Anna was waiting on the front porch of the bed and breakfast when He arrived nearly 2 hours before dawn. She had been up since 4:00 a.m. preparing, and even begged the use of the owner’s kitchen. Anna walked to the car carrying a large picnic basket as He came around to the passenger side to meet her. She was wearing a jersey knit sundress, sleeveless. It flowed to her ankles and buttoned all the way down the front. She had left it unbuttoned to mid-thigh and was wearing a sweater to keep off the early morning chill, knowing He wouldn’t be able to resist having the top down on the car. She had nothing on her head but a scarf tied stylishly around it. He took the basket from her and put in the back seat of the convertible. Turning He took both her hands in his and looked down into her eyes.
“Are you ready my sweet?” He asked.
She smiled up at Him, “Yes,sir.”
“Good”, He nodded and then kissed her deeply, fully, before helping her into in the car.
They drove out of the city, and He turned down a little traveled country road. They had planned this day for weeks, a turning point in their relationship. He turned in at a gate that was locked and stopped the car. Getting out and taking a key from His pocket to unlock it. They drove through and paused again to relock the gate. They went down a narrow lane and stopped at a grove of trees. He came around to her side and opened the car door, giving her a hand to step out. He handed her the basket, and He took a small cooler and two blankets. The sky was just beginning to pale. They walked through the trees to the edge where there was an ancient oak tree, towering over all the others, it’s branches spreading majestically. Even though there was an old picnic table in the clearing, they spread one blanket out on the ground. Anna began laying out the contents of the basket as He opened the cooler, pulling out a bottle of orange juice and a bottle of champagne. As He fixed them mimosas in tall crystal flutes, Anna set out a basket filled with scones, still warm from the oven, wrapped in a tea towel, a bottle of pure clover honey, a bowl of strawberries, a jar of clotted cream, and a peach. There were also linen napkins and one porcelain plate.
They sat down beside each other, facing east, to eat and watch the sun rise. Anna broke open two scones and drizzled them with honey, and they began to eat after toasting this new beginning with their mimosas. At first, they chatted as they ate, Anna telling of her journey there and He telling about the land they were on. He had bought it a few years ago, and was designing a house to be built at the south end of the grove, overlooking a small lake. As the sky began to color, Anna felt a bit of honey drip onto her chin. She took her finger and wiped it off, but as she began to lick the sweet nectar from her finger, He grabbed her wrist. Drawing her hand to His mouth, He slowly licked her finger off, His tongue warm on her skin. He released her hand and picked up a strawberry, dipping it in the cream. He brought it to her mouth and traced her lips with it, leaving a ring of white, then pushed the whole berry into her mouth, forcing her to bite into it. Juice spurted out and mixed with the cream. He leaned in and grasped her shoulders. He licked the mixture from her mouth, tracing her lips with His tongue, and then pushing it between them. Anna parted her lips for Him, tongues tangling, tasting. They continued to feed each other pausing often to kiss, to taste, to touch.
He sat back a bit. “Kneel,” He commanded.
Anna raised onto her knees before Him and looked down at the blanket.
He put His finger under her chin, “No, look up. I want to see your eyes.”
Her eyes locked with His, she felt His hands on her shoulders. He pushed her sweater off and slid it down her arms, holding it while she pulled her hands free. Slowly He undid the buttons, His eyes never leaving hers. He paused and looked down at her bareness before pushing it off her and letting it pool around her.
“You have been following directions,” He smiled, as He looked at her shaved body.
He stood, pulling her to her feet and lifted her into His arms. He carried her over to the table, spread with the other blanket, and set her on the edge. Untying the scarf from her shaved head, He smiled slowly.
“Put your hands together.”
