This Too Shall Pass (4 page)

Cory stopped Alexis before she could sidestep him and kissed her. Really kissed her, tongue and all.

“We can’t do that in front of Jesus, especially in my parent’s room. What was that for?”

“A reminder that I love you.”

“You’re being dumb.”

“Probably,” Cory admitted with his arms around her, holding her securely to his body.

“Let’s get out of here before I start taking my clothes off.”

Alexis kissed Riki and turned to her mom. “Kinley’s down for the night. We’ll probably go home and get them in the morning.”

“I wish you wouldn’t do that. I don’t like you drinking and driving even if it is right down the road.”

“I won’t drive. I’ll make Cory do it.”

“I’m being serious, Alexis.”

“You’re the one—

Cory’s hand covered Alexis’s mouth, cutting her off mid-sentence. “It’s fine Lola, I’ll be the designated driver. We’ll just get the girls in the morning.” Oh no. He wasn’t listening to this argument again. McKinley women didn’t know when to stop. This argument about being married before you slept in the same bed could go on for days with neither one of them caving. Cory dragged Alexis by the hand, back to the barn.

“You always do that. Why do you argue with her about it? You know she’s not going to change her mind.”

“Well it’s dumb. Let’s go to the car and get the cooler.”

Cory planted another kiss on her lips once he opened the hatch on her car. This time, however she kissed back and teased him with her hips.

“Is that his truck?”

“Seriously? I’m trying to get in your pants and you’re asking me about a truck?”

“No, I was asking if it was Mitch’s truck. It looks like a little boy truck, something Jordan would drive.”

Alexis pulled away and opened the cooler with an exasperated breath. “Yes, that’s his truck. Open this.”

Cory opened her beer and carried the cooler full of ice cold beer to the barn. Alexis chugged the first one before they ever made it back. She needed that, and then some. It took about four of those ice cold beers for her to loosen up and not give a shit about Mitch being there anymore.  She was feeling pretty good when Travis made her dance to ‘Boot Scootin’. Bernie and Cory sat it out and watched as the floor of drunks moved together to the song, including Mitch. Alexis had her beer in one hand and her thumb in the pocket of her well fitted jeans with the other. She caught Cory’s eyes with hers and winked at him.

When the song was finished, Cory noticed Mitch touch the small of her back as they moved from the floor. He was instantly pissed but didn’t say anything, not wanting to ruin Alexis’s good time. They didn’t get to do this often with the girls. He kept reminding himself that she was going home with him, not Mitch.

Mitch joined in all the conversation like he’d been there all along and never left. He sort of fit right in and Cory sort of hated it. It wasn’t like he was trying to make Cory feel like he was any less of a man or anything. He did talk to Cory, too and Cory answered with short snide remarks. Alexis elbowed his ribs.

The entire dance floor was full of loud drunks. Cory even danced, but that may have been to keep Mitch away from Alexis. Maybe? Regardless, she didn’t mind at all. There wasn’t a man on earth she would have rather been dancing with than him.

Tired and thirsty, they sat out the next song and watched Paige and Jordan being the center of attention, dancing very provocative on the floor. Paige’s dad was livid. He didn’t like seeing his baby dance like that with Jordan.

“Lighten up. She’s eighteen and this is her night,” Alexis reminded him.

“She doesn’t have to put it on display,” he complained.

“Come on, let’s go be on display with them,” Cory offered when the fast song ended and Prince started singing ‘Purple Rain’. Every time Alexis looked toward Mitch, he was staring right at her. She always did think this song was emotional and it was easy to get lost in Cory’s arms with it. She turned her attention to her man and away from Mitch and gazed up at him instead. His hands held her close as they swayed in unison to the expressive song. Alexis was the one to part his lips with her tongue and sway into his hips. He was fine until she moaned. Dammit.

“I love you,” she whispered as the song came to a close.

“I love you more, but I can’t move,” he confessed. The rest of the dancers moved right into Katy Perry. Cory didn’t let her move.

“Why?” she asked and he pulled her closer not telling, but showing her why. She laughed.

“Do you find this funny?”

“I do,” she admitted. “Do you want to do something about it?”

“What would you suggest I do about it, smarty pants?”

“Stay behind me,” she said. Alex took his hand and led him out of the barn while keeping him close enough so that she was the only one that knew what he was trying to hide.

Mitch watched as they left the building with an envious look and Alexis once again noticed.

“Where are you taking me?”

“To get rid of our problems.”

“You have a problem, too?”

“Oh yes,” Alexis admitted. She turned and walked backward, kissing him with her hands on the snap of his jeans.

“It’s dark in here.”

“You don’t need to see.” Alexis led him to the back corner of the barn, opened a wooden gate, and unbuttoned his jeans, releasing his erection to her hand. He moaned as he unbuttoned her jeans and slid his fingers between her legs. She wiggled her hips, slid out of them, and pulled herself up to the wooden table. Cory entered her with ease and a hiss.

“Dammit, Alexis,” Cory rasped as he secretly made love to her, thrusting in and out of her with her legs wrapped perfectly around his waist. Cory covered her moans more than once while she rocked into him. He decided to hurry her along when their secret quickie was turning into much more. His thumb circled her aching numb and his mouth once again covered the escaping moans. Their bodies became one when Cory held himself deep inside her, colliding with her own bliss.

“Holy shit, girl.”

Alexis laughed, kissed him deep and passionate, and then withdrew her hips from his. “I love you.”

“I love you, too.”

They walked back to the barn hand in hand. Alexis got them both a beer from their cooler and handed one to Cory. He opened it for her and handed it back, taking the other one for himself as he always did. Alexis chugged half of it and winked at Cory.

“Where were you?” Bernie asked. Alexis hopped beside her on top of the picnic-table, feet propped to the bench. Alexis answered with a sneaky smile.

“Oh my God, Lex,” Bernie exclaimed. Alexis laughed and Cory shook his head. He walked away and joined Travis in a fish story. That’s exactly what it was, too. Cory was with him that day, and he was sure the small mouth was more like eight inches, not thirteen.

“Where?” Bernie wanted to know.

“In the barn.”

Within minutes the fish stories were back around the women huddled around the table. Mitch of course had to join in, too. He told them about a time when he and Jim were fishing over at Alexis’s pond. Jim caught him in the back of the head with a fishing hook.

Cory reached around him and took Alexis’s hand and led her to the dance floor without speaking a word.

They were dancing provocatively to ‘Don’t Spit Me Out’ when Alexis caught Mitch staring again. She turned, spinning away from him annoyed. Cory held onto her when she tried to escape the slow song. 

“I think you need to come in the bathroom with me,” she explained.

“Are you serious?”

“Not for that, you dummy.”

“For what?”

“I think I have a splinter,” she explained and Cory laughed.

“Why do you think that?”

“Because it feels like there is a foreign object in my ass and it stings,” she explained. Cory couldn’t help but laugh again.

He pulled her hand and led her to the corner bathroom. He turned on the light and closed the door.

“Drop your pants.”

Alexis gave him a warning look and he gave her a fake apology, trying like hell to hide the smirk. Alexis pulled her pants down just below her butt cheeks and placed her hands on the sink.

“Yes, you most certainly do have a splinter,” Cory smirked while his head tilted to her ass.

“Are you going to get it out or just stare at my ass all night?”

“I prefer the latter.”

“Cory. People are going to think we are in here having sex.”

“Well, you are in the perfect position and causing quite a commotion in my jeans again.”

“Do you always get a hard on when your patients take off their pants?” she asked with eyebrows stretching to the ceiling, standing there with her ass hanging out.

“No, just your pants.”

“Cory, are you going to take it out or not?”

“Okay, let me see.” Cory got another annoyed look when his hand flattened on the un-injured butt cheek.” I need tweezers. I can’t get it. My nails aren’t long enough.”

“Yell for Bernie.”

Cory stuck his head out the door and yelled for Bernie. He let her in and closed the door quickly behind her.

“What the hell are you doing?” Bernie questioned. Her face grimaced while her eyes went from Cory to Alexis’s bare ass.

“She has a splinter.” Cory explained the situation, trying like hell to be serious.

“You’re asking for it, Cory Baker,” she threatened. Her eyes went to Bernie when she started laughing, too.

“The hell with both of you.”

“I’m sorry, Lex, wait. I’ll get it, turn around,” Bernie offered while her teeth dug into her bottom lip, trying not to laugh.

Alexis turned back around and Bernie helped with a quick yank.

“Ouch!” Alexis yelled and turned, seeing Bernie holding the splinter.

“You tell anyone about this and so help me God,” Alexis threatened with a straight finger, pulling up her jeans.

Cory walked out first and Alexis held Bernie back.

“Look at how he keeps looking at me, Bernie.”

“I noticed. Do you want me to say something to him?”

“No, just let it go. Do you think Cory has noticed?”

“I would imagine so. Travis has mentioned it and so has Sam.”

They slowed down when they saw Mitch talking to Cory. Cory shrugged his shoulders and nodded toward Alexis. As soon as they got to them, Mitch asked her if she would like to dance, holding his hand out for her to take with a big stupid smile. Alexis wasn’t sure what to do. She didn’t want him touching her at all, but she did kind of want the time to talk to him and tell him to back off. She looked at Cory and he nodded telling her it was okay, besides, they were dancing right in front of him.

Alexis walked in front of him, declining his hand. Mitch kept his distance, refraining from pulling her close like Cory had. The song ‘Truly Madly Deeply’ from Savage Garden started and Alexis rolled her eyes. Really? Of all songs John had to pick that one.

“Recognize this song?” Mitch asked.

“No, not really,” she lied.

He laughed, “Yeah okay, sure you don’t.”

“How have you been, Lexi?”

“We had this conversation. I’ve been wonderful, couldn’t be better? How about yourself?

“Oh you know, divorce, new job, new life. You’re doing very well though, new house, successful business, rich doctor boyfriend.”

“Sorry to hear that,” Alexis replied. She wasn’t having this conversation with Mitch. Mitch was in the past and he was going to stay there. Alexis looked to Cory leaned against the table with his arms and ankles crossed, glaring right at them. Alexis pursed her lips with an air kiss and winked at him. He winked back, but didn’t lose the stiff glare.

“Let’s dance,” Bernie suggested with an open hand. Cory hesitated but took her hand and followed. It wasn’t thirty seconds before Bernie released him and asked Alexis if she minded if she cut in. Alexis gladly let him go and welcomed Cory’s arms.

“I should have said, hell no,” Cory admitted with a kiss.

“Baby, you never have anything to worry about with Mitch. I feel much better being in your arms.”

“I was ready to deck him, Lex. You can’t dance with him again. I can’t stand the thought of him having his hands on you, and if he doesn’t stop giving you the eye, I’m going to deck him.”

“I am perfectly fine with that and you’re not decking anyone.”

“How’s your butt?”

“I may need to find a doctor to take a look at it.”

“I know the perfect doctor and he would love to take a look at your ass.”

“I bet you do.” Alexis smiled and kissed the roughness on his chin. A five o’clock shadow brushed her lips. Could she possibly be more in love with this man? Their bodies swayed while they carried on normal conversation.

“Oh, yeah, I forgot to tell you that my renters are moving at the end of this month.”

“Good, now you can sell the house.”

Cory looked down at her surprised. “You want me to sell the house?”