What Are You Doing New Year’s Day?

By Marie S

Bud pointedly looked at his wife across the room. He nodded toward the door. This family stuff was great, but there were too damned many people in the house and he wanted some alone time with Marie.

Everybody had been staying at Lachlan and Ashley’s house until Grant’s case was resolved. They were home from the hospital with Katie Marie and Varner was sniffing around Jessica all the time as well as Grant and his girlfriend Destiny…well there was just too damned many people in the house. Bud didn’t like people that much to be around them all the time.

Besides, he watched as Marie walked toward him, she looked like a million bucks. Something about her glowed today. She had on his favorite dress. The one he spent most of the time while she was wearing it trying to figure how he could get her out of it. And she knew that. His success rate was pretty fucking high.

He watched as the material brushed across her swaying hips and clung to her breasts as she moved closer to him. Bud swallowed to get rid of his suddenly dry throat. He had a blanket thrown over one shoulder and a bottle of champagne and two glasses in one hand. He’d planned this escape.

Bud leaned down to kiss her as she arrived. “Let’s go for a walk, Hon.”

She looked up at him with sparkling eyes through her eyelashes as he took in a deep glimpse of her cleavage. Yeah, this was one great dress.

“Lead the way, Bud.” She linked her arm in his offered one and looked at him again in a way that made him want to scoop her up and steal off into the woods with her. What the hell was with her today? Maybe it simply was they hadn’t had much time alone lately and he needed his woman.

It was a relief when they left the house and the sound of human voices were silenced as he closed the door. Curry, Varner and Grant knew they’d be gone awhile and Bud was packing his gun if any shitbird decided New Year’s Day was a good day to start something. The other women and the baby would be protected too.

Marie leaned her head against his shoulder as they strolled down the secluded path. Her light scent filled his nostrils and he drank it in deeply.

“You smell good, Hon.”

“Thank you, Bud.” He heard the smile in her voice. He pulled her closer with his arm around her waist. “Where are we going?”

“Does it matter?”

She laughed. The sound was low and seductive. Marie knew what he wanted. She wanted the same.

“No. Being alone with you is good enough for me.”

He leaned down to kiss her upturned lips. Bud kissed her thoroughly and deeply. Their forward progress had stopped for the moment.

Bud started to guide her forward again when he finished kissing her. His hand settled lower to cup her lush ass. He heard her low giggle.

“That’s not my waist, Bud.”

“Yeah.” He didn’t figure further explanation was needed. Finally they reached his destination by the pond. He handed Marie the bottle of champagne and glasses while he spread the blanket on the warm ground. It was the height of summer in Australia.

He took the bottle of champagne as he watched her sit down. The skirt of her dress rode up over her bare knee. Bud sat down beside her and ran his hand up her smooth bare leg. He heard her intake of breath and smiled.

The champagne cork flew into the brush when he pulled it out. Bud poured a glass of the bubbling liquid for each of them and tipped his glass to her.

“Happy New Year, Marie.” His eyes gazed directly into hers.

“Happy New Year, Bud.”

They both drank from the glasses. Bud drained his and threw the glass backward over his shoulder where it exploded into a thousand pieces against the hard wood of a tree. His eyes never left hers.

A short laugh flew from Marie’s mouth. He could tell she was surprised. Bud nodded to her to drink up. She took a sip and handed the glass to him. Bud proceeded to throw that one over his back where it too struck the tree and shattered.

Marie laughed longer this time. Her eyes still focused on his.

“I suppose you know those aren’t ours?”

A smile curled the edge of his lips and he shrugged. “We’ll buy them new ones.” Bud’s hand encircled her waist and pulled her close to him.

“Okay.” Marie’s fingers brushed against his cheek as he pulled her body around his.

Bud kissed her passionately, deeply and lovingly. Marie hooked her feet around his waist as she kissed him back.

His voice rumbled low and breathless.

“I can tell it’s gonna be a good year, Hon.”

“Mmm…” was all she could say before Bud’s lips cut off her reply. His fingers guided the zipper of her dress down the small of her back as she smiled into their kiss.