Chapter 236

By the time they left for Ava’s soccer game on Tuesday, all thoughts of illness were gone. Tori had gone shopping with Gail on Monday and had been thrilled to find that although at this point all she needed was to go up a size or two in her jeans, there were some great maternity tops that were of the ‘grow with you’ variety, meaning that they looked good now and would expand as she – or rather, Peanut – did.

Heather was sitting on the bleachers as they approached. She nodded politely to Tori, then her eyes grew round as she watched Richie. He raised a brow at her. “What?”

“You’re alive!”

“Of course I’m alive, what are you talking about?”

“Well, Ava told me that you had the flu, so I figured you were either dead or close to it.”

He just grunted and sat down. Tori smirked. “Yeah, it was a close call, but he made it. He’s most definitely alive.” In fact they’d spent a good couple of hours that morning demonstrating that they were indeed fully recovered. Instead of the warm look or wink that she was expecting – and usually got from him when she made reference to their lovemaking - he just smiled almost absently and patted her knee. She frowned slightly, but Ava’s approach distracted her.

“Hi Daddy, Hi Tori. Are you feeling better?” She hugged her father first, then Tori.

“Yep. All better thanks, Bean. You’re lucky you didn’t get it. It was nasty.” Richie assured her.

“Hi Peanut. You okay?” Ava bent and patted Tori’s stomach.

Tori smiled. “Peanut’s fine too.”

“Ava, Coach is waving at you. I think the games about to start.” Her mother interrupted.

With a wave, Ava ran over to join her team. Richie had to smile at his wife. She really got into the game, following every movement from one end of the field to the other, just like she did with the Soul, loudly cheering Ava and her team on. The game was almost over, when Ava got hurt. She came limping over, tears running down her face and blood dripping from her knee. Tori dug in her purse for some tissue, which she handed to Heather, who used her bottle of water to clean the wound.

“Ow, ow, ow. That hurts!” Ava cried.

“I know Ava, but you’ll be okay.” Her mother assured her.

Richie inspected her knee. “I don’t think there’ll be any permanent damage.”

Ava sniffed and nodded. The game over, people were packing up. Ava’s teammates and coach came to check on her before they left.

“Come on Ava, let’s go home.” Heather stood up.

“Daddy, carry me.”

Richie smiled. “Sure baby girl.” He looked at Tori as he lifted his daughter in his arms. “Why don’t you go ahead. I’ll take Bean to Heather’s car and be right there.”

Tori nodded, said her goodbye’s to Ava and Heather, and headed for the car. From her vantage point in the Hummer she watched Richie settle Ava in the car, and speak to Heather for several minutes, before joining her. “What was that all about?”

“Hmmm? Oh, we were just discussing whether she needed to have the doctor take a look at Ava’s knee.”

“And?”

“We agreed that she’s okay and that all it needs is a little polysporin.”

Tori nodded her agreement.


Later that night, after dinner, Tori came into the living room from the kitchen with drinks for them. Setting the glasses down on the table she glanced at the T.V. to make sure it was a commercial so that she wouldn’t interrupt the program they were watching. “Karin called earlier and wanted to know if we were still planning on going to New York for the opening of Toxic Avenger.” When Richie didn’t answer her, in fact didn’t even act like he heard her, she prodded him. “Rich?” Still no reaction. “Richie!”

“What?” His tone was sharp.

“Are we going to New York for Shirley’s opening?”

He waved a dismissive hand, like he wanted her to stop bothering him. “Whatever.”

She stared at him for a moment, stung. Then, her eyes filling with tears, she picked up her glass, stood and headed upstairs. In the bathroom, she filled the tub, sank into the soothing warmth and leaned her head back against the rim. As much as she tried to tell herself that he didn’t mean to be so harsh, that her hormones made her more sensitive, that everyone was entitled to a bad mood now and then, she couldn’t stop the tears that overflowed and ran down her cheeks.

Downstairs, Richie leaned his head back against the couch and closed his eyes. Although she’d tried to hide them, he’d seen Tori’s tears. He hadn’t meant to snap at her like that. “Fuck!” Sighing, he stood, picked up his own glass, made sure the house was buttoned up for the night and followed her. He entered their bedroom to find the bed turned down, but no sign of his wife. The closed bathroom door and the scent of her bath oil told him where she was. He undressed and slipped quietly into the steam filled room, closing the door quickly behind him to keep in the warmth. His gaze raked her, but he couldn’t tell if the moist tracks on her face were tears or sweat.

Tori had heard the door and felt the cool draft of air and knew he was there, but wasn’t sure she wanted to talk. She was tired. What she really wanted was to find the energy to climb out of the tub, dry off and crawl into bed.

“Angel?”

“Mmmm?”

“I’m sorry I snapped at you. I was thinking about a song I’ve been working on for the new album and it just isn’t coming together for me, and it’s frustrating me, but I shouldn’t have taken it out on you and I’m sorry.”

She opened her eyes and searched his before finally smiling and nodding. Her hand reached for the sponge as she started to sit up, but he beat her to it and knelt beside the tub.

“Let me.” Her brow rose. “Let me wash you. Let me take care of you.”

She relaxed back and let him have his way. She closed her eyes and savoured the sensation of the sponge spreading bubbles over her skin.

“Lift your leg.” He murmered, and ran the sponge down the offered limb. “Now the other one.”

Setting aside the sponge, he used his hands to rinse her, but that didn’t satisfy him for long. One hand reached out to open the drain and let the water out, the other urged her to her feet and out of the tub. He dried her gently and thoroughly with a fluffy towel, scooped her into his arms and carried her to the bed. As he laid her down the bottle of her lotion caught his eye and the corners of his lips lifted as a idea formed in his head. “Roll onto your stomach.”

She did as instructed, curious as to what he had in mind. Then she saw him pick up the lotion and she settled in to enjoy his pampering. Starting at her shoulders he smoothed the lotion over her back, massaging the long muscles lightly as he went. Large hands cupped the firm globes of her bottom and kneaded before continuing their path down her legs. “Turn over.”

She did and sighed in contentment when she once again felt his hands spread lotion slowly over her skin, his touch gentle, but firm as though he was enjoying the feel of her – which indeed he was. Her back arched slightly and she smiled indulgently as he spent long minutes stroking and caressing her breasts and belly, noting every change. He couldn’t resist pressing a kiss to the slight bulge just below her waist, before moving on to complete the job he started. By the time he was finished, her blood was humming in her veins and her body was a vibrating puddle of desire.

Stretching out along side her, he reached out with two fingers to rub her nipples making them harden even more. He bent and licked the stiff peaks, then blew on them lightly, smiling when she shivered. Ignoring her hands trying to tug him closer, he leaned back so that he could watch her as his hand slid between her thighs to stroke and tease the swollen flesh surrounding the gates to paradise. When he slid two fingers inside, her hips rose to meet them. He pushed aside his own growing need to enjoy the sight of her body undulating against his hand, her teeth biting her lower lip in response to the sensations shooting through her, her eyes glowing sapphire slits. Even after all this time, she still responded almost instantly to his touch, and seeing the effect never got old for him.

“Richie.” She sighed. “Please!”

His response was to add a third finger, and increase the speed of them sliding in and out of her slick channel. When he felt her tighten around him, he reached deeper and sent her over the edge. “Oh! Oh! OH!”

He held still until her spasms subsided, and her body eased its grip. He waited longer yet until finally her eyes opened. Locking his gaze with hers he withdrew his fingers and sank them into his mouth to suck off her juices. “Well now, that tastes like more.”

With a soft groan Tori let her eyes drift closed again, and laid back. She knew what was coming and that she couldn’t stop him – not that she especially wanted to, but she felt a little guilty that he gave her so much and took so little for himself. All thoughts quickly evaporated at the first touch of his tongue on her flesh. This time when she climaxed she cried out and he lifted his head to see tears slide from the corners of her eyes.

“Angel? What’s wrong? Did I hurt you?”

She shook her head. He hadn’t hurt her. He’d given her such incredible pleasure and with such tenderness that her emotions were overwhelming her. “No.”

Sliding his body up hers until they were face to face, he braced his weight on his elbows so that he wouldn’t crush Peanut, and stroked her cheek. “Then why the tears?”

“I feel so selfish. I mean, you give me so much and take so little.”

He grinned. “Angel, don’t you get it? Giving you pleasure gives me pleasure. We’ve made love hundreds of times, and you still respond to my lightest touch. That turns me on more than anything. It never gets old and it never gets boring. I love watching you in your passion. You are so beautiful. And knowing that it’s me that brings it out in you, and that you’re mine, well, that’s better than any foreplay. And this…” He flexed his hips and watched the pleasure wash over her as he filled her. “This is the best of all. This is the kind of pleasure that men would gladly kill for. Or die for.” He kissed her gently. “And it’s all mine.”

Reassured, she relaxed and focussed on sensation. He kept his rhythm slow and gentle, lowering his head periodically to touch his lips to hers. Their bodies moved together, easily, in perfect synchronization, like they had from the very first time. He rode through her orgasms, sweat dripping off his face and running down his back as he fought his own release, wanting to make it last as long as he could. Finally, when she felt yet another climax nearing its peak, she lifted trembling hands to frame his face. “Come with me.”

He nodded, kissed her thoroughly, and increased his rhythm, thrusting faster and deeper. She wrapped her legs around his waist, gasping when he sank deeper yet. With a scream, she shattered once again. His groan vibrated in her ear as he succumbed to her lure and let his release wash over him.

It was long minutes before he could bring himself to withdraw from her and roll onto his back. Her body followed his, turning to cuddle close, her hand settling over his heart. Still panting, she kissed the sweaty flesh under her cheek. “Love you Rich.” She sighed as she drifted off to sleep.

He kissed her forehead. “I love you too Angel. Don’t ever forget that.”