They arrived back at Sally’s apartment in the early evening. Austin grabbed her bag from the trunk and carried it in. He put it in her bedroom, and when he returned, found Sally in the kitchen putting some water on for a hot drink she figured he would like. He looked to her as though he was going to bolt for the door.

“I’m making some tea for you,” she stated with concern for his demeanor. He just stood there, seemingly going into one of his silent moods again. Sally walked quickly to him and offered a hug, which he accepted gratefully. “What’s wrong, Sweetie?” she asked, and got no reply, but at least his hug was warm and loving.

The car ride back from her parents' had been quieter than the one north. They had stopped at a rest area, but only found a remote picnic table that wasn’t shielded enough for Sally to get the spanking she was itching for, yet they did please each other with fingers and mouths. Austin had been worried about the risk, but when Sally lifted her skirt to reveal her lack of underwear, he couldn’t resist. While he loved seeing her in panties, he also loved it when she’d spring something so sexy and naughty on him.

During the longer, quieter moments of the drive, his mind wandered back to the weekend at Sally’s parents’. Sally had described his face as a ‘deer in the headlights’ at their boisterous dinner table, and he’d found it an apt description. He felt like his attention had been repeatedly torn from one discussion to another. He’d be listening to one conversation when he’d hear his name from a different direction, turning toward the new topic with a ‘huh?’ actually voiced or apparent on his face. His recollection led him to question how he’d handle it in the future and even reconsider his decision about his upcoming proposal, at least in the near term.

But it also made him feel stupid for letting something like that question his dedication to Sally in any way, and hugging her right now settled his mind. He’d decided he wouldn’t ask her father for Sally’s hand in marriage because, regardless of his answer, he was going to marry her, so why let the upsetting dinner scene raise doubts?

“I was hoping you’d stay,” she said when she pulled away to read his face.

Holding her face in both hands, he kissed her with all the passion he had bottled up over the weekend, and Sally melted into his arms when he wrapped them around her. The kiss ended, but the embrace did not, as he held her, rocking to and fro, as if she were a baby in his arms.

“Wow,” she whispered. “I guess that’s a yes?”

“I don’t know what I’d do without your love, Sally!” he confessed.

“You don’t have to worry about that, Austin. I will love you always!” she said with a soft, sincere voice.

The exchange left them both wanting just to hold each other, and they spent the hour or so before bed, cuddling on the sofa, holding, caressing, and kissing, expressing their love through tender touches rather than words.

When they finally went to bed, they undressed each other calmly and made gentle, romantic love before drifting off to sleep lying in each other’s loving, grateful arms.

The following morning, Austin got a call from the jeweler’s to say the ring would be ready on Wednesday. He decided that the following Saturday would be ‘the’ day, and he spent the rest of the week refining his plan. He’d have an idea and begin preparations with that in mind, and then a conflicting thought would have him changing his mind, and the cycle would repeat. It wasn’t perfection he sought, and he had no doubts about her answer. Still, he saw this as the beginning of their life together, and he wanted her to remember every detail with the joy that would make her eager to tell the story proudly to whomever asked about it.

He slept fitfully Friday night despite being in the bed and arms of his precious love. There was nothing left to do other than convince Sally to go along with his plan without revealing what the plan or ultimate outcome was.

Sally slept like a rock as she always did after a night of playful spanking and lovemaking. She woke to his smiling face, the memory of his remarkable attentions the night before bringing a sleepy smile to her own face. She reached for him sitting beside her and was startled when he lifted her to lie face-up in his lap with his soft and tender lips on hers as though a direct continuation of last night’s passion.

“Oh, Sweetie! You make me feel so loved when you do things like that!”

“Good, because I do love you so much!”

“And I, you!” she replied before soliciting another kiss, which became long and lustful.

“Let’s take a shower?” he phrased as a question, though he wouldn’t take no for an answer. “I want to bathe your body in my love!”

“Oh, Austin! What’s got into you?” she asked with a flicker of an idea as to what that might be.

“Stay here. I’ll get it ready,” he said as he practically jumped out of bed into her bathroom, starting the shower running to get it warmed up. Returning to her bedside, he helped her up.

“Ooo!” she squeaked with a firm smack on her barely pink cheeks as he pushed her toward the shower. “Mmm, more please!”

Steam billowed out the open glass door as he ushered her inside, where she turned to take him in her arms.

“Do you want to get spanked?” he asked as he nuzzled her neck with his hands on her perfect bottom. “Do you need to get spanked?” he asked again as he squeezed her cheeks. “Do you have to get spanked?”

“Oh, God, yes! I want it, need it, and have to have it,” she pleaded and bent over with her hands on the back wall of the shower, the water cascading down her back and between her cheeks. “Oh! Yes! Spank me!” she cried, loving the sharp sound his hand made when it connected with her wet bottom.

Austin knew from experience that a wet bottom spanking hurts a bit more, so he didn’t spank her hard, not wanting her to have a sore bottom the rest of the day. It also produces an even, all-over color that was already starting to appear.

“Oh! Ohh! Oh my God!” she cried when his left hand slipped into her dripping wet slit, while the spanking continued. “Hoh! Hoh! Hoh!” she gasped with his thumb circling her clit accompanied by individual hard smacks on alternate cheeks. “Oh Fuck!” she screamed minutes later when she came, her hips jerking forward into his fingering hand.

“Come here,” he said as he pulled her up and held her from behind with one arm across her chest and the other still between her legs. “I love doing that for you, Sally!”

“I … I love you … so much … Sweetie!” she cried between panting breaths. “I want you … inside me … so bad! Please!?”

She turned around to face him and kissed him with passion and lust. Grabbing hold of his more-than-ready cock, she spread her legs and tried to guide it between her lips. Austin squatted down a bit, and Sally rose on tiptoes to permit better alignment; soon, he was deep inside.

“Ooo!” she yelped when Austin grabbed her bottom and lifted her up, where her legs wrapped instinctively around his waist and her arms around his neck. “Oh, God! Yes! Yes!” she cried as she lifted herself, opposing his retreating hips and fell back on him as he thrust his hips up.

“Sally!” he cried with the physically taxing, but extraordinarily sexy position.

“Oh, God, Austin!” she cried between grunts of exertion as they caromed unsteadily off the walls. “Put me down! We’re going to fall and hurt ourselves!” Back on her feet, she bent again with her hands on the wall. “C’mon, Sweetie! Give me that cock again and fuck me hard!”

“Ohhh, Sally!” he said as he easily slipped in again, teasing and scolding with, “Such language!”

“Yeah? Well, you can spank me too if you want! Oh, fuck! I’m gonna cum already! Cum … cum with me! Please! Yes! Yes! Ohhh, God!” she cried, letting herself cum when she felt his cock pulsing inside.

“Come here, Love!” he said as she turned to fall into his arms.

“That was so good!” she whispered with her head on his shoulder.

He grabbed her shampoo, squirted a huge dollop onto her scalp, and, using both hands, worked it into a luxurious lather that ran down her body. She hummed her appreciation of the fantastic head massage while he washed her hair. Pulling her under the water, he continued with expert fingers, rinsing the shampoo away.

Turning to face him again, she grabbed her bath sponge and body wash, but before she could start on him, he took both from her.

“This is just for you, Love!” he said as he began at her neck and gently scrubbed her perfect body.

Over her shoulders and across her tasty tits, his free hand rinsed the lather away while providing tantalizing touches as well. Her soapy tits felt his fingers as the sponge worked its way down over her tummy and between her legs. She had just turned around to face him so he could do her back when the water started cooling a bit. Making quicker work of it, he scrubbed her back and backside, unable to resist giving each cheek a little smack. He then moved quickly to her legs with the water temperature falling, but still warm.

He shifted her under the water to rinse what his hands hadn’t while he ran the sponge quickly over his body. She returned the favor with a couple of good smacks on his bottom when he turned his back to her. She grabbed the shampoo and quickly washed his hair while he rinsed his body.

All done as the hot water ran out completely, he stepped out and grabbed her towel, holding it open for her to step into. He wrapped the towel around her and kissed her tenderly when she tipped her head up. He grabbed a towel for himself, dried off, and left her in the bathroom to dry her hair. He would have done that for her, too, if he had any idea how.

He found his overnight bag, got dressed, and went back to check on her progress. She had just finished her hair and was working on the minimal makeup she always wore.

“What are you dressed up for?” she asked when she noticed his khakis, topsiders, and navy silk shirt.

“I’m taking you out to eat! We’re way past breakfast, so it’ll be lunch, but maybe we’ll do dinner as well later!”

“And what are we doing in between those two meals?”

“I thought you might like to go to the park?” he asked, ‘the park’ being code for their special hideaway in the woods.

“Ooo! Promise to give me a real spanking this time?” she asked, commenting on the playful nature of those she’d gotten since last night.

“Oh, you’re gonna enjoy the park! I promise!” he said. “Will you wear that sleeveless dress with all the bright colors I like?”

“Of course, I will, Sweetie!” she replied, suspecting this wasn’t going to be a typical trip to the park.

They were dressed and about ready to leave when she announced she wanted to take her favorite little round paddle with the tooled leather. She was about to open his backpack to put it in when he jumped up, saying he’d do it. From that point on, she went along with whatever he wanted to do, as she was pretty sure she knew where it would lead, and she very much wanted to go there.

They had a light lunch at a place that was halfway between a nice restaurant and a sports bar. Austin was in a nostalgic mood, recalling highlights of their many good times together, while Sally had a permanent smile plastered on her face.

“Remember when we first visited the club?” he asked.

“Yes! Everything seemed so extreme to us until Jewel told us about the Open Chair Night. I sure remember that first time! We were so nervous! But then you turned out to be such a showman!”

“Do you miss the club, Love?”

“It’s hard to say I miss something we only did twice and the second time triggered our first conflict, so … no, I don’t think so.”

“Because I’d go again if you really wanted to? As long as it was just us, like the first time.”

“I don’t know. Maybe? Do you remember when we almost got caught by Max that first time in the office? What would’ve happened if you hadn’t set up that booby trap? If he caught you fucking me, we could’ve lost our jobs, and maybe all this wouldn’t have happened!” she said with a touch of sadness at the thought.

“Well, all this did happen, and now I have the most beautiful girl in the world!”

“And I have a man who’s more wonderful than I could possibly imagine!” she said, stroking his cheek and kissing him tenderly.

“Shall we go to the park?” he said with a touch of nerves about the plan. He wanted so badly for it to go just right.

“Yes. Let’s. Remember, you promised to give me a real spanking when we get there!” she said, trying to put him on the spot, but he just smiled in response.

A half hour later, they were walking on the trail to their hideaway, looking very out of place, dressed as they were among all those using the trail for exercise. They walked arm in arm with the backpack over Austin’s one shoulder. He was still a bit nervous, not for the ultimate outcome, as he knew she’d say yes and had begun wondering whether she already knew what was coming. He just wanted it to be one of their most cherished memories.

“Now, you wait here a minute. I want to make sure it hasn’t been messed up by anyone,” he said to her when they arrived at the faint trail to their hideaway.

“Okay, Sweetie!” she said, already feeling so happy and calmer than she’d been in ages.

“It’s okay,” he said when he returned to lead her in.

They got to the clearing, which was still as tidy as they’d left it last time. She remembered fondly how he’d brought tools their second time to clear away some of the natural debris, making it theirs alone.

Now, there was a blanket covering the top of the tree stump they used as a stool. In the center sat a crystal vase with a single red rose, with sprigs of fern and baby’s breath. There was something else, very small, sitting next to it. Austin picked them both up and handed her the rose.

“This is for today, and this,” he said as he handed her another red rose made of Austrian crystal in its own crystal vase, “is for forever. The same forever I hope to spend with you, Sally.”

She was already on the verge of tears as she accepted his gifts and sat on the stump as he directed. She thought she’d lose it when he knelt before her, holding her hands, but she managed to hold on.

“I’ve told you that I don’t know what I’d do without your love, and I truly meant that. I felt so utterly joyless during that first conflict we had. I wanted to go back in time to what I thought were our best days, fearing that I might be losing you. We’ve had so many better days since, and I’m sure we have even more ahead. I don’t ever want to know what it’s like to do without your love, because I love you now more than I ever thought possible and will love you even more tomorrow.”

Sally’s face was streaked with the tears she just couldn’t hold back anymore. She couldn’t have said it better herself. She’d never imagined a love so strong, a love so boundless, a love she shared with a man she couldn’t have imagined either.

“Some might think this an odd place to be doing this, but we both know this is a special place for us. We met at a place that belonged to a company. We found each other at a bar that belonged to someone else. We’ve spent countless hours at your place or my place, but this is our place. We found it and we tidied it up a bit …”

“You tidied it up a bit, Sweetie!” she corrected in a shaky voice.

“… and we made it our place to have our special kind of fun. It’s a nice place, but I think we need someplace else to call our place. A place where we can live and love together for as long as we both shall live.”

Sally was openly sobbing at the phrase he borrowed from wedding vows. She just wanted to jump into his arms and hug him to pieces, but it wasn’t time.

“I don’t want to live in the woods, and I don’t ever want to think about doing without your love, ever again, so … my beautiful, precious, amazing Sally. Will you do me the tremendous honor of marrying me and becoming my wife?” he finished as he took the ring from his pocket and offered it to her.

“Yes, Austin! Yes! Yes! I have never been so happy in my whole life, and I don’t ever want to do without your love either!” she said as she held out her left hand and let Austin put the ring on her finger. She looked at the ring, then at him, and burst into joyful tears again.

Finally, she could stand up to hug and kiss her one true love. The moment seemed timeless, endless, as they looked forward to being together always. Kisses were soft, tender, and loving, and hugs were breathtaking, but no words were necessary. She felt he’d said everything that needed to be said so beautifully, and she had nothing to add.

After another series of kisses, he led her back to their ‘stool’ and sat with her in his lap. With his arms around her waist, she lay back against his chest and held her left hand up to admire the ring.

“It’s beautiful, Austin! You picked it out yourself, didn’t you?”

“I got some advice from my mom, but yes, I picked it out for you,” he said, giving her a kiss on the cheek, happy that she was admiring it so.

“The size is perfect! How did you … my opal!” she remembered as she wondered how he knew what size to make it.

“I’m sorry. I know you were upset about losing your favorite ring, but it’s the only one I saw you wearing all the time, so I knew it would be best to get the size from, and I wanted to be sure I could put the ring on your finger.”

“Oh, Sweetie! I love you so much! It was great fun finding it again, wasn’t it? And now I have a new favorite ring!”

He waited another minute or two for her to enjoy the ring, holding it up at various angles to see it sparkle and shine, but then reached under the blanket and pulled out the paddle she’d insisted on bringing. She laughed when she saw it.

“I know how much you were looking forward to a proper spanking when we got here. I’d rather not, but you know I’ll always try to give you anything you want, especially when it comes to your perfect, beautiful bottom!”

“No, I think I can do without that tonight. You’re so good to me, Austin! I love you so much, and I can’t wait to be your wife!” she said with new tears as she kissed his face repeatedly. “We should call our parents! From here!” she said after receiving her share of kisses.

“Wait! Let me take a picture of you showing off your ring!” He grabbed his phone and snapped a few pictures of her, then a couple of selfies of the two of them together. “There. Can they do video calling?”

“Yeah, my mom can, but we should call your mom first after she helped us so much and then helped you with the ring!”

“My mom knows it's coming, yours doesn’t, and I know you’re dying to tell her.”

She kissed him again for his thoughtfulness, reached for her purse to get her phone, and called her mom.

“Hi, Mom!” she said, crying again when she saw her mom’s face.

“Sally! What’s wrong!? Why are you crying!?”

“Look, Mom!” she cried, bringing the ring into the picture. “We’re gonna be married!”

“Oh my God! Sally! I’m so happy for you! Ted? Ted!? Come here,” she called as the camera on her phone waved all over while she went to find Sally’s dad.

“What’s wrong, Carol!” he asked with alarm as he walked in the back door.

“Look!” she said to him, holding up her phone for him to see Sally and her ring. “They’re gonna get married!”

“Oh, Baby Girl! I couldn’t be happier for you both! Congratulations!”

“Yes! Congratulations, Baby!” her mother added.

“Thank you!” she said as she moved the phone to get Austin more fully in the picture.

“Congratulations to you, too, Austin! You’re a good man! Sally, you be a good girl for him!” her dad added, and Sally and her mom burst out laughing, while still crying as well.

“Thank you, Sir!” Austin replied, suspecting that some private joke had just been shared, but he’d wait to find out what it was.

“Where are you two?” her mom asked, seeing the background of trees and palms.

“It’s a special place for us. In a nearby park,” Sally explained. “We have to call Austin’s mom now, okay? Wish us luck!”

“You don’t need luck, Baby. You two are perfect for each other. Anyone can see that!”

“Yeah! And we look forward to you joining the family, Austin!” her dad added.

“Bye, Mom! Dad!”

“Oh, Austin!” she started when the call ended, and she looked again at the ring. “I knew it was coming eventually. I suspected it was today, the way you were acting this morning. But I still can’t believe it. I’m so happy and I love you more than ever!”

“Believe it, Love! I think we both saw this coming, even before our first discussion about it. Ready to call my mom?”

“You’re so right, Sweetie! I guess I just can’t believe it happened so fast! I’ve had friends who dated for years before they got engaged, and then just as long before getting married,” she said, her face suddenly showing alarm. “We won’t wait a long time for our wedding, will we?”

“I’d do it tomorrow if that’s what you wanted! I’ll leave that up to you. I’m sure you’ll want to plan it with your mother.”

“Yes, I will. Let’s call your mom! It’s already starting to get dark.”

Already having his phone at the ready, he tapped the screen to start the video call.

“Austin? Is that you? Oh! And Sally! Oh, Austin, is this the call I’ve been waiting for?” she cried, knowing it was when she saw Sally’s tear-stained face.

“It is, Mom!”

“We’re gonna be married, Carla!” Sally chimed in, loving the sound of that phrase.

“I am overjoyed for you both! You’re so beautiful together, and I love you both so much! Your dad would be very proud of you, Austin,” she said as her tears started flowing.

The itch of tears he felt when he first put the ring on her finger finally started running down his face. In truth, he couldn’t believe it either for similar reasons to Sally’s. He could not have possibly imagined anything more perfect than these moments with Sally and their families.

“Thanks, Mom! For all your help!” he sniffled.

“Yes! Thank you, Carla! It’s a beautiful ring! Can you see it?” she said as she held it up to the lens, acknowledging the advice she’d given her son.

“It is beautiful, Sally,” Carla replied. “You’ve called Sally’s parents already, haven’t you, Austin?”

“Yes, Mom! They’re so happy for us, too.”

“Is that you’re special place?” she asked, seeing the dense foliage behind them.

“Yes, it is. And it’s starting to get dark, so we …” he started, but was interrupted by a flash of lightning and a loud clap of thunder very close. “We’ve got to go, Mom! It’s about to storm!”

“Yes! Go! And congratulations to you both!” she said as she ended the call.

Without saying a word, they both quickly started stuffing things back into the backpack and slinging it over his shoulder again, Austin grabbed Sally’s hand to run.

“Wait!” she cried and reached back for the rose that had fallen to the ground in their haste.

Out of the woods, they ran down the trail, hoping to get back to the car in time, but minutes later, another thunderclap signaled the downpour that drenched them both in seconds. Through the sheets of rain, Austin could just barely make out the gazebo they always passed on their way to the hideaway and led them to it.

“I’m sorry,” he started when they were both within its safety. “I should have seen that coming when it started getting dark so early,” he barely finished before Sally was in his arms, kissing him with a passion he’d not felt before.

He dropped the backpack on the floor and kissed her back. Somehow their predicament seemed so right, to be now safely in each other’s arms, sharing a new level of passion, and soon to be married. They stayed within the other’s loving grasp until the thunder was distant and the rain finally stopped.

“My heart feels like it’s about to explode, I love you so, Sally!” he said with her face in his hands.

“I feel the same way, Sweetie! Take me home and love me all night!”

--===<<<O>>>===--

I hope you enjoyed Austin's proposal as much as I did writing it!? They do seem the perfect couple, don't they? I'd love all the 'Likes,' 'Favorites,' and comments you're willing to give as congratulations to these wonderful characters I've come to love myself and ... THANKS FOR READING!!