This Too Shall Pass (30 page)

“You are? Where are you planning to do that?”

“In the playroom. Ellen knows how to build forts.”

Alexis smiled wondering if that was a good idea. Not because she was worried about them up there. The attic was warm and toasty and the plush carpet was more than enough padding with their sleeping bags. It was the noise she was worried about. She was about to have sex with her man for the first time in a very long time. It was her she was worried about.

Alexis walked upstairs, leaving Ellen with the two older girls to help Cory with the babies. Presley was already in the warm bath and Paisley was wide awake, kicking her naked little legs. Cory turned and ran his hand up the back of her jean, covered leg. There wasn’t even any skin on skin connection and electric current was felt throughout her body, mostly between her legs. He handed off the wet baby and picked up the next little naked creature, cooing and talking to her with love and pride.

Alexis did the same cooing and baby talking with Presley while she diapered her, getting her in pajamas and ready for bed. She sat in the same chair she’d rocked Kinley in and rocked, nursing her to sleep with a hum. Cory dressed Paisley while Presley dozed off for the night, or at least the next four to five hours anyway. Once she was asleep Alexis stood, kissed her little head and stopped to let Cory kiss her. He kissed her in the same spot and then kissed Alexis. Hard and fervent.

“I’m going up to the attic and blow up a mattress. Come up when she’s asleep,” he whispered warm words to her lips.

“I want to take a shower and shave. You go up.”

“You okay?”

“Yes, why wouldn’t I be?”

“I don’t know. You seem nervous about something.”

Alexis smiled with a snort. “I am.”

“What?”

“Sex. The last time we had sex, you barely remember it. And the time before that, stung a little.”

“I’m sorry, Lex. I hate myself for doing that to you. I would take it back in a heartbeat if I could.”

“I know you would. I forgave you, but I’m still a little gun shy around you.”

“I’m not going to hurt you.”

“I’ve heard that story before. Go be with Ellen and the girls. I’ll be up in a little bit.”

“We don’t have to have sex. We can hang out with the girls if you want.”

“Oh no. That’s not what I want. You asked and I told you. That doesn’t mean I don’t want it. I do.”

Cory smiled and kissed her again. “I’m glad. I can’t handle many more hand jobs.”

“Seriously? You do that?”

“Oh yeah. I had to. You have been driving me crazy. Especially the last couple weeks.”

“When?”

“Every time things got heated.”

“That was a lot.”

“And when I watched you do it on the sofa the other night.”

“You watched that? You were supposed to be asleep.”

“I wasn’t.”

“You have to let me watch. You did.”

“But not really. Your hand was under the covers.”

“Jesus, get away from me. I have babies to feed.” Alexis stepped away and laid sleeping Presley in the crib and took Paisley from her dad.

Cory smiled a sexy grin and walked across the hall to Riki’s room. Once both babies were sound asleep in the same crib, side by side, Alexis went to the shower. The wet spot in her panties assured her she wouldn’t be needing any help in the lubricating department. She couldn’t even control the throb. A quick shower and an even quicker drive by with the razor and she was ready. Or was she. Jesus. Why was she a bottle of nerves.

“Because you’re thinking about it,” she answered the voices in her head through the reflection in the mirror and walked out.

Riki was right. Ellen did know how to build awesome forts. Kinley was squealed with excitement, jumping up and down on the blowup mattress. She was never going to bed. Alexis picked her up and got the grand tour from Riki. They were sleeping in the tower of a castle. She was the princess, Ellen was the maid, and Kinley was the mule. Cory kissed the girls and left them to the land of imaginary while he showered himself. Alexis played along, talking to Ellen about all that she had done to the attic while engaging in make believe with Riki and Kinley.

Giving him ample amount of time, Alexis said goodnight to Ellen and the girls fifteen minutes later. Kinley was in the center of the mattress with a book. That meant she was tired, ready to fall asleep.

Cory wasn’t in her room or the shower when she went to find him. The message on her phone solved the mystery. Cory was in her office. Good choice. No noise. After peeking in on the twins Alexis descended the stairs, feeling her heart beat pound inside her chest. The pocket doors were closed and the sound of Tim and Faith, quietly played, It’s Your Love, when she opened the doors.

“Damn. Hello, Dr. Baker,” she greeted with big eyes as she closed the doors behind her.

“You said you wanted to watch,” he reminded with a sly grin. Cory was naked, leaned against the desk, stroking his hardness in his hand. Sexy took on a whole new meaning.

“I do,” Alexis admitted.

“Take your clothes off and have a seat.”

Alexis didn’t have much to take off. She wore boy boxer shorts and a tee-shirt. That’s it. She slowly slid out of both and sat in the chair in front of him. Cory took a step, placed his hand behind her head, and stroked himself right into her mouth. Alexis moaned, taking him to the back of her throat. Cory didn’t even have to ask for what he wanted, she just did it. Maybe more for her than him. Alexis held one hand at the base of his shaft slid her other one between her legs, generating another moan. Certainly didn’t need help with lubrication.

Again, Cory didn’t give the orders. It might have looked like he was in control, but that was a so not true. Alexis came to her feet, kissing his chest along the way, and making her way to his lips. She turned, wanting to trade places and his feet shuffled, too, going where she wanted him to go. Her hands lifted her body, sliding her butt up to the desk and her eyes pointed to her opened legs with the tilt of her head. Cory didn’t need words. He knew exactly what she wanted and he gave it to her. Alexis bit hard on her bottom lip, trying like hell not to scream out in ecstasy. Alexis had forgotten how good Cory was at going down on her. Weeks of built up angst came to boiling head. It wasn’t the slow love making Alexis had envisioned over and over in her mind at all. It was rough, raw, sex. Once the first exalted, orgasm was released, Cory came to his feet and slid inside her. Alexis was still quivering from the earth shattering orgasm when she felt him slide deep into her.

Sure her body had never been twisted into so many different positions, Alexis briefly thought about how sore she was going to be in the morning. That thought left her mind when Cory once again, moved her, turning her to bend over the desk. He laced his fingers in hers, moved them to her sides and took her from behind. And then to the floor. Cory laid on the rug and Alexis straddled his waist. His hands held her hips and she rocked, back and forth. The third orgasm wasn’t only felt, it was heard. Her head dropped while Cory moved her deep and hard with his hands. She felt the building right before she felt the carpet on her back from the last orgasm. Cory rolled her to her back and kissed her. Alexis moved his hand away from her nipple, humming an, uh-uh.

Lips were separated when Alexis jerked her head to the side ready to ride it out. “Hmm, yes. Right there baby. Oh, fuck. Fuck. Fuck. Yes, fuck me. Hmm. Grunts mixed with profanity and heavenly bliss filled the room until she was quivering beneath him. Cory slowed to a snail’s pace while she rode the waves, kissing her lips, and her neck.

“I love you, Alexis,” he whispered to her lips.

“I love you, too, but.”

“But what?”

“You can’t go inside of me.” No way. That was it. Alexis never wanted kids. She spent her days with screaming kids at the studio. She was convinced that she would never have a baby, and here she was raising four of them. All girls! The pill sure as hell didn’t work. Something else had to be done.

Cory smiled down at her and continued to make slow passionate love to her. The kind she’d imagined it would be when it finally happened. Alexis watched right after the knowing grunt. Cory pulled out and stroked himself on her lower abdomen, ejecting four quick bouts. The next thought wasn’t in her mind either. It just happened. Alexis moved her fingers to the substance coating her stomach and spread it to her still swollen nub and moaned. Number four O was born with the coaxing of Cory’s voice, telling her to keep rubbing it.

“I’m glad you’re here,” Alexis admitted once she was sure they were finished.

“I’m glad you’re glad I’m here. Want to shower with me?”

“You bet.”

Cory pulled Alexis to her feet. She went first, sliding the doors open quietly. For a brief second she expected to see Mr. Dog and then forgot it when she felt Cory holding her back behind her. They both peered up the steps, looking around the room before hightailing it up the stairs, both butt naked.

Laughing and in love, Alexis led him to the bathroom where Cory continued to kiss her with I love you’s to her lips. He started the water when she knocked his wallet and keys to the floor with her ass. It was his fault. He was the one moving her body with his. Alexis picked them up and stared at the keys. The end of her finger went through the diamond and she swallowed.

“What, baby?” Cory questioned the serious look.

“Ask me again, Cory.”

Cory’s eyebrows went to the ceiling and he walked back to her. The ring was off the key ring and between his fingers in a half a second. He dropped to one knee and looked up.

“Will you marry me?”

“I—.”

“Wait. Don’t answer yet. Will you marry me, be my wife, my equal partner? I know I’ve fucked up. I know I did things that hurt you enough to leave scars. I can’t take any of it back. I know you have forgiven me, but I need for you to forget it. We can do this, but we need to leave the past in the past. You can’t bring it up the next time you get pissed at me. I want to be your husband for the rest of my life, love you, and raise a houseful of girls with you. There is nobody on this earth that I would rather spend my life with. Alexis McKinley, will you be my wife?”

“Yes, I will.”

Epilogue

The church was a full house, friends and family filled the pews. Alexis felt the shaking below the white dress. The heels did little for her quivering knees, nor did the sound of the change in the piano. This was it. She was really doing this.

“You ready?”

Alexis smiled up at Travis and looped her arm in his awaiting arm, held out, ready for her to take.

“Ready as I will ever be.”

Alexis’s eyes stayed fixated on Cory’s. She couldn’t look at the congregation, all standing for her. All eyes on her. She did look to the left at Riki, standing next to Bernie, Paige and Sam, all in a beautiful black dresses. Bernie in a dress was like Cory in a dress. It didn’t happen. She was stunning. Riki and Kinley also had on black dresses with thin white belts, looking absolutely adorable. Her eyes went back to Cory’s and he smiled, but only briefly. The entire church filled with laughter when Kinley walked to her dad with raised arms.

“Up, Daddy,” she requested. Cory lifted her, kissed her little cheek, and handed her off to Lola. Kinley went without a problem. Grandma Kinney had M&M’s.  Alexis placed her hand in his and he helped her up the three steps. She turned and handed Bernie the photo of her dad. Sam made it. Alexis didn’t carry a bouquet of flowers. She carried a photo of her dad in a white frame. Walt walked her down the aisle, just like it was supposed to be with Pastor Chuck officiating.

The ceremony was beautiful. Nothing fancy about it. A good old small town wedding in the heart of Brady County. Alexis wouldn’t have had it any other way. Ellen was the only person on Cory’s side that attended, but Cory was okay with that. Ellen was the only one who mattered. Alexis even called Dianna Baker herself, begging her to come. She was much too busy with it being election year, maybe some other time. Although that made her very sad, Alexis knew Cory would always have family. Once they said, I do. He would always be a part of the McKinley clan. He would always have a family.

The photos taken at the barn with Cory in his black tuxedo, Alexis in her white dress, and all four girls in matching dresses would go down in history as her favorite. The sun shined behind them, just over the green pasture, behind the old fence with her dads green tractor in the right corner. Alexis held Presley, Cory held Paisley and Kinley, and Riki stood toothless, right in the middle. Alexis couldn’t wait to send it off for printing, a canvas print right above the fireplace with a gold aphorism to the right of Riki, reading…

This too shall pass.

THE END