Sweet Treats and Deadbeats

CHAPTER 6: Learning to Love

Madison

For the second day in a row, I woke up with Declan Walsh in my bed. After he confessed his ‘love’ for me, I’d been freaked out. Instead of sleeping in my nice comfy bed, I’d slept on the loveseat.nice

Why did he always take me by surprise? We were having great s*x, he liked my kids, and things were uncomplicated. Wasn’t that enough? Declan-f*****g-Walsh was single handedly ruining my whole goddamn life. The weird thing was that he didn’t do it on purpose. It just kind of happened.

I stretched and watched him squeeze my pillow. He’d slept with his head buried in my chest for most of the night. It reminded me of when my babies used to sleep with me. Tom had hated to come home and find them in our bed. I hadn’t cared, though. Noah and Sophie were always my first priority.

It was pitch black outside. When I glanced over at my bedside alarm clock, I saw that it was only four in the morning. At least today was Sunday, so we could all sleep in. I pulled on my robe and went to check on my babies.

After Tom almost killed me, The Department of Children and Family Services had put us in the system. Since I’d proven to be a non neglectful mother and was always nice to the social workers, they’d marked our file as completed.

Those months had been so hard, with me constantly thinking someone was going to take my kids away. I’d kept a map to Canada in the car and as much cash as possible just in case. I would’ve become a fugitive if that was the only way to keep my babies.

Sophie was sleeping peacefully as the sounds of her Ocean playlist drifted through the room. I made sure she was warm and kissed her forehead, inhaling the sweet scent of innocence and youth. She sighed as a tiny smile formed on her lips. My heart melted.

Eventually, I pulled myself away and went to make sure Noah was all right. His room was decorated with lots of sports stuff everywhere. I waded through the pile of toys until I got to his racecar bed. From the looks of things, we were going to need to have some cleaning time later.

I laid down next to my baby boy and let the tears flow freely. Next week marked the day that I’d lost my other son. He would have been seven years old. I was so thankful that I had two healthy and beautiful children, but I still mourned the one I’d lost.

Noah stirred, wrapping his tiny arm around my neck and snuggling into my chest. His scent was calming to me. I whispered sweet things into his ear and rubbed his back. He put his thumb in his mouth and sucked quietly. It was such a bad habit, but he looked so cute doing it.

By the time I got back to my bedroom, it was a little after five. Declan sat up upon hearing me enter. His copper-colored hair was as messy as always. He rubbed his eyes until they adjusted to the light.

Then, he smiled. “Hey, sweetheart. Why aren’t you in bed? I was freaking the f**k out when I woke up to find you gone. Did I snore or something?”

I walked over and turned on a lamp before sitting on my side of the bed. Declan’s bright green eyes suddenly came into focus. They were clear and happy for once. He was only wearing a pair of boxers and his potent smell of pure masculinity was driving me wild.

Focus, dipshit. Remember, he’s your friend, nothing more. Stop letting your p***y lead your brain.

Gee, thanks, for your vote of confidence.

Realizing that talking to myself wasn’t going to get me anywhere, I sighed and turned to Declan

“Um, no, you didn’t snore. I just went to check on the kids. Declan, can we talk about what happened last night?”

He pulled me into his arms, kissing my lips and neck seductively. His skin was as hot as a furnace. I reached down and felt his c**k. Hello, morning woody.

I pulled away, taking a swig of water and passing the bottle to Declan. He stared at me as he drank greedily. This morning was not going the way I’d hoped. My p***y was already extremely wet, making it hard to concentrate on important things.

After he finished, Declan handed the bottle to me and arranged us so that I was in his lap. I squirmed a bit to get comfortable, which caused Declan to curse and try to hold me still.

“Damn, sweetheart. If you keep grinding on my c**k, I’m going to jizz.”

I blushed and looked down at my hands. When I looked up, Declan was watching me again. His intense gaze was creepy. No man had ever looked at me the way Declan Walsh did.

“Madison, last night was awful until I got back to you. I know I probably freaked you out by coming here, but I needed you so much. I always need you. You’re my…best friend. Please, don’t hate me.”

I climbed back to my side of the bed before answering. “Um, Declan, that wasn’t what I was talking about. Do you remember what you said before you fell asleep?”

He appeared to be in deep thought. “Yeah. You were holding me and singing that sweet song in my ear. I told you I loved you.”

I cringed. “Why did you say that? Do you realize how complicated things are now? There is no way in hell that you love me.”

He stood up angrily, pulling on the clothes he’d worn last night. “I knew coming to you was a f*****g mistake! How are things more ‘complicated’? I do love you. You’re my best friend in the whole world. How dare you downplay my feelings and accuse me of being a liar,” he barked.

“You are a f*****g liar, Walsh. You’re the one who messed up here! We haven’t known each other long enough for you to love me. We had a simple agreement to be fuckbuddies and friends. Why are you trying to turn what we have into a relationship? You and I both know it will only end badly.”

He tugged on his hair, pacing the floor restlessly. “For f**k’s sake, Madison. Do you hear yourself? I’m not asking you for a goddamn relationship. I said I love you because that was what I was feeling in my heart at that moment. I didn’t know it would make you go all psycho uber-b***h on me.”

I stood up. “How dare you call me a f*****g b***h, Declan! Get the f**k out of my house! We’re done. I don’t want to see you again. You’re just a clingy bastard who was sent to ruin my f*****g life! I’ll make up some excuse to the kids. It’s not like they’re not used to men walking out on us.”

Declan was around the bed in a flash, pulling me to his chest. His eyes were wild and angry. I was sure mine probably matched, because my blood was boiling.

“I’m not walking out on Noah or Sophie! You’re pushing me away because of my feelings. Don’t ever compare me to that f*****g bastard who sired them. He f****d you up more than I suspected.”

He paused to throw some clothes into his overnight bag. “It’s fine if you don’t want to see me again. I don’t need some insecure, overdramatic little b***h ruining my life! I have enough problems as it is. You have my permission to go f**k Ted, Dean, hell, even your f*****g ex! I’m done with you and your bullshit. Have a nice life, Madison,” he yelled before leaving.

After the fight, I spent the rest of the morning in bed crying. Declan didn’t deserve what I’d just done to him. I’d picked the wrong time, too. What if he went out and used because of me? I would never forgive myself if he relapsed.

The kids woke up and came to watch cartoons with me. I pretended to be happy for them. Tina went to McDonalds and got us some breakfast. When she returned, we all went downstairs to eat. After that, my babies went to play in the den.

“Madison, what happened? You look like death warmed over. Spill,” Tina demanded, handing me a glass of orange juice.

I broke down and told her everything, completely sobbing by the end. As usual, she listened without being judgmental. It still amazed me that someone like her wanted to be my friend.

“I just… When he told me he loved me, I thought of Tom. He used to always talk about how much he loved me. That was the reason I left school to marry him. I’d been so happy that someone in the world actually loved me, and look how badly that turned out. What if Declan turns out to be the same? I can’t let him in, T.”

She handed me a Kleenex and sipped her coffee. “Madison, you know I adore you, but you were wrong. Declan has already proved that he is nothing like Tom. You can’t keep putting your ex-husband’s flaws on to every man you meet.”

I huffed, realizing that she was probably right. “I f****d up. Declan is never going to forgive me anyway. I don’t think I want to try anymore if he did. He called me a b***h. As far as I’m concerned, we’re through. Besides, school starts tomorrow and the diner opens on Wednesday. I’ll be too busy.”

Tina rolled her eyes and stood up. “I hope you’re never ‘too busy’ to keep me as a friend. You owe Declan an apology. It’s up to you, but I think it’s stupid to throw away something so special over an argument. Noah and Sophie are very fond of Declan, and he was starting to grow on me, too. I’ll be in the den with the kids if you need me.”

Since I was still angry and wound up, I decided to clean. The kids helped until they got bored and went outside to play. Tina and I split up so we could each do different rooms. The house was large, so we were probably going to have to hire a service to come clean once the pastry shop opened.

I was vacuuming the den when the doorbell rang. My stomach flipped, thinking that it may have been Declan coming to apologize. I wiped my hands on my sweatpants before walking to the door.

Dean was standing on the porch with his hands stuffed into his pockets. “Hello, Madison. Sorry to bother you. May I come inside?”

“Of course,” I answered, taking off my bandanna and trying to make myself look presentable.

I went to the kitchen to get some iced tea and chocolate cookies. My mother had been horrible, but she’d always stressed the importance of being a good hostess. Plus, Dean was my friend.

Dean ate four cookies and drank a glass of tea before he was ready to chat.

“Madison, I’m sorry to intrude like this, but I think it’s important that we talk. I saw Declan’s Porsche leaving your house this morning. I’m not accusing you of anything. I just don’t want you to get a bad reputation around town.”

I choked on my tea. “What the f**k? The only way I would get a bad reputation is if you made up lies. Declan and I are just friends. I’m a single adult woman. I can have a friend stay over at my house if I want.”

He groaned. “I know that, but Declan is not someone you want to be seen hanging around with. He is bad news. You and your family are wonderful. I’d hate to see you get hurt because of him.”

“What do you have against, Declan? He said there was some bad blood, but what really went down? Did you two fight over a chick or something?” I asked, genuinely curious.

Dean shook his head. “No! It’s deeper than that. When I was sixteen, I was in love with a beautiful girl named Chelsea. We had plans of attending college and opening up our own veterinary practice.

“One night she was out with her parents. They were hit by a drunk driver. I was told it was an instant death. The bastard had already put someone in a coma, but the system had let him out early for good behavior.”

“Oh, Dean, I’m so sorry,” I said, squeezing his hand.

“That’s why I started the petition against Declan. What if he goes back to the drugs or alcohol and kills again? I couldn’t save Chelsea, but I’ll be damned if I let anyone else get hurt. Port Townsend is my home and favorite place on Earth. I feel that it’s my job to help protect the citizens.”

I sighed. “Em, what happened to Chelsea and her family is horrible, but you can’t blame Declan. He has been sober every since the accident. Please, try to give him a chance.”

He wiped his eyes. “I’ll think about it, Madison. Thanks. I’m sorry about what I said. If anyone called your reputation into question, I’d be the first to kick their ass.”

I laughed. “I’d do the same for you, Dean. I still owe you that cup of coffee. We are opening on Wednesday. I look forward to seeing you there.”

We fell into a comfortable conversation about the town of Port Townsend. He had grown up here so he knew lots of cool stories. He told me about all the people I just had to meet, and also about the ones that I should avoid like the plague. Noah and Sophie came to say hi to their, ‘Uncle, before he left.

I went back to cleaning, thinking about what we'd discussed. I’d done the same thing Dean had done, basically blaming Declan for Tom’s sins. I ran upstairs and grabbed my phone, hoping that I wasn’t too late.

I tried Declan’s number ten times. He didn’t answer and his voicemail was off. I began to panic. Where was he? Since he wasn’t answering, I texted him.

“Hey, Declan. I’m so sorry about this morning. Please call or text me back. I miss you.”

A few minutes later he responded, but not the way I’d hoped.

“You said you didn’t want to see me again. I know when I’m not wanted. I thought what we had was special, but you were so quick to throw it away. Go, live you life. You won’t have to worry about this ‘clingy bastard’ bothering you again.”

The tears came hard and fast after that. What the f**k was wrong with me? I’d single handedly ruined one of the best things in my life. It had only been a few hours and I already missed Declan.

When I was calm again, I went to take a shower. I thought about pleasuring myself, but I was still too sad and it would be the same without Declan anyway. My heart, my soul, and my body missed him.

Yesterday in Port Angeles, I’d picked up some new clothes and lingerie. The nightgowns and underwear weren’t overly sexy, but they looked good on me. While I was trying them on, I’d thought of Declan and if he would like each piece.

I was buttoning up my purple and black plaid shirt when the doorbell rang again. Sunday must be the Port’s visiting day, I thought bitterly. I didn’t feel like company at the moment.

Thankfully, Tina had answered the door by the time I made it downstairs. I stopped on the stairs when I heard the rich, deep voice of the person she was talking to. Declan. Why was he here? I contemplated going back upstairs and hiding but ultimately changed my mind.

When I got to the living room, I heard the excited squeals of my babies. I took a deep breath.

“Hello, Declan.”

He barely looked at me and grunted his hello. Tina looked between us helplessly. Luckily the kids were too busy laughing and playing with each other. Was this how it was going to be between Declan and me now?

“Madison, I’m here to take you and the kids fishing. Unlike some people, I keep my promises,” Declan said, glaring at me.

I narrowed my eyes at him. “That’s okay. The kids and I made other plans.”

Noah pouted and pulled on my hand. “No we don’t, mommy. I want to go fishing and play with the worms. Pwease. I’ll be good.”

Sophie wrapped her arm around my waist and gave me the pleading eyes. “Please, mommy. We’ve wanted to go forever. Declan said that Brando is coming, too.”

I sighed, resigned to my fate. How bad could it be? “Okay, let’s go upstairs and get dressed.”

Tina still refused to join us on the fishing trip. She stayed downstairs, chatting with Declan while I helped the kids. Sophie decided to match me and wear a hot pink and black flannel shirt with jeans. I chose a green and yellow flannel for Noah and his favorite dinosaur jeans. I’d bought him some new Velcro Nikes so that he wouldn’t have to tie shoelaces in school, so he wore those.

After I was satisfied my babies looked good and were going to be warm enough, we went back downstairs. Tina’s hand was on Declan’s shoulder as she laughed at something he said. Oddly, that sight made me jealous.

Honestly, Tina and Declan made a striking couple. They were graceful, tall, and extremely good looking. What would I do if he started dating her? My heart thundered with just the thought.

“Um, we’re ready when you are, Declan,” I said, alerting them to my presence.

He stood up, kissing Tina briskly on the cheek. I may or may not have growled. Those lips were mine, or at least they used to be. They made plans to have lunch together at the shop. Great, now I’ll have to see them fawn all over each other. Barf.

After we all put our jackets on, we headed out to Declan’s SUV. It was huge and had screens on the back of the seats. Spongebob was already playing. My babies shrieked and thanked Declan as I helped them put on their seatbelts.

The drive to the dock was awkward. I kept looking at Declan, but he kept his eyes on the road. Noah and Sophie laughed and played in the back without a care in the world. I was thankful they didn’t sense any problems between Declan and me.

Of course, Declan’s dock was private. He entered a security code and the gate opened, letting us through. I gasped when I saw his fishing boat. It was the biggest one I’d ever seen in person.

He caught my eye and smirked. “It’s a Bertram 800, the best fishing yacht in the world. There are bedrooms, television, bathrooms, and a lot of other stuff. I was hoping we could cook up some fish in the kitchen.”

I nodded dumbly. I’d always wanted to go on a cruise. Tom had promised he would take me, but he never had. There was never enough money after his gambling and w*****g around.

I later found out that he had taken one of his women on the QEII. It didn’t surprise me. I wasn’t the kind of woman men made a fuss over. I was the f*****g doormat who cooked, cleaned, and warmed a bed; nothing special.

A few traitor tears fell from my eyes. Sophie looked back and came over to me.

“Mommy! What’s wrong? Why are you crying?” She asked frantically.

Noah had never been able to stand my tears. He wrapped his little body around my leg and began sobbing, which made Sophie cry.

Declan’s emerald eyes widened as he stared at us in shock. “What’s the matter with you all? This is supposed to be a fun day. No more crying. Only giggles,” he said, tickling our sides.

The kids laughed, but I was still feeling down, so I just pretended to smile. Declan handed out life jackets and helped us on the boat. Brando was already on board, and he began barking and sniffing the kids. They bent down to pet him.

It was a little cool out, but at least it wasn’t raining for once. Sadly, there was no sun. The weather reflected my mood.

Declan was great with the kids. He got behind the wheel and showed them all the controls. My heart warmed when he lifted Sophie and let her steer.

I was happy Declan wasn’t taking his anger with me out on my babies. The fact that he was being so nice after what I had said, just proved that he was nothing like their father.

After about half an hour, we got to Declan’s favorite fishing spot. I took out the bag of fishing stuff I’d gotten from the Howard’s store and showed the kids. They loved everything. Declan helped them put worms on their hooks and throw out the line.

I was kind of standing back, just enjoying watching my babies have fun when he walked over to me. “Madison, we need to talk.”

He guided me to one of the white leather seats on the deck. Noah and Sophie looked back at us and smiled.

“Declan, I’m so sorry about what I said. You have to know that I didn’t mean it. I just freaked…”

He put his fingers over my lips, checked to make sure that the kids weren’t watching, and then kissed me. His gifted tongue massaged mine as we tried to keep the noise down. I didn’t want it to ever end, but the kids were about to turn around.

I pulled back and blinked. “Declan, that… I don’t deserve you after how I’ve acted. Can you forgive me?”

He shrugged. “What’s there to forgive? You made it clear that you don’t feel the same way about me as I do you. We’ll just continue f*****g, and I’ll do stuff with the kids when it’s okay with you. We’ll keep it very light and uncomplicated. That way no one gets hurt.

“Oh, and by the way, I have a date tomorrow night, so if you could cut my hair today that would be awesome.”

I chewed on my bottom lip. “Oh, do I know the lucky woman?” My voice sounded squeaky even to my ears.

He smiled. “No, her name is Isla. She’s in my yoga class. We have a lot in common. Plus, she’s my type.”

“What is your type, Declan?” I asked, not really wanting to know the answer.

“You know, the usual, blonde, tall, slim, great body,” he replied flippantly.

I knew it! He had been slumming it with me until someone better came along. It wasn’t really a surprise, but the pain I felt from his declaration was unexpected.

I nodded and stood up. “That’s great. I hope you have a wonderful time. Um, I can cut your hair after we finish fishing. If you don’t mind, I’d like to cut Noah’s, too. I’ll clean up any mess that we make.”

He lifted my chin, staring deep into my eyes. I hoped he didn’t see the pain and unshed tears, but I feared that he did. Why had I given him the power to hurt me? Why didn’t I learn from Tom, Neal, and every other man who had thrown me away?

“ Sweetheart…,” he whispered.

I pulled away. “I need to go help Noah. It looks like he has one on the line,” I said, stumbling away.

Declan proved to be a master fisherman. We caught enough to feed a small army. My babies had a great time with Brando. Declan kept trying to engage me in conversation, but I wasn’t in the mood. I replied to his questions in a monotone voice.

Once it began to rain, we retreated inside. The downstairs was very plush, with white leather couches and flat screen televisions. Declan went to start gutting the fish while I cut Noah’s hair. Sophie chatted happily with Declan and helped him dispose of the garbage.

After Noah’s hair was done, I helped him take a quick shower. He let me baby him because of my earlier tears. Thankfully, Declan had several bottles of shampoo. The yacht was stocked to the brim with everything.

When I got back to the main area, Declan was putting in “ Alice in Wonderland” the DVD. There was a huge flat screen TV which covered half of the wall. He offered the kids popcorn after I told him they could have some before dinner.

“Declan, do you have an apron I can borrow?” I asked, stepping into the state-of-the-art kitchen.

He reached into a drawer and pulled out a blue, ‘kiss the cook’ apron. I was about to tie it, but he beat me to the punch. We stood, staring into each other’s eyes until I remembered my place and stepped away.

He’d bought all the ingredients for coleslaw, hush puppies, and even frozen biscuits. In no time at all, I had the fish frying.

“Sweetheart, I’m sorry. I was a jerk earlier. I just wanted to make you hurt as much as me,” he said, kissing my cheek.

I smirked. “You didn’t hurt me. You’re free to date who you want. Just remember to let me know if you want to start f*****g Isla. That was our agreement, remember?”

He pulled on his hair, glaring angrily at me. “Why can’t you just admit your damn feelings? There’s nothing wrong with loving someone and letting them into your life.”

I ignored him while I finished frying the fish and hushpuppies. The smell was turning my stomach. I needed to get out of here and fast.

“Declan, can you watch the kids? I need to go up to the deck for a minute,” I said, not giving him time to answer.

Once I got outside, I began to sob. My chest felt like it was caving in on itself. I couldn’t love Declan, at least now how he needed to be loved. The only people that I loved were Tina and my babies.

After I composed myself, I went back downstairs. Declan was sitting with the kids. I pulled out the stool I’d used for Noah and motioned for Declan to come over. He complied, winking at me before he sat down.

His beautiful copper hair was as soft as cashmere. I remembered the way it felt on my thighs when he licked my p***y, which caused me to blush deep red. He seemed to be having a little trouble breathing as my fingers ran through his locks. I knew he was nervous, so I rubbed his back.

After I finished, I went to grab a mirror so Declan could see his hair. He smiled and hugged me. Sophie said both Noah and Declan were very handsome, for boys. That earned her lots of tickling time.

Declan went to take a shower before dinner. I used that time to clean up and put the food on the table. By the time he got out, we were all famished. I put a large piece of fish and a biscuit in Brando’s bowl before sitting down.

“Mommy, this is delicious, and it’s so much fun that we got to follow the process,” Sophie said.

Declan laughed. “Yeah, the food chain is cool. It’s nice that we have the luxury of a grocery store, but sometimes it’s nice to be the hunter.”

Noah slathered his fish in tartar sauce until it was soggy. Then he added ketchup and mustard. Tom liked to eat his exactly the same way. I really hoped that taste in food was all Noah would inherit from his sperm donor.

My appetite was non existent, so I picked at my food. Declan noticed and raised his eyebrows at me.

“I’m just feeling a little sick. I’ll be okay. Why don’t you all finish up. I’m just going to lie down for a few minutes, if that’s okay with you, Declan.”

He frowned. “Of course, you can. Are you seasick? I have some pills…”

I shook my head. “No, just a little tired. Wake me up in an hour.”

Noah and Sophie looked worried, so I kissed them on the cheek before exiting.

The yacht’s bedrooms were nicer than most houses. I climbed into the giant bed, crawled under the blue comforter, and fell asleep.

I was awakened by someone shaking my shoulder. I groaned and sat up, looking at the clock. It was a little after six. We needed to get home soon so that the kids could get a good night’s sleep before school tomorrow.

“Sweetheart, are you okay? I was so worried, but you seemed like you needed the sleep. Please stop shutting me out. You’ve barely eaten, you look withdrawn and tired, and I can tell that you’ve been crying. Let’s forget about our argument earlier. I need to know what’s going on with you.”

I stood up, swaying lightly. Declan caught me and pulled me into his lap. His strong arms always centered me. Tom’s body had intimidated me, but Declan’s made me feel safe. I leaned into his chest and sniffed. His scent was even more potent with the sea salt air.

I had to be strong, so I stood up again. “I’m fine. We should be heading out. The kids have school tomorrow. I need to go car shopping, meet with the employees, and plan for the shop’s opening. I’ll probably be too busy to see you. Have fun on your date.”

He tried to pull me back, but I was faster. The ride back to the dock was tense. Luckily, Noah, Sophie, and Brando were asleep. Declan carried the kids to his car and buckled their seatbelts. I helped him carry the coolers of fish and our leftovers.

When we made it to the house, Declan insisted on carrying my babies to their rooms. I put on their pajamas and tucked them in. Noah was wearing a fishing whistle Declan had given him. He refused to take it off. Sophie asked me to say goodnight to Declan for her. I promised her I would.

After the kids were set, I jogged downstairs, expecting to find it empty. Unfortunately, Declan was pacing the floor and scowling. I straightened my back and walked over to him.

“Um, the kids wanted to tell you goodnight. Thanks so much for today. They had a great time. Don’t forget to drop by the pastry shop on Wednesday. Anything you want is on the house,” I said rapidly.

“I can help you, you know. I have a 2016 BMW X5 collecting dust in my garage. It’s brand new. I could have it painted and modded to your preference. I can also assist you in the business stuff. I have plenty of experience.”

I went to my office to get my checkbook. When I came back, Declan was looking at some framed baby pictures of Noah and Sophie.

“How much should I make the check out for?” I asked, startling him.

“What the hell, Madison? I don’t want your f*****g money. I’ll give you the car. I got it for free and I have no use for it. It’s all yours. I’ll even throw in a gas card.”

I squeezed my pen. “I don’t need your charity, Walsh! Either I pay for your car, or I buy from someone else.”

He smirked. “Fine. You can let me eat at the pastry shop once a week for free and also invite me to dinner sometimes. That’s payment enough.”

After going back to my office to grab my laptop, I Googled the price. The median was over sixty-thousand dollars. It was expensive, but the high safety and durability rating convinced me.

“The SUV costs quite a bit more than I can spend at once. Would you be willing to lease it to me? I could make the down payment and first month now.”

Declan sighed and walked over. He shocked me by pulling the checkbook from my hand and flinging it across the room. I was about to protest when he kissed me harshly. His hands roamed until they reached my ass. I sucked on his tongue and whimpered. He was too damn good at this.

Suddenly, he pulled my hips to his as we started extreme dry humping. His hard on was right over my c**t. He unbuttoned my shirt so he could suck on my taut n*****s. I arched my back giving him free access as I palmed his c**k. He was hard, hot, and ready. I moaned in ecstasy. I was so close, but then the motherfucker stopped and backed away.

“There. That was my payment for the car. I’ll have someone look at it and deliver it to you by Wednesday. Get some rest, sweetheart. You look a little flushed.” He smirked and walked away. I could hear his annoying whistling before the door shut.

And the point goes to Declan-f*****g-Walsh. Great.

Declan

I was thoroughly convinced God had created Madison Smith just to torture me. Why else was the women bent on destroying my life? She had all the power in this…whatever it was that we had..

After our fight, I’d left the house feeling shitty. Her words had hurt. I knew I relied on her a lot, but I didn’t think that it was fair to call me ‘clingy’. I’d stopped by the convenience store to pick up some liquor, planning to get shitfaced drunk to forget about her.

As usual, Neal was on the front steps passed out with his brown paper bag. That killed my buzz, so I helped him into the car so I could take him home. He lived out in the middle of the woods in a tiny shack. Almost everyone had given him a ride at some point, so it was common knowledge where he lived.

He came to before we made it to his place and talked to me. Surprisingly, he asked about Madison. I told him she and the kids were great. His eyes gained some spark when I spoke of her and the children. Maybe there was hope for him yet.

After making sure that he was safe, I left. It was easy to see why Madison had a problem with love. Neal hadn’t ever been there for her, and from what I’d heard; Rhonda wasn’t winning any mother of the year trophies.

As if to jolt me back to the present, my phone rang.

It was Joey. “Hey, dude. Where are you? Do you need me to pick you up from the airport?”

He laughed. “Naw, you’re cool. I’m having a layover with this stewardess chick. She’s not that smart, but her legs go on for days. I’ll see you tomorrow afternoon.”

We talked about the usual ‘man things’; boobs, beer, women, s*x, and money. Joey thought my fight with Madison was hilarious.

“Bro, when did you grow a vag. Let her ass walk. You can have practically any p***y you want.”

I winced at his crass words. “Don’t f*****g talk about my sweetheart like that! It’s not just s*x between us; at least I thought it wasn’t. She’s my best friend.”

He made a startled noise. “I’m hurt, Dex. I thought I was your best friend.”

I laughed. “You’re my best guy friend. Madison and I f**k, so naturally we’re closer.”

“You’re so whipped, dude. Next thing I know you’ll be sending out wedding invitations. My little airplane hottie is pouting, so I gotta go. See you tomorrow.”

After Joey hung up, I dialed Madison. She answered and even talked for a few minutes, but I could tell something was bothering her. I just hoped she would accept the BMW without further protest. She was probably the only woman in the world who would turn down a free luxury SUV.

I had a class to teach, so I went to bed early. I woke up at six ready for the day. My whole being missed my sweetheart. Of course my d**k was hard. I rubbed one out in the shower while looking at the nude picture of Madison. I came hard, picturing her t**s bouncing in my face.

After a light breakfast of eggs and veggies, I fed Brando and made sure the house was locked up before setting off. Somehow I ended up on Madison’s street. I watched her and Tina load the kids in to the car.

Since I was already stalking, I followed them to Port Townsend Elementary.

Madison cried a little as she handed Noah over to Ms. Boyd. Natalie was one of the nicest people in Port Townsend, but she was painfully shy and dressed like an eighty-year-old widow.

We’d been introduced by Madison’s late -aunt a time or two. The whole town was dying to know who the father of little Ambrose was, but so far it had been kept secret. There was something about the little guy that seemed familiar to me.

After I made sure Madison and Tina got to the shop safely, I headed for Port Angeles. I called a mechanic on the way and told him to pick up the BMW and take it to his shop. He was happy to get the business. Unfortunately, I heard Jimmy yelling in the background about ‘secret phone calls’. I apologized and hung up.

My yoga studio was extremely popular. We had to turn people away because all the spaces were filled. Most of the members were gay men and married women. I’d been hit on more times than I could count.

I stepped inside and greeted Emory, the spa receptionist. He was a young, tall, and tanned kid who excelled at customer service. Several of the ladies had taken him home for a night of fun. I didn’t care as long as he was professional, and so far he was.

“Hello, Mr. Walsh. The class is so excited you’re teaching today. There were already a few fights about whose mat could be closest to yours. Please, try to keep them civil and send the excess to me,” he said, winking.

I laughed all the way to the room. After changing into my Mojo black shorts and long sleeved tee, I went out to get ready. Em ry was right, the ladies were fighting. I smiled as I stepped into the room. Instantly, everything went quiet.

“Hello, class. I hope that we have brought our good energies for class today. I have a fun, yet rigorous routine planned.”

There were only two men in this class and they were domestic partners. One of my regulars, Maggie, tried to molest me as I laid my mat down. She was Madison’s age and married to a wealthy old millionaire. It was well known that she cheated, but since he was ninety-three and sick, he allowed it. Maggie was a gold digger. I stayed away from her as much as possible.

“Declan, it’s been ages. You look better than I remember. How about you put your mat down by me? I have a feeling I may need a little extra attention today.”

This set off a whole new round of arguments between the ladies. I settled it by going up to my favorite class member.

“Isla, will you do me the honor of being my center today? You’re already a better teacher than me.

What I’d told Madison about Isla was true. She was blonde, tall, slim, and had a great body. What I’d omitted was that she was sixty two and madly in love with her husband and eight grandchildren.

She smiled and strutted to the front. “Declan Walsh, I’ve told my Larry about you. If you keep hitting on me, he’s going to come down here and kick your cute little butt.”

We made conversation before I put on the music and led the class through our usual stretches. I was really stressed so the yoga poses I chose were for relaxation. This was an advanced class so everyone was pretty flexible.

I walked around the room helping various students get the right pose. Maggie continued to pout, but I ignored her. When I was sure that everyone was tired, I ended the session. We’d been going at it for an hour and a half.

Several students came to chat with me. They talked about frivolous things that really held no interest to me. I listened and pretended to enjoy their company, all the while thinking of my sweetheart.

“Declan, who is she?” Isla asked as I walked her out of class.

“Who?”

She giggled. “You know who. The woman who put that look on your face. Only a woman can make a man look like that. She must be pretty special.”

I didn’t even try to deny it. “She is, but she’s so stubborn and pigheaded.”

Isla patted my arm. “All the best ones are, dear. Give her time, she’ll come around.”

I thought over Isla’s words as I drove around. Would Madison really come around and let me in? God, I hoped so.

Today was my week my weekly scheduled therapy session with Dr. Hyde. He also wanted to know about Madison. I answered as many questions as I could before he dismissed me.

After I’d gotten out of Prison, I had therapy every day of the week. Over the years, the court decided I was in a better place, and lowered my therapy requirement. Dr. Hyde was the best psychiatrist in the area. He forced me to talk, even when I didn’t want to.

I stayed in the city for most of the day, shopping and running errands. Some people would stare or take pictures, but I ignored them.

Unfortunately, Madison didn’t answer any of my calls or texts.

When I got back to Port Townsend, I drove by her house. I saw her and Dean talking and drinking tea on the porch. I growled before driving away. It wasn’t fair that he was taking my place in her life.

When I opened the door of my house, the smell of fresh m*******a assaulted me.

“Joey! Where are you, bro?! I’m home.”

I heard a crash and a muffled curse word before he and a half naked blonde came to the foyer.

“Hey, Dex. This is Sky and she was just leaving,” he said, patting me on the back.

The blonde scowled and pulled on a pair of jeans. Thankfully, Joey was wearing shorts. I’d come home to find him nude more times than I could remember. His parents had been hippies, so clothing was optional at their house.

He and I stayed up till the wee hours of the morning, smoking weed and talking. m*******a was the only drug I still did and only occasionally. Plus, the stuff Joey smoked was straight from the doctor. He got it because of his anxiety disorder, which he’d had since he was a child.

I was sick on Tuesday, so I stayed in bed and wrote. Joey spent the day and night with Sky. Madison called to see how I was doing, but didn’t linger on the phone. I ate more of our leftover Sunday dinner before going back to bed.

On Wednesday, I hopped out of bed early. Today was Madison’s grand opening. I called Sean to confirm he’d had the car delivered. I wanted to surprise her with the keys myself.

I took my time getting dressed in a pair of dark blue Armani slacks and a white button down. I paired it with my new black leather jacket.

My sweetheart did a good job on trimming my hair, but it was still unmanageable. I was probably the only person in the world who couldn’t tame their hair with product. I brushed and styled it until it looked halfway decent.

When I got to Madison’s house, I saw the BMW out front. It was originally red, but I’d requested it be pained dark blue, because blue was Madison’s favorite color. There was a huge white bow surrounding it.

I parked my truck away from the road and went up the side stairs. Madison was still asleep, looking like an angel. I moaned when I noticed that one of her breasts was spilling out of her nightgown. Her dark brown curls were spread around the pillow, which only made her more beautiful.

“Sweetheart, wake up. I have a surprise for you,” I whispered in her ear.

She blinked. “Declan, what are you doing here? What time…”

I silenced her with a kiss. She pushed me away and sat up.

“You can’t just…. We… How did your date go? Did you get lucky?” she spat.

I pinched the bridge of my nose. “Um, sweetheart, I kind of lied. There was no date. I just said that s**t to make you angry. I also lied about my ‘type’. I prefer brunettes now.”

She stretched, giving me a perfect view of her smooth breasts.

“Whatever, Declan. I’m sure you’ll meet some nice brunette up in Seattle. Now, I have a lot to do today. Can you please leave me to it?”

I pushed her down on the bed. She turned her head away so that my lips landed on her cheek.

“Get off of me, Walsh!” she shrieked.

I let her go and sat up. This was the first time that she’d ever denied me. My stomach dropped.

“What’s wrong, sweetheart? I said I’m sorry, and I meant it. Can’t we just go back to the way things were? I f*****g miss you.”

She kissed my nose and stroked my cheek. “You can never go back, Declan, only forward. I’m… I’m going through some stuff right now. Plus, um, I, um, have my period so I can’t…”

I pulled her into my arms and gently rubbed her lower back. “We can still have s*x, if you want. I’ve read that orgasms can ease the cramping.”

She rested her silken cheek on my shoulder. Then she began giggling uncontrollably. “Thanks, Walsh, but I don’t think so. I’d be too grossed out. Besides, I’m not feeling sexy right now.”

“You look sexy. Please, let me help you, Madison. You can talk to me about whatever is bothering you.”

She smiled, but it didn’t reach her beautiful chocolate eyes. “What did you want to show me, and it better not be your cock.”

I helped her put a robe on, and then led her outside. She gasped when she saw the car in the driveway.

“Declan, it’s beautiful, but it’s too much! I don’t deserve it. I was mean to you. You were right, I am a b***h. You shouldn’t want to be near…”

“Shut up, sweetheart,” I said, kissing her soft lips.

Thankfully, she got behind the wheel and preened. I took out my phone and snapped several pictures.

“Oh, Declan. No one has ever given me something like this. You have a dinner invite for life! Thank you so much. The kids are both going to be gone to sleepovers on Saturday. My period will be over by then. I’m going to come to your house and f**k you raw.”

My d**k throbbed. “Oh, f**k. I really can’t wait, sweetheart. You don’t have to f**k me just because I gave you a car, though. There isn’t a price on what we have.”

She hugged me tight. “No, there isn’t. Thank you for taking me back. I promise to be a better friend from now on. I guess, in my own way, I maybe, sorta, kinda, love you, too, Declan.”

My heart skipped several beats. My sweetheart loves me! I chose to omit the maybe, sorta, kinda part. I knew Madison didn’t give love easily, and the fact that she’d given it to me was beyond belief.

After she showered and woke the kids up, we all headed to the pastry shop. Madison was going to let Noah and Sophie stay to watch her cut the ribbon and officially open. There were several people already at the shop when we pulled up. I recognized the town’s best interior designer. She’d done some rooms in my home.

Pastor Howard, his wife Taylor, and their girls came over to greet us. Will looked particularly happy when he saw my hand on Madison’s lower back. Despite my protests, she’d worn a dark blue fitted suit that showed off too many of her curves. I was going to make sure that no men ogled or made her feel uncomfortable.

Unfortunately, I was tested sooner rather than later. Ted and his grubby mitts were all over her. He glared at me as I led her through the crowd. Dean was the next test. I wanted to kill him when he kissed her cheek. I’d never really been the jealous, possessive type before, but something about my sweetheart brought it out of me.

Noah and Sophie held me and Tina’s hands as the mayor posed for pictures with Madison. Benjamin Howard was old enough to be her great grandfather, but that didn’t stop him from staring at her breasts. Horny old bastard.

I suppressed a growl and concentrated on Sophie’s tiny hand in mine. She looked up at me with her baby blues and smiled. It still amazed me that Madison’s ex didn’t want anything to do with this precious girl. I hoisted her onto my shoulders so she could see.

“Thanks, Dex,” she said, ruffling my hair. I could get used to it.

People began to gossip and whisper, but I ignored them all. Tina gave me a reassuring pat as she held an anxious Noah in her arms.

“Mommy, I need cimanon roll now. I hungry,” he called, causing several people to laugh.

Madison blushed and turned to the mayor. “You heard my boy. Let’s get this show on the road.”

They cut the ribbon as the press took pictures. Port Townsend didn’t have much press, so I’d called and gotten some Seattle and food magazines and blogs to cover the event. I was so proud of my sweetheart. She came off as warm, beautiful, and confident.

The smell of fresh baked breads and sugar assaulted us all upon entering. Sweet Treats was now officially open for business. Ryan, one of the bakers, came out to greet Madison. He was only twenty two, but he had a beautiful five-year-old daughter. Like my sweetheart, he was a single parent.

Madison shook hands and talked to several of the townspeople. After that, she went to the back and got Noah his cinnamon roll. He wanted her to carry him around as he ate, so she propped him on her hip.

Sophie went to get something to eat with Tina, leaving me alone.

People still didn’t feel comfortable around me, so I stood off by myself. The comments that some of the men were making about my sweetheart enraged me. They were already planning dates!

Pastor Howard noticed my angry glare and came over to talk to me. A few minutes later, Joey showed up. Sky wasn’t anywhere to be seen. Will and Joey didn’t get along, because Pastor Howard didn’t appreciate Joey’s playboy lifestyle.

“One day, you’re going to look back and see how you wasted life. You’re missing out on the right woman by giving it away at every turn,” Will said.

Joey rolled his eyes. “No offence, Pastor, but I’m having fun. I’ll call you if I need advice on how to be a chick.”

They were about to argue so I changed the subject to sports. That was pretty much the great male unifier. We could probably end every war if men would sit in a room and watch a sports game together.

After what seemed like forever, some of the people started to leave. It was almost time for school to begin and most of the crowd had kids. Madison kissed Noah and Sophie before sending them to school with Tina. They both came to say goodbye to me before leaving.

“Madison, I’d like you to meet my other best friend, Joey Whitman,” I said introducing them.

I noticed his eyes went straight to her t**s. One of her buttons was undone. I reached over and fixed it for her. Several people began to mumble.

Madison laughed. “Sorry, Noah likes to play with my buttons. It’s nice to meet you, Mr. Whitman .”

I watched in utter horror as Joey pulled out all his best moves. Luckily, my sweetheart didn’t seem fazed. She was polite, but didn’t seem to be impressed about his surfing stories.

We were eating a scone, when Ms. Boyd came up to us.

oyd

“Madison, I sent Ambrose to school with Tina. I wasn’t feeling well a minute ago. I just wanted to say thank you for inviting me to Sunday dinner. Ambrose is so excited about his sleepover with Noah. We’re going to have so much fun on Saturday.”

My sweetheart hugged the small woman. Madison was only about five foot two, but Natalie was even shorter, like around four-feet-ten or so.

Joey cleared his throat and held out his hand to Ms. Boyd. “Hello, I’m Joey Whitlock. Have we met before?”

Every inch of Ms. Boyd vibrated with rage. I had never seen her look angry. Madison shrugged her shoulders as I stared wide eyed.

Natalie’s baggy gray sweater and ankle length blue skirt weren’t sexy by any means, but Joey was leering at her. Maybe Howard was right about him.

“No, we have never met. I don’t know you, and I don’t want to know you. Have a wonderful day Madison, Declan,” she said before rushing out.

Joey put his hand over his heart and feigned hurt. “Well, I guess I can’t win them all. It’s too bad, too. I could tell that she has a good body under those matronly clothes.”

Madison rolled her eyes and walked away. I glared at Joey before following.

“Sweetheart, I’m sorry about him. He can be…”

She laughed. “There no need to apologize, but Declan…um, did you notice the way Natalie looked at Joey? I know this is going to sound crazy, but he and Ambrose have the exact same eyes…”

I backed away. “Jesus Christ, sweetheart! What are you suggesting?”

“I don’t know. It’s just odd. Joey seems like the type to get around a lot, and I don’t think Natalie would just hate someone for no reason. She’s much too sweet.”

I tugged on my hair. “Can you like ask her or something? It’s not right if she’s keeping this from him.”

“I’ll try to find out what I can, Declan, but maybe there’s a reason she hasn’t told him, or I could just be insane.”

I forgot we were out in public and kissed her cheek. Ted left his cronies and walked over to us.

“Is this douchebag bothering you, Madison? I can get rid of him.”

She laughed and put her arm around my waist. “Declan Walsh is one of my best friends. If any of you are rude to him, I’ll kick you out. I want this shop to do well, but I won’t tolerate anyone demeaning or putting down my friends,”

Everyone looked shocked. Hell, even I was shocked. Madison had just publicly declared herself as my friend, to a town full of people that hated my f*****g guts. I smiled so hard tears formed in my eyes.

Ted stalked away looking pissed.

“Madison, thank you,” I whispered.

“You’re welcome. You can thank me properly on Saturday night.”

“Oh, I will thank you over, and over, and over again until you can’t take anymore,” I said, licking her ear.

She stepped away. “Declan, stop! There are customers here. Take a seat and I’ll bring you out some breakfast quiche.”

I smirked at Ted and his goons before taking a seat across from Joey. He was busy flirting with one of the waitresses. She slipped my best friend her number before walking away.

“Dude, I can definitely see why you like Madison. She has that whole MILF thing going on. If you weren’t so into her, I’d hit it.” Joey had a death wish.

I kicked him. “Stay away from my sweetheart. She’s off limits to every man except me.”

He laughed and sipped his coffee. “Calm down, bro. I have my own MILF fantasy involving a certain Ms. Boyd. She pretends to be the prude, but those are always the most insatiable kind. She probably hasn’t been laid since the kid was born.”

“Honestly, Joey, I don’t think Natalie likes you. Be careful with her. Women with kids are in a whole other league.”

We were interrupted by Madison, who sat down two large plates of quiche and hashbrowns. I wanted her to sit with us, but she had other people to talk to. The food was delicious, but I could barely enjoy it. There were too many single men in Port Townsend. They were the hunters, and my sweetheart was an innocent deer.

Eric Yorkie, the town computer guy, got way too handsy with her. I was about to go black his eye when she pulled way, winking at me to let me know that she was alright. Joey teased me.an

I had work to do, so eventually I had to go home. Madison had changed into a pair of jeans and a sweater and appeared to be doing fine. I gave her a chaste kiss before leaving.

My anxiety wouldn’t let me write, so I spent most of the afternoon texting Madison and driving by the shop. Business seemed to be going well and really picked up once school let out. Sweet Treats closed at six, so I made plans to see Madison.

The next few days went on the same way. I climbed to a whole new level of stalker-ism, Joey f****d half the women in Port Townsend. My sweetheart made some new friends; sadly many of them were male and single. I’d almost crashed my car when I saw her laughing with Jimmy Brooks, the mechanic..

On Saturday, Joey informed me he would be spending the rest of the weekend in Seattle. He’d met some woman that worked for the University and invited him to her condo. I gave him the speech about condoms before he left.

Since Madison was coming to my place for the night, I picked her up from work. She looked tired, but happy. Sweet Treats was closed every Sunday except the last one of the month, so thankfully.she would have tomorrow off.

When I pulled up, I saw Jimmy and his best friend, Quinn, were still in the shop. Whatever they were talking about had my sweetheart in stitches. I parked my truck and ran inside, hoping I wouldn’t kill anyone.month

“Oh, and this is the best part. I pumped the clutch and flew down the road into a pile of mud. Everyone laughed,” Madison said, finishing up her story.

“When did you ride a motorcycle, sweetheart? I don’t think I like the idea of you on a dangerous bike.”

All conversation stopped. Madison ran over and hugged me. “I’m so sorry. Time got away from me. Taylor just took Sophie to their house for the sleepover and Noah is at Natalie’s. Let me freshen up so we can leave.”

After she left, Jimmy and his steroid buddy turned to me. “How the hell do you know Mads? Are you trying to ruin another woman’s life?”

I stepped forward. “For your information, I am one of Madison’s closest friends. She means a lot to me.”

His friend Quinn laughed and said something in his native language. Jimmy was the elder’s grandson and the Reservation’s golden boy. He and Dean were also good friends.

Dean had failed to have me banned from Port Townsend, but Jimmy had successfully banned me from protected areas. I wasn’t to step one foot on their land or else I would be arrested.

The tension was thick by the time my sweetheart returned. She led us to the door before locking up. Jimmy and Quinn invited her and the kids to the annual bonfire down at their beach. She asked if I could come. Jimmy smirked and told her to talk to me. He gave Madison a hug before getting on his bike and driving off.

“What was that about?” Madison asked as I buckled her seatbelt.

“It’s nothing, Jimmy just doesn’t like me. He got me banned from the private beach because of my violent criminal record.”

She grasped my hands. “But you’re not violent at all! I’ll talk to Jimmy. They won’t get away with this. I’m not going to the bonfire if you can’t go. Of all the low down dirty…”

I kissed her pulse point. Her heartbeat was really fast and strong. She really was upset on my behalf.

“I love you, sweetheart,” I said, praying that it wouldn’t end in a fight like last time.

She fiddled with the strap on her seatbelt and played with the ends of her hair. “Um, yeah, I, um, loveyoutoo.”

I laughed and started the truck. “Are you sure that you love me? What about maybe, sorta, kinda love me.”

She scowled. “Keep teasing me and it will be a cold day in hell before you get p***y again, mister. I love you, Declan. Now, drive. I’m starving.”

I grinned all the way to the pizza place and kept teasing my sweetheart until we got to my house. She’d brought my favorite, carrot cake, for dessert.

The moment the food was set, I pushed her against the refrigerator, where I proceeded to f**k her hard. We both came in nanoseconds, yelling each other’s names.

“That was…amazing,” she panted.

“I know. Glad I remembered to bring the condoms with me this time.”

She stuck her tongue out at me before stealing my shirt and going to take a seat at the kitchen island.

“Hey, are you just going to take my clothes and leave yours on the ground,” I pouted.

“Stop being a whiny b***h and come eat your pizza, Walsh. It’s not my fault that you ruined my top.”

I looked down at the floor. Sure enough, her lilac sweater was in shreds. I didn’t even remember doing it. The f*****g had been that intense. while

Madison handed me a plate with a couple slices of Supreme pizza while I poured us both a glass of cold Heineken. We ate in companionable silence, occasionally touching. It was the best date of my life so far.

Madison was so easy to talk to. I was still over the moon about her admitting that she loved me. There was no way in hell I deserved it, but I was still grateful.date

After dinner, we took our beers to the living room. Seeing Madison in nothing but my t-shirt was getting my c**k ready for round two. She bent over to pick up her cell phone, giving me a spectacular view of her naked ass.

“Are you there, moron? I asked if you wanted to see a picture of Noah and Sophie on their first day of school.”

I nodded, pulling her into my lap. “You’re so mean to me. Maybe I don’t love you, maybe I’m just scared.”

She guided my hand to her hot, wet center. “Perhaps, but I know you love this. And if you ever want to get back inside it again, you will stop insulting me.”

I licked her earlobe. “I’m sorry. I really, really, really do love you.

“Hey, when did you get your ears pierced?”

“Declan Walsh, you have to be the most unobservant man on the face of the planet. Sophie and I had them done on Saturday.”

I tickled her. “Sorry, I’m always distracted by Gardenia and Honey. You have to let me know about these things. I need to get you and Sophie some new earrings.”

“No, you don’t. I already bought Sophie a shitload of jewelry. By the way, who are Gardenia and Honey?

I squeezed her right breast. “This is Gardenia.” Then, I reached over and squeezed the left one. “And this is Honey.”

She laughed and took off my top, straddling my waist. “You’re very funny. How about we go again? I would love to come all over this fancy leather couch.”

I smacked her on the ass and pulled away. “Wait right here, sweetheart. I’ll be back.”

After gathering my materials, I went back downstairs. Madison was looking at my DVD collection. I had enough to start a*****e, if anyone still wanted DVD ‘s anymore.

“Declan,” she began, but stopped when she realized what I was holding. “Oh my god! Is that what I think it is?! I haven’t smoked since before Sophie was born.”

“Yeah, I don’t do it often, but it’s a great stress reliever. Put in a movie and I’ll get this ready.”

Madison bounced around excitedly. I went to the kitchen and filled the bong with cold water. Then I took my bag of weed and placed it in the slide. I lighted it and took a hit to make sureit was okay. The s**t was perfect.

When I got back, Madison was sitting on a bunch of floor cushions and pillows. There was a movie just about to start.

“What did you pick, sweetheart?”

She laughed. “Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas. Everyone says it’s better to watch it when you’re high so…"

“Everyone is right,” I said, handing the pipe to Madison. She took her first hit before I even sat down.

“Holymotherfuckingshit, that’s good. This is some primo weed.”

We passed the bong back and forth until both of us were really high. Madison had already stripped and was lying on her back naked as I licked her p***y. My chemically induced brain decided it would be even better if she was covered in carrot cake. I went to the kitchen, cut a huge slice, and smeared it all over her body.

“Ugh, f**k, Declan. I’m going to come,” she squealed as I bit down on her c**t.

While she was coming down, I licked cake and icing off of her soft, supple skin, sometimes remembering to feed her some. We f****d like rabbits, making a complete mess of my living room.

The movie really was better than it had been when I was sober. Madison admitted she had a crush on Depp. I knew the guy and told her some funny stories about the times we’d worked together.

After the movie ended, my sweetheart wanted to explore the house. She looked f*****g hot covered in cake and icing. I had to carry her ass up to the attic, though.

“I’d like to thank the Academy…,” she quipped, holding up my Oscar.

I chased her around the room as she proceeded to look at all my Awards.

“Um, would you like to see my acceptance speech? I have it on video.”

“Of course,” she slurred, pulling me along.

I wrapped a comforter around us so we could watch the show. When I thanked my wife, Madison squeezed my hand. I hadn’t watched the tape in years because it had hurt me to see Sarah, but with Madison here, the pain didn’t come.

“She was beautiful, Declan. You two were beautiful together. I know you lost a lot, but you’re strong. We all make mistakes, but only a few people learn from theirs. You’re one of the educated.”

I turned off the video and laid my sweetheart down on the couch. We didn’t f**k this time, we made love. I thrust into Madison’s tight core as she wrapped her whole body around me. We stared into each other’s eyes the entire time.

She arched her back, clawing at me like I was a scratching post. I licked, sucked, and bit down on every inch of skin I could reach. All of a sudden, her mouth opened. She came hard, milking my c**k dry.

After that, we just laid together, making out and cuddling. It was nice and peaceful. We smoked another baggie of weed, which led to more kitchen f*****g. This time I was covered in carrot cake and Madison ate me. She had become a pro at relaxing her jaw so she could take me down her throat.

After pounding her from the back while she bent over a stool, I was done. Each one of my thirty-four-years was catching up with my ass. Madison pouted and lifted her arms so I could carry her up to shower.

When we got there, she put my hand in her p***y and basically worked my fingers until she got off.

“That’s cold, sweetheart. I feel like a human dildo.”

She wrapped her warm little hands around my c**k. “Don’t worry, I’ll pay you back when you’re hard again. Remember, you love me.”

I soaped up her body and washed her hair. “You love me, too, right?”

She kissed my n*****s. “Yeah, I guess I do. Where that leaves us, I have no f*****g clue. We are two people who have a lot of s*x, enjoy each other’s company, and now we love each other. We’re so f****d, Declan.”

I sighed, leading her out of the shower. Thankfully, I had a heated towel rack so we didn’t have to worry about catching a chill.sex

“Maybe we are f****d, Madison, but that’s a risk I’ll take to be with you.”

When we got to the bedroom, Madison dropped her towel, went to my wardrobe, and grabbed a pair of boxer shorts and one of my Laker t-shirts. I stroked my c**k as she climbed into bed.

“Oh, hell no, Declan! I am worn out now. You picked the wrong time to get hard.”

I climbed in to bed, without bothering to put on any clothes. “Pretty, please,” I said, nibbling on her neck.

She rolled her eyes. “Okay, but I better get off at least twice.”

I saluted her. “You will, scouts honor.”

“Declan, were you ever a Boy Scout?” she asked, giggling.

I smirked. “Yeah, but I got kicked out for exposing myself to a Girl Scout troop leader.”

My sweetheart laughed. “Remind me never to let you take Noah to any of his meetings. How about we pretend that I’m your own personal Brownie? Do you have something to show me, Walsh?”

I flicked Madison’s c**t before slipping into her warmth. “Is that, ugh, what you wanted to, ugh, see.”

“Yeah, that’s it. You can expose yourself all you want to me and I’ll never kick you out.”

We fell asleep after Madison got her last two orgasms. She had to have been reall

high. We’d just had our first f**k in the bed, and she hadn’t even protested. I managed to find my camera and take a picture of her lying butt naked, facedown on my bed.

“Goodnight, Madison,” I whispered before joining her in sleep.

My bladder woke me up around seven in the morning. Madison was taking up more than half of the bed. I went to the bathroom and did my thing.

When I got back, I noticed she had kicked the covers off again. I smaked her ass cheek and replaced the comforter.

Later, I went downstairs to get some cold pizza. When I got to the bottom of the stairs, I saw a yellow Prada bag and heels laid haphazardly on the ground.

Uh-oh.

“There you are, Declan. I hope you don’t mind, but I used my key. I was going to call, but then I decided to surprise you. Your living room and kitchen look like a disaster. Did you play in cake? That’s so juvenile. And don’t think I didn’t see that bong. Mom will kill you if she finds out. I also know you have some bimbo upstairs. Her panties were under the counter. That’s just nasty. You should try dating a classy girl for once.

“Oh, and the rest of my things are outside. Can you be a doll and bring them inside? I saw Joey’s stupid stuff in the corner room. Why is he here? Oh, and thanks for letting me stay. I just really need family support right now, and mom and dad are fighting hardcore again.”

I waited until she took a breath before going over to give her a kiss on the cheek. “Hello, Laurie. I’ll bring your bags in. My girl is upstairs sleeping. She is not a ‘bimbo’, and if you accuse her of being one, I’ll kick you out. Make yourself useful and start the coffeemaker.”

She scowled. “I don’t know who you think you are. I’m not the f*****g maid. You can afford to pay someone….”

I left mid rant. She was just like Holly. They did nothing except complain. I just hoped that Laurie could be nice to Madison.

When I got outside, I saw that my sister had brought half of Saks Fifth with her. I hoisted a bag on my back and marched inside, contemplating my current situation.

Jimmy, Dean McCarthy and Ted Crowley all hated my guts but wanted my sweetheart. My pain-in-the-ass little sister was going to be staying with me for an indefinite amount of time. My parents hated my guts and blamed me for every bad thing in life. My best friend may have sired a child with a woman he didn’t even remember.

I decided none of that s**t mattered, because I was the luckiest man in the world. Madison Smith loved me, and that was all I needed.