Sweet Treats and Deadbeats

CHAPTER 10: Through Confession Comes Grace (Part 2)

Declan

“What? How… Wow!” Madison cute little nose scrunched up as she tried to process my words.

Did I just call Madison’s nose ‘cute’? Yeah I did. I’m so gone.

“It’s not definite yet, but one of the detectives who worked on the case is retiring. He has a guilty conscious about not reporting something he saw that night. You know how the cops are, brothers in blue and s**t. I don’t want to get my hopes up, but there is a chance.”

Madison closed her eyes and softly caressed my stubbled jaw. She looked radiant. I reciprocated by leaning down to kiss that button nose that had me so mesmerized.

She smiled, and then… time stood still. I already knew I loved her, but these feelings I had now were stronger. I felt more protective of her and our kid. Yes they were mine, too, even if my sweetheart didn’t know it yet. She didn’t leave me at my lowest moment. I had been cruel and f****d her like a w***e, but she had come back to take care of me.

“Declan,” she said groggily, “even if nothing comes of this, I love you. You’re a good person. You had an addiction that controlled you. I want you to know that it doesn’t make me think less of you. Your past isn’t what’s holding me back. You… scare me.”

I frowned, placing us so that she was in front of me so we could spoon. “How so, sweetheart?”

She lightly kissed my hand. “I’ve always been independent. I’ve been working since before I was legally old enough. My mom, Rhonda, let herself be taken advantage of by lots of men. They would take her money and promise to pay her back. In reality, I was the one stuck with the duty. I had to cover rent, utilities, groceries…”

“I can relate to that. After my first screenplay sold, I became the family cash cow. My parents both own businesses, but they stopped putting real effort into them when they found out they could live off of me,” I said, nuzzling her creamy shoulder. She smelled like my body wash and her natural sweetness. It was an intoxicating mix.

She sighed. “We have a lot in common. As I told you, I never felt welcome in my own home.

“Anyway… After I dropped out of high school to marry Tom, I thought I finally had someone to take care of me. Boy was I wrong! He talked me into giving him my savings for mechanic’s school, and the asshole dropped out.

“Of course, Sophie wasn’t planned at all. After she came, I had to work to keep us fed and sheltered. Tom was a gambler. I had to leave jobs sometimes because some low life would be after him and threaten to kill me and my baby girl. It was a nightmare.”

Clenching my fists, I held my sweetheart tightly, kissing the shell of her delicate ear. I hated to hear that bastard’s name. There was no way in hell he was going to ruin what me and Madison were building.

I was itching for a chance to put my foot up his ass. He hurt Madison and didn’t claim his beautiful children; that put him on my s**t list. He’d tried to ruin Madison’s life before and I wasn’t about to let him have another chance at her. I was ready to use all my resources to make sure he stayed away from my family.

“I still don’t get why you’re scared of me, sweetheart. I’m not like him.”

“That’s the point! You’re so different, Declan. I see you with my babies…and how much you truly love them, and they’re not even yours. I… just… Sometimes I think it’s too good to be true. I don’t really trust men, because in my experience they always leave. I’m afraid… I’m afraid that one day you’ll get tired of me or I’ll do something to make you hate me. It’s scary how much of my heart you already own. I… It’s not only me putting myself out there, Noah and Sophie are too. I can’t let them get hurt. They love you so much… If we fall out, they’ll be devastated…”

She craned her head so that we were face to face. She was misty eyed and sleepy, but I saw flecks of hope in her dark brown orbs. Kissing her forehead, cheeks, and nose, I decided to make my intentions fully known. Innocent or not: Madison, Sophie, and Noah were my life.

“I lied in the gym. I do need you. You don’t know how long I’ve waited for you, Madison, how lonely I’ve been. People say money can’t buy you happiness, and I know that to be true. I’ve been rich most of my life and miserable, too. The drugs, women, and parties were used to mask the pain I felt inside. I convinced myself that I loved Kate, but we were just two broken people using each other.

“I’m different with you. I feel… like I’m invincible. I don’t think about ending it all anymore. My first thought of the day is when I can see my family - which is you, Noah, and Sophie. Hell, I’m scared, too. I don’t want you to leave me. We didn’t meet under the best circumstances, but I went into that store on that particular night for a reason. I was meant to meet you and vice versa.”

Nestling into the pillow, Madison closed her eyes. Our hands were joined right over her stomach. With luck, one day she would be carrying my child. I wanted, no, I needed that to happen. She was the only woman I’d ever pictured having my baby.

“Never thought the fate s**t was real. Maybe you’re onto something or maybe you’re just a romantic. I won’t leave you, Declan. I can’t. I’m so tired. We can talk more later. I love you. Goodnight.”

“I love you, too. Sweet dreams, beautiful one,” I whispered, following her into deep slumber.

I slept off and on, but mostly I watched my sweetheart. In sleep, she looked even younger than her twenty-eight-years. It was the only time she wasn’t thinking or worrying, so her face was entirely peaceful. It was like watching an angel at rest.

Around seven-thirty, the sounds of small feet sounded outside the door. Not wanting to wake Madison, I threw on some jeans and a shirt. A smiling Sophie tackled me. I picked her up. She had that sweet scent like her mom.

“Oh, Des! I know you aren’t bad. I wrote a letter to Sheriff Ross, too. Aunt T said she would give it to him. Did mommy give you the book? We are talking about Nelson Mandela and Gandhi at school. They both got put in jail, even though they were good guys! My teacher says sometimes the law isn’t right. You’re good, Dex.”

It was impossible for me to love this child anymore than I already did. Not only was she smart as a whip and beautiful, she had a kind heart. Her deadbeat sperm donor didn’t want her, but I definitely did. In my eyes, Sophie Smith was already my daughter.

“Your mommy was a little busy last night, so she forgot to give me the book. Your teacher is right. Sometimes the law is used to hurt good people. For the most part, laws are good and made to protect us. It’s up to us to know when they’re unfair. That’s when we have to protest and stand up for the bullied people, like Ghandi and Mandela. I met Mandela, and he was definitely a good guy. In fact, he was one of the best people to ever live.”

Sophie told me about her school projects and hinted at wanting a pet turtle. I made a mental note to take my family to a pet store. Madison was probably going to be against it, but it was a father’s job to spoil his kids. Noah and Sophie were definitely overdue.

“Dex, I hungry. Where’s mommy? Mornin’, Sophie,” Noah said, coming out of his room.

I hoisted him up on my other hip. Both kids grinned and laid their head on my shoulder. I said a silent prayer, asking God to please let me be innocent and have my family. After that, I carried the precious cargo downstairs. They were beyond excited to have the day out of school.

I wasn’t really much of a cook, but I could handle eggs and ham. I went about making that while the kids watched cartoons. Madison’s house was nice and cozy. I felt at home. Of course, my house was bigger and had more land, but it was missing that ‘home sweet home’ feeling.

We were sitting at the table eating and watching Sesame Street when Laurie came downstairs. She had on an old pair of jeans and a sweatshirt. Her hair was up in a messy ponytail and no traces of makeup were on her face. Immediately, I knew something was wrong. Laurie dressed up just to go to the gas station.

“What’s wrong?”

She high-fived Noah and Sophie before taking a seat and filling her plate. “I didn’t sleep well. Um, I’ll tell you about it later.”

I called Tina to make sure she knew that Madison was taking a personal day. She assured me that she could run everything. Even so, I’d sent a temp, Cecile, to help.

Cecile was a vegan and a practicing Wiccan priestess. In a town like Port Townsend, that meant she was shunned more than me. She spent most of the year working as a park ranger in Yosemite, but now she had a few months off. She always came back to Port Townsend to take care of her widowed father, a former teacher. I thought it was sweet that she did that. I was hoping she and Madison would click.

Halfway through breakfast, Noah began to cry. “Dex, can we wake mommy up now? I miss her.”

Sophie rubbed his back and whispered something in his ear. He stopped crying and picked up his fork. Five-years-old wasn’t that far away from babyhood. And from what I’d seen, Noah still liked to be babied. The kid had great taste. I too loved burying my head in Madison’s ample boobage, although my reasons for doing so were very different.

“Don’t worry, little man, mom will be up later. She’s tired so we should let her sleep. After we do some reading and homework, I’ll take you guys out back to play. Does that sound good?”

“Can we hula hoop?” Sophie asked excitedly.

“That’s dumb. Let’s play baseball,” Noah suggested.

Sophie crossed her arms. “It is not dumb. You’re just saying that because you don’t know how!”

Laurie chuckled, looking at me. I knew what she was remembering.

“When I was little, I couldn’t hula hoop either, Noah. Declan spent days teaching me until I got really good. I can do tricks.”

Noah’s eyes got huge. “You hula, Dex? I thought it was for girls.”

I laughed, clapping him on the back. “It’s for anyone that likes to have fun. Tell you what, let’s do both. Laurie will teach you to hula hoop and I’ll teach Sophie to hit the baseball. But we are still doing reading first.”

Thankfully my sister volunteered to clean the kids up while I loaded the dishwasher. The ‘being a dad’ thing was pretty fun. As I was wiping down the counter, my phone buzzed. It was already after nine.

“Hello.”

“Declan, it’s Daniels. How are you, kid?”

“I’m good. Any news yet?”

“Well, the retired detective, Benjamin Carter, has been in Florida visiting his sick mother. He overnighted some paperwork. It is very suspect, Declan. The original police report doesn’t make a damn bit of sense. It was tampered with to close the case. This is my first time seeing it. I’ve only seen the final draft.”

I squeezed the bridge of my nose. “What’s different?”

I heard him shuffle a few papers before answering. “For starters, the family of four. I always thought it was odd that their car exploded, leaving nothing to identify. Then to top it off, they only had that one distant aunt to claim the remains. You were so deep in your grief, and my office was busy trying to keep you from getting a full sentence. No one thought to question the police reports.”

“Are you… are you saying the family I killed didn’t exist?” It was too hard to believe.

“They existed, but when they existed is the question. Declan, I’m suspecting you were set up, possibly by someone high up in the LAPD or FBI. I know the new Police Chief personally. He has promised full disclosure to my office. Lots of their rank has changed due to corruption.”

Sitting down, I took a deep breath. “Why would someone in law enforcement set me up? I’m a Hollywood writer. It doesn’t make sense, Daniels.”

“Perhaps they were paid off or it could have had something to do with Sarah. We’re working all angles. Another thing I thought was odd was how you said you didn’t remember anything after pulling over. I’m going to be completely honest, Declan. I think you’re innocent. Someone set you up for a fall. I’m recording and copying everything for the editor of the L.A. Times. He has agreed to break the story when all the pieces align. We’re going to clear your name, son.”

I began to cry. My body felt lighter, freer. I never thought that I might have been innocent all along. But now I had a new problem. If someone was after me, my family was in danger. Daniels promised to keep me updated before we disconnected. I had to fight the urge to wake my sweetheart up and tell her the news.

It was time to make another call. “Hello, Vlad. I need you on a plane to Port Townsend within the next hour. Bring the team. My private jet will be waiting at the airport. All expenses are on me. I’ve got a house setup and fleet of vehicles for you to use.”

“Nice to hear from you again, Mr. Walsh. Are you expecting trouble?”

I grimaced just imagining it. “There is new information on my case. Someone may have set me up. I have a girlfriend with kids. My parents live here, and my sister is staying in town. I’m not going to risk their safety. There is also a violent ex-husband in the mix. I’ll have Daniels fax you over his information. I just want my family secure.”

“Okay, we’re packing now. I will treat this as high level. My men will be armed at all times. See you in a few hours, Mr. Walsh.”

Jesus Christ! There was so much going on right now. I needed to wrap my head around it all. Unfortunately, I didn’t have time to do that. Laurie and the kids came running downstairs. She set them up in their study corner. It was a smaller room with kids desks and chairs, chalkboard, and a bookcase full of books. There was a picture of Madison, Sophie, and Noah hanging over the ABC sign. Obviously, my sweetheart took her kid’s education seriously.

I was helping Sophie with math when Joey called. Briefly, I left the room. He was hung over, as usual, and some woman could be heard in the background. I told him that he needed to get back to Port Townsend. It was time Natalie came clean. Joey wasn’t marriage material, but he wouldn’t abandon his son.

“Okay, bro. I’ll be down by six. I just gotta shake this chick. She’s getting a little clingy. Maybe I’ll get lucky and Miss Boyd will want to play. Tell Laurie I said she better not have touched my guitar.”

I groaned. Joey was like our bother, fights and all. “I will. Don’t blow me off. We have some important things to discuss. I might be an innocent man.”

“What? That’s huge, bro! I’ll definitely be there and I want all the details.”

A female’s voice came over the phone. “Who is this? Joey is with me now. If you’re some other girl…”

There was a shuffle. “Sorry, bro. Told you she was clingy.” I hung up before the woman started unloading on his ass.

When I came back to the room, my sister was at the chalkboard. She was very good with the kids. She’d wanted to major in teaching but my mom talked her out of it. She wanted Laurie to be a famous fashion designer. I had paid for my sister’s schooling, but by the time I was sober, she had already decided to follow mom’s advice. I knew she wasn’t happy.

“You did so good, Noah! Only one word was misspelled,” she squealed, giving him a gold star on his paper. Noah, whom I suspected had a baby crush on my sister, beamed.

Sophie blew through her homework. She was in an advanced reading club at school. Port Townsend Elementary was one of the best schools in the state. I’d heard that there had once been a private school but it hadn’t had many students and was forced to close. However, the teachers went to teach at the public schools. The students tested high, and class sizes were small enough that no one got left behind. I donated a bunch of money every year.

By noon, everything was finished. I helped Noah put on his tennis shoes while Laurie braided Sophie’s hair. When I had checked on Madison earlier, she was sleeping deeply. It had been too long since she’d had a day to relax. Later tonight, I was planning on giving her a massage.

We were headed out back when the doorbell rang. I was apprehensive about answering, but I could just say I was over visiting my sister if it was a gossip. Slowly, I opened the door. On the front porch were Ms. Clifton and Dean Stone. I invited them inside. Dean, looking like a mountain, glared at me as he passed.

“What are you doing here, Walsh? I heard you spent the night in jail. Where are Madison and the kids?”

I stepped in his face. He was acting like he was Madison’s boyfriend or something. This was my family now, and I wasn’t about to lose them to some goody-goody hometown hero.

“My girlfriend isn’t feeling well. She’s resting. My sister Laurie and I are watching Noah and Sophie. They’re out back playing.”

Ashley laughed. “I knew it. I saw the way you two looked at each other. You make a nice looking couple.”

Dean turned his glare on her. “Don’t encourage him. Madison is too good for the likes of some felon who bought his way out of prison.”

I was about to punch him in the nose when Ashley stepped in. “You,” she said, poking him," are the most judgmental and bossy man I’ve ever met! Not only could you not let me walk the short distance from the bus stop, you insisted on following me here. I’m pretty sure Madison wouldn’t appreciate your rudeness in her home."

Stone threw up his hands. “I couldn’t let you walk a whole mile! You’re pregnant so you shouldn’t be overexerting yourself.”

Ashley backed away. “You don’t think I know I’m pregnant, asshole! New flash, pregnant chicks can walk. Next time, mind your own business.”

Because Ashley was starting to turn red, I led them both to the living room. Despite her protesting, Stone helped her get comfortable on the sofa. I went to get her some cold juice. She looked overheated.

Before I went back, I ran outside to tell Laurie that I’d be out later. She was having fun hula hooping with the kids and shooed me away. I winked at Sophie.

Then, I returned to the living room. Dean was trying to put a footstool under Ashley’s feet and she was kicking him. I had to laugh.

“Declan, please get him away from me. This man has serious issues,” she said, pointing at Stone.

I handed her a glass of juice. “I would but he’s Madison’s friend.”

“Where is the father of this baby you’re carrying? Doesn’t he care about his child? If it was me…”

Ashley slapped him. I was stunned. “It’s not you! If you must know, this child… the baby I’m carrying… it was conceived in a forceful nature. Happy now?”

Stone frowned. “You mean…”

Madison chose that moment to make her appearance. She was wearing a pair of tight faded blue jean shorts and a tank top. Her hair was up in a tight ponytail. I had to adjust my junk as my body responded to her hourglass figure.

“Hey, Dean, Ashley,” she said, kissing them both on the cheek.

I pulled her down into my lap for a long kiss. She tried to pull away but once I nibbled on her top lip, she was putty in my hands. We were full on making out until two voice cleared, interrupting us.

“So, it’s true,” Dean stated, standing up.

“What’s true?” Madison asked.

“You and Declan are together. He’s your boyfriend?”

She smacked me on the back of the head. “Jeez, Declan, I swear… We were supposed to talk more about this.”

Ashley giggled. “It’s fine, Madison. Most people in town know. I’m new and even I could see it.”

My sweetheart crossed the room to sit next to Ashley. “I don’t mean to be nosy, but what you were saying… Ashley, were you r***d?”

After nodding, Ms. Clifton began to sob. “He was my fiance. I… found out he was a bad person, a drug dealer. I broke it off. I swear I had no idea. One night after work, he came after me. I tried to scream and fight but he held me down. He was so much bigger. It happened in a secluded area…”

Madison reached for her but it was Stone who pulled her into his arms. Ashley’s shorn, blond head rested tiredly on his broad chest. He even bent down to kiss her forehead. It was very sweet. Madison looked at me and smiled. We were silent while they had a moment.

“Is he the one that hurt you? I noticed that you have a cut and healing bruises,” Dean asked.

Ashley sniffled. “Yes, we lived in Denver. I reported the r**e but Xander, that’s his name, skipped town. I lived with my mom, but she didn’t want a baby in the house. I refused to abort so she kicked me out. I… lost my job while I was in the hospital so I had to move to the scummy side of town.

Xander found me. He broke into my apartment and beat me. He threatened to kill me if I didn’t retract my statement. He was trying to kill my baby. Luckily a neighbor heard me scream and came to check. Xander jumped out the window. I used the rest of my money to buy an old car and I drove. I ended up here.”

“Oh my god,” Madison said, taking Ashley’s shaking hands, “I’ve been there, honey. It gets better. My ex-husband almost killed me. My best friend and housemate is dating the town Sheriff. We can have him on alert. You’re welcome to stay here if you don’t feel safe at the apartment over the shop. I’m so sorry. I should have offered sooner.”

This Xander bastard was now added to my s**t list. I took out my phone and texted the name and city to my private investigator. After hearing Ashley’s story, I was even more gung ho about having bodyguards around. Lowlife deadbeats like Xander and Tom made me ashamed to be a man.

“You’ve done so much for me, Madison. I appreciate the offer, but I’m happy in the apartment. You have a great security system and the pastry shop is not that far from the police station. If I ever feel unsafe, I’ll spend the night here.”

“Um, Declan and I can come by Saturday and help you get everything set up. After that, we’re going out on Declan’s yacht.

You’re welcome to join us. Tina and Natalie will be there, plus all the kids.

“Did Laurie get all the necessities for your apartment?”

Ashley nodded.

“Laurie?” I asked, surprised.

Madison turned to me. “Yes, your sister took Ashley shopping. I forgot to tell you. It was actually very sweet how she volunteered.

Speaking of sweet, where are my babies?”

“They’re out back with Laurie. All the homework is done and we had reading time. They’ve also eaten breakfast. I can run out and pick up lunch,” I offered.

“No need. There are plenty of leftovers in the fridge. Dean, Ashley, would you like to join us for lunch?”

Ashley bit her lip. “I really should get back to the shop. Tina may need me…”

My sweetheart held up her hand. “You can go back later. Tina is fine. She managed a much bigger diner in Phoenix. Consider this your lunch break.”

Stone followed us into the kitchen. “I’ll take my lunch now, too. Old Mrs. Miller is bringing her cats in for shots later. I won’t get a break for a while.”

Ashley smiled at him. “You’re a vet. That’s so cool. I love animals but could never afford a pet.”

Dean smiled, pulling out a chair for Ashley. “I have a Husky. He’s at my mother’s house right now. Maybe you could come by to meet him sometimes. Um, do you have a cell phone?”

Ashley held up a newish looking phone. Dean took it and tapped a few numbers. “That’s my home and office number. Call me if there’s any trouble. Um… you can stay at my house, too, if you feel unsafe. I live right next door.”

Underneath the scars and sad expression, Ashley was a very beautiful woman. Big, blue eyes and large pouty lips dominated her vixen-like face. Clearly, Dean was smitten.

“I don’t think I’ll ever need to call you, but thanks. Oh, and I’d like to meet your Husky. What’s his name?”

He chuckled. “Her name is Snowflake. She’s beautiful.”

“I’m sure my Brando would like to meet her, too,” I suggested.

Sensing a fight, Madison began asking everyone what they wanted. A few minutes later, she called Laurie and the kids into the house to eat. Noah held up his arms, asking to be held. My sweetheart covered our son’s face with kisses. Then she leaned down to kiss our daughter.

It warmed my heart to see my sister apologize to my girlfriend. Madison accepted, hugging her. Then, Laurie further surprised me by hugging Ashley and feeling her stomach. There was hope for my sister after all.

I helped Madison fill plates. Noah, sucking his thumb, was like an octopus clinging to his mother. I knew it was because of his nightmare last night. I reassured him that everything was going to be okay.

After saying grace, we dug into the feast. Madison’s chicken and dumplings were heavenly. The dough balls were perfect. She even made old fashioned macaroni and cheese. Between the kids, the pregnant woman, and Dean, everything got eaten. There was also German chocolate cake, one of my favorites, but I was too full to partake.

“Later,” I said, envisioning myself licking the icing off of Madison’s naked body. She shrugged and cut a slice for everyone else.

After lunch, Dean drove Ashley back to Sweet Treats. Laurie went with him so he could drop her off at my house. She wanted to change and do some work. It was perfect timing because the new guards had arrived. I texted Vlad to tell him to deploy one to my property.

Fortunately, the kids wanted to watch cartoons. Madison set them up in the den while we went back to the living room.

“Thanks for taking care of them, Declan. I was so tired. You’re free to leave now. You probably have other stuff…”

Catching her off guard, I pushed her down onto the couch. “There’s no other stuff, just you and our family. I have a lot to tell you.”

She listened attentively as I recounted me and Daniels earlier phone conversation. Understandably she was worried when she heard about the setup. Unfortunately, she was worried about the wrong person.

“You’re not safe, Declan! If someone hurt you, I would hunt them down…”

“Hey, hey, hey,” I cooed, “That’s my job. I have a team of bodyguards whom will be shadowing us all here in Port Townsend. I’ll introduce you tomorrow so you won’t be scared. I promise that nothing is going to happen to you on my watch.”

She kissed me. “Okay, I’d love to meet them. I can’t believe someone would do that. Can you think of anyone that wanted to harm Sarah?”

“No, but I’m not sure what my wife was into. We had affairs, spent months apart, and generally had a very f****d up marriage. I hate to say it, but for all I know the baby wasn’t even mine. The night… the night she died was the night I found out about the pregnancy.”

Madison ran her fingers through my hair. I closed my eyes, basking in the sensations. “I’m so sorry, Declan. You’ve been living with this guilt for so long, and you’re innocent.”

“I’ll never be truly innocent, sweetheart. I shouldn’t have done so many drugs that night and drove. I should have gone to rehab and taken Sarah with me.”

“You can’t go back, only forward. This is a good thing. Imagine all the press. You’ll be clear and free to make your life in L.A. again…”

Groaning, I kissed her neck. “I’m not going anywhere. We can visit L.A. and take the kids to Disneyland, but I have no intention of living there full time again. f**k the press! I only want this so you and our kids won’t be penalized because of my past. After what I went through, I learned how valuable good friends really are. You’re not only my lover and girlfriend, sweetheart, you’re my best friend.”

“You’re my best friend, too. I’ve told you things I haven’t even told Tina,” she confessed.

By this time, we were both fully splayed on the couch with Madison on the bottom. She wrapped her legs around my hips. I let some of my weight rest on her while we made out. Her soft curves filled my hands to excess. My d**k throbbed to the beat of her heart. I needed to be inside, but I suspected she was still too sore.

“Can you…?” I asked.

“I wish. Sorry, Declan. I’m still a little sore. I’ll make it up to you tonight. If you want I can give you a bj or a handjob.”

Chuckling, I shook my head. “Don’t be sorry. I was the one that was too rough. If you’ll let me, I’d like to make love to you tonight. I’ll be slow and gentle.”

Her brown eyes rolled back into her head. “Uh, that would be good. Oh and I like rough sometimes. It just takes a bit longer to recuperate. Your c**k is epic, Declan. It's definitely the biggest I’ve ever had or seen.”

I sucked on her collarbones. “Epic, you say? Wow. I think that’s the best compliment he’s ever gotten.”

Laughing, my sweetheart lowered her hands to my ass. She squeezed, kneaded, and clawed while I thrust. This was dry humping at it’s best. I just prayed that Noah and Sophie wouldn’t interrupt. Blue balls were a very painful thing that I didn’t want to experience.

“Oh god! Please. I need some friction. Declan,” she whisper-yelled.

Quickly, I unzipped her shorts, moving her yellow cotton underwear aside so I could play with her c**t. She opened her eyes wide, her mouth falling into a perfect O. I inserted my tongue, greedily probing and suckling.

She’s so wet.

Madison’s nails dug into my denim covered ass as she came all over my hand. I kissed her to drown out the moans and screams. A few minutes later, I followed. It was slightly painful and my boxers were ruined. The noise Madison made when she came always pushed me over the edge. It was a mix of grunting, mewling, and sighing.

“We should clean up,” I said, laying my head over her beating heart.

Gently, she pushed me off of her and sat up. “Yeah. That got out of control. What if the kids had of walked in? We should be more careful.”

“I don’t think I could have stopped, Madison. That was a nice appetizer. I can’t wait for the feast later.”

She rolled her eyes before zipping her shorts and heading upstairs. I took a quick shower and changed clothes while she washed up. Thinking of Madison in the throes of passion while under massaging water wasn’t good. I had to j******f before getting out.

Feeling much better, I headed outside. My bike was next to Madison’s SUV. I parked both in the garage because it looked like a storm was coming.

When I got back inside, Madison was on the floor watching television with the kids. I joined them. We all fell asleep soon after the rain started.

I woke up with my arms around my family. Madison was in front of me, and Noah and Sophie were facing her. My family was beautiful. Carefully, I used my phone to take a picture.

“Wake up, sleepyheads. It’s almost six-thirty,” I said, standing up. I was met with a mix of mumbling.

Madison sat up, smacking herself on the forehead. “Darn. I invited Natalie and Ambrose for dinner. Tina is spending the night with Ross. I haven’t cooked…”

“I’ll order pizza. Any special requests?” That woke the kids up.

We ended up getting six large pizzas with various toppings, two family sized salads, brownie bites, buffalo wings, and a couple of two liters. Madison called Neal, Laurie, Ashley, and Dean to see if they wanted to come. They all accepted and Dean volunteered to drive them.

“I’m glad you invited Neal. He’s working really hard. Pastor Howard has had a lot of success with the sober house.”

“Yeah, we had a talk after you were taken away. He… It’s not going to happen overnight, but I’m willing to try.”

“That’s all you can do, sweetheart. Oh, and I forgot to tell you, but I invited Joey. It’s time Natalie came clean.”

Madison groaned. “You should have warned me! Nat will hate me.”

Our conversation was interrupted when the kids climbed in to my lap. I tickled them until we were all breathless. I’d never seen Madison laugh so much.

About fifteen minutes later, Natalie and Ambrose showed up. Noah hugged his buddy like he hadn’t seen him in years. Sophie took them to play so the grownups could talk. She was really mature for her age.

“I’m so sorry, Natalie. He invited him before I could clear it with you.”

Ms. Boyd took off her glasses. She was wearing one of her eighty-year-old granny dresses that went past the ankle. It even had a shawl to cover up any sign of cleavage. I used to be against her fashion, but I was starting to think Madison would benefit from wearing something similar. It would keep guys like Jimmy and that dipshit, Ted, away.

“Oh no, Madison. I can’t..not tonight.”

“I’m sorry to but in but he needs to know, Natalie. Sure, Joey is a womanizer, but he wouldn’t abandon a responsibility.”

She snorted, patting her hair bun. “How would you know? He can’t even remember me. Joey… was my first. To me, that night was magical. It hurts to know it meant nothing to him.”

She was crying on Madison’s shoulder when the doorbell rang again.

“Speak of the devil,” I said, gesturing for him to come inside.

Natalie’s head popped up. “You,” she seethed, “are the scum of the Earth! How many women have you used and left? You’re disgusting.”

Surprise and then pride covered Joey’s face. His hair looked even golder against his tanned skin. He winked at me, stepping forward. The i***t thought Natalie was playing hard to get. This was bound to be a disaster.

“I’m not disgusting, but I can do disgusting things to you anytime you like, sweetheart. After me, you won’t be dressing like “Little House on the Prairie” anymore. I change women’s lives.

Madison rolled her eyes, slapping me on the chest. I held up my hands in the surrender sign. I wasn’t the one on trial here.

Ms. Boyd threw her shawl on the ground before going to stand in front of Joey. “You certainly changed my life. Do you remember meeting a woman with dark-brown layered hair in a gold dress? What am I asking? Of course you don’t!”

Joey, starting to sense danger, looked at me. “What’s she going on about, Declan?”

“Talk to me!” Natalie yelled. “Six years ago, on my twenty-first birthday, my college friends took me out to Re-Bar in Seattle to celebrate. It was my first time drinking. Being raised by my grandmother, I’d grown up sheltered. That was my first big night out.”

“s**t! I need a drink,” Joey said, leading us into the living room.

Madison closed the double doors that connected it to the den so that the kids couldn’t hear. Then she went and grabbed sodas for us and beer for Joey. I felt like I was back in treatment, getting daily therapy. The Smith house was confession central today.

Natalie let her hair fall and took off her glasses. “Do you remember me now? You told me I was special and beautiful. You told me that you never felt this way about a girl. You’d just landed a cover of some surfing magazine and you were in the VIP. I felt so special because every girl wanted you, but you were talking to me. I… I gave you my virginity. We made love three times. I was so naive and stupid… We never used anything and I wasn’t on the pill…”

Joey took a long pull from the bottle. “I remember you. I called you Natalie in Wonderland because you said you’d never been to a big city dance club. You were so sweet. I was shocked when I saw the blood… I thought you were lying about being a virgin. Then I just felt bad for taking that from you. I certainly didn’t deserve it.”

Sniffling, Natalie dabbed at her eyes. “At least I warranted a place in your memory. That night, we made a baby, my son, Ambrose. I looked for you all over the city. Finally, I found out you were living in Australia.

“I wrote, emailed, and called your people but no one ever got back to me. My grandmother helped me so I could finish my teaching degree. She passed when Ambrose was two. My parents are dead. I don’t have any other family. Ambrose is five now. I assume he gets the red hair and freckles from your side.”

Joey stood up. “I’m not processing this. You’re telling me that I have a son? f**k me sideways. Who did you contact?”

She waved her hand. “d**k Struthers. I found him by Googling you. I have copies of all the correspondence. I even showed up at one of your events. You had a blonde bimbo blowing you in full view of the club. I tried to talk to you. You had a security guy escort me out for not dressing the part. The club girls were in bunny costumes and I was wearing an overcoat to cover my stomach. I was devastated. After that, I gave up on you. I didn’t want a man like you raising my son.”

“Oh god,” Joey groaned, burying his head. “d**k got letters all the time from women claiming I was their kid’s father. We went to court a few times and it was proven false, so he stopped taking the letters seriously unless they included a subpoena. I’m sorry, Natalie. What I did to you…”

“I can’t really hate you, Joey. You gave me Ambrose. He is the greatest thing to ever happen to me. Without him, I’d be all alone in the world.”

Madison wrapped her arm around her friend’s shoulder. Suddenly, the doorbell rang. It was the pizza and stuff. Joey and I got up to help the guy carry everything to the kitchen. Madison and Natalie rounded up the kids. I insisted on paying, which got me bitched at by Madison. I told her she could pay me back in other ways.

A few minutes later, everyone else showed up. Neal awkwardly hugged Madison. She formally introduced him to the kids. They had many questions about his absence and other things. Joey winced when Sophie asked Neal why he left her mom when she was a baby.

“I was sick, sweetheart, but I’m here now. I’m getting better. I would like it if we could all be friends.”

Teary eyed, Neal hugged his grandkids. Joey gladly switched to soda so that there wouldn’t be any temptation for Neal. Madison was nice to her dad. Ashley polished off a whole pizza while Laurie tried to school the women on fashion do’s and don'ts. Sophie was the only one that hung on every word.

Stone and I were cordial. He sat by Ashley and didn’t look at my sweetheart. I ignored the fact that he was my enemy for the kid’s sake. They considered him a friend.

“I have something to say,” Joey said, standing up, “Tonight, I found out that I’m a father.”

Ambrose,” he said, turning to the cute, little redhead boy, “I’m your daddy. I didn’t know, son. I’m so sorry I haven’t been around.”

“Mommy,” Ambrose squealed dropping his brownie and running into his mom’s arms. Noah did the same, climbing on Madison’s lap.

Natalie sighed. “It’s true, honey. Joey is your dad. I’m so sorry. I’m so sorry,” she cooed, rocking him.

Ashley began to cry, and pretty soon all the women and children were balling. It was my worst nightmare come true. Me and the other guys felt helpless.

Thankfully, Joey took some initiative. He walked over to Natalie and Ambrose, crouching down on the floor. “It’s not your mom’s fault, son. I… I haven’t been the best guy, but I’m willing to try. I’d like us to spend some time together, with your mom, if that’s okay.”

Ambrose lifted his head and looked in Joey’s eyes. They were the exact same color. Joey’s mom was a freckled redhead and so was his sister, which explained Ambrose’s features.

“Okay. You can play with me and Noah if you want. Mommy can make us ’ghetti, too.”

Both Natalie and Joey chuckled. I knew they had a lot to discuss.

After wishing us all goodnight, Joey followed Natalie and Ambrose home. He also agreed to take Neal back to the sober house. I told Joey to call me later if he needed anything.

“I can’t believe I’m a father, man.” he said in disbelief.

“Enjoy it and don’t f**k up. Some of us aren’t so lucky, Joey. That little boy and his mother need you. Don’t push, just let her lead. Night, man.” After a fist bump from Joey and a salute from Neal, the driveway was empty again.

By the time the rest of them were ready to leave, the storm had begun. Thunder, lightening, and heavy rains were forecast for the rest of the night. Madison insisted that everyone stay, but Ashley was stubborn. Stone stepped in, offering her a room in his house for the night. Of course she declined, so Madison set up one of the guest rooms for her. She fell asleep soon after. Laurie and the kids held out through early prime-time television before falling asleep, too.

I carried Noah and Sophie to their rooms and helped Madison tuck them in. Laurie kissed me and Madison before retiring to the room she’d been in the night before. I was just glad when I had my sweetheart to myself.

“Tonight was so intense, Declan. I hope Joey is really ready to be a father. We need more good men and less deadbeats in the world,” she said, kissing my shoulder.

Taking out my phone, I saw that I had a crapload of emails. Half of them were bill collectors emailing about Holly and Michael’s past due accounts. I was really tired of their s**t. The two from Daniels were PDF’s of my case files. I planned to look at that stuff later. Right now, I needed to give my girlfriend some TLC.

“Madison, if you don’t mind, I think I’m ready for my dessert now. Can you go cut us a nice big slice of cake?”

“Sure,” she said, winking.

After she left, I started the fireplace. I’d set up everything nights ago, hoping we’d have a chance for some romance. She returned minutes later with a big bowl full of cake and a can of whipped cream. I felt a drop of pre-c*m on my tip.

“Madison…”

“Wait, I, um, have something that I wanted to try. It’s okay if you don’t… if you’re not into this stuff.”

She went inside the closet and came out with a square black box. Inside was a bag from a Port Angeles s*x toy shop. I was very interested.

Madison pulled out another box. “It’s a fantasy door swing. Um, I like being f****d against the door. The balcony door is made of sturdy glass. We can move the curtains aside… No one can see unless they’re lurking in the woods with binoculars. The storm would make even that impossible. Forget it, it’s stupid. We don’t…”

Kissing her hand, I took the kit and read the instructions to set it up. It was really quite easy. After it was in place, I shut the door and took off my clothes. Madison changed into a pair of lacy red boy-shorts and no top. Her rounded milk white breasts bobbed lightly as she walked to me.

“I love you,” I whispered, helping her get comfortable on the pallet.

Her dark eyes were dreamy and bright. She looked fantastic. “You started a fire! That’s so romantic. Thank you, Declan.”

“Madison,” I asked, playing with her n*****s, “how would you like a massage?”

She moaned, leaning back until the back of her head rested on my chest. “I’d love one.”

I helped her lay face down, inserting a pillow under her stomach. Her ass cheeks peeked out of the tiny panties. My boxer-briefs were struggling to contain my excitement.

She was tense, so I started at the nape of her neck, slowly massaging my way down. Madison held a lot of tension in her shoulders, so I had to press down to get her loose. She whimpered, reaching back to caress my hand.

“That feels good, baby. Don’t stop.”

Eventually, I got to her lower back, right above the swell of her ass. “You’re so beautiful, Madison. I’m a lucky guy,” I whispered, licking the soft skin there. That made her grind her hips against the pillow.

After kissing the center of her back, I began to slowly peel away the lace. She was perfect. I caressed and suckled every inch of skin as it was revealed. Madison writhed underneath me, trying to turn over, but I held her in place.

“Not yet, sweetheart.”

Finally, she was naked before me. I spread her legs, licking the sweet honey inside. Then I kissed my way up her body beginning at the ankles. She mewled as I reached underneath to pinch her swollen nub. When I lifted my hand, it was covered in nectar. I licked my fingers clean, helping Madison stand up.

We worked together to get her set up in the harness. I kept getting distracted by her dark-pink, erect n*****s. They were in my face so I had to lick and suck. It would have been a crime not to show them some love.

When she was good and strapped in, I grabbed the whip cream and bowl of cake, taking a bite. Like all Madison’s baked goods, it was delicious. But not as good as what was waiting for me between her legs.

“Hurry up, baby,” she commanded, bouncing in the harness.

I got down on my knees in front of her and spread some cake on her upper thighs, quickly licking her clean. I continued doing this until I got to where she needed me most. Placing her legs on my shoulder, I spread a generous amount of icing right over her glistening lips, and then, placed a dollop of whip cream on top.

“Cake is kind of our thing,” I quipped, lowering my head.

The chocolate and coconut mingled nicely with her personal nectar. I licked her hard with the top of my tongue until she was clean. After that, I used the tip of my tongue to tease her c**t as my fingers went inside of her. She cried out as o****m number one swept through her body.

“Declan… That was..shit…”

Languidly, I licked the entire slit, occasionally inserting my tongue inside to tease her. When my c**k began to beat against my underwear, I took them off, aligning myself with Madison’ entrance. She opened one eye, smiling at me.

For once, I entered her slowly and not like a horny adolescent. She wrapped her legs around my hips, drawing me closer. Her fingers tangled in my hair as I pushed all the way inside. My sweetheart was amazingly tight.

“Feels so good,” I moaned, trying to set a good rhythm.

I thrust, using my forefinger to tease Madison’s c**t. Before long, I was doing long, hard strokes, pumping with abandon into her much smaller body. My head was clear and all I wanted was Madison’s p***y. She was sucking on my neck like it was lollipop. I knew I would have a bunch of crescent shaped marks on my back to go with the hickey she was giving me.

“Right there, Declan. Don’t move. Right there. f**k, I’m close. Hard… Ungh… Ungh…”

Closing my eyes, I lightly nibbled on her n*****s. She screamed, crashing again. I lifted her legs higher so that I hit that special place inside. I was balls deep, and f**k if it wasn’t heaven on Earth.

“The… the cold glass… It feels good against my ass. I’m so hot, Declan. Come with me this time.”

“I want to, sweetheart. I’m not sure I can pull out, though. I’m sorry,” I grunted.

My hips had a mind of their own as they plunged in and out, in and out, in and out. Madison’s hands moved to my ass, which she dug her nails into. I sucked her n****e hard, letting her know that I was enjoying what she was doing.

She licked my bottom lip, sucking it into her mouth before taking my eager tongue. “Don’t be.”

With those words, my balls tightened. Tears blurred my vision as I came hard, burying my face in Madison’s sweaty shoulder. Her walls closed up as she had yet another o****m. I’d hit a personal best with her. By my count, that made the fourth in one night.

“Do you think there’s a trophy for f*****g? You know, one with an erect guy in bronze with a girl bent over,” Madison asked, laughing.

“Why?”

“Because you deserve one for that. That was so… I don’t know what to say. Take me down so we can go to bed. I’m exhausted.”

She lied. After cleaning up and getting into bed still naked, Madison began to play with my c**k. Shortly after, she began to suck on it. Then she climbed on top and rode my tired ass until I came again. After the workout, I ordered my man to stand down. It didn’t escape my notice that Madison let me come inside of her twice, which meant she was serious about us.

Maybe a twenty-something could take more, but my thirty-four-year-old body was dead. I had just enough strength left to put my arm around her waist. Madison, ever the tease, wiggled her ass right against my d**k in an effort to get comfortable. I groaned, holding her in place. Thankfully, she fell asleep. I joined her a few minutes later.

The next morning was a flurry of activity. We bathed together, enjoying a little light touching. It was more intimate than s****l. Madison was more playful than she’d ever been.

Later, she got dressed in a long sleeved dark purple dress with a black ribbon around the waist and black flats. It came to her knees so I couldn’t complain. I told her she looked beautiful, which made her blush. I liked that Madison didn’t wear much makeup.

After that, we got the kids ready. Laurie and Ashley left out with us. I rode shotgun, glad to let my woman take the wheel. Laurie teased me because I couldn’t wipe the smile off my face.

Before they got in line, I slipped Noah and Sophie a box of their favorite candy. Dots for Sophie and Milk Duds for Noah. They kissed me on the cheek. Several mothers turned to look.

Great, more gossip.

Madison got out of the car to talk to a few. I heard Taylor Howard compliment her on her glowing skin. Smirking, I laid back in my seat.

“You are so obvious, Walsh. It’s sickening,” Ashley said, kicking my seat.

Laurie agreed. “Ugh, I know right? You two made breakfast indecent this morning. I felt like taking Noah and Sophie to the other room. Thank god they don’t know that look.”

I held up my hands. “Ladies, ladies, stop being killjoys. This is my first time… I’ve never been in love like this before.”

Ashley and Laurie looked at each other, smiling. Then they started talking about weddings and babies. I sighed as my high finally wore off. Madison wasn’t into that. If she…

“Sorry, that took a minute. What are you guys talking about?” She asked, pulling out.

Ashley kicked my seat again. “We were just taking bets on how long it will be before you two are married and my unborn has a little friend to play with.”

Surprisingly, Madison laughed. “Um, we’re taking it slow, but I saw a show on TV where a couple got married by a lake. I thought that was nice…”

Is she… How soon should I ask?

My throat closed up rendering me speechless. The women kept up their teasing all the way to the pastry shop. Several of the oldest gossips whispered as we passed. Madison took my hand, glaring at them. Inside, every table was filled. I had a feeling some of these people were only here to get the latest scoop.

“Hey,” Tina said, coming over to hug my sweetheart, “Pardon my French, but you look freshly-f****d, my dear.”

“So do you,” I replied, placing my arm around Madison.

Tina giggled. “Not quite, but close. Ross is a bit old fashioned. His mom is a modern day Puritan.”

Before going into the kitchen, Madison kissed me on the cheek, making sure I would be okay at the counter. Ryan brought out my savory scone and stayed a minute to chat. Business was so good that Madison was able to hire more bakers and helpers. Little did she know, I was planning to invest.

Laurie and Ryan had an interesting relationship. It was full of put downs, but there was something sweet there. They really bonded over talk of his daughter, Cynthia. Laurie swore he was too “low class” for her, but I caught her checking him out as he walked away. If my sister had to date any guy, I wanted it to be someone like Ryan. He was hard-working, responsible, and polite.

Just when I thought the day was going perfectly, Jimmy took a seat next to me. “I see your greenbacks kept your ass out of jail again. You really can buy everything, can’t you, Walsh?” I ignored him, focusing on buttering my scone.

“I’m talking to you, Richie-Rich,” he said, grabbing my arm.

“Get your filthy hands off of me, Jimmy. My life is none of your business.”

All eyes were on us now. Jimmy stood up, ready for the show. “Maybe not, but you’re involving Madison Smith in your life, and that makes it my business.”

Angry now, I shrugged off Laurie’s hands before standing up to my full height. I was still about three inches smaller than Jimmy, but I was confident that I had better fighting skills.

“Madison is my girlfriend. I don’t want any trouble. Just walk away and I’ll forget this.”

The patrons got loud, asking questions and speculating. Jimmy looked like someone had hit him. He didn’t honestly believe my sweetheart wanted him, did he?

“Girlfriend, huh? How long until you get high and kill her or one of her kids? You’re nothing but a murderer. White skin and lots of money doesn’t change how I see you. You belong in prison with the rest of the criminals.”

I was about to punch him when the bell sounded. Every eye turned towards the door. A woman with long, light-brown hair sauntered into the shop. Frankly, she looked like a p********e. Her skinny legs were clad in torn fishnets and her slip of a blue dress barely covered her ass. I had no clue who she was but something looked familiar.

Swaying her hips and winking at every man in her wake, she walked right up to Jimmy and me. He raised his eyebrow in question, all fight forgotten. I shrugged, letting him know that she wasn’t with me.

“Excuse me, boys. I’m looking for my daughter, Madison Smith. Can one of you fine gentleman tell me where she is?”

“You’re Madison’s mom?” I asked in disbelief.

“Yeah, you know her? I was told she owns this place. She’s done good for herself. I’m surprised. She always was a homely-looking girl. I also assumed her bedroom skills were lacking because she couldn’t keep a man.”

Just barely, I resisted the urge to slap the heavily rouged face.

“Madison happens to be my girlfriend. I would appreciate it…”

“Mom?” Madison asked re-entering the room.

Rhonda threw her arms around her daughter. “Madison, it’s been too long.”

The whole place went quiet until another bell signaled a new customer. I turned around slowly. A man even bigger than Jimmy and Dean was at the door with a bouquet of flowers. He had sandy-brown hair and blue eyes...Sophie’s eyes… Holy s**t! One quick glance at my sweetheart and I knew.

“I brought Tom. For some reason, he wants you back, Maddqy,” Rhonda explained, waving him over.

I blocked his path. He was not getting near her. There was a restraining order in place. Shockingly, Jimmy backed me up. He must have seen the fear in Madison’s eyes, too.

“Who the f**k are you two?” Tom asked, gesturing wildly.

I stepped right into his face. “I’m Madison’s boyfriend, asshole. You’re about to go back to whatever hole you crawled out of.”