tent and hardened into the nubs his lips desired. He leaned into her, lightly kissing one nipple before doing the same to the other. Joanne drew in a breath as his tongue flicked the nipples and his lips teased her.

"I'm getting ahead of myself," he whispered before placing a kiss upon her lips.

Joanne shrieked with delight as he pulled her legs forward causing her to fall back onto the air mattress. Amid all the pillows and thick covers, she found herself giggling like a younger woman until she felt Darren's hot breath upon her inner thighs once again. She moaned as his hand rubbed her mound. Darren slipped the fabric to one side and used his finger to trace her nether lips.

She could feel herself growing wetter with each touch. Closing her eyes, she reveled in the attention that Darren was giving to her. As he slipped her panties from her, she opened her eyes and tried to sit back up.

"Darren!"

He surveyed his wife as she half-laid, half-sat upon the air mattress. Her hair flowed over her shoulders making her look like a pagan goddess. Darren could wait no longer. He lowered his mouth to her and began to lick her juices from her lips. Loving the taste of her, he pushed his tongue forward into her again and again. Joanne bucked her hips and moaned as he teased, sucked and licked. Her moans cheering him on, Darren slipped two fingers into her as he continued ministering to her.

"Oh, Darren, please don't stop." Joanne whispered loudly as she curled her fingers into his hair. Her back arched as she slipped closer to climax.

Feeling her inner walls tighten around his fingers, Darren stopped and pulled away from her body. Joanne whimpered in disappointment as she moved onto the air mattress completely. She looked at Darren and noticed how well he had enjoyed what he had been doing. She reached out to touch him only to have Darren block her hand.

"Not yet," he said. Darren stood and stepped out of his shorts. He had gone commando for this purpose. For a moment, they just looked at one another. Time had changed their bodies but love erased those changes.

Lying down next to Joanne on the mattress, Darren touched her face softly with his hand. "What do you want, Joanne? Name it and it's yours. Tell me what you want me to do?"

She stayed quiet and looked directly into his eyes. Most nights there was little foreplay and then the deed was done. He never asked her what she wanted or took time to please her. Joanne's heart filled with renewed love as she realized he was stepping out of his comfort zone to make her feel special and wanted. She pushed him onto his back keeping her hand on his chest.

"I want control," she answered him.

Without waiting for Darren to answer, Joanne pressed her lips to his and kissed him deeply. She slid her tongue along his lips and gently sucked his lower lip before breaking the kiss. Dropping her head to his chest, she placed kisses down his stomach with an occasional nip along the way until she reached his cock.

Joanne shifted on the mattress until she was in a comfortable position and gripped his cock with one hand. She felt him stiffen at her touch. Not waiting another second, Joanne took his hard cock into her mouth as far as she could without gagging. She began to move her head up and down slowly. Darren fought to keep his hands away from her head. He was trying to give her what she had asked for.

She continued to move up and down slowly, twirling her tongue around the head while stroking the shaft of his hard cock with one hand. The taste of him drove her momentum. She continued to stroke him as she moved her mouth from his cock down to his balls. Darren's gasp as she suckled them filled her with happiness.

Wanting more of him, Joanne took his cock into her mouth one more time before she straddled Darren. She positioned herself over his cock and guided the head to the opening of her pussy. Darren's eyes locked onto Joanne's as she lowered herself onto him. He groaned as he filled her. She stopped short of taking in all of him.

Her hair falling forward, Joanne began slowly riding his cock. As she moved, she took all of him into her. Darren's hips found her rhythm and thrust into her as she rode him. Joanne moaned softly at first. With him filling her again and again, her moans grew louder. Darren reached up rubbing her hardened nipples with thumbs. As they moved together in time, Darren began rolling her nipples between his thumb and forefingers.

Joanne gasped at the sharpness as he pinched them harder. Soon the pain gave way to pleasure. She began forcing herself onto his cock harder, faster. She rocked her hips feeling his cock completely within her. Wave upon wave of pleasure coursed through her pushing her toward climax. Unable to stop herself, Joanne moaned loudly as she clenched her legs together. His cock still inside her, she arched her back as her climax took hold. As the wave subsided, Joanne smiled at Darren who was still massaging her breasts.

"Momma, what that noise?"

Joanne and Darren froze as the voice of their neighbor's five year-old traveled through the chilly air. The neighbor responded with something though they couldn't hear it. Joanne fell onto the mattress next to Darren. They both laughed quietly as they could at their predicament.

"Oh, my god. I can't believe we just did that," Joanne said as she slid her hand up and down Darren's arm.

"I wonder what Roger told his kid." Darren brushed the wisps of hair from Joanne's eyes.

"The next party is going to be awkward."

"So what. He'll just be jealous. I love you, Jo."

"I love you too, Darren."

"Ready for your next surprise?"

"There's more?" she asked. Joanne pushed some of the pillows off of the mattress to snuggle closer to Darren.

"Oh, yeah. There's more."

Darren's hand slipped between her legs. He dipped his head to her breast, suckling her nipple as his fingers explored her again. Joanne clung to Darren as he brought her to climax for a second time. She lay panting on the mattress wondering what else he had planned.

Pulling a small box from under one of the tables, Darren opened the lid. He took out a set of fuzzy handcuffs and twirled them on his finger. His eyes twinkled with delight. Joanne was shocked at first. Then she fell to giggles as he slipped them on her. So much for Valentine's Day. She'd take the day after it anytime.