So, I was no longer the lonely Abby Hughes, trying to fill endless hours of boredom when not at work. Every second of my week was filled with looking after Tom and Alex and counting the hours till their father, Vasil, joined us for the weekend. I lived for 7:00 p.m. on a Friday night when I would hear his key in the lock, and he was home with us again. It felt like home when he arrived. He extended the weekend as long as he could, getting up at 4:00 a.m. on a Monday morning to commute back to his job as a teacher; he said it was worth spending a whole day with us on Sunday. It was worth it to be able to go to sleep with me on a Sunday night.
Vasil had been true to his word; he said he would convince me of his love and his value. Like everything else Vasil did, he had done that almost too well. As the months went by and I spent more time with Vasil, I was terrified that something would happen to spoil my happiness. It was all so good; I had my boys, and I had love with this remarkable man. Yet I had been happy once before, and it had all been snatched away in an instant. That had been so painful, and that happiness had been completely eclipsed by what I had now. There was a little voice in my head. A niggling negativity that kept telling me that it was almost too perfect and that I didn’t deserve it.
I wished we could have Vasil with us daily rather than just his weekend visits. He was looking at teaching jobs nearby, but I was so nervous. As much as I wanted that, I feared that would prompt the realisation that I wasn’t enough for him, that he could do better. I was so pathetic, like a silly schoolgirl with a big crush. Yet, this was no silly crush; it was real love.
“Well, I don’t know how you managed it. Abby,” said Mum, chatting over a cup of tea. “You’ve hit the jackpot with that one. He’s clever, charming solvent, sweet, loving, gorgeous, and judging by the smile on your face, he’s a king in the bedroom too.”
“Mum,” I admonished. “Yes, he’s all of these things. That’s why I’m so frightened it will go wrong.”
“Trust me, I see the way he looks at you. That man is not going anywhere. No other woman exists as far as he’s concerned.”
After three months of Vasil’s visits, he brought his mum, Brenda, to visit the boys. She’d been desperate to meet them, but Vasil had held firm; he’d told her he was treading a fine line and trying to prove himself, so he needed this special time with his little family. He wasn’t ready to share us yet, but until then, Brenda had contented herself with endless photos and videos.
The thought of meeting Brenda didn’t settle my nerves at all. I was so worried that Brenda would disapprove. I was nine years older than Vasil, and I was afraid she would think I was some predatory older woman who had baby-trapped her precious boy. As it turned out, I needn’t have worried; she seemed to adore me as much as the boys. After fussing over them and shedding a few tears, she gathered me into her not-so-inconsiderable arms,
“Well, love. You’ve put a smile on my lad’s face again. I’ve never seen him so happy, and for that, I will love you forever.”
Afterwards, when the boys were napping, she told me a little more about Vasil’s recent past.
“That Lauren, he was engaged to, I never liked her. She was as fake as those false nails that she wore. Like talons, they were. I knew she wasn’t right for my Vassy; a mother knows these things. He wouldn’t listen to me, however. He wasn’t thinking with his brain, was he? I can see he’s using his brain, heart and every part with you! You’re the one he’s been waiting for. Hell, you’re the one I’ve been waiting for.”
I laughed, pleased that I seemed to get her seal of approval.
“My boy was devastated when she ran off. The wedding was all planned, and I’d bought my outfit, hat and everything. He’d been best friends with Barney since they were eight. He was like a brother to him and another son to me. Two people he loved broke his heart when they went off together. I never want to see my boy in that much pain again. Never. You and these boys, you put him back together again, and he’s happier than he’s ever been.”
Brenda carried on happily gossiping with Mum. They’d bonded over the boys. It was good that Mum had made a new friend. I was panicking again. So many questions. That niggling negativity was back. Brenda said he was happy, and he told me that he was. But was I just a rebound? Was he still pining for Lauren? Was he trying to do the right thing for his boys by being with me?
Where did that strong, independent woman go? When did I become this insecure? It was that pig of an ex-husband who made me doubt myself and doubt my worth. Thankfully, we had only seen Glenn once at a local restaurant since Vasil had a word with him. Glenn was obviously on a first date trying to impress; Vasil just smiled and waved at him. His date seemed to spend a lot of time looking in our direction after Vasil had treated her to one of his killer smiles. I kicked him under the table.
“What,” he grinned. “Just showing her how you upgraded from him,” he laughed.
With his mum visiting, it was difficult to get any alone time, yet I wasn’t surprised when I felt him slip in behind me in the shower; “Vasil, your Mum will hear.”
“She’s on the other side of the house already in bed with the hearing aids out. We are quite safe,” he murmured in the sweet spot of my neck when it curved to my shoulder. He knew what that always did to me.
“Well, I suppose you could scrub my back for me.”
“And the front, as much as I love the back, I love the front too. Very much. Don’t forget,” he said as he soaped my breasts with a flannel, “I used to earn my living with a wet cloth. You’re in the hands of a professional.”
I lost myself in him as he dropped the flannel and ran his hands over my warm, wet skin. I looked at him then. He was still steadfastly un-manscaped. His thick body hair looked even darker as it clung, soaked to his body. There was something almost primal in my longing for this man.
He turned me round to face the tiles as he soaped my back before reaching around to squeeze and hold my breasts, his fingers gently stroking my hard nipples. I shuddered as I felt his hardness move back and forth across the cheeks of my bottom, sometimes settling between them, before rubbing me again. Gently, he placed my hands on the shower wall in front of him. He moved my legs apart and then sank down slightly and buried himself in me. I was so ready for him; I had been prepared all day. It had been worth the wait as he rocked back and forth inside me. No man had ever made me feel like him. I had never craved any man like this. The warmth of the shower and his body thrusting up against me seemed to warm my soul. He held me tighter now as he moved faster and faster. My hands slipped on the wet, pink tiles, but he caught my hands and brought them around my back to hold them in his own hands. This forced my breasts out further, my nipples grazing over the coolness of the tiles. This tipped me over the edge as I came for my man. I shuddered as my orgasm continued until he came, too. He came loud, and I loved that he did.
The following weekend, Mum and I travelled to Clitheroe. Vasil had a lovely little house. I was touched by the things he had got ready for the boys. I was touched by the photos he had of them around the house. My breath caught in my throat when I went into his bedroom for the first time. There were two pictures of me, one on each side of the bed. I felt my eyes prick with tears; he does love me; he really does. Vasil caught me cradling one of the pictures,
“I had to have two,” he simply said, ”That way, I can be sure that whatever way I’m facing when I wake up, I know that I will see you first.” He disappeared quickly then; I think he was maybe a little embarrassed to admit that. I don’t know why; he was always so open about his feelings. It was me that hadn’t been listening, so frightened that things would go wrong. Suddenly, all the little pieces of the puzzle were starting to come together, and I was beginning to believe that this could be forever.
The final puzzle piece fell into place the following day from a most unusual source. We bumped into Lauren, Vasil’s ex, in a local pub.
“Vasil, how lovely to see you,” she purred, putting her hand on his shoulder. I noticed the nails straight away. They were shaped to a point in stiletto fashion. Brenda was right; they were like claws; she had talons. I took my time to study her; she was a very attractive girl, but for some reason, favoured that fake look beloved of TV reality stars. Too much hair, makeup and definitely too much lip filler. She’d made a mistake there. I thought her upper lip was a little over-inflated. Oh, it seemed my own claws were coming out. Although I could see why Vasil had found her attractive, I couldn’t picture them together, somehow.
“Lauren,” he said dully. “Where’s Barney, my old pal? Is he avoiding me? I wonder why?”
“No, we’re not together anymore. It was just a fling. I tried to tell you that, but you wouldn’t listen. It was nothing.”
“Well, it was something to me. I lost my best mate over it.”
“And me,” she simpered.
“Yes, but I still miss him sometimes.”
She looked shocked at that and suddenly noticed me. ”Do you mind we’re having a private conversation?” she said.
“You came over to talk to my boyfriend during our date. So, you don’t get to talk privately with him.”
“Well,” she stared at me, “You might be on a date with him, but I was engaged to him.”
I smiled then, “0h, is this some game? Well, I’ve given birth to his two children. So, I think that tops a failed engagement. Do I win the game?” I smiled sweetly as Vasil choked on his drink.
Lauren stood, stunned for a moment before turning to Vasil
“What is this person talking about, Vasil? How can she have had two of your children? It was only fifteen months ago that we were still together.”
“Time moves on, Lauren, it is perfectly possible, twin boys, Alex and Tom,” he said, showing her the screen saver on his phone, with the boys cradled in my arms. “They’re gorgeous. Mum loves them, and she loves Abby, too. More importantly, I love her very much. Too much, if that’s possible,” he said, glancing at me before carrying on. “In fact, I should be thanking you and Barney. You gave me the best gift ever by running off together. You saved me from a terrible mistake. I’ve found my soul mate, and I couldn’t be happier. Lauren, please take my advice. Go and find some happiness for yourself. I hope you find it, but it’ll never equal mine because deep down – you’ll still be you.”
She flounced off, pouting her pumped-up lips. Well, I think she was pouting. It was hard to tell.
“I’m so sorry you had to hear all that, Abs; I hope it hasn’t spoilt your night.”
“Spoiled it? It has made everything perfect.” I looked at him and smiled, “Because you really love me, don’t you?”
“You know I do; I’ve been telling you that for months.”
“I know, but I’ve been too frightened to listen. I know now; I’ve seen it today. I have been silly; I’m sorry for not believing sooner.”
“This is all that idiot Glenn’s fault. He’s made you doubt yourself, made you doubt me.” Vasil knew me so well, better than I knew myself at times. “I’m not Glenn, Abby; I’d never let you down like that. You can’t punish me for what he did. It’s not fair.”
“I’m sorry. Please don’t be mad, it’s only because I’ve been scared. It scares me sometimes how much, how much –“
“What,” he snapped.
“That I love you.”
He smiled and took my hand, “Well, you don’t have to be scared; it’s me, Abs. You never need to be scared or frightened with me. Why do you think that I worry I love you too much? Because I can’t bear the thought of being without you.”
“Vasil, we are both as bad as each other. We need to be more honest with each other, don’t we? Take me back to your house; I need you to hold me.”
“Oh, I’ll be doing a lot more than holding you. I might have to take you over my knee and spank you for being so silly.” I giggled as with his hand firmly on my bottom, he led me out of the pub, leaving two old men in the corner choking on their beers.
After sending Mum and Brenda back to Brenda’s house for the night, we checked on the boys. They were sleeping so peacefully. I could watch them for hours. I was soon picked up and carried into the bedroom to discover that Vasil hadn’t been joking when I found myself over his knee. He lifted the hem of my skirt, stroking my thighs as he did so, pulling my panties down to my knees. I giggled as I shifted on his lap because I could already feel his hardness pressing into me. He gasped as I wiggled against him.
“Stop trying to distract me,” he growled as he stroked my bottom. I knew he loved my bottom from our first time together, yet he said he wasn’t a bottom, breast or leg man. He said he was an everything man where I was concerned.
He started to knead my buttocks gently; his hands became firmer and harder, squeezing the globes of my bottom. The effect this had on me was like no other. I relaxed as he massaged me before I felt a sharp tap on my bottom,
“Ow!” I yelled, giggling, “He followed with six sharp slaps before stopping abruptly. My bottom tingled, my nerve ending suddenly alive. However, these playful slaps were all I would get as his hand slipped between my legs and probed my wetness with his fingertips. He placed two fingers inside me, opening me up before he started to move them faster and faster until his hand was almost a blur as I came shuddering on his fingers.
Eventually, I sank to my knees, rapidly unzipping him, as I did. I kissed his tip, and he made a strange, strangled sound as I licked around his head. I used my tongue to flick all around the rim of his glands, Finding his sensitive spot on the underside. I could feel him tense as I started to work on this little patch that I knew would drive him mad. Now, I was punishing him and sweetly torturing him for making me need him so much. I couldn’t last long, though, as I needed to taste him. I sucked him in as far as I could. The bobbing of my head almost matched the rhythm of his moans. One hand caressed his furry balls, holding them gently full of his precious seed. My other hand had found my own wetness again, and I gently rubbed myself, still feeling the remnants of my orgasm at his hand. I felt his balls tightening in my hand.
“I’m going to,” he managed to shout. I didn’t need the warning as I was ready for him as he filled my mouth. This was something I’d never done in my marriage but was something I wanted with Vasil. I loved it, and I loved my new life with him. He kissed me then, hard and deep; he must have been able to taste himself, but Vasil didn’t mind about things like that. He was earthy and sensual. He loved every part of our intimate time together—the aromas, tastes, textures and sounds.
The following day, Vasil could not stop smiling at me. I kept catching his eye, and there was something about him today. He was up to mischief. He insisted on pushing the pram up to Clitheroe Castle. It is a steep climb with a pram. When we reached the top, I was amazed to find my Mum and Brenda huddled together like old friends. When I turned around, Vasil was on one knee. I barely let him ask the question before I said, “Yes”.
We didn’t have to be apart for long. Vasil finally found a job at a school near my hometown. We were finally a real family. We both sold our houses and bought a new one together, semi-rural, so the boys could have some space to run around in. There were three boys in the end. We never did manage to make that granddaughter for my mum; we had left it a little bit too late, but we did manage another boy named Petar after Vasil’s late father. Vasil loved every second of my pregnancy as he knew it would be his one chance to experience it. When Petar was born, we also slightly tweaked the spelling of the twins’ names to Tomas and Aleksander to reflect their heritage. They were still just Tom and Alex to us. We were a very happy little family and got busy making memories. The attraction that sparked between Vasil and me never faltered.
Vasil likes to tell people that he fell in love with me the first moment he saw me, but had to give me twins before I fell in love with him. I smile when he says this, grateful to have him in my life. Vasil is a wonderful husband, lover, and father. He also keeps the car spotless, absolutely spotless.
