Addy was still sound asleep when Jim and I got out of the shower that had lasted for too long. This man had done everything right from the start of the day up until now. That shower was exactly what I’d been longing for since he and I were in the elevator.
The water rained down on both of us, and it fueled me to beg him for more than what he’d already offered. His lust and desperation drove him to pick me up and place my back against the steamy shower walls. His face was perfect as the shower ran over both of us like rain, and his eyes were swirling with more desire than I’d ever seen from him. Feeling his large cock pry into my sex threw my heart out of rhythm, and then he was thrusting, wild and deep. My forearms rested on his shoulders while my forehead leaned against his, his teeth softly nipping against my cheek.
That’s when this miracle of me coming without any assistance from my clit rushed in fast, making the sensation of my orgasm feel like I’d warmed up for this raging ball of energy that was barreling down and exploding around the large cock that filled me up. I called out his name as the orgasm pressed on. My head was against the shower as Jim kept pumping harder and harder. Jim kissed my neck, and then I felt goosebumps cover his shoulders as he grunted with his release that must have felt as intense as mine.
That was confirmed after we were dressed in lounge clothes, and his lips captured mine one more time before leaving the room. I was fully satiated and probably should’ve started using this with Jim for my new way of getting my tightened nerves unwound.
I tried not to beat myself up for taking this time to enjoy myself when I knew Addy could wake up, but Ash had promised to keep watch and make sure Addy was okay while I was in the shower. I knew I needed to relax and stop feeling guilty at every turn when it came to Addy also. I had to start focusing on making sure I was mentally healthy and okay if I wanted Addy to follow in suit.
I sank against Jim’s side as we all sat around the gas-lit fire pit on Jim’s comfortable outdoor couches. I found myself lost in the view. This was glorious, and at this rate, Addison was well on her way to sleeping through the night.
“She’s lost in the view,” I heard a humored voice say.
I snapped back to see Jake with Ash on the sofa to mine and Jim’s right. Jake sat in conversation with Collin, who sat across from Jim and me, and both of them fiddled with their beer bottles, having some conversation about their hospital. Alex had his feet kicked up on the sofa to my left, taking a drink of his beer, and I was brought back to reality and the fact that I’d been zoned out.
“I’m sorry. This day has seriously kicked my ass,” I said as Jim rubbed my arm.
“Nothing to apologize for, gorgeous,” Jim said, sipping his beer.
“You want another?” Alex nodded toward my warm, half-drunk beer bottle.
“I’m good. I probably shouldn’t have had this after the bullshit with Derek today,” I said, catching everyone’s attention. “I’m so sorry that asshole showed up like that. So humiliating. I don’t even know what to say.”
Collin grinned from across me, taking a drink. “If you want to say anything at all, say that we can go kick his ass if he ever gets out of jail and fucks with you or your daughter like that again.”
“Funny,” I said.
“This is the shit you have to put up with?” Jake asked sympathetically.
“It’s a nightmare, to say the least,” I said, looking at Jim’s somewhat peaceful expression.
“He’s a fucking roach who never goes the hell away or leaves Avery alone. Always with the aggression and harassment,” Jim added. “He was locked up last week, and then today, we’re greeted with his high on life personality at the beach. I guess some people don’t know when to quit.”
“No shit,” I said. “It’s like the bastard has a get out of jail free card. He tracked us down by slipping a phone in Addy’s backpack. Who does that?”
“Forgive me if I’m overstepping here,” Collin interjected. “How in the hell do you not have a restraining order against his ass by now?”
“Long story.” I shrugged. “I try to fight my hardest for Addy, but I always seem to lose that battle. I know it would be the same in court. I just do my best to keep Addy protected from it all,” I said and felt Jim’s posture stiffen as he sat up some.
I know Jim wanted me to fight Derek in court. Now that he was growing attached to Addy, I had a feeling that he and I were going to butt heads on this topic. Unfortunately, I wasn’t strolling around with the cleanest of records. Derek knew he had shit on me, and that’s why he always threw it in my face. It was a battle I was scared as fuck to fight.
“How do you think Addy will do?” Ash asked. “Has she ever seen him act out like he did today?”
“Never,” I said, feeling a knot form in the pit of my stomach. “I keep it all from her. I have no idea what she’ll be like when she wakes up. For her to beg to leave her vacation—” I felt tears again, knowing my baby girl had been fucking traumatized by her father. “It will sit with her.”
“Well.” Ash smiled at me as Jim leaned forward and rested his elbows on his knees, looking at his sister-in-law. “She is young, but she’s got strength in her spirit—strength like her mom. Don’t be hard on yourself. If I can suggest anything, it would be for you to let her talk about it and be honest with her if she has questions. Children don’t need the gory details, especially children her age, but it’s also not your responsibility to cover for him. You can be honest with her without laying down all of his misdeeds.”
Ash was onto something. I’d always made excuses for Derek for the sake of making Addy think everything was okay. “You might be right about that. She saw the real side of her dad today. The side we hide from her. Maybe she needs to know he’s sick.”
Jim’s eyes were on me now. What the fuck was going through his mind?
“That’s a good starting point,” Jim finally said in a softer tone than I would’ve expected from his expression.
“Then get that guy some help,” Alex said. “If you’re not going to fight for custody for whatever reasons, do some sort of intervention or something like that.”
Jake laughed. “I’ll toast to that!” He raised his beer as Collin clinked his bottle against it with a laugh.
“Who is going to sit around the living room and guilt-trip that little shit? You?” Alex rolled his eyes.
Jake chuckled. “I’ll come up with some sad fucking story about how he and I could have been such great friends.”
“The master manipulator taking out an addict manipulator?” Alex laughed.
“That would turn into a bad Jerry Springer episode like what happened today at the beach,” I said, feeling myself getting pissed all over again.
“Speaking of disgruntled people,” Jim said, leaning back. “I had a nurse file a complaint against your ass.”
I looked at the two doctors whose faces grew serious pretty quickly.
“Who now?” Jake asked and took a large gulp of his beer. “I’m getting so fucking sick and tired of this shit.”
“It’s against Collin,” Jim said. “Please, God, tell me you’re not fucking around in that damn hospital.”
“What? That shit is so far in the past—like internship days. Who the fuck had something to say about me? Everyone knows I’m the cool one. When did this shit happen?”
“Eight in the evening, I got the email. Cindy Blackwell feels as though your language is uncouth and bedside manner entirely irresponsible.”
“Cindy Blackwell?” Jake laughed. “Sweet Jesus, that woman will be the death of you. She’s as bad as that old bat, Nurse Jackie. Get her off his ward, Jim. I’ve run into her during my rounds a few times. She’s fucking toxic, man.”
“She sits with nurses and makes up stories and gossip. Do you know what the bottom line is, Jim? She despises how young I am. That’s it. She doesn’t give a fuck about my success rates, or the fact that I’m a goddamn prodigy. She can say whatever she wants, but I’m fucking fantastic at what I do, despite people like her who are continually finding something negative to say. You don’t get to fuck around and make it to where I am, being able to do what I can. Negative-ass hag. She acts like she’s a fucking prison warden. I’m sick of this shit.”
Holy shit. This just escalated. Collin had always seemed so relaxed, but it was apparent that this woman had struck a chord with him.
“Chill out.” Alex laughed. “She’s already being dealt with.”
Collin picked up a closed beer and tossed it to Jim. “You’re an asshole. You know that?”
“Making us sweat for your amusement.” Jake shook his head. “You do realize we run on zero sleep, right?”
Jim chuckled. “I couldn’t resist. You two get worked up so easily. It’s highly enjoyable to watch.”
“You can say that again,” Alex said.
Ash and I sat and watched the men bantering with smiles on our faces. These guys had such good energy. We all sat around until about eleven, and when it was time for everyone to leave, Jim took the extra bags of too much food and forced everyone out of the door with them.
We stood and held each other in silence after the house grew quiet before I checked on Addy. She stirred, and then her head popped up. She instantly started crying, and I just held her.
“Addy, baby,” I said softly. “We’re at Jim’s house high up in the hills. He has lots of happy meals for you to choose from.”
Addy started to wake up more and then looked at me. “Daddy hurt Jim.”
“Daddy hurt himself today.” I pulled back. “Addy, look at me,” I said, her face somber. “Were you scared today?”
“Yes,” she said, rubbing her eyes. “Daddy was so mad.”
“I know. Daddy was mad because I have a crush on Jim.”
Addy looked over my shoulder and then at me. “But why?”
“It’s confusing, isn’t it?”
“Yes,” she said.
“Daddy will be going away for a while. I think he needs some help to be a happy daddy, don’t you?”
“Yes.”
“Then we will make sure he gets happy and know he is at a place that might make him learn that he did a bad thing today,” I said, hoping I was saying the right things and not making anything worse.
“Yes. Papa will be mad.”
“Papa will be mad,” I agreed.
“I’m hungry.”
Jim seemed satisfied now that Addison was eating and content. I had no idea if my conversation with her helped or not. Hopefully, it worked to give her mind a little peace.
We all were invited into Jim’s oversized bed after Addy and Jim reunited and told their fun stories from surfing together. A scene I would never let leave my mind. A man whose heart was where a dad’s heart should be. It was heavenly to see, and my heart swelled with love for him.
Jim lay next to me, and we both smiled over at Addy, who lay on the other side of me, watching the flatscreen on the wall in his room. I was growing tired, and the shows Jim bought for Addy to live stream would keep her up until tomorrow if we didn’t turn them off.
“Addy, let’s get under the covers and try to sleep. We’ll play in the pool tomorrow.”
“I’ll even have some more toys brought in for you,” Jim said.
“Okay,” she said, and then the lights dimmed.
As I tried to doze off, Addy started getting restless.
“Addy,” I said, “try to sleep.”
Bad idea, keeping her knocked out since five and expecting her to go back to sleep in a new place.
“I’m trying hard, Mommy.”
“Do you need to sleep in your own bed?” I asked, knowing Addy wasn’t used to sharing a bed, and this whole situation could be keeping her awake.
“I’m a little scared,” she said meekly.
“I’m not turning those shows back on,” I said.
“Jim.” Addy sat up and turned to him. “Can you read me a story like my papa does?”
Whoa! This is new. No one took the place of her papa, reading her stories before bed.
Jim smiled at her. “I’m afraid I don’t have any books with me unless you brought some?”
“Use your ‘magination.” She chuckled. “Like in the car. You told me about the little girl who was tough on the farm, remember, silly?”
“Of course. All right,” Jim said, looking at me for help.
I lay flat on my back, my head propped up by pillows, shrugged, and smiled. You’re on your own, I mouthed to him as Addy laid down again. Jim propped himself up on his elbow, looking at Addy on the other side of me as she waited eagerly for his story.
“So, that little youngster,” Jim smiled at Addy, who started giggling, “she decided to take that nice farmer and his wife up on their offer.”
“Those silly boys, right? She’s gonna win,” Addy said.
God only knew what story Jim was telling, but she was on the same page as he was, so I wouldn’t dare interrupt to ask questions. I was intrigued by their interaction. Jim was positively a different person at this moment. He sat up, telling her the story, and she looked at him as if I didn’t even exist between them. It was like they were instantly in their own world.
“Well, she can’t just go in and win. She’s got to think really smart,” he said. “Those boys, you see, they love poking fun at—” he stopped, looking thoughtfully at Addy. “What was her name again?”
“It’s your story, you know.”
“Right, I most certainly do. Little Sally. She was oh so sick and tired of the boys poking fun at her. So, instead of poking fun back at them, she decided she would be smart when they all helped Mr. Jones, the farmer. Mrs. Jones, however, promised delicious muffins for all of the children.”
“Oh no.” Addy ducked and hung onto the last word. “Sally’s going to want to eat the muffins now!”
“She sure does want a muffin,” Jim played back. “But she needs to work hard for that muffin, and she knows it. She can’t be tempted or the little boys that like to poke fun,” Jim arched his eyebrow at Addy, “they’ll plant the seeds in their rows, and little Sally won’t plant anything at all.”
“No. Sally has to work. She’s planting seeds, Jim. She is, right?”
“Of course, she is.” Jim grew serious. “Now, she plugged her nose so she couldn’t smell those delicious muffins coming from Mrs. Jones’s kitchen. I think Mrs. Jones was sneaky, trying to see who would leave the rows they promised to plant to come for her muffins.”
“Then, they wouldn’t work,” Addy said.
“Maybe, maybe not?” Jim said. “Sally focused on her row, one long line in a mound to where she could take her little hand to shovel and scoop her seeds in. She looked over at those boys, and they were a little way ahead of her.”
“It’s because she smelled those darn muffins,” Addy said.
“That’s right, but,” Jim eyed her, “she was determined to plant her seeds and think of nothing but her reward at the end. So, she planted three seeds in a hole at a time, just like Mr. Jones had instructed. In fact, she was actually having some fun now. She was not thinking about anything except what it would be like when her seeds grew into sprouts, and that special day Mr. Jones had promised in the beginning when she could come back and help him pick the corn that she helped grow.”
“And eat it!”
“And eat it.” Jim smirked at me as I watched them with adoration. “Anyway,” he grew serious again, “while she was focused, suddenly, her piggy tail was pulled,” he said, reaching over me and pulling on one of Addy’s piggy tails that I’d put in her hair after her bath.
Addy giggled and hid her hair from his hand. “Those rotten boys did that,” she said in a low voice to match Jim’s.
“Well, one surely did, and Sally stood up, forgetting about planting seeds when she got upset that he’d pulled her hair. ‘Don’t do that, Jake!’ she said to the boy.”
“Jake?” Addy asked. “Like your brother? That Jake?”
Jim chuckled. “Just like him. Being a bit ornery, but always having fun. Now, then, Jake took a bite of his delicious muffin, and instead of wanting the muffin, Sally looked over at his row. He didn’t finish planting. ‘You are supposed to finish first, mister,’ she said to him. Jake looked at Sally and said, ‘I’m done. I have my muffin. I’m going home.’”
“Well, that’s not fair.”
“Not fair to Mr. Jones, nope,” Jim said. “So, now Sally ignored that Jake was going home and even that he’d pulled on her piggy tail. Instead, she worked harder and even faster now.”
“Oh, wow,” Addy said.
“When suddenly,” Jim’s eyes opened wide, “she was pushed down in the dirt.”
“No, no, no! Not fair, Jim,” Addy said, ordering Jim in the right direction of the story.
“Well, it didn’t hurt Sally. It was just a little nudge, is all,” he said. “So, she looked over, and there was silly old Collin. He was smiling and eating a muffin.”
“Ugh, Collin!” Addy said with exasperation. “Collin, like our surfing friend, right?”
“Pretty close,” Jim laughed, his eyes mischievous. “So, Sally looked at Collin’s row. ‘You didn’t finish your work,’ she said. ‘You can’t eat that.’” Jim mimicked the cutest voice for Sally. “‘Oh, Sally, we want to play. Come play with us.’”
“She has to work.” Addy was catching on to Jim’s story, and if this interaction could’ve filled my heart with any more joy, it would’ve burst wide open.
“That’s right. So, Sally got up, brushed off her little overalls, and let Collin run off with Jake to go and play. Now, she was working really hard, was almost done, and then there was Alex.”
“Oh, no, Jim. Not Alex from the surfing too. He’s so nice.”
“Yeah, he’s nice, but that didn’t stop him from eating a muffin before he was finished working. He decided to eat that muffin while Sally ignored him. Then Sally finally finished, and when she got up, Alex laughed that she was last, and he followed her into the house when she went to get her muffin. When she walked in, she looked all around, but there were no muffins anywhere to be found.”
“What?” Addy gasped.
“Yep, you heard me right,” Jim sighed. “It felt like all her hard work—no cheating like those rascals had—had got her nothing. No food. Nothing. Not that warm, buttery muffin she’d been smelling, and her stomach wanted so badly now.”
“This is such a sad story, Jim.”
“It’s not over yet. Do you think Sally would give up so easily?” Jim asked.
“No.” Addy became more intrigued.
“That’s right. Sally kept looking, and then Mrs. Jones walked out with a basket filled—almost overflowing—with muffins. All kinds of different flavors too.”
“Oh, wow,” Addy said.
“Then Mrs. Jones said, ‘Thank you, little Miss Sally. You worked hard to help Mr. Jones and me today. You didn’t give up even when the sun was warm, and the muffins smelled yummy. This is for you to take home to eat for you and your family,’” Jim said in a funny, old woman’s voice.
“What did Alex say? He was there too,” Addy reminded him, her eyelids getting heavy as she struggled to stay with the story.
“Alex was not happy that he learned a tough lesson that day. He knew that he didn’t work as hard as Sally had, and even though Alex got a muffin, he wasn’t rewarded for his full day’s work. So, he got to watch Sally achieve a goal and go home happy with a full basket of food. Sally was so happy when she figured out that she may have been a bit slow, but she never gave up. She got her piggy tail pulled, and she’d gotten pushed down, and, of course, she had little Alex, laughing at her and watching to see how it would all end for her, but both of those little ones learned their lessons that day. Work hard, get up, and keep going, no matter what happens, and there will be a reward at the end.”
Before Jim had reached the end of his thought, Addy was breathing heavily. I made sure the blankets were tucked around her securely, and then I lay on my back and brought my hand to Jim’s cheek.
“I think she crashed once she knew little Sally was taking home the bacon in your life-lesson story for children,” I whispered.
Jim leaned over and kissed my lips. “Muffins,” he corrected me. “And, yes, all she needed was a little happily ever after with food, of course. Now, she’s out like a light.”
“This story will stick with her, you know. So, Jake, Alex, and Collin will love you for making them the rascals in your silly story.”
Jim laughed and ran his hand over my hair. “Will she sleep well in here tonight? I’d hate to move her.”
“I think she might have the best sleep in her life,” I said. “You really are the best man. I love you and love that you, obviously, aren’t a rascal like the others, eh?”
Jim smirked. “I never made it into the story. I was back at home working with the mules.”
I covered my laugh. “You’re such a nut.” I rubbed his chest, “I love this. I love us.”
“Me too, more than you know,” he said.
“I am so tired.”
“Do I need to tell you a story too?” He chuckled, and I could see his eyes were tired.
“You just did. The happily ever after part with food is all I needed to hear.”
Jim snuggled around me, and as we fell asleep, I couldn’t stop thanking God that Addy and I had found someone so remarkable.
