Whiskey In The Water

Chapter 9-Lori

Chapter 9

Lori

It’s six on the dot when the doorbell rings. Logan walks to the door and opens it. Evan walks in and they greet each other before Logan leads Evan into the living room where I am sitting with Clyde at my feet. He doesn’t leave my side when we’re home, and I can’t say I hate it. Clyde helps keep me calm. The guys walk over to the seating area and Evan leans down and hugs me briefly before taking a seat in one of the armchairs while Logan sits next to me.

“Thanks for coming tonight.” I say and Evan smiles at me. “Thanks for the invite but something tells me you didn’t just want to feed me.” He says and Logan and I look at each other and smile. “You’re right. We want to talk to you about something.” Logan says. “Mary.” He says and I nod. “Are you into her?” I ask and he looks down at his hands and then to me and says “I am but I don’t know how to approach it with her. Hell, I deal with lawyers and criminals every day and know exactly how to handle each situation but with her, I’m clueless.” He tells us. “I’ll help you.” I tell him and he looks at me shocked. “You’d do that?” he asks, and I nod my head yes. “Lori has claimed Mary as her little sister.” Logan says and you see Evan relax a little. “Where do I start?” he asks. “Well, the gift you got her is a good start. She showed me the papers and it doesn’t start for another month, so we have time to get her comfortable with you.” I tell him. “How do we do that?” he asks. “We plan on spending time with her. We want to show her that there are people out there that care about her and that not everyone is like her mom. You should go with us.” I tell him. “I’d like that.” He says.

We move to the kitchen and Alice is plating our food. We sit around the island and Alice joins us. “So, what are we talking about?” Alice asks. “How to help Mary get comfortable with being around Evan.” Logan tells her. Alice looks at Evan and says “I’ve known you for a long time, Evan. You’re a good man but I’m telling you, if you hurt her, I’ll be the first to put my foot up your ass.” Alice says and he smiles at her and says “Understood.” Alice looks at me and asks, “What’s the plan?” I look at Logan and then Evan before saying “We’re going to start going to the mission to spend some time with her and we’re going to bring Evan along so that she gets to know him but isn’t alone with him until she’s comfortable.” I tell her. “That’s a good start. But, Evan, you need to know that it’s not going to be an easy road. She went through something like what Lori went through, and Lori still struggles. She has a long way to go but what you need to remember is that she’s going to have setbacks and she’s going to push you away.” Alice says. I speak up. tells her. Alice looks at Evan and says “I’ve known you for a long time, Evan. You’re a good man but I’m telling you, if you hurt her, I’ll be the first to put my foot up your ass.” Alice says and he smiles at her and says “Understood.” Alice looks at me and asks, “What’s the plan?” I look at Logan and then Evan before saying “We’re going to start going to the mission to spend some time with her and we’re going to bring Evan along so that she gets to know him but isn’t alone with him until she’s comfortable.” I tell her. “That’s a good start. But, Evan, you need to know that it’s not going to be an easy road. She went through something like what Lori went through, and Lori still struggles. She has a long way to go but what you need to remember is that she’s going to have setbacks and she’s going to push you away.” Alice says. I speak up.

After dinner, Evan leaves with plans to meet with us the next morning at the mission to spend time with Mary. “Do you think we overwhelmed him a little?” I ask. “No. I think he has a better understanding of how to help her.” Logan tells me. “I hope so.” I say as we sit in the library, him having a glass of bourbon and me having a cup of tea. “Do you ever feel overwhelmed?” I ask. “I think I did at first. When I first saw you, when you were telling me what happened to you, I saw red. I’ve never felt that kind of need to protect someone.” He tells me. “Not even with your late wife?” I ask. “I was protective of her but not like this.” He tells me. “Is it because of what I’ve been through?” I ask. “I think that’s part of it, but I think it’s also because I knew you were my second chance. You’re my chance at something amazing.” He tells me. “Good answer.” I tell him and we start laughing a little. “What about you? Do you feel overwhelmed?” he asks. “I do. All the time. But it helps that you don’t go far from me and Clyde staying close helps too. He never leaves my side.” I tell him. “You know, I’ve had him for years, but he was never like this with Maura.” He tells me. “Could it be because I’m pregnant?” I ask. “I don’t know. But I think he knows you’re important.” He tells me. I reach down and stroke the top of Clyde’s head, and he nuzzles closer to my feet. “Let’s get you to bed mama.” Logan says before helping me up and we head to our bedroom.

We head to our room and as soon as we cross the threshold, I head to the bathroom to do my nighttime routine and change into something to sleep in. Walking out of the bathroom, I see Logan sitting on his side of the bed, taking off his watch and he’s changed into some pajama pants but no shirt. I stand there a minute and just admire him. He looks up at me and asks, “You need something honey?” I shake my head, and he holds out his hand and I walk over and take it. He pulls me to stand between his legs and his hands go to my hips, mine to his shoulders. “What is it baby?” he asks. I wrap my arms around his shoulders and pull him close to me and he wraps his arms around my waist, and we just hold each other. After a minute, he pulls back and looks at me. “Are you okay?” he asks. I nod my head yes and take a deep breath before moving to straddle him. His hands go to my hips and mine to his chest. “Tell me what you need baby?” he whispers. I kiss him softly and he deepens the kiss just a little bit before pulling back and looking at me. “I don’t know.” I say but he seems to know. “Do you need a session with Kathy?” he asks. “I think so.” I tell him. “Get your phone. Call her. She’s on call tonight. You can take the call in your office.” He tells me. “Thank you.” I say softly. “Don’t thank me baby. I’ll do anything you need.” He tells me before kissing me softly and helping me off his lap.

I move to my office with my cell phone and call Kathy’s office at the mission. “Kathy speaking.” She says as she answers. “Hey Kathy. It’s Lori. Are you busy?” I ask. “Not at all. Do you need a session?” she asks. “Yeah. Can we do it over the phone?” I ask. “Absolutely. Tell me what’s on your mind tonight?” she asks. “I’m confused. Like really confused and it’s freaking me out a little bit.” I tell her. “What are you confused about?” she asks. “I’m probably crazy but I…well, you know what happened with me. With Jake.” I tell her. “I do.” She says. She’s being patient and letting me talk it out myself like she normally does. “Well, when he was attacking me, I hated the thought of s*x. Like, I would have panic attacks thinking about it but with Logan…” I start and she cuts me off. “You’re wondering how it would be?” she asks. “Yeah. But I’m scared I’ll start freaking out and I know he’ll be patient but it’s not fair to him to have to be around me, get worked up and not get a release because I can’t keep myself in check long enough to take care of him.” I tell her. “Okay. First, it’s not about taking care of him. That’s what we need to work on first. When you’re with someone intimately, it’s about mutual care. Mutual satisfaction. It’s not about you being a tool to meet his needs. You both take care of each other. Second, your hormones are in overdrive so that’s probably not helping.” She says. “What do I do?” I ask. “Let me ask you this. Have you ever pleasured yourself?” she asks. “I…well, no.” I tell her and she says. “Okay, so here’s where we’re going to start. You know you can tell him anything. Talk to him. Even if you have to write it in a letter to get it all out and let him read it. Let him know that you don’t know what to do. That you want to start being intimate with him but that you need to take it slow. Suggest mutual touching and build from there so that you’re pushing yourself past it but not more than you’re comfortable with. But remember, he’s not Jake. He’s not there to take from you. He’s there to give to you. It’s not about taking from your partner. It’s about giving to them. You give them as much as they are giving you. But take things at your pace. I would suggest getting a small vibrator. That way, you can test for yourself what you’re comfortable with and know what it feels like to feel pleasure.” She tells me. “Do you think that would work?” I ask. “I do. But remember, like I told you before, it’s about you healing. Not all men are like Jake. Most men, when they are with the woman they love, only want to make the woman feel cherished and wanted. Desired. Don’t let yourself overthink it.” She tells me.

After getting off the call, I walk back into our bedroom and Logan is sitting on the bed, against the headboard, reading a book. When I close the bedroom door, he looks up at me and smiles softly. “Feeling better?” he asks. “A little. I think I have a better feel of what’s happening to me.” I tell him and he looks at me concerned. “Anything I can help with?” he asks. I walk over to his side of the bed and climb onto his lap, straddling him. I cup his face as his hands go to my hips again and I kiss him softly before he deepens the kiss. I feel him getting hard underneath me and I start to grind on him a little bit. I hear him groan into the kiss and I pull back. “Are you okay?” I ask, thinking he wasn’t liking it. “I’m perfect baby. Are you?” he asks. “I think so. Did that feel good for you?” I ask, cautiously. “It did. Did it for you?” he asks. I nod my head yes and he says “You take the lead on this. Whatever you’re comfortable with, I’m good with. We don’t have to rush anything.” He tells me. “I was talking to Kathy, and she helped me understand what was happening.” I tell him. “What did you figure out?” he asks. “I want to be…um…with you. I’m just scared that I’ll freak out because I’ve never…um…been pleasured.” I whisper, looking down at my hands on his chest. He tilts my chin up and asks “Can I try something? You can tell me to stop if you aren’t comfortable.” I look at him confused but I trust him. I nod my head yes.

He wraps his hand at my nape and tangles his fingers in my hair with one hand and kisses me softly. As he deepens the kiss, his hand slides up my shirt and he starts to caress my breast before taking my n****e between his finger and thumb and gently tweaks my n****e and I moan a little. He pulls back from the kiss, but his lips are still a whisper away from mine and he asks, “You like that?” I nod and he says, “Use your voice honey.” I whisper “Yes.” He kisses me again before I feel his hand slowly slide down my stomach and I stiffen a little. Breaking the kiss again, he whispers “It’s okay baby. I won’t hurt you.” I nod and he moves his hand down to my bare thigh and slides the tips of his fingers up my thigh, under the leg of my sleep shorts and gently start running his fingers up and down my folds through my panties and I moan a little more. He moves his fingers to the side of my panties and moves them to the side, gently, before taking his thumb and starts rubbing gentle circles on my c**t and I moan again and start grinding against his thumb. I break the kiss and my forehead is against his and he whispers “It’s okay baby. Let go. c*m for me.” And that’s all it takes before I go stiff against him and tilt my head back and moan his name. When I come down, he kisses me hard and then says “That was the sexiest thing I’ve ever seen. Are you okay baby?” he asks. “I’ve never felt that before.” I say. He looks at me curiously and asks. “You’ve never had an orgasm?” I shake my head and hide my face in his neck, and he asks, “Did you enjoy it?” I nod my head yes and he says, “Oh honey, that’s just a taste of what you can feel.” I look up at him shocked and then look down at his hard length, still in his pajama pants. “Can I?” I ask and he looks at me for a minute and I guess he sees what he wanted to see and nods his head yes.

He puts his hands on the bed on each side of him and I pull at his waistband. He lifts his hips to help me pull his pants down enough for his hard member to be exposed to me. I look at him and he says, “There’s lube in the nightstand.” I lean over and open the drawer, taking the tube out. I put a little in the palm of my hand and wrap my hand around his length and he lets out a little hiss. “This, okay?” I ask as I start sliding my hand up and down his length and he says, “Just a little tighter.” I tighten my hand just slightly and he says “Just like that baby. f**k that feels good.” He has his head leaned back and his eyes closed. I look down and watch my hand stroke up and down his shaft, tightening over the head as I do it. He starts to moan a little and says, “I’m getting close baby.” Before opening his eyes and looking at me. “Don’t stop.” He whispers before cupping my face and kissing me deeply before he groans into the kiss, and I feel his seed spurt out over my hand and when I look, he’s still spurting rope after rope onto his stomach. When he finally stops, he’s breathing hard, and he kisses me softly and says, “I love you so f*****g much.” I smile softly and say, “I love you.” He looks at me shocked and kisses me harder and we both start laughing. “Let me get something to clean you up.” I say before getting off of his lap and getting a warm cloth to clean him up with.

When I climb back into bed, he pulls me close and says, “What would you say to us getting Evan to marry us?” He asks. “I’d like that. Can we do it here? Maybe get Ashton and Izzy, Alice and getting Mary here?” I ask. “Do you think she’d be okay coming here?” he asks. “I think so. Maybe Izzy and I can pick her up and bring her here so she might be more comfortable.” I tell him. “We can get Nick, Izzy’s driver to drive you. I think I want to get a driver for you. Would you be okay with that?” he asks. “I think so. Maybe Nick knows someone. I’m okay being around him. I trust him.” I tell him. “We’ll talk to everyone tomorrow.” He tells me and I kiss him one more time before laying my head on his chest and falling asleep.

The next morning, I wake up in bed alone. Getting out of bed, I do my morning routine before getting dressed and heading downstairs. Logan is sitting at the island, drinking coffee. I walk over and kiss him softly. “Good morning baby.” He says. “Yes, it is.” I say before getting my coffee. “What are you looking at?” I ask. “Check this out.” He tells me before handing me the tablet as I take a seat next to him at the island. “What is this?” I ask. “This is course list for your psychology degree. I know you’re going to want to be at home with the baby so you will have time if you’re going to go full time.” He tells me. “I’ve been thinking about that. I love the idea of being a counselor but what if I went into social work instead?” I ask. “That what you want?” he asks. “I think so. I love the idea of helping people and I know the classes will help me understand what’s happened to me, but I don’t know. I think I would be better at helping figure out the things a person needs on a personal level than a psychological level.” I tell him. “That makes sense. The way you’ve been with Mary…that might be a better fit for you. Are you wanting to work for yourself or for the mission?” he asks. “For the mission.” I tell him. “You can get your associate’s in social work and still work at the mission. Is that what you want?” he asks. “Yeah.” I tell him. “Well, let’s see.” He says as he starts typing on the tablet again. “It looks like that’s only a two-year program but I’m sure Izzy would love to have you helping at the mission while you study. And they offer online courses so you can do it around the baby and around the mission. How’s that sound?” he asks. “Perfect. When could I start?” I ask. “Next semester starts in about a month. I’ll call later today and get you registered and get the tuition paid.” He tells me. “Thank you.” I tell him before kissing him. “I love you.” He whispers. “I love you too.” I whisper back and he smiles wide.

I’ve not seen him smile this much since we’ve been together. “You’re really happy, aren’t you?” I ask. “Happiest I’ve ever been.” He tells me and I lay my head on his shoulder. He kisses the top of my head. “I texted Evan and he can be here this evening to marry us.” He tells me. I look up at him and smile. “I’ll text Izzy and Mary.” I tell him. “Already texted Izzy. She’s going to get Mary and bring her here. Ashton is getting some information from Nick for a driver for us.” He tells me. “Okay. So, I just need a dress. Something simple. I want you in a pair of nice pants and dress shirt please.” I say and he nods. “What about Alice?” I ask. “I’m right here and I have my dress. I have a dress I’ve not gotten to wear yet.” She tells me. “Good. Oh God. I’m getting married tonight.” I say. “Yes, you are.” Alice says. “Are you okay with that?” she asks. I look at Logan and smile and say “Absolutely.” And he smiles back.

Izzy and Mary arrive, and they take me upstairs and Izzy has a garment bag with her. “What’s that?” I ask. “I picked you up a wedding dress. Just a simple white sundress. Logan said something about having the ceremony in the garden and Ashton had his housekeeper come with us to help Alice get the reception ready.” She tells me. “Okay.” I say softly. “Are you okay?” Izzy asks and Mary looks at me. “I did something.” I tell them. “What did you do?” Izzy asks suspiciously. “I might have fooled around with Logan.” I say and look down at my hands. “Oh honey, that’s not a bad thing.” She tells me. I look at her and say “It wasn’t. I mean, we didn’t have s*x but after talking to Kathy and getting a better grasp on what’s happening to me, well, it was really intimate, and I feel like I made a lot of progress.” I tell them. “So, we can move on?” Mary asks. I look at her and say “Yes but I’ll tell you what Kathy told me. She said to let him know what I was thinking and what I wanted, even if I had to write it in a letter. She said to gently push myself. To move forward but not to more than I’m ready for.” I tell her. “That’s what I want.” She tells us and we both stop what we’re doing and I ask, “What’s on your mind sis?” I ask and she looks at me with a soft smile. “I feel like I have two amazing sisters with you two. I mean, you could have left me alone to deal with it by myself but you two have been my rocks through this.” She tells us. “We’re family honey.” Izzy says and that makes me and Mary both smile. “How are you feeling about the gift Evan gave you?” I ask. “It’s an amazing gift. But I don’t know about being alone with him.” She tells us and looks down at her hands. “That’s why Logan and I spoke to him. He’s going to be spending time with us all together so that you’re not alone with him until you’re comfortable with it. And it gives you a chance to get to know him.” I tell her. “You’d do that for me?” she asks. “Of course. You’re one of us. Why do you think you’re here with me to get married. I want both of you there standing with me when I marry Logan.” I tell her and she smiles. “Let’s get you married then.” Mary says and they help me finish getting ready.

When it’s time, I have Alice, Izzy and Mary walk me down the aisle. Evan is standing there with Logan and Ashton as his best man. We walk up to the men and the makeshift altar and Izzy places my hand into Logan’s. “Who gives this woman away to be married?” Evan asks. “Her sisters do.” Izzy says and I smile at my two new best friends. Looking back at Logan, he smiles and mouths You look beautiful. I smile at him, and Evan starts the ceremony. “I’ve known Logan for a long time. I remember back in law school he was always talking about how he was going to find the woman of his dreams and have his perfect little family. I thought he found that before, but I was wrong and I’m so glad I was. I’ve never seen him look at anyone the way he looks at Lori. And Lori, I’ve not known you for very long, but I see how strong you are. I see how determined you are and how perfect you are for him. That being said, is there anyone here who thinks these two should not be joined in holy matrimony?” he asks, and no one speaks up. “Well, let’s get started. The joining of two people under God is an unbreakable bond and if I could say one thing it’s that to always remember that the two of you are a team. You complete each other and it doesn’t matter what hell you go through, it’s how you come out of it that matters and as long as you come out of it together, that’s all that matters. Your past doesn’t matter. Your present and future are all that matters. Your love for each other is all that matters and the love you have for each other and for your children will only help you both thrive. Logan, do you take Lori to be your lawfully wedded wife, to have and to hold, to comfort and support, to be your partner in life, to cherish and love until death do you part?” he asks, and Logan looks at me and smiles before saying “I do.” He looks at me and asks, “Lori do you take Logan to be your lawfully wedded husband, to have and to hold, to comfort and support, to be your partner in life, to cherish and love until death do you part?” I smile at Logan and say, “I do.” Evan smiles at us and says “Now for the rings. I believe they wanted to say their own vows.” Evan says before looking at Logan. Logan takes the ring from Ashton and says “With this ring, I vow to be the husband you deserve, the father our children deserve. I vow to be your biggest supporter and the shoulder you need in your time of need. I vow to make it my mission to keep a smile on your face and to be the one you come to for anything you desire.” Before slipping the ring on my finger with my engagement ring. I take the ring from Izzy and take Logan’s hand. “With this ring, I vow to be the wife you deserve, the mother our children deserve. I vow to be your rock. Your partner. Your confidant. I vow to be one person that you can count on for anything. I vow to do everything in my power to make you happy. I vow to do everything to show you that you’re my world.” I say before slipping the ring on his finger. “Before I pronounce you husband and wife, I want to issue a blessing. Something my grandfather used to say. May your days be filled with nothing but love, happiness and may you always find ways to amaze each other. Challenge each other. But always remember that you are an extension of each other. You make each other better. By the power vested in me, I now pronounce you husband and wife. You may kiss your bride.” Evan says. Before Logan can do anything, I grab his tie and pull him close to me before our lips collide and it’s a kiss that I feel in my toes. When we separate, he whispers “I love you Mrs. Edwards.” I smile and say, “I love you my husband.”