The Afternoon Hustle

His plush lips moved from behind my ear and down my neck. His scent, sawdust and oil from his shop lingered in his beard. I closed my eyes, leaned back on his chest and breathed him in. His rough hands sliding around my waist while he stole a quick squeeze of my breast. I threw my head back and let out a laugh.

"What's for dinner?" he asked as gulped down water like it was the last bottle on Earth. Two kids ran through the kitchen with the dog on their heels & one more yelled a manic plea for more toilet paper from the hall bathroom.

"Skip-its" I replied with a smirk.

I gave that a moment to sink in, that the family may need to fend for themselves one day before I announced it was taco night & was met with a loud cheer from all 5 of the kids.

Matt settled himself in his recliner and took off his shirt. His body had changed over the years, as had mine. He was thicker now, still tan, tattooed up his strong forearms and chest, but not overweight. His luscious curls that I once loved running my fingers through had been replaced by a BIC smooth scalp & his once smooth face was now wearing a full, thick beard. I had him as a boy & I was lucky enough to have him as a man.

His Bible by the bed was a reminder of who he feared and where we would be together after this life.

I let my mind slip into thankfulness while I cooked. I am a kept woman. We had worked hard to get here. Night shifts, babysitters, bartending, you name it. But now life was settling. He is a 9-5 electrician with federal benefits, & I am a stay-at home mom. It's hard to explain to new couples, but the sex really does get better with age. The guessing game is over. Now we just get to enjoy perfecting. I was already lost in looking forward to the evening; imagining his warm mouth between my thighs and his calloused hands gripping, caressing up my body.

When the blaring fire alarm started sounding, the dog running through with a loud bark and smoke coming out of the oven. I had forgotten the pizza box from the night before.