The bathroom is lit with a hazy golden flicker from the candle balancing on the edge of the counter. The smell of warm, bergamot, citrus, florals and spices mixes with the steam from the bathtub to envelop my exposed body. The water moving against the sides of the clawfoot tub echoes off the tiles. The symphony of my relaxation. Already scrubbed from head to toe, I sink into the slowly cooling water and enjoy the last moments of the birthday gift I've given myself.

There is nowhere to be but here. Noone to answer to but myself. No responsibilities looming over me. I watch as my black painted fingernails slip into and out of the dark water. Sometimes catching on the floating herbs that made up my bath bomb.

I sink in further, my knees poking out of the water as my shoulders disappear under. The tips of my hair floating around me like curious and friendly snakes. I am medusa, left blissfully at peace in her solace.

I sink further until my lips descend into the warmth. The smell here is almost overpowering as I am forced to breathe through my nose. I watch my nails scratch lightly down the fronts of my thighs. My smile is hidden underwater only for myself. The little mermaid losing her voice.

I suck in a deep breath and slip further down, laying on the floor of the tub looking through the dark murky water up at the ceiling. I let out one bubble of life. Then another, my lungs slowly deflating, heating under the strain.

I am the monster of the lake, waiting for their prey to swim by. Unassuming sexually active teens beware. My waters are feared and gratefully empty.

I slip back up through the water, eyes, nose, lips back into the slight chill of the bathroom. I grip the sides of the tub tightly before standing. Giving gratitude to the water that cleansed me as it runs away from my skin to the fluffy bath mat at my feet. I am reborn into a new year of my existence. Shed of the troubles of the past.

A fluffy bathrobe encompasses my chilled skin like a newborn baby being swaddled. Exiting the bathroom I am delivered to my partner standing in lingerie and holding a small birthday cake. A pointy hat sits on their head. “Happy Birthday!” they say. I am flooded with a new kind of warmth. One of love and affection. I go to swipe some frosting with my finger. My parter quickly pulls the cake away and shakes their head. I raise my eyebrow, confused.

They set the cake down on the lounge chair in our bedroom. Bending at the waist I get an eyeful of rich, creamy skin encompassing two globes that I know from firsthand experience, melt in your hands like butter. I am suddenly hungry for a bite of both cakes. My partner turns to face me, a devious smile on their face.

I return the smile, still confused as to what they are up to. It is a strange and cruel practice to deny one cake on their birthday. Of one variety or another.

Suddenly they sit.

We both gasp for radically different reasons. I, because the cake is ruined. My partner because….it must feel strange…or it is cold…or they don’t know where they’d lost their mind. Cake, frosting and sprinkles are squishing out from under them, looking even more delicious than it had when whole.

They look up to me sheepishly as heat starts gathering between my legs. I grab their arm to pull them up, turning them slightly so I can survey the damage. Dirty, filthy, delicious mess all over their ass and falling down their thighs. I move to meet their eyes.

Their face is red as they try to gauge my reaction. I let them squirm for a couple of moments before smirking. Slowly, maintaining eye contact I get to my knees then lick a line from the back of their thigh, over one cheek and up to the edge of the thong they are wearing. The sweetness bursts over my tongue and I swallow the frosting and small chunks of cake that are making my partner so dirty. I do it again and they whimper.

I start cleaning my partner enthusiastically. Swipe after swipe of my tongue cleaning every inch of their ass and legs. I lick a small piece off their ankle. Suck some from their calf. Make sure their poor ass cheeks are squeaky clean before the main event.

I slip their underwear down their thighs and grab onto each sticky ass cheek. Spreading them before me and marveling for a moment at the perfection of my gift. A beautiful twitching little star. I then get to work cleaning their crevice as they squirm and make little noises that drive me wild.

Finally I swipe my tongue over their sweet hole. There wasn’t icing there but that doesn’t matter. Not when my partner is this delectable. “I get to have my cake and eat it too.”