Birthday Surprise

VIOLET

Zach comes barreling into the kitchen, a parcel clutched in his hands. “The pictures are here,” he declares, his demeanor noticeably brighter than it’s been. He spent the morning cuddling with Ella, whispering explanations of the world to her, and his mood seems to have improved.

I hadn’t even realized he’d been feeling low until I saw him today, more lively and animated. Ella is currently snoozing on a makeshift bed of pillows, a present from Lynn. Callum’s parents are scheduled to visit tomorrow, a change that Callum is looking forward to. His mother hasn’t seen Ella since she was born, and his father hasn’t met her yet.

Ella will be a month old next week, a thought that feels odd. Zach is already ripping into the parcel, unveiling two large canvases swathed in brown paper. His enthusiasm makes me chuckle, reminding me of a kid on Christmas morning.

“Are these from the maternity shoot?” I inquire, moving to stand beside him. He nods, revealing the first picture. It’s the one of me on the horse. The image is larger than life, incredibly clear, and the canvas is huge. It’s a bit daunting.

The vivid colors of the picture are hard to miss. My red hair against the green and black backdrop commands attention. “Where does Tyler think we’re going to hang this?” The size of the canvas is overwhelming. I like the picture, but the thought of seeing myself every day is a bit much.

“He’ll let us know when he gets back,” Zach responds, giving me a playful look that I can’t quite figure out. I ignore him, running my fingers over the faint signature Mora has left on the bottom left corner of the picture. It’s in silver, barely visible unless you catch it in the right light.

“God, you’re so sexy,” Zach whispers, pressing against me from behind. I almost spill my lemon water on the unopened canvas.

“Put your drink down, Vi,” he instructs, his voice dropping an octave. I can feel my body reacting to him, and I know he can tell by the way he’s grinning into my neck.

“I’m going to take you right here, on the island. Clean up that water with your shirt.” He doesn’t waste any time, pushing me down onto the island, hiking up my skirt, and pushing my panties aside. He’s already hard, pressing against me.

He enters me swiftly, lifting me to the perfect height for him. “God, you’re going to age like fine wine,” he groans, moving inside me so roughly that his words barely register. He brings me to the brink of an orgasm so quickly that my vision blurs and my breath catches in my throat.

“Zach!” His fingers dig into my hips as he adjusts his angle, hitting that perfect spot inside me. I’m panting now, unable to stop the wave of pleasure that’s about to crash over me.

“That’s it, baby, come for me.” And I do, loudly, in the middle of the kitchen. The fear of waking Ella is there, but I can’t stop myself from crying out as he continues to thrust into me, chasing his own release. When he finally stills inside of me, a second, smaller orgasm rips through me, milking him of everything he has to give.

He rests his chest against my back, turning my face to the side to pepper kisses on my cheek. “Happy birthday, baby,” he chuckles, pressing a kiss to the corner of my mouth.

“And happy Valentine’s Day too?” I blink in surprise, noticing Callum standing in the hallway, grinning at us. “It’s February fourteenth already?”

“Did you forget your own birthday, baby?” Zach asks, pulling out of me and fixing my clothes. I shake my head, keeping my eyes on Callum.

“No, I didn’t forget. I just lost track of the date.” Callum heads toward the front door, breaking my gaze.

“That won’t do. You said this was the first birthday you could celebrate. So, we’re going to celebrate,” Zach promises, pulling me into his arms.

“Cal?” Callum returns, carrying a large vase filled with two dozen red roses.

“I’m here.”

“Good. Baby, this is the first of many presents,” Zach announces. Callum places the vase in front of me, and I lean in to smell the roses. They remind me of home, of England, of the gardens I used to play in.

“Thank you,” I say, just as Callum leans in to give me a quick kiss.

“Happy birthday, baby. Tyler had to go to court, but we’re meeting him in town. After we drop off Ella at Carla’s.”

“We’re leaving Ella?” The thought makes my heart race.

“Just for a few hours. We’re taking you to lunch. She’ll be fine. Carla will have her phone on loud and will answer no later than the second ring,” he reassures me, pulling me into a hug.

“We’ll need to pack her milk then—”

“Catherine has already taken care of everything,” Zach interrupts, a wicked gleam in his eyes.

“Where are we going in town?” I ask, curiosity getting the better of me.

“That would be telling. Go get changed. I left some clothes for you on the bed.” Zach nudges me toward the stairs, and I head up to our room.

There are two red boxes tied with gold bows on the bed. I open the larger one first, revealing a red lace corset and matching thong. A note in Zach’s handwriting reads, My Queen, you will look magnificent in this set.

In the second box is a thigh-length black dress with a low neckline. A note in Callum’s handwriting reads, Happy birthday, darling.

I struggle to fit into the corset, my breasts having grown since having Ella. Eventually, I manage to squeeze into it. I find a pair of sheer black stockings in my drawer and pair them with a pair of black high heels I’ve never worn before.

Looking at myself in the mirror, I can see why Zach chose this lingerie. It looks expensive and stunning against my skin. I can already imagine them tearing it off me later, and I laugh. This lingerie won’t last the day.

I slip the dress on over the lingerie, smoothing it down. The red lace of the bra is barely visible beneath the neckline of the dress. I apply some light mascara and bright red lipstick to match the lingerie before heading downstairs.

I’m so excited that I nearly trip on the stairs several times. I’m giggling to myself as I reach the bottom of the staircase, where Zach and Callum are waiting for me.

“Jesus fucking Christ,” Zach breathes, staring at me with a wide grin. He’s dressed in tight gray slacks and a white shirt, holding Ella in his arms.

Callum, dressed in gray suit pants and a crisp white shirt, is staring at me, his surprise evident. His eyes are wide, his mouth agape, and there’s an undeniable bulge in his pants.

“Vi, did you put on make-up?” he asks, his voice filled with awe. I nod, feeling a bit self-conscious, but Callum is quick to dispel my insecurities.

“Damn, Vi,” he murmurs, pulling me close. “We’re the luckiest guys in the world to have you.” His lips meet mine in a passionate kiss, his tongue seeking entrance, our teeth clashing in a heated exchange that banishes my lingering doubts.

“We should drop Ella off at my mom’s,” he suggests, pulling back. “Before we decide to stay home instead.” We share a knowing smile, our bodies still pressed close.

“You’re breathtaking, Violet,” he whispers, pressing a soft kiss to my nose. He takes my hand in his, his touch warm and reassuring.