This Too Shall Pass

  “Stop being a smartass. What is this guy’s deal? I mean come on.”

  “I know, I’m sorry. If I ever get the chance to be alone with him, I’ll talk to him.”

  “No, you stay away from him. I don’t want you to ever be alone with him.”

  “It’ll wear off. He’ll move on to someone else.”

  “He better. We were in church for Christ’s sake.”

  “You can’t say that word, Daddy.”

  “Sorry. I won’t say it again.”

  Mitch was quickly forgotten when Alexis and Cory had the perfect Sunday afternoon at home. Cory drove Kinley around the yard on the mower, they fished in the pond, ate ribs on the grill, and then the girls napped. Kinley slept in her pack-n-play on the porch, Mr. Dog slept beside her, and Riki snoozed on the swing.

  “Let’s drink beer,” Alexis suggested while sitting between Cory’s legs.

  “We have three.”

  “That’s enough, two for me and one for you.”

  “Riki will tell on us and your dad will give me hell.”

  “She’s asleep. Go get us one.”

  “Kiss me.”

  “Anytime, Doc. I love kissing you.” Alexis turned on her knees and forced Cory to his back, straddled him, and shoved her tongue between his lips. Her hips ground into his and she moaned. “I’ll get them,” she seductively said, slowly crawling up his body with hers.

  “I’m coming with you.”

  Alexis laughed and ordered him to stay. “No, I’m sorry. Stay here with the girls. Bad things will happen if you follow me.”

  “Bad things are going to happen if I don’t.”

  “Later, Doc.”

  Three

  “Can you believe our baby girl is a year old already?” Cory asked Alexis as they stared down at their sleeping baby girl.

  “What are we supposed to do with all of this stuff?” Alexis asked with her eyes on all the gifts.

  “Yes, I would say that your family goes a little overboard.”

  “I think we should tell them no presents next time. I mean this is a little ridiculous, don’t you think?” Toys, clothes, books, a wagon and a rocking horse filled one whole corner. Kinley cared more about the boxes and ripping the paper than anything else.

  “We could take them up to the attic and wrap them back up for Christmas.”

  “That’s not a bad idea. Come on,” Alexis coaxed. Travis and Bernie were downstairs waiting on the porch. They had Kinley’s party at their house rather than the farm. Cory and Travis grilled cheeseburgers and hotdogs. Alexis and Cory decorated the porch with ‘Little Einstein’s plates, cups, and balloons. Riki may have loved the show more than Kinley, but that was okay too. It made her feel good to help and be a part of the planning of her baby sister’s first birthday party.

  Travis brought beer and he and Cory were going down to the pond to fish. Riki and Taylor were playing whiffle ball in the yard When Alexis told her it was time to get a bath. Of course she didn’t want to, but Alexis and Bernie had their own party planned once the kids were settled down. Alexis took Riki to the upstairs bathroom and Taylor used the downstairs one. Taylor brought the movie ‘Journey 2 the Mysterious Island’ and Alexis was going to make them popcorn.

  “Can I have my party at the farm?” Riki questioned as she dumped the cup of water from high into the air. Alexis scrubbed shampoo into suds in her dark hair and took the cup.

  “Put your head back. At Papaw Kinney’s?” Alexis questioned.

  “Yes, I like it there better.”

  “Sure you can.”

  “I want to have a horse party.”

  “A horse party?” Alexis asked while pouring water over Riki’s head, rinsing Strawberry Shortcake suds from her hair.

  “Yeah like Bella and my friends can ride her.”

  “Your friends?”

  “Yes, from preschool. Can they come, Lexis?”

  “Yes, I think we can do that. We’ll have them there first and then family can come later. How’s that sound? Come on.” Alexis held a towel up and Riki stood with her arms in the air.

  “Like two parties,” she excitedly exclaimed. She liked the sound of that.

  “Yes, we’ll make a whole day of it, but you have a ways to go,” Alexis reminded her while drying her body and then her head.

  “But I can still plan it.”

  “Yes you can. Put your foot in.”

  Once the guys knew that the kids were in for the night, they headed down to the pond with a cooler of beer. Riki and Taylor were settled in front of the television and Alexis and Bernie sat on the porch.

  “How is the new girl coming?” Bernie asked

  “She is doing fine, but I am still going to miss Paige.”

  “Me too, she’s going to be hard to replace. I can’t wait to see her on television. She’ll make it, you know. She’ll be an amazing journalist.”

  “Oh, I know she will. I just hope she leaves Jordan behind.”

  “I think she will. I can already see it. She’ll go to school and find someone who cares more about her than football, someone with the same interests as her.”

  “I hope. I’m going to have you start working with the new girl next week.”

  “Next week will be a good week for it. It’s a pretty light week.”

  “Guess who I ran into at April’s today?” Alexis asked.

  Bernie guessed right away. “Mitch.”

  “Yes, I almost got it to go and then I thought, no, I will just eat it here. He came in and parked his dumb ass right beside me.”

  “What did he have to say?”

  “Nothing that I cared to hear about, just small talk really. He told me he bought a house back here and that his son wants to live with him. He was going down to move his stuff here this weekend.”

  “Where did he buy a house?”

  “In town.”

  “He does look damn good, Lex.”

  “Bernie!”

  “Well he does.”

  “Do you know what else drives me crazy? He freaking calls me Lexi every time I see him. It makes me want to punch him in the face.

  Bernie laughed. “That was his name for you.”

  “He doesn’t need a name for me. I would never give him the time of day.”

  “Did he say what happened with him and his wife?”

  “He just said he wanted to move back here and coach and she didn’t want to move here. But he said they were having problems before that.”

  “You really don’t have any feelings for him at all, do you?”

  “No… not one, he makes me sick. And besides, he could never look as good as Cory and couldn’t come close in bed.”

  “I bet he could. He was young. I’m sure he’s learned a thing or two by now.”

  “Maybe, but I don’t care. I would still bet he couldn’t come close to Cory.”

  “You’re just a regular sex machine anymore.”

  “I have to make up for lost time, not to mention, Cory drives me crazy. He can’t touch me without me wanting to rip his clothes off.”

  “That’s a lie,” Cory interrupted from the side of the porch. “She’s the one that’s always taking her clothes off.”

  “Catch anything?” Alexis asked in a laugh. It wasn’t a lie, not really. He kissed her and told her they caught a few.

  “Cory sucks at fishing. He can’t stay away from you long enough to fish.”

  “You shut up,” Alexis ordered.

  “I’m not kidding. The guys’ mouth doesn’t shut up about you. He missed you.”

  “Your husband is full of shit. He’s the one that said let’s go sit on the porch with the girls.”

  “You missed me too. Admit it Travis,” Bernie coaxed.

  Travis kissed her and slid a chair closer to her. “I did miss you and I don’t want to leave you and Taylor tomorrow.”

  “Then don’t.”

  “I have to. Hand me another beer.” That part did suck, but in all honesty, that’s probably why the
y worked so well together. They would more than likely be ready to kill each other if they were together every day.

  The four friends enjoyed a goodtime together until two in the morning. Bernie was the one to disappear first. She was in the bathroom for twenty minutes before anyone realized she was in bed. Cory carried Riki to her bed and Alexis followed.

  “I’ve got to jump in the shower. I smell like wood smoke,” Cory explained with his shirt coming over his head.

  “Do you want company?” Alexis asked with narrowed eyes, lifting her own shirt over her head.

  “Absolutely.”

  Cory turned the shower on and tested the temperature with his hand, not taking his eyes from Alexis. He walked to her and took her in his arms, kissing her like it was the last time he would ever see her.

  “Damn, what was that for?”

  “For being so damn hot.”

  Alexis responded with a kiss to his bare chest. She ran her hand around his stomach while circling him, letting her lips kiss his strong back.

  “Are you taking control?” he asked in a sexy low tone.

  “Yeah, I think I am,” she answered while moving back to his front. Her lips kissed his jawline and sucked lightly on his neck.

  “Show me what you’ve got, baby,” he whispered.

  Alexis took a step back and unbuttoned her jeans, pulling the zipper down and folding the flaps to the side. His eyes dropped, seeing the white lace at her hairline. The snap to her bra was released and the straps were slowly slid over her shoulders, exposing one breast at a time. The hair falling around her shoulders was flipped to the side when she spun around and hooked her jeans with her thumbs. Her hips wiggled out of them and she slid them down her legs. The same thing happened with the panties, only she slid four fingers in each side and moved them down just a bit. Her eyes went to the bulge in his jeans and her fingers moved between her legs. The lustful expression Cory held in his eyes was mesmerizing, erotic, and hot as hell.

  “Keep doing that,” Cory whispered. He couldn’t really see anything due to the panties, but he saw enough. His imagination went crazy. Alexis closed the distance between them with two steps, keeping the momentum of her fingers going, giving him a show. Sort of. Cory tried to slide the white lace down and she stepped back.

  “Don’t touch me,” she whispered. Cory smiled and raised his hands, retreating and obeying the orders. Alexis unbuttoned his jeans with her left hand while her right hand continued to entice the throbbing between her own legs. Cory hissed with a moan when she released him to her hand. A giggle escaped when she dropped to her knees with a thump. Too many beers to be graceful at it. Alexis took him to the back of her throat, one hand at the base of his shaft, and one in her panties. Alexis kept up the motion, matching the rhythm of her hand with her mouth until she was the one to cave.

  “Oh, God,” she panted in a huff.

  “Don’t stop.”

  Alexis didn’t stop. She couldn’t stop. Her fingers were working without her mind. They worked in unison with her other hand, stroking Cory with the same pace.

  Cory was the one to back away from her. The way her eyes closed and the sound of her moans while she brought herself to bliss was enough for his own undoing. Her nails dug into his ribcage when he pulled her hand from him. He didn’t want it to be over like that. He wanted her.

  “Come here,” he coaxed with a gravely throaty tone. Alexis stood, kissed his lips, and pulled him toward the running water.

  “Let’s get in the shower.”

  “It’s cold,” he screeched. Alexis kissed him again, ignoring the cold water comment until she felt it herself that is.

  “Burr, it’s freezing,” she decided, too when she felt the cold water run down her spine. Alexis backed away with a shiver.

  “That’s because you let all the hot water run down the drain.”

  “You’re the one that turned it on. I’m getting out. I’ve already had a shower.” Alexis dried herself as quick as she could and ran to her bed, covering up to her nose.

  Cory joined her in record time, still sporting the erection. She lifted the covers for him, letting her knees fall apart and him fall in. Cory easily slid in and Alexis instantly warmed.

  “I love you,” he said with warm words to her lips.

  “I love you, too.”

  Cory made slow, passionate love to her, dragging it out longer than Alexis needed. Damn beer anyway.

  ****

  Bernie and Cory were sitting at the table drinking coffee when Alexis came down with Kinley the next morning. Alexis handed her to Cory and he took her, kissing her chubby little cheeks while Alexis got herself a cup of coffee.

  “You look like I feel,” Bernie said through a yawn.

  “I just need this coffee,” Alexis assured her while kissing Cory. “Morning.”

  “Morning, love.”

  “Which one of you took a shower for like forty-five minutes last night?”

  Cory and Alexis looked at each other and smiled.

  “We weren’t showering that long,” Alexis answered.

  “Oh lord, you two are like rabbits.”

  “Like you didn’t get laid last night,” Alexis accused.

  Bernie didn’t answer, giving her a sly grin, admitting that she had. She would have given great detail had Cory not been sitting there. That was the only reason she didn’t elaborate on the details.

  Riki joined them next, hair a mess, and sleepy eyes. She slid to Alexis’s lap and snuggled to her chest.

  “Good morning, baby girl,” Alexis said with a kiss to her forehead.

  “Kinley is a baby,” Riki responded. She was almost five, she wasn’t a baby.

  Alexis looked at Cory and smiled. “I’m sorry, good morning, my big girl.”

  Riki grabbed Kinley’s little hands and she squirmed with excitement. Cory stood her up on his lap and Riki hugged her while Kinley flapped her arms happy to see her big sister.

  “Dad, she pooped,” Riki informed him and he bent to smell.

  “Oh, yes she did, here you change her,” he joked. Cory held her out to Riki, offering her over to her big sister.

  “No way, I’m not changing her,” Riki exclaimed.

  “Here, come to mommy, I’ll change you,” Alexis offered while moving Riki to the seat and taking Kinley.

  Cory was scrambling eggs for Riki when she returned, placing Kinley in her highchair. He refilled both her and Bernie’s coffee cups and poured Kinley a sippy cup of milk.

  “No wonder you keep him around,” Bernie decided.

  “Yeah, he’s pretty much trained,” Alexis teased.

  “Are you done breastfeeding now?” Bernie asked while brushing Kinley’s hair back.

  Cory answered for her. “Yes! She’s one. No more excuses.”

  “We’ll see. I can’t just stop like that. She won’t understand that.”

  “She will. She’ll be fine with a sippy cup now.”

  “We’ll see,” Alexis repeated.

  ****

  Cory didn’t get home until six on Monday. Alexis already had the girls at the table with their plates when he joined them. He kissed Alexis and sat down with a sigh.

  “You look tired, long day?” Alexis questioned with a smile, sliding the bowl of salad his way.

  “Very long. How was practice, Riki?”

  “I didn’t hit the ball.”

  “You did, too. You hit it when Vincent threw it to you.”

  “But he doesn’t count. He’s big. I can’t hit it when Jamie throws it to me.”

  “That’s why you have the T. You can hit it off there,” Alexis explained. Riki never wanted to do that. She couldn’t wait until she was done with t-ball. She hated hitting the ball off the stick and argued about it every time.

  “I’m going to have my birthday party at Papaw Kinney’s,” Riki explained. She didn’t want to talk about baseball anymore.

  “Okay, but it’s April. You have a long time for your birthday.”

  “Is it,
Lexis?”

  “Four more months. Papaw Kinney has a birthday first.”

  “Is him having a party, too?”

  “He, yes, we’ll have a party for him this year, but you can’t tell him. It’s a surprise.”

  “How old is he?”

  “He’s going to be seventy-five this year.”

  “That’s a lot of birthdays. I’m only going to have five.”

  “I’m not sure I’m going to make it, Lex. Dr. Brock is on vacation. I’ve got to cover the ER that whole week.

  “Cory,” Alexis pouted.

  “Don’t get mad yet. We’ll see. If I’m covering the ER it’ll be midnight before I make it home. There’s no point in showing up then. You’ll already be toast.”

  “You better be there.”

  “It’s almost two months away. We’ll see.”

  “And then it will be my turn, right?” Riki questioned again.

  “Yes, your birthday will be after that. How did Kinley do today with nursing?”

  “Do you want bread?” Alexis asked in a smile.

  “You gave in, didn’t you?” Cory asked with a frown.

  “Only once, I swear. She was fussy when I picked them up. It was only long enough to put her to sleep.”

  “She’s going to be three before you stop.”

  “No she won’t. I just don’t want to stop, stop. I think she needs time to get used to it.”

  “She’s not going to. As long as you keep giving it to her, she’s going to keep wanting it.”

  Alexis talked about work and the girls, trying like hell to get off the subject. She knew it was time. Kinley’s sharp teeth reminded her of the fact every time. That didn’t change how hard it was. She didn’t want her to grow up.

  “Do you need help? I’m going to go mow for a while,” Cory asked.

  “I want to mow too, Daddy,” Riki assured him while pushing her chair from the table.

  “Let me mow around the pond first and then you can help.”

  “I’m going to run over and help my dad paint the fence outback. You don’t want to go with me, Riki?”

  “No, I want to mow the yard.” That was her new thing. Cory let her do the driving and Riki mowed crooked lines all through the yard.

  “You want help? I can mow tomorrow night. I just wanted to get it started. We need a bigger mower.”