So what do you want to do for Fathers Day this weekend?” she asked directly, hoping to get some hint or inkling about a way to make his day special. “Any plans or presents in mind?”

“I don’t know, babe, whatever seems good,” he responds, pre-exasperated by the conversation. He sees her face, at once sad and disappointed, so he tries again. “Go to dinner at the steak place? Or do something fun with the kids? I really don’t care. I just want to make it easy, no stress.” He’s always worried about others, rarely indulging himself.

“Come on, Miles. That’s it? You don’t want ANYTHING else? Golf day with the boys? Really expensive bottle of bourbon? Sunday morning blowjob?” she kids, trying to disrupt the placating mood.

“Yeah…,” he says with a roll of his eyes as he turns from the bathroom sink to enter the closet. She loves to say things like that to disrupt his quiet and conservative nature. He’s at his least comfortable when she pushes this button.

“Ok, so no golf, no steak, and no blowjob. Got it.” she sarcastically hollers through the wall. She waits for a response but hears nothing. She squints with a determined look, devilish plans racing through her mind.

She drops her bath robe, stands naked in the hallway, and then struts quickly into the closet where Miles is dressing. He catches a glimpse of her curves, her pale breasts and bottom, and the small tuft of hair nestled shyly below. She walks to her clothes, deliberately taking longer just to tease him. His response is to ignore, which is challenging given her beauty and body. Even after two kids in the last six years, she’s still gorgeous and sexy from head to toe. He’s buttoning his shirt when she turns around to face him, her in a black thong and nothing else.

“So…you can’t think of anything you want for Fathers Day?” She steps toward him, begging for some response to this blatant proposition. He leans down, kisses her forehead, and smiles.

“Surprise me?”

Now it’s her turn to roll her eyes and walk away. “Ok, well don’t say I didn’t try,” and she departs for the bathroom again.

Miles scolds himself for not saying something or doing something to show his love and lust for her. But something in him always blocks his most primal impulse. It’s a blend of embarrassment and awkwardness, or a lack of confidence. Maybe all of the above.

Though they’ve enjoyed a satisfying sex life during their time together, it fundamentally depends on Elayna to initiate their interaction. She’s a bold, strong, confident woman who knows what she wants, asks for what she likes, and makes no apologies for any of it. This was a fundamental reason he was attracted to her over 10 years ago. He found her voice and posture alluring, so brazen in a sea of meek young women. She cursed like a sailor, loved to play sports, yet could rock an evening gown with the best of the beauty queens. She was everything a guy like Miles could want.

Similarly, Elayna found Miles cute and a touch mysterious. He was quiet but spoke with a sharp intellect and quick wit. He had no idea how attractive he was, physically, which made him even more desirable. Among the cocky, self-absorbed young professionals in the city, Miles’s understated presence actually made him stand out even more. She had no interest in flashy cars, fancy business cards, or elaborate vacation stories; she wanted a real, genuine man.

Back in the bathroom, Elayna dresses for work, a tiny annoyance lingering in her mind. Speaking to herself, she struggles to resolve what took place. “Standing there naked basically begging him to fuck me, and nothing? I know he likes that thong, but nothing? Ugh, he’s something else.” She decides to let it roll off of her, knowing her being angry won’t make anything better. Miles comes back to the bathroom, fully dressed in his classic shirt and tie for work. He’s a handsome man, just over six feet, dark wavy hair, enticing blue eyes, and a bicyclist’s body—lean in parts, strong in his arms and legs, and just enough cushion in the middle to be real. His love handles might be her favorite body part, a testament to his love for dessert and the perfect cushion to snuggle. Taking in the scenery, she almost ignores him talking to her.

“‘Layna? Layn?” he ponders as she seems spaced out.

“Oh, sorry. What?”

“Want me to get the girls up?”

“Sure. I’ll get dressed. There should be cereal and stuff in the kitchen. And they—”

“—they like Thomas the Train. I know, Layna,” he smirks at her. After all he was the one who got them into the train show. Miles leaves the room and heads down the hall.

Into Mia’s room he goes, slowly opening the door to find her sleeping soundly without blankets or pillows. She’s a restless sleeper, like her mom, and makes a mess of her covers each night. Although she’s almost seven years old, Miles still enjoys picking her up, hugging and holding her as she wakes. She stretches and yawns, then rubs her eyes.

“Hi, Daddy,” Mia mumbles.

“Hey, Sweetie. Good morning. Let’s get your sister, then head downstairs.” Mia stretches as she wakes and Miles lowers her to the floor. She stands wobbly as he opens the door to the jack-and-Jill bathroom that connects the girls’ rooms. Mia shuffles along, holding her small blanket close to her.

Upon entering Grace’s room, Miles sees her buried among the dozens of stuffed animals on her bed. He reaches down to pluck her from the pile, and he cradles her on his chest, not a care in the world about a wrinkled shirt or tie. He leans up, turns to verify that Mia is still with him, and he steps to the door and then down the stairs. Grace doesn’t wake at the jostling, and Mia holds his hand down the stairs. It’s at this moment that Elayna comes from the bedroom in her pantsuit, her high heels flopping in one hand. She stops for a moment and relishes the view of Miles and the girls.

He’s an amazing dad. Everything he does for the girls seems perfect. He feeds them, bathes them, plays with them, reads with them, and prays with them. Rarely has she ever seen a man so ensnared with his children. Elayna has felt the twinge of jealousy a few times when Miles invests so much of himself in the girls. It’s almost like she is the least important part of his life, and that feeling stings. Consciously she knows he loves her, they love each other, and their marriage is strong. But she can’t help but wonder how much space he keeps for her after work and these girls. Even this morning, he seemed unaffected by her gesture of intimacy, almost in a hurry to wake up the girls instead. She shakes loose these negative impulses and again takes in the sight of her husband loving on their kids.

Her heart swells as he settles on the couch with them. Miles is silly and funny and sweet, giggling with them before turning on the tv. “Thomas!” the girls yell as he changes the channel to their favorite show. Transfixed by the television, the girls all but ignore Miles, so he stands and heads to the kitchen. Elayna watches the girls from the stairs above, her smile bright and loving. She hears Miles fumbling things in the kitchen and decides to go help.

Down the stairs and across the den to the kitchen, she asks, “Need any help with breakfast?”

“Uh…maybe cups and milk,” Miles replies. He’s pouring Cheerios into little bowls, slicing a banana, and grabbing napkins. The food assembled, Miles carries it back to the den. Elayna fills two straw cups with milk and follows him. The girls settle at the coffee table with their snacks and drinks, taking little notice of their parents now that Thomas and Friends are chugging along. Miles wipes Grace’s face and puts napkins next to each bowl. He steps back to let the girls enjoy their show, and turns to go back in the kitchen. Elayna does the same, and she quickens her pace to catch him at the pantry.

“Hey,” she says, grabbing his hand and pulling him around toward her. He’s puzzled and curious why she’s doing this. Elayna moves in closer and wraps her arms around his waist. “I…love you, honey,” she speaks softly to him. “You’re such an amazing dad, and we are so blessed to have you. That’s why I really want to celebrate you this weekend.” Her eyes plead with him.

“I love you too, babe, and the girls. You three are my whole life. And that’s why I don’t really need things or events because I have everything I want right here.” He speaks plainly and earnestly, his words precise and meaningful. “I promise, I don’t need a big deal. Anything you do is going to be great, so just surprise me.”

“Anything? You mean that?”

“Of course! Unless it involves snakes or sitting in a sauna with your dad,” he grins.

“Hahaha,” she laughs at him. “Well, I HAD planned a snake sauna with my dad, but I guess that’s cancelled!” He pulls her in tightly and hugs her with a truth to his love.

“Daddy!” Mia yells. “More O’s!” Miles pulls back from Elayna, kisses her briefly, and grabs the box of Cheerios. Elayna watches him again, kneeling at the coffee table, sprinkling cereal in their bowls, checking their hands for sticky messes, and picking up the errant O’s on the floor.

“God I love that man,” she tells herself. A warmth rises in her, her chest and neck turning pink as she feels a trickle of sweat roll down her side. Elayna’s body excites quickly and intensely, and her breathing becomes rapid. The tingle deep in her stomach tells her how much she wants him. Now.

Dropping her heels on the rug, she paces quickly to the den, her urge to be close to him unstoppable. Down on her knees next to him, she extends her hand to rub his thigh, a simple but pointed gesture.

“Uh-oh,” Grace chirps, looking down at her shirt.

“Uh-oh,” Miles says in response before reaching a napkin across to blot the milk that Grace dribbled down her shirt. His attention is solely on Grace, his body unaware of Elayna’s gentle strokes of his thigh. Recognizing the girls are fine with their good and the show is rolling the credits, he stands and announces, “Time to get dressed and brush teeth. On your mark…get set…GO!” and the girls spring free to the stairs, squealing and laughing as Miles chases and pinches them gently. All three of them tumble upstairs, thundering steps into the bedrooms and bathroom. Elayna doesn’t even need to follow because she knows Miles has it covered. He will get them dressed in cute clothes, brush their teeth, and put their hair in ponytails for the day. He’s just that good at parenting. She marvels, again, at how lucky her girls are to have a man so invested in them. Most husbands and dads in their neighborhood are minimally interested in their children, especially daughters. Miles is a special breed, for sure. But what can she do to make him FEEL special and loved?

She packs the lunches, changes the litter box and feeds the cat, then packs her backpack for work. Miles and the girls return, dressed and ready for their day. Elayna inspects the girls, their matching outfits and hair bands neatly in place. Hugs and kisses follow as they all head to the garage. Both girls climb into Miles’s Honda SUV as Elayna blows kisses and waves goodbye from her sleek BMW. And so their day begins.

A slow day in the office, Elayna’s mind is scattered, unable to focus on a task for more than a few minutes. Her thoughts drift back to Miles, this morning, and the weekend ahead. She is compelled to do something unique and special for him, but she just can’t find the right plan. He doesn’t love gifts because he truly doesn’t want for anything. Finally she decides to text him. Maybe bug him enough for him to disclose something useful.

. . .

How’s work?

. . .

Pretty good. All the permits went thru for the festival.

. . .

That’s great! Happy?

. . .

Relieved. I’ll be happy when it’s over. Everyone blames the city manager when things go wrong so I’m holding on tight until next month.

. . .

It will be fun and fabulous. You’re the best city manager ever!

. . .

Thanks 🙂

. . .

And the hottest one too

. . .

How work for you?

. . .

Blah. Jim is out all week. He’s at some CEO thing in NY. No new accounts so I’m just killing time in my office thinking about YOU!

. . .

Awww

. . .

Speaking of you, can you please give me some ideas about this weekend? Puleeeeeeze!?!?!

. . .

I told you, I don’t need anything. Really

. . .

Dammit, Miles! Your killing me hear!

. . .

You’re a bad speller when you’re mad 😜

. . .

Ugggggghhhhhhh

. . .

Ok ok. How about this: what I really really really want is…

. . .

Yessssss??

. . .

To do whatever will make you super happy!

. . .

Omg you r the worst

. . .

Hear me out: I love doing things with and for you and the girls. It’s my favorite thing in the world. So what would make ME happiest is if you let me do something that you will absolutely love. Not a private plane to Paris or anything, but whatever you’ve always wanted to do that will bring you (and me) lots of joy. Make sense?

. . .

I guess so. I really wish I could buy you a new putter or play with your putter as a present. Now I have to think about myself as a gift for you? That’s weird.

. . .

Well it’s what I want. Deal?

. . .

Deal. But no exceptions, no backing out, no complaining about it. What I decide is what we are going to do. Ok?

. . .

My only veto is sauna/snakes/Tom.

. . .

Lol. I know

. . .

Ok then we are good. Gotta run. Mayors office beckons.

. . .

Ok, love you

. . .

Love you too

So that’s it: she has to find something she really wants so he can be happy that she’s happy. “This is so fucked up,” she thinks to herself. Thoughts pop in her head like popcorn, each one darting in a different direction.

Amusement park?

Bowling?

Long bike ride in the forest?

Take the girls to a movie and lunch?

Hotel room for the two of us?

Dinner date with couples?

They’ve done all of these things before, and none of them would make anyone super happy. Now what?

“What do I want? What do I like? What would I like to do more than anything?” As she considers the questions, she snickers to herself a bit thinking, “I like…sex? No, I LOVE having sex more than just about anything else.”

Elayna has always possessed a strong sexual quality. Not slutty or showy, but a deep desire for physical connection and pleasure. Like most young girls, she discovered her body when she was a pre-teen. After puberty hit, she became more adventurous, experimenting with herself to learn what felt good. Early boyfriends with fumbling, aggressive hands were no match for her own, their ability to coax rich feelings from deep within her. By the time she was truly sexually active, Elayna knew exactly how she wanted to be touched, and she would clearly direct and command her partners accordingly. Most willingly agreed to follow her lead, often being rewarded with her vocal and physical enthusiasm. Well into college and after a couple of long-term boyfriends, she learned to love partnered sex almost as much as her solo sessions.

When she met Miles, one could say she was very experienced and open about her desires, which was the perfect match for his inexperience and wish to make her happy. She taught him, and he relished learning every way to please her. He never imagined he would marry someone with such passion.

“So maybe that’s it: we will have the wildest romp in our lives. It makes me very happy, which should make him feel the same way.” Her inner monologue continues. Her office phone rings to snap her out of these thoughts. She buries the issue for now, knowing she more time to craft her plan.

Later that night, after the girls are asleep, Elayna sits in bed with her laptop open on her legs. She’s shopping, clicking and scanning at a furious pace before Miles arrives in bed for the night. She seeks new lingerie for the weekend. Her closet has its fair share of slinky, lacy, silky ensembles, but she craves a bold, exciting addition to make an impression on Miles. Victoria’s Secret has lots of soft and sexy pieces, but they feel a little…safe? Elayna’s urge takes her to Fredericks of Hollywood where she starts to narrow her focus to a corset. It’s unlike anything she has in her closet, and she tingles at the thought of how sexy she will feel wearing it. Browsing the styles and prices, she settles on a black corset, see-through in parts, with garter straps at the bottom. “That’s hot,” she tells herself.

Before she completes the transaction, Elayna decides to search the full internet for similar styles and maybe lower prices. Entering “black corset” into the search engine brings a host of sites, some more adult-oriented. Intrigued by some of the images, she clicks different links, one of which takes her to an adult toy store. The lingerie selection is limited and cheap, but she gets distracted by the ads for all types of sex toys. She’s owned a couple of vibrators over the years, and she and Miles have enjoyed using them together. A new toy or two might add another layer of excitement to her plan, so she clicks through pages and pages of toys.

A little overwhelmed by the choices, she starts with a bullet vibrator, simple and strong. She had one years ago but lost it in a move. Wireless and rechargeable sounds useful so she adds it to her cart. She then clicks through the selection of dildos. Most look a bit scary and too large, so she scrolls to find one that seems like a better match. Given that she and Miles used one together in the past, Elayna doesn’t think another one will intimidate Miles because he’s already got the worlds most perfect penis—the exact shape, size, texture, and look that should be in a textbook of penises. Truly the best in the world, or at least compared to all the dicks she’s known. Elayna decides that a Tantus silicone dildo looks about right. With two toys in her online shopping cart, she’s about ready to check out when she sees a tab for “Anal Toys.” Her heart beats faster and a warm curiosity rises within her. She clicks on the tab and waits for the page to load. She and Miles had a boozy night several years ago where she told him he could have her ass. But without preparation or the lube necessary to make it work, they abandoned the idea. He’s touched her soft, tight flesh more than a few times, and she likes the feeling, so an anal toy might be a fun adventure they can share. Elayna surveys all the options and thinks, “wow, so many shapes, and styles, and colors for things to stick in your butt!” She laughs to herself and then refocuses on the screen. Reading about the products and scanning reviews, she decides that two options—a petite black silicon plug and a heavier metal plug—would be fun to try. She imagines both inside her and shivers with excitement. With her previous experience fresh in her mind, she knows she should buy a bottle of lube, and there are several recommended on the page of anal toys. She opts for the most popular water-based version and adds it to the cart.

All set to complete the transaction on the Checkout page, she sees an add at the bottom of the page for, “Couples Toys.” Unsure if it would include anything she’s not already viewed, she clicks the add. The new window opens to cock rings, strap ons, and some fairly traditional vibes and dongs, until she sees nipple clamps, restraints, handcuffs, and blindfolds. She remembers the “Fifty Shades” phenomenon, but when she and Miles watched the movie, he didn’t seem that excited. The thought of being tied up appeals to her, given that it’s something they’ve never done. “Maybe…I think…oh hell, why not” she mumbles as she adds several more items to her cart—soft cuffs, handcuffs, bed straps, and a blindfold. A host of items in the cart, are peruses the checkout screen to determine the damage. It’s not as bad as she thought, and she completes the transaction after adding express shipping. Knowing she hadn’t finished buying her corset, she returns to the lingerie site, and buys that as well. Elayna plans the shipments to arrive in plenty of time for her to make sure the plan is in place.