Not Broken-The Happily Ever After

by Meka James

  Ginger toyed with her necklace and gave me an air kiss. “I’ll make it up to you.”

  I reached for her hand and brought it to my lips. “Does that involve you sitting on my face?”

  Ginger yanked her hand free. “Oh my god, Malcolm!” She turned to look in the backseat.

  “What? I didn’t have dessert. And we’re working our way through your kinky to-do list, so really it’s for your benefit more than mine.” I looked up to the rear-view mirror to see Shawn fast asleep in the back. My attention went back to her. In the passing streetlights, I could see the flush in her complexion.

  I gave her a large grin. She smiled, shook her head, and turned to look out the window. A few minutes later, her hand was on my thigh. I glanced down at her hand that she inched closer to my crotch, then up at her. She unbuckled her seatbelt then moved as close as she could to the middle console. With another glance to the back seat, Ginger used both hands to unzip my pants then pulled my dick free. Both of my hands gripped the steering wheel as she stroked my cock, bringing it to full attention. Her actions were slow and deliberate.

  “Ginger?” I groaned, struggling to even say her name as I concentrated on keeping us on the road. “What are you doing?”

  “Exploring more of my list.” She smiled at me. Her tongue dashed out to wet her lips and my heart leapt into my throat.

  Before I had a chance to question her more, Ginger’s head disappeared beneath my arm. I swallowed hard as her warm mouth enveloped the head. I held my breath as she went lower, taking more of me into her mouth. Ginger swirled her tongue and used her hand to stroke what she couldn’t fit.

  Slowly, she began to bob her head up and down, going further, taking more of my length each time.

  “Jesus, fuck, Ginger.” I looked down at her, mesmerized by her movements.

  A loud honk made me look up, I swerved back into my lane to avoid the oncoming car. I leaned back against my seat and lifted my hips. One hand went to the back of her head, stroking and massaging it while I resisted the urge to push down. Ginger’s mouth and hand worked in perfect sync. She pulled up and looked at me with a wicked grin on her face. My gaze darted from her to the road. She kissed the tip before closing her lips around it, sucking while continuing to pump my shaft with her hand.

  “Fuuuck!” I groaned. My hand strangled the steering wheel.

  Down she went again, taking nearly all of me in this time. A cold sweat broke out on my forehead as I fought to keep my eyes open. I was damn near panting in an attempt to hold it together, but Ginger had some serious skill. She moaned around my cock. My balls tightened.

  “Ginger, baby...now would be a good time…”

  She pulled up, her tongue slid across my slit, before sucking on the head again. She worked her hand faster, and I lifted my hips when I erupted into her mouth. Ginger kept going, swallowing down my load until I finished. She sat up, covered her mouth with her hand, and turned to look out the window. I thought she was getting sick until I heard her giggle.

  “Goddamn, baby.” I laughed. I worked to fix my clothes while she continued to giggle. “Damn, guess it’s true…you gotta watch out for the quiet ones.” I shot a quick glance at her. “I was thinking at best you were about to give me a simple hand job, was not expecting that.”

  Ginger put her seatbelt back on and looked over at me, wearing a carefree smile. “One more thing off the list, right?”

  My eyes bucked as I whipped my head in her direction. “With as fucking amazing as that was, no way was that your first time. Or maybe you’re just a natural blow job master.”

  Her expression changed briefly, before she put a smile back on her face. This one, however, was more forced than the last. “First time in a car. Thanks for keeping us on the road by the way.”

  “It wasn’t easy. And when we get home, we are seriously making a list. Hell, there are a few things I need to add.”

  She rolled her eyes. “Make your own list and stop trying to hijack mine.”

  “You got it, baby.”

  “What am I getting myself into?”

  “If I have it my way, quite a few tricky positions.”

  Ginger broke out in laughter, and it was the most amazing sound.

  ~~~~~~~~~~~~

  Once at home, I carried Lil’ Man upstairs. Ginger followed me up. I stood back and watched how she carefully tucked him in bed. She brushed the hair from his face and leaned down to give him a kiss on his forehead before raising the sidebar back into place. I wrapped my arms around her waist and placed a kiss to the side of her neck.

  “He’s a lucky kid,” I whispered.

  “Why do you say that?”

  “He has you. You’re a kick ass mom. And you make it look easy.”

  Ginger reached back to rub my cheek. “I’m the lucky one. That little boy has saved me more than once.”

  She pulled away and walked out of the room. I switched on the monitor then headed to our bedroom, but she wasn’t there.

  I kicked off my shoes then headed downstairs. The door to the patio was slightly open. Through the open blinds, I could see Ginger. She stood out on the deck, beer in hand, staring off in space. I propped up in the doorway, watching her. Lost in thought, she paid no attention to me. I walked up behind her, and circled my arms around her waist. She jumped at the contact.

  “Sorry, didn’t mean to scare you.”

  “It’s okay.”

  I grabbed the bottle from her hand, took a drink, and then set it down on the railing. “Are you out here spying on the neighbors?”

  Ginger put her arms over mine, pulling them around her tighter. “It’s nice.”

  “What? Spying on the neighbors?”

  She shook her head. “Having them.”

  Ginger reached for the beer, and finished it off in one gulp. It’d been awhile since she drank that I could remember. Certainly been awhile since she’d downed a drink like she was nervous about something.

  “What’s wrong?

  “Nothing.”

  I did an audible inhale and exhale.

  “Is it weird that I like being able to see a house from the back porch or when I look out of any window?”

  I thought about her house. Only five houses were on the street, and they were spread out. Once you were behind her gate, you didn’t see any sign of them. Each house was like an island separated from each other.

  “No, not weird at all.”

  She picked up the empty bottle to take another drink.

  “Want another?”

  “Yes, please.”

  I headed inside to grab another beer for her. Ginger had curled up on one of the loungers when I got back outside. I handed her the new beer and moved to take a seat on the other chair.

  She grabbed my arm. “Sit with me.”

  Stepping over the lounger, I settled back against it, and pulled Ginger against my chest. We sat in silence, listening to the sounds around us. Barking dogs, cars passing by, some with music blaring, and a few conversations as people took evening walks. I stroked her arms in tiny circles. She held the beer, twirling it around in her hands, but not taking a drink. I leaned my head back and closed my eyes. I could tell she had something on her mind. She’d tell me or she wouldn’t. But she needed me to sit here and hold her, and that’s what I’d do.

  Ginger leaned forward to sit her untouched beer on the small side table. I expected her to resume her position, but she didn’t. Instead, she sat sideways on the lounger, chewing on her thumbnail.

  She looked back over her shoulder at me. “Remember last year when I backed out of going trick or treating with you guys?”

  I moved so that I sat behind her and wrapped my arms around her waist. “Yeah, you said Lil’ Man was sick.”

  “He wasn’t sick.”

  “Okay, so you didn’t want to hang out with us?”

  This was an odd topic of conversation, bringing up something so random from last year.


  “It’s coming up again.”

  “True. I think you’d look great as Wonder Woman.”

  “I’m not dressing up as Wonder Woman.” She reached back to rub her shoulder.

  Ah, that damn tattoo. I kissed the top of her shoulder then reached for the beer and took a long drink. “Isn’t there makeup that can cover it?”

  She held her hand out for the bottle, took a quick drink, and handed it back to me. “I’m not dressing up at all.” She took a deep breath. “You asked why I got it.”

  “And I told you, you didn’t have to tell me. And I meant it. Baby, it was just basic curiosity. You were uncomfortable answering. I’ve let it go.”

  “And I appreciate that you didn’t push the issue. Full disclosure, when you told me you didn’t have any no-go topics, it annoyed me. In light of the conversation we were having at the time, coupled with my known issues with opening up, it sorta hurt. But not really hurt, maybe that’s not the right word. Inadequate maybe fits better.”

  Ginger got up and walked over to the railing. She looked out again at the lights coming from the house behind us before turning back to face me. I wanted to say something, but held my tongue. I needed to wait and let her get it out.

  “I want to share with you. Tell you things. Dr. Carr said that how I felt that night had a lot more to do with me than you, and I agree.” She looked down and started twirling the ring around her finger as she spoke again. “You know me. You’ve known me for a long time. Self-esteem is not my strongest quality. I’ve always tried to be what people wanted me to be, because what people thought of me mattered. A lot. Too much at times. My time in therapy, a lot of it was spent constructing my life in the same way. Being who everyone wanted me to be. Until now.”

  I got off the lounger and made my way over to where she stood. She gave me a sad smile, and rested her hands against my chest. I put mine on top of the railing behind her.

  “You intimidate me,” she whispered.

  Soft spoken words that delivered a hard punch. I started to back up to give her space, but her hands grabbed mine.

  “Not in a bad way,” she rushed to explain. “It’s just that I worry more when it comes to telling you things. I have this need to over explain, like I’m doing now, because I want you to understand. Telling you things is hard, because I run the risk of losing that look in your eye when you look at me. That terrifies me. But then I worry that not telling you things will have the same effect, because then I’m deliberately putting a wall between us.”

  “That’s a lot of worrying going on in that head of yours.”

  I picked her up, sat her on the railing, and pushed her knees apart to stand between her legs. My arms slipped around her waist, and my hands rested on the top of her ass for added support to make sure she didn’t fall.

  “I’m not a complicated man, Ginger. Takes way too much effort, and I rather spend that time doing other things. So, I try my best to be as straight forward as possible and say what I mean.”

  “I know. I know that a lot of my worry comes from me overthinking things, and always concluding with the worst-case scenario.”

  “Well, when it comes to me, and how I feel about you, there is no worst-case. You have me. I’ve waited a very long time for this. For you. You’re it for me. No matter what you tell me, or don’t tell me, the way that I love you won’t change.”

  Ginger put her hands on either side of my face. Smiling, she leaned forward and gave me a quick kiss. She rested her forehead against mine and ran her thumb across my lips. I watched her take in a breath and let it out slowly.

  “The simple answer, because he told me to.” She sat up and looked at me. “It was Halloween which is...was also his birthday. I’d dressed up like a genie and told him his wish was my command for the day. Something fun and…I thought it’d be a day of…”

  She looked away, turning her head to stare off into the distance. I stepped closer to her and worked to keep the anger that burned anytime that bastard was mentioned internalized. A year and a half they were together, and he’d destroyed her. Two and a half years, she was still picking up the pieces, but she was here. She survived him.

  Ginger started speaking again, but kept her eyes focused off into the darkness. “I didn’t want a tattoo, but he was a master at using my words against me. So off to the tattoo shop we went. And if agreeing to it wasn’t bad enough, I let him design it and didn’t see it until after we were back at his place. It hurt. He’d done a lot of things that I’d forgiven.” Her hand went to her chest, rubbing over her heart as if talking about this brought the pain back. “For him to take advantage…” she stopped talking and shook her head.

  When she turned back, tears ran down her face. The haunted expression she wore made me wish I’d never asked the fucking question. I despised seeing his initials on her shoulder, and I don’t know if it was ego or some morbid curiosity that’d made me ask, but I regretted it now. That fucking bastard had taken advantage of her.

  She wiped away the tears only to have new ones replace them. “Anyway, we argued over it. To say I wasn’t happy would be an understatement. He dragged me out of the house to the shed...it...it was then I learned about who he really was.” She paused and drew in a sharp breath. “So, now you know.” She wiped the tears away again.

  “Now I know.” I leaned forward and gave her a soft kiss. “And nothing’s changed.”

  Chapter 52

  Calida

  The sound of Shawn talking to himself came over the baby monitor. I stretched up to give Mal a quick kiss on the cheek before easing out of his embrace. He rolled over and hugged a pillow in my absence. That action brought a smile to my face.

  I picked up his discarded shirt off the floor and slipped it on as I exited. Shawn’s bright blue eyes and smiling face greeted me when I entered his room.

  “Mornin’, baby boy. Did you sleep okay?”

  He bounced up and down in his crib, calling my name until I picked him up. After a quick diaper change, we headed down for breakfast. Malcolm walked downstairs as I was wiping the sticky syrup from Shawn’s hands.

  “Good mornin’.” He walked over, gave me a kiss on the top of the head, and ruffled Shawn’s hair on the way to the kitchen.

  “Mornin’. There’s some leftover pancakes and bacon in the microwave.”

  He popped a pod in the coffee machine. “Aw, baby, you made me breakfast,” he said with a smile as he pulled the plate out.

  I unbuckled Shawn from his high chair. “Nope. I made him breakfast.” I gave Shawn a quick kiss on the cheek before setting him free. “You’re just lucky he left you some.”

  Shawn made a beeline for Mal. Soon as he was picked up, Shawn reached for the bacon on Mal’s plate.

  “I see. You didn’t want me, just my food. That’s cold, man. Used by a toddler.”

  As soon as he was put back down, Shawn scrambled over to the couch and enjoyed his prize. Mal and I laughed as we watched him sit back and cross his legs at the ankles when he sat to watch the cartoon program. Malcolm settled down at the table to eat while I continued to clean up the mess Shawn made.

  “Can you keep an eye on him while I take a quick shower?”

  “Yeah, no problem.”

  “Good ‘cuz I need to get dressed and then get him dressed so we can head out.”

  “Where ya headed?”

  “Home.”

  The sound of utensils hitting the plate stopped. Shawn laughed at something on the TV. I looked in his direction first then over to Mal who’d gone back to eating his breakfast.

  “Your sister called. We are apparently going on a double date tomorrow, so I need to get more clothes. I only packed a few things.”

  The tense, disappointed look he’d had on his face quickly got replaced with a look of relief, followed by confusion.

  “How does she assume we don’t have plans of our own?”

  I laughed. “Well, she did start the conversation with askin
g if I had plans, and when I answered no, she made them for me. Well, us.”

  Mal took a sip of his coffee. “That is no big surprise.”

  After drying my hands, I strolled over and wrapped my arms around his neck. “It’ll be fun. Besides, now that she’s feeling better, I think she wants to get out while she can. It’ll be harder when she has two.”

  He brought my hand to his lips. “If you say so.”

  ~~~~~~~~~~~~

  An hour and a half later, I stood in my room packing while the boys ran around making as much noise as possible. The sound of Shawn’s infectious laughter grew louder. Moments later, he and Malcolm burst through my bedroom door. Shawn’s arms were out by his side as Mal flew him around.

  “Crash landing.”

  Mal plopped him down on the bed, right on top of the bag from the lingerie store. Shawn did a quick flip to his stomach, and the loud crinkling noise of the bag drew his attention. Shawn started hitting the bag so that it made noise again. He giggled each time, as if it was the best thing in the world.

  “The simple joys in life,” Mal said. He had the biggest grin on his face when he sat on the edge of the bed and started hitting the bag along with Shawn.

  I watched, waiting, hoping Mal wouldn’t read the label on the outside. When I’d originally packed, I’d left my new purchases behind. I’d chickened out after convincing myself that parading around in underwear would result in a horribly failed attempt at being sexy. However, I’d bought them for him, so he deserved to see me in them. It would just be done without any sort of sexy modeling on my part.

  Shawn dumped the contents of the bag onto the bed. Mal looked down at the items. I grabbed for them, but he was closer and quicker. The smile on his face grew bigger when he held up the lacy, boyshort panties.

  “You weren’t supposed to see those.”

  “Why not? I like these.”

  I yanked them out of his hand. “I’m sure you do. But they were supposed to be a surprise.”

  Shawn picked up the thong and put it on his head, grinning proudly at his accomplishment.