chapter 1

"Wow, you've put on weight," she said, as she gave him a hug.

It had only been two months, but she didn't expect he would grow this much. Even his largest shirt now clung to his gut.

"It's the long hours," he said, releasing her from their embrace and placing his travel bag down beside him.

She rolled her eyes playfully.

"Yeah right. Long hours don't contain any calories as far as I know."

He pulled her in for a second embrace and smiled at her.

"You tease," he mouthed in her ear, squeezing her tight. "I missed you."

"But not my cooking."

She looked up into his eyes with a smile.

"Judging by these."

She dropped her hands to his love handles and sank her fingers deep into the soft, doughy flesh.

"These have gotten bigger."

"Quit it," he said, clasping her hands in his and staring her in the eye.

"Long nights alone with only fast food for company will never beat your cooking, or company, you know that ..."

His words were soothing her heart.

He smiled at her.

"... But they sure take a hell of a toll on your pants."

He triumphantly pulled up his shirt to show that his pants wouldn't button, they weren't even close.

She blushed.

"Wow. Another pair?"

He nodded, still smiling.

"For me?" she asked.

He nodded again, a little shyly.

She looked around to see if anyone else but her was watching this proud display of pure, unabashed gluttony; total greed. He couldn't have appeared more piggish had he tried. His growing inability to control his appetite was increasingly turning her on.

"What am I going to do with you?" she said, tut-tutting him in mock upset.

He grabbed her by the hands.

"Well new pants would be a fine start ..." he broke mid-sentence as his eyes became distracted by the neon glow of the food court's lights. He licked his lips.

"But how about food first?"

She placed her hands on either side of his belly. Her features broke into a mischievous smile.

"I thought you'd never ask. Something tells me the in-flight food wasn't enough."

"Guess," he said, patting his gut, and stifling a belch.

"Snacks too?" she ventured, greedy to know.

He nodded.

"No," she replied, still smiling. "I guess no, judging by the size of you. They could never fill you up."

"It's either that or you've become a real glutton in my absence."

He winked at her.

"Careful," he said. "Talk like that will get you into trouble when we get home."

"I can handle it," she said, laughing, as she squeezed one of his plump butt cheeks in her hand as they began to saunter arm-in-arm toward the food court.

"But can you?" she ventured, tentatively.

"That's a lot of weight you have to work for me, ..."

"All,..."

" Night, ..."

"Long."

Her insinuation was clear. She placed a hand on his belly and watched as the colour began to rise to his cheeks. He was cute when flustered.

"I'll manage," he said, with a sly wink.

"You'll try," she corrected him. "If past attempts are anything to go by."

"Sssshhhh," he shushed her, his embarrassment clear.

"I've been working on my stamina up on top."

"I can tell," she replied, patting his belly once again.

"You certainly have the appetite for it."

She winked at him.

"Talk as much as you like," he announced grandly, waving his hand in dismissal.

"I can't wait to shut you up later."

"And I to fill you up later," she quipped, with a wink.

"But let's get some sustenance in you first - before you get a chance to try."

"Oh?" he inquired, playfully.

"I get a chance to try now do I?"

"Well I wanna try all night, you mark my words."

She kissed him on the cheek.

"I bet you do."

"I just hope you've got a big enough belly to back up all this big-talk of yours."

"But unlike your pants, ..." she continued, licking her lips, with a wry smile, "you'll have to practice a little self-restraint for me first."

"At least until we get home."

The pair broke into laughter as they walked into the first food outlet they stumbled across. She wanted to see if he could collect a full house of stops there tonight. He sure looked like he could.

She bit her lip as the anticipation within her began to build. It would be a long night for them both the way she felt about him right now. His new pants would have to wait 'til morning, if only he knew. She smiled as she began to place her order.

"Yes, I'll supersize."

"Thanks."

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