Ch. 08 Song Titles

New World Symphony (Dvorak)

Rhapsody in Blue (Gershwin)

Napoli for Cornet (Bellstedt)

Fly Me to the Moon

My Funny Valentine

My Way (Sinatra)

An Unforgettable Melody Ch. 08

The next several weeks were a whirlwind of activity for Mike and Melody. Mike first solidified his new contract with the ASO, giving him a substantial pay raise, with the potential for more if he managed to earn tenure. As rehearsals resumed in preparation for the last concert of the year, he worked to earn the trust and respect of the section leading up to the next season. Despite the naturally competitive nature of professional trumpet players, they all seemed genuinely happy for him, and definitely felt he was the best fit for the job.

After a couple of rehearsals, Maestro Spano asked Mike to stay late one day to discuss something. The ASO planned to publicly introduce him as the new principal trumpet at their final concert of the year, and wanted to feature him in a solo piece of Mike’s choosing. Considering his options, Mike decided on Herman Bellstedt’s Napoli, one of his favorite cornet solos. Fast and flashy, it was always a crowd pleaser, and showed off many of Mike’s skills, plus it was just a fun piece to play. Spano agreed, handing out the music to the orchestra the next day to begin work on it.

Melodious Photography quickly got off to a strong start with Melody at the helm. The first few jobs she worked went flawlessly, earning her rave reviews from her clients. This resulted in more referrals, particularly as wedding season approached. She found that she had a particular talent for engagement photo sessions, being able to perfectly capture the love and affection between the bride and groom without letting it appear staged.

Photographing her first actual wedding, the bride requested that Melody bring a second shooter if possible, to capture as many different angles from the ceremony and reception as they could. Again stretching the limits of her powers using Mike’s wish of equal partnership, she was able to create an assistant for herself. The girl she created was essentially just a robot, but with the ability to work and interact with others at Melody’s direction. Naming her Evelyn, she looked as though she could be either a sister or cousin to Melody, albeit with raven hair instead of Melody’s red wine color.

In addition to her professional success, Melody also worked to further her studies of the Bible and Christianity. She enrolled in Ashley’s study course at Mike’s church, intending to take the first steps towards joining the church one-day, much to Mike’s excitement. Ashley found that having Melody in the class was an absolute joy, as she always had excellent questions that fostered communication and debate among the students, which in turn helped her gain a greater understanding of the context of the scripture they were studying. These classes also served to strengthen the fast-forming friendship between Ashley and Melody, the former becoming a trusted confidant and mentor for the latter.

In their personal lives, Mike and Melody couldn’t have been more in love if their lives depended on it. Each day was a new experience, even if they did nothing but lay in bed making love all day; they never grew weary of each other. On some weeknights and weekends, Sasha and Tyler would come down from their apartment for them to babysit, much to Sandra’s relief. Sasha and Melody were quickly becoming ‘best girlfriends,’ according to Sasha, and Tyler was slowly catching on to Mike’s example of always treating women with admiration and respect, regardless of if they were a girlfriend, a mom, a sister, or even a total stranger. Eventually, the kids would sometimes beg to go and see Mike and Melody even if their mom had no need for a babysitter.

Just as Melody had predicted, Stuart asked Darcy out that night as they left Mike and Melody’s apartment. They proceeded slowly at first, feeling each other out for the first few dates, but soon fell hard for each other. Beneath his goofball personality, Darcy could clearly see the good man Stuart was deep down, yet the goofball always managed to shine through at just the right times; Stuart always seemed to be able to make her laugh right when she needed him to. Both were extremely grateful to Mike and Melody for their evil plot to set them up with each other. They razzed them at first about being nosey and meddlesome, though it was pointed out that Darcy was an expert in nosiness. The two couples double dated quite frequently, strengthening Darcy and Melody’s friendship even further.

As early June approached, so too did the final performance of the ASO before their summer break. It always took place on a Sunday afternoon, with a large party for all employees and their significant others following. Additionally, word of Melody’s photography skills had gotten to Maestro Spano, who enlisted her services in photographing the after party. Naturally, Melody wanted to enjoy being Mike’s date for the evening, so she “hired” Evelyn to work the camera for the event.

Standing in his tuxedo in front of his floor mirror, Mike adjusted his black bowtie and vest; he was the featured soloist of the concert, so he wanted to be sure his attire would be suitable even for James Bond himself. As he finished the last of his grooming, a whistle of approval came from behind him.

“Damn, you may not make it out of the bedroom dressed like that,” Melody marveled.

He slowly turned to face her and was instantly mesmerized. Though Melody normally was at her most gorgeous with the wholesome-yet-sexy girl-next-door look, the sophisticated evening gown style she now displayed was equally stunning. Her deep red hair had grown out longer, now reaching to her armpits. It was still perfectly straightened, and clasped together at the top of her neck with a black barrette. Her long black dress sparkled and shimmered from every direction, extending nearly to the floor. An elegant slit exposed just enough of her toned left leg to be tantalizingly sexy for anyone catching a glimpse of it. The top of the dress was held up by two straps tied behind her neck in a halter-top, completed by a plunging V-neck that showed off the perfect amount of her ample cleavage. She wore very little makeup, but she had so little need for it with her incredibly pure and sweet facial features; a light touch of black eyeliner and some pale pink lip-gloss were all she required.

“Holy shit… I’ve died and gone to heaven,” came Mike’s eventual reply.

Kissing him sweetly on the cheek, Melody whispered in his ear, “Not yet.”

Taking her hand, Mike backed up to continue examining her beauty. She gave a little twirl to show her exposed back of the dress, throwing her megawatt smile over her shoulder as she did so.

“Absolutely stunning,” Mike continued to gush. “Although, I think it’s a bit incomplete.”

“What do you mean?” Melody asked with a puzzled look on her face.

With his trademark grin, Mike pulled a small, old brown box from his pocket. “Got you a little present.”

Melody gently took the box, her smile a mile wide as she slowly lifted the lid. Looking inside of it, her eyes were now fixed upon the locket Mike had released her from. He had cleaned and polished it painstakingly, adding a brand new gold chain to it as well, fearing that the old one might break at some point.

“Open it,” Mike instructed.

Slowly prying the clasp open, Melody peered inside the locket to find that it was no longer empty as it had previously been. Mike had placed a small, circular photograph of the two of them in the back piece of the locket. She remembered well when the picture had been taken. They had been walking with Sandra and her kids in the local park when Melody slipped her phone to Sandra. Melody had whispered to her that they needed a picture of the two of them, but that it had to be spontaneous. Melody then snuck up behind Mike, jumping on him for a piggyback ride as Sandra snapped a picture of them cracking up laughing. Mike had cropped that photo to include just their faces and Melody’s arm wrapped around his neck, holding on for dear life. As Melody gazed upon the photo, she placed her hand over her mouth in disbelief, tears welling up in her eyes.

“You… are… unbelievable…” she managed to gasp through her tears of happiness. Enveloping him in a passionate, loving kiss, she said as their lips parted, “I’ll always keep it with me, no matter what.”

Chuckling at her, he pointed out that her tears were staining her eyeliner; she fixed it with a snap of her fingers. After another short make out session, Melody turned to face the mirror and held her hair aside for Mike, beckoning him to put the locket on her. Gently clasping it around her neck, he sensuously rubbed her bare shoulders and kissed her neck as he finished. He wrapped his arms around her waist, gazing at her in the mirror, and saw that the locket complemented her beauty wonderfully, nestled in-between her breasts.

“Perfect,” Mike whispered to her.

Departing the apartment, Mike grabbed his cornet case and Melody a small purse that matched her sparkling dress. Along the drive downtown, Melody confirmed that Mike’s parents had tickets reserved for the three of them at the box office and that they would meet them there. Normally, Mike wouldn’t socialize before a performance, but as the featured soloist, he was not asked to play on any other piece on the concert. In this way, he could be certain to be in prime condition for his solo.

After parking in the employee deck, the pair met up with Mike’s parents just outside the entrance to symphony hall. They exchanged their greetings before Mike slipped backstage momentarily to drop off his horn in the greenroom. As he rejoined the group, his parents were chatting with a couple of church friends who happened to be there also, while Melody was being hit on by a middle-aged man with salt-and-pepper hair. His demeanor clearly indicated that he thought quite a lot of himself.

Just who the hell is that? Mike asked, keeping his distance momentarily.

A partner at a law firm near here. Sees himself as a future United States Senator, even though he has no shot in hell. Not the ONLY thing he’s got no shot in hell at.

As Mike approached them, Mike heard the man saying, “Well, my dear, if you’ll permit me, I’d love to be your escort for the rest of the evening.”

Gently linking her arm in Mike’s as he arrived, she politely replied, “That’s very kind of you Mr. Blair, but I’m currently being escorted by tonight’s featured soloist, Mike Braxton. Have you met?”

“Umm… no. James Blair, how do you do young man?”

“Mike Braxton, very well, thank you sir.”

Lightly rubbing his back, Melody continued, “Mike has been working very hard lately, winning the principal job, preparing for this solo. Honestly, I doubt he would have been so successful without my help. I’m quite good at providing… inspiration,” she said seductively.

“Ah, I see. In any case, I hope you enjoy the performance young lady, and good luck to you Mr. Braxton,” the man said, beating a hasty retreat.

Chuckling, Mike turned to Melody. “Yet another pompous idiot with no idea how out of his league he is.”

“Yep. That never gets old,” she replied with a grin.

Mike’s parents rejoined them shortly, his mom saying that they had a celebratory gift for his winning the principal position. “Mike, we want you and Melody to take a vacation to the beach. You pick out the time, reserve the hotel, and charge everything to your copy of my credit card. That includes your food and gas, young man!” she said as he attempted to profess her generosity as unnecessary.

“Mom, you really don’t have to do all that…”

“No we don’t have to, we want to. And we get to. It’s not every day my son wins his dream job, after all,” she replied with a smile. Knowing that their minds were made up, Mike and Melody glanced at each other in confirmation before accepting their offer. Marveling at his parents’ gift, she thought to Mike an observation she had during the previous conversation.

I see where you get your generosity. Not to mention your stubbornness.

Please. My parents got me beat on stubbornness six ways to Sunday.

As the lights flashed to indicate the performance was about to begin, Mike made his way to the greenroom to warm up, while Melody walked with Jane and Brad to their seats in the balcony. Melody sat in the center seat of the front row of the balcony, ensuring Mike would be able to see her once the house lights came back on after his performance. After the orchestra entered the stage and tuned up, the lights dimmed and the performance began.

First on the program was Dvorak’s New World Symphony. The entire symphony was nearly an hour in length, and as such, comprised the entire first half of the program. Melody particularly enjoyed the lyrical second movement, which she could tell was based on the folk tune Lightly Row. The finale was exciting as well, providing ample opportunities for Stuart and the low brass to let loose at full volume. Additionally, upon hearing the first notes of the finale, Melody leaned over to Jane and whispered a question.

“Isn’t that basically the Jaws theme music?”

Suppressing a laugh at her perceptiveness, Jane could only nod in reply.

After the intermission, the orchestra launched into Gershwin’s Rhapsody in Blue, which featured Maestro Spano on piano. There were also several jazzy trumpet solos scattered throughout, providing the current principal trumpet, Ray Velazquez, one last chance to show off before retiring. After the frantic final segment of the piece, the piano was rolled offstage in preparation for Mike’s solo, the final selection of the evening.

As Mike stood just offstage, Maestro Spano spoke to the audience of the audition he had given to earn the principal position. Proclaiming him to be one of the fast-rising stars of professional classical music, he hoped that the audience would enjoy tonight’s performance, in addition to many performances to come. With a final introduction, the audience erupted in applause as Mike walked out onstage.

Shaking the Maestro’s hand as he reached center stage, Mike then bowed and took a deep breath, ready for the start of the piece. After a short introduction from the orchestra, Mike entered on an extended cadenza to open the solo. Showing off for a few seconds, he and the orchestra then launched into the familiar main tune of the piece. The audience oohed and aahed as they began to recognize the light, bouncy Italian music. As the piece progressed, the main theme began its variations, becoming more technical and flashy as time went on. By the time he reached the flurry of notes that closed the piece, Mike’s fingers were an absolute blur as he danced over the entire range of the horn. With a final grand cadence to close the final notes, the audience immediately jumped to their feet in a rousing standing ovation.

Lowering his horn with a huge smile on his face, Mike immediately pointed up to the balcony where Melody sat. She waved and screamed excitedly, blowing a kiss right back at him. He then turned to shake the Maestro’s hand once more and, turning to do the same for Jessica, was immediately pulled into a congratulatory hug. Exiting the stage, he heard that the applause had not diminished at all, so he reentered the stage once more for a final bow, turning once again to thank the entire orchestra for their efforts. As the applause finally died down and the house lights came up, Mike made his way around the entire orchestra, thanking the principal player of each section personally. Along the way, he got a hug from Darcy and a friendly head-slap from Stuart, who playfully threatened, “Hands off my girlfriend.” As he packed up his equipment in the greenroom, Melody came in with Mike’s parents, marveling at his performance.

“You look like you had fun,” Melody said.

“I actually get PAID for this!” Mike responded with a laugh.

Saying goodbye to his parents as they started for home, Melody took Mike’s arm as they walked together to the employee party. As they arrived, there were quite a few stares and whistles, as this was the first time the orchestra as a whole had seen Mike’s girlfriend. Darcy immediately approached and excitedly greeted Melody with a hug. Even though Melody was a complete bombshell that evening, Darcy was equally stunning herself. She had changed out of her black performance dress and into a stunning royal blue gown that extended all the way to the floor. The garment was held up by a single, elegant shoulder strap that perfectly complemented her light brown hair. Mike caught Stuart’s eye as the girls chatted, giving him a thumbs up sign in approval, which elicited a smirk from Stuart.

Throughout the evening, the couple made the rounds, munching on finger food and schmoozing with various members of the staff and orchestra. Mike got quite a few congratulations on his performance from the evening, as well a few of the other trumpet players sarcastically asking if he only got Melody due to his promotion. She gave her usual flirty responses, but always made it clear that she was with Mike the person, not Mike the musician. After about an hour or so, the pair approached Ray Velazquez, the outgoing principal trumpet.

During his short time with the orchestra, Mike had developed a deep respect for the portly Hispanic man that led the trumpet section. Now in his late sixties, Ray had worked with many orchestras around the country before finally settling in Atlanta some twenty years ago. In addition to his classical experience, Ray also had training in jazz and studio music, having played win Los Angeles studio bands for film soundtracks, as well as touring groups such as the OJ’s and Earth, Wind, and Fire. He was a true Renaissance man, eagerly dabbling in any style and medium he possibly could through his music.

“So, how ‘bout it Ray? We never gonna see you again, or you gonna be in the audience all the time just to give your evil glares when we mess up?” Mike asked.

“You know, I really can’t decide. A nice, quiet beach in Tijuana sounds fantastic, just me and my wife, but I never pass up an opportunity to, shall we say, point out areas for improvement,” Ray shot back.

“Oh, ‘areas for improvement,’ is it? I thought it was just the smug satisfaction you get from being right all the time.”

“The fact that I am right all the time is merely coincidence,” he said proudly.

As Melody giggled at their exchange, Ray turned to her and said, “I don’t believe I’ve had the pleasure young lady.”

“Of course. This is my girlfriend, Melody Roberts. Melody, meet Ray Velazquez. I taught him everything he knows,” Mike said with a grin.

“You wish, chico,” Ray replied, intentionally thickening his Mexican accent. Extending his hand in greeting, he addressed Melody. “Delighted, my dear. I only hope that you can reign in my friend’s ego a bit,” he said with a wink.

With her megawatt smile, she replied, “I’ll do what I can. He’s stubborn, but I can be very persuasive.”

Stroking his greying goatee with his fingers, Ray said to Mike, “Sweet mama, you’d better hold on to this one, Mike.”

Mike pulled her close to him by her waist, kissing her on the cheek. “I plan to. You take care of yourself, Ray. You’ve earned a long retirement.”

The two musicians shook hands firmly as they parted. By this time, a jazz trio was setting up on the far side of the room near an area set aside as a dance floor. At first, they appeared to be local musicians the ASO had hired for the party, until Robert Spano himself joined them at the piano onstage. After his performance of Rhapsody in Blue earlier that day, this brought about an excited reaction from the entire room. As he started playing along with the drummer and bassist, the vocalist began his rendition of Fly Me to the Moon. They played it at faster tempo than Sinatra’s famous recordings, but their version was very enjoyable, being perfect for dancing.

As Melody drug Mike on to the dance floor, she gazed seductively into his eyes and whispered to him, “Gotta get you loosened up for later… when the real dancing begins.”

For the next fifteen minutes, they enjoyed dancing with each other to a bevy of famous jazz standards. Mike was pleasantly surprised by the quality of the band; the vocalist in particular was quite good, easily capturing the old-school style and smoothness of the old Rat Pack. Soon, the band slowed their groove, working seamlessly into My Funny Valentine. As Melody drew close to him, Mike managed to catch a glimpse of Darcy and Stuart out of the corner of his eye; they were slow dancing very intimately, her head on his shoulder. He wasn’t sure, but he could’ve sworn he saw Darcy’s lips move to the words “I love you.”

“Do you think it’s strange or obsessive for me to feel so much pride in helping Stuart and Darcy find each other?” Mike asked Melody quietly.

“Not at all, I feel the same way,” she replied, lowering her head as they danced, touching her forehead to his. “Those two are completely in love. While I don’t know the future, I truly can’t envision a scenario in which they won’t be together for the rest of their lives. And, I suppose it’s comforting knowing that you’ve done an enormous amount of good in another person’s life. Especially since we accomplished all of this without using my powers to push them together; they’re together because they genuinely want to be.”

Mike kissed her forehead, nodding in agreement as the slow song finally came to an end. As the crowd applauded the band, Mike felt a tap on his shoulder; one of the trumpet players in the section asked for his help with something. Excusing himself from Melody for a few minutes, he joined the rest of the section in the greenroom to see what was going on. In the meantime, Melody milled around outside the dance floor, snacking on appetizers that looked appealing.

Taking a break herself from the dance floor, Darcy approached her, asking about the new necklace Melody was wearing. She beamed as she showed Darcy the locket, opening it to reveal Mike and herself, perfectly captured in all of their goofiness. When she told her that Mike had given it to her that day as a gift, Stuart sarcastically muttered under his breath about Mike making him look bad, eliciting giggles from the girls. Darcy kissed him on the cheek, whispering that he had nothing to worry about. As they chatted, the vocalist suddenly made an announcement before their next song.

“Ladies and gentlemen, our next number is a special request from the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra trumpets, dedicated especially to the great Ray Velazquez.”

Robert started the piano softly, with a steady beat from the bass and drums. As the vocalist entered, within the first few words, the entire crowd cheered at recognizing Frank Sinatra’s most famous song, My Way. Listening to the words of triumph, Melody glanced across the room and saw Ray, smiling and nearly in tears at the touching gesture from his section, though his manly pride certainly would not have let those tears to actually escape his eyes. When the vocalist neared the final climax of the song, Mike and the rest of the trumpet section joined in, accompanying the final chorus with the distinctive fanfare made famous in Sinatra’s many performances of the song. Cheers and whistles erupted from the audience even before the final notes went silent, and the trumpets were immediately greeted by an ecstatic Ray, who grabbed each of them individually into a manly bro-hug.

Rejoining Melody, she and Mike continued to meander around the room leisurely, enjoying each other’s company; each couldn’t keep out of their minds how hot the other looked in formal settings. After subtly groping each other a few times, they knew it wouldn’t be long before they would have to get home, as they wouldn’t be able to keep from ripping each other’s clothes off. While Melody fondled Mike’s ass again, she noticed something odd across the room.

“Mike, look over there, near Darcy. Does that guy… look familiar?”

“It sure does… he’s clean shaven, but there’s no mistaking that look in his eyes; it’s Stephen. What the fuck is he doing here?”

Melody closed her eyes momentarily, searching Stephen’s intentions. “He thinks he’s showing Darcy how classy he really is, and that she’ll see him in his suit and fall swooning into his arms. It seems he’s had… issues with his equipment since she broke up with him, and he thinks getting her back will magically solve everything.”

“I gave him too little credit,” Mike mused sarcastically. “He actually is dumber than he looks! Um, do we need to intervene here, or can Darcy handle herself?”

Giggling with a mischievous look in her eye, Melody replied, “Nope. This time, she’s got it covered.” She gently slipped her arm around his waist as they watched the scene unfold in front of them.

“Come on, babe, you know you miss us. Just gimmie one last shot,” Stephen said, trying to work his silver tongue.

Darcy was not amused. “I thought I told you, in no uncertain terms, that I’d call the cops if you ever tried to contact me again. How the hell did you even get in here? This is a private event!”

At this time, Stuart walked up, carrying a couple glasses of punch. “Hey Darcy, who’s this?” he asked with a slight smile.

Glaring at Stephen the whole time, she simply replied, “He’s Dickhead.”

Stuart’s smile quickly disappeared. “So, you’re Stephen,” he hissed, preparing to lunge at him.

Darcy raised her arm in front of his chest to stop Stuart. Turning to Stephen, she calmly stated. “This is your last chance. Turn around and walk out of here right now, or I’m calling the police.”

Now seething with rage, Stephen stammered, “You… replaced me… with THIS?!”

Telegraphing his moves even worse than in his fight with Mike weeks ago, Stephen clumsily swung at Darcy. She, however, was more than ready, sidestepping easily behind him while reaching her hand into a small purse made of the same material as her royal blue gown. Swiftly pulling out her Taser and aiming directly at his back, she fired, dropping Stephen flat on his face as he yelped and writhed in pain. Mike now rushed forward, helping Stuart to keep him on the ground as Darcy dialed the police. There was a hesitant, yet approving applause echoing from the crowd that had formed, as well as a few calls of “You go girl!”

The party was now effectively over, with most attendees electing to head home after the latest excitement; the few that remained mainly wanted to see Stephen hauled away in handcuffs. As Mike and Stuart pulled him off the ground to sit him in a chair, he momentarily tried to struggle before Darcy looked him straight in the eye, Taser in had, threatening to shock him again if he didn’t cooperate. Stephen remained calm and silent after that, seemingly resigned to his fate. Mike and Melody hung around for moral support as Darcy gave her statement to the police. Since he was trespassing on private property and started a fight, they did have grounds to arrest him this time, cuffing him for his trip to the station. The responding officers also gave Darcy the appropriate papers and contact information to begin filing a restraining order, which she promised to fill out in the morning. Despite the intensity of the situation, she was in excellent spirits, smiling and holding Stuart’s hand affectionately. Melody confirmed that subduing Stephen successfully had made her extremely horny.

Looks like he’s getting lucky tonight.

Saying their goodbyes to Darcy and Stuart, Mike and Melody made their way to the parking deck to start their drive home. Grabbing his arm playfully, Melody whispered, “Darcy’s not the only horny girl around here…”

“Well then, I’d better get you home, so I can do something about that,” Mike replied with an excited grin.

*****

Arriving back at their apartment, Mike locked the deadbolt and turned to face Melody, only to see her walking towards the bedroom. She turned to him as she walked, seductively beckoning him with her finger. Following her, he arrived in the bedroom and found that she had transformed it into a wonderfully intimate love nest. Playing with the locket around her neck, she said sweetly, “Had to repay your surprise with one of my own. Like it?”

“Absolutely,” he marveled.

Looking around the room, the only lighting was from small candles scattered on the dresser, nightstands, and chest of drawers. Even so, there was plentiful light for Mike to study every inch of Melody’s adorable face as the candlelight flickered off of her smile. As the soft sounds of Chris Botti echoed from a pair of small speakers from the dresser, Mike saw that the normal bed sheets had been replaced with black silk sheets and a black comforter with a deep red inner lining. Melody slowly sauntered up to him, her face beaming with radiance, and locked her emerald eyes onto his light blue ones. He took her in his arms and she ran her hands slowly up his lapel, slowly wrapping her arms around his neck. They stood there for several minutes, gazing into each other’s eyes, never needing to utter a word.

Finally breaking their uninterrupted gaze, Mike slowly moved his lips closer to hers, savoring every second of the tension between them. Her breathing became more labored in anticipation of his touch; she had been lusting after this man all night. After what felt like an eternity, their lips finally met, as he kissed her softly and tentatively at first. Savoring every inch, he explored her lips as thoroughly as he had the first time he had ever kissed her. Slowly, she escalated the kiss, slipping her tongue into his mouth and allowing her passion to envelop her. With their lips firmly sealed together as their tongues danced, she lightly ran her fingers through the back of his hair and gently stroked his cheek with her other hand.

After nearly ten minutes, they finally parted, sighing in complete contentment with each other. Melody reached behind her neck to undo the knot holding up the halter-top of her dress. Keeping the strips of fabric behind her shoulders momentarily, so as to heighten his anticipation, she slowly pulled them over to her front, peeling them to gradually reveal her milky white D-cup breasts. He began to reach his hands forward to feel them, but she playfully slapped them away.

“Not yet,” she said seductively, shaking her finger at him.

Keeping her eyes locked onto his, she smiled as she lowered the size zipper holding up the remainder of her gown. As she finished, she kicked off her black heels before letting the dress fall elegantly to the floor. She was now left in nothing but her black boy short panties.

“The first panties I ever took off of you,” Mike said with a smile.

Giggling, she sweetly replied, “A girl never forgets her first time.”

Turning her back to him, she stood tall before bending over at the waist, showing off her delightfully curvy ass as her panties rode up into her crack. Still looking behind her into his eyes seductively, she slowly slid the panties down her toned legs, kicking them away when they reached the ground. Now completely naked, she turned her attention back to the object of her desire.

Mike started to adjust his jacket, about to take it off, when Melody took his hands gently, saying, “Why don’t you let me do that?”

She wanted to savor every second of undressing her lover. Again running her hands up the lapel of his tuxedo, she slipped her hands inside his jacket and pushed it off of his shoulders. As she began to unbutton half-dozen buttons of his vest, Mike quickly kicked off his dress shoes. Finished with the buttons, Melody pushed it off of his shoulders in the same seductive manner she had his jacket. Kissing his lips sweetly, she ran her hands down his smooth neck, aiming for his black bowtie. Before he could explain to her how to undo it, she masterfully pulled the correct strand, instantly unknotting it to hang loosely around his collar.

Now turning her attention to his shirt, she unbuttoned his buttons from top to bottom, slowly exposing his bare chest. She softly kissed each new patch of skin as she revealed it, driving Mike wild with lust and anticipation. As she reached his waist, Melody pulled his shirt from his pants and undid the final two buttons before running her hands up his strong chest. Once she was back at eye level to him, he wrapped her in his arms and drew her in for a long, passionate kiss. As she kissed him, her hands continued to work her magic on his exposed chest, finally slipping his shirt off and onto the floor. He pulled her close again, feeling her breasts pressing against his chest as they embraced. Mike also felt the sensation of the locket she wore rubbing against him.

“Do you want me to take it off?” Melody asked.

Smiling, he simply replied, “No. It’s where it belongs.”

Beaming, she turned her attention to his pants. After loosening his belt, she knelt down before him, unbuttoning the buttons and lowering the zipper. She was surprised and aroused by what she found upon doing so: Mike had gone commando that evening. Letting his pants fall to the floor, he stepped out of them and stripped his black socks off, leaving him fully exposed to her. She smiled wickedly, stroking his hardening member gently as she knelt in front of him. A few light licks were all it took to get him completely hard.

He reached down, taking her hands in his, and stood her up, immediately wrapping her in a tight embrace, his cock pressing against her. As the pair approached the bed, the silk sheets and comforter magically folded back, allowing them to climb in together without ceasing their intimate touches. She stretched back suggestively, lightly caressing her nipples and pussy, wordlessly begging for his touch. Momentarily watching her, enjoying the show, he lay down between her legs and softly kissed her taught stomach. Working his way up her abdomen, between the valley of her breasts, and eventually to each nipple individually, she was soon moaning and writhing in pleasure and anticipation. Continuing his breast play for several minutes, lightly stimulating every inch of her magnificent globes, it soon became apparent how horny she was by the sweet aroma emanating from her womanhood. He shifted himself higher, kissed her sweetly on the lips, and gently eased his cock into her pussy.

“I love you,” he whispered as he penetrated her, his eyes never leaving hers.

“Oh, god…” she gasped. “I… love you… too. I love… everything about you…”

As he gradually increased the speed of his thrusting, she continued to gush over him. “I love your arms… they keep me safe… and warm. I love… your strong chest,” she said, running her hands over his pectorals. “It’s better than any pillow imaginable. I love your lips… not just what they do to me, but how they always tell me how loved and important I am to you.” Her words were having exactly their intended effect, spurring him into more passionate strokes.

“But most of all… I love your eyes,” she continued. “When I look into your eyes… I see a man who could do and be anything, yet chooses a simpler life, a life that, in its simplicity, brings greater joy to him and those he loves than any fame or fortune he might ever acquire. They are the eyes… of the man whose children I want to have… someday.”

Mike could barely control himself. She sure knew how to drive him wild, yet knowing that she meant every word she said only made his desire for her increase exponentially. He, however, wasn’t done yet. He knew he could wish for more stamina, but that wasn’t what he wanted to do tonight. Slowing his thrusting, he placed her hands on his shoulders. As he secured her in his own arms, he smiled and whispered, “Hold tight.”

Rolling to his right side, she squealed and laughed as she suddenly found herself on top of him, his cock still imbedded inside her. “Impressive… most impressive,” she mused with an enormous grin on her face.

Melody slowly began to ride him, edging him back from his near orgasm as she focused on simply keeping hard for the moment. As she braced her arms on his chest, Mike slowly ran his fingers over her soft hands.

“I love your hands… they’re so soft, so delicate,” he said, resolving to drive her as crazy as she had just driven him. “Anything they touch… is instantly put at ease. I love your arms… anything wrapped in them feels your complete love and affection,” he ran his fingers up her arms and shoulders before playfully squeezing her jiggling breasts. “My admiration for these is… highly obvious, so I’ll keep moving for now,” he said as she giggled.

He cupped her cheeks in his hands, repeating her earlier words. “But most of all… I love your eyes. They shine with each new experience you have in this life. The more you explore… the more you discover everything this world has to offer you… the brighter they shine. Your eyes… they are the eyes of unlimited potential. The eyes of a girl, once bound as a slave, now discovering the wonders… of freedom.”

Melody was absolutely speechless. She knew he loved her, but this was the first time he had truly vocalized how deep his adoration for her ran. He didn’t care one bit that she was a creature of immense magical power; he only cared for her as a person, for her safety and her future. They could be making love in a ratty college dorm room right now, and it wouldn’t matter; he would still love her all the same. Continuing to grind his hard cock with her pussy, she leaned over him, squishing her breasts against his chest, and kissed him deeply with every fiber of her being.

As they kissed, he held her tightly and surprised her once more by deftly rolling back on top of her, his member never exiting her tunnel. His strokes were now deliberate, strong, and yet always gentle. He moderately thrust into her for what seemed like years, but still felt like it would end all too soon. For over an hour they kissed, they laughed, and they shut the entire world out. They only wanted each other in those moments. As they finally climaxed, their faces glowing with sheer joy, Mike collapsed beside Melody, cradling her face in his hands and stroking her hair softly. After no less than fifteen minutes, Melody finally broke their silence.

“So, we have some planning to do. When do we go to the beach?” she asked.

His smile a mile wide, he replied, “Well, my rehearsals are done for the summer. Why don’t you get your phone and see when you have a break in your jobs?”

“Will do.” She kissed him sweetly and slid out of bed, her glorious rear bouncing as she walked to the living room.

Hearing her stop to use the restroom before returning, Mike pulled up his iPad to check his email quickly. There were the usual ads and sales being advertised, but he did find one particularly important email from that afternoon. Opening it, his heart skipped a few beats as he read the contents.

Mr. Batson, this is Robert from Solomon Brothers. This email is being sent to inform you that the engagement ring you purchased is ready for pick-up. Please come by at your earliest convenience. Thank you, and congratulations.

He closed the iPad and placed it back in the drawer of his nightstand as he heard Melody returning with her phone. She casually asked, “Get anything important?”

Grinning secretly to himself, he replied, “Nope. Nothing at all.”

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