Man's Best Friend Ch. 05

"I think I can imagine, because it feels so good to me, too. You make me feel both gentle and strong. You bring out the dark side of me, and the protective one."

She snuggled happily into him, her breasts soft against his chest.

"Mmmm, I like that. I wouldn't want to do that all the time, and I adore the sweet, romantic kind of lovemaking, but whenever I've been a bad girl, I think you should spank me!"

"It will be my pleasure."

"Oh, I don't doubt it! You did seem to enjoy that quite a lot - I think you're a very naughty boy, too. Maybe I should spank your bottom?"

He chuckled.

"Maybe I'll let you do that one day. Could be interesting ..."

"Would you? Oh, there are so many things I want to try with you, I feel like a kid in a sweetshop!"

"We'll explore together. Just don't tell Chloe - or King - that I've been beating you black and blue!"

She sucked in her breath, scrambled off the bed and pirouetted before the full-length mirror, critical examining her rear view.

"Huh, not a mark! Guess you'll just have to try harder next time!"

"Oh, yeah? We'll see about that. Now, stop admiring your arse and get dressed. I want to take you and King out for a long walk in the woods, then cook something for you before we go to that gig tonight."

Warm light filtered through the canopy of leaves, dappling the earth beneath their feet, occasionally coming through in golden sunbursts which mirrored her mood perfectly. She hadn't felt this happy for a long time, if ever, with her dog running ahead and her man by her side. Her man. She tested the words in her head, and they sounded good. Was she deluding herself? He'd said he loved her, and she certainly loved him. She pushed away her doubts, preferring to bask in the sunshine of his love and not worry about tomorrow for once. Tomorrow was another day.

He squeezed her hand as they strolled along the woodland path, and delighted her by pointing out and naming some of the birds flitting around above them, always seeming to spot them before she did.

"You're full of surprises. Are you a secret birdwatcher?"

He laughed.

"Yes, or at least I was as a kid. I haven't done it seriously for years."

"I can imagine you as a nerdy kid, spying on the birds with your binoculars."

"Yep. Just the feathered variety, though. Well, mostly!"

"Yeah, I believe you. Once a perv, always a perv!"

He took her in his arms and kissed her firmly.

"Cheeky madam! I'm definitely going to take you in hand ..."

"So where do you go to watch the feathered variety?"

"Some beautiful places - woodland, bleak moors, wetlands, wild rivers and deserted estuaries."

"It sounds lovely," she sighed and turned to face him. "Will you take me one day?"

"I'd love to. Sure you wouldn't get bored?"

She shook her head.

"I'm sure. I've always loved nature, but never had someone who could teach me what everything was. Besides, being alone in these wild and desolate places, I'm sure we could think of ways to stop getting bored ..."

"True. We could go wild swimming."

"Wild meaning au naturel, I suppose?"

He grinned.

"Maybe."

"Hmmm, I might be a bit shy for that in public."

"Not even with a bit of gentle persuasion?"

She smiled - she knew exactly what kind of persuasion he had in mind. She imagined him bending her over the huge fallen tree trunk which caught her eye off to one side of the path, or laying her down in the pile of leaves and making love to her ...

"Well, you can be very persuasive, if not always gentle."

"We'll do all those things and more, Alice."

She pulled him in close for another hug and a lingering kiss until King trotted up, bored with rummaging in the leaves, a large stick in his jaws.

"OK, boy. Fetch!"

They watched him bound off after his new toy, smiling.

"Will he be OK if we leave him alone for a few hours tonight?"

"Yes, I think so. He'll be tired after this, and we'll leave him some food. He mostly just sleeps in the evenings, but of course usually when I go out, Chloe's there."

A moment of anxiety wrinkled her brow.

"Do you want to call her?"

She flashed a look of gratitude at him.

"Do you mind? I'm sure she's fine, but I can't help worrying ..."

She fished her mobile phone out of her bag and jabbed at the screen.

"Oh, hey, Chloe, how are you doing? Uh, huh. Yes, I know, but ... Yes, fine. What are we up to? Walking in the woods with King at the moment. Can I do what? Um, yeah, OK."

Alice gestured to Greg to come closer, and mouthed to him.

"She wants a picture."

"Oh, OK."

Alice put one arm round his shoulder and held the phone at arm's length for a selfie. Just as she was taking it, King wandered into shot, making them laugh.

"Sending it now, darling. OK, I'll leave you in peace, then ... Be good ... Me? I'm always good! Cheeky girl! OK, love you, too! Bye!"

She was smiling as she ended the call.

"Well, that's me told off for worrying and calling when she told me not to!"

"I'm glad you did, though. You look much more relaxed now."

"I am, and we've got our first photo of the two of us together."

"Let's see!"

Greg usually hated photos of himself, but even he had to admit that this one was good. Alice looked beautiful, captured in mid-laugh, so carefree, whilst he looked younger than his years, smiling happily at the camera. Their heads were bent together, and you could tell at a glance that they were definitely a couple. Just in shot to the side, King grinned at the pair of them in apparent approval.

It was, he thought, a perfect snapshot of a perfect day.