Evergreen Kiss

The explosion passed as quickly as it came on, and I went back to work, with my tongue on her clit. I slid the vibrator inside her and tried to find her sensitive spots. It's easier with a finger, but Meaghan was so responsive that I knew immediately when I had the thing in the right place. I worked her body that way for a while, sometimes pulling the vibrator out and using a finger, or my tongue. I felt the tension building in her, and I moderated my pace just a little, to make the pleasure last longer.

The moans turned vocal and she called out "Oh god, Sarah . . . I . . . please . . . oh . . . soooo good . . . please . . ." I gave her the release she needed, with my tongue on her clit and the little metal thing buzzing inside her. For just a moment, her body went totally calm, but then her legs thrashed out and she rolled over onto her side, grabbing the pillow and moaning into it so loudly it was almost a scream. I rolled in behind her, one hand still on her pussy and the vibrator buzzing inside it, and held her as she shook and shook. It may have been one long orgasm, or multiple waves, but I didn't care. I had made my lover turn to jelly.

Meaghan pulled out the vibrator and turned it off when she finally stopped shaking, and rolled over to look at me. The wildness in her eyes was gone, replaced by the deepest bliss I have ever seen. She kissed me gently on the forehead, and on each eyelid, but we didn't speak. We just held each other for a while, looking into each other's eyes.

I rolled over, spooning my back into her, and asked "What got into you tonight?"

Meaghan replied, her voice pure contentment. "I don't know. Missing you last night didn't help, but mostly I think it was the conversation at dinner. It was really good to hear you talk about what everything that's happened means for your life. When you told Jenna and Kate that you wanted me an only me, without any self-consciousness or shame about being gay, it felt more real, like you're sure of who you are, and I'm not just an experiment or a phase."

"Oh, sweetie, of course I love you. You were never an experiment, and I've never felt bad about loving you, even when I was scared about sex."

"I know, but it felt good to hear it out loud. And it really turned me on, as you could probably tell."

I reached behind me and gently slapped her behind, which elicited a giggling protest, and then held her arms to me as we snuggled to sleep.

***

With Meaghan in Seattle and Tim in Portland, Meaghan's whole family decided to spend Thanksgiving together in Portland, and Meaghan invited me to come with her. My parents were going to be in France for a conference, and Nana was spending the holiday with her brother's family, so I agreed quite happily, with no familial guilt. It would be nice to finally meet Meaghan's parents in person, and I planned to have an important conversation with her father.

Tim's house was lovely, and Grace and Sam were always happy to see Aunt Meaghan. They weren't old enough to really understand how Meaghan and I fit together; I was Meaghan's "special friend". They were happy to see me, though -- I made Aunt Meaghan smile, and they had another person to spoil them rotten. Thanksgiving dinner was very nice, especially since for once I didn't cook a thing. Very Midwestern -- a little slice of Michigan transplanted to the Pacific Northwest.

The day before we left, I found Mr. Williams while Meaghan and her mother were out shopping. I was a little nervous about this, but I said what I came to say. "It's traditional for a man to ask a woman's father for her hand in marriage. I'm not a man, and I won't ask for permission because Meaghan is her own woman and can make up her own mind. But I will ask for your blessing. Mr. Williams, I intend to marry your daughter."

He smiled at me and said "I really appreciate you coming to me -- I never thought I would get to have this conversation. I see how Meaghan looks at you, and how good you are to her. You have my blessing.

When Meaghan told us she was, well, who she is, I was worried about her -- she's a good girl, and she deserves a good life. Before she met you, I wasn't sure she would find anybody who could take care of her. Now that she's met you, I don't need to worry anymore.

Welcome to our family, Sarah Oda. I am sure you will make my daughter very happy."

He shook my hand, and I saw in his eyes the love and pride he had for his daughter, and now for me.

***

Meaghan and I had talked about our future, but never in definite terms. We knew we wanted to spend our lives together, and everything we planned was in that direction. Marriage was legal now in Washington, and the DOMA decision would make life much easier for us. I'm sure Meaghan assumed we would get married someday, just like I did, but she never said anything to me. I think she was waiting for me to be sure.

I was sure, absolutely sure, but we weren't quite ready to move in together, and I wanted to be ready before I said anything. We spent almost every night together, mostly at my place, with a few weeknights at her place. And that was the problem -- it was still MY place. It needed to be OUR place. I thought for a while about what that would mean. The usual stuff was easy -- space in the closet, a couple of drawers in the bathroom, that sort of thing. I had room on my bookshelves for whatever she brought with her, and I didn't think she'd have any problem sharing the kitchen the way it was -- she loved my kitchen, and didn't have anything in hers that she was attached to apart from a few odds and ends.

One big consideration was missing, though. Meaghan is an artist, and an artist needs a studio. She did most of her painting in her bedroom in her little apartment, and that was just not going to work once we moved in together. So I set about making the den into a studio.

I would need to move my desk to the spare bedroom, which would be a little cramped, but okay. And the den would need two things -- a space for physical painting, with some storage for supplies, and a digital art workstation. Meaghan did most of her digital stuff on her tablet, and it worked well enough, but once she moved in with me, she was going to have a proper digital workspace.

I started with the PC, because it had the longest lead time. I went a little overboard -- the thing was overpowered in every conceivable way -- but I build computers for fun, and this was definitely fun. Next up was the desk. I found a great drafting table for the desk, and I also found a nice mouthing system for the two computer monitors I hooked up to the PC. One was a regular screen, mounted on the back of the desk, and the other one had a stylus and digitizer. The mounting system meant the second monitor could sit on the desk surface for drawing, or swing up out of the way for more desk space.

Meaghan was going to Portland the next weekend, so that was the time to finish my plan. She asked me to go with her, like always, and I lied to her and told her I had work to do. It hurt a little, even with a good reason. That Tuesday, I went into Carl's office and asked for help.

"Carl, sweetie, I need your help. I have some furniture to move, and I need a big strong man to move it for me." I was pretty shameless, and Carl just gave me the look. Truth was, though, I did need somebody strong -- I certainly couldn't move it myself, and even Jenna would've struggled to help me with it. Carl, though, was basically a Nordic god, and wouldn't have any trouble.

After Carl just skeptically stared at me for a while, I added in a more serious tone "I'm setting up a studio for Meaghan, and some of the stuff is really heavy. Bring Kara and Rachel -- actually moving stuff will take like half an hour, and then I'll make homemade pasta. Rachel always loves helping me cook. It'll be fun."

Carl is a big softie inside, and gave in. "You've babysat for Rachel enough that I owe you at least one. I'll be happy to."

We had no trouble setting stuff up, other than me scraping my knee. Rachel always loves coming to my place. She's six, and I think she's just as fascinated with the tall buildings downtown as I was at that age. She helped me stuff ravioli with spinach and ricotta while Carl and Kara sat at the counter with a winter ale and watched and chatted.

So now MY place was ready to become OUR place. All it needed was Meaghan.

***

I could have just asked Meaghan to move in with me. She might have agreed, but somehow I don't think so. There was a reason that we spent a few nights a week at her place, even occasionally apart, and it wasn't just the commute. I think she needed to know for sure that I was serious, that I really meant to spend my life with her, and this wasn't just some phase. She loved me, of course, and I loved her, but I could sense this little sliver of doubt in her. I knew just how to remove that doubt -- I went shopping.

I got Meaghan's ring size covertly, and set about finding the perfect ring for her. After looking around for a while, I found it -- a small but exquisite diamond with three emeralds set on each side. It was beautiful -- the emeralds were a deep green that matched her eyes. And there was another ring in the same design with sapphires for me.

Meaghan got back from Portland early Sunday afternoon and came to my place -- soon to be our place. She had a great time with the kids, as always, and for once the weather was nice on her drive home, so she was in a good mood.

"Hi, sweetie. I missed you this weekend. Do you want to go for a walk? It's cold, but it's clear and dry and I've been cooped up in my car for too long."

I was a little nervous. No butterflies in my stomach this time, but still nervous.

"Okay, sweetie, but I want to show you something first."

That was when she noticed that the door to the den was closed. I hadn't closed that door since I moved in, but I wanted to surprise her, and to show her that she had her own space in the house, with a door that closed if she needed it to.

When she opened the door, her mouth fell open and she just stared for a while.

"Wow, sweetie. I don't know what to say. This is amazing. I've never had a place like this before; I've always just kind of made do with whatever space I have. You are so wonderful to me."

I showed her around a little bit, and pointed out how the desk worked with the monitor as a digital art workstation. The more she saw, the more excited she got.

She stood in the corner for a while too, near the easel I had set up for her to paint, and looked out the window. I had a feeling that view might inspire her, and I was right.

I came up behind her and put my arms around her waist and said "I'd really like you to move in with me, but there's one more thing I need to do first."

She answered not quite realizing what I had said. "Okay, sweetie. Whatever you need."

I took her hand, stood to face her and reached into my pocket. Her face started to light up when she saw what I was doing. I opened the little box in my hand, and in as steady voice as I could manage, I asked.

"Meaghan Williams, will you marry me?"

"Yes, Sarah! Yes Yes Yes!"