Chapter 6: A Quick Decision

I awoke at first light, finding myself tucked up behind Mary. A quick glance at the clock told me it was almost seven o'clock. Saturday was my day to catch up on chores around my quarters. Laundry was an absolute necessity. Food shopping was another. Washing the car if the weather permitted. Somehow, I didn't feel quite as motivated as I would normally. Perhaps it was my morning erection tucked neatly between the lovely cheeks of Mary's backside. Perhaps it was my hand on her breast, playing lightly with the nipple. Perhaps it was the scent and warmth of a beautiful woman in bed with me.

I was wondering what I would do if William or Tara discovered us. I lost that thought when I felt Mary's hand cover mine and squeeze it lightly. She rolled toward me and took my hardened cock in her hand, gently stroking it. Then, without any warning, she lifted her leg over me and mounted me, a sleepy-eyed grin looking down at me.

"Time for my morning ride," she croaked.

We didn't last very long. It didn't seem to matter to Mary. She was smiling and moaning in pleasure as she moved on me, her eyes closing now and then. This was another new thing for me and I loved it. When we finished, Mary sparking my completion, she collapsed on me and lay there, softly moaning.

"Are you leaving?" she mumbled.

"Chores to do. Can I come back?"

"I don't want you to leave."

"What about the children?"

"They're going to find out sooner or later," she said.

"Maybe we should prepare them, first," I suggested.

"Hmmm. If you say so."

"Mary."

"Hmmm."

"I love you. I always have and always will."

She raised her head and smiled another sleepy smile. "I'm glad. I love you too, Ruel. I always have and I always will."

"When we're married, we'll need a bigger house, don't you think?"

She didn't react immediately, but then her head came up quickly and her eyes were fully open.

"Is that some kind of proposal, Ruel Carter?"

"Nope. Just an observation. But ... when I propose to you ... you'll know it," I grinned.

That got me a huge, wet kiss and a very sensuous hug.

"Let me get out of here before the kids wake up," I said. "I'll come back this afternoon. Is three o'clock okay?"

"Why not two?" she smirked.

"I'll be here as soon as I can," I laughed.

I hustled through my usual Saturday routine and grabbing some extra clothes and my Dopp kit, I set out for Lakewood and Mary's home.

"Nice timing," Mary greeted me. "The children are playing with their friends and we have the afternoon to ourselves."

"Oh ... how did you arrange that?"

"A phone call here and there with a request not to send them home before five," she grinned.

"That gives us almost three hours. What do you have in mind?" I grinned, wiggling my eyebrows.

"I'll give you two choices. We can spend here in bed, or we can go to the mall and look for a ring for that proposal you promised me."

"Oh, man. How am I supposed to choose between those two things? I want them both."

"Now don't be greedy, Ruel. After all, you'll have the whole night again, as well as tomorrow morning."

"That pretty much decides it then, huh. I guess we should head to the mall."

That got me a nice kiss and a firm butt squeeze. I helped her on with her coat and we left for the Tacoma mall. I was pretty sure Mary knew where she wanted to look first, so I let her be the guide. I was right; she headed directly for a large store that was part of a national chain. It had a huge selection and I wondered how anyone could make a decision with all these rings on display. However, I hadn't counted on Mary knowing what she wanted.

When a clerk approached us, Mary presented her with a piece of paper and a drawing of a ring on it. It featured a main rectangular stone in the middle and two smaller round stones, one on each side. She even had the size written on it. The clerk was both surprised and amused. I guess it wasn't often that a customer came so well prepared.

The woman pulled out a tray and showed a number of rings similar in design to Mary's drawing. I liked them all, but Mary was taking her time and really looking at them carefully.

"This one, I think," she said at last.

I looked at the ring and my first impression was that it was too small.

"Miss, don't you think that ring might be too small for this lady?" I asked the clerk.

"It is a bit smaller than I would suggest, but it's also a matter of budget. Bigger stones are more costly."

"Why don't we look at this one," I said, pointing to a larger ring in a similar design.

"No, Ruel. That's too expensive. This first one is perfect."

"How do you know it's too expensive? We haven't even ask the cost."

The clerk grinned and showed the two tags. The smaller ring was $2500 and the larger was $3200.

"If I bought the larger ring, would you wear it?" I asked Mary.

"Yes, I guess so. But I don't want you to spend too much, Ruel."

"Mary, we're only going to do this once. This is permanent. This ring is permanent. And just so you know, I can afford it."

She looked a bit shook up before she nodded.

"What about matching wedding rings?" I asked the now delighted clerk.

She pointed to a sale sign on the wall. Apparently, the wedding rings were free on any purchase over three thousand dollars. "Let me show you our selection," she smiled moving the tray to a back counter, removing the ring we had chosen and then putting the tray back in the locked display case. The wedding bands were in a much smaller tray, and we had no trouble choosing a simple gold band with an intertwined design engraved into the center. We left after I paid for the rings. All three would be sized and we could pick them up Wednesday of next week.

"Do you think you can get a sitter for next Wednesday evening?" I asked her as we walked back toward my car.

"I'm sure of it," she smiled broadly.

"Good. I'll make a dinner reservation and we can celebrate. Any place special you'd like to go?"

"Don't make it too fancy, Ruel. I'm just so excited about our being engaged. I want this to be just for us."

We spent the rest of the weekend making love whenever we could. Mary told me that William wanted to know what "that funny smell" was when he got up on Saturday and Sunday Morning. She had no intention of telling him it was the smell of sex. She told him she thought it might be time to change the furnace filter, and her son said no more about it.

"You're going to have to change an awful lot of furnace filters when we get married," I kidded her.

"I'd better come up with a better explanation, hadn't I," Mary admitted.

"Good idea," I agreed, although I had my doubts about what it might be.

"Are we moving too fast, Ruel? It's only been two weeks and we're buying rings and planning to marry. Is it too soon?"

"Are you having second thoughts?" I asked, worried that it might be so.

"No ... that's not what I mean. How do we explain to people that we just reunited and already we're engaged?"

"Who do we have to explain it to? My mother and sister know how I feel about you, and have all along. This won't surprise them. Calvin will know as well, so who do we have to worry about?"

It was her turn to shrug, and that made me laugh. I wrapped my arms around her and held her tightly to me. "Do you remember telling me that you were going to handcuff me to the bed and never let me leave?"