Judy snatched her hand out of his grip and leaned against the wooden door. The exasperation of the whole week had worn her down more than the lungs filled with phlegm. She wanted him to understand she was grateful for all that he’d done for them, but she wasn’t ready to be married again to a man that she didn’t know. She’d learned her lesson with Caleb. Repeating the behavior with this man was foolish.
“Cotter, please slow down, we need to talk,” she said, watching his firm backside go to the bed and comfortably seat itself.
“What is there to talk about? This morning you said you wanted some sausage, I have sausage. Don’t you like mine?” he asked pointing to the erection demanding her attention.
“It’s a very nice sausage, but you have been moving so fast, plus I’m sick, and we haven’t talked about a great deal of things,” she said, rubbing down the wet skirt. Judy realized she needed to get out of it, unzipping the ankle length skirt and removing the material. Her blouse too was wet and the last thing she needed was to get sicker than she already had been. The pills he’d been giving her worked wonders, but she wasn’t out of the woods.
“Judy, come on,” he said, twisting his lips. “We can talk later, unless you are trying to tell me you are bad in bed. Are you a dud in bed, Judy? If so, we can work with it.”
“Noooo,” she said, wide eyes. “I am not a dud in bed. Can we focus please, Cotter?”
“Oh, so you are telling me that you’re hot stuff in bed and that I am going to be shocked at your limberness and acrobatic abilities?” he said with a waggle of his eyebrows. Cotter fell back on the bed, his legs splayed wide, his index finger beckoning her over.
“Can you please focus?”
“I am focused! This morning you said you wanted sausage, and I’m ready, but now you want to play coy and talk about your feelings. Hell, let’s talk about mine,” he said. “I’m feeling some kind of way and have been looking forward to this all day and now, you are saying no. What the hell, Judy?”
“I’m not saying no, Cotter, I’m just trying to get us to discuss some very important matters here. About you and me, and there’s Johnnie to consider,” Judy protested, now down to her damp undies and wet bra.
“I hear what you are saying, Judy, but at this point I don’t really give a shit,” he said. “Just today alone, I put a bullet in a 150+ lb. deer so you would have meat for six months. I put a bullet in a man who was probably going to torture you for information that you don’t even have. I lied to an officer of the law. To make matters worse, I paid good money to have legal documents forged in order to protect you and Johnnie, which made me husband and father in one fell swoop. Fuck, I even made sausage by hand and cut down a goddamned tree for Christmas. What the hell do I have to do in order to get some reciprocity in this bitch? Besides, I didn’t even ask you for it, you offered. I accepted. Forgive me for having a bit of blind hope that all of this would work out, but none of that matters right now. Right now, I need for you, my wife, to either get your ass over here and take care of me, or get your ass over here and take care of this!” he pointed at the angry throbbing erection almost blinding him from all logic and reasoning.
“Fine!” she said, filled with anger for him not wanting to listen to what she had to say. She removed the wet undies and bra, tossing them to the floor and moving to the bed. “I hope you catch whatever I have.”
“Just make sure you throw it hard enough for me to feel it was worth my damned time and effort lady,” Cotter said, feeling more excited than he had in years as she climbed on the bed.
Cool fingers encircled the throbbing erection as he sighed in relief at her touch. The other hand cupped the life givers, gently massaging as he closed his eyes, trying to think of anything he could so he wouldn’t embarrass himself by letting go too soon. Her grip tightened as she commenced to massaging the powerful tool up and down as his breath caught in his throat. The heat from her mouth as it touched the sensitive tip nearly made him come off the bed.
Judy realized it had been a while for him just in his reactions to her touch. A man who received ‘attention’ on a regular basis didn’t react this way to the initial stages of foreplay. He wanted her to take care of him. It was the least she could do, considering her need for what was about to occur was equal if not greater than his own. Losing herself in the moment, she treated his body as if he were the last man capable of reproduction on the planet.
Cotter bit down on his lips as her mouth worked him over. Clutching at the bed covers, he reached for a pillow to shove in his mouth to keep from yelling out like Tarzan. It was good. Damned good, but he didn’t have any reserves in him as he blindly reached for her, pulling her naked body away as the suction sound of her mouth leaving him made him throb even more.
“Enough. I want you,” he said, pulling her body atop his own. He struggled with her legs, positioning him over her, pointing, aiming and gently pushing into the warm opening. It was a snug fit, but he planned to take his time.
“Goodness,” she said, leaning forward, the perfectly sized, small ebony breasts, pressing against his chest. The narrow hips moved slowly, trying to take him all in. “You feel good.”
“Ditto,” he mumbled, allowing his rough hand to run down the smooth skin. Cupping her bottom, he craved the need to have her speed up. He was right there and ready. Needing the release like a cold glass of water on a hot muggy day, he encouraged her to move. “Get me there, Judy. Take care of me.”
She needed no other words as she began rocking her hips up and down. The feel of the thickness sliding in and out turned her on to the point she nearly forgot the child was in the house. Leaning forward, she grabbed a handful of his hair, whispering in his ear, “This is mine. You’re mine, Cotter Wihlborg, from this day forward, ‘til death do us part.”
“Sure, sure, whatever you want, lady,” he said, focusing on the sensations, the pleasure, her enjoyment of him. The bed squeaked as she gyrated low into his hips then high, and coming to her feet. Her hands rested on his chest for balance as she worked him in and out of the dampness of her body. His eyes were wide, watching the throbbing hot rod disappear into her dark skin, her movements amazing him. Then she started to twitch.
“Oh, my goodness,” she said, feeling the start of her climax. “This is so fucking good. So good.”
She worked her hips, moving faster and faster, her body clamping tight around him. Her nails razed his skin as she rocked fast and hard, whispering his name, riding him for all he was worth. Judy flung her head back as he licked his thumb, searching through the thick mass of girl curls, locating the nub of flesh and rubbing it quickly. He could feel the explosion inside of her as she let go. Getting close himself, he sat up on the bed and rolled her over to her back.
He buried himself as deep as he could go and thrust hard. She whimpered against his cheek. Her hot breath fueled him as he pumped, deep, deeper still until he was there.
“Say my name, Judy,” he said to her. “Tell me this is yours again. Tell me, damnit!”
“You’re mine, Cotter Wihlborg, you’re mine!” she moaned, clamping her legs around him hips, encouraging him to give her more.
Cotter let go. Years of late-night connections with faces he didn’t want to see in the morning all vanished. He wanted to see her face in the morning, the evening, and all damned day long if he had his way. She said he was hers.
For the first time in his life, he believed a woman.
“Damn!” he grunted as he let loose months of pent up aggression, hatred, and frustration. He body slid across the bed as he pumped her so hard that he almost feared he would snap her into, but there was no way to stop what he was giving her. She shifted his body to come to his knees as he thrust repeatedly, filling Judy with his hot seed. His right leg shook as he collapsed on top of her, sated.
“That was amazing,” Judy said, rubbing his hair. Hot breath, followed by a fit of coughs ensued as she pushed at his chest, to get him off of her so she could clean up and get dressed.
“Not just yet,” he said into the side of her neck then rolled to his back, taking her with him. “Let me hold you for a moment.”
In silence, they lay in bed, filled with words which needed to be said, but he was right. This was not the time.
****
OVER DINNER, QUIETLY they ate sausages simmered with onions over a bed of rice with a green salad. Johnnie monopolized the conversation about Christmas ornaments and the need to go shopping for presents. She also chose this time to barter for more allowance.
“You are giving her an allowance?” Judy asked, surprised.
“She gets 10 bucks, but I didn’t say how often,” Cotter said.
“I think it should be a week, that way I will have enough to buy each of you a present,” Johnnie said with pride.
“Well, first we have to get packed and get to St. Louis to make the train,” Cotter said.
“We are really going?” Johnnie said getting to her feet. “We are really going to take the train to Las Vegas? If I had friends, this is when I would call them to brag. I’m so excited I can’t stand it!”
Cotter looked at Judy, squinting his eyes. “Yeah, she needs to get out more.”
“So, does her Mama,” she said, looking at him and seeing a different man. A relaxed man. A man who seemed to be a bit more at peace. “Only thing is, I am flat broke. Hey, you said Caleb sent a box to us?”
“Oh yeah, let me go and get it,” Cotter said, eating the last of the sausage on his plate.
“What do you think it is, Mama?”
“I hope it something good,” she said with a forced smile.
Cotter went out to the truck, returning moments later with the box. It was locked and Caleb had not given him a key with which to open it. Judy didn’t have one either, but it was Johnnie who laughed.
“I have the key,” she said, running to her room to retrieve the skeleton key her Daddy had given her before he left.
“If you have the key maybe you should open it,” Cotter said.
“No, I don’t think that’s a good idea,” Judy replied, taking the key from her daughter who took it back, clutching it to her chest.
“Daddy sent the box and only I have the key. He meant for me to open it,” Johnnie said defiantly. She looked to Cotter for reinforcement of her decision, and he nodded his head. Both he and Judy held their breath as she inserted the key, turning it, freeing the hasp. The box opened, and her eyes grew wide. Judy anxious, turned the box around to see a manila envelope sitting atop a pile of cash.
“Must be at least 25 grand in that box,” Cotter said, more interested in the envelope which Judy opened, then frowned. Reaching for the envelope, Cotter glanced at the photos of the well-known Senator, who preached marriage vows and righteousness, in copulation with a woman who wasn’t his wife. He saw no need to look any further into the envelope but took it to the fireplace and threw it on the embers.
“He sent back the money he took from me,” Judy said softly.
Johnnie, not missing a beat, grinned. “This means my allowance is going to be more than 10 bucks! I can get some really nice Christmas presents for you guys with this!”
“Sweetie, I’m sure your Daddy meant for you to share it with your Mama,” Cotter said.
“Uh-uh! I have the key, so it’s mine,” Johnnie said, “but I will share.”
They laughed as Johnnie went to find paper and pencils for her new parents to make their Christmas lists. Over the table, Cotter and Judy shared knowing glances, wanting the tree trimming to be over so they could all go to bed. Tomorrow would be a big day. Tonight, was going to be special as well.
“This is going to be the best Christmas ever!” Johnnie said happily.
“I think she just might be right,” Cotter said, reaching across the table to give Judy’s hand a squeeze. Tonight, would be all about the loving and their weekend all about Johnnie. On Monday, with the marriage certificate in hand, he would tell her the truth.
I just hope she can forgive me.