Chapter Seventy-One

Laying on her side, Stephanie watched the sunlight flirt with split in the curtains. Richie shifted behind her and his arm came to rest across her waist. She ran her fingers lightly along his forearm, wondering if she should get up and make their first stop today on her own. She glanced at the clock. She could probably get there and back before Richie even woke up. She watched the sunlight play along the wall for another minute before making her decision. She had barely moved when Richie tightened his grip and pulled her back against him.

“Where do you think you’re goin’?”

His voice was hoarse and gravelly with the morning. She turned in his arms and pressed her lips to the base of his throat. “I was thinking about getting up and taking a shower. I have somewhere I’d like to go this morning before I show you the highlights of the City I grew up in.”

He pulled her closer, pressing breasts to his chest and tangling their legs together, his morning wood brushed against her belly.  He grazed the top of her head with his lips. “Did you want me to come to the cemetery with you or did you want to go alone?” 

She shook her head and eased back slightly so she could see his face.  She shouldn’t be surprised that he knew what she wanted to do.  “I don’t know how you knew, but yes, I was going to go to the cemetery.”  She waited a beat, did she want him to go with her?  She found his eyes with hers and spoke before she could over think her answer.  “I’d like it if you’d come with me.  But how did you know that’s what I was going to do?”

He trailed his fingers from their resting place on her hip up, along her side, across the curve of her breast and further, to cup her cheek.  Inclining his head he kissed her lightly.  “Because, Sweetheart, that’s where I go first when I go home.  Ma and I go and visit Dad.”  His hand slid back down, lingering on her breast, his fingers lightly circling the rapidly hardening nipple.  At her quiet gasp he eased her onto her back.  “Do we have to go right now?”  He continued the tortuous circling with his fingers.  “Or can we wait a little while?”

Her eyes drifted shut, all her focus on the sensations flowing through her from just that incessant touch on her breast.  “No” she breathed.  “We can-” she stopped when he closed his lips over her breast.  God.  “We can wait.”

He lifted his head and stared down at her, an evil glint in his eye.  “Good.”  He lowered his head and paid homage to both her breasts until she was whimpering beneath him. 

Letting her nipple go with a quiet “pop” he reached across her to the night table.  Her hand closed over his on the condom packet.  “Let me?”  She took the foil square from him and he knelt back on the bed, his erection standing proud between them.  Leaning forward she lightly licked the engorged head, stealing a taste of the drops that he couldn’t hold back.  She started to open her mouth to take him in fully when his hand on her shoulder stopped her.

He closed his eyes and drew in a fortifying breath.  He could still see her dainty, pink tongue sneaking out to taste him.  It was the sexiest damn thing.  He opened his eyes and met hers while his hand fumbled along the sheets for hers.  He needed to be inside her.  Now.  Grasping her fingers he drew her hand to his cock.  “Put the condom on, baby.” 

Keeping her eyes on his she leaned in and gave him one last kiss and carefully rolled the thin latex down his hard shaft.  With a small smirk she gave his balls a light squeeze before laying back on the bed. 

He dropped his hands down on either side of her shoulders, looming over her.  “Naughty girl.”  He pressed his hips forward just enough so the tip of his cock was resting just at her opening.  He could feel her warmth through the layer of latex and he wanted nothing more than to drive into her to the hilt, but he waited, teasing her just a little. 

She squirmed under him.  “You like me naughty.”  She moved her hips again, trying to get him where she wanted him.  What was he waiting for?  “Are you going to move?” 

He flexed his hips and slid in another half inch.  “That what you wanted?”  He bit the inside of his cheek to keep from laughing at her frustration.

“Oh yeah, that’s so much better” she replied sarcastically.  Slipping her hand from his shoulder she slid it down his chest and toyed with his nipple, tweaking it a little harder than she normally would have. 

“Hey!”

She leaned up and soothed it with her tongue, while her hand roamed further down his body, her fingers tangling in the thick nest of dark hair that framed his cock and then lower, to gently cup his balls.  She pulled her mouth from his nipple, “Rich?”

He took a breath and looked down at her.  It was all he could do not to just pound into her.  “What sweetheart?”

She fondled him a little rougher and his eyes slammed shut and a groan escaped him. “You know you wanna fuck me, so what are you waiting for?”

His eyes flew open, she never said that word to him before.  He’d never heard her utter it at any time before.  “Move your hand” he growled.  Fuck if he wasn’t going to give her what she wanted now.  He jerked his hips forward and was fully seated inside her.  Before he could pull back she tightened her internal muscles and held him captive.  “You keep that up and this is gonna be all over in three seconds.”

She relaxed and he gave her exactly what she asked for, driving into her in a flurry of deep, hard thrusts that had them both crying out as they found their release together.

Turning her head, she breathed in and out, slowly catching her breath.  He was half on top of her, his lips lightly skimming up and down her neck.  She gave him a gentle nudge, “don’t fall asleep.” 

“Not gonna” he murmured. 

 

“I’m going to take a shower.  We can go to the cemetery and then I’ll take you to a little diner I know for breakfast.”

His head popped up from her shoulder, “diner?  You have those here?”  He may have a nutritionist and a personal trainer, but that didn’t mean he couldn’t indulge once in a while and diner food, well, there was nothing else quite like it.

She smiled and eased out from under him to sit on the side of the bed.  “Well, it’s not like the ones in Jersey, but I like it.”

He moved around her and stood, holding out his hand, “come on, Sweetheart, let’s get going.”

~

She drove slowly, easing her way around the winding lane of the cemetery.  Her chest felt heavy with the weight of emotions flowing through her.  She tried to ignore it.  Tried to concentrate on the fact that it was much prettier here this time than it had been back in December. The trees all had leaves now and the early spring flowers were blooming here and there.  She slowed along the lane near the large oak tree.  The two pennants had survived the winter and still looked good.  It had been worth the extra money she spent for the special weather-proof material.  Putting the car in park she didn’t say anything, she just stared at the gravesite. 

Richie looked over at her, watching, wondering.  She wasn’t crying, but her face was full of emotion.  He could practically feel her sadness over on his side of the car.  Glancing down he found her hand on the console between them.  And, just like that rainy afternoon in her kitchen when she first told him what had happened, he curled his pinkie around hers and watched her face.

At the warmth of his touch, her lips curved into a small smile.  He always seemed to know what to do for her.  She turned her head, and flexed her fingers against his.  “Thanks.” 

He picked up her hand and kissed the back of it.  “You want me to come out there with you?”

She sighed and looked out the window again.  “I think I need to do this alone.”  She tugged her hand from his reached for the handle on the door.  Pushing it open, she stepped out of the car and took a deep breath.  Crossing the road she wended her way to the stone that marked the double grave.  “Hi” she said quietly.  “I came back.”  She brushed at the dead leaves that rested on top of the stone and around the base.  Dropping to her knees she lightly traced the names carved into the marble, lingering on her son’s.  “I miss you little man.” 

She pulled her gardening gloves out of the plastic bag and continued to pick at the leaves and weeds.  “I know it’s been a long time, but I told you it would be.”  She straightened the two pennants.  “I probably won’t be back after this.  Not for a long while anyway.”  She thought about her work in California and where she would be in July, where her life was taking her.  “I’ve built a new life in California and I have a man I love there.”  She put her gloves back in their bag and stood, brushing the dirt from her knees.  “But I’ll never forget you, either of you.” She kissed her fingers and pressed them against the stone.  “I love you guys.  Always.”

She turned and found Richie standing by the front of the car watching, waiting for her.   She made her way back to the road and crossed to him.  He opened his arms and pulled her close.  She hadn’t cried, but he could feel her trembling against him.  He ran a soothing hand up and down her back.  As they stood there, the sun shifted, holding them in its warm ray and dappling the ground around them.  Turning her head, Stephanie pressed her lips against Richie’s jaw and eased back slightly.

“I’m okay.” 

He nodded, “I know.  Let me just hold you for a minute anyway.”

She drew in a breath.  “I won’t be coming back here and its okay.”  She looked up at him.  “I think they know I’m happy again.”  She glanced around at the sunshine that still bathed them.  “I don’t need to come here and talk to a stone to remember them.  I have my memories and that’s enough.”

Richie slid his hand up and down her back again, realizing this time that her trembling had stopped.  He looked to her eyes and they were clear, if not a little sad.  The emotion he had felt coming off of her in the car was gone.  She really was okay.  “You don’t have to stay away.  I would never keep you from coming back here.”

She took his hand, “I know, but I really don’t need to.”  She kissed his hand and turned to look across the way.  “The man and boy they were aren’t what’s here” she gestured to the graves.  “They’re in here” she put her hand over her heart.  “I don’t need to come back here.”

 

He studied her for a long moment.  She truly was an amazing woman.  “I’ve never met anyone quite like you, Sweetheart.  If you’re sure, then let’s go get something to eat.”

She smiled, raised up on her toes and pressed her lips to his.  “I’m sure.”  She moved around the car and got behind the wheel.