James kept busy on the flight back to Pittsburgh. He was planning his surprise out, scribbling down ideas on a napkin. The idea worked so well in his head that he was nervous it wouldn’t actually work in reality. Regardless, he would take that chance. Her reaction would be too priceless not to.

In all honesty, James felt like he had to make up for the incident at the bar with Doe Eyes. No…Ali didn’t know. She wouldn’t find out, either….But James felt it was quietly lurking as one of the reasons behind the surprise. Either way – it was a long week of games with the threat of an injury, and James wanted nothing more than to be with Ali after all of it.

A small smile crept across his face as he looked out the window. Was he really missing a girl after only a week? How things have changed, he thought. 30,000 feet below him, tiny dots of moving light sprinkled the landscape, the shadow of the moon casting a glow over a large body of water. James figured they were about to cross Lake Superior, which meant only an hour left to plan things out.

He scratched at his short beard as he looked down at the napkin: Front porch, kitchen, living room. That wasn’t much for three hours worth of flying time. No wonder he never surprised anyone.

Steps. Bathroom? No….Steps, then bedroom. It would end in the bedroom, obviously. [i]It’ll end with me cumming inside her, that’s where it’ll end[/i]. James sighed. He was more frustrated than he thought.

Front porch, kitchen, living room, steps, bedroom. That should be enough. He wanted her to get to him, after all; that was the goal. He just wanted her to work for it a little. Ali dug this kind of stuff...He would never forget the surprise she gave him the first time he stayed with her at her old apartment. It was one of those moments he would never forget, because he couldn’t ever remember a chick he liked doing what she did for him. Now, he wished he had half the creativity that she did.

He nudged Paul in the seat next to him. “Hey, do you care if we stop at a liquor store on the way back?”

Paul laughed. “Sure, but uh…”

“It’s for the surprise,” James said.

“Is that what you’ve been writing the whole flight?”

“It’s like five words, Paulie.”

“Well yeah, but I know you’re slow, so...” He exchanged a smile with James that illustrated it was a joke. “For real, though…I think this is pretty cool. Don’t take this the wrong way, but it’s not like you.”

With a nod, James looked down at the napkin. “Pretty crazy, huh?”

“Definitely.”

The pair went quiet. James studied the napkin some more, running through the plan in his head. Despite the simplicity of it, James hoped it would turn out to be as big a deal to Ali as her surprise had been to him many months ago.


* * *


The next day, Ali went for a walk with her mom down the street where they lived. It was a partial dirt road, half of it paved the closer to town you got. It was peaceful, and the only sound was the easy pace of their feet on the ground.

“It smells so good here...I miss this.” Ali looked up into the colorful canopy of the trees around her. “Even on the quietest of days, there’s still a weird hum about town.”

“What about in your neighborhood?” her mom asked.

“Even there.”

The sun was out, with only a few high clouds streaking across the sky, yet the air was chilly. Ali shivered a little, and shoved her hands into her hoodie.

“How do you like it, hun….Living with him?” There was a slight amount of protective interest in her voice

Ali shrugged, staring down at the dirt road. “It can be intense sometimes. His lifestyle…I don’t know how he does it. I can barely keep up with myself, and I don’t do what he does every week.” She looked over as her mom remained quiet. “Why? What’s wrong?”

“Oh! Nothing…nothing, sweetie. You know I just worry. If you say he treats you well—“

“—He does, please don’t worry about that.” Ali knew where her mom was going. She was that kind of protective mother, and always would be. No matter how close they had become as she got older, her mom would always be her mom.

“You know it’s my job to make sure you’re taken care of” she continued. With a smile, she brought her arm around Ali’s shoulders and hugged her close. “And remember, I speak for your father almost as much as myself when I say that.”

“Trust me, I know” Ali said, laughing.

“Now don’t freak out…But can I ask you something?”

She looked up at her. Sure.”

“….Is the sex good?”

Ali jerked out of their embrace. “What!!!”

“Well!?!?!?” Her mom was smiling. “You know, that’s a pretty important part of this whole thing.”

“I’m aware, Mother.” Ali felt her cheeks flush. “And yes….yes, it’s very good. That’s one thing we don’t have to worry about.” She looked over slowly, catching that knowing look in her mother’s eyes. “Ew, stop, Mom.”

“I’m done! I swear. But I just have to make sure you are truly taken care of.” Their eyes met, and her mom smiled. “And I am NOT speaking for your father at the moment.”

“Oh my god, please don’t EVER bring up my sex life with Dad. Please.” She would be mortified. It was one thing to discuss the girly details with another girl, even if it was her mother...but her Dad? She grimaced at the thought alone.

“I’m glad to hear that everything’s going well, then” her mom continued. “Really, Allison. It’s obvious to your father and I how happy you are…and I have to believe James has been a huge part of that.”

She smirked. “You’re not buttering me up to ask me about grad school, are you?”

“No, Ali. Come on, now. You go at your own pace when it comes to that.”

“Okay….” She breathed a sigh of relief. “It’s been on my mind along with a lot of other things….I just have to sort everything out, but it hasn’t left my mind.”

Realizing she sounded kind of guilty, Ali wrapped her arm around her mom’s waist, returning to the embrace she was in before. “I’m glad I got to come home. I miss you guys more than I realize.”

“You’re just busy living your life” her mom replied. “And we know that. So don’t worry.”

There was a comfortable silence them, their slow stride still the only sound to be heard.

“So when are you going to get us tickets, anyways?”

Ali laughed. “Pick a game, and they’re yours.”

Her mom kissed the top of her head. “No wonder you’re so happy.”


* * *


“Hey Paulie…can you come over a sec? Just come to the door, and don’t knock. Just stand there.”

James heard his friend laughing. “Okay, be right there. What am I supposed to do when I get there?”

“Just stand there.”

“That’s it?”

“Just get your ass over here.”

He hung up and walked through the house one more time. Everything was in place, and it was only noon. How the hell was he going to wait another couple of hours?

Glancing out his kitchen window, he saw Paulie jogging from his house and then cross the street. James went to the front door and listened as he came up the steps.

“What the fuck.”

“What’s your first thought when you read that?” James yelled from behind the door.

Paul stood, looking at the note. “Um….that you’re gay?”

“What’s your next thought?”

“I guess…..that……..you’re cute?”

“And you call me gay.” James opened the door and Paul opened his hands. “You’re cute?”

“Well I’m not a chick, man. What do you want?”

James stared at the note again, trying to read it with new eyes. “Should I rephrase it or something?”

Paul shrugged. “I don’t know. Maybe….I’m not good at this stuff.”

“Neither am I, that’s the problem.” He took the note down and went back into the house. Paul followed as they went into the kitchen.

“Is this all part of your plan?” he asked him.

James grabbed the note pad and scribbled something else down. He ripped it from the rest of the notes and held it out “What about this?” He watched as Paul scanned the note.

“A little better. It doesn’t sound as cheesy.”

“Okay, good.”

“You leaving her notes everywhere?” Paul followed James back out to the front door.

“It’s a scavenger hunt.”

“What is she hunting?”

James pointed at himself and smiled.

“I should’ve guessed.” Paul watched as he placed the new yellow sticky note on the door where the old one had been.

“So this one is first, obviously…" James said. "Then the kitchen, then the living room, then the steps…Up to the bedroom.”

“You’re not going to be laying there naked or something, are you?” Paul asked, making a strange face.

“No, but I intend on ending up that way eventually.” He grinned. “What do you think? Think she’ll like it?”

Paul nodded. “I gotta give it to ya, Nealer….This isn’t bad.”

“Awesome.” James felt his nerves temporarily subside. “I guess now I just have to wait.”

“When is she supposed to get back?”

“She called me earlier this morning and said she was shooting for 3, but who knows. I’m just going to hang here all day, just incase.”

“Right on.” Paul was impressed. “Well I’ll keep the car in the garage this whole time too, but you gotta let me know how it turns out.”

“I will…” James kept smiling and he didn’t care. “Thanks for the help.”

“Anytime. Good luck.”

James watched Paul head back across the street before closing the door for the last time that day.


* * *


The beautiful day Ali had at her parents’ house followed her all the way back to Pittsburgh. The autumn sun felt warm on her face, and even her aviator sunglasses had difficulty blocking out the happy rays.

She flipped her signal on, making the final turn onto her street before arriving at the house. As she pulled into the driveway, she hit the automatic garage door button on her visor. Nothing happened, so she pressed it harder this time, and again…nothing happened.

“Dammit.” She’d have to remind James before he got home that the door wasn’t working. Or maybe her battery was dead? Either way, she made a mental note to tell him next chance she got.

She drug her bag out of the passenger seat, grabbed her phone and the keys, and then headed up the sidewalk to the front door. When she got a little closer, a frown appeared on her face.

On the door was a sticky note. Ali looked behind her as if in question of someone who wasn’t there. She tore the note from the door and read it:

Hi babe. No, you’re not crazy – just follow my words. The door is already unlocked, so when you come in, go straight to the refrigerator. – J

She stood there a moment, studying the note. It was definitely James’ hand writing; she knew that chicken scratch from anywhere. Glancing up at the second story, she saw nothing. A smile slowly replaced the frown that had been on her face, and so she tried the doorknob. Sure enough, it was unlocked.

She entered into the house slowly, as if someone was about to jump out of the corners and scare her. Instead, it looked exactly how she left it. Leaving her bag at the door, she followed the note’s instructions and went into the kitchen. It was also empty, but another yellow note was stuck to the refrigerator handles.

She laughed, shaking her head in disbelief as she read it:

Good. We made it this far! Now open the fridge and get your second instruction.

Ali opened the door to find that amongst the usual rainbow of sports drinks, a bottle of red wine sat front and center, complete with sticky note.

She stared at the bottle in shock. “What the hell…..”

Go to the living room next……and bring this with you.

She took the bottle and went to living room. Now she saw that it was the coffee table that contained a note, as well as two, very beat up hockey pucks.

“Oh you have to be kidding me” she said aloud. Her mouth remained slightly open in awe as she lifted the little yellow note from one of the pucks.

From the two goals I made, one for each of your parents. You can leave these here for now as you go to the stairs next.

Ali picked up one of the pucks, flipping it around in her hand. Her brain struggled to make sense of what was happening. She had too many questions, but the excitement and amazement she felt blocked her from doing anything other than moving on to the next note.

Keeping the bottle in one hand, she picked up the next note, which sat on the bottom step of their stairway.

One step for every orgasm I’m going to give you. ;-)

She busted out laughing. Quickly, she ran up the steps, feeling the excitement building inside her. She went straight for their bedroom, seeing the note stuck to the closed door.

Now get in here, because I miss you and I have a hankering for some wine.

Ali threw open the door to see James standing there, hands in the pockets of his sweatpants, a bashful smile on his face.

“Hiya babe.”

She jumped into his arms, her legs wrapping around his waist. It was a good thing he caught her, because they both toppled back and onto the bed.

She kissed him, her uncontrolled excitement mixing with his as their mouths met. “How? I mean…why? How are you home? Did you actually come up with that!?!?”

He was laughing, looking up at her as she straddled him. “Just thought I’d surprised you since our flight got in last night.”

“Last NIGHT?” She leaned down and kissed him again. He continued to laugh, even through their kissing.

“I know….I had to lie…..but I wanted to…..surprise you.”

Ali lifted her lips from his. “So you planned all this, knowing I’d come back expecting you to still be gone?”

He nodded.

Ali shook her head, still in shock. Looking down at him, she thought the blue-green color of his eyes had never been brighter. And while they contained mostly delight in their color, there was a bit of worry in them as well.

“I loved it” she said, knowing that was likely the reason for the hint of worry. “I loved it…and I love you, James Neal.”

Their lips met again, and James felt the tension drain. He’d done it…..His first surprise for a girl ever.


* * *

Holy shit, why didn’t I think of surprising her before now?

It was James’ only thought as he took Ali for the second time that night. The first time had been rushed….a means to an end for the both of them….But now? Now he was going slow. He was feeling every inch of her body, licking everywhere he could, touching every strand of her hair, kissing every goosebump he caused to rise on her skin.

Ali was on her side in front of him. She looked back, and her hand reached back to cup the side of his face. He kissed her hand, slowly pumping in and out of her, giving her every inch that he had to give her.

The slow pace James held was driving Ali mad. She felt drunk; intoxicated by his body and the way he was working her. She needed more….she wanted more. Every deliberate thrust was a mere taste of what she knew he had in him.

“More….” she breathed. Their noses touched but their lips didn’t, both of their eyes closed as each felt the other’s body. His thickness spread her wide as he drew himself in and out, and she felt his grip on her thigh tighten in response.

James groaned softly, his mouth going to Ali’s neck. Ali felt one of his large hands grab at her breast, rolling her nipple between his fingers, causing her to moan yet again under his touch. James closed his eyes as he felt her pussy forever clinging to his cock, and he swore her tightness was some sort of joke. He heard her moaning increase, and James matched it with more forceful thrusts into her.

In one swift move, he positioned himself over her, never leaving her body. As she lay on her back, her entire body was now visible to him. The sight alone was enough to make him want to destroy her with his dick, but when he felt her legs clutch at his waist, it gave him all the permission he needed to do so.

James’ strength was outrageous. Ali felt the power in his body come to life as he lifted her hips enough to bury himself in her as far as he could. Her moans became gasps; his breathing labored but purposeful. The lines of his muscles contracted as his body worked her, his biceps and shoulders flexed as he held himself above her.

Ali’s mouth needed something…anything…She needed him. She kissed and bit at the artwork tattooed onto his bicep. Understanding her need, James nudged her mouth upwards and onto his, kissing her deep as his cock continued to pummel her.

James steadied himself on his elbows, his hands crossing over the top of Ali’s head. A few of his fingers wiped her sweaty hair away from her forehead, but his he used his hands to help aid in deepening the thrusts he gave her.

In this position Ali was forced to look up at James since his strong arms blocked out every other view. When he looked at her, James gave her a tired smile, his breathing still heavy and his body still working. Ali knew what it meant; he didn’t need to say anything. It made her smile as well, gazing into eyes that spoke so much in a moment so intimate.

Why didn’t he think of surprising me like this before now? she thought.

If she only knew it was James’ exact thought earlier.

* * *