Slow Ride (Riding with Honor) (21 page)

“I see you’ve been working steady since you dropped out of high school
,” the judge said shuffling some more papers.  “What do you do at your job?”

“Mechanic work and paint jobs
,” Chuck answered.

“I also see you haven’t
earned your GED like I suggested the last time we met like this,” the judge said.

“I’ve been busy…and stuff
,” Chuck finished lamely.

“Busy hanging out with ‘John Doe’ I presume
,” he said.

“No
, just working and keeping my ass out of trouble…that eats up all my free time,” Chuck said.

“I’m sure
,” the judge responded dryly.

“So what would you suggest I do to ensure to the good citizens of this county that I take crime and violations of probation seriously?”
Judge Patterson asked.

“I could stand out front and wear a sign…” Chuck offered
.

“I am trying to help you out here… but you are going to have to help me out as well…
somehow” the judge sighed.

“I could do community service or some shit like that…
I can paint obviously, fix things, little kids like me pretty good… I could volunteer at the shelter,” Chuck offered again.

“Let me think on that for a bit.  In the meantime I expect you to sign up for GED classes, research some other places to live, and perhaps ree
valuate your relationship with John Doe,” Judge Patterson said. “Ms. Waters I will render my decision within one week.”

“Thank You
, Your Honor,” Becca replied.

After the
judge exited the courtroom Chuck slumped back against his chair and Becca grabbed his arm as mother would a recalcitrant child, yanking him from his chair and marching him out of the courtroom to the hallway.

“I’ve got to see this shit.  I think she might actually hit him.  Did you see her face?” Bobby said with a laugh as he and Lilly followed Dickie out of the courtroom after Chuck and Becca.

She and Tommy followed the entourage out of the courtroom where they were stopped by Becca.

“Can you give us a minute?”
she asked through clenched teeth, still grasping Chuck’s arm.

“
It’s fine, they’ll only make it worse if they don’t actually hear the ass chewing I’m about to receive,” Chuck sighed.

“Just what the hell was that?” Becca lit into Chuck
.

“Me and ole’ Judge Patterson go way back…that bastard wouldn’t expect anything less
,” Chuck said, loosening his tie.

“Exactly…
he sentenced you to Juvenile Detention in the first place.  Pissing him off was not smart… not smart at all.  I’m surprised he didn’t throw the book at you after that performance,” Becca said angrily.

“Yea
, well, he could have tried me as an adult back then but he didn’t.  I painted a picture of his wife from a picture I saw in his office during all that shit… come to find out she’d just died…so he cut me a break.  He even visited me a couple of times wanting me to get my GED and go to art school,” Chuck said with a laugh. “I’m sure I’d have fit right in at some preppy art school even
with
all the loads of money I got to pay for that shit,” he finished sarcastically.

“Well if you expect me to continue to represent you, you will do exactly as he suggested.  I expect to see documentation of when your GED classes start along with something showing your new address before I have to go to court with Tommy on Friday
,” Becca said angrily. “John Doe indeed.”

Dropping Chuck’s arm she stepped over to where Dickie stood leaned against the wall with a grin on his face.

“We’ll see how funny this is when you get my bill, Mr. Long,” she said angrily and then turned and marched away from the group.

Dickie made a noise as though he was enjoying a tasty treat and she couldn’t help but laugh.  Watching Becca challenge Dickie was like watching David and Goliath.  The man towered over her but was nothing more than a gentle giant while she was a firecracker both in and out of the courtroom. 

It seemed nothing got the better of this group.  Everyone said their goodbyes and headed separate directions.  She and Tommy walked out to the parking lot next to the courthouse side by side.  She hadn’t realized how much she had missed seeing him over the past few days she’d been with her parents. 

She left out early from her parent’s house and visited Melody before nearly being late to Chuck’s initial court appearance.  Now as she walked beside
Tommy it seemed like he was making every effort to brush up against her and it was slowly making her crazy.

As they made it to her car and she turned her back to him to unlock her car door
, he pushed her up flush against the car and leaning forward inhaled deeply against her hair.  She could feel his hardness pressed against her backside and the idea that he wanted her so badly stole her breath.

“These past few days without you nearly killed me… in more ways than one
,” he said quietly against her hair as he slowly rubbed himself against her.  This day would drag on forever and the evening would never get there fast enough.

After several moments of silence which burned as hot as the feel of him against her
, she said, “What time do you get off?  I could make dinner for you and Gretchen tonight…”

“Five but I’m hungry now
,” he said as he continued to smell her hair and his hands wrapped around her waist, “In fact I’m starving.”

“I’m not sure how much is left at my apartment if Chuck has been there but we could stop somewhere and get some lunch
,” she nearly whispered.

“I’m sure we can find something at your apartment to satisfy me
,” he whispered back.

Dana’s skin flushed at the thoughts his
impassioned words had invoked in her.

“Ok
,” she gasped out.

Releasing her
, he stepped away and said, “I’ll follow you there,” and then headed across the parking lot toward his bike.

He’d never wanted a woman the way he wanted Dana.  The past few days while she’d been gone he realized how empty his life was without her and how she filled his days.  Gretchen asked about her constantly and had even spoken to her on the phone when he’d called her. 

The separation from her made his days longer than normal but the nights…the nights had been torture.  He’d only been with her once but it was burned in his mind and seemed to shut out everything else.

Upon pulling up to her apartment building and shutting off the bike
, he followed behind her as she walked towards her apartment and then stopped to unlock the door.  The gentle sway of her hips seemed to break the last of his control. After she unlocked the door he closed it behind them, re-locked it and turned her to him. 

Cupping her face between his hands
, he kissed her with all that he felt.  He kept at her mouth as he backed her toward the table that sat between the small kitchen area and the living room.  He’d waited long enough…he was desperate for her.

The table was empty but for a linen tablecloth.  Chuck’s need for order and cleanliness paid off for once and he simply pulled the tablecloth off and tossed it to the floor never releasing Dana’s hip which he held in his hand
, nor did he stop kissing her.  Then he lifted her gently and pushed her back so that she was forced to lay back on the table’s surface.

“What are you doing?”
she asked breathlessly.

“I told you, I’m starving…”
he said as he released the button and zipper on her pants and pulled them down her long legs, removing her shoes before pulling them completely off and dropping them on the floor.

She was so thin and weighed so little he could simply manhandle her how he wanted her and soon had divested her of the scrap of lace she wore for panties. 

Seeing her bared from the waist down wasn’t enough so he pushed her blouse up and helped her remove both the shirt and bra.  Looking at her spread across the table like an offering…she belonged to him and he intended to convince her of that here and now.

“I was going to try and give you time to think about moving in with me and the girls.  I wasn’t going to pressure you since there is still time until Melody comes home but I can’t wait anymore
,” he said as he unzipped his pants and pulled them down freeing himself.

“Tommy…”
she started. “I will help you with the girls regardless of what happens between us…What is this about?”

“I know that… and I should put their needs before mine… but I can’t
,” he said while slowly pulling her bottom to the edge of the table and propping one slender foot on the back of a chair he pulled over and then looping her other leg over his arm.

“What do you mean?”
she whispered as he spread his free hand flat over her stomach and stroked the center of her with his thumb.

She was already wet and he wanted her but he forced himself to maintain control.  He needed her to want him…
Tommy
…not just the girls. 

All or nothing, that’s how this would end.  He wanted her in the girls’ life but he wanted her in his too and he needed to know where he stood with her. 

Was she with him just because of the girls?  Did she see this as her only hope of children and family? Or was it more than that?  It certainly was for him.

“I want you…”
he said through ragged breaths.

“I want you too
, Tommy,” she replied as her body began to move with the rhythm of his fingers.

“No…
I mean I want you… for
me.
  Not as a mom to my girls… but as mine.  I would share you with them but I don’t want them sharing you with me.  Does that make sense?  I want you to be here with me now because you want
me
… not just because you want them in your life and if that means being with me...  You don’t have to be with me to be with them is what I mean.  Be with me because you want me...
Tommy.
  I want you because you’re you…being a great mom is just a bonus,” he said staring at her.

Dana’s heart seemed to swell within her chest.  Grabbing his hand
, she stopped the sensual torment of his fingers against her excited flesh and pushed up and off the table, backing him off as she did so.  He pulled his pants up as a look of pain filled his eyes. 

To stop him from taking her actions wrong she pulled him with her down the hall to her room and closed the door behind them.  She slid her hands underneath his t-shirt and pushed it upwards and over his head.

“I was so worried that you only wanted me as a mother to Gretchen and Melody… that eventually you would realize that and…” she said with tears shining in her eyes. “I do want you Tommy… just you… the girls are a bonus.”

She watched as he quickly shed the rest of his clothes and then she kissed him with all the fire that raged through her veins as they tumbled onto the bed.  Pushing him onto his back she straddled his hips and leaned forward to kiss him again. 
God but she wanted this man!

Grabbing her face in his large hand he broke the
intense kiss.  “Then be with me from now on… I don’t want to spend another day… or night… away from you,” he said. “Make love to me.”

Sliding her hand down his chest she grasped him in her hands and guided him to her entrance.  Sinking slowly down the length of him
, she sat up and pushed her hair back from her face. 

Her head dropped back at the exquisite feel of him like this.  Rocking forward a few times she finally opened her eyes and found his
passionate gaze on her face.

“
I love you,” she whispered.

Grabbing her knees
, he slid them slightly forward so they hugged his thighs as he sat up.  He captured her neck in his hand and kissed her forcefully while she wrapped her arms around his neck.  Reaching away from her he used his arms to move them up to the headboard, never breaking the connection of their bodies.

Leaning his back against the headboard he pushed the hair back from her face with both of his hands and then kissed her slowly. 

Sliding his hands down the sides of her body, he wrapped them around her waist and slowly began moving her up and down the length of him.  Grabbing the headboard she began moving with him.

“I love you too
, Dana.  You’re the first and only woman I have
ever
loved,” he said against her mouth before capturing her lips and stroking her tongue with his own.

She broke the kiss and her head fell back again as a groan escaped.  His hands released her waist as she found the rhythm he had taught her and
his fingers slid into her hair fanning it out around them. 

His breathing seemed to change and heat burned her where his gaze stroked over her face and down to her breasts.  The
fire built in her where their bodies connected and the tension increased faster and harder than it had the previous time she’d been with him.