Finding Peace: Baytown Boys

by Maryann Jordan

  “It’s different, Ginny,” he said, his voice rough with emotion. “You did what you could to right a wrong, in spite of all the forces against you. I sat back and watched Terry involved in an activity that I could have reported. Then, I could have not gone with him that day, knowing it wasn’t the right thing to do. And then—”

  “I’m not excusing what you did about ignoring Terry’s illegal bootlegging, but you were young and, again—that was his activity, not yours. But when he needed someone to guard his back, you were there. When you saw that woman in trouble, your instinct was to save her. You cannot blame yourself for the choices others make.”

  Brogan’s fingers flexed on her ass as her words finally penetrated and all his anger and rage finally made sense. He realized how much he had hated Terry over the past eight years. Hated what Terry had been involved in. Hated Terry’s stupid handling of the alcohol pick-ups. And hated Terry for running away from the dying woman. As he sat there with Ginny on his lap, he realized he even hated the husband and villagers for their treatment of women. All this time he thought his guilt was destroying him, but it wasn’t the only thing. Drinking in a deep gulp of air, he let it out slowly, his eyes closed as he willed his mind to settle.

  “Can I ask you a question?”

  Hearing her soft voice so close, he opened his eyes, surprised to see her face still within inches of his. “Baby, I’ve got no secrets left.”

  “Is that the reason you don’t drink?”

  Snorting, he dropped his head, his forehead resting against hers. “Fucked-up, isn’t it? A man who owns a pub and doesn’t drink.” Lifting his gaze back to hers, he said, “After that, I can’t stomach alcohol anymore. Yeah, I’ve occasionally had a drink, but rarely and, honest to God, it sours in my stomach. I know alcohol isn’t the problem. I can own, run, and bartend a pub. But I keep a close eye out on those who imbibe too much and have no problem cutting them off. They get pissed and go somewhere else, that’s on them.”

  “Yes. That’s on them,” she repeated, her lips curving slightly.

  Her small smile warmed him as much as her palms still holding his face. “Yeah…that’s the point you’ve been trying to make, right? I can’t be responsible for the choices of others.” He saw her smile widen and felt the weight on his chest lift slightly. Tilting his head, he added, “But I still fucked up myself. That’s on me.”

  Nodding, she said, “Then deal with that part. You’ve learned from it by the way you run your bar, but you haven’t actually forgiven yourself, so it still eats away at you. Keep going to counseling…talk about it…then let it go, Brogan. Don’t be so hard on yourself.”

  She leaned in, her lips touching his. He held perfectly still for a moment, except for a reflexive twitch of his fingers on her ass again, letting her mouth do all the work. She angled her head before taking the kiss further, licking the seam of his lips and plunging her tongue inside when he opened his mouth on a groan.

  He came alive, his hands roving up and down her back from her neck to her ass, before sliding her closer to him. Her core was pressed against his erection and her breasts pressed against his chest, heartbeat to heartbeat.

  She leaned back slightly, her eyes glazed with lust and her kiss-swollen mouth moist as she licked her lips. “Brogan, when I told you about me you said you wanted our first time to be about us, not in response to what had happened. But this isn’t like that. I see you, Brogan, and you see me…so, please.”

  His hips involuntarily moved upward, his cock eagerly seeking her core. Hands moving back to her ass, he growled, “You’re right. This is different. But you gotta give me the words, baby. I gotta know exactly what you want me to do.”

  Smiling, Ginny licked his lips, loving the groan from his mouth that she swallowed as soon as she latched on once more. Mumbling while kissing, she said, “I want you to take me to bed. Make love to me…please.”

  Standing with her in his arms, his hands still holding on to her ass as she wrapped her legs around his hips, he grinned, “You don’t gotta beg, honey.”

  16

  Moving with Ginny, Brogan checked the sliding glass door and flipped the lock while holding her with one arm. Her arms wrapped tighter about his neck, her lips finding his as soon as the door was secure. Making it down the short hall to his bedroom, Brogan spent a second wishing he had made the bed and picked up last night’s clothes, but as her mouth continued to plunder his lips, he gave up all thoughts other than the bed. Before laying her down, he stared at her for a moment, leaning back in to place a kiss on her lips. A whisper of a kiss this time. Reverent. Quietly saying nothing while saying everything.

  Bending over, he placed her on the edge of the king-sized bed before standing and toeing off his running shoes. Jerking his shirt over his head, it joined the other clothes on the floor.

  Her eyes dropped to his chest, massive muscles tapering to a washboard abdomen, silky chest hair that she ached to run her fingers through as it trailed off into his to his shorts. Before she had a chance to think more of his happy trail, his hands moved to his shorts and, with a quick motion, he slid them down his legs, snagging his boxers at the same time.

  A sudden flash of uncertainty flew through Brogan’s eyes as he gazed at the still-dressed beauty lying on his bed. She lifted her arms up toward him, beckoning him to her with a smile beaming his way. The doubt left instantly as he crawled up her body, his heavy cock bobbing, a drop of pre-cum already at the tip.

  They stared at each other for a moment before he leaned down and captured her lips once again. This time, in the slow exploration of lovers. Her lips were soft and pliant under his, allowing him to control the intensity, the depth. Her taste was already familiar to him and as her tongue slid across his, he felt his erection painfully pressing against her hip. His hand moved from her cheek down to her neck where he could feel her pulse beating wildly. His lips followed the trail of his hand, moving to that spot in the hollow of her neck where he nipped and licked.

  Ginny shivered with the sensations as he reached underneath her shirt and slid his hand upward, stopping at the underside of her breast. Taking the weight in his hand, he rubbed his thumb over her distended nipple, swallowing her groan as his lips stayed on hers. Her hips moved upward, driving his cock wild with desire. Moving his hand back down to the bottom hem of her shirt, he slid it upward and over her head as she leaned up to assist.

  Immediately self-conscious about her plain underwear, Ginny noted that Brogan did not seem to lose the lust in his eyes as they roved hungrily over her body. Unsnapping her white bra, he slid it down her arms and tossed it away as well. Brogan’s hand moved to her breast as he took in the beauty of her. Full breasts with rosy-tipped nipples begged to be sucked. Tweaking one nipple as his lips found the other, he alternated between her breasts, sucking, nipping, tugging, and licking until both nipples were elongated with need.

  As his mouth continued its ministrations, he slid his hand lower until his fingers found her folds. Inserting one finger, and then two, he moved them slowly, exploring her sex, finding just the right spots to have her squirming and moaning. He circled his fingers deep inside before pulling them out to swirl them around her clit before plunging back inside. His lips made their way back to hers, his tongue mimicking his fingers.

  Ginny felt strung tight as a bow, the waiting excruciating. Her hips undulated against his as her hand moved down toward his cock, wrapping it around the thick length. She barely began moving her hand up and down his shaft before her inner walls grabbed at his fingers deep inside.

  Brogan watched as she leaned her head back, her eyes tightly closed, her body jerking in response to the orgasm ripping through her.

  “Baby, let me see you,” he whispered, eliciting her eyes to open. As she was coming down from her bliss, he moved his hand from her sex back up to her pants’ zipper, drawing it down. Lifting to his knees as he bent over her, he grabbed the waist and pulled them down her legs, snagging her white panties at the same time.
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br />   She blushed, saying, “My underwear is boring. I don’t really have any fancy lingerie—”

  “Shh,” he whispered, staring once more at the beauty in his bed, unable to believe the object of his fantasies for almost two years was here with him. “Do I look like the kind of man that needs his woman to wear fancy shit?” Moving his lips back over her breasts and down to her stomach, he muttered, “It’d get taken off just as fast.”

  His rough stubbled jaws scraped along her inner thighs and she widened her legs to give him more access. Her hand reached to his hair, her fingers sliding over his scalp. He kneeled at her apex and gently pulled her legs up onto his shoulders. Her sex glistened with moisture and he dragged his tongue along her folds. She tasted better than he could have imagined as he dipped his tongue inside, finally moving up to latch his mouth over her clit, while plunging his fingers in once more.

  Ginny cried out his name as the electricity shot over her body from her core outwards. His beard scratched her sensitive skin as her body wound tight. “Brogan, I want you inside me,” she pleaded.

  “I know, babe, but I’m a big guy and you’re tight. Let me do this for you to get you ready.” He licked toward her clit, sucking it into his mouth while his hand slid up from her stomach to her breast and rolled her nipple between his fingers.

  Finally, Ginny cried out again, this time her hips bucking as the orgasm vibrated deep inside, spreading outwards.

  Brogan kept licking, feeling her juices spread over his tongue. Opening his mouth wide, he felt her vibrations throughout, wanting them to last forever. They slowly subsided and he raised up, seeing her head back on the mattress, her eyes closed and a soft smile playing on her lips.

  Letting her legs down gently from his shoulders, he took a moment to roll on the condom before crawling back over her body, grinning when she opened her eyes, filled with warmth and pleasure. With his dick at her entrance, he held her gaze and pushed in slowly, inch by inch. Her eyes hooded with passion, lips plumped from their kissing, her perfect teeth biting her bottom lip. “Jesus, baby, you’re perfect,” he groaned.

  The urge to pound into her waiting sex was strong, but he maintained a steady pace. Wanting her to have pleasure again, he moved excruciatingly slowly out before plunging in quickly. Over and over he did this until he was not sure he could last another minute. Bearing his weight on his forearms, he held her head in his hands, rocking into her body with her hips matching his thrusts.

  She spread her knees wider to offer deeper access and looked down to where their bodies were joined. They watched with fascination at their coupling as his cock moved in and out of her slick cavity. Lifting his eyes, her gaze captured his, a smile curving her beautiful mouth.

  “Honey, I’m gonna come,” he rasped. “Are you close?”

  After two orgasms, Ginny wanted to say go for it, thinking she could never have a third, but as her mouth opened to tell him that, she felt her inner walls tightening with the friction of his movements. “Yes,” she moaned against his thrusts.

  As her orgasm flooded over her, his own release had him emptying himself deep into her warmth. His sated body fell to the side of hers, pulling her over with him. Arms wrapped around each other, they held on tightly, hearts pounding.

  Brogan leaned down just long enough to grab the covers, pulling them up over their sweat-slicked bodies, making sure to tuck her in securely. Ginny’s head lay on his chest and he pulled her tighter against him.

  Ginny’s limbs were weightless as fatigue overtook her. Closing her eyes for a moment she allowed the exhaustion of the day to ease her into slumber.

  As the two slept peacefully, wrapped tightly in each other’s arms, keeping the nightmares at bay, MB hopped up on the bed, and circled several times before curling up at their feet.

  17

  Another call about a peeping tom. Ginny’s stomach knotted in anger as she and Grant knocked on the door.

  “Ma’am, I’m Officer Spencer and this is Officer Wilder.”

  Ginny and Grant entered the rental home as Jerelle Simpkins stepped back to let them in. Having answered the 9-1-1 call, Sam and Mitch were still outside gathering evidence after their initial conversation with her.

  Jerelle jerked her head in a nod as she led them to the sofa in the living room. Ginny noticed two little girls standing, wide-eyed, on the stairs, peering at them. She offered a smile but Jerelle said, “Girls. Back to bed. Everything’s fine. Please, girls, just obey Mama.”

  The two little ones obediently turned and hurried back up the stairs and Jerelle stood still until she heard their door close. Turning back to the officers, she said, “I don’t want them to hear anything and get nightmares. I just told them that I thought someone outside might need help and had called the police to take care of them.”

  Nodding, Ginny assured, “I think that’s very wise, Ms. Simpkins. Can we sit and get your statement once more? I know it was given to Chief Evans, but I’d like you to tell it again. Sometimes things come back to you when you talk to someone different.”

  The three sat down as Ginny’s gaze swept the room. It was a typical rental house in Baytown—an old structure, updated with brightly painted walls, beach-themed decorations, and furniture that was built to withstand multiple family visits each week during the season. Turning back to Jerelle, Ginny said, “Please, just start at the beginning and we’ll take notes.”

  Swallowing, Jerelle began, “We’ve been here for about four nights. We’ve got another couple of nights on our rental, but I don’t know if I can stay here again. I’m so spooked.” Twisting her hands in front of her, she continued, “I’m recently divorced…it was ugly…and expensive.” Shaking her head as though to restart her thoughts, she explained, “This is our first vacation in almost two years. The girls wanted to come to the beach and I knew we couldn’t afford anything in Virginia Beach, so we came here. It’s been great. They’ve had fun and we’ve had some good seafood. They love the town pier and the Seafood Shack. Love watching the boats and the sunsets.” Shaking her head again, she cried, “Why did this have to happen when we were having such a lovely time?”

  “Ms. Simpkins, I know this is so hard for you. But can you tell us about tonight?”

  “Yes, yes, sorry. My mind just seems shaken.”

  Ginny’s gentle smile was encouraging and Jerelle took a deep breath and let it out slowly before speaking again.

  “We walked back from the beach after watching the sunset and I sent the girls up to take a bath. They’re six and eight years old, so it’s still easy for them to take a bubble bath together and I don’t have to be right there with them. I spent some time shaking out the beach towels on the back deck and then hung them over the rail to dry overnight—”

  “Can you tell us about what time that was?” Grant asked.

  Jerelle scrunched her forehead in thought. “Well, the sunset was at 8:17. We looked it up on my phone and we had a good time as we watched it and, honest to goodness, it did set at exactly 8:17. So by the time we walked home and I got them upstairs, it was probably about 8:45.”

  Ginny nodded, “Go on, please.”

  “I shut and locked the back door. I’m real careful about that…it’s just habit from my divorce days. Bill would occasionally try to come over when he wasn’t supposed to, so I always lock the doors. Anyway, I heard the girls getting out of the tub and yelled up for them to get in their pajamas and make sure they wiped down any water that might have gotten on the floor. It was just a little after nine when I walked into the living room. And I know this because I looked at my watch to see if there was enough time for us to watch a Disney movie before they went to bed.” She took a deep breath before plunging on, “And that’s when I saw him. He was at the side window peeking in.”

  Jerelle stopped, her breath coming in faster pants.

  “Ma’am, breathe slowly. Breathe with me.” Ginny inhaled deeply, holding Jerelle’s gaze until both women were breathing in unison. As Ginny observed the other woman�
�s color returning to normal, she smiled. “Good, you’re doing good.”

  Clutching her hands together again, Jerelle said, “Lordy, I feel so crazy. Nothin’ like this has ever happened to me.”

  “Please describe the man for us,” Grant encouraged.

  “He was peeking in that bottom pane over there,” she pointed. “He had a dark cap on, so I have no idea what color his hair was and his hands were cupping his face as he looked in.”

  “Did you see his hand? Did you see flesh color or was he wearing gloves?”

  Licking her lips as she pondered, she suddenly looked up in surprise. “Gloves. The only flesh color I saw was his face pressed against the glass. And he was white.” Sighing, she said, “But I have no idea if he was old or young. As soon as I saw him I let out a scream and he moved away. It was so dark outside, I had no idea if he was gone or just in the shadows.”

  Ginny stood and walked over to the window, her heart now pounding. Some man in this town is terrorizing women…and that fact pissed her off.

  “He’s taunting us,” Ginny said, staring at the investigation board.

  “Taunting us?” Sam asked, reaching his hand over to snag some carrots off the vegetable tray Mildred had brought in. She used to always provide pastries from Jillian’s Coffee Shop, but Sam’s wife had started bringing in healthy snacks and Mildred approved of the change. She still occasionally brought pastries, but now Sam had to contend with both his wife and Mildred watching out for his weight and blood pressure. Glancing at Mable standing in the doorway, smiling contentedly, Ginny figured Sam now had one more woman to watch over him as well.

  “Why would he look into the living room window? For these older, two-story houses, the bedrooms are always on the second floor. There is only the kitchen, living rooms, and dining rooms on the first floor. It’s as though he knows someone will see him…I mean, Ms. Simpkins’ lights were still on! He had to know with his stupid face smashed against the window someone would see him!” Letting her breath out in a rush, she shook her head. “Sorry…I’m getting emotional and that doesn’t help us.”