Chapter 30

When they'd managed to pull themselves together again Richard suggested that they have a shower and change into some more casual clothes. Deborah thought that an excellent idea.

"You can wash my back for me," she said.

"The thought had crossed my mind," he said carelessly.

"Men!" she exclaimed. "They have to think of sex every six seconds."

"I think about it every second when I'm with you."

"Me too," she admitted, giving him a demure look through her eyelashes.

He took her in his arms and kissed the top of her head. "It's fun though, isn't it?"

She nodded against his chest. "So's this."

They stayed like that for a couple of minutes before Deborah pushed him away. "I still want my back washed though. Last one naked's a rotten egg." She pushed him hard enough for him to be slightly off balance and raced from the room pealing with laughter. Richard gave a roar and chased after her. He caught up with her at the bedroom and tackled her onto the bed. He whisked her round and put her over his knee. And pulled up her skirt.

"You are a very cheeky wench and deserve to be spanked."

"No! Oh, please no!" she cried in her little girl voice. "A great big, fierce man like you. You might hurt my poor tender little bottom badly."

"Just as you deserve," he growled.

"But I'm only a poor little defenceless girl and didn't know I was doing wrong."

"Then you'll soon learn, won't you?"

"Ple-e-ease don't. I pwomise never, ever to do it again."

"If I don't you'll never get it kissed better."

"You're going to kiss it better?"

"Yes, of course."

Her voice changed to that of a husky siren. "Spank me, you gorgeous hunk," she growled.

He pulled her panties down to her knees and gave her a light smack on each cheek.

"Ow! Ow!" she shrieked.

Richard bent forward and reverently and gently kissed her bottom twice then stood up, pulling her up with him. He tossed her on the bed and started tearing his clothes off.

"Beast!" she screamed bouncing off the bed and tearing hers off too.

"You're the rotten egg," Richard chortled triumphantly.

"No I'm not. You've forgotten to take your watch off."

"It doesn't count. It's waterproof."

"Rubbish! You're the rotten egg. You're the rotten egg," she chanted prancing off to the bathroom.

Richard followed more sedately. "You fight dirty," he said grinning ruefully.

"Have to," she grinned back, "otherwise you, my great, big, lovely man would beat me every time."

"May have to."

"What?"

"May have to beat you every time but at least I'd get to kiss you better too."

She giggled and twined her arms round his neck. She kissed his lips gently and seemed inclined to stay until she felt his burgeoning cock.

"Whoops! No more excitement for the moment," she said pulling him into the shower.

Richard did not just wash her back but all of her. He did not use a flannel either. Deborah clung to him as he washed her back and lingered over her buttocks. She pressed her bottom against his now completely engorged penis as he washed her front and played with her nipples. She hummed happily under his hands. Then it was her turn.

"I'll be able to do a much better job with it in this state," she observed mock seriously as she grasped his cock. She repeated what he had done to her except that she nibbled his nipples while she washed his back. They were just the right height for her.

"I think," said Richard tossing her a towel, "we'd better dry ourselves otherwise we'll need another shower and be late at the pub."

Deborah pouted and pretended to stamp her foot but did as he suggested.

They were just about on time at the pub. Sally waved as they came in and as they slowly made their way towards the bar poured their drinks.

"That was very efficient. Thank you," said Richard.

"Only the very best for the hygiene operatives," Sally flashed back with a smile.

"Haven't been doing much of that," said Richard. "We've had more important things to do."

"Oh, you have, have you? Such as?"

Deborah held out her hand. Sally gasped and took hold of it to examine the ring more closely.

"It's beautiful," she breathed. "You didn't hang about," she added to Richard.

"We oldies can't afford to," he answered mournfully.

"Speak for yourself, old man!" snorted Deborah.

Sally shrieked with laughter. "Emma," she said to the other barmaid, "come and look at Deborah's lovely ring."

"In a minute. There are other customers," Emma replied pointedly.

"Oops!" said Sally and went to help but not before she had put her head in the kitchen to tell Jim.

Jim came round the bar a couple of minutes later. "Congratulations!" he said to Richard warmly shaking his hand. "Glad you took my advice."

"Best advice you ever gave," Richard smiled back.

"May I see?" Jim asked Deborah taking her hand before she could reply. He gazed at the ring for several moments. "That," he said, "is truly beautiful but still not as beautiful as its owner." He kissed her cheek.

Deborah blushed. "Thank you," she said softly.

"Richard is a very, very lucky man," Jim continued, "and, from the years I've known him, you're a pretty lucky girl. I hope you have a long and happy time together. I'm sure you will."

"Thank you!" they chorused.

"If I may, I'd like to treat you both to a bottle of wine this evening."

"Ooh, yes please," they chorused again and Deborah kissed him.

"Hmph!" chuckled Jim. "I'm glad you both don't kiss together too."

All three roared with laughter. "No, I'm not into that," sputtered Richard.

"Anyway, I must leave you and get back to the cooking or I'll be in trouble. Well done, both of you. Best thing that's happened for a long time."

Richard and Deborah turned back to each other and their eyes locked. "He is a nice man," Deborah said.

Richard nodded. "I've liked him since I first started coming here. He's straight up and down and can be very funny. Some of the stories he's told about his customers have had me crying with laughter but unless the story contains something good about them he never mentions a name."

"That's very good. It makes you respect him as well as like him."

"Absolutely."

At that moment Michael Hopkins materialised beside them.

"Do I gather you two have got yourselves engaged?" he asked.

They nodded.

"Good news! Very good news! Thought I'd caught a whiff of romance. Delighted. Wish you every happiness." He shook each of them by the hand and disappeared.

Emma was next to appear and apologised for being rude. "Nonsense!" said Deborah. "You've got a busy job to do. You couldn't just drop everything and come and moon over my ring."

Emma looked at her gratefully. "Thank you," she said. "It was worth the wait though. It's a really lovely ring, Miss Cooper."

"Thank you but please call me Deborah. I'm not that old and smelly. Not like some people pretend to be," she smiled giving Richard a nudge.

Emma beamed. She was a shy girl and tended to hang back from chattering with customers like the other bar staff. "I'd better get back to work," she said. "See you later, Deborah and Richard."

"Another conquest," thought Richard proudly.

They went over to read the menu blackboards and were shyly congratulated by a number of the locals who Richard duly introduced. Deborah was sweet and friendly with all of them and eliciting a laugh from most. Richard was almost bursting with pride by the time they had chosen, got another drink and sat down at their table.

Hardly had they done so than another couple came towards them both smiling broadly. Richard had his back to them. Deborah stifled a gasp as the man put his finger to his lips. He was a younger image of Richard. The girl was tall with auburn hair and green eyes which were dancing with mischief. James, for that is who it was, crept up behind Richard.

"Booh!" he said in Richard's ear and then, as Richard jumped up and turned, wrapped him in a bear hug. "Congratulations, Dad! Now, introduce me to my wicked stepmother to be."

Richard gave Jenny a hug and a kiss and then, his eyes brimming with tears, turned to Deborah who had by this stage also risen. "Darling," he said taking her hand, "the Jays, Jenny and James. Jays, this is Deborah."

The two girls kissed each other's cheeks and smiled shyly at each other. James took Deborah's hand, kissed it, looked into her eyes for a moment, smiled and then kissed her cheek.

"Welcome aboard," he said. "Nobody as lovely as you could be wicked. I can quite see why Dad fell for you."

Another shy smile and this time a blush. "Thank you. I go for him quite a lot too."

"No, he's not a bad old guy, is he?" looking fondly at his father. He turned to him. "We had to come over, Dad. There was no way we weren't going to meet Deborah at the first opportunity. I hope we're not butting in."

"Not at all!" Deborah and Richard exclaimed together.

"Oh, you've caught it too," cried the Jays and all four collapsed with laughter, all the tension gone.

"Can I see your ring?" Jenny asked excitedly. "Oh, wow! It's a beauty. Aren't you thrilled with it?"