Jewel of the Jungle

Chapter 12

Plage de Sable Blanc, Southern Prance

After our discussion, Fleur and I found very little need to say anything to one another. We were content to simply bask in the sunlight and enjoy the pleasant sea-breeze that washed over us every so often. I admit that I might have stolen a few glances at the men while they were playing their game of volleyball. It was not something that I would have wanted to join in on, but they appeared to be enjoying themselves.

Before I knew it, I was already enjoying my third piña colada when Macintosh and Fancy Pants returned from their game and sauntered over to our beach chairs. Since I had been sitting for so long, I decided to get up and greet them. I furrowed my brow in confusion when I saw Macintosh start running towards me with a predatory grin on his face.

My response was not quite as dignified as I would have liked. I suppose it was only natural that I squawked like a panicked crow when he, quite literally, swept me off my feet and swung me around like a fairy tale princess. Despite my initial reaction, I quickly realized that he was just being affectionate and playful.

Once I settled down a bit, he kissed my forehead and chuckled. It was…an unusual behavior for a man who was normally so shy and reserved. Perhaps he had just gotten over his initial nervousness about being in the nude around others? I honestly had no idea. But I liked it.

I wrapped my arms around his neck and pressed my lips against his chest. Unsurprisingly, he tasted just as salty as the ocean. As I continued to rest my head against his breast, I took a moment to appreciate his scent. There was a fair amount of sweat mixed with it but that was not such a bad thing. I let out a contented sigh. Spontaneity can be such a wonderful thing sometimes.

I traced my finger around his stomach. “What brought that on, my love?”

“Ah don’t rightly know. Just felt like doin’ it. If ya don’t like it, ah can put ya down.”

“I never said that. Sometimes, a woman just wants to be held by her man. Although, you are rather sweaty.”

Macintosh blushed. “Sorry about that. Ah forgot how intense volleyball can get.”

“No need to apologize, we can just go for a swim to freshen up.”

Our sojourn into the warm, tropical water was ever so rudely interrupted by the sound of loud guffawing and poorly suppressed snickers. When Macintosh spun us around, Fleur and Fancy were standing behind us trying their hardest to look nonchalant. Needless to say, they failed miserably. Fancy cleared his throat and decided to speak first.

“I say, your eagerness to enjoy a woman’s touch is rather amusing! Although, I can’t say I blame you. The sweet nectar of youthful love is almost more than I can bear.”

Both Fleur and I gave the chancellor a pointed look. “Mon amour, would you care to explain what you mean by that?”

“Mr. Apple and I did indeed enjoy a rousing game of volleyball as you might have guessed. However, one of the Wonderbolts decided to join us. She did so of her own volition, naturally.”

“Oui. Go on dear. I sense there is a BUT in this conversation…”

Fancy chuckled nervously. “You always were a sharp one. Sorry Mr. Apple, I’m afraid I can’t lie to my wife. A gentleman’s code of honor can only go so far.”

“Eeyup.”

“There was, in fact, a butt in this conversation. Although, it was more in the literal sense than the grammatical one. Our Wonderbolt in question was none other than Captain Spitfire and she…might have tried to seduce Mr. Apple after the game.”

Macintosh bit his lip. “Ah can take it from here, sir. It’s true what he said. The captain, she was doin’ her damnedest to flirt with me. Ah tried to ignore it, but she just kept takin’ it up another notch. I swear she dropped her sunglasses on purpose that one time just to give me a good look at her errmm…lady bits!”

“I can attest that the illustrious captain was a sight to behold! It was no wonder that you became so ere—YEEEOOWW!”

Fleur continued to twist his ear. “I think you need to be a bit more careful about what you say, Fancy. I apologize for my husband’s lack of discretion, Mr. Apple. It must have been quite embarrassing for you to become excited.”

“Eeyup.”

I knew all too well how shy Macintosh was and for him to admit to such a thing was brave. Admittedly, I was somewhat disturbed that another woman had the unmitigated gall to expose herself in front of him in such a brazen manner! Oh spirits! When had I become so jealous and possessive? I should not be jumping to conclusions like that. The captain might not have known he was already spoken for.

I embraced him as tightly as I could to show that I was not angry at him for what amounted to a natural reaction. I could feel how tense his muscles were, a sure sign of the guilt that plagued his mind. What truly broke my heart was defeated look in his emerald eyes when they met mine. Rather than say anything, I took his cheeks into my hands and rubbed my fingers against them.

Macintosh closed his eyes. “I’m sorry, Zecora. Ah should’ve had more self-control…”

“Perhaps. If that is what you believe, it is not my place to contradict you. Just know that I am not angry, even if you think I should be.”

“Why’s that?”

I smiled. “I will admit that I have caught myself gazing at other men every so often. There is no harm in that. People are passionate creatures, but what sets us apart from other animals is our ability to suppress the urge to act upon our baser instincts. The question remains: Did you act upon your instincts?”

“Ah couldn’t do it. Even though I wanted to.”

“Then there is no harm done, my love. Let us forget this little incident and enjoy ourselves.”

Fleur grabbed her husband’s arm. “I’ve quite enjoyed our morning together, but Fancy and I have an activity of our own that we need to attend to this afternoon. Perhaps later we can meet again. Au revoir~”

Macintosh and I waved goodbye as they walked away. I am uncertain if I was just imagining things, but I swear I noticed a mischievous glint in Fleur’s eyes when she dragged her husband away. My suspicions were quickly laid to rest when Fleur gave him a playful tweak to the buttocks.

Those two had no sense of proper decorum, did they? Or perhaps they just did not care who witnessed their antics. I shook my head and turned my attention back to Macintosh. He seemed to have picked up on our friends’ lewd behavior as well, but did not offer much of a response other than a light chuckle.

“Ya know, ah wasn’t the only one appreciatin’ the women durin’ the game. Ah know I shouldn’t speak ill of the chancellor, but he’s one hell of a pervert…”

I nodded. “Indeed. I gathered as much.”

“So…do ya still wanna go for a swim?”

I think some of Fleur’s mischievousness rubbed off on me. In a rare moment of spontaneity, I decided to grab Macintosh’s arm too (sans the carnal intent, of course). Since he was such a large man, I did not exactly pull him towards the water as effortlessly as I would have liked. But at least he did not resist.

Once we were about waist deep in the water, I let go of his arm and dove deeper into the crystal clear depths. There was strange aura of peace underneath the waves, devoid of sound…yet so full of life. I scarcely have the words to describe the myriad of colors all the fish possessed, save to say that they were a feast for the eyes.

I swam a bit more, gliding through the water much like a dolphin would. It really was an exhilarating feeling. I felt so free, almost as if I were flying. While I did occasionally swim when I still lived in my homeland, it was more for the sake of bathing rather than to enjoy the sensation in and of itself.

Neither my village nor the jungle was anywhere near the ocean, so the largest bodies of water I ever came in contact with were either rivers or small ponds. That was why the sensation of being fully encompassed by water was such a novel one for me.

While I lingered near the bottom, observing a tiny pink fish, I vowed that I would go swimming more often. Not only did it feel good, but it was also an excellent form of exercise. What was there not to like?

I surfaced to find Macintosh a short distance away from me. Oddly enough, his hair did not appear to be wet. Did he not enjoy swimming? Since I did not want him to feel left out, I silently wadded towards his back and splashed him with some water.

Macintosh yelped in surprise. “Tarnation, Zecora! Ya nearly gave me a heart…attack?”

“You did not appear to be enjoying the water, so I decided to rectify the situation! Umm…why are you looking at me like that? Did I upset you?”

Macintosh shook his head. “Trust me, it ain’t that. Ah just happened ta see someone I’d rather not deal with right now.”

“Who might that be?”

“Aww shit! She’s headed over here. Ah can’t do this. It’ll be too embarrassin’.”

I shook him by the shoulders. “Who is it? Tell me!”

“Spitfire…”

Sure enough, the very same woman I nearly harbored a jealous grudge against stood before us. I could immediately tell why Macintosh found her so attractive. She possessed the lean build of an athlete, but without sacrificing any of her feminine charm.

I was surprised to notice (with no small degree of jealousy) that her breasts were quite ample for a woman of her physique. Such was their firmness that they barely jiggled as she walked about. I admit, even as woman, I found them pleasant to look at. No doubt they had entranced many before me and would continue to do so.

Her spikey hair was a chaotic mix of yellows and oranges. It reminded me much of the smoldering flames of a campfire on a starry night. She had even trimmed her pubic hair into the shape of a small flame! Did Equestrian men truly find such a thing attractive? I suppose some must have.

Since she would obviously have to be nude in order for the hair to be seen, the only reason she would shape it in such a manner was to attract attention. Despite my curiosity, trimming was not something I could ever test on myself. Due to my heritage, I was incapable of growing any body hair whatsoever.

I expected her to try and make yet another advance on Macintosh, but I was surprised when she did not. Instead, she folded her arms in front of her stomach and wiggled her toes in the sand. After a few moments of awkward silence, a heavy blush spread across her face.

“I wanted to personally apologize for what happened after the game, Mac.”

“Ya already did and it was an hon—”

Spitfire shook her head. “No. I took things way too far. I shouldn’t have thrown myself at you like that! Had I known you already had a girlfriend, your little situation might not have happened.”

“Ah guess not. We’ll never really know fer sure.”

I placed my hands on my hips. “What exactly happened between the two of you? Is it anything I should be worried about?”

“I guess you must be the girlfriend he mentioned. You aren’t at all what I was expecting. Let’s see… dark skin, athletically toned, and the whole ‘exotic tribal girl’ bit. Damn Mac, you scored big time with this one! The name’s Spitfire and I’ll answer any questions you have.”

“You may call me Zecora. How you answer my questions will determine how I judge your character, so consider your answers carefully. Why did you even attempt to seduce Macintosh in the first place?”

Spitfire rubbed her neck. “Well, I had a lot of fun playing volleyball with him. After the game, we spoke for a bit and he invited me to get some ice cream. After that we just…talked about stuff. It was a refreshing change of pace from the usual creeps who try to get me to sleep with them.

“I was already feeling lonely and a bit horny, so I decided to crank up the old Spitfire charm to reel him in. Now, in my defense, Mac is a hunky farm boy who just so happens to have a charming personality. I mean, look at those muscles!”

Macintosh rolled his eyes. “Is that what ya call it? Ya were givin’ that chocolate covered banana a damn blow job! There ain’t a red-blooded man on the planet that wouldn’t get hard seein’ that!”

“Ok, fine! Maybe I did go a bit overboard with that. I just wasn’t sure if you were picking up any of my extremely OBVIOUS signals!”

“Well, excuse me! In case ya haven’t noticed, we’re all naked right now. So how is showing me yer lady bits by bendin’ over supposed ta be seductive? I’ll admit that it did look a might suspicious, but I thought ya were just pickin’ up yer glasses.”

Spitfire sighed. “I guess you have a point there. However, there are men out there dense enough not to notice a woman’s wiles, no matter how obvious it might be.”

I quickly grew tired of the entire situation. They both sounded like squabbling children! For whatever reason, despite being a young and attractive woman, Spitfire was having issues finding herself a man. I was not about to judge her on that account, but I did not wish for this charade to continue any longer. So, I strode over to Macintosh and pressed my body up against his while I gave Spitfire a stern look.

“I forgive you for trying to seduce Macintosh because it appears as if you did not realize he was in a relationship with me. But if you attempt to do so again…I will not hesitate to put you in your place.”

Spitfire raised her hands. “Look, can we just put this whole misunderstanding behind us? I messed up big time and I admit that. And to show you guys how sorry I am why don’t we go for a soak and a massage at the spa? You guys can even order lunch while we’re there, my treat!”

“I can agree to that. Perhaps we can even become friends, given some time.”

“Sounds like a plan ta me.”

Considering how late in the morning it was when we arrived at the spa, the three of us decided that is was prudent to each lunch before receiving any treatments. The fare was a bit over elegant for my own tastes, but delicious nonetheless.

I enjoyed a platter of roast duck basted in light balsamic vinaigrette over a bed of grilled asparagus. Spitfire ordered something called Fillet Mignon and Macintosh settled for a chicken pasta dish. After we allowed our stomachs to settle for about a half hour, Spitfire suggested that we make our way to the massage parlor.

We all got a table rather quickly because there seemed to be very few people in the spa. Similar to when we arrived at the resort, all of the staff wore uniforms while we remained nude. I do not believe it would have made me uncomfortable if they had been as well, but Spitfire informed me that such a thing was considered a grave breach of decorum…with possible legal ramifications.

Within minutes three attendants walked over to our tables. Oddly enough, all of them were women. Two of them appeared to be sisters by the looks of it. They introduced themselves as Pétunia and Primevère. The only way I could tell them apart was by the hue of their hair. Spitfire was attended by the one with lavender hair, while I got the one with yellow hair.

Neither of them spoke much, unless they were asking us our preferences or permission to massage a potentially erogenous area of the body. When they did speak, it was with a soft Prench accent. In any case, they were extremely courteous and professional. All of their ministrations felt wonderful, particularly near the base of where my spine met my buttocks.

I am not ashamed to admit that I let out a few mewls of pleasure, but it was nothing compared to the noises Spitfire was making. I actually blushed a few times during some of her more bawdy moans. It very nearly sounded as if she was having an orgasm! For all I knew, she very well could have been.

My heart went out to Macintosh. I was certain that he was feeling aroused by all of this. Luckily, he was lying on his stomach so even if he had an erection, it would be hidden from view. But his excitement was likely stymied by the sheer awkwardness of the woman who was attending him.

Do not mistake my words as an insult. She was just as professional as the other two. I could tell by the occasional groans of pleasure Macintosh let out. However, she was just about the most intimidating hulk of a woman I had ever seen in my entire life!

She stood a whole head taller than Macintosh and had the same amount of muscle. Her hair was not dissimilar in hue to snow, which would have looked beautiful…except that she possessed amber eyes that seemed to bore into your very being.

She was actually quite friendly and sociable. Her personality would have been rather charming under normal circumstances. Unfortunately, her voice sounded like it belonged to a Primo Uomo from a Bitalian opera. I believe she mentioned her name was Misty Mountain? A shiver went up my spine and it was certainly not due to the massage. I made a mental note not to aggravate the woman in any way, lest I incur her wrath.

The rest of our massage went without incident. For the most part, I could tell that Macintosh had enjoyed his as well but he seemed somewhat relieved to move onto another activity. After stretching our legs for a bit, we decided to head towards what Spitfire called the “locker room” for a quick shower.

I had to admit that the concept of a “locker room” was confusing to me. It was apparently an area where people could go to before or after they performed any form of physical recreation. I was once again reminded that one had to wear specialized attire to enjoy the aforementioned activities.

It made no sense to me, of course. Wearing nothing was far less constricting and made washing off sweat and grime easier. Even the ancient people of Pegalopolis would have agreed with me on that!

I once read a history book that claimed their athletes always competed in the nude during athletic festivals. But… northern cultures were always so focused on the concept of modesty that they often cast a blind eye to practicality.

In this case, we were showering in preparation for soaking in the hot springs. That, at least, made sense to me. The hot springs were not intended to be used as an oversized bathtub, but rather a place to relax and absorb essential minerals into the skin. It would have been disgusting if people had used the water to cleanse themselves too.

Calling this place a genuine hot springs was a bit of a misnomer. I could tell that the pools were artificially heated and constructed from stone to make them look as natural as possible. That is not to say that the décor was distasteful in any way. The room had real plants in it to simulate the ones found in nature and a very close approximation of moss. For all I knew, it could have been real as well.

We all slid into the water gingerly, expecting it to be hot enough to burn our skin. Instead, the temperature was the perfect balance of warm enough to sooth our muscles, but not so hot that it scalded us. I wasted no time submerging myself up to the chest and neither did Spitfire or Macintosh. Afterwards, we all let out a collective sigh of pleasure.

“Ah think this the most relaxed I’ve ever felt in mah entire life. It would’ve been better if the gal massagin’ me didn’t look like an aaaaaaaaamaaZON!”

Spitfire raised her eyebrow. “Are you alright, Mac?”

“I’ve n-never been better! Ah just…ermm…stubbed mah toe. Yeah! That’s it.”

“Try to be more careful, ok.”

Macintosh shuddered. “Eeyup.”

I giggled and gave Macintosh a half-lidded stare. Originally, I was going to snuggle up against him but since the pool was so large, I elected to sit across from him instead. It was all part of my plan, you see. I wanted to reward my man for resisting Spitfire’s advances and staying loyal to me. It was simply karmic justice, in my opinion.

I started off by kneading his balls with my toes, making absolute certain that I was doing so as gently as I could. The whole point of this was to make him feel good. I had no desire to cause him any pain. Much to my delight, it did not take very long for him to become completely erect under my ministrations.

Next, I decided to rub my big toe against the sensitive skin of his shaft, right underneath the head. If we were completely alone in our own tub, I would have played with his head a bit more…but it would have been problematic if he ejaculated in the pool. For that reason, I continued what I was doing at a sedate pace, alternating between rubbing his shaft and massaging it between my toes.

I looked over at Spitfire and she seemed to have her eyes closed. Chances were that she was not paying any attention to us. And since I could tell Macintosh was close to release, I decided that we should sneak off somewhere more private and allow him to do so.

“Macintosh and I need to use the restroom. I am afraid that the tea we had at lunch is catching up with us. We shall return shortly.”

Spitfire kept her eyes closed. “Hmm…yeah, sure.”

We wasted no time finding a toilet stall in the locker room. It was really the only way we could afford ourselves any kind of privacy (visually at any rate). The entire room was extremely quiet because there was no one else present and any sounds we made would most certainly echo. It would be embarrassing if someone heard us, but my mind was so clouded by lust at that point that I ceased to care.

I got on my knees and took his throbbing manhood into my mouth. Once I started sucking on him in earnest, my earlier suspicions were confirmed. By the spirits, the lewd slurping noises I made echoed throughout the entire room! I should have felt ashamed, but it only served to light the fire in my loins further.

Macintosh placed his hands atop my head. “W-What the hell brought this on? Ya know what? Ah don’t give a damn anymore! Just…keep…goin’. It feels…too good.”

I felt a little guilty when I abruptly stopped pleasuring him with my mouth. But I could not take it anymore! I needed him inside me or I would go crazy! With a look that was equal part apologetic and sultry; I wrapped my arms around his neck and jammed my lips into his. He was a bit shocked at first, but started enjoying it when I used my tongue to wrestle with his.

I panted. “Macintosh…I need you inside of me. Take me here, right now.”

“Ah don’t know how long I’ll last. With everythin’ you’ve been doin’ I doubt it’ll be more than a minute or two.”

“That is alright. It shall not take me long to climax.” I whispered as I parted my lips with two fingers.

He did not need to be told twice. Within seconds, he slid his thick manhood inside me and hoisted me by the legs. It hurt a little bit when he pressed me against the stall door, but I do not think it was on purpose. Besides, the amount of pleasure I was feeling as he began thrusting outweighed any traces of pain I felt in mere moments.

His thrusts were desperate at first, but became more methodical as time dragged on. I suppose he wanted me to enjoy as much of our love-making as I could without releasing himself too quickly. It really was a sweet gesture. I returned the favor by clenching my muscles around him as tightly as I could. Judging by his soft whimpers, it must have felt incredibly good.

When I initially began my martial arts training, I thought my instructors were joking when they said it would help me achieve incredible muscle control. At the time, I was confused by their laughter and wolfish whistles. Only now can I truly appreciate what they had meant.

Macintosh trembled. “S-shit…ah had no idea ya could do that.”

“Mmmm…yes. Engolo stances have a myriad of uses, my love. But do not…ah…expect me to be able to do it all the time.”

“That’s alright. Ah don’t want ya ta strain yourself. Yer tight enough under normal circumstances anyway…”

I nibbled on his ear. “An odd way of phrasing a compliment, but I shall accept it regardless. Please hurry, Macintosh! I want to feel your seed inside me.”

After a few more quick thrusts, I felt him bury his penis into me as deeply as he could. What followed was, of course, a spurt of hot semen that filled me to the brim…but I was surprised at how little noise Macintosh made. It was nothing more than a sharp gasp.

I could see the combination of exhaustion and satisfaction in his eyes. He was positively spent. However, he continued to thrust so that I could enjoy my own orgasm. It warmed my heart that he could be so considerate towards my needs. That was all it took to initiate the waves of electric pleasure as an intense orgasm rocked my entire body.

Much to my own embarrassment, I was not quite as silent as Macintosh had been. The loud moan that I let out could have easily been heard the whole way out in the pool. I just…hoped that no one heard it. I do not think I could give a reasonable explanation for it, if asked.

The two of use nearly collapsed onto the cold, linoleum floor in a sweaty tangle of body parts and sexual fluids. We just lay there, allowing ourselves to catch our breath. As soon as we got enough rest, I cleared my throat and helped Macintosh to his feet.

“I believe we should shower before we go back to the pool, lest we wish to stink of sex.”

Macintosh nodded. “Ah couldn’t agree more. It’d be mighty rude of us ta make such a mess of the pool. Although, ah guess it’s a bit too late for the bathroom stall.”

“We can clean that up too, if you like. I would feel terrible otherwise…”

It turned out that the stall was indeed a bit messy, but it was nothing a bit of water and toilet paper could not fix. The shower we took afterwards was quick and chaste. I do not believe that either of us had the energy to make it naughty, even if we had wanted to.

Without further ado, we padded back to the pool while holding hands. For some reason, Spitfire had gotten out of the pool and was leaning against the wall with a smug grin on her face.

“That was some bathroom break you guys had. It was about a half hour by my reckoning. Care to enlighten me?”

Both of our faces turned scarlet. I know I could not bear to look Spitfire in the eyes, and I am certain that Macintosh found the floor tiles just as fascinating as I did. Since I was looking at the floor anyway, I happened to notice how red the tip of Macintosh’s penis was. That was a sure sign as any to what occurred. Perhaps Spitfire would not notice?

Spitfire chuckled. “You know…the water in the pool isn’t nearly as murky as you think it is. It’s alright; you don’t have to say anything. I pretended not to notice so you guys could have some privacy. But I did happen to overhear some rather raunchy noises coming from the locker room. I hope it felt as awesome as it sounded, ‘cause that was hot!”

“Yes, it was quite enjoyable. If Macintosh could speak right now, he would agree.” I mumbled.

“Hey, don’t be like that! You guys are a horny, young couple. I get it. Sometimes you just wanna go off and have a quickie. Hell, there was this one time where I fuc—”

I raised my hand. “Thank you for the encouragement, but I do not need to hear about your sexual exploits.”

“Eh, suit yourself. What do you guys wanna do next? I guess that we could just chill for a while but I think I might want to head back to my room for some me time.”

“I think that would be for the best, Spitfire. Macintosh and I are ermm…slightly exhausted from our previous activity as I’m sure you can understand. In all likelihood, we too shall head back to our own room.”

Spitfire handed me a slip of paper. “That’s my phone number in case you ever feel like talking or hanging out again. Despite all the awkwardness, I had fun today. So…see ya later?”

“I think I would like to see you again as well. Take care, my friend. Maybe someday you shall find a man that makes you as happy as Macintosh makes me.”

“I hope so…”

Macintosh coughed awkwardly. “Well, mah cousin Braeburn is single. I could probably set you guys up if it suits yer fancy.”

“Oh? So there are more single men from the Apple clan? What’s he like?”

“He’s honest and hard workin’ if a bit over the top with his cheerful attitude sometimes. He owns an apple orchard out by Appleloosa.”

Spitfire’s eyes lit up. “Appleloosa? I grew up in Buffalo Junction, just a couple of miles from there. In fact, I think my daddy flew his crop duster for you Apples at some point or another. We should get along just fine.”

“Ah probably shouldn’t say this but…Brae, he likes ta gussy himself up a bit. Ah think quite a few folks think he’s gay because of it. He ain’t though. So don’t expect him ta be some butch, manly man.”

Spitfire laughed. “I’ll try to keep an open mind.”

“It was nice meetin’ ya. Talk to ya later, Spitfire.”

“Later, guys! Oh and don’t get too frisky with each other. We wouldn’t want the neighbors to complain.”

After some deliberation, we decided to have dinner brought to our room. Neither of us really felt like going out anywhere and since the room service was included in our tickets, why not? We ate our meal in relative silence. Some people might find that awkward, but I assure you that it was nothing of the sort. We both felt that there was no need to speak, only to enjoy the company of one another.

Macintosh held out his hand and gestured for me to follow him out onto the balcony. I accepted and I was glad that I did. It was late evening and the sun was about to set. I leaned on the railing so I could get more comfortable, when I felt him wrap his arms around me and rest his head on my shoulder.

“The sunset is beautiful today, ain’t it?”

“Indeed. It makes me regret not watching it more often. One should never take nature’s beauty for granted.”

I heard him take in a deep breath. “Zecora…t-there’s a question I’d like ta ask ya, if ya don’t mind.”

“Go ahead. I do not mind.”

“I’ve been givin’ a lot of thought to what you said when were in the forest, huntin’ that lion. And ah…well…ah think it’s high time that ah started a family of mah own…with the woman ah love.”

I gasped. “You do not mean…”

There it was. The moment I had so longed for in my dreams. It was all happening so fast! Before I knew it, Macintosh slipped a beautiful gold emerald ring on my finger. Oh the courage it must have taken him to get to this point! I was both overjoyed and so very proud of him. And, of course, I had to ruin the moment by sniffling loudly. I could not help it! There was no way I could stop myself from tearing up.

“This was the ring mah pa gave mah mamma when he proposed to her. Ah think she would’ve wanted ya ta have it. So what do ya say, Zecora? Will you…b-be mah wife?”

“You have no idea how long I have waited to hear you say that.” I croaked. “Yes! Of course I will!”

“Ah probably should’ve have asked soo—”

I lunged at him with the ferocity of a feral tiger. I pressed my chest against his and gave him what I could only describe as the most passionate kiss I had ever given anyone in my entire life. There was no tongue wrestling or aggression, just the tingling sensation of our lips joined together for a fleeting moment of time.

Reluctantly, I disengaged our lips and took him by the hand towards our bed. I motioned for him to take a seat upon it, he returned my gaze with a confused look of his own when I did not join him. Instead, I rummaged through the bottom drawer of our dresser and found the prize I was looking for. Like he did for me, I slid my own gold band around his ring finger.

“There was a point in time when I convinced myself that no matter how taboo it would have been I was going to ask your hand in marriage. Granted, my ring is not as elegant as yours but it means a great deal to me. It was something my mentor passed on to me to remember her by. That is how much I love you.”

Macintosh gently rubbed the ring. “Zecora…”

Finally, I sauntered over to the bed and lay down on my back. In that moment, I felt no embarrassment or shame as I slowly spread my legs. The only thing I felt was the warmth in my heart for my new husband, and how we would make passionate love the whole rest of the evening.

I could tell he felt the same way. He slowly crawled over to where I was and caressed my cheek with his hand. In response, I placed my hand on his left breast and kept it there. His heartbeat was strong and steady; its rhythm gave me peace and comfort. Before long, we kissed again. Except this time we mingled our tongues together like a pair of writhing snakes.

I smiled. “Make love to me, Macintosh. But let it be slow and steady. I want to enjoy every moment we are joined together.”

“Ah guess yer gonna be one of those demandin’ wives, huh?”

I crossed my arms. “That is not what I—”

“I’m just kiddin’. Ah want the same thing you do. All that matters ta me is that yer happy.”

Tears began to form in my eyes. “You have already done that. I want to make love all night and sleep until noon tomorrow. How does that sound?”

“Sounds like a plan ta me.”

With those simple words, our marathon of blissful wedded sex began. Would we be sore tomorrow? There could be no doubt. But it was something I was more than willing to tolerate. I pushed such thoughts to the back of my mind and simply enjoyed my husband’s ministrations.