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RORY
Six months later
“And so in closing,” Joshua says, looking around the room, “we salute Richard Wilkins for building this company into one of the biggest commercial real estate firms in the state. I’m proud and honored to be taking over as CEO, and I promise that with all of you to help me, the best days of RJW are ahead of us.”
Applause fills the room of the banquet hall. My father doesn’t stand up at his place to the right of the podium, but he does nod and raise his hand in a wave. Getting him to agree to this retirement party took some effort. Seeing him there, still healthy enough to enjoy his employees and colleagues celebrating him, puts a lump in my throat.
Next to me at one of the front tables, Brody shifts in his chair, chafing in his suit. He’s not built to wear such formal attire, but he looks damn good in it. I’ve heard the comments of appreciation from more than one woman this evening. I try not to show that I’ve noticed. Even Joshua has remarked on it.
“That man is fine,” he grinned at me when Brody went off to get me a glass of wine. “Damn, you wanna show me where you got him?”
“Are you sure an outlaw motorcycle club is your dating pool?”
“Maybe not.” He cocks his head. “But I can definitely sit back and appreciate, can’t I?”
“I’ll allow it,” I laugh.
“I still can’t believe you two were married for all those years. And you really didn’t see or hear from each other that whole time?”
“Nope. If Dad hadn’t gotten sick, we might never have reunited. Weird how life works, isn’t it?”
It’s true. Although I wish Dad wasn’t sick, I’ve learned to take the good with the bad. Besides, my relationship with my father was also rekindled as a result of his illness. I’m hoping he lives as long as he can, with the best quality of life that he can. And the good news is, I get to be here for him for it.
Dad and Mom have started talking again, although Mom has made it more than clear that it’s just out of friendship. That, and the fact that as a cancer survivor, she can relate to him, as someone who’s been there. She’s flying out next week to come to Ironwood. It will be the first time the two of them have seen each other since their divorce. And of course, it will be the first time she’s seen Brody in almost fourteen years, as well. I warned her that my husband is now a member of a motorcycle club, and that she needs to prepare herself. But she just laughed me off.
“What matters is who that boy is deep down,” she said. “He’s a good person. And he loves my daughter. That’s all I need to know.”
Dad’s retirement party continues into the night, but Dad himself tires out early. Brody and I drive him back home in Dad’s car. His soon-to-be second ex-wife isn’t there, having recently taken off on another trip. Dad says he doesn’t care, and in fact seems to be happy that Stephanie’s not around.
“She’s off on her own, and good riddance,” he said to me earlier today. “She’s already shown me her true colors, no point in trying to play the devoted wife now. Just makes revising my will easier. She’ll have a shock coming.” There was a gleam in his eye. “So will your mother. A good one, in her case.”
After we get Dad settled in for the night, we leave his place in our truck and head for home. In a way, living with Brody is a lot like it was when we were first married more than a decade ago. Except now, I’m about a million times more aware and thankful for what I have. The man that the Lords of Carnage call Rogue is the best husband I could ever ask for. And he makes sure that I know how much he loves me every single day.
And night.
When we get back home, Brody takes the dog out while I go into the bedroom to slip off my formal attire. One last glance in the mirror shows me that I looked pretty good this evening. But I’m not likely to have to dress up this much for a very long time, and for that I’m thankful. I ease my feet out of the heels that seemed a lot more comfortable at the beginning of the night, massaging first one and then the other. With a little effort, I manage to unzip my dress. I hang it up in the walk-in closet that’s mostly empty, and wonder if I’ll ever have enough clothes to fill my half.
Last, I go into the bathroom and scrub off my makeup, then pull my hair out of its array of pins and let it tumble down over my shoulders. I’m wearing it longer now, and Brody loves that. Thinking of him makes me smile, just like it always does.
“Penny for your thoughts?” he growls from the bathroom doorway.
“That’s the corniest thing I’ve ever heard you say,” I giggle.
“Wanna go to the bedroom? Twenty-three skiddoo!” he replies, mugging like an actor in an old movie.
“You are the strangest man I’ve ever met.” I shake my head.
His eyes rake over my body as I stand before him in only my bra and panties. “And you are the hottest woman in the damn universe. Also, thanks for giving me a head start.”
As soon as I’m out into the hall, Brody swoops me up into his arms like a caveman. I shriek with laughter as he carries me through the hall and deposits me on the bed. In a flash, he’s got his own shirt and pants off, his cock springing to attention.
“Off,” he says, gesturing at my bra and panties.
I stand up and comply, doing a short striptease as he lies back on the bed making appreciative noises. When I’m naked, he orders me, in a voice filled with heat: “Climb on.”
My core starts to throb as I straddle his waist and take his cock in my hands, ready to guide him in.
“Uh-uh.” He shakes his head. “Bring that pussy up here.”
