Chapter 119

"Wake up Marlena!" John announced pulling open the blinds to let the sunshine inside of their bedroom.

"What time is it?" Marlena asked hiding her head underneath her pillow.

"It's nine-thirty." John explained taking the pillow off of her head and giving her a quick morning kiss. "Now get up."

"With a kiss like that," she began pulling him down to her once more, "I don't see any reason to get out of bed."

"Doc as tempting as that may sound," he began as she started to nibble on his ear, "I have plans for the two of us today."

"Can't they be changed?" Marlena asked as her hand slowly made it's way to the spot that she knew would drive John crazy. "How's that? Does that change your mind?"

"Doc," he pleaded feeling his resolve slowly slipping away from him as he forced himself to pull back from her, "you don't know how bad I want to stay home and make love to you all day, but I really feel that we should wait to make love again."

"Wait?" she asked slightly hurt by his last comment. "It's already been so long since we've been together and I just thought that considering how we didn't follow through last night..........I guess that you don't find me attractive anymore."

"Shh.......you know that's not it Doc." he said placing his finger over her lips. "I promise that by the time this night is through, I'm going to love you like you've never been loved before."

"I like the sound of that." Marlena replied excitedly reaching for him.

"But first," he warned grabbing her arms in mid-air, "we have other things to do today so get dressed."

"John......." she pleaded watching him get up and walk over to her closet.

"Don't John me." he insisted. "Belle and Brady are spending the day with Mike and Carrie, and we have the whole day to ourselves."

"But......" she began to protest again as he pulled out a floral sundress that she had.

"Here, wear this and I'll meet you in the living room when you're finished getting ready." John insisted tossing her outfit over to her as he walked out of the room.

"Well, since you put it that way." Marlena pouted getting out of bed. "What choice to I have?"

A half an hour later John and Marlena were driving along the country road along side of the sparkling lake. Marlena turned to watch John's smiling face as he drove along the road. She wondered what thoughts were running through his mind as he drove along silently.

"John, where are we going?" she asked snuggling against him as he continued to drive.

"I'm not telling you Marlena." he said glancing down at her head resting upon his shoulder.

"Not even a hint?" she questioned looking up at him.

"Not even a hint." he chuckled turning down a dirt road. "Now get back in your seat before I'm forced to throw you out of this car."

"Since you put it that way." Marlena said leaning back into her seat. "Meanie."

"What was that?" he asked turning to face her once more.

"Nothing." she smiled looking out the window as she continued to chuckle.

"That's what I thought." John said pulling the car over on the side of the road.

"John what are you doing?" she asked worried that he had pulled the car over in the middle of nowhere.

"I stopped the car." he said taking the keys out of the ignition.

"I can see that, but why did you stop that here?" she asked confused.

"You'll find out." he said opening up his door and stepping outside onto the grass.

"John?" she called out chasing after him as he disappeared into the trees. "John?"

Marlena followed John into the thick tree covered area and she let out surprised gasp when she saw what was revealed behind the trees. She saw balloons and streamers set up around a large red and white striped tent in the middle of the clearing. She looked around for John, but he was no where to be seen. She approached the tent eager to see what John had planned and when she stepped inside she was greeted with the beats of country music playing in the background as she saw a package wrapped up on a table in front of her. She noticed that it had her name upon it and she rushed over to open it.

"What do you have planned now?" she asked opening the box to find the figurine that had been on top of her wedding cake inside of it. She held it in the air and tears began to flood from her eyes as a George Strait tune played in the background.

"I know it's a little late Doc," John's voice called out from behind her, "but I thought that maybe we could start the honeymoon that we weren't ever able to have. I figured that you deserved that much."

"Oh John," she cried running over to him as he pulled her into his arms, "I thought that we'd never be able to....."

"It's the past now." he whispered brushing her hair from her eyes. "Now I was wondering if my beautiful bride will share this dance with me?"

Marlena nodded her head as John wiped the tears from her eyes. She looked at his face and realized that things were finally as they should be between them. She rested her head against his chest as the music continued to play on and she thought about how they had been robbed from sharing their special day with each other. As if he could read her thoughts, John lifted her chin up so that she was looking at him once more.

"I love you Marlena," he whispered gently kissing her.

Marlena slowly began to embellish in John's tender kisses. They two found themselves motionless on the dance floor as their mouths penetrated each other. Marlena found herself wrapping her arms more tightly around John's body as his hands began to wander down the back of her sundress until he placed his hands on the small of her back. The two broke away from their kiss and made brief eye contact as John pulled her into his arms without saying a word and carried her over to the small bed that he had set up earlier in the morning.

John placed Marlena's head down on the feather pillows and took a step back to admire her beauty. She watched as he slowly unbuttoned his shirt, never once taking his eyes off of her. She began to follow his lead and started to unbutton the front of her sundress.

"Let me do that." John whispered joining her on the bed as he touched her hands in his own for a brief second before he continued the task that she had started moments earlier.

Marlena felt the cool air pressing against her skin as John carefully removed her sundress. John's hands began to caress places on her body and she found herself reaching out to him as she helped him alleviate the final clothing barrier between them. John sat watching her for a brief moment as he took in every inch of her body with his eyes before lowering himself to her. The two fell back onto the bed and their mouths met once again, but this time with the heat of a passion that had not been unleashed in what had felt like an eternity. John began to softly nibble on Marlena's neck as her hands traced the outline of his torso. She realized that she had found herself dangerously close to John's pleasure zone when he let out an exaggerated breath a her touch.

"Not yet. This has to be perfect." John whispered as his lips met hers once more in a frantic kiss as the intensity of the moment began to build within them. He pulled back from the kiss and began to gently kiss every inch of Marlena's body and he become more aroused with each pleasureful moan from Marlena's lips.

"John now. I don't want to wait another second." she commanded pulling him up to meet her face once more.

John carefully positioned himself above her and the two began their journey to a place that had been forgotten for a while, yet everything seemed like a new experience. John reached for Marlena's hand as the two of them began to come close to reaching their point together. He looked into her hazel eyes and realized in that moment nothing in the world mattered more than their love.

"John," Marlena breathed using her free arm to bring him closer to her.

"Doc," he whispered as the two of them united in a kiss as they reached their point of ecstasy together in one perfect harmonious moment.

John and Marlena laid in each other's arms listening to the roll of the tide outside of the tent. John looked down at Marlena and kissed her forehead softly as he tasted the salty traces of perspiration that remained from their lovemaking as Marlena nestled up against him enjoying the feel of him holding her again as she began to laugh.

"What's so funny?" John asked listening to Marlena chuckle.

"You drove half an hour to get me out here to make love to me when all you had to do was stay in bed this morning." Marlena explained as she began to play with his chest hairs.

"Well, what would've been the fun in that?" John asked feeling his body heat up at the feel of her touch. "Besides, I wanted it to be special since this was the first time as a married couple for us."

"Oh, it was perfect John." Marlena replied flashing him a radiant smile.

"I love you so much Marlena," John whispered caressing her back with his fingertips as he felt her warm body against his chest.

"I love you too John." she replied in a breathy tone as she closed her eyes and listened to his heart beating. "You know, I was thinking."

"About?" John questioned gliding his finger downward towards her upper thigh.

"About going for a second time as a married couple." she answered with a smile on her face as she pulled herself to him.

"Now, how can I argue with that?" John smiled as they two began to explore their passion for each other once more not noticing that the world went on outside their tent.