A Love Story - Page 3

Although Iona continued to wake Jon with oral sex on occasion, he waited weeks before reciprocating with any sort of sexual advance; after all, he loved and respected Iona. Furthermore, Jon lacked Iona’s mind-reading intuition, so he had to rely on research and logic before doing something that he feared might make her uncomfortable. In Jon’s search for answers, he learned that female dogs have a clitoris and that there is no evidence whatsoever to indicate that they do not feel pleasure, or even orgasm, from sexual stimulation.

While Jon grappled with the ethics of making love to a dog, he continued to treat Iona with a special dignity and love reserved for only the most revered romantic partners. Every morning, they would jog together along the quiet country roads where they lived. Sometimes, Iona would spot another dog and make a spectacle by writhing and screaming at them, but she respected Jon enough that he could effectively redirect her each time. Hell, no one’s perfect.

After their morning run, they would shower together—Iona loved showers—then, they would dance quietly through the kitchen, as soft jazz played. Every day for breakfast, Jon prepared salmon and eggs for the pair of them. On weekdays, while Jon worked on his computer, Iona would gnaw a frozen beef tibia or nap in their bed. Every night, Jon would pour a small glass of pinot noir for himself and fill a tiny saucer with broth or lactose-free milk for Iona. Though Iona usually finished her drink first, Jon would nurse his as he cooked their dinner.

Later in the evening, the pair would often lie on the sofa, enjoying one another’s company. Frequently, Jon would read to her until she fell asleep. Some nights, not wanting to disturb his lover, he would sleep in a semi-seated position, with the weight of her head pressing gently down on his lap. In the wintertime, these evening cuddles usually included a massage for Iona’s feet. Jon would moisturize the soft skin on her toe pads, and she would lick his hands for it.

Since the shelter where Iona was abandoned at planned on murdering her, there was no consideration given to the issue of fixing her—a term Jon considered to be downright tasteless. As a result, Iona entered her heat cycle every six months or so. Jon’s research had taught him that females in the proestrus stage of their cycle tend to crave affection and treats. So, he handed off much of his workload to colleagues for two weeks to ensure he could be the active presence that Iona required. He also bought her a large bag of beef lung treats, a tub of organic vanilla bean ice cream, and two heated blankets—that way, he could ensure she always had one to lie on while he laundered away the remnants of the previous day’s free-bleed.

As they lay in bed together, the sweet, metallic scent of Iona’s body prompted a strong physiological response from Jon. Regardless, under no circumstances would he try to do anything while she was feeling under the weather. Personal wants should never trump the well-being of another, especially one’s lover, he reasoned. Despite Jon’s convictions, Iona, too, had a feeling of yearning.

Iona was no fool; she knew what Jon’s erection meant. Sensing that Jon would be too delicate to initiate what it was that she was looking for, Iona stood on her fours, moved her tail aside, and began thrusting herself onto Jon’s lap.

“Are you sure, baby?” he asked her, nearly breathless.

“Are you sure you want this?”

Iona looked over her shoulder, casting him a sultry, slant-eyed look, and she continued sitting her weight onto him, grinding her swollen vulva back and forth against his lap.

As Jon entered Iona, he rested his hands on her hips and began ardently kissing her nape. Together, they rocked back and forth as one until Iona contracted around him. With each spasm of her body, Iona tightened more, and each time she moaned in a pleasing manner that Jon had never heard before. Finally, her body compressed around him with such force that he was unable to thrust. As this happened, Iona howled in delight, and Jon knew that she had achieved orgasm. After they finished together, Iona held him, locked inside of her, for nearly twenty minutes before her body relaxed enough that he could withdraw himself from her. During that time, Jon lost count of how many times he climaxed and how many times he had told her, “I love you.”