Boston to Birmingham Ch. 05

"He left me sitting there with orders not to move. He came back with a woman and told her to take me shopping. We got jeans, tops, sneakers, a whole new wardrobe. I asked the lady when were we going to get my whore clothes, and she just smiled."

"I did get to pick out one little sundress and some sandals. I looked at myself and thought I really looked mature. She let me wear it back to his place."

She stopped for a glass of water and to dry her eyes.

"When we got back, he asked her if she had gotten what he asked for. She just nodded."

"He looked me up and down, asking if I liked my new clothes. I said yes, of course, what woman doesn't like new clothes."

"Did you get new underwear too? he asked. I just nodded yes."

"Let me see them, he said. I was shocked. Up until now I hadn't really thought about what I was going to have to do. I had heard stories, I knew he was about to 'break me in'. But I was determined, and slowly slid my dress up, trying to give him a show, thinking he might go easier on me. I had on bikini panties, the first pair I had ever owned."

"He let me get the dress up to my waist when he grabbed me. I was looking down in shame and didn't see him move."

"Before I could move or think, he had me face down over his lap, and proceeded to beat the hell out of me. You know how big his hands are, it wasn't long until my little ass felt like it was on fire, and he never let up. I was begging, screaming, promising I'd do anything he wanted if he would just stop."

"He shoved me off of his lap, and I fell to the floor crying. He picked me up, put me in the chair, got right in my face, and told me if he ever heard me saying shit as stupid as the idea I came to him with again, that what just happened would feel like a kiss."

"Then he and the woman, I never got her name, put me and my new stuff in the car and took me to Aunt

Hildy and Grandpa Joshua. He got my school changed, gave them money every week to support me, and saw me as often as he could. Even after he went into the military, he sent half his pay home every month."

"I heard he went to visit my mother. I don't know what he said to her, but she didn't offer the first argument about me not coming home. And the guy who kept groping me? He broke all the fingers on one hand."

"Aunt Hildy and grandpa finished raising me, and when I graduated Hardy paid for my schooling. I decided I would become a paralegal and go to work for him so I could stay close. I love that man with every fiber in my body, but all he sees when he looks at me is a silly thirteen year old."

"There, now you know. One more thing, I hated you for taking him, hated you even more for breaking his heart."

"But I've watched you. You've changed, grown up, I guess. He's never stopped loving you, and I know you and he are spending time together. Just know, break his heart again, and he isn't the only one who knows where isolated ponds are located. Thanks for lunch."

She strode out without a backwards glance.

...............................................

Four days later they were sitting by the pool. It was the only thing she had changed about the grounds. She put it in when she thought she was going to live there alone, and had a large privacy fence put up, intending to sunbathe nude.

Of course, right after she became an instant parent, she had to limit those times to when Melissa was in school. Melissa and her friends loved the pool, and once or twice during the week and practically every weekend it would be packed with screaming giggling teenagers. She only allowed boys on the weekend, and only when she could stay with them. There was always a crowd.

Melissa and most of her friends were pretty so she could see the reasons the boys were there, but once one of her friends told her the boys were there to see her as much as them, she stopped wearing her traditional bikini and got a few conservative one piece suits. They still ogled her, and it gave a small thrill sometimes to see the effect she had on them.

Hardy spent a lot of time in the pool, the low impact exercise did him a lot of good. He tended to stay away on the weekends, despite the pleas of Gwen and Melissa. His body, already scarred, was not even worse, new bullet holes and surgery scars prominent. He once joked with Greg if the schools wanted to scare kids straight, the should show a picture of him from the neck down.

He let her rub lotion on his back, and she went slowly, enjoying the touch. Finally he had enough, turning and leaning back in the lounge chair.

She was enjoying the moment, lying with her eyes closed, hoping he was watching her behind those sunglasses. When they were alone, which happened less and less these days, she wore her tiniest suits. At first she knew it made him uncomfortable, and teased him, asking why he seemed embarrassed.

"You've seen my body countless times. Why should it bother you now?"

He had on his sunglasses so she couldn't see his eyes, but there was no mistaking the sadness in his voice.

"Because it's not mine anymore."

He rose, striding into the house.

She lay there, shocked. She backed off for a little while, not teasing him and wearing conservative suits.

A week or two later she came out in one of her one piece suits, and noticed he seemed disappointed. She lay for a few minutes, and got up grumbling.

"This suit has something in it irritating my back. Would you mind if I change into something else?"

"It's your house, you don't need my permission to dress any way you seem fit."

She smiled when she came back in one of her more modest bikinis, and noticed the reaction she got.

"He still wants me." She thought as she rubbed lotion on his back, glad he couldn't see her face, and the expression on it.

His recovery was progressing nicely, and she feared one day soon he would move back into his own house. She, Melissa, and Greg conspired to make his life so good he would never want to leave. She was almost jealous of the way Melissa bonded with him.

"Don't worry, Mom. I never really had a father, so let me enjoy this as long as I can."

Melissa even talked him into being a guest lecturer at Pleasant Hill during career week.

"Do you mind, Mom? You've there all the time, he'll be something different. You know, I had one boy flirting with me pretty hard, and then one day he just stopped. I asked Cindy[her best friend at school] if she knew what happened, and she said he found out my Dad was Hardy Wilkes, and it scared him."

"I'm sorry, honey. Did you really like him?"

"Sort of, but if he can't stand up to my family, he's not worth knowing, is he?"

Gwen agreed, sometimes worrying that her pedigree caused her problems. Other than that one incident she never brought it up if it did.

Hardy really enjoyed the moment, not objecting when she introduced him as her Dad. She insisted he stay for lunch, and they were swarmed. Melissa had gotten very popular, mostly because she remembered her roots and was kind to everyone, knowing that fate could be very fickle. One or two kids had to drop out because their parents had been hurt by the economy.

She said something to Aunt Daisy about a girl she really liked having to leave. Daisy checked out the family, checked the girls' grade, and suddenly a scholarship appeared for her and a few others. Melissa knew she was behind it but wisely said nothing.

.................................................

The next time she was in the car with him alone, she asked him something that had been bothering her.

"What is your relationship with Bonnie?"

"Why don't you ask her?"

"Why won't you tell me?"

"Because, just as I don't discuss you with anyone else, I won't discuss other women that are important to me, just like I did with Crystal Anne. If she wants to tell you she will, otherwise it's a closed subject."

She still had the card she had given her at the fundraiser. She called. At first she didn't remember her, but when she mentioned Hardy it came back to her.

"I remember you now. Have you done the tango, lately?"

Gwen was glad she couldn't see her blush.

"No, not since that night. There is only one person in the world I'll ever dance that with, and he's not interested in dancing with me anymore."

"Don't sell yourself short. You didn't see him when she danced with others, especially your date. He WAS NOT happy. What can I do for you?"

Gwen invited her for lunch, telling her Hardy said they should talk.

"All right, I have to come home next week for political business. Meet me for Sunday dinner with my folks, and we'll talk after."

"Thank you, where do your parents live?"

She could hear the humor in her voice.

"Oh, I'm sure you can find it. Everybody knows where the sheriff lives."

"Will Rob is your dad?"

"Yes, I thought you knew. Twelve thirty, be on time, Mom hates to wait dinner."

The meal was enjoyable, the company more so.The surprises kept coming. J.T. was there, he was Bonnies' grandfather. After the meal they went out to the 'Florida room' as it was called when it was built. Now they're known as sunrooms.

After the small talk, she asked how long she had known Hardy.

"Since I was three. His mom kept me while my parents worked. I grew up with him and Peggy."

"Have you ever, well, been attracted to him?"

"When I was about twelve I developed a huge crush on him. He was tall, blond, handsome, and he treated me like a princess. I was too young to know he was just being friendly. When he was sixteen and I was thirteen and he started dating I cried myself to sleep more than once."

"I followed him around like a puppy. One day, it was in July, the blackberries were just starting to come on, and Peggy and I were picking some for a pie while Hardy dug some post holes for a new pasture his grandfather was fencing in."

"We didn't see the snake until it had latched on to my hand. A copperhead, one of the biggest I ever saw. You know what a copperhead is? Anyway, I screamed and pulled my hand back and the snake came with it."

"I was panicking and Hardy was trying to get the snake off me. He got it loose and told Peg to get me into the Gator, a little off road utility vehicle. Hardy was only fifteen then, so he didn't have a license."

"He had Peg get me onto the small truck bed. He was helping when he loosened his grip on the snake. It turned and bit him. He was starting to panic a little bit, wasn't thinking clearly, and needed both hands to get me situated, so he put the shake in his mouth, holding it just behind it's head."

"He still had it in his mouth when we roared down the main street of town, with a deputy sheriff and a city cop on out tail, sirens blaring. He drove that little Gator right through the emergency room doors, spit the snake out, grabbed me, screaming I had been bit by a copperhead. Peggy was screaming he had been bit too, and just as soon as he handed me off to a nurse he collapsed."

"The local newspaper had a police radio, and when they heard some maniac kid was driving down main street with the cops on his tail, two photographers ran out of the office and got pictures. It was on the front page of the paper the next day with a headline.

"SNAKE BITES MAN, MAN LIVES. MAN BITES SNAKE, SNAKE DIES."

"It seems he literally bit the snake to death. If you go into Dad's office, you'll see a framed copy of the front page, as well as the tanned hide of the snake. He was the deputy chasing us, it was just before he was elected sheriff."

"So now you know why my father and grandfather keep such a close eye on Hardy, he saved my life.

When he got into bad trouble, they pulled in every favor they had and owed a bunch more when they were done, but they kept him out of jail."

"I know you've seen his tattoo, he got it to remember the incident, and not to panic in stressful situations."

There was a long silence before she spoke again.

"He went into the Marines, and I didn't see him again until last year. Dad told me when you two got married, and all I could think off was what a lucky woman you were. I fell in love, got married.

He was a doctor, in the reserves, and got called up five years ago. He never came home. He wasn't supposed to be in combat situations, but was in the wrong place at the wrong time."

"I need to tell you something. The night of the benefit, I slept with him. You guys were divorced, and I found I still had feelings for him. We spent several days together, but I knew the spark wasn't there, so we agreed friends without benefits would be best. I'm still fond of him, though."

"He still loves you, I don't think he'll ever love another. Stop pussyfooting around and get him back. Stop nudging and start pushing. He nearly died, and it was all over you, damn it. Make his pain worth it!"

She stopped talking and hugged her for a few minutes. The ride home was spent in deep thought.

.................................................

The day finally came. She stood in his doorway, watching him pack. She had only one question.

"When?"

"Tomorrow. I can't thank you enough, but it's time to stop imposing on you. You need to get on with your life."

She was about to start, when she felt her dad put his arms around her.

"Not now, look at Melissa."

Melissa was standing behind her, crying quietly.

Greg pulled her back into the hall, giving Gwen and Hardy some space.

"You could just stay, you know."

He stiffened, his back still to her.

"No I can't, it would be too hard on us."

"Why? You know I love you, hell, everybody in the state of Alabama knows I love you."

"And everybody in the family, which is probably half the state, knows you love me."

"Give up, honey, I'm never gonna stop trying, not even if you threaten to beat me, or move away. I'll be right behind you until you come to your senses and realize that nothing or no one will ever love you more than me. Think about it."

She turned and left the room. If she had gotten Hardy to face she would have seen the tears.

Gwen had a plan, sneaky, underhanded, probably illegal, but still a plan. She still made sure he took his medication, so that evening she put a 'little something extra' in his water glass.

It was a quarter of the sedative he had taken when the pain was sometimes to great to sleep early in his recovery. It was very powerful.

She had her dad take Melissa out to the movies and to a late dinner. Mrs. Hendricks had gone for the day, they were alone in the house.

She tied his arms and legs to the old four poster with some of his ties. True to type, he still slept nude. She lit candles, put on her sexiest teddy.

She started out slowly, kissing him gently, then more urgently. His body started responding.

They were in the midst of a deep kiss when he became fully conscious. He started to lunge up when he discovered he was restrained.

"What the hell, Gwen? What are you doing?"

The determination in her eyes reflected in the candlelight.

"I'm taking my man back. I'm reclaiming the love you profess you still have for me. Before this night is over you'll either love me fully or hate me with an intensity that will finally break it between us. I grew up, not it's your turn.

"Scream if you want, curse me, call me the cheating slut I was. But you will pay attention to me."

She had propped his head up with pillows. She quickly stood.

"Like this?" she twirled, showing him the teddy. "I bought it for you, it's your favorite color."

Hardy did like it, very much, but he remained silent.

"You're right, I don't like it much either. I'll just take it off."

She slid the straps down, exposing her breasts.

"There, that's better. Ooh, look at my nipples, remember how hard they get? They're hard now baby, hard for you."

She swayed them over his face, just out of reach.

"I actually think they're bigger now than before, don't you? Must be a side effect from getting older."

She slid the teddy down, turning to slip it off.

She looked over her shoulder at him.

"Still think I've got the best ass on the planet? Know what Aunt Hildy said? She said I had the perfect bottom for bearing children, what do you think? I'm so disappointed in you, we should have had at least two by now, if you had got your head out of your ass sooner."

Hardy had screamed, cursed, ordered her to release him. Damn her, he wouldn't beg. He had calmed down to the occasional grunt and moan. His body was betraying him, he could feel the blood rushing.

She reached over, stroking him lightly.

"Part of you looks ready to forgive me? All you have to say is you love and forgive me, and I'mn all yours."

Hardy stubbornly remained silent. He stiffened from head to toe when she quickly plunged her mouth down on him, sucking furiously for about twenty seconds before pulling up.

"Still don't have anything to say? Too bad."

She straddled his chest, practically pushing her pussy in his face.

"Remember this? She sure remembers you, look, see how much she likes you?"

She slid a finger inside her swollen lips, releasing juices and the sweet musky smell he remember so well.

"want to give her a welcome back kiss? No? All right then."

She added another finger , moving them in and out, stopping once in a while to rub her clit.

"Umm, this would feel so much better if someone else were doing it. Any volunteers, anyone? All right then."

She slowly slid down his chest, stopping just out or reach of his throbbing cock, grinding slowly into him.

"Anything I can help you with, baby?"

"Damn you, you got me tied up and I'm pretty sure you drugged me. This is the very definition of rape."

She laughed so hard she almost fell off him before resuming her gently grinding while she flicked her nipples with the wet fingers she had sucked on slowly for a bit.

"I ought to do it, just for the fun of going to court. The mighty Hardy Wilkes, hardass, legend, defender of damsels in distress, tied up and fucked like a little bitch."

She paused.

"But I won't. You're going to ask for it, and it's gonna cost you"

She leaned down, dangling her nipples within reach of his lips.

"Smell that? It's your favorite perfume. I remember how much you liked licking the flavor off me. Go ahead, have a taste."

His tongue snaked out before he thought, but he quickly snapped it back into his mouth, closing it quickly. She still rubbed them over his lips, moaning softly. After a minute she sat up. She had tried her best.

She got off the bed and untied one of his hands.

"Here, now you can undo the rest. I tried, I really tried. But it's over now. I'll never bother you again, if you'd rather live in pain and regret, so be it. Goodbye, Hardy. I won't be around in the morning when you leave.

She started out the door, blinded by tears, when she heard it. It was almost a whisper.

"Please."

"What?"

"Please, come back. Make love to me, please."

She flew back to the bed, kissing him hungrily.

They seemed intent on devouring each other when she pulled back.

"No."

"WHAT?"

"No. I told you earlier the price of this ride. I want to hear it now, right this minute, or I'm gone."

A few seconds of silence, then a whisper.

"I love you, I'll always love you."

"Not good enough. Keep saying it until I think you mean it. Say all is forgiven."

It was hard to say when so much of his time was spent with a tongue, nipple, or clit was shoved in it, but he managed to get it out a few times over the course of the next hour.

He hadn't had time to untie, and was a little too busy to worry about it. When she slid down on him so hard he was sure they were going to be bruised, they both screamed. She was humping furiously, and he was matching with equal thrusts.

"That's it baby, harder. We'll make love later, right now I need to fuck your brains out. Give it to me, reclaim your woman!"