Slow Ride (Riding with Honor) (20 page)

“I got it,” Tommy said and ran over and grabbing the items from Edna, he brought them over and laid them down on the table next to where she stood.

“I want to kiss you but if I do I won’t be able to stop myself
,” he said against the back of her hair as he brushed past her, making a point of rubbing himself against her leg so she could feel that part of him that was ready for more.

After they finished eating Tommy approached her
, “I’m going to go see Melody, you want to come with me?”

“Sure, we can take my car
,” she offered.

“We can take the bike
. I just need to get Gretchen’s seat off the back,” he said, grabbing her hand and pulling her with him around the side of the house.

As soon as they could no longer see the backyard he pushed her up against the side of the house and pressed himself as close against her as he could. 

Then he was kissing her slowly with so much passion that her entire body seemed to respond to him as he rubbed the length of his body against hers.  His kisses picked up urgency and he lifted one of her legs and wrapped it around his waist and ground himself against her.

“Stay with me tonight
,” he said as he rubbed his face against her neck. 
Oh God!
  The feel of him was incredible and it felt like a lifetime had passed since he’d kissed and touched her when in reality it had not even been twenty four hours yet.

“What about Gretchen?”
she asked.

“She might as well get used to you being around because you’re not going
anywhere
…I need you with me….you
belong
with me,” he said against her mouth before kissing her again.

“Ok
,” she answered breathlessly when he finally released her mouth.

“God
, woman, I’m on fire for you,” he said grabbing her hand and touching himself with it as he continued to rub his face against her neck. 
She was on fire for him!

“I want you too
,” she whispered.

He pulled back from her and just
stared at her for several long moments before kissing her again.  Then pulling away from her, he headed back around the house to the back yard. 

Dana attempted to pull herself together but her body seemed to ache for him.  After a few minutes he returned.

“Come on, we are taking Chuck’s bike instead.  He’ll meet us at the house with Gretchen when we get done at the hospital,” he said, grabbing her hand again and leading her over to Chuck’s motorcycle.

He handed her his helmet and then helped her put it on and then sat on the motorcycle and stood it up.  The motorcycle had hardly any passenger seat to it so sliding her leg over the seat she was forced to press herself up against Tommy.  He adjusted her long legs where he wanted them and she clutched him around his waist and curved herself around him.

She pulled her hair around her shoulder so it was mostly caught between their bodies.  She’d never been on a motorcycle before and found it extremely fun and wondered how hard it would be to learn to ride one herself.  She rather liked pressing herself against Tommy’s back though.

The hospital visit went well with Doctor
McGinis setting a potential release date for Melody… conveniently enough the day following the last custody hearing. 

As they headed out of the hospital parking garage, Dana leaned down next to Tommy’s ear and said
, “I need to get my car from Gran’s house.”

“Ok and then you come straight to my house from there.  I need to drop you and run since Chuck and Gretchen are already on their way there
,” he replied.

“I need to stop by
my apartment and check things and grab some clothes but I won’t be long,” she promised.

As she headed to her apartment her cell phone rang and she noted her mother’s cell phone number on the display
.

“Hey
, Mom,” she answered.

“Dana honey, your dad’s in the hospital…he had a heart attack they’re saying
,” her mother’s voice faded.

“I’m on my way
,” Dana replied.

“Ok, be safe
, honey,” her mother replied before disconnecting the call.

Calling
, she left a message on Tommy’s phone as he was on the bike and likely wouldn’t get it until he made it to his house.  Then turning toward the highway, she headed toward the hospital near her parents’ home nearly an hour away.

Entering the emergency room entrance
, she asked about her father and was told he was stable and that she could see him shortly.  Her cell phone rang as she took a seat in the waiting area.

“Hey
, babe, where are you?” Tommy asked.

“I’m in the waiting room.  They said I
can see him soon.  He’s stable thank God,” she sighed.

“Chuck can stay with Gretchen so I’ll be there as soon as I can
,” he said.

“You don’t have to do that…I can take care of this.  You should stay with Gretchen and be close by in case Melody needs something
,” Dana replied.

“No, I’m on my way
,” he said and then disconnected the call leaving no room for discussion.

She stood as her mother entered the waiting area.  Her mother looked older than Dana remembered seeing her.  Her face was drawn with worry.  The time she had spent with Tommy gave her new perspective somehow.  The thought of it being Tommy…
  Walking over she pulled her mother into a hug. 

“They are only allowing one person at a time back with him, so you go on back for a little while
,” her mother said against her shoulder.

“How is he?”
she asked.

“He’s ok.  He was originally going to go to a conference in
Utah until you called about court yesterday.  If you hadn’t called… he might have gone to the conference.  I wouldn’t have been there to make him go to the hospital…” her mother replied.

“It’s ok
, Mom, I’m here.  You try to catch your breath out here and I’ll go sit with him,” she said, releasing her mother and heading through the doorway a nurse held open for her.

Entering the curtained off area where her father lay looking a little pale but not nearly as bad as she’d expected, she s
et her purse in a chair and made her way over to him.

“There’s my girl!”
he said with a smile though a little breathlessly.

“How are you feeling?”
she asked.

“Oh I’m fine…
it was a mild one… more of a wakeup call really.  I’m more worried about your mother… you’d think I was dying.  I tried to tell her I haven’t had enough time with her yet but you know how she is.  I don’t want her wearing herself out over this.  They are going to keep me for a couple of days.  I need you to make sure your mother takes care of herself until I get out of here,” he replied.

“Don’t worry
, Dad, I’ll take care of everything,” she answered, patting his hand.

“I know you will
,” he said grasping her hand in his own.  “I like this new look of yours,” he finished after studying her closely.

“I got my hair cut a while back
,” she smiled at him.

“No
.  Not the haircut, the look of love that you have.  I was a little worried at first until I got a good look at the poor guy,” he laughed.

“What do you mean?”
she asked.  After releasing his hand she patted her hair and then pulled a chair over to sit in.

“I haven’t seen that level of desperation in a man since my own reflection in the mirror, when I was trying to convince your mother to marry me all those years ago
,” he laughed again.

“Desperation?”
she asked.

“I’m not sure what he did to deserve my beautiful daughter but he’s got it bad for you.  It appears that you feel much the same way.  I started to think it would never happen for you and now that it has I just think my heart got a little carried away…”
he said.

She could only smile through her tears as she once again grabbed his hand in hers.

“I’m supposed to be here for you, Dad…but here you are… assuring me,” she finally choked.

“I’m good
Dana.  Just take care of your mother for me until I get released.  Once I’m released I can take it from there,” he said.

She sat for a good while thinking on what her father had said until she realized he had drifted off to sleep.  Knowing she needed to get her mother home
, she headed back out to the waiting room.  Rounding the corner she spotted Tommy sitting next to her mother.  Her mother’s head was lying against his shoulder and she looked peaceful as she slept.

“We made friends
,” he said quietly with a wink as she approached. “How is he?”

“He is fine… it was a mild one.  He’ll be on some medication and will need to change his diet but he’s ok.  I need to get her home…”
she said, indicating her mother.

“Are you ok?”
he asked after studying her for a few minutes.

“Yea… I’m good
,” she said as she met his gaze.

Pulling herself out of her reverie, she bent in front of her mother and patted her arm to wake her.  “Dad is sleeping and will be for the rest of the night.  He ordered me to take you home before he fell asleep so are you ready?”
she asked.

“You found a wonderful young man, Dana
,” she said sitting up and patting Tommy’s arm.

She couldn’t hide the grin that spread across her face.  Tommy wore a concert t-shirt with a leather vest over top of it
, jeans that looked well-worn and a chain that went from the wallet in his back pocket to a belt loop on the side.  He looked rough and sexy and not at all like someone her mother might consider ‘wonderful.’

Helping her mother to her feet he then released her and walked over to where
Dana stood and then kissed her full on the mouth.

“I need to stay with her for a few days so you should go
,” she whispered as he released her.

“That’s fine
. I can stop by and check your apartment to make sure all is well until you get back or stash Chuck there if you’d prefer,” he offered.

“That would be great either way.  Thank you for coming all this way…”
she said.

Dana made her way into the court room and slid
onto the bench seat next to Tommy.  Looking forward she could see Chuck in dress pants, a dress shirt and a tie. 

It would have completely changed his appearance altogether if not for the tattoo on the back of his neck that pe
eked out from time to time when he moved his head.  Becca sat next to him.

Judge Patterson sat back and eyed Chuck with a frown.

“Mr. Reynolds…it’s been awhile.  I had hoped not see you back here again,” the judge said.

Chuck simply hung his head.  Dana understood enough about the law to know that a probation violation was just that… a violation no matter the circumstances.  Somehow having come to know Chuck over the past few weeks he didn’t fit the image of a thug or a hardened criminal. 

He looked like one and sometimes even spoke like one, but all in all he was a good guy with a big heart and an equally big mouth.

“I read over your statement along with statements from both local l
aw enforcement and Detective Sanders who was directly involved with the incident.  Though I recognize your bravery and commend you for taking action to save a life… it still does not answer to why you were in possession of the gun used to strike the perpetrator in the head in the first place.  That is the purpose behind today’s hearing,” Judge Patterson said.

The
judge shuffled some papers around and then looked at Chuck.  “Where are you living currently Mr. Reynolds?” he asked.

“South side apartments
,” Chuck replied.

The
judge frowned again and then stared at Chuck for a few moments before saying, “Do you think that’s wise?”

“Probably not
,” Chuck answered and then hung his head again.

“Where’d you get the gun?”
he asked.

“A friend
,” Chuck replied.

“Does this friend have a name?”
he asked with another frown.

“John Doe?” Chuck suggested.

“Ok, so this is how you want to run this game?  Fine,
why
did you have the gun?” he asked.

“There is a big raccoon that hangs out near the dumpsters at my apartment and he looks rabid or some shit…” Chuck started
.

“Enough
, Mr. Reynolds,” the judge sighed, “You know you could do time for this right?”

“Being in jail is better than being in a coffin
,” Chuck muttered.