He opened his present, his fortieth birthday present, knowing that she would have got him something good. After all, this was a special birthday -- the big four oh. Well, the day after his big four oh. He had spent the previous day trying to drive a hundred miles or so through snow to get home for his birthday, but had ultimately failed, only getting in mid-morning the following day.
He opened the slim, gift-wrapped package to see a small white envelope. Inside it was a book token for ten dollars. He smiled, a little puzzled, and turned it over to see if there was something on the back -- something different.
He wondered whether this token would lead him to something special at the store she had bought it at -- a signed first edition or something that was being kept for him to claim.
"Thank you," he said at last. "Should I go to any specific store?"
She looked confused. "Well, you have to go to one in that chain, but any one should do it."
"Oh..." he didn't know what to say to that. He looked at her expectantly, but there was nothing forthcoming.
"Thank you," he said finally. He shook his head. His fortieth birthday and this was it? Was she pissed off at him for something?
"Honey, you do know how hard I tried to get home for the party last night?"
She smiled and took his hand. That smile that lit up her face and made him fall in love with her all over again -- just as it always did, even after thirteen years of marriage.
"Of course, I know. That storm that blew up really wrecked our plans, but I know you tried. I was worried about you stuck in the snow. Really worried!"
"I had the space blankets in the boot, so I wasn't really concerned about the temperature." He always kept four in his boot for emergencies. They'd never been used until the previous night.
"Even so, it must have been quite scary. At least you managed to call us."
"I almost wished I hadn't. It sounded like such a good party. I was so sorry to miss it."
She patted his hands and leaned forward to kiss him warmly. "And I missed you."
He looked around. There was no sign of the party, apart from an overflowing recycling bin full of empty booze bottles.
"Well, at least I got out of cleaning up the aftermath," he laughed.
"Luckily a couple of people stayed to help clear up," she smiled.
"The kids didn't do it this morning?"
"No, they left last night to stay with friends when you said you wouldn't make it. They'll be back this afternoon to give you their presents."
He was disappointed. "Ah well," he sighed.
"That gives us chance to spend some time together," Jane said seductively, drawing him to his feet, and pulling him towards the stairs.
'Aha' he thought. At least I get to tap that beautiful ass for my birthday. 'Gotta love tradition'.
Joyfully, he followed her, her slim figure dressed conservatively as always, but her hips swaying seductively from side-to-side. As they climbed the stairs, he cupped her butt with both hands.
"I can't wait," he whispered. She giggled quietly.
In the bedroom, she stripped off quickly, his eyes never leaving her as she swiftly and efficiently stripped and lay down on the bed, after pulling the covers back and folding them over at the foot of the bed. It was part of her, he knew; the efficiency and ease with which she did everything so neatly. Some compulsion from her childhood, he guessed, never having got to the bottom of her need to do everything so smoothly and competently.
But now all he wanted was to get to the bottom of her. He toed off his shoes, tore off his shirt and trousers, tossing them into the laundry basket, and used his feet to drag his socks off. She frowned pointedly at him and then the socks, and he picked them and tossed them to join the rest of his clothes.
She smiled again, and he joined her on the bed, kissing her lips then drawing his own down under her chin, nibbling his way down and then across her neck, just as she loved.
"Mmm, honey. That feels good," she purred.
He continued downwards, spending time licking around her nipples before drawing them in between his lips and giving them little nips with his lip-covered teeth. She purred louder.
His tongue dabbled into her belly button, making her giggle and then traced down to her hip. He gave the pale skin little licks and nibbles as he drew in towards her shaved centre, opening his mouth over the tendon at the meeting of thigh and groin and biting it gently. She groaned with pleasure, the groan becoming a moan as he did the same to the other side.
He slipped his hands under her butt, cupping each of those glorious cheeks in his palms as she drew her knees up alongside his head. He dipped in again, closer but still not quite touching her vulva.
He could see how wet she was, and wondered how much lube she would need for him to enter her butt if he used as much of her lubricant as he could beforehand. In anticipation, he slipped a finger between her cheeks and started to work it inside her rear entrance, knowing he would need to stretch her out a little for her to avoid any pain when the big event finally happened.
She grabbed his hair and yanked his face up. Her face was furious.
"What the hell are you doing? You know that only happens on your birthday!"
His mouth opened and closed. "It is my birthday."
"That was yesterday."
"But I wasn't here yesterday."
"Then you missed your chance. You'll just have to wait until your next birthday," she stated. Her legs closed firmly.
"What? That's not fair!" he said, getting up onto his knees to stare at her, wondering if she was joking.
"I do that for you on your birthday only. You know that. I can't change the rules just because of a snow storm."
"What are you talking about? You made the rule, I didn't! So you can change it whenever you want!" he pointed out loudly, crushing disappointment sweeping through him. Although he loved having sex with his beautiful Anne, she had made a rule that once a year he could have anal sex with her -- on his birthday. It wasn't even that he loved it that much; it was just a sign of their love, her love for him. It was an affirmation and he loved that part of it most of all. And now she was letting some stupid snow storm get in the way.
"We can't just go changing rules every time the weather changes!" she stated earnestly. "The world would turn to chaos!"
"Anne, do you actually love me?" he asked, feeling disappointment morph into annoyance.
"Of course I do, darling. Now, why not come back here and let me show you."
"Okay." He drew the word out so long it became a parody of itself.
"Just no playing with my butt," she finished, ignoring his sarcasm.
Silently, he lay forward again, positioned his erection and slipped inside her with no more foreplay. He didn't feel like rewarding her anymore.
He must have wilted from disappointment, he realised. There wasn't the tightness on his cock that he normally felt. He started driving forward, knowing he would swell up again as they made love.
Despite the lack of the friction he was used to, he came at the same time that she did, taking out some of his annoyance by slamming his hips into her until they finished.
"Ouchies," she said as he lifted off and lay next to her, and a bright flash of guilt ran through him. He loved her completely and had worked off his disappointment by hurting her.
"There now," she said comfortingly and patted his chest. "All better now."
He felt the annoyance return.
"Not really," he muttered. "Worst fucking birthday ever."
"I understand. If you'd managed to get home..."
He cut her off. "That's not it. I was expecting ... oh, I don't know what I was expecting. But whatever it was, it was a little more than a shitty book token and a mercy fuck."
She stared at him. "You thought that was your main present?"
"It wasn't?"
"No -- your main present was last night."
He looked around, half expecting to see something hidden under something else. But there was nothing out of place in the bedroom.
"Is it in the garage?" he asked.
"No, I mean it was here last night."
"What? Did you eat it? Did it break? Did it go rotten during the night?" His confusion was complete.
"No, silly. Last night I gave you your fantasy."
After a long pause, he said, "No. Sorry, I still don't get it. I wasn't here last night."
She shifted on to her elbow. "I had it all prepared. Everything was in place. So when you couldn't make it, I gave it to you anyway. Happy birthday darling."
She smiled delightedly.
He stared at her. She seemed to be waiting for praise.
"What the hell are you talking about? You aren't making any sense!"
She sighed impatiently.
