Before my mind can wander further into the depths of my insecurity, I am placed on my feet from his lap. Shooter is quickly standing and taking me by the hand to lead me to the room I have been staying in. He shuts and locks the door behind us before going over to the bed we have been sharing. He unbuttons his jeans and unzips them to give his erection more room before lying down, pulling me down beside him.
“We don’t have to do this, baby. Anytime you want to stop, we will. I’m not going to have you moaning or calling out my name where your son could walk out and find us, though.”
Fuck! Will I ever learn to think? I let my hormones run wild and didn’t give a second thought to who could come out to the living room and find us.
Sensing my change in thought, Shooter’s lips crash into mine, sending shivers through my body. Needing more, I reach my hand down his pants and into his boxers.
He is thick and long when I wrap my hand around him and slide down his length. He kisses me harder as his hands slide my pajama bottoms and panties down. His pre-cum moistens the head, and I use it to lubricate my hand and continue to slowly stroke him, imagining how good he will feel stretching me.
As his fingers reach my exposed pussy, he teases my trimmed, narrow line of pubic hair, causing me to buck, wanting more contact from him. He cups my pussy with the palm of his hand and uses his fingers to tease circles on the muscles on the sides of my juncture, causing my wetness to trickle out.
I can take no more of his teasing as I rock into his hand. I whimper in need as I continue to slowly stroke him.
He pulls out of my grip and breaks our kiss. Then he drags his nose along my jaw as he breathes on my neck, making me tremble. My body is on fire for this man, all of my senses working in overdrive.
His fingers slip between my pussy lips, rubbing circles over my clit as I cry out for more. He licks my erect nipple and blows on it, sending more sensations through me. Then one finger slowly and delicately slides in me, and for a moment, my body tenses at the invasion. For a split second, my mind tries to go back there.
“Breathe, baby. Inhale,” Shooter softly instructs, bringing me back to the here and now.
I run my hands through his hair before bringing his head back down on my breast. Taking my cue, he takes my nipple in his mouth as his tongue circles before he sucks. He begins to slide his finger out of me, but I clinch down with my inner muscles, silently begging him not to stop. He slides back in me and then out, coating my pussy in my own liquid as he continues to slowly tease me.
“Relax, Tessie. No rushing.”
He trails kisses down my stomach then kisses his way down my legs. Making his way back up, he kisses the inside of my thighs before his mouth descends upon my pussy lips. He licks as he inserts two fingers inside me, stretching me, prepping me, and sending me over the edge as my body ignites under his mouth and touch.
He continues to lick and suck while he moves his hands to massage my ass while I ride the few aftershocks of my orgasm.
“Shooter, I want you.”
His head comes up and he kisses his way back up to my neck before stopping to look at me.
“Baby, I don’t have a condom in here, and I’m not sure your mom wants to see me like this.”
“I have an IUD, and I’m clean. I’ve been checked,” I spit out, not caring about how desperate this makes me sound.
“I’m clean, too. Are you sure?”
Reaching between us, I grab his cock, feeling his pulse run through it. I bite my bottom lip and nod.
Rolling to his back, Shooter lifts me over him. “With my ribs, you gotta do the work now, baby. You wanna stop, we stop. No questions, no hard feelings. You’re in control, Tessie. Take what you want.” He spreads his arms out, lying under me as my own personal toy to do with as I please.
Leaning down, I kiss him, tasting myself on his tongue and driving me wild.
Reaching between us, I rub his cock along my pussy, moaning at the contact. After I slide his dick in me, I sit up to allow my body to adjust to his size. I have never felt so full in my life. My heart wants to burst out of my chest as I join together with the man who has captured my soul.
Slowly, I begin to move up and down over him, steadying myself by holding onto his hips.
“You. Are. So. Beautiful,” Shooter says as he watches me ride him.
Tucking my hair behind my ears, I feel nerves build up in me. Nothing has ever felt so good inside me before, but I am holding back because the emotions I have for this man are overwhelming me.
His hands come up to my hips and still me. “Never be nervous with me, baby. Inhale, Tessie. Breathe. Let go, baby. Let go and be with me.” His words calm me, the way he knows me, knows what I need.
Dropping my mouth to his, I begin to move again, kissing him as I grind, causing my breasts to rub against his chest, sending more sensations through me. He rocks up to meet me, and we both pick up our pace as our need for each other becomes too much to deny. Unable to focus on kissing him, I pull back as my orgasm builds.
“Annnndddyyyy,” I cry out, as my inner walls clamp down around him and my climax overtakes me.
I am still going through the aftershocks as he continues to pump into me, holding me steady while he finds his own release.
Dropping my head to his neck, I lie there with him still inside me as we both try to steady our breathing.
“Thank you, Shooter. That was… that was just… beautiful,” I stammer out.
“You’re what’s beautiful, baby.”
The sunlight shining through the curtains wakes me. Finding myself tangled with Tessie is heaven. After a shower spent consumed in one another, we fell asleep with her in my arms. No nightmares plagued either of us. The sound of her even breathing keeps me from moving. I don’t want to wake her, so I relax and treasure the moment.
The good things are made to push us through the bad. During all those deployments, the good would be what my team clung to in order to get through the mission at hand. Memories of Tracie would push me through. She had a smile that would light up a room. I would think of times she had really smiled, like our proms, high school football game parties, just going out four wheelin’, or her watching me work at her dad’s garage.
Her dad. I haven’t spoken to him since the day of her funeral. Would he see things the way Tessie says they are? That I couldn’t save her when she wouldn’t even reach for the hand I was holding out?
The sounds of little feet coming down the hall draw me back into reality. The strongest woman I have ever known is lying in my arms, in my house, and her son is definitely looking for me to make certain he gets to eat some sugary cereal rather than the oatmeal his mom is sure to try to feed him. We have a deal.
Since he usually is on the cot and I always end up in here holding his mom, finding me in here won’t be a surprise to him. Usually, I snake my way gently out from under Tessie and feed Axel the breakfast of his choice before she wakes up. However, today may be oatmeal day because there is no way I am giving up even one second of her being in my arms this morning. I need to know she doesn’t regret last night.
Some mornings, she wakes before us, and some mornings, she ends up getting up alone. Today, she will not wake up alone. She’s not a barfly or a random hookup. She won’t wake up alone after we shared a night together. I know she had that in her past, and I refuse to give her that in her future.
Axel knocks on the bedroom door even though it is unlocked. He has never knocked before. Granted, that was at his house and he didn’t know I was there. Tessie really has raised him with manners. As much as I would love to have her naked in my arms all day long, I am glad we both got dressed after our shower so Axel can freely come in.
I don’t know how Tessie feels about us or what she wants for her son.
“Come in, buddy,” I call out.
Tessie wakes up and, forgetting about my ribs, pushes off me, causing me to grunt in discomfort. After yesterday and then the activities of last night, I am a little
more sore than usual.
“Sorry, Andy,” she whispers.
Andy, huh? It has a nice ring to it coming out of her mouth. I smile as I think of her calling out my name just hours ago.
Axel comes and jumps on the bed between us.
“Shooter, can you make my breakfast?”
“No—” Tessie starts to answer at the same time I do.
“Sure, but how about we cook something for your momma and Gigi?”
Tessie looks at me with a smile on her face, knowing I am on the oatmeal prevention task force.
Axel is bouncing in excitement.
“Momma loves pancakes. Can we make those?”
Getting out of bed, I stand and stretch slowly, careful of pulling my midsection. My chest tightens at the sight of Tessie lying in bed with Axel sitting beside her, both of them smiling up at me. This is a happiness I have never felt before. More than happiness, this is true long lasting contentment. Happiness is an emotion that comes and goes, contentment is real inner peace. I could be completely satisfied waking up to these two every morning for the rest of my life.
“Let’s go, buddy,” I say to Axel as I lean over and kiss his mom on the forehead before we head to the kitchen.
“We gotta get fruit, Shooter,” Axel states firmly when we start pulling out the pancake mix and pans.
“What’s in the fridge?” I question, not having a clue.
Tessie wasn’t in my house two hours before we had to go to the grocery store because apparently, beer, bread, and peanut butter were not balanced food groups to feed her family. Being a bachelor, those are common staples in my pantry.
“Momma says, if I’m gonna eat the sugary syrup, I gotta eat fruit. Otherwise, I’m gonna make my tummy grumpy. She says we gotta give it as much of the good as we feed it the bad.”
“Well, she’s right. You gotta keep everything in life balanced. The good shit—I mean, stuff takes care of the times we gotta go through the bad.”
“You’re the good stuff, Shooter. You balance us out, ya know.”
“Nah, Axel, you and your mom and Gigi, y’all are the best parts of my days. That’s the good stuff, knowing I get to come home to that.”
A thought hits me. How much longer will I get to come home to them? After Tripp talks to Thorn, the threat may be eliminated. What then? Will Tessie move out?
Mending Bridges
Failures happen for everyone, boys. Your measure of success does not come in wealth; your successes happen when you face your failures and learn from them. Pops always told us not to give up.
“Where ya at, fucker?” Tripp kicks my chair at his dining room table, jarring me.
“Right here. What the hell?”
“Doll asked you four times if you wanted a beer, and you said nothing. Caroline agreed to have sex with you—” My cousin is cut off at the screech of Lux.
“The hell I did, Tripp.”
Grabbing my chest in mock emotion, I say, “Lux, you crush me. We’re all family here, you can be honest. Doll is used to everyone wanting my cock,” I joke, knowing it drives Caroline crazy, especially when I call her Lux.
“What gives, Rex? Normally, you would’ve grabbed your junk and pushed the issue more,” Doll, ever the observant one, inquires.
Dropping my head into my hands, I blow out a frustrated breath. It’s time to own my mistakes and face my failures. I drag my hands down my face before I look up and face everyone.
“I have a son.”
The room falls silent and everyone stills. Well, not exactly the reaction I was going for.
“What the fuck?” Tripp questions.
“Tessie’s boy, Axel. He’s my son.”
“No way!” Doll exclaims, the shock written all over her face.
“Don’t mean this harsh, but you sure he’s yours?” Tripp asks with a look of understanding.
“I’ve seen him. One look at him, and there’s no denyin’ it.” I stand up, no longer able to remain still.
“Whoring around does that to ya, Rex. What are you gonna do about it now?” Caroline has to put her two cents in as usual. That broad busts my balls every chance she gets.
Doll quietly walks over, wraps her arms around my waist, and softly asks, “Why didn’t she tell us? Why didn’t she tell you?”
“I need to talk to her. I sort of over-reacted to seeing him. From what Shooter has told me, she didn’t think I was ready. She wanted me to live my life.”
“Shooter? Of course he would know if it’s that obvious. He’s had the boy living with him. Why the hell didn’t he tell you? I’ll kick his motherfuckin’ ass,” Tripp says, throwing his beer into the wall, the glass shattering everywhere.
“I already tried,” I say, giving them the truth. It is not fun to beat the shit out of someone who puts up no resistance.
“What the hell you talkin’ ‘bout? How long have you known? Shooter’s busted face the other day, that from you?” Tripp questions, glaring at me.
Doll releases me to put her hands on Tripp’s chest. “Stop it. This is for Rex to sort out and us to support him, not you getting in a rage. Damn.”
“I’ve known long enough to do something about it and haven’t done it yet.”
“Are you angry with her? Tessie?” Caroline decides to join the conversation.
“I was, but I don’t know what I feel or think now. I have so many questions.” I turn to the sexiest woman I have ever encountered trying to remain calm as I still sort through this in my head.
“You want me to blow smoke up your ass and inflate your ego further, or do you want me to keep it real with you?” Caroline asks honestly.
“Lux, when have you ever done anything but destroy my ego? You wouldn’t give it to me any other way but straight, even if I asked.”
“If it were me, I wouldn’t have told you, either.”
“Caroline!” Doll does nothing to hold back her shock. “That’s bullshit. As that little boy’s father, Rex should have rights, and she took all his choices away from him.”
“Get real, Drexel. Have you ever wanted a kid before one was standing in front of you?”
My actual name. Oh, she’s seriously using the big guns to get my attention. I shake my head back and forth rather than actually answer her.
“If she came to you when she was pregnant, would you have supported her? I’m not talkin’ money, either. Would you have made time for appointments and classes? When she was sick, puking her guts out from morning sickness, you were probably rolling out of some barfly’s bed. You gonna stop chasin’ pussy for her and her kid?”
I open my mouth to answer yet don’t get a word out before Caroline is snapping at me again.
“Let me answer for you. No. Now, you would’ve given her money that much I know. You aren’t a lowlife. She wouldn’t have had to worry about bills. Hell, she wouldn’t have been workin’ in a bar if she would’ve told you. I know that much about you and Tripp. You take care of what’s yours. Appointments, no, you wouldn’t have been there when she had to pee on command. When she had to drink this sickeningly sweet, sugar drink for a glucose test, she would’ve been alone. When she went into labor, you probably would’ve been on a transport or balls deep in a barfly. Either way, you wouldn’t have been there to watch her exhaust her body, bringing life to your baby boy.
“If, by some chance, you tried to be in a relationship with her, you would’ve kept her ass at home while you still did whatever the hell you wanted. She would resent you, and eventually, you would resent her for what you thought you might have missed. So, while all of you get angry at Tessie for not telling him, I say I would’ve done the same damn thing.”
Closing in on her in her seat at the table, I pick up either side of her chair, pulling it out then turning it around while she sits in it, unmoving. Once I have her spun around, I put my hands back on either side of the chair seat cushion, caging her in. Getting eye to eye with her, our breaths mix when we exhale.
“You think you have me all figured
out? Yeah, I fucked this up. How about this one for ya? You are right! I wouldn’t have been there. Sure, I would’ve given her money, but no, I wouldn’t have been at one single appointment. I can’t stand here and tell you I would’ve made it a priority to be at the birth of my son because I didn’t know about him. I can tell you that seeing what Tessie has gone through has shown me a lot of things. It’s not just what she’s gone through with my son, it’s Shooter. She looks at him in a way she’s never looked at me.”
She claps her hands at me. “There, you were given a round of applause for seeing the error of your ways. Is that what you want?”
“You push me at every fuckin’ turn, woman! That’s not what I want.”
“Then what do you want, Rex? Own it, right now, what do you want?”
“A woman to look at me like Tessie looks at Shooter, like Doll looks at Tripp. A woman who doesn’t judge me and accepts me failures, flaws, and all. Since I ruined it with the one person who has ever given me that, I guess I need to find a way to earn it from everyone else. And that starts with earning acceptance from my son,” I state firmly, not giving her a chance to back down from my stare.
“Then why are you still here?” she challenges.
“Good fuckin’ question.” With that, I take off without another word to anyone.
Shooter is at work. Axel is at school. Mom is resting. Today, I have a quiet day. I am wiping down the kitchen counter when my phone rings.
“Hello,” I greet, unsure what to say to the man on the other end of the line.
“Can I see you?” Rex asks.
“I’m at Shooter’s house.”
“See you in ten.” The line disconnects before I can say another word.
Is this smart? Will he be in an uncontrollable rage again? He wouldn’t hurt me, would he?
Needing reassurance, I dial the person I have come to rely on more than I have ever depended on anyone before.
Merciless Ride Page 12