An Unexpected Wife

by Masters, Constance

  “Well, there’ve been so many.” She was being glib on purpose. She knew exactly the promise he was referring to. The day he told her that she needed to behave like an adult or else and that he would be happy to take on that role, or something like that. The memory may not be exact but Cliff’s intention had been clear and it still was.

  “You were acting like an out of control child again, Sage. Being upset and frustrated is fine, we all have a bad day every now and then but getting so angry that you throw a pan full of food out into the yard, that’s not okay.”

  Sage sighed. “I know you’re right and I know that I can’t behave like that in front of the kids but they’re not here.”

  “Well it seems to me there are two different takes on what happened here; the first is that you were so out of control and angry that you couldn’t control yourself and you just let fly with your anger; the other scenario is that you were just angry and you let fly because you knew the kids weren’t here so didn’t feel the need to do the right thing.”

  “You’re twisting things,” Sage said.

  “No I’m not, just tell me which one is the one closest to the truth then.”

  Sage laid her head on her hands. “Why do you always make me feel like I’m on trial?”

  Cliff tapped on her hands gently with the tips of two fingers. “Stop changing the subject and think about the question. If you’re answer is an honest one, it should be easy.”

  “Why does it even matter?”

  “It matters, Sage, because one of those situations involves a certain amount of free will, and I think you’re old enough to control that if you care enough to try.”

  “Of course I do.”

  “Good, now answer the question,” Cliff said patiently.

  “All right, I just let my anger fly because I knew the kids weren’t here. I would never lose it like that and scare them,”

  “Well then, that’s good and a lot easier to deal with. Take yourself upstairs and lay over the bed.”

  “We haven’t even had dessert yet!”

  “You’re not getting dessert. Now move it before you force me to move you. Trust me, that won’t end well for you.”

  “But that’s so not fair, I’m happier now and I’m not angry at all.”

  “Do as your told and wait for me,” Cliff said. “I’m going to go and clean up your mess outside.”

  “I’ll do it,” she said. “When I did that I was angry but I never expected that you would go and clean it up for me. I wouldn’t do that!”

  “I don’t want you out there in the dark where you’ve left food outside. Just because you think it’s a ruined mess doesn’t mean that view will be shared. Goodness knows what kind of critter that food has attracted. You live in the country, Sage, you should know better.”

  Sage didn’t want to walk up the stairs like a child who had been sent to her room, but Cliff was getting that look that he meant business and she didn’t want to make things worse. She turned tail and marched up the stairs none too happily.

  Sage bent over the bed as Cliff had asked her but she was uncomfortable. She rocked from side to side, trying to quell the quivery feeling she had low in her belly. There were so many emotions involved with a spanking. To be honest, it was kind of easier when he just did it. Leaving her here bent over the bed with way too much time to overthink things was torture. So many questions were going through her mind. What would he use? His hand? A hairbrush? Her mom had whacked her once with a hairbrush and it had hurt like hell. She took a peek at the door, wondering how long she had. Deciding to risk it, she darted across the room to her dresser and grabbed her brush, hiding it away quickly in one of her drawers. Pleased with herself, she resumed her position and waited with bated breath for footsteps on the stairs.

  It seemed like Cliff was never going to come back but finally he did, although he must have left his shoes outside. There was no noise at all that gave him away. She literally jumped when he spoke.

  “Done,” he said, “and I didn’t get eaten.”

  “That’s good, I think,” Sage said, trying to keep the laughter from her voice. The Cliff that had arrived not that long ago, fresh showered and dressed in neat clothes was gone. Replacing him was a man whose hair was standing on end and whose dress jeans were smothered in mud.

  “Did I tell you it’s been raining?”

  She didn’t know whether she really found the situation funny or whether her laugh was a nervous one. Either way, once a giggle started to bubble she lost complete control.

  “I’m glad you think this is funny,” Cliff said sternly. “I have just been outside picking up pieces of your charred lasagne from all over.”

  Sage’s whole body shook and try as she might she couldn’t stop. “I’m sorry,” she said in a shaky voice.

  “Do you know how hard it is to find little pieces of food in mud? I had a flashlight in one hand and then I was crawling around making sure I got it all, in mud! I am not happy right now!”

  “Not as happy as a pig in mud?” Sage rolled off the bed and onto the floor. She couldn’t help herself. When she thought of all the trouble she went to, to make everything perfect. This was the exact opposite of perfect but even if Cliff didn’t think so, it was perfectly hilarious.

  “That does it,” Cliff said, making a dive for her. “You are so going to get it.”

  Sage did a ninja roll in a feeble attempt to escape her husband’s clutches and then crawled the rest of the way across the room but he was on her tail. Cliff grabbed for her but her tight dress had ridden up, his fingers caught her minuscule undies and they slipped completely down. “Stop,” she squealed, still laughing uncontrollably as Cliff grabbed her by the waist and wrestled her back against him. It was then she realised his body was shaking with laughter as well. She turned in his arms and stared him directly in the eye, and time seemed to stay still.

  Chapter Eight

  It was too much for Cliff; he held his hands up in defeat, figuratively of course. In reality, those hands were holding his wife’s perfect bottom. She was naked from the waist down and she was sitting directly on top of his tented pants, the only thing separating them was a layer of twill. Her eyes were staring into his and, at that moment, he had his answer. “I can’t do this anymore,” he said huskily. “I want you.”

  “I want you too.”

  Finally, they were in total agreement. Cliff’s lips met Sage’s, his stubble grazed her chin as their tongues danced with fiery passion. He winced as she ground against his trapped member. “Oh, baby, you’re killing me here,” he said breathily against her smiling lips.

  “Be quiet,” she said with a chuckle.

  “Oh really.” He slapped Sage’s bottom and yanked at the wrinkled hem of her hiked up dress until he’d wrestled it over her head.

  “Yes,” Sage muttered through short bursts of breath.

  Cliff didn’t know if she was answering him or urging him on, didn’t matter. He unhooked her bra, watching in awe as her perky breasts bounced loose. His mouth was so close to a puffy nipple when she moved away. “Sage?” His voice sounded like a wounded cry, even to him.

  She raised her body a little. “I’d say keep your pants on but I want them off.” She unzipped him.

  Cliff lifted himself up enough that she could wriggle his pants down along with his Calvin Klein’s, dumping them unceremoniously away from them. She climbed onto him and he watched as she pressed his hard flesh to her sweet entrance, then her silky warmth engulfed him and he was in heaven. The puffy nipple was in his sights again and he couldn’t resist, his lips were on it, sucking and rolling it around with his tongue until she whimpered, her fingers found her own pearl as she rode him with gusto. “You like this?” he whispered before taking the other teat in his mouth and between his teeth.

  “Oh yes, Cliff, yes,”

  Sage clung to him and arched her back, squealing as he flipped her, changing their positions so he was on top. He surged into her, kissing her deeply as he took b
ack control. Her legs were once again wrapped tightly around him and he was slapping her bottom onto the hardwood floor with every thrust. “Who’s in charge here, baby?”

  “You are,’ she panted, “oh yes just there, it feels so good there.”

  “You want more? You want it harder?” Cliff knew he was being rough but she loved it, she matched every thrust with one of her own. He wanted her to feel him, all of him and know that he was in charge. Cliff tapped her leg. “On your hands and knees.”

  Sage scrambled to her knees and opened her legs for him.

  When she reached back and touched his head of his shaft, it almost finished him. Grabbing her hips, he took her again, plunging into her soft warm flesh, deep and hard. After several slaps to each white cheek, he wrapped his entire body around her smaller one and rode her hard. “Come for me, Sage,” he ground out, snaking his hand out and flicking her nub.

  “I am,” she whimpered, rolling her hips and pressing back against him.

  With a roar, he filled her completely and they collapsed on the floor. She was still wrapped in his arms as the aftershocks rocked them both.

  * * *

  Sage opened one eye and smiled. They were still in bed and it must have been 10:00 am at least, if the sun was anything to go by. The best thing was that Cliff still had her cradled in a comfortable spoon position. After he’d seen to the animals earlier, he had come back and climbed into bed, cuddling her close while they both slept in.

  “Good morning,” she said when she felt him stir.

  “Good morning yourself.” Cliff pressed a sleepy kiss on the back of her neck and pulled her close. “I could lie like this all day.”

  “I bet, we used a year’s worth of energy last night.” There was humour in her voice but Sage wasn’t making fun. She was genuinely happy. Happier than she had felt in a long time, and definitely more satisfied, in every way. Last night had been something else. They had made mad passionate love on the floor, in the shower and then had finally made sweet love, slowly in the bed.

  “I’m not in here because I’m tired,” Cliff said. “I’m here because I don’t want to let go of you.”

  “Aren’t they starting on the bunkhouse renovations today?”

  “Tomorrow,” Cliff said.

  “What will we do today? Any ideas?”

  “I thought we’d go to town. I have to make a decision about something and I would like you to help me.”

  “Okay, is this about Netty and Bailey’s rooms?”

  “No, but you’re right, we should do that too, and talking about rooms, how would you feel about moving into the master bedroom?”

  “In my parents’ room?” Sage didn’t know how she felt about that. The silly thing was, when she was younger, if her parents were away she’d jump at the chance to stay in there in their big bed. Now, it felt a bit weird. It was probably the thought of sleeping in there with Cliff, or not sleeping more to the point.

  “What if I were to revamp it, bring my bed over, change the colours of the walls and the drapes. Make it our own.”

  “I think I’d have to see it first, you know? Is your bed bigger than mine?” Sage hadn’t thought about it, but it made sense that they would eventually have to take the master, especially if they were to have more kids somewhere down the road.

  “It’s a California king,” Cliff said. “As much as I love cuddling you, darlin', I could do with the leg room and I just don’t know that my bed will fit in here.”

  “You know what? You’re right. Time for a new start,” Sage said.

  “I think I have an idea,” Cliff said. “Why don’t we move to my place for a few days and then we can get some revamping done.”

  “Who’s going to do it?” Sage asked.

  “A friend of mine who owns a painting contracting business. He owes me a favour or two. I’ll give him a call. I would do the work myself but I’m stretched thin as it is.”

  “It would be great. I’d love to be able to show Aunt Jenny the kids’ rooms. Maybe it might make her feel that we’re committed to giving them a good life. You know, that we’re trying.”

  “I’ll get on it. Why don’t you get ready and we’ll head to town?”

  “Yep, sounds like a plan to me,” Sage said. This was the most enthusiastic she’d felt for a while, they really were getting somewhere weren’t they?

  The trip into town was a quiet one for the first little while and Sage was starting to worry that something was wrong. “You okay?” she asked

  “Yeah, I was just thinking. There won’t be time while we’re renovating the bunkhouse but how would you feel about the kids having a tree house or a fort or something. I mean the kids that stay here could use it too. I just think that Bailey could use more time playing and less time worrying about work.”

  “I think that’s a great idea,” Sage said. Every day that went by, she was learning more about this man, about how gentle and caring he was. “Have I told you what a beautiful man you are?”

  “I don’t believe you have.”

  “Well you are,” Sage said. “Maybe that’s what was making it so hard for me to make up my mind about what I wanted. You are just so lovely that it seemed almost too good to be true.”

  “Wow, so many compliments,” Cliff said, squeezing the hand that he’d been holding since they left. “I hope you know that the feeling’s mutual. I just can’t get enough time with you, and I’m shocked because I never saw it coming. I always thought you were such a brat. You have a softer side though that I’ve only just gotten to know.”

  “Okay, we’re getting a bit sappy now,” Sage said. “You want to tell me where we’re going and what you need me to help you to decide on?”

  “You’ll see,” he said. “It’s a surprise.”

  “I’m starting to think that you're kind of big on surprises. Am I right?”

  “Love them.”

  “Interesting, I’ll have to come up with a surprise for you then, won’t I?”

  “I like giving surprises. Not too easy to spring a surprise on me.”

  “I’ll think of something,” Sage said. “You’ll see.”

  “Okay, we’re here.” Cliff said, pulling into a space. “Since I don’t really want to drag you through the mall with your eyes closed, I think I might just reveal the reason that we’re here now.”

  “Yay,” Sage said, clapping her hands together.

  “We are here because I want to get you a special ring,” Cliff said.

  “These rings are just fine, I like them. You really don’t have to get me another ring.” Sage had mixed feelings about a new ring. She didn’t want to take her mom’s rings off now, she’d kind of become attached to them and moving them would feel funny.

  “I know you like wearing your mom’s wedding and engagement rings but I want to get you a symbol of our marriage of what it means. I want to get you an eternity ring, because I want to be married to you for all eternity.”

  Sage’s eyes filled with tears. “That’s so sweet.”

  “You can wear it with these rings,” he said running his fingers over the gold band and diamond ring that adorned her wedding finger.

  “Do we have to have a wedding again?”

  “Do you want one?”

  “I don’t know,” Sage said. “Do you?”

  “I don’t think I want to have one with other people. What if we just had a private ceremony with just us? Legally we’re married but neither of us really meant it when we said our vows. So what if we were to renew our vows in the church, just the two of us with the minister?”

  “That sounds perfect.”

  “Let’s go and choose this ring,” Cliff said.

  They stood at the window admiring the rings and Cliff watched not where Sage pointed but where her eyes drifted. He noticed she seemed to be choosing by price rather than by what she truly loved.

  “That one,” Sage said, pointing to a small ring with a simple twist and no diamonds.

  “That isn’t an eternit
y ring,” Cliff said. “An eternity ring has diamonds. What about one of those ones with the diamonds all the way around?”

  “I like that one,” Sage said. Cliff had done so much for her and the kids already and although he was generous, she knew he wasn’t a rich man. He wanted to do something nice, she got it, but she also wanted to do something nice.

  “Okay, I think I know which one you like now,” he said leaning over to kiss her. “Now, I want you to go over to that salon and get your nails done. I can take it from here.”

  “If you spend a lot of money on a ring, it won’t make me happy, it’ll only upset me, Cliff,” she said. “Jewellery doesn’t make a happy marriage.”

  “Okay, I’m listening,” he said. “Go get your nails done and then we’ll go and choose paint.”

  “You’re a very bossy man,” Sage said poking her tongue out behind her hand so that only he could see.

  “When are we going to do all this?” she asked, they were on their way back home. “I mean the vows and everything?”

  “How about Saturday? It’ll give us time to write down what we want to say.”

  “Fine by me and moving into your house?”

  “That we can do tonight, if you want. I spoke to Jack and they can start the painting in the morning. Three bedrooms, he said, will be done in about two days.”

  “Perfect.”

  * * *

  “Is that all you need for a few days?” Cliff asked, lugging the third bag down to the truck.

  “I can always come back and get anything I need.”

  “Seriously? I was being sarcastic. You couldn’t need anything else. Could you?”

  “How do I know? I can’t predict the weather or what I might have to do. I like to be prepared.”

  “Whatever you like, I was only joking with you,” Cliff said. “Now last thing,” he handed her a packet of coloured dot stickers. “I want you to go and stick a sticker on anything that you don’t want to leave the house. We won’t throw anything away but we might move some stuff into the bunkhouse when it’s done.”

  “That’s a great idea. I can keep Mom and Dad’s stuff but not have to actually use it.”