Natalie woke up in Seth’s arms and wondered if this was what heaven would be like. She had never known pleasure like what she had experienced the night before. She was glad that she’d waited for the right man. Yes, there had been momentary pain when he broke her hymen, but everything after that felt incredible. He’d been a patient lover, taking his time to make her first time beautiful. She would treasure that for the remainder of her time on Earth.

“Hey, how’s the head this morning?” Seth asked, pulling her in for a sleepy kiss.

“Better. Thanks for the Motrin; it dulled the headache enough for me to fall asleep. I’m sorry if I spoiled anything for you last night.”

“You didn’t spoil a thing; you were perfect. I’m just sorry that you didn’t get to enjoy much of the afterglow,” he said, kissing her again.

“It was truly magical up to that point,” she sighed.

“I’m glad; I wanted your first time to be as special as you are,” Seth said. “Let’s get ready and figure out what bucket list item we should knock off today.”

Natalie bit her bottom lip. “Um, how about showering together?” she said, blushing.

“Are we just showering?” he asked playfully.

“Well, I was thinking maybe more. I’ve read some pretty racy romance novels that make it sound exciting.”

“Let’s find out, shall we?”

As the hot water rained down on them, Seth’s hands roamed all over Nat’s body, making her moan. She reached between them and grasped his stiff shaft in her hand. It was so big and hard!

His fingers toyed with her delicate, pink folds while his thumb moved in erotic circles, triggering a quick, powerful orgasm.

“Turn around,” he demanded, his need intensifying.

Natalie turned to face the wall, holding herself upright with her hands against the tile. Seth rubbed his erect member against her wet, swollen labia, teasing them both.

“Oh, God, I want you inside me, Seth!” she cried.

“Then take me,” he growled lustily as he guided himself into her dripping heat. “Mmm, fuck! You’re so tight!”

Gone was the slow, patient lover from last night. Seth unleashed the savage beast inside and thrust deeply into her, taking her fiercely.

“God, yes!” she screamed, panting like a wanton slut. “Take me, use me, fuck me!”

“Such a dirty little mouth!” he teased, increasing his pace. “I’ll take you and give you all of me!”

“Oh, God!” she cried, panting. “I’m gonna…”

Her back arched, and her body shook as she climaxed. Seth continued to pump into her until his sac tightened, and he found his release inside of her.

“Oh, God, that was better than anything I’ve ever read in a book,” Nat said. “I love you, Seth!”

He put his arms around her and said, “I love you, too, Natalie.”

 ~~~~~

At Seth’s insistence, Natalie asked her primary care physician for a prescription for pain medication for her severe headaches. They both laughed at the irony of the doctor’s warning to use the pills sparingly so Nat wouldn’t get addicted to them. With her life about to be cut ridiculously short by a cancerous tumor in her brain, pain med addiction was hardly a chief concern.

They continued to spend every moment they weren’t working together and met each other’s families. Natalie’s parents were thrilled that she had a boyfriend.

“Honestly, honey, you’ve been so distant lately; I thought perhaps you were afraid to tell us you were gay or something, which would have been perfectly fine with your father and me. But we really like Seth,” Mrs. Benson said.

“I’m glad you like him, Mom. I think he’s the real deal,” Nat replied.

“Oh, honey, I’m so happy for you!”

Seth’s parents were a little more wary of Natalie.

“Does she know you’ve been having pulmonary issues?” Mrs. Travis asked her son. “The last thing you want to do is get attached to that girl and then have her break your heart when she finds out you have health concerns.”

“Mom, she knows, and she’s not going anywhere. We love each other.”

“I hope you’re right. She seems like a nice girl. I just worry about you, sweetie.”

Fortunately, their close friends were more than accepting of their relationship. Sarah, Natalie’s best friend, and Jack, Seth’s life-long buddy, both thought it was cool that Nat and Seth were together.

Still, no one was aware of the dark cloud that hung over the lovers’ heads. Seth claimed to have chronic bronchitis, while Natalie told friends and family that she was having migraines.

“What purpose will it serve to tell anyone now?” Nat had argued. “My parents will guilt me into trying chemo, robbing me of any joy during the time that I have left.”

“I agree. I know that at some point, however, if I don’t say anything to my mother, she’ll be very hurt,” Seth explained.

Natalie nodded. “You’re right, but I want a little more time to be just the two of us falling in love. I’ll never get married, so why can’t I at least have a romantic love affair without people butting in with their good intentions?”

Seth looked at her and sighed. “No worries, my love; I’m completely on board, at least for now.”

He put his arms around her and enjoyed the scent of her perfume as it mesmerized him.

“What’s on today’s agenda?” he asked, moving her long red hair aside and kissing her neck softly.

“Mmm,” she purred as her eyes fluttered. “I’m supposed to have lunch with Sarah, but if you keep that up, I may have to cancel.”

He chuckled, “Don’t cancel; you need time with Sarah. You’ve put her off several times. Besides, there is something I need to do this afternoon.”

“Oh? What could be more fun than me canceling a lunch date and staying home so you can take me to bed?”

“Temptress, thy name is Natalie,” Seth said, giving Nat a playful swat on the bottom. “Go, have fun! I promise tonight, I’ll make your toes curl.”

Seth watched her leave and sat down for a moment. Something she’d said resonated with him, and he needed to make some calls. Eventually, they would need to fess up to their families, but not yet. Other things would need to happen first.

After lunch, Natalie sent Seth a text.

I’m going to stop by my place and pick up some clean clothes and whatnot.

Seth replied quickly.

You should just move in with me.

Natalie smiled.

Let’s discuss this over dinner.

Sounds like a plan, bring a nice dress with you. We’re going out tonight.

Nat tilted her head and wondered what Seth was up to.

Skipping her apartment, she went shopping instead. Besides a dress that met the nice criteria, Nat purchased some sexy bra and panty sets. She had never had a reason to do so before, so it had seemed like a waste of her hard-earned money. Funny how her diagnosis changed her point of view. Or was it Seth? Maybe it was a combination of the two. Either way, treating herself to some new things felt good!

When she got to Seth’s house, she let herself in with the key he’d given her. The sound of his coughing alarmed her, and she ran to the bathroom to make sure he was okay.

“Just stay out, okay? Stay the fuck out!” he shouted and slammed the door, still coughing violently.

Natalie was stunned; she had never seen this version of him. It was unnerving. She wondered for a moment if she should leave. Would he leave her like this? Never in a million years. He’d stay put and be there to support her. So, that’s what she would do. She went into the living room, sat on the couch, and waited patiently for Seth to come out of the bathroom.

Little by little, his coughing subsided until he emerged about fifteen minutes later, looking pale and exhausted.

“You’re still here?” he asked, grateful that she hadn’t listened to him.

“Of course, I’m still here. We made a deal, Seth; we agreed to support each other. You’ve done an excellent job of holding up your end of the bargain. I’m merely doing mine.”

Seth joined her on the couch. “I’m sorry I screamed at you. I didn’t want you to see me like that.”

“If we’re going to be in this together, it means everything. The good, the bad, and the ugly. Otherwise, what’s the point?”

Seth looked so miserable that Natalie answered, “Besides really good sex, that is.”

“You’re right. I was just … I was scared, I guess. I suppose I thought if my symptoms were kept at bay, I could pretend that the cancer didn’t exist.”

“But it does exist, Seth, for both of us. It’s real, and our time is too limited to waste on keeping anything from each other.”

Seth kissed her softly. “Put that pretty dress on. I promised my girl a night out.”

“If you’re not up to it …”

“I’m up to it. Really, I promise. I won’t lie to you, Nat. I may have tried to shield you from ugliness, but I’ll never lie.”

Natalie sighed. “Why couldn’t we have met sooner? When we were both healthy?”

“I have a feeling we haven’t been healthy for much longer than either of us realizes. Otherwise, we wouldn’t need to be in a hurry to make the most of every minute left.”

Nodding, she took her bags into the guest room to change.

“I want you to be surprised,” she said, reading his mind. “I’m not trying to hide anything.”

Seth put on a suit and tie, forced his feet into dress shoes, and slapped a bit of cologne on his neck. He went back into the living room to wait for her to be ready.

Twenty minutes later, she emerged, taking his breath away. She wore a lacy black dress that hugged her body in all the right places, accentuating her sexy curves. The hem fell just above her knees, showing off her magnificent legs in their sheer black stockings and three-inch, black, strappy sandals. The neckline dipped into a V in the front, giving him a peek of cleavage, and plunged down much further in the back, exposing a great deal of her soft skin.

She wore her hair half up, half down with a clip that allowed her long, luscious curls to fall across her shoulder. Her makeup made her eyes look even more blue, if that was even possible.

“You look,” he said, pausing momentarily, “impossibly beautiful.”

“Thanks!” Natalie said, beaming. “You clean up quite nicely as well. You’re very sexy in a suit, Seth.”

Seth grinned impishly, exposing dimples that made Natalie swoon. Then he frowned. “How did you do all this in twenty minutes?”

“Twelve years of competitive dance,” she answered as she grabbed a black jeweled handbag from her satchel, putting her phone and wallet inside. “You learn how to do hair, makeup, and a quick costume change when you’ve got different dances that require different looks.”

“You may be the most perfect woman in the world. I thought we’d be late for our dinner reservation after my little temper tantrum.”

Nat put a hand on his cheek and kissed him softly. “You were entitled to a little meltdown. You’ve been my rock despite your own battle. You need to let me be here for you, too. We’re in this together.”

Seth turned Natalie to face the mirror with him. “We make a great pair, don’t we?”

“We look like movie stars.”

Reaching into his pocket to ensure he had everything, he ushered her outside and to the car. The ride to the restaurant was filled with chatter about bucket lists and their determination to keep a positive outlook. Seth wished he hadn’t ignored his persistent cough for as long as he did. Then he reminded himself that he would never have met Natalie. Life had a funny way of putting people in the right spot at the right time.

Natalie was impressed the moment they walked through the door. The restaurant was fancy, but not ostentatious. Seth had preordered a bottle of champagne that sat chilling tableside.

“Are we celebrating something?” Nat asked curiously.

Seth just smiled and pulled out her chair for her. The wine steward came to the table to pop the cork on the bubbly and pour them each a glass. The light from the candle on the table reflected off the champagne flutes and gave the scene a dazzling look.

“Seriously, Seth, what is this all about?”

“If I’m not mistaken, dressing up and eating at a fancy restaurant with linen napkins and candlelight is on our bucket list. So, here we are, my love, checking off a couple of boxes.”

Nat’s brow furrowed, and she tilted her head. “A couple?”

Seth dropped his napkin on the floor and stooped to pick it up. But instead of returning to a seated position, he slid off his chair, got down on one knee, and reached into his pocket.

Suddenly, Natalie felt like she couldn’t breathe. “Seth?”

He opened the box, gazed into her eyes, and asked, “Natalie, will you do me the greatest honor of my life and agree to be my wife?”

“Wh-what? Seth? I don’t understand.”

“Will you marry me? Please say yes.”

Natalie looked at the gorgeous, tastefully simple diamond engagement ring before her, then at Seth’s face. He was serious.

“Seth, I can’t …”

“Yes, you can. Please, baby. Let me make you my wife. Let your father have the opportunity to walk his little girl down the aisle. You’ll be the most beautiful bride.”

“But we have cancer!” Nat said, just a little too loud.

Other patrons, who’d been waiting anxiously for her answer, looked away uncomfortably. Nat’s hesitation had made things awkward, but Seth was determined to get a yes out of her.

“Please, Nat. You said it yourself; we’re in this together. For better or for worse.”

Tears clouded his eyes. She inhaled sharply and blew her breath out slowly. Realizing she would be a fool to turn him down, she held out her hand so he could slip the ring on her finger.

“Yes!” she said loudly so everyone could hear. “Yes, Seth, I’ll marry you. Til death do us part, however long that might be.”

The other diners clapped and cheered while the newly engaged couple kissed. Then Seth and Nat sat down and enjoyed their dinner celebration.

After dinner, they went straight home for a more intimate celebration. As they were dressed to the nines, they resisted tearing off each other’s clothes. But once they were naked, his hands were cupping her breasts while she gripped his rigid shaft and caressed his balls.

“Let me go down on you,” she said shyly.

“Are you sure? Most women look at my size and say no thanks.”

“I’m not most women, am I?”

“No, you’re not, that’s for sure. But you are my fiancée and I…”

“All the more reason that I should get to enjoy every part of you, Seth.”

He stopped arguing the moment she sank to her knees and swirled her tongue around the head of his erect member. Most women he’d been with, if they were even willing to try, jumped right into sucking him off, not that he had ever minded. But Natalie was taking her sweet time, teasing and taunting him. She looked up at him seductively, then made him disappear inch-by-inch, making him moan.

She was enjoying every second of this decadent seduction, clearly not just going through the motions, and it was incredibly arousing. Her hands were doing wicked things with his sac, and he felt his need mounting.

“Oh, God, Natalie! You’re making me so hot so fast. I don’t think I can hold off much longer. I’m enjoying the hell out of this, but I really wanted to fuck your sweet pussy. I’m not sure my lungs can handle two rounds tonight.”

Nat removed him from her mouth and said, “Well, I guess I’d better join you on the bed.” She got on her hands and knees and added, “I want it like this. Is that okay?”

He smiled at her, loving her even more for her willingness to accommodate him. “It’s perfect.”

He got behind her, grabbed hold of her hips, and entered her slowly. He reached under her with one hand to find her hard little nub and teased it with his fingers as he moved in and out of her tight wetness.

“Oh, God, Seth! Oh, yes! Oh, fuck!” Natalie bucked against him as she came hard, drenching his hand with her nectar.

Unable to wait any longer, he hammered into her feverishly until he erupted inside of her, filling her with his seed.

Saying nothing for a few moments as they enjoyed their sated afterglow, Seth finally broke the silence.

 “I can’t wait to marry you,” he said, still panting as they lay together.

“Good, because we don’t have much time,” she said wistfully. “I don’t need anything fancy; I just need you.”

“Nat, we need to tell people.”

“That we’re getting married?”

“That we have cancer.”

Natalie’s face fell, and she nodded. “I know.”

She rested her head on his chest and allowed the tears to flow. At least she would have her happily ever after. Hers would just be shorter than most.

To be continued ...