13. Johnny
13
JOHNNY
“ F uck.” I run my hand down my face after parking in an up-close spot at the big box store. It’s just past dawn, and I’d much rather be at home in bed with my wife. Except she and my nephew need it all. Shit, they need everything. After hearing what little they have in their apartment in Georgia, it made my muscles tense, my teeth grind down enough for my back molars to turn into dust, and my heart clench inside my chest.
Which is why I’m here, meeting Lennie and Kenny, both more than ready to help me pull out the big guns, and as I take a look toward the door, I see they’ve brought company in the form of their other halves, Asher and Trent. They’re standing at the entrance, each of them holding a to-go cup of coffee in their hands. The girls have really rallied the troops. The icing on the cake would be my mother, Asher’s mom, Trent’s mom, and Lennie’s adopted mom, Catherine. I think the only reason they aren’t in tow is because my mom has Seb, Trent’s mom is more than likely busy with what she has going on, the woman is go-go-go, and Asher and Kenny’s mom still works part time.
I watch as my friends look on. Both of the guys have a shit-eating grin on their faces and know this isn’t one of those days I’m looking forward to. I’m not a shopper, hate it and will do anything to avoid it, including hiring it out. Except this is close to the vest, and while I’d have preferred to order everything online and have it delivered to the house, this is something I want to be hands-on with. Plus, the likelihood of it all being delivered on the same day not broken is highly fucking unlikely.
Kennedy looks at her watch and then back to me, telling me time is ticking, doing it with a sly smirk on her face. The baby of the group, always pulling shit on one of us. I guess that’s payback for leaving her out when we were growing up. Except now she’s an adult and has a child of her own, Briar. The life of the party, always wanting to be thrown around in the pool, and chocolate obsessed. Which reminds me; I need to see where Sebastian is in the swimming department. We have a pool where we live, although gated, but some of our friends have pools, too, Kennedy and Trent included. Theirs is in the beginning stages. Still, we live in Florida; fucking water surrounds us everywhere.
I pull my keys out of the ignition and grab my phone from the dash above the gear shifter. The only thing I’ve technically changed in my personal life after Winnie left was vehicles. I’ve upgraded, and the low whistle my dad let out when I pulled into their driveway had me shaking my head. We came from humble beginnings. Both my parents worked, and I busted my ass in school in order to get the most out of college as I could. While there, I started doing anything I could to make money, always hustling, knowing that I wanted more out of life than working nine to five, plus overtime when it was allowed, and my worst nightmare, working for someone who isn’t myself.
The matte black Range Rover with black interior and black rims cost a whack. It’s also a hybrid and has more creature comforts than needed. It was the one want I gave myself. It also helped my conscience that my older SUV is now with my sister. Her former car had some age on it. She commutes to and from work a lot more than I do, so it made sense to give it to her rather than trade it in to only receive pennies for it.
“About time you join us.” Asher’s voice carries through the parking lot after I get out of the car and close the driver’s side door. I’m re-thinking texting the group last night after Winnie and I took a shower together, my hands on every inch of her body, re-affirming the fact that my wife missed more than a meal here and there. I love her more than her body, except when I know she worked herself to the bone to provide for others and not keep herself fed.
I worshipped her body. There wasn’t a place my hands or mouth missed, and when she returned the favor, it was all I could do to hold back. Winnie’s touch lights me up inside, catching fire, building flames, and where she’s concerned, they’ll never burn out. The tightly held control I had went by the wayside when my wife dropped to her knees, hands clenching my thighs, and her mouth engulfed the head of my cock. I did the only thing I could do.
I held on.
I held the fuck on.
She licked, slurped, laved, and worshipped my cock until she sucked my goddamn soul out of me.
When she was done, I helped her up and kissed her, tasting myself on her tongue, and my woman needed relief. Winnie getting off while getting me off, she’s my perfect fucking match. Which is why I repaid the favor, only instead of my cock or fingers, I used my mouth. I’d worked her harder than I should have. She’d be wrecked today if she took my cock again. I was tempted to wake her up this morning with me buried deep insider her but for the slight tinge of pain she gave away when we crawled into bed.
“I can’t believe you dragged your women out this early in the morning,” I reply, making my way toward the group. Most of us don’t require a heck of a lot of sleep, Asher being a firefighter, Trent being a detective, and myself having weird-as-fuck hours at the club, so we roll with whatever we can get. I’m not sure what Lennie and Kenny’s sleep is like. I only know my wife’s. She prefers as much as possible, not being woken up in a jarring way, and the only time I can get away with waking her up is when it’s for something a hell of a lot better than heading to work.
“Brother, you know they were up, dressed, and ready to go before we were. The excuse to shop, they’re all about that,” Trent offers when we’re all standing in a huddle.
“I’m so excited. I haven’t shopped for little kid anything in so long. This is going to be so much fun.” Lennie claps her hands together with excitement.
“Same, plus for a boy. This is going to be insane, getting cute little boy clothes, setting up his bedroom. Which, by the way, where are you getting furniture?” Kennedy hooks her thumb over her shoulder and points to the store. “I don’t think this one is going to have a dresser, bed, mattress, and nightstand,” she says with a smile before taking a sip of what I’m sure is some sugared version of what she likes to call coffee, with more creamer than anything.
“Already did an online order. It’ll be ready for pick-up in two hours. I’ll need help in the form of a truck, if one of you won’t mind?” My car isn’t big enough, and there isn’t enough time to grab a rental truck in order for this to get done today.
“I’ve got you covered. Trent and Kenny are only here for this trip. You’ve got Lennie and me for however long it takes to get everything sorted,” Asher says.
“Alright, so, game plan. Do you have one? Do you know what Seb is into?” Lennon goes in for the kill. Luckily for me, I’ve got my parents digging into all the information I need.
“Yep, keeping the bedding character free. That way, when he grows out of his love of dinosaurs, it’ll be easier to transition into something else. Mom mentioned clothes need to be easy to get on and off, no buttons or snaps. He’s teetering on the side of outgrowing what he’s in now, which is a 3T, and we should size up. Also know he’s obsessed with race cars and loves to be read to.” I had a hell of a time figuring out sizing when it comes to toddlers. Briar only ever received toys from me growing up, the noisiest the better, which means Kennedy is going to pay me back big time.
“Alright, we’ll work on the clothes and bedding. You guys can do toys, toiletries, and I’m assuming you’ll want to help Winn out with the necessities?” Lennon suggests.
“Works for me,” I reply. Trent looks like he dodged a bullet, and Asher is looking at his newly pregnant fiancée with nothing but adoration. He’s got it bad. Can’t say that I blame him. There’s something about having a woman who has your ring on her finger, your last name attached to hers, and with any fucking luck, I’ll get that dose of Winn one day becoming pregnant with our child.
“Alright, I’ll make sure to grab the batteries.” Kennedy laughs while spinning on her heel and making her way inside.
“You’re screwed, but it’s going to be fun as hell going to the penthouse and seeing toys littered every which way,” Trent tells me.
“Not worried about a mess. Seb is funny as hell, has no problem telling it like it is, and is the spitting image of Winn.” My phone vibrates in my hand, and I take the time to look down at the notification.
Madre: Don’t forget pull-ups. Sebastian also loves sippy cups with a straw. I swear if I didn’t have him here with me and eating a pile of waffles, I’d meet you to shop. Next time, and I’ll take Winnie and Seb with me, too.
Me: Gracias, Mamá.
Me: For everything.
“Everything okay?” Ash asks, realizing the girls have taken off and now we’re the ones left. I pocket my phone, keeping it near just in case. I don’t need any more distractions from my mom, and knowing her, she’ll add more to the list. For now, we’ll be good with what we’ve got.
“Never better. Never fucking better,” I reply. They don’t respond, already getting what I have in my life, and this time, it’s going to be forever.