With the excitement and strife of the club, videos, and escalations in the past, Sally and Austin settled into something of a routine, though it retained all the fun and arousal of their favorite fetish and related activities. Her lust for a stinging red bottom and his love of providing it never waned.

They were in each other’s company almost constantly, apart from weeknights when they slept alone, and even then, their thoughts often turned to what the other was doing or thinking and missing them terribly.

Many pastimes furthered the joy of their time spent together. From outdoor activities like walking in the park, biking, and kayaking, to indoor fun like playing games, cooking together, or simply cuddling on the sofa, their lives were always better when they were together.

As the months passed, speculation on their future often occupied their minds. It had been almost six months since they professed their love for each other, and it had only grown stronger with time, so it stood to reason that they’d entertain thoughts of what lay ahead.

Alone in bed one night, Sally began to think more seriously about it. She tried not to let the fact that the lease on her tiny apartment was up in a few months push her toward a decision she wasn’t ready for, but tonight she concluded she was prepared to make a more significant commitment.

Sleeping together was still as magical as the early times. As long as there was no rush to get up, the one who woke first would inevitably stare longingly at the other, waiting for that moment when they woke as well, seeing the joy in their eyes at finding they weren’t alone. ‘Why shouldn’t that be every day?’ she asked herself.

Thinking about living together, she wondered whether it might also be on his mind, but if so, why hadn’t he suggested it? Was he afraid to broach the subject, worrying she’d decline? Or did he still value that bit of privacy he had on weeknights? Since it was his condo they’d logically inhabit together, it made sense that he’d be the one to ask her, not the other way around.

Marriage also came to mind that night, and it made her very happy to think of that as an eventuality, but she imagined that was even farther from Austin’s mind than just living together. Or was it? She realized she had no idea what he thought about the future and concluded she’d never find out if she didn’t ask.

They were lying on Austin’s sofa one Sunday evening, just serenely satisfied to be holding each other. It had been another fantastic weekend, with Sally nursing a deliciously stinging bottom, having been spanked several times beginning Friday night, continuing Saturday afternoon at their woodland hideaway, and again on the bench last night. As always, when the time approached for her to leave, it added a bit of melancholy to the time they had left.

“Sweetie, can I ask you a question?” she started, having decided the timing and mood were right to approach him about living together.

“Of course, Love.”

“You know I love you more than anything, right?”

“Yes! And you know I feel the same way about you?” he replied, wondering what she was leading up to.

“I do!” she said before kissing him gently with soft lips. “I feel like we love each other more with every passing weekend, don’t you?”

“It’s amazing, isn’t it?” he agreed.

“And then we’re sad when one of us has to go home!” she added, seeing a slight change in his demeanor. She knew he agreed, but did he know what she was going to ask him? She decided to continue. “Have you ever thought about living together?”

“Yes, I have,” he admitted after a pause, but unprepared for the question, he didn’t know what to say next.

“And?” she prompted him. She could see him disconnecting, just as he had months ago when he hadn’t spoken to her for a couple of days. “Don’t you think we’d get along great together?” she defended her position. Still no response. “Austin, please talk to me?” she pleaded.

“I’m … I’m not ready for that,” he replied reluctantly and sat back sullenly.

She saw it as a lost cause at that point, so she gave up. He was in that kind of mood again, and she doubted it would change tonight. ‘How long will it last this time?’ she wondered.

“I’m gonna go,” she said abruptly and stood up.

He rose with her but did nothing to stop her. She gathered some personal items and walked to the door, where he met her and kissed her blandly before she stepped out.

“Will you think about it?” she asked when she turned back toward him, but his expression didn’t change.

She headed for the elevator, and he watched her drive away from the railing outside his door. As her car disappeared, his sadness prompted him to promise himself that he would not treat her as he had before.

As he told her, he had thought about it, but he wasn’t keen on the idea. More than anything, he wanted to be with her all the time and always, but not to just live together. It had been on his mind for a month now, and he was sure she was ‘the one,’ but he hadn’t gotten to the point of figuring out how or when to discuss it with her. He wanted to marry Sally.

The gloom of her leaving as she had only left him missing her more, and he needed to figure this out quickly, but he needed some help. He called his Mom.

Sally walked warily into the office the next day, worried about Austin’s state of mind. She’d been frustrated and even a little angry the night before, but her opinion had softened some, and she realized she couldn’t be mad at him for giving her an honest answer, incomplete though it may be. Disappointed, yes, but she couldn’t blame him for how he felt and realized her lease situation may have hastened her suggestion, and that wasn’t right.

“Sally!” he shouted as she entered their shared office, and suddenly he was hugging her tightly, and when the shock wore off, she hugged him back and accepted a loving kiss.

“I’m so glad to see you happy!” she said, thrilled that he wasn’t still sulking.

“I love you so much, Sally! And I will think about it,” he said, holding her face in his hands.

“Think about what?” Deidre asked as she walked in.

“Oh, nothing,” Sally replied, trying to cover up.

“I was just asking Sally if she could have dinner with my Mom and me tonight,” Austin explained and smiled at the shocked look on Sally’s face.

“Uh-oh! Meeting the parents! Sounds serious!” Deidre quipped, trying to make light of it, and disappeared into her office.

“What’s this about meeting your mother?” Sally asked nervously.

“She called last night after you left and asked if she could come visit. I’m going home to meet her around three or three-thirty, but I’d really like you to come out to dinner with us! Will you come?”

“Of course I will, Sweetie,” she replied, not believing for a second that her coming to visit was just a coincidence. “I can’t wait!” she added a bit nervously.

That he suddenly wanted her to meet his mom was a good sign, and she realized he should meet her family as well. This was new to her; she’d never been asked to meet a boyfriend’s parents before, and she was already worried about making a good impression. From what he’d said about her over the months, she sounded like a strong, independent woman, but with a friendly personality.

“Austin! The playroom!”

“Already handled, Love,” he said with a kiss.

~~~~~

“It’s so good to see you, Austin!”

“Hi, Mom!” he said, accepting a maternal hug and kiss on the cheek.

“It’s been a long time since I’ve been to your condo! I see you still keep it nice and neat!”

“I keep after it, especially since Sally can be a bit messy.”

“Will I get to meet her? Other than telling me you’ve got a girlfriend, you’ve kept her quite a secret!”

“Yes, you’ll meet her at dinner. She’s the reason I called you.”

“I figured as much,” she replied, adding, “A mom’s intuition!” when he looked at her askance.”But I don’t know much about her.”

“We’ve been working in the same department for just over a year, but about seven months ago, we were assigned a project to work on together, and the sales campaign that resulted was very successful. We went out for a drink to celebrate, and we just connected. We started seeing each other regularly. We received promotions, a salary increase, and now we’re part of a small team continuing that work. We work really well together!”

He went on to tell her more about his beautiful Sally, his enthusiasm revealing his true feelings.

“You love her, don’t you?” she asked with a loving smile.

“Oh, Mom! I do! So much! And before you ask, yes, she loves me too!”

“Yes, I could tell that by the way you spoke of her. I’m so happy for you, Austin. Love like that isn’t as common as you might think. Your father and I loved each other like that.”

“Did you and Dad live together before you were married?”

“Is that what this is about? You want her to live with you first?”

“No. Well, yes, but it’s the other way round. She asked me if we could live together.”

“Oh. Okay. But you don’t want to?”

“I haven’t decided,” he replied simply, not wanting to reveal his true feelings yet.

“To answer your question. No, we didn’t live together first. We talked about it and decided against it, but, at the time, we’d already had some discussion about marriage. It was months yet till we got engaged, but we both felt like that was where we were headed. Have you and Sally discussed your future together in even vague terms?”

“No, we haven’t,” he confessed.

“Ah! Well, you probably should. Why are you undecided?”

“I’m not entirely sure of that either,” he replied, still holding his cards close to his vest.

“Once your father and I were married, we were glad we’d waited. It made the beginning of our life together even more special.”

“See, that’s what I believe! We spend every weekend together at one of our homes, Mom,” he said and paused to gauge her reaction to them sleeping together, but getting none, he continued. “I love sleeping with her and the feeling of waking up with her! I can’t describe it, but it makes me want to do anything I can to make her happy!”

“You are so like your father, Austin! He would do the sweetest things just to see a smile on my face,” she told him, getting a little choked up. “My joy and happiness always came first,” she added with a single tear running down her cheek. “I still miss him so!”

Austin moved over to sit beside his mother with an arm around her shoulders. He remembered his father in short vignettes of happy times, but having lived alone with his mother, he had long, detailed memories of her kindness and love, and the sorrow she felt for so long when Dad died.

“Oh, Austin! I don’t know what I would have done without you!” she said, still feeling the loss. The parallels between her son’s life and hers revived the memories, pleasant and painful. He looked a lot like his father, too, and she stroked his cheek as she calmed down.

“So, why are you living with Gerry?” he asked when she’d returned to being his Mom.

“Because I have no intention of marrying Gerry!” she replied with a chuckle. Seeing her son’s perplexed look, she continued. “Austin, you may not be old enough or experienced enough to know that love can be just about the sex! Once you went away to college, I felt it was okay to pursue those pleasures again. Gerry’s a good man; he treats me well, and I suppose I love him in a way, but there’s no one out there who could replace your father, so I doubt I’ll ever marry again. So, what about you and Sally?”

“Mom, I want to ask her to marry me! Now! But I’m afraid to! And her wanting to live together has only made it worse. Maybe she feels like we need to try it out before committing to each other. And then maybe she’ll decide she doesn’t want me anymore!”

“I don’t know enough to be able to form an opinion, but from what you’ve told me about her, I very much doubt that’s the case. But, consider this: how is not sharing your wishes and dreams for a future together going to prevent that from happening? You’re only ‘kicking the can down the road,’ as they say, by not discussing it now.”

“So I should go ahead and ask her to marry me?”

“Maybe. Or maybe just tell her that that is what you want at some point, whether that be next month or next year. However, whether you ask her now or later is ultimately your decision. I can’t make it for you.”

She watched as her thoughtful son processed what she had said. She’d always tried to couch her advice in a way to make him think and draw his own conclusions, and over time, he’d gotten quite good at it.

“Thank you so much, Mom! You’ve really helped me sort this out. I think I know what to do now,” he said, hugging her again.

“You’re welcome, Love! I’m thrilled that you called me for help. Now, do you think I could get something to drink?”

“Oh! I’m sorry!” he cried, jumping up and embarrassed by this lack of hospitality. “Wine? I have a nice Chardonnay that Sally likes?”

“That’s fine, and speaking of Sally, when will I meet her?”

“She’s actually a few minutes late,” he said, glancing at his watch. “Oh! That’ll be her!” he said when the doorbell rang. “I’ll get it!”

“No, I’ll get it! You finish pouring the wine!”

“Oh! Hi!” Sally said, surprised at who answered the door. “Hello, Mrs Barclay! It’s nice to meet you finally!” she said, and repeated, “Oh!” when his mother pulled her in for a friendly hug.

“I’m so happy to meet you, too, Sally! I’ve heard so many wonderful things about you!”

“Austin speaks so fondly of you, too. Oh! Austin!” she cried, surprised yet again when he pounced on her with a bear hug.

“I love you!” he whispered in her ear before kissing her lovingly.

“Wow! You should come more often, Mrs. Barclay, if this is the reception I’ll get!” she quipped, her raging nervousness diminished slightly by the warm greetings.

“Help me pour some wine?” he asked her, and the two went to the kitchen.

“I’m so nervous!” Sally said when out of earshot.

“Don’t be! Just be your usual perfect self. She’s gonna love you!”

“I love you, too, Sweetie!” she replied belatedly, and they carried the glasses to the living room.

“To love!” his Mom toasted them.

Conversation turned casual with a bit of business thrown in when Sally told him about a meeting with Deidre at the end of the day. ‘How was your drive here?’ ‘Do you live nearby?’ and other small talk ensued, but soon it was time to leave for dinner.

At the restaurant, their chatting became more personal as Mom learned more about Sally and vice versa. It was a mom’s prerogative to share some funny and slightly embarrassing stories about Austin’s childhood, meant to be endearing. Sally evened the score with some self-deprecating childhood memories of her own.

Sally became more comfortable with his mother and, seeing Austin’s mood elevated even more than it had been that morning at work, left her feeling happy and quite sure that things would work out fine, whatever they decided. She really liked his mom and was grateful when Austin excused himself, leaving the two women alone.

“Mrs. Barclay, I know …”

“Call me Carla, Sally.”

“Carla,” she started over, “I’m sure you’re visit today wasn’t coincidental.”

“Of course not!” Carla laughed, gaining even more respect for her son’s choice.

“But it would appear to have been most productive?” she phrased as both a statement and a question.

“Give him some time, Sally. He clearly loves you as much or more than anyone could expect, and I’m glad to see you seem to feel the same way about him. I am SO happy for both of you, but he needs some time to figure out how he feels about your suggestion. It might help to know that his father and I had an incredibly happy marriage, and I suspect you can appreciate the fact that he would do anything to make me happy!”

“Now I know where Austin gets it. I do love him, more than I could have imagined possible!”

“I can see that, Sally!”

“Thank you, Mrs. … Carla, for coming! And helping! I’m delighted we got to meet, finally!” she said, finishing just before Austin returned.

“Are you two good friends now?” he asked.

“We are!” Sally replied, taking his hand in hers.

“Everything alright, Love?” his mom asked, and Sally felt honored that the term of endearment he’d chosen for her was the one his mother used for him.

“I just wanted to give you some alone time with my beautiful Sally!” he replied, with Carla and Sally sharing a ‘See?’ look.

After dessert, they headed back to Austin’s condo with the conversation light and friendly in the car.

“Will you come up for a drink, Mom?”

“No, but thank you! I’ll leave you two alone now. Sally, I am so glad we got to meet!”

“Me, too, Carla! We’d love to have you again soon!”

“I’d like that. Goodbye, Love! Thank you for letting me into your life just a bit!” she said, getting another loving hug.

She got in her car and drove off with the two waving energetically. Once out of sight, they turned to first look at each other and then fall into each other’s arms, more sure of the future than before, without having settled anything.

“I should go,” she said while still in his arms.

“Can you stay? For the night?”

“I was hoping you would ask, Sweetie!”

Arm in arm, they entered the elevator and were kissing passionately with roaming hands by the time they reached the fourth floor. In his condo, they headed for the bedroom, each with partially open clothes. They loved undressing each other and had made it an arousing part of their foreplay, with hands and mouths immediately exploring each newly exposed bit of flesh. Once naked, they stood and held each other for even longer than usual, the intimate touch of the other’s body enough for now.

Austin guided her to the bed’s edge, where she lay back and let him part her legs. She would have preferred him lying between them and feeling him enter her, but she knew he wanted to do this for her and wouldn’t deny him. After feeling his hands on the back of her thighs, and his lips kissing their way to the middle, she moaned aloud when she felt his lips between hers, his tongue gliding enticingly through her slit.

“Oh God, Austin! I love the way you … ohhh, the way you lick me!” she cried as he nibbled on her clit, rolling it between his upper lip and tongue, and it wasn’t long before ... “Oh God! I’m gonna cum! I’m cumming, Austin! Oh, yes!” she sighed as she came once, and with two fingers slipping easily inside, “Oh! Again! Oh! Ohh! Ohhmmm!”

It wasn’t one of those earth-shattering climaxes, but she almost liked it better when she quivered inside from it slowly overtaking her. It felt like something he gave her rather than something he did to her.

“Please, Austin! I need to feel you inside me! Please?” she pleaded as she opened up for him.

Moving to lie between her inviting thighs, he guided his cock to the opening of her slippery, smooth pussy, both sighing, ‘Ohhh!’ as his long shaft, in one fluid thrust, filled her up.

“Ohhh, it feels so good!”

“Mmm, it does, doesn’t it?”

“Just stay right there for a minute?” she requested as she pulled his face to hers for several long, wistful kisses, while their hips ground together, savoring the intimate connection.

“Oh, Sally! I love you so much!” he said, then starting a slow, rocking rhythm, when a tear fell from his cheek to hers.

“Look at me, Austin!” she said, holding his face and wiping tears with her thumbs. “Let me see your eyes while you fill me with your love! Ohh!” she gasped as she wrapped her legs around him, pulling him into her at a slowly increasing pace.

Never reaching a frenetic tempo, they eschewed lustful fucking for long, gentle strokes, emphasizing their loving bond. She held on until she could feel he was close, and they came together, each feeling that the giving was more important than the getting.

With his back against the headboard, she lay face up in his lap, loving the way he stroked her hair, her face, and kissed her endlessly. It was a characteristic of his generous personality that she now knew he inherited from his father, and she’d never tire of it.

“What a wonderful night! I loved meeting your mother! She was so nice!”

“I told you she would love you!” he said, kissing her forehead.

“And then finishing the night off with all this! You’ve made me feel so loved, Austin!” she said, stroking his cheek, but then her expression changed. “Sweetie, I’m so sorry I pushed you on the living together thing! I really am! I was being selfish, and I’m sorry! You take whatever time you need to decide what you want to do.”

“You don’t need to apologize, Love. You’re right about our weekends being special, sleeping and waking together, just as we will tonight. I’m just not sure living together is the best way to achieve that.”

“What do you mean?” she asked, wondering if she knew what he was thinking.

“Sally, do you see us being married someday? Maybe a ‘someday’ not too far in the future? I do! I really do, Sally! I love you so much, and I do want you to live with me! More than anything! But not as my girlfriend, as my wife!”

“Oh, Austin! Are you asking me to marry you?” she cried with tears already forming.

“Not yet, Love. I want to make that a much more special event, but I am asking you to wait on living together while we consider our future. Will you do that?”

“Oh, Sweetie, yes! I hoped we’d get to that point, but I figured it was a long way off. I had no idea you were even thinking about it!”

“For about a month now. Do you remember that weekend we both thought was so perfect?”

“Yes! I thought about it then, too! Oh, Austin, I love you so much! More than words can say!” she said, sitting up and hugging him tightly.

Between soft and tender kisses, their eyes said what their voices could not, and they made gentle, romantic love once more before falling asleep with his arms held tight around her chest lest she lose him.

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

I love writing this part of a story and it always gets me teary-eyed. I hope it had the same effect on you and would love to hear your comments and receive you 'Likes' and 'Favorites' if like it as I did and ... THANKS FOR READING!