Removing the arm covering her face and pushing her hair out of the way, she said, “I would like that very much, Sonny; as long as you’re not a bed- or blanket-hog, we’ll get along just fine.”
Chuckling, I climbed into bed, pulling her naked body into mine, with her back to my front. She snagged a pillow and bunched it under her cheek, snuggling her bottom against my half-hard dick. She made a surprised sound, and I laughed again. “That’s not my fault; he can’t help himself because he knows this is going to be a state he’s in whenever you’re around him, especially when you’re soft and warm and naked.”
She laughed then snuggled back down again. In a few minutes her breathing evened out, and she was asleep. I found a comfortable position and settled down.
I didn’t sleep well—hadn’t for a very long time.
I had tried all the conventional methods and didn’t find any that helped. I refused medication because I didn’t trust myself on it becoming more than just an aid to help me sleep. Most of the time, if I was fortunate, I got a few hours of uninterrupted light dozing. Those were few and far between, as I was usually up every hour or so. But I found I loved holding her and listening to her breathe. She made small noises, and I could feel little puffs of air as she exhaled. I felt my eyelids growing heavy, and between one breath and the next, I was asleep.
Six
I tried kicking the cover off me; I was so hot. Something heavy was lying across my stomach, and a radiant heat was along my back and butt. I moved to knock the weight off me, but it didn’t budge; it was then I realized it wasn’t a thing, but a person. Turning my head on the pillow, I was met by the relaxed sleeping face of Sonny. My first thought was how young he looked as he slept. I traced the shape of his lips, and he mumbled but didn’t wake up.
He started to roll over, and I slipped out of his grasp as he found a comfortable spot and his breathing evened out again.
I started the shower running, and once my hair was washed, I soaped up a body sponge. My body was still tingling in spots. It had been a pretty long dry spell for me, and Sonny was well-proportioned. I snorted; who was I kidding, the man was hung. I’d be feeling him in my core today, which made me smile. I finished washing and hit a tender spot on my hip. Looking down, I could see some light bruising. He’d been using that hip as an anchor point. I realized I was smiling again; I was remembering, and it felt good.
Stepping out of the shower, I dried my hair and wrapped it in a towel. Before I dried off, I grabbed a bottle of sesame oil and rubbed it into my wet skin, then patted myself dry. Slipping on a clean pair of panties and a strappy lace bralette, I went back into the bedroom. Sonny was no longer in bed, and I smelled fresh coffee. Shimmying on a pair of jeans and an off-the-shoulder denim top, I slid my feet into a pair of wedge sandals and made my way out to the kitchen, following my nose to the coffee pot. Next to my cup, a note was weighed down by a set of keys.
Gia,
The boys dropped off the loaner car from McCanns. They will get back to me today with an description of what’s wrong and an estimate to fix it. I’ll see you later today at the office. I’ve got a couple things going on this morning, if I would have stayed, I wouldn’t have had my head in the game. Tell Dana I need you to continue to input the tax info and I’ll check it all over for transfer when I get back. I enjoyed last night, I hope you did too.
See you later,
Sonny
Damn, I was smiling again.
Jiji came into the kitchen while I was reading the note. “That’s some shit-eating grin, Gia. Did it have anything to do with all that wild monkey sex you had with Sonny last night?” she asked.
Swinging around, I faced her and cracked up. She had that just rolled out of bed sexy tousled look, which meant she had gotten some too. She was dressed in sleep shorts and a cut off t-shirt and was sipping on her coffee. I leaned against the counter with my cup. “So how did you hear us having wild monkey sex when you were busy having your own?”
She replied, “I got mad skills, babe, how else?”
I spit out the sip of coffee I’d just taken a sip of, spraying it all over the counter. She doubled over laughing, and I reached out and slapped her on the ass. She jumped, turning around and rubbing the spot. “Damn it, Jiji, I need to drink coffee in the morning, not spit it out; without my go-go juice, you can’t talk to me, and I’m gonna be late for work.”
“Relax, princess, I got you covered.” Reaching into the cabinet, she pulled down a to-go cup and, snagging my cup, she poured it in and screwed on the lid. “Here you go, doll, now boss-man won’t be mad because you won’t be late. Now shoo, I gotta get some beauty sleep, I’m on the late shift at the clinic today.”
Reaching for my cup, I gathered her in my arms and gave her a quick hug. “Thanks, Jiji, see you later.”
She returned my hug. “You’re welcome, Gia, but you owe me the play-by-play, and don’t think you’re gonna skip out on it.” She wiggled her eyebrows. “Us girls wanna know every tiny detail—or, in Sonny’s case, gargantuan detail.”
I choked on my coffee as it went down the wrong pipe. Jiji pounded me on the back, trying to ease my watering eyes. “What the fuck, Jiji?”
She looked at me with innocent doe eyes. “What! Like I’ve never seen the man in a pair of sweatpants. Jeez, Gia, he’s packing, and every one of the girls knows it.” She giggled. “Now the question is, does he know how to use it?” She gave me a questioning look, and I blushed. “Oh yeah, you’re definitely gonna share all the gory details. I’m gonna call Tish and set up a girls’ night this weekend. Pencil us in, cause you’re the main attraction.”
“Jiji, I don’t kiss and tell!”
“Girlfriend, this is just a normal conversation with some wine, a little music, maybe a couple tokes to loosen you up. But we will be hearing about it. Now go, I’m going to retire and slip into my cozy bed for a few hours of uninterrupted bliss.” She affected a pretty English accent and sashayed out of the room.
Shaking my head, I grabbed my purse and the keys Sonny left and hurried out the door.
The next few days passed quickly as I learned the routine and the job. I really like Dana, and we got along great. I was always taking notes and asking questions, and she was patient and understanding, giving me her time and attention ‘til I felt confident enough with whatever task she gave me before moving on to the next one.
Before I knew it, it was Friday afternoon, and Dana and I were closing up the office for the weekend. She handed me an envelope, and I accepted it without thinking. She said, “You earned that paycheck, Gia, you are awesome. You learn quickly and pay attention to detail. I think you’re gonna slide right into my chair and Sonny won’t even notice I’m gone.” She hugged me before picking up her purse and leaving.
I was sitting in my chair staring at the envelope when Sonny called me from inside his office. I got up and went inside. His desk was cluttered with folders, paper, and old coffee cups. He threw his phone down, adding to the mess. “McCann’s called; your car will be ready tomorrow. But he needs the loaner back tonight for another client. I’ll drive you over there to drop it off and then take you home.”
“Thanks, Sonny, I’d appreciate that. I’ll be out in the main room, Jiji and Tish are here, come and get me when you’re ready to leave.” I went out into the main room, where Jiji, Tish, and Sandra were seated at the bar, and Lani was drawing a beer.
Walking over to them, I slung my purse over the back of Jiji’s stool. “Hey, ladies, what’s everybody drinking?” I asked.
Tish answered, “I wanted something fruity, frothy, and with a paper umbrella, but I settled for a beer, which is about all Lani knows how to make.”
Laughing, I shooed her away from the back of the bar and took stock of what they had. Pulling the top off the blender, I added a bunch of ice cubes, put the lid back on, and set it to chop the ice. Re
moving the cover again, I added coconut rum, regular rum, grenadine, orange juice, and pineapple juice then popped the top back on and blended until it was slushy. I added a cherry and a pineapple wedge, and then I poured the concoction into a couple of tall glasses and slid them in front of the ladies.
“I’m sorry, Tish, but the bar is all out of little paper umbrellas. You’ll have to make do with the fruit.”
She plucked the cherry out of the glass after dipping it in and swirling it around. Popping the cherry in her mouth, she took a sip of the frosty drink. “Mmm, that’s delicious.” Seconds later, she turned to the girls, said, “Ta-da,” then stuck out her tongue. The cherry stem was neatly tied in a knot.
Sandra burst out laughing. “Bravo! Bravo, girlfriend! I’m sure Fighter enjoys that talented tongue of yours, babe.” Tish curtsied in response, spreading an imaginary gown out wide.
Jiji sipped her drink. “This is really scrumptious, Gia,” she crooked her finger in a come here gesture. I leaned forward, and she pulled on the stretchy side of my top, sliding in a $5 bill. “I would give you the ten, but I already slipped it into Tish’s pocket so I can bribe her to teach me the Cherry trick.”
Sandra had some kind of paper in her hand, and she waved it over her head. “Ladies, guess what’s happening this weekend? Yup, it’s the Saratoga County Fair.”
“Oh, shit! I wanna go see Pigcasso the painting pig!” Jiji yelled.
Lani said, “Oh, yeah, country line dancing, here we come.”
Tish chimed in, “I want the big unicorn from the midway; Fighter better warm up his throwing arm.”
I laughed at their antics. “You ladies have fun.”
“Oh, no, my dear; you’re part of this crew, and you’re going with us. This fair happens every September, and it is ah-mazing! You can ride the Ferris wheel with Sonny, eat the best kettle corn on earth—and we are not taking no for an answer, are we, girls?” Jiji said to the group.
Lani said, “If you’ve never been to one of these fairs, you won’t regret going to this one; like Jiji said, how many times will you get to see a pig painting with a brush?”
Sonny would pick that moment to walk up to us. “What’s this about a pig?” he asked. Before I could say anything, Jiji piped up.
“Pigcasso, the pig you’re going to see this weekend when you take Gia to the state fair with us.”
Breech, Fighter, Opry, and Dukes rolled into the clubhouse. It was like a ball of energy had swept in the front door. Dukes’s booming laugh echoed through the cavernous room. “Look here, boys, all the pretty maids in a row.”
Sandra gave a bark of laughter, “Maids? Dude, no one calls me a maid and lives. You want to be with me, you pick up your own underwear.”
Opry, hearing her remark, bent her backward over the stool she was sitting on and planted a smacking kiss on her lips. “Babe, you know you don’t have to worry about my underwear—I usually go commando, so it’s not an issue.”
Jiji broke up “Eww, TMI Opry, T...M...I.”
Sonny spoke up, “So you guys are taking these ladies to the fair this weekend?” he asked.
“Whoa, what are you talking about, man?” Breech asked.
Jiji reached out and grabbed Breech’s hand. “We want to go to the Sarasota State Fair to see Pigcasso the painting pig. You guys can go have fun with the motorsports stuff. Then, later on, we can ride the rides on the midway and stuff our faces with deep-fried Twinkies!”
“Holy fuck, is there such a thing as deep-fried Twinkies?” Breech asked.
I answered, “Yup, and deep-fried ice cream and Oreos and anything else you can think of to deep-fry.”
“What’s this shit about motorsports?” Murph asked, joining the conversation.
Dukes answered, “They have tractor pulls, drag racing, and motorcycle racing.”
Sandra continued, “The swap meet covers something like five acres. It’s pretty cool if you’re just a looky-loo, and even better if looking for parts for something you’re working on.”
“Looks like we are all going to the fair,” Sonny said. “How about we meet up here at the clubhouse at nine am and head out from here?”
Fighter had been looking at his phone. “Looks like the weather is going to be beautiful to ride. We’ll be here at nine.”
Sonny looked at me. “So what do you say, Gia, is it a date?”
“How could I say no to seeing a pig with a paintbrush, Sonny?” I responded. The despondent look on his face had me tagging on, “And, of course, getting to ride with you is something I’m looking forward to.” His smile returned.
“Now that’s more fuckin’ like it,” he said.
Dukes got up from his chair “Now that that’s settled, it’s time for church. See you ladies later.”
“Damn it, I forgot. Tish, could you do me a favor and run Gia to McCann’s so she can return the loaner?”
“No problem, Sonny. Jiji and I came together, so we can follow her and then take her home.”
“Thanks, Tish, I appreciate it,” Sonny said.
The guys got up, kissed their respective partners, and filed out of the room, heading to the big meeting room down the hall.
Jiji and Tish got ready to leave, and we all said our goodbyes as we headed out the door of the clubhouse.
Seven
Once we were all seated at the big conference table, Dukes called the meeting to order. We discussed the latest developments going on at the new gun club, including what was needed to finish it and be ready for the soft opening and if anyone had any candidates for hiring help.
Then, attention turned to Crunch Time and the numbers for the gym. We were consistently full to capacity on class days, and the self-defense classes were a big hit as well. We voted on adding some personal trainers who had asked to be able to work out their clients in the gym and also voted on adding a Tai Chi master to the schedule. We have had quite a few older folks attending classes, and one of the suggestions we got quite often was for Tai Chi. Because of the health benefits associated with movement, some of the insurance companies were actually starting to cover classes, and for those on a fixed income that meant a lot.
Dukes banged the gavel to get everyone’s attention, and the room got quiet. “There is one more piece of business.” Everyone looked up expectantly. “It’s been eighteen months since Murph came in with us. He has proved his loyalty multiple times since he became a prospect. We need to vote on whether he should become a member or stay a prospect.
I spoke up. “He has been supportive of every one of us; whenever we needed him, he showed up, ready to go. When I asked him to go with me to back up Breech, he didn’t hesitate and didn’t even have to take the time to get his shit together. He had a go-bag on his bike and was ready to ride. I gotta say, I was fuckin’ impressed. I vote yes.”
Breech said from beside me, “He’s got a girl in town. I met her getting gas one day, and I asked her where Murph was. She said that the older lady that lived alone a couple doors away from her had broken down and Murph had gone to fix her car so she could get home. I found out later that he wouldn’t take any money from her for the repairs, paying for the parts out of pocket. He never mentioned it to me, but I believe he’s enhanced our reputation to outsiders while keeping his mouth shut about club business to anyone who’s not in the club. He’s got my vote.”
Fighter had been listening intently, nodding his head in agreement with the other two men. “When Aden took Tish, Murph was beside himself for not being there for her. It wasn’t his fault, but he’s been trying to make up for it ever since. I’ve told him there is no blame, but he feels it to his core that he fucked up and she paid the price. I also vote yes. The man deserves to wear the patch.”
Danko, Opry, and Boomer all gave affirmative responses. Dukes looked around the table at each of us. “I have a u
nanimous vote of ‘yes’ from all the members present at the table.” He banged the gavel on the table and smiles broke out from all the men. “Danko, can you please escort Murph to church?”
Getting up, I walked over to the safe and input the combination. Taking out a patch, I closed the safe just as Murph and Danko entered the room. Danko resumed his seat and Murph went to the head of the table at Dukes’s command. He looked confused and scared.
Dukes said, “Murph, I need your cut.” He stood up straight for a minute then seemed to sag, but only for a second; then he stripped off his leather and handed it to Dukes, who had taken out his knife. Carefully he applied the knife to the threads holding the prospect patch onto the vest. When it came free, he threw the vest back at Murph, who caught it. “You won’t be needing this anymore,” he said, waving the patch at Murph.
Murph looked stricken, but he didn’t say anything.
Fighter got up from his chair, took the patch I was holding, and walked over to Murph. “Yeah, man, you don’t need the prospect patch because none of us want to see you wearing it ever again.”
Murph looked like someone had just gut-punched him. “I know I deserve this, Fighter. Tish got taken on my watch, and it should never have happened. “
“Murph, the men here have seen you in action; we believe that your word is your bond. You have been loyal to the club, have taken care of your bike and ridden beside us without asking questions. For these reasons and many others, we believe you should have this.” He held out the Devil’s Wind rocker that would replace the prospect patch that Dukes had just cut off his vest.
Murph’s mouth opened and closed, but no words came out. Fighter thumped him hard on the back. “Speak the fuck up, man—do you want to be a patched member or not—we can always give you back the other rocker.”
“Fuck no,” Murph finally said. “I had no fuckin’ clue you guys were going to do this. I thought for sure you were kicking my ass out.”
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