Page 130 of By Invitation Only
President’s Day weekend, we drove up to Yosemite where the snow was still on the ground and beautiful. We took a walk around Mirror Lake, drove to Bridal Veil Falls and took pictures at the scenic turnoff that had Half Dome in the background. When we weren’t taking in the park, we were in our cabin doing otherthings.
It was then I’d realized I wanted to marry her. I knew I loved her, knew I wanted to wake up with her every morning and knew my world would be crushed if something were to ever happen to her. There was nothing I wasn’t more sure of.
Therefore, I couldn’t let more time slip away without making things permanent. We practically lived together already, and my divorce from Carrie would take as long as it needed for Peyton to plan our wedding.
Myrealone.
But first, I had to become a U.S. citizen. I would still be a citizen of the UK, but now I’d be in the States more on a not-breaking-the-law status. I had my biometric appointment with the United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS), and I was currently waiting for the FBI to perform a background check on me before they scheduled my naturalization interview where they’d ask me a bunch of questions. I’d then take the civics test, pass and wait to take the Unites State’s Oath. It was no wonder it took at least six months to become a citizen.
“What’s the name of the current Speaker of the House of Representatives?” Peyton asked, holding up a flashcard to help me study for the test and then she listed four names.
“D,” I answered.
She smiled. “Correct.” She flipped to the next card. “What did Susan B. Anthony do?” More multiple choice answers.
“She fought for women’s rights.”
“Correct.” Peyton smiled again. “Why does the U.S. flag have fifty stars?”
“That’s easy. One star for each state.”
“Correct.”
“Shouldn’t you be taking off clothes for all my right answers?”
Peyton chuckled. “You’ll get too distracted and get the answers wrong.”
“No, I won’t,” I stated.
“There are twenty practice questions. I’ll be naked before you answer all of them.”
“Exactly.”
She rolled her eyes. “Booker! Come on—”
I stopped her mid-scolding by throwing her into a fireman’s hold.
“What are you doing?” she screeched.
“It’s been a long time since you’ve rolled your eyes at me, baby. Now I need to punish you.”
“Punish me?”
I threw her on the bed and started to work my belt free.
“You’re kidding?”
I shook my head. “I’m not.”
“You’re going to spank me with a belt?”
“Not hard.”
“But you’re going to spank me.”
I tore the belt from the loops of my trousers. “You’re going to be drenching when I’m done.”
“With what? Blood?”
