Anniversary Dinner
You smile as you hear the unmistakable sound of Rupert's Citroen pull up outside. You have been together one year today. He probably doesn't even realize, but that's more than okay with you, it will only add to the surprise. You're a novice cook at best but you've managed a modestly elegant candlelight dinner. You peek through the oven window at the two delicate pheasants, browning nicely. Just a couple more minutes and they'll be done.
You hear his key in the lock and rush over to open the door for him. He stares up as his own door opens before him, smiling sweetly when he sees that it's you.
"Hello Love, this is a surprise." He sits his briefcase against the wall just inside the doorway and hangs his coat on the rack as you shut the door. When you turn to him, his arm slips around your waist, squeezing you to him. His other hand clasps yours and he twirls you out into the room. "Happy anniversary to you," he begins to sing. You grin, resting your cheek against his chest, and letting him move you through the room. He finishes the song and you hear him make a sniffing sound. "What's that burning?"
"Oh Shit!!" You push away from him and run into the kitchen in time to see smoke coming from the oven door. You're so panicked, you fling the door open and reach in for the pan without even thinking about how hot it will be. "SHIT!!" You yank your hand back and grab a potholder from the cabinet handle. You retrieve the blackened, smoking birds and slam them on top of the range. You shut the oven door and turn it off, standing to stare at your ruined dinner.
"Let me see your hand," Rupert says in a concerned tone.
"It's fine." You already feel like the village idiot, you think him being nice to you will only make it worse somehow.
Rupert gently grasps your wrist and turns you palm to face him. "Oh Love," he flips on the kitchen faucet and places your hand underneath it. You jump and wince as the water spray hits the tender skin. Rupert's arms envelop you. You feel tears of anger at yourself begin to rise.
'I've already ruined all of this, he shouldn't have to put up with a hysterical crying jag. "I'll clean it up in a minute. Excuse me," you say, barely more than a whisper. You disentangle yourself from him, head to the bathroom, lock the door, slide down the wall as far away from the door as you can and begin to weep.
A few minutes later, there is a light rap on the door. You clear your throat and, hoping to sound just fine, answer, "Yes?"
"Please come out and see me."
You check your face in the mirror. Your cheeks are tearstained, your eyes look red, but your skin hasn't got blotchy and pink yet. "Uh I don't kno..."
"Please?"
You sigh and fluff your hair to obscure your face, exiting the room with your head bowed. He stops you in the doorway and puts his hand to your chin, tilting you to face him. "I'm sorry," you try to explain, "I know I'm being silly. It's just, you do so much for me and I wanted this to be perfect and I screwed it all up!"
"Shh, stop." His soft warm lips press to yours. He pulls back with a smile. "Come with me."
You follow him into a now clean kitchen. He has four slices of bread laid out on the counter. Next to them, an open jar of grape jelly and an open jar of peanut butter. You smile at him questioningly. "Dinner," he answers. "All I wanted for today was to be with you, anything else is of no consequence."
You grab a butter knife and begin to spread the jelly on the bread, Rupert presses behind you, nuzzling your neck. He nips at you gently, causing you to drop a big glob on your finger. You move your other hand to wipe it away. He stops you. You look at his smiling face. Rupert lifts your hand to his face. He puts your fingertip to his lips and pulls your finger in, stroking it with his tongue, cleaning the sticky sweetness away.
You skin breaks into goosebumps. He smiles and slides his mouth off of your finger, kissing the tip before he releases the hand. He dips his finger in the peanut butter jar and offers it to you. It's your turn to smile now. You work your way down his finger as slow as you can, thoroughly removing every speck of peanut butter on the way. He is the one who's squirming now. You pull away and kiss his fingertip. You go to turn back to the counter when he grips your shoulders.
"You got some on your lip. Allow me." Rupert bends to you, sucking your bottom lip entirely into his mouth. His cleaning service quickly turns into a kiss of epically carnal proportions. Just as you start to feel week in the knees, you are lifted by Rupert's strong arms and he carries you off.....
|
|
| The character of Rupert Giles and the show Buffy the Vampire Slayer were created by Joss Whedon and are © Fox. No infringement is intended and no profits are being made. |