Part 4
�Penny for them?�
�What?� Jim looked at Gina, slightly annoyed that she had spoken
�Actually perhaps I don�t want to know, I�m surprised you haven�t gone blind yet with the way you are looking at your wife�
�Yeah well you can�t blame a man for looking, that is all I�m allowed to do�
�Things not happening then�
�You don�t want to know� Jim commented glumly
�Actually I already do, I spoke to June�
�Great so is the state of my marriage station gossip�
�No, of course not, June is scared Jim, scared that you don�t find her attractive anymore�
�Where did she get this idea from�
�You, because you wont sleep with her�
�Oh god, why didn�t I realise���I love her so much but each time we go to make love something happens and her eyes freeze, I have to walk away, I look into her eyes and I see all this hurt and pain, I should have known what was happening�
�Jim don�t beat yourself up all you have to do is talk to each other, she thinks that by going back to work will finish your marriage�
�I just did not want to rush her, force her into something she was not ready for, to hurt her but I have, in the one way I thought I never would�
�Come on Jim this is your chance to sort things out, you have to tell her what you see each time you look at her, what you feel for her, you have to reassure her�
�Why are we out here?� June asked as Jim led her onto the patio area of the wine bar knowing that he could tell her what he wanted to without anyone interrupting them
�We need to talk�..I spoke to Gina�
�Oh� June said, dropping her head so that Jim could not look into her eyes
�Why couldn�t you tell me how you felt� he said as he lift her chin and noticed tears pricking her eyes
�I was scared, scared that you would confirm what I was thinking�
�Oh June� He hugged her tightly �I love you so much, I�m nothing without you , you are my rock�
�I know you love me, I�m not doubting that�
�But you are, you doubt what I feel for you�..I meant what I said when I had you in my arms earlier this evening, you are more attractive and beautiful now than your were all those years ago, regardless if you are wearing an outfit like this or wearing a black bag�
�Don�t go overboard�
�No I mean it� he noticed the expression on her face, realising that that his words had uncovered something
�Is this what the outfit is about�
She stepped away from him
�I thought that if I could remind you of the last time I wore this outfit then I could pretend that things were how they used to be, be normal�.I know it sounds stupid but I did not know what else to do and come Monday you would have the perfect excuse�
Jim silenced June with a passionate kiss, her body tried to pull away from him for a brief moment but once the initial contact had been made neither of them could stop the feelings that were over-riding their brains, Jim�s hands were caressing June�s body as she pushed her body closer into his, he broke contact with her lips and kissed her neck, slowly kissing up towards her ear
�I want you so much� he whispered into her ear, his reply was a gasp from June which caught in her throat as he continued to kiss her neck and his hand snaked up her thigh
�Shall we go home� she kissed his lips �I believe there is one birthday present you have not had yet�
�That sounds good, I am so sorry for hurting you so much�
�Let�s forget it, we have both avoided issues we should have discussed, we have dealt with it, anyway it should be me who is apologising, it is your birthday�..�
Jim kissed her lips softly �Lets agree that we have both upset each other and leave it there�
�Sounds good to me� she smiled
�I nearly forgot��.� he put his hand into his pocket �I know it is my birthday but it is valentines day as well�
He handed her a ring box and she opened it
�It�s beautiful Jim� June exclaimed as she looked at the gem encrusted platinum eternity ring
Jim took the ring from the box and placed it onto her finger with her engagement and wedding rings
�Each one of the seven stones is a birthstone, each one representing a member of our family�
�It�s wonderful�I don�t deserve it, especially after what I have said tonight�
�Sssh� they kissed �You do deserve it, you have made me so happy for nearly 21 years and have given me five wonderful children, I designed this to give to you as a anniversary present for our 20th anniversary but I wanted to give it to you today to, I would not be without you by my side, we are a team, without you I would be nothing and I never want to be without you and at this moment in time I just want to be with you���.lets get a taxi and go home�
Jim shut the front door quietly so not to draw the attention of their eldest daughter and her boyfriend who were happily curled up on the sofa watching television as Jim and June ascended the stairs to the next level of their house June pulled Jim towards her as she tripped slightly over a discarded trainer outside Ash�s bedroom door, he kissed her to prevent her laughter waking any of the children
�I feel like a naughty teenager� June stated as she started to climb the stairs towards the attic
�Yeah I feel like I�m sneaking a girl into my room past my parents� said as he shut the door and followed June up the stairs to their room
�You mean you used to sneak girls into your room all the time when you were younger?�
�No� Jim smiled as he sat on the bed and June stood in front of him �I was not that kind of boy�
�Now you know that I know that is not the complete truth� she sat on his lap
�That was different, you are the only woman I have ever sneaked into my room and that was when I lived in the section house and we used to have some fun in those days�
�Indeed we did, most of the people on your floor knew you had someone in your room it was obvious�
�Yes but they didn�t know who though�
�I did feel sorry for that PC from Barton Street in the room next to yours, we must have kept him awake a lot of the time�
�I bet he loved it, it saved him a fortune in blue movies�
�I don�t know what you mean Mr Carver, perhaps you should give me a demonstration� June said seductively as she got up from his lap, took a step back from him, unzipped her dress and let it fall to the floor revealing her red lacy underwear
�Perhaps I should� Jim commented, his eyes fixed on the slim body of his wife
She lay watching him sleeping, she had been doing do for the past 20 minutes whilst thinking about the events of that evening, they had spent over an hour talking after they made love for the first time in too long.
Jim was upset that he had not realised that June was deeply unhappy and was doubting what he felt for her. June had apologised for not talking to him sooner and upsetting him on his birthday. Jim melted June�s heart when he presented her with the ring and did it again when he placed her hand over his heart so she could feel it beating and told her that it was their love that kept it beating and kept him alive
They had spent the following hours slowly making love over and over again, Jim made sure that he pleasured June in every way he could, making her feel alive, attractive and wanted.
She traced the red marks on Jims shoulder, the marks left by her nails on the man she loved, his actions to prove the bond they shared. They were not left by a frantic, lust-fuelled liaison but from a slow, loving exchange between two people who knew each others bodies and exactly how to get them to react to every single touch.
She kissed his shoulder as she snuggled up close to him, that feeling of security she got by being in his company. He turned over and wrapped his arms around her, in that half awake half sleeping state, kissed her head as she put her head to his chest and repeated those three magic words that still made her heart leap.