And in time... (21 page)

“Did you wake up?” Alexis asked.

“She’s still sleeping,” Cory teased. Alexis elbowed him in the ribs and told him to shut up.

Riki liked the walk once she forgot about Mr. Dog. She insisted for ten minutes that he wanted to go, too. She didn’t understand that he was old and his hips hurt. Alexis wasn’t sure how to explain the vet’s diagnosis of Mr. Dog having dysplasia and arthritis. The boo-boo explanation seemed to be the best justification for her three-year-old mind. That and the river distracted her from thinking about him anymore. She ran ahead of Cory and Alexis along the dirt path, throwing rocks and sticks into the shallow river.

“Me wike a go in a water.”

“You can play in that water when it gets summer again. I grew up in that water. I’ll take you to my special swimming hole,” Alexis offered.

“Me go now.”

“No, it’s too cold now. We have to wait until it gets warm again.”

“Why?”

“Here, Riki, throw this,” Cory said as he picked up a flat shiny rock, saving Alexis from ten minutes of
why
s.

“That’s my parent’s house.” Alexis pointed when they reached the edge of the field. “Do you want to go say hi? It looks like Sam and Doug are there. That’s his truck.”

“And Emwy?” Riki questioned.

“Maybe, she might be with her mommy now.”

“Why?”

“She stays with her Grandma Sam sometimes while her mommy goes to work.”

“Why?”

Cory lifted Riki to his shoulders after Alexis boosted her over the fence. “Let’s go see if she’s there,” Cory said, once again, distracting the three-year-old mind. He didn’t have to do that, but whatever. Alexis was around kids every day of her life, she had a huge family, and she could handle the whys just fine.

“It looks like the whole family is here,” Alexis supposed through squinted eyes, seeing the porch full of family. Paige and her parents, Jim and Lisa, Sam and Doug, along with Emily’s parents, Mark and Shannon, and her youngest brother, David, were all there.

“Hi, Sputter Bug,” her dad called.

“Hey, we having an ice cream party? Thanks for inviting me.”

“Oh, get up here and get a bowl,” Lola chastised. “You know I didn’t invite any of these people over here. They just show up,” her mom teased.

After a bowl of homemade ice cream, Walt and the guys walked to the barn with the little ones. Emily and Riki held onto Walt’s hands while he led them to the barn to see Bella, the horse, and talked about the new foal she would have in the spring. Both little girls asked a million questions and Walt patiently answered every one. Alexis smiled after them, happy that Cory fit in and was liked. She could tell by the way her brothers talked with him that they liked him. That made her happy.

Alexis stayed back and answered the probing questions from her sisters, but mostly Paige. Geesh. She was worse than Bernie. The look she gave her niece when she asked in a more subtle way than Bernie had, told her to shut her lips.

“Did he spend the night?”

She responded with, “We better head back.” Why would she ask that right in front of her mother? She knew how old-fashioned Grandma Lola was as much as Alexis did. Grrr.

Riki almost threw a tantrum, not wanting to leave. Grandpa Walt stopped it by asking her if she wanted to ride home in the back of his truck. Of course she did. Cory and Alexis said goodbye to her family and rode on the tailgate, back down the dirt road to her house.

Alexis was in love. She was so in love with Cory and his little girl, dangerously in love. She watched Cory play in the backyard with Riki while she cleaned up their supper dishes. Cory couldn’t win. If he tried to pitch her the plastic ball and let her bat, she wanted to throw the ball. If he tried to bat while she threw it, she wanted to bat. He finally ended up throwing it into the air while they both held the bat and he hit it. Yup, she was in love. No questions asked. That happened.

Alexis woke the following morning way too early. Unable to fall back to sleep, she quietly slid Cory’s hand from her stomach and tiptoed to the hall. After looking in on Riki, sound asleep, she descended the stairs and slipped on her running shoes. The cool morning air felt crisp and woke her lungs while rejuvenating her skin. Alexis ran along the river all the way to the edge of the field, where Walt would normally meet her on his quad, and turned back. That was a hell of a run. She hadn’t even meant to go that far, let alone all the way back. It wasn’t well thought out, that’s for sure. By the time she made it back to the house she was a hot mess, panting and sweating like she’d just run a marathon on the hottest day of summer. The darker shades of gray below her breasts and her armpits backed up the way she felt.

“Now, that is sexy,” Cory said from the porch.

“Good morning, and it is not, it’s gross. You were supposed to still be in bed until I got a shower.”

Cory stepped toward her and planted a kiss on her lips. Alexis backed away, not wanting him to smell the odor she could smell herself.

“Hold that until I grab a shower.”

Alexis showered downstairs not wanting to wake Riki. Hot water rained over her tense muscles and she thought about the day. She didn’t want it to be Monday. She didn’t want this to end. Without words, Alexis responded to Cory’s entrance with her body. She turned to face him and wrapped her arms around his neck. No words were needed, he heard them loud and clear, they both could. This thing searing between them didn’t need words to comprehend what was going on. It was felt. Cory’s hands ran up her bare ass and then her back while his mouth danced with hers. Sudden and abruptly, Cory spun her away from him and planted her hands flat against the wall.

“Why do you do that?” she moaned.

“What? You don’t like it when I reach around and make you come like this?”

“No, I like it just fine, you just seem to do it every time.” Alexis’s legs stiffened when she felt a finger penetrating her, in and out, while another twirled around her aching sheath. Cory pressed his hardness against her ass while his lips kissed running water down her back, and his tantalizing fingers did crazy things to her body. Arching her back, Alexis felt the first wave, and then the second one. Her hands slid down the wet tile and she leaned into Cory’s wet body. With the better angle, he finished her off, skillfully bringing her home with applied vigor.

Barely down from her first high, Cory twirled her and lifted her to his waist. The tile became her support while he made love to her, again. They had to be getting close to some record and she loved it. Every single time. She would be more than happy to break every single record out there if it entailed Cory doing this. Whatever this was, she loved it.

Alexis felt a little sad as she said goodbye to Riki, already fastened in her car seat. She lingered in Cory’s arms, not wanting to let him go. She knew he wouldn’t be coming back that night, unless she asked him to. She wasn’t going to do that. She couldn’t do that. Everything in her told her it was too soon for that, and it would be best if he went to his own home.

“I’ll see ya later, Doc,” she said with a hidden sigh, leaving him with one more kiss.

“Have a good day,” he countered. Alexis turned back and waved with the tips of her fingers before reaching the door. She smiled when Cory blew a kiss her way and winked.

“Something’s wrong with him, Mr. Dog. There has to be something, besides the fact he was hiding a kid,” Alexis explained to her four-legged friend while she fed him his breakfast and cleaned up their own. Cory once again insisted on helping, but the way he kept looking at his watch told Alexis he was on a tight schedule. She insisted that she had it and she didn’t mind a bit. Rinsing the sippy-cup of milk caused a smile to reach her eyes. Not only had Cory imprinted himself on her heart, but so did his little girl.

It was a beautiful, sunny day and Alexis was happy. She arrived at the studio earlier than she needed to be and got right to work. Her weekend off left her with a lot to do.

“I brought you a bagel,” Bernie said. The brown paper bag thumped to the desk in front of Alexis.

Alexis looked over the brim of her glasses and up to Bernie. “We already had oatmeal this morning, but thanks anyway.”

“With your parents?” Bernie asked with a nonchalant tone, fishing for information.

“No. With Cory and Riki.”

“You’re killing me here. I shouldn’t have to ask these things. I’m your best friend. How was it?”

“I was busy. You knew I would tell you today. It was crazy, exciting, mind-blowing…I don’t know, Bernie. I can’t even describe it. It was great.”

“I want details, Lex, where, when, how?”

Alexis smiled while remembering her last three days. “The porch swing, the kitchen table, the shower, the bed, morning, afternoon, evening, the middle of the night, you name it.”

“My sweet little innocent Alexis, are you serious?”

Alexis blushed a little and nodded her head. “Cory is amazing in bed.”

“Does he have a big one?” Bernie questioned with a little too much excitement.

“He’s not lacking, that’s for sure.”

“You’re glowing. Sex looks really good on you. The little girl, how did that go?”

“Riki. And she is absolutely the most adorable thing in the world.”

“Are you seeing him tonight?”

“No. He didn’t mention it and neither did I.”

“Do you want to see him?”

“I don’t know. I don’t want to take things this fast, if you know what I mean.”

“I told you, Lex, just let it flow. Don’t think about it. You’re analyzing shit that don’t need analyzed. Go with it, will you? I’ve got to get the studio set up. Milly Brightonburg is bringing in her new baby this morning, hope the poor kid doesn’t act like her.”

“Yeah, well try to keep that filtered, will you? Did you ever hear who the father was?”

“No, Grace told me she had four paternity tests and it wasn’t any of them. I heard Charlie was one of them.”

“I don’t believe that, but it’s too bad he’s not. He would be a great dad.”

“Yeah, who knows? I’ll see you later.”

Alexis stayed in her office all morning, thinking about Cory and Riki several times. The time dragged and she kept looking to the right corner of her computer at the time. It was almost eleven-thirty and she hadn’t heard a word from Cory, not even a text message. She wanted to send him one, but decided not to, afraid that he would think she was some kind of stalker, being clingy or something. She wasn’t that person, was she?

Around one o’clock in the afternoon, Paige opened her door and popped her head in. “You have a delivery,” she sang with a big, giddy smile.

Alexis walked out to the waiting area to find a dozen yellow roses with red tips. Sparkling mirrors of light danced off the walls from the crystal vase, pulling the vibrant colors from the flowers. A smile instantly plastered on her face.

“Read the card!” Bernie and Paige both said simultaneously. “Out loud!” they both yelled when Alexis read it to herself first.

“Ms. Alexis McKinley, thank you for an amazing weekend. I miss you already,” she read with a smile. One sentence, that was it, nothing more.

“Aunt Lex, yellow roses with red tips signify falling in love,” Paige explained.

“I don’t think so, Paige. He has only known me for a month.”

“I’m with Paige,” Bernie added with her two cents.

Alexis rolled her eyes at both of them, but deep down, she worried about that, too. Or was she worried that she about falling in love with him? She already knew she was, and she knew how much it would hurt if it ended. She brushed off the trepidation that kept her safe and grounded, and decided to take Bernie’s advice. Go with the flow. Yes, it would probably end badly, she knew this, but she also knew she didn’t want to clam up around him. Cory would get all of her, or as much as she could give anyway.

Alexis—The flowers are beautiful. Thank you, and my weekend was pretty great too. She added a little heart, but then deleted it. That was too much. Oh hell. She added it back and hit send.

Almost immediately, he responded.

Cory—That makes me happy, can’t wait to see you again.

Alexis smiled and got back to work, for a few minutes anyway. Bernie interrupted again with a sandwich from April’s and her favorite cheddar onion chips.

“Are you going to see him tonight?” Bernie asked with her fingertips touching the roses and reading the card again.

“I don’t think so. He didn’t mentioned it, and there is no way I’m going to.”

“Lex, you are so old fashioned, just text him and tell him to come over, or better yet, you show up at his house,” she suggested while talking around the food in her mouth.

“No, Bernie. I would never do that.”

Bernie rolled her eyes and gave up, knowing her friend. She would only get defensive and not do it anyway. She had made progress and that was something. Baby steps.

Alexis was home eating leftovers from their Sunday cookout by six. She still hadn’t heard one word from Cory, but refrained from being the clingy girlfriend. That made her wonder, too. Was she his girlfriend? Maybe he was just in it for the weekend fling. Maybe he wasn’t into her like that at all.

“Oh my God, Mr. Dog. Tell me to stop. He wouldn’t send me roses if it was just a piece of ass, right?” Mr. Dog opened one eye and looked at her from his favorite rug. Alexis groaned a frustrated breath and went upstairs to fill her tub. She turned the radio up loud and tried her best to drown out the thoughts in her head—Cory’s flirtatious demeanor, his lustful eyes, the feel of his hands on her body, and even the sounds of Riki’s little voice, telling her she “wiked” it. Whatever
it
was, Riki either wiked it or she didn’t wike it. Regardless, it was the cutest thing ever.

Once finished, Alexis slid into her comfortable flannel pajamas with a matching top, and walked out to the porch with the newspaper. Mr. Dog followed and plopped to his rug. Archie had a sale on hamburger, Pastor Chuck sought donations for the toy drive already, and the library’s fall preschool reading program started in another week. Riki would probably like that. Maybe she could call Beth Regal and tell her about it. The library was close to Cory’s house, so she could walk with her there. Once she grew bored with the paper, Alexis called and talked to her dad and then her mom. Lola asked if Cory would be joining them the following Saturday at the barn and Alexis assured her that she didn’t know with a heavy sigh.

“You okay?” her mother asked as she caught the long exhale.

“Yeah, confused.”

“Yeah, I can tell. I can also tell you I have no words of advice.”

“Gee, thanks.”

“Love’s a funny thing. Mysterious.”

“What do you mean? You’ve been with dad for fifty years.”

“Fifty-three, and I still can’t figure him out. Go with your heart, sweetie. That’s the best advice I can give you, but just so you know, we approve. We like him a lot.”

“Thanks, so do I. That’s what scares me.”

“Don’t let it scare you. Just go with it.”

“Now you sound like Bernie. I’m trying, Mom, I really am. I feel like it’s harder for me to just let go,” Alexis explained the difficult situation. She was going with it, as much as she could anyway. That didn’t change the fact that she was scared, and she felt like it was too good to be true, like it would all blow up in her face.

“That’s what I mean about it being mysterious. Bernice has bounced back from how many guys? And you’re afraid to even hold the ball.”

“Yeah, I don’t like how it feels when it falls, but you’re right about Bernie. I’m sure glad she found Travis.”

“Me too. Honey, go with your heart. That’s all I’m asking.”

“Okay, tell Dad goodnight. I’ll talk to you tomorrow.”

“Love you.”

“Love you, too, Mom.”

Alexis sighed the same deep breath. “He’s not even talking to me, so it doesn’t even matter,” she said to Mr. Dog. He sighed, too, but paid her no mind. “Come on, boy, might as well go to bed.” Alexis turned the lights off and headed upstairs just before nine. She crawled in bed, slipping out of the flannel pants and flipped on the television. Her eyes glanced to the empty side of the bed and she longed for Cory. Ugh. She had it bad. Really bad.

She jumped when the phone rang beside her bed, pulling her from her thoughts. An instant smile was born, knowing, or at least hoping, it was Cory.

“Hello.”

“Hello, gorgeous.”

“Hey, Doc.”

“How are you?”

She wanted to say lonely but changed her mind, not ready to put herself out there like that yet. “Fine, how are you?”

“Lonely.”

Her smile widened when he replied with same answer she had wanted to say. Her leg sawyed back and forth and her fingers pulled at a frayed string at the end of her shirt. “How’s Riki?”

“Mad at me because she wanted to sleep in the big bed.”

Alexis laughed. “Here?”

“Yes, I’m assuming that’s what she was talking about. How was work?”