10. Chapter 9
Richard
Sunday afternoon I sat at my mom’s kitchen table laughing with her and my brothers as we loaded up our plates to feast.
Ever since Cooper got back, mom demanded these to keep us all close.
“Maybe next Sunday you can ask Olivia to join in?” She raised her eyebrow at Cooper.
Cooper let out a sigh. “She’s still not talking to me.”
“Well, maybe after the welcome home baby George party, you’ll figure it out.” She handed me the potatoes. “Are you going to bring a date to the party?”
“I’m going to ask Jo.”
“You’ve been seeing a bit of her at night.” Mom smiled at me.
“What makes you say that?” I handed the potatoes to Jeremy, who started laughing.
“Like we haven’t noticed your big ass feet hanging out of the treehouse most nights.” Jeremy gave me a shoulder bump.
“And since the fair, you’ve been walking around with a dopey smile on your face.” Coop made a funny face at me.
“She’s had a lot going on.” I shrugged. “She brings the baby monitor and we just talk.”
“You and her always snuck out there as kids.” Cooper smiled.
I felt the dopey smile spreading across my face. For now, I had my friend back, and that was good enough.
Not to mention she’s confiding in me about how her ex was good at first and it was a slow decent to hell.
“Boys, don’t tease your brother.” Ma looked over at me. “You can’t rush love.”
“Thanks, ma.”
“Or grandbabies.” She lifted a forkful of meatloaf into her mouth.
Knock-knock.
“Come in!” Cooper and Jeremy yelled at the same time.
The door opened and closed and in came Jo. “Oh. I’ll go. I didn’t me …”
“Jolynn, don’t be silly. Have a seat. Coop, get her a plate.” Mom nodded at the empty chair next to me.
“I really don’t mean to intrude.”
“Jo, you could never intrude.” I pulled a chair out for her to sit. “What brings you over? Where’s the kids?”
She laid her head on my shoulder. “It’s his visitation today. After the phone call, he exercised his right. So now my dad and his mother are the supervising adults.”
“Breathe, sweetie.” Mom’s voice was soft. “Your dad won’t let anything happen to those babies.”
“I know.” She picked at her lip. “But. He’s here. Well, there.”
I wrapped my arm around her and kissed her head. “Your dad’ll call if there’s trouble, and you got us on your side.”
“Thanks, Richie.” She took the plate Cooper handed her and loaded up some food.
“Hey, they’re celebrating baby George next weekend. You wanna be Richie’s date?” Jeremy chuckled.
“What are we? In junior high?” She laughed. “Do you need me to check yes or no?”
I glared at my brother and then felt Jo’s hand on my thigh under the table. I jumped, she laughed, and mom announced it’s time to dig in.
Sunday dinner was livelier, and I relaxed with Jo beside me. The only thing was, I missed the kids. My mind drifted, wondering what life would’ve been like if dad hadn’t been a drunken son of a bitch.
Would we have laughed at dinner? Would he have cared about what us boys were into? Would Cooper have left?
Once we’ve all eaten, Jo tried to help clean the kitchen, but mom shoved us out of the kitchen announcing Cooper’s turn to clean.
“But how did I pull k.p. duty?” He grumped.
“You’re the youngest. You know that’s how grandma always decided.” She patted his cheek and linked arms with Jeremy as they left Cooper to it.
I took Jo’s hand in mine and led her around back to the treehouse. “My lady.”
Giggling, she climbed up the ladder and crawled in. I followed her up. My mouth watered from seeing her denim clad ass. Then we stretch out on our sides facing each other.
“How ya’ doin’?” I brushed a few errant strands of hair from her face.
“This might sound silly, but being here with you and your family makes this so much easier to bear.”
“That doesn’t sound silly.”
She shuddered out a breath. “You ever keep a secret that eats you up inside?”
I shrugged and looked at her. “You mean like knowing my brother’s gay even though he hasn’t come out?”
“What?” Her jaw dropped.
“Or that it was Cooper who stole dad’s favorite beer cooler?”
“How?” Her face contorted as she processed what I said. “Yeah. Big things.”
“Orrrr …” I chuckled and moved closer. “How I think my ma has a girlfriend?”
“Richie? Seriously?” She giggled. “Based on what?”
“Her and Velma spend an awful lot of time together.”
“I bet they’re just enjoying being in their prime.”
“Okay. We’ll go with that.” I snickered. “But, I guess when the time comes and you know it’s right, then you can share it. But sometimes there’s things you carry alone.”
Jolynn
Not yet. I’m not ready yet.
Pulling my phone from my back pocket, I checked the time. There’s still over an hour before the visit is over and I can go home.
My palms felt sweaty and not because it’s summer. Being home. Being with him felt like I never left in some ways.
He’s so close.
I cupped his face and ran my thumb across his lips.
His eyes always reminded me of shadowed moss, which made me remember the first time we kissed in the woods. And his lips? The bottom one looked fuller than the last time I really kissed him.
Closing my eyes, I took a deep breath and leaned in, pressing my lips to his.
Please don’t reject me.
His hand came up, cupping my face as his thumb stroked my cheek. Relaxing, I nipped at his bottom lip, giggling like a teenager, when he growled and returned the nip to my lip.
Johnny hated when I initiated anything. Stop! Just stop comparing them, Jolynn Whitman.
Feeling braver, I nudged him to lie back, and he pulled me over him. He deepened our kiss slowly, keeping his hands up by my face. His kisses were so different from what I’ve had the last ten years. He’s not demanding. He’s not choking me.
Richie’s lips were soft, his tongue playful, and it felt goddamned amazing.
I felt desired. Treasured. Wanted. All the things I haven’t felt in years.
Feeling even bolder now, I felt his chest through his shirt and down his sides. I sat up and ran my hands down his front, feeling the muscles there.
Wiggling my hips against his midsection, I reveled in his deep moan. “It feels like you could toss me around like a rag-doll.”
“I would never do that to you.” He reached for my face, guiding me back down to kiss.
“You wouldn’t?” I pouted.
“No.” He kissed me softly. “I would make up for lost time with you.” His hands came around, and he braced my lower back, pressing me against his erection. “I need to take my time.”
Peppering kisses along his jaw, I made my way to his ear. “What would you do with that time?”
Moaning softly, his hands rubbed up and down my back. I felt his breath against my ear and his voice gave me goosebumps.
“I would kiss every bit of exposed skin on your body before I would remove your shirt.”
“Mmm, every bit?”
“Every inch.” His hands slid under my shirt and I felt the callouses from his work teasing my skin.
“I’d have to do the same, you know.” I shimmied his shirt up from between us and groaned, feeling the tufts of hair from his stomach to his chest.
“I’d let you after I was done with you.” He nibbled my earlobe. “But I have plans for you and this beautiful body.”
“Pfft.” I giggled.
“Don’t do that.” He pulled a hand from my back and tipped my face to look into my eyes. “Don’t you ever belittle or trash talk yourself. You are beautiful.” His hands go back to roaming all over as he talked, caressing what he’s talking about. “These curves are dangerous. Like a road when it first rains. A man could lose control.”
He kissed the nape of my neck. “And under this tee shirt, I know are some wicked marks that tell the story of how you nurtured and grew another life. I want to trace them with my tongue, then feast on your tits.”
His tongue moved up my neck. “I remember the last time I held them, they fit in my hands. Now, I bet they spill over, and I wish I had more than one mouth to love on them.”
Richard held my breast in his hand, and even though it was over my shirt, his touch and kisses were making my panties dampen.
“Richie.”
“Yes, baby?” He kissed his way back to my lips.
Opening my mouth, he slid his tongue in, and I turned my hand to move between us, covering his erection. Unbuttoning his jeans was a snap, and I pushed my hand in under the band of his boxers. My fingers closed around him and awkwardly stroked up and down.
Pride filled me, as he couldn’t hold still. His hips twitched and moved in time to my strokes. He broke our kiss and arched back against the floor, soft moans filling the treehouse. He shut his eyes tight, panting.
“Jojo … you gotta … stop.”
“Mmmm.” I leaned in and nipped his lip. “I don’t think so.” I moved my attention to his exposed neck. “Lose control for me.”
My mouth latched on to his neck, sucking, and biting, my hand squeezing tighter and stroking faster. As he fought against losing control, my resolve remained firm.
I needed this. I needed to be in control.
My thumb slid through the bead of cream forming on his head, rubbing it in and around his crown. I know I’ve won when trembled beneath me.
“Oh.” He growled in pleasure. “Fuck … Jo.”
I felt each throb of his orgasm as it pumped out, coating my hand, spilling onto his stomach. His hips bucked as I gave him a few more strokes until I was sure his orgasm was done. Then I released my bite on his neck.
“You okay, Richie?” I licked the spot I bit.
“I am so much more than okay.” There’s a breathlessness to his voice as he lay beneath me spent.
“That was fun.” I giggled and pulled my hand from between us.
“You think so?” His eyes popped open. “Did you give me a hickey?” He hissed.
“Me?” I batted my eyes innocently as I looked at the deep purple mark my mouth made.
“Jo!” He flipped me over, pinning my hands above my head. “My turn.” He winked at me with a wicked grin on his face.
“Richie?” I bit my lip in anticipation. “What are you thinking?”
“I’m thinking it’s my turn.” His head dipped down, capturing my lips for a kiss. The treehouse smelled like sex and I wanted more.
I wanted to feel him plunge into my core and make me come. Hell, I wanted a real orgasm again. Not one I had to fake.
My phone went off with an alarm sound, making me jump, head-butting him.
“Ouch!” we both yelled together.
“I’m so sorry.” I cringed.
He was rubbing his forehead when I apologized, and he stopped looking into my eyes. “I’m not him . You don’t have to apologize for an accident.”
Pressing my lips together, I nodded, then looked at my phone, feeling my face fall.
“Time to head back to see your kids?”
I nodded. “Yeah.”
“No worries.” He smiled. “I’ll see you later.”
Closing my eyes, I took a deep breath. “Can I call you later?”
“I would be sad if you didn’t.” He leaned down, kissing me deeply.
When we pull apart, I try to put myself back together before leaving the treehouse. My shirt has some of his stuff on it, and that made me snort in peels of laughter.
He joined in and we heard someone outside.
“Hey!” he called out.
“Yo.” Coop responded easily. “Need something?”
“Gimme a clean shirt.”
Cooper snorted in laughter, but a moment later handed a clean shirt in. I quickly changed and pressed a kiss to his forehead, then made my way out.
I took the long way back to my dad’s house, trying to get some of my giddiness out and to allow enough time for John to leave.
When I walked up the driveway, my boys ran out to me, hugging me tight. “We missed you, mama!”
“I missed you guys, too.” I hugged them back as we went into the house.