If I Found a Reason To Stop Drinking...

CHAPTER ONE

I hugged Ashley goodbye, once the cab had delivered us to the bar. Her car was over there, mine was over here, and we had things to do Sunday evening, before returning to work in the morning.

As we held our embrace, she whispered, "I sent myself a message from your phone. Let me know when we can have a rematch!" Then a kiss, another quick hug, and she was nearly skipping down the sidewalk to her vehicle.

Monday I was bit "off my game", as she filled my thoughts. Tuesday I was more focused, and I had slept better, as well.

Wednesday, after I had washed my dinner dishes, I sat down and regarded my phone. I picked it up, set it down, walked around my house a bit, and picked it up again. I set it down, walked a bit. This indecisive random movement continued for several minutes, until I realized that I had not had a drink, had not wanted a drink, for, now, going on to 4 days. I missed my children, terribly. I burned with anger at my ex's cheating. Not the sexual infidelity: by this point, she could fuck anybody that she wanted, and I hoped she contacted The Dread Disease Of The Month. No, my fuming was over her ignoring the terms of the court order, and separating me from my kids.

I realized why I was not in need of a drink. I still felt the loss, the pain, the anger, the feeling of nearly boiling over with a need to DO SOMETHING, with nothing, effective, to be done. But, I had connected with a person, a woman, who touched my pain, and had been willing to drink from that seeming endless fountain. Now, I could imagine that I would get better, that my emptiness might one day, God Alone knew when, begin to fade, the open wounds in my heart might begin to staunch their flow.

I could see myself having a future not blinded by the noonday sun of my loss. And, I realized how this had happened.

I picked up my phone, and dialed her number. I got increasingly nervous as ring followed ring and followed ring. What if she had come to her senses, and realized how hopelessly damaged I was? What if she had decided that spending time with a guy old enough to be her father, was lame, or, perhaps worse, creepy?

The ringing persisted, six, seven, eight times now, and I moved to terminate the connection, and wallow in new found self loathing. As I pulled the instrument from my ear, I heard a voice, breathless, come on.

"Oh, Mark? Is that you? I'm...I'm sorry I took so long to pick up, I...I was in the bathroom, and I heard my phone ringing as I turned off the shower! What took you so long to call? I was beginning to worry! I wondered if you thought I was too young, too immature, if you thought that I was the sort of silly girl who would get caught up with somebody like Tim, and drag you into my drama! I'm so glad you called! I...I...Oh, I'm babbling, aren't I? Oh, I'm so sorry! I...I..."

As she struggled to both catch her breath, and organize her thoughts, I interjected. "Hush! Shhh! You are fine, it's OK. I am the one who ought to apologize! I am sorry that I am so indecisive. I did not realize, until this evening, that you have changed me, even after one weekend together. I slept--I SLEPT!--last night, and the night before, and I did not need alcohol, I didn't need sleepers. You have touched me, and I was afraid that you would think I'm too old for you, that you would realize that I'm damaged goods, that I'll forever have a hole in my heart, where my children used to be, and I was afraid you wouldn't want anything to do with me, after you threw a sympathy fuck my way. I...I was afraid." I finished lamely, and held my breath awaiting her response.

Seconds piled up, and I was afraid that I had said too much, had said the wrong thing. She was, what, 10? 20? years younger than me, and had her entire life before her. I was a wreck, and, well, 10 months of self medication had not done me any favors.

She whimpered into the phone, and started to speak. "You gave me the best loving I can remember having, and, mister, that was no sympathy fuck! You are bent, not broken, and the intensity of your love, of your longing, for your children tells me how deeply you feel. Yeah, you are older than me. Did you think that I did not know that? Did you think that you somehow coerced me into sleeping with you? You let me sleep undisturbed Saturday night. I had to literally leap into your arms, and then coach you to take me to bed. Does that sound like a sympathy fuck to you? I coaxed a matinee out of you. Does that sound like a sympathy fuck, or does it sound like a woman who found someone who can give her some good nookie, and she wanted more? I am flattered, oh, so flattered, to hear you tell me that I have touched your life. I am honored to have been able to leave you better than I found you, because the man who rescued me Saturday night, and who romanced me on Sunday, is and was a fine man, a wounded man, but a fine man."

She drew in an audible breath, and continued. "Does that mean you would like to see me again?"

That did not require a lot of reflection. "Yes, hell, yes! I'd like to take you out for dinner, and then a walk along the lake shore. If you have a different idea, then I'm certainly open to that, as well, but, well, I..I want to see you again, and on any terms that will work for you."

"Dinner? So, you do know that I can cook, right?"

"I had assumed that most adults are able to cook, yeah."

She continued. "I live a couple of blocks from the lake, I'd like you to come over to my place, I can cook you some dinner, and we can start that walk from my apartment. OK?"

"Outstanding! When do you want me there?"

She pondered. "I'd suggest tonight, but, well, I'm naked. Of course, that is nothing you haven't experienced before--me, naked--but, I don't have anything else ready for you!" She chuckled a little.

"Well, I'd offer to be right over, but, for one thing, your address would make that very much easier to accomplish. As much as I'd like to be there in, oh, 7 minutes, maybe planning something for Friday or Saturday would give me more opportunity to get my mind right, and not be a anxious bag of nerves when I show up on your doorstep."

Her musical laugh caressed my ear. "I don't know, seven minutes sounds sort of slow. Are you sure you really want to see me again?"

I pretended to ponder. "So, would 3 minutes be better? I don't really need to put on my pants, or shoes, or grab my wallet, or stop for foolishness like traffic lights, do I?"

She laughed again. "Well, at least until you get inside my door, pants would be nice. That would be one less thing for my neighbors to talk about! Maybe Friday would be better, after all! I'll be home around 6 pm, and can get dinner around by, say, 7 pm. Sound good for you?"

"Seven o'clock Friday, I'll be there. Do you want me to bring anything?"

Her answer filled me with happiness. "Well, some white wine. Oh, and an overnight bag and change of clothes. I don't think you'll want to wear the same clothes home on Sunday!"

We said our goodbyes, and ended the call. Moments later, the text with her address arrived. I promptly copied her address and phone number onto my wall calendar. Important information deserved redundancy!

Sleep came to me Wednesday night, despite the whirlwind of my thoughts. I relived last Saturday, and Sunday, I wondered what she saw in me, and imagined how Friday might go. I fell asleep, finally, with her smile dancing before me, eyes alight as from a joy only she could know.

Thursday was alright. My boss commented that I looked better than I had, for months, in his opinion. "I know you took your divorce hard, and I can see how you miss your children. I don't know what you have done this past week, but it looks like it is good for you. Thanks for gutting out the last 6 months. I knew you'd get your head screwed on straight, eventually. Let me know if you need anything. Time off, some work from home assignment or two, let me know. If I can do it, I will. You always worked hard for us, and took care of business. Now, let the business take care of you."

I thanked him, and told him that I figured that I could hold out for my vacation, planned for a couple of months from now. I turned to my work, and churned out reports and polished up projects, until I looked up to see that it was quarter to five.

I tidied up my work, completing a couple of thoughts, and closed my computer.

I ate with an appetite that I had not had for a long time, and cleaned up. Looking around, I noticed that my place looked unkempt. I hauled out the vacuum, and swept up the corners. I picked up the little bits of paper and whatnot that I had not felt the energy to clean up, and gave my kitchen a thorough cleaning. Those ceiling fan blades were grody, more so than I had thought. Pine Sol and elbow grease made it all better, Once they were back in place, and the curtains in the wash, I could almost smell the sunshine.

I had worked up a nice little activity burn, and fell asleep without a care. That was a unaccustomed pleasure!

Friday I awakened before my alarm. I grabbed my gym bag, and tossed in a change of underwear, jeans, and a clean polo shirt. I rummaged in my dresser, and tossed my toilet kit into the bag as well. I set everything next to my lunch pail, showered, and dressed, and headed off to work early, arriving 15 minutes before start time.

This day dragged, in contrast to Thursday. I desperately wanted to be at Ashley's apartment, to watch her move, to smell her hair as we embraced, and that desire to have the freaking day DONE, and be gone, of course, made everything drag.

The elevators ran slowly, for reasons I could not imagine. My computer picked TODAY! to update, and, it appeared, Microsoft had felt the need to update every. single. line. of. code. in the freaking program.

The coffee in the break room was cold, as I waited for the updates ("File number 75 of 2,332,987") to load, so I made a fresh pot. The coffee pot took FOREVER! to perk, and then, once I had returned to my desk, the never sufficiently cursed updates were STILL loading. Then, the fracking thing had to reboot, and re-open, and so, by the time it was ready for me to start my day, it was nearly Ten O'clock.

I finally opened my files, and set to work. For some reason, I was uninspired; the words on the screen appeared to be in some foreign language, and I could not imagine what I had thought I wanted to say next. Frustrated (Gosh, isn't THAT a surprise!), I keyed in a few paragraphs, only to erase them as complete gibberish.

I continued on in this manner, breaking for lunch, staggering my way through the day. If I had been this productive before Ashley, it was a testament to the benevolence of my boss that I still had a job at all. I suppose that I managed to create a total of 5 pages of workable prose, almost linear in thought and kind of worth the effort of reading, but I wasn't going to be inspiring anybody with that sort of output.

Five o'clock finally arrived, and I was out of the door at as close to a dead run as I thought I could accomplish without overtly dashing down the stairs. I reached my car, and checked for my gym bag. Relieved that it was still there (as if anyone would steal a damned gym bag!), I sat a bit to calm myself.

I stopped at the liquor store in our town, and picked up a white wine my sister spoke highly of.

I had looked up Ashley's address, once or twice. (that is, if a thousand times was "once or twice") I believed that I was familiar with the route to her apartment. Of course, by now it was around quarter to six. Of course, she was expecting me around seven. So, I could go fidget somewhere for an hour or so, show up pathetically early, or come up with a third, better option.

A third option.

A better option.

A better, third option.

As you likely have figured at this point, I had no better, third option. None appeared to be forthcoming. I felt that impatient fidgeting was likely my best choice, and so I pulled into a parking lot near the lake, dug out a book, and settled in to read.

I was a chapter or so farther into the story when my phone chirped an incoming text.

"are you ready? I'm ready for you!"

I replied, "I'm ready, alright! just killing time until you told me you'd be ready!"

She texted back, "now is good! food nearly done. and, I have a surprise for you!"

I thought that I knew where this was headed. "do I get to unwrap my surprise?"

And I was mistaken, as she hinted to me. "Well, yes, but I'm talking about a different surprise!"

I always have been bad about suspense. "what is this surprise?"

She was going to let me continue to be bad with suspense. "just you never mind! simply come on over, and I will tell you all about it!"

"on the way!", and I put the car in gear and drove the three blocks to her parking lot.

I parked, and leapt up the stairs. The door opened nearly as soon as the doorbell echoes faded, revealing a smiling Ashley who beckoned me inside.

Once the door closed, she settled the wine on a table, and drew me to her embrace, sniffing deeply at my shirt front.

"Hmmm! Smells like the man I'm going to feed, and romance, and then ravish, until he has had my way with me!"

"Well, I'm certainly happy to see you, too!", I answered her, with an embrace of my own.

She smiled up at me. "Let me turn the food down, and tell you what I found out! Then, you may be even happier! Go sit on the sofa, I'll be right back!"

I settled in, and wondered what sort of surprise she might have for me.

Ashley bounced back into the room, coming to rest (after a manner of speaking: she was fairly vibrating with excitement) next to me. "So, you know, Mark, that my big brother, Bobbie, is a cop, right?"

I had not known that. "Uh, no?"

She was undeterred. "Well, he is! And, when I told him about Saturday night, well, he was ready to go visit Tim, and 'have a stern chat', as he put it. Then I told him about how you saved me, first from a face plant, then from Tim's badgering, and, well, Bobbie seemed even more determined to 'set Tim straight!', as he put it."

I interrupted. "How much did you tell Bobbie about Saturday night?" I had visions of being on the receiving end of a 'stern chat', myself, from Bobbie, should he not agree that I was treating his baby sister right, and the prospect was, well, unexciting will describe my reaction adequately.

Ashley gushed. "Oh, I told him how you challenged Tim, and out maneuvered him, and how Tim wound up unconscious in the alley once you out-stepped him, and he head butted the door frame! And how you took me to your home, in a cab because we both had been drinking, and how you let me sleep undisturbed all night, even offering to sleep on your own sofa! Bobbie thought that was a class act on your part!"

Cautiously, I persisted: "Did you tell him about Sunday, by chance?"

Excitedly, it appeared that she had. "Oh, yes! I told him about breakfast, how you let me shower alone, and gave me some sweats to wear, and then drove me to my car, once I had called myself on your cell phone!" She blushed a bit. "Well, I might have fibbed just a little bit! Anyhow, when I was telling him about how you cried for your lost children, and the soulless wench who had taken them from you, he asked me if you had lost all visitation in your divorce. When I told him, no, you had a 50/50 split custody in your divorce order, he looked surprised. When I told him that she had gone off the radar with your kids, he asked me to ask you if it would be alright if he looked around a little bit, simply to see if she had left any tracks that her attorney had overlooked. He said that skipping town like that, looked like a contempt of court thing, because she sounded like she was violating a court order. If so, and she had left any tracks, maybe he could let her attorney know a thing or two, and that attorney might slip a little note to your attorney, and your judge might be able to let her know just how pissed she was, once your ex was back in court. In handcuffs. And in jail orange. He wondered, if she was jailed for contempt, who the court might find to care for your kids, while she was in jail? Somebody, oh, I dunno, like their father?"

She paused for a breath, then. She smiled, pridefully, and waited for my reply.

"Is it ok if your brother finds my ex, and my kids? Is that some sort of trick question? Hell, yes! What does he need from me?'

"If it's OK with you, he'll call you, and ask you what he needs to know."

"Hell, yes, he can call me! If he pulls this off, there is no way I can possibly repay him! None! I'll be forever in his debt!"

She smiled, smugly. In this setting, it looked very good on her. "I told him that you would say that. He gave me a message to give you, about that 'debt' thing."

"What is it? Anything!"

She giggled. "I told him that would be your response to that. Just wait until you hear his price! He insists, seriously insists, that you, and I quote, 'Treat my baby sister very, very well! Honor her, respect her preferences, and be the man you were Saturday night!'"

"That's it? As if I'd do anything else!"

"Yeah, well, about that: you do realize that this is in the wake of my relationship with that asshole Tim, right? Bobbie has his concerns regarding my ability to select men who are not assholes!"

I took her hands, and touched my nose to hers. "Ashley, if you, and your brother, can get me my children back, there is no way I can ever repay you adequately. As far as treating you right, count on it! You are already the very best thing that has ever happened to me, and I've seen you twice!"

She smiled. "Well, that and the fact that you have seen all of me, several times, in those two occasions! Let's see if Bobbie can deliver, and then go from there!"

We cuddled for a few minutes, she in pride at the light she had brought into my life, me in hope that I'd be reunited with my children. After a while, she shrugged, and smiled at me. "All this serious conversation has made me hungry! Hope you brought your appetite!"

"Lead me forward! Sure smells good!" And, I was surprised, that it did smell very good. Just as if I once again had taste buds. Were there no limits to the delights of the senses this woman was going to re awaken in me?

She had surprised me with a chicken recipe that my mother had cooked, when I was a child. "How did you know this was one of my favorites?"

She put down her fork, and regarded her plate for a minute. "So, when you fell asleep, last weekend? After we had made love? I was so wound up, just vibrating from excitement, and the good, good loving that you had given me, that I couldn't fall asleep. You looked so peaceful, like you hadn't slept that good in a long time, that I was afraid my fidgeting would awaken you. So, I got out of bed, and looked around. I found your recipe book, and noticed one recipe had a lot of food stains, and appeared to have had a lot of use. I took a picture of it with my phone. When you called me, and we arranged for you to come over, well, that was the natural recipe to cook! Did I do alright?"

I took another bite, rolling it around in my mouth. I savored the pepper elements, the hint of wine, the cheeses, the caramel notes in the roux: it brought memories rushing back of family suppers, before I knew what loss could feel like. I started to almost feel at home, started to relax, as if it might be all alright, once again.

I burst free from my reverie, to see Ashley looking anxiously at me. "Did I do alright?"

I smiled. "You did fine. You have transported me back to my mother's table. If a meal is medicine, you have treated me. Thank you. Simply, thank you." I reflected, briefly, and continued. "You know, Ashley, you are a remarkable woman. You have taken a considerable chance on me, a total stranger. You have opened your heart to me, and begun to mend the damage another woman has caused. Even now, I am a better man for having met you. If I had not engaged in un-angelic activities with you, for which I am appreciative from the bottom of my shrunken heart, I would have to call you my guardian angel."

She beamed at my praise. "Maybe, we are each a guardian angel for the other. You saved me from a clumsy face plant, and then whisked me away from Tim's clutches. You let a drunk girl sleep, undisturbed, and you had to be seduced once I had awakened, and I had realized that you were my knight. While a lesser man would have taken what I probably would have given him anyhow, you waited until I could actively make that offer to you. Then, you were concerned that I enjoy myself, not just chase your own jollies."

She paused, taking another bite of the meal, chewing deliberately. Swallowing, she concluded, "I don't know if my brother has it right, or not, but if Tim is any indication, I'm damaged, in my own way. Maybe I'm really needing a nice guy, sure of himself, and who wants me to be happy, as well. Maybe I haven't really thought that I was really worth any decent guy's time, that I always had to settle. Maybe you are that decent guy."

I smiled. The Ex certainly had not encouraged me to think of myself as "a decent guy", and, coming from Ashley, I felt like that was high praise.

We chatted about inconsequential things during the rest of the meal. Once we had completed eating, we put the left overs away, and I washed the dishes and she put them away. Once I finished drying my hands, she wrapped her arms around my waist, and rested her chin on my chest, looking up at me. "You ready for our walk?"

I allowed that I was. She directed me, "Grab my beach bag, and follow me!"

I paused while she locked her door, and we exited her building, turning toward the lake. In a couple of blocks, we came to the township's walking/biking trail, appearing unused in the early summer twilight. Ashley tugged me off toward the west, encouraging me pick up my pace to a walk, from my initial meandering. "You have somebody waiting for you?"

"Yep!" she agreed with a smile. "You! You just haven't figured it out yet!"

As I was caught up in her wake, I wondered at this enigmatic turn in the woman I was becoming more and more interested in. We followed the trail, chatting companionably about inconsequentials, until she stopped, and, looking around, pulled me off of the trail and into and behind some brush.

There I found a clearing, visually cut off from the trail. Ashley laid out the blanket, and began to strip, folding her blouse, and her jeans, and placing them neatly into the beach bag. The fact that she had foregone underwear meant that, very rapidly, I was treated to a view of her charms, illuminated in the golden light of a setting sun. She looked up, noticed that I was staring as if I were a statue, and stood. She cocked one hip, resting her hand on that hip, and posed for me.

With a little uncertainty, she asked me, "Do I really look as good as your stare says I do?"

I shook myself from my paralysis, and smiled. "Nope! Anything I could tell you, any sign from me of your beauty, would not do you justice. What's that Brad Paisley song? 'I feel like the frame that gets to hold the Mona Lisa, and that's all I need to do!' That's like what I feel, except that I can't turn a phrase like he can!"

Her smile brightened. "Well, if you like this," and she cut a little curtsy, "then you really ought to enjoy what I have planned for my next performance!"

She reached out and, drawing me closer by my collar, knelt upon the blanket, nudging me into a similarly kneeling position. She pecked me on my lips, and withdrew. "That's for looking like you want to eat me all up!", and pecked me again.

"And, THAT'S for being struck dumb by my beauty!", and she pecked me again, this time on my neck. Pulling my shirt over my head, she continued, "And THAT is for being vulnerable to me, and letting me see your pain!", and she kissed my chest several times, teasing my nipples with her tongue.

"And, this is for being kind and concerned. It's for trying to do the right thing, and for protecting a woman from a predator."

She released my belt, and released the button on my pants. At her urging, I stood, and she removed my shoes and tugged my pants and shorts down, and off. She pecked Mr. Happy on his helmet, and pulled back to address me.

"And, this and the rest of it is for showing me a great time last weekend. Any dolt can fuck a woman, but you went out of your way to make me feel safe, so I could relax and really enjoy all the fun things you were doing to my body!"

I looked around, and shrugged meaningfully. "And, the 'great outdoors' aspect of this? What's up with that?"

She grinned from nuzzling my joystick. "Well, isn't it just a bit more naughty being naked outdoors? And, if we're boffing out here, isn't that even naughtier, still? Sometimes I like my lovin' with a little naughtiness!"

With that explanation delivered, she swept my love lance up in her smile, descending full length until my glans was tapping on her posterior pharynx. She retreated, engulfed me, and retreated again, bathing my unit in a swirl from her tongue and lips, finally pulling off with a "pop!".

She licked her lips, and smiled pridefully at me. She waggled my prod, and observed from beneath hooded eyes, "Looks as if somebody is getting into the spirit of things!" She took a celebratory swipe of my johnston, and drew off again to note, "Now, I want to get thoroughly schtupped, until you are running out of me!"

Even with no perfusion above my collar bones, I can recognize an excellent plan when it is directly in front of me. And nude. And smiling at me with lustful anticipation. She knee walked her way back, only to swing one knee over and wind up kneeling, resting on her hands, facing away from me.

This left me staring at a sculpted, firm, tanned study in complex curves, each melting seamlessly into the next, drawing my gaze as if into a vortex. She noticed my admiring gaze, and waggled her butt, laughing, "So, old man: are you going to start drooling, or can you think of something to do with this ass that might benefit both of us?"

I reached out, cupping one taut buttock, kneeling behind her. "I suppose that I might come up with one or two things that you might find entertaining", I responded. I caressed her derriere for a moment, marveling in the fit musculature forming this riveting vista, and circled in toward her rosebud. I tested it's tone, and moved on, collecting some of her pussy dew in the process.

She hummed her approval, rocking backwards to encourage my explorations. I settled my glans at her entrance, luxuriating in her moist heat. She moaned at this, panting, "Don't tease me! Just fuck me! Put it in me!"

I eased my way into her center, pausing at full penetration to observe her trembling excitement. Curious, I asked her, "So, do you romance your boyfriends in the outdoors very often?"

She settled my girth fully within her, and panted, "Uh..no. I..uh...saw..uh...all your camping gear..slide out and back in, one time, slowly...ooohhh! Just like that!...and I figured that you liked being out doors. Huh! Huh! Oohh! And...uh...the possibility of ...ooohhh!...getting caught, well...Oh! Do that again!...makes it all hotter!"

Making love to a pretty, enthusiastic woman outdoors in the twilight had not, previously, been one of my very favorite things in life, but I was rapidly concluding that this misjudgment was a reflection of the previous poverty of my life experience, and I was both blessed and grateful for the opportunity to expand my horizons in this manner.

I seized her hips in a firm grip, and began to try to drive my entire pud into her pelvis, dickhead first. Her response to this was to roll a corner of the blanket up into a wad, and chew on it, in an attempt to muffle her ecstatic moans and whimpers. With her other hand, she reached between her legs, and fondled my swaying ball-sack.

I figured that sauce for the goose was sauce for the gander, and reached one hand around, cupping her swaying breast, reaching for her erect nipple. I caressed and fondled her until I captured her nipple, and I began to rub, squeeze, twist and generally stimulate her as best I could, while simultaneously continuing to let my dick show my appreciation of her cooze. I had to work to avoid being driven, prematurely, over the edge by her nut rubbing. I wanted her to climax, and, once she had gotten hers, spray mine all over her cervix.

From her muted grunts, and the wiggling she was doing, either she was on board with my plan, and was fixing to show me where her orgasm had been hiding, or there was an earthquake occurring that had, strangely, left the trees around us unmoved. I was voting for the climax, and, in accordance with Democrat election practices since the time of Tammany Hall, I planned on voting early, and voting often.

My ballot was my sex cudgel, and we were working pretty hard to make sure that every stroke was counted! (I can only torture that metaphor so far, and then, if it hadn't already, it falls completely apart.) I plowed steadily into her sex, and she rolled back and forth, meeting my every movement.

Her oils were pooling on my scrotum, and running from her, and her moans ascended in intensity and pitch. I was finished, and drove full length into her and began to pour my love offering into her depths. As I jerked out my release, it appeared that my climax triggered her own, and she joined me, her sex muscles rhythmically squeezing every shot from my trembling sex baton.

I did not altogether collapse upon her back. I rocked back on my heels, and she collapsed as if her every bone had turned to paste. Settling carefully next to her, I brushed errant tendrils of her hair from her eyes, and admired the look of completion upon her face.

She opened her eyes, and smiled at me, a smile that encompassed her entire face. "Are you alright?", I asked.

Her smile broadened. "Better than alright! That was wonderful! My little pussy is still vibrating! You got me so hot, I made a mess all over your front, my goo was just running out of me! Now, I have all your goo running out of me, as well! This was epic, we will have to do this again some time!"

It was full dark, and the night noises of peepers and suchlike were beginning their chorus. We cuddled together for a while, until the cooling night air and our sex juices conspired to chill us.

Ashley, prepared, reached into her beach bag and retrieved two towels, tossing one to me and toweling the sweat and secretions off her self before pulling her clothing out, and starting to get dressed. I likewise dried and dressed myself.

She handed me the bag, and, taking my hand led me back the way we had come.

She led me into her apartment, and handed me another towel. We showered together again, innocently (or as innocently as a shower with a sexual dynamo--that would be, her!--can be, that is) this time. She led me to bed, and, fatigued by our outdoor exertions, we slept entwined.

I awakened once in the night, discovering her suckling on my organ, and sleepily rubbed her hair, caressing her, until I erupted. She swallowed, crept up to reward me for my gift with a cum flavored kiss, and we slept again.

I awakened again, my throbbing erection trapped between her buttocks. I scooted a little ways toward the foot of the bed, and when my cock found heated moisture, eased my way forward. She rolled her uppermost leg forward, easing my entry, and I fondled her fine breasts while I fucked her to a sleepy climax, soon filling her with my own. We slept again, knit together by our secretions and my shrinking tool.

CHAPTER TWO

She called me one day, excitement pouring through the phone. "Ohmigod, Mark! Bobbie just came over! He has the best, the very best, news! He found your ex, and just emailed both her attorney and yours with her address, car license plate number, and her new employer! I'm so, so, so proud of my brother, and so happy for you! If this works out, you may see your kids again!"

I did not know what to say. Ashley noticed. "Are you there? I would have expected you to be jumping up and down with joy!"

"Yeah, I'm here. I do not know what to say. I've...I've waited so long for this, and now, it's hard to believe that this may be getting resolved. I just don't want to get my hopes up, only to get them crushed again."

Ashley had a muted conversation with someone on her end of the phone, and returned. "Mark? Bobbie wants to talk to you."

"Put him on. I really have to thank him in person, but this is a good start."

A new voice came on. "Mark, this is Bobbie. The information you gave me last week really paid off. When you call the board of Nursing and ask where a licensee has had her Board scores sent, well, that really shortens the list of calls you have to make. It turns out, they even record changes of name, which is really handy when you call another state, oh, let's pick one out of the air at random, like, er, Kentucky, just as an example, and ask about a licensee newly practicing in their state. Once you know what town they are in, you can find their employer pretty easily. It turns out that there are only so many hospitals in any county. I was really surprised at how helpful your attorney, and your ex's attorney, thought that information might be!"

I drew a deep breath. "Bobbie, you do realize that there is no way, absolutely no way on earth, that I can describe just how deeply in your debt I am, right? And, that means that there is no way I can ever adequately repay you. You know that, too, right?"

The baritone laughter from the phone washed over me. "No, man, really, you are already repaying me. You cannot know how unhappy Ashley had been, before you came along. She told you about a couple of her ex boyfriends, right? And, you met Tim, right? Hell, Tim was the pick of the litter! A couple of times, I had to have a sit down with some schmuck, and let him know what was not acceptable behavior when with my baby sister, and then explain consequences of failing to meet performance standards. Once or twice I had to provide a little in-service to establish that I was not fucking around. You! Hell, man, Ashley lights right up when she talks about you, and her stories of your outings and how you treat her, man, gotta tell you, you not only meet the standards, shit, man, you are re writing them! About goddamned time she found a stand up, grown up man to pal around with! And, what she tells me about your attempts to find your kids? Dude, that's a MAN, right there! Anything I can do, to help a man be a MAN for his kids, I'm in! And, you keep on treating Ashley right, and you and I are gonna stay alright. Let me know what your attorney tells you, OK?"

"Ok? Ok, the man asks? Hell, yes, it's OK! That is, if you do not hear me shouting for joy when it actually happens!"

Ashley came back on the line, and we chatted for a while. I had to consider how to care for my kids, once they were home again. Food and expenses were no issue. I'd have to figure out supervision when they were home and I was working. Ashley bounced a few ideas off of me, and we decided to talk, in person, the coming weekend.

CHAPTER THREE

Ashley was sleeping the sleep of the just (and just soundly loved), when my phone rang late one night. I awakened, and blearily reached for the instrument. "Hello?" was my witty greeting.

And, abruptly, I was fully awake. "Is this Mr. Evans? Mr. Mark Evans?"

"It is. What prompts this late night phone call?"

"This is Sergeant Willoughby of the Shelby County, Kentucky, Sheriff Office. Are you the father of Brittney and Adam Evans?"

"I am. What is going on?"

"Your ex wife was stopped for a traffic violation, and when we ran a LIEN check on her, there was a warrant out from Ingham County. We have lodged her here in our county jail, but she had a document from your family court detailing that you are granted half time custody of the children. Is that a current document?"

"Yes, Sergeant, it is current."

"Well, Mr. Evans, with their mother lodged in our jail, and no other family hereabouts, we'll have to place your children in foster care. Now, if you can arrive here in a day or two, and ask your court to fax a current copy of the custody order to our office, well, I suspect that we will have to release your children to you."

"Sergeant? Are my kids OK?"

"Yes, sir, they are fine! They have asked about you, several times just while I was with them. Oh, and, if you would, when you arrive here to pick them up, please bring some changes of clothing. They only have what they are wearing."

Ashley awakened at the excited tone of my voice. "What's happening?"

"Excuse me, Sergeant...Ashley, Annie is locked up in Kentucky, and might be getting sent here to face the judge. I gotta go get the kids."

She shook herself a little more awake, and asked, "So, when are we leaving?"

"Ashley, we'll plan for that. Sergeant, can I have that fax number, please? I'll hit the courthouse in the morning, and be on my way once that is started!"

By the time we terminated the call, it was approaching 0200, and I did not figure that I would get back to sleep. Mind whirling, I eventually climbed out of bed, and started to write down a to do list of paperwork, phone calls, packing, and needful things (like, fill the truck with fuel), needed to retrieve my children.

I scribbled away for several minutes, until I felt a warm pair of breasts against my naked back. Ashley read over my shoulder for a while, before turning away, and returning, fully dressed.

"Where is your luggage?" she asked, and then she retrieved it from my hall closet. As I wrote, she packed, calling out what she had bagged so I could check it off the list. Once my things were packed for the trip, she kissed me, and told me, "Let me get home, and throw some things for me into a bag. I'll be back in a couple of hours, OK?"

I turned from my notes, and beheld the luggage. I rose, and embraced her, giving silent thanks for her presence in my life. Again.

As she started up her car, I tossed clean clothes on the bed, preparatory to taking a shower. After the fastest shower I had ever taken, I was dried and standing before my clothing, eager to be on the way.

Shortly before daybreak, I heard Ashley let herself in. I had already packed the truck, and gone and filled the gas tank. I was washing my breakfast dishes, and shrugged my shoulder toward the food I had set aside for her. "You can make some toast, and the eggs and bacon are still warm. You can 'wave it if things are too cold for you."

She poured some coffee, nuked the food, and toasted a bagel, settling in to devour the meal. Around bites, and asked me, "So, when are we headed to court? I assume that we'll hit the road immediately afterward, right?"

"Yep, once I know the sheriff in Shelby County has the papers, off we go!"

As she finished, and handed me her dishes for washing, she asked, "So, court doesn't open for a couple of hours yet. You think you might be up for a little relaxation sex? Your girlfriend thinks you look kinda tense!"

I smiled at her, drying my hands. "That is a lovely thought. Yes, I'm anxious. I think that I'm too anxious to properly appreciate any tryst with my lovely, loving, and perceptive young girlfriend. I love that you thought of that for me, though."

I received an impish grin. "So, does that mean you won't object if I try to coax a load from you with some 'it'll all be alright' head? Me, I think that I have moves that I'm not sure you remember, or that I've not yet shown you, that I am confident you will appreciate. Just you leave all this to your little Ashley, and she will make you feel just fine!"

I smiled, again, and told her, "Sure thing! If I turn down a chance to have you suck me, check my pulse, because I'm dead! I simply do not think that Mr. Happy will join in the festivities. I'd hate to insult your beauty or your romantic expertise by failing to stand up and applaud you!"

I was treated to her impish grin again, as she stood, unbuttoning her blouse. "Oh, you wait, mister! I have my ways! Besides, now I have to keep you around, since my big brother approves of you, and that means I have to keep you happy. We just won't tell him how I keep you happy!"

At this point, her blouse was draped over a chair, and her brassiere soon followed. She unsnapped her jeans, wriggled them, and her panties, down over her hips, and folded them on the floor, finally kneeling upon them, knees shoulder width apart, hands upon her knees. She affected a pout, and asked, "What would my master have of this servant girl? She is eager to do her master's bidding, and she hopes if her master finds her pleasing, she will not have to sleep in the dungeon with the other slave girls. She would really like to become her master's favorite slave girl. Her master will find her to be an eager and willing fuck toy, and interested in anything he might desire."

This last was delivered from beneath hooded eyes, and her breathing, deeper than at the beginning of her offer, and more rapid, did interesting things to her firm medium sized breasts.

I noticed two things nearly at the same time: her nipples were erect, and my cock was hardening in my pants. How did this girl know of my dark dominance fantasies? How did she know how to play to them, flipping a switch I had not had flipped before? "You are very pleasing to your master," I told her. "You are beautiful, and your eagerness to serve makes you stand out from all the rest. Come here, release my cock, and show me that you are not simply full of brave talk. If your sucking skills are as good as you promise, you will not have to sleep with the other wenches tonight. You will have the master's bed to share with him!"

Ashley crawled to me, slinking as if she were an ocelot approaching her prey. She knelt upright, deftly released my belt and tugged my pants down, my sex scepter waggling as she released him from my clothing. As I toed off my shoes, and tried to disentangle my feet from my jeans, she leaned in, kissing and licking my dick. Finally, she reached and pulled my pants off, cuffs first, successfully releasing my feet from their denim prison.

I opened my stance, and everted my shirt off and onto the pile of clothes she had formed in the corner of the kitchen. Ashley smiled up at me, and, holding my gaze, descended down my length, and slowly retreated. "Hmmm," she observed, "Somebody looks like he is eager to enjoy the pleasures that await him! A girl sure likes to be appreciated!"

Again my tool sank into the oily furnace of her mouth, again she retreated, sucking all the way. She engulfed me, tongue swirling about my length, and I moaned from the electric shocks of pleasure she caused to ripple from my rod. She looked up from her labors, eyes alight with prideful glee at the effect she was having upon me. Waiting until she was certain that she had my undivided attention, she slowly sank upon me, taking my steely lance deep into her mouth, her throat, until, blinking placidly, happily, I rested full length within her, my glans exploring her throat. She swallowed a few times, for effect, and then slowly backed away.

Ashley sucked in a few deep breaths, and stoked Mr. Happy a few times. "Think you want to reconsider that 'I'm afraid I might not properly appreciate your sexual skills' concern you had a few minutes ago?"

"Don't believe that any reconsideration is in order. I do believe that should you keep that up, there is no way to avoid my bathing your tonsils in my very own Hollandaise sauce, and in pint lots at that!"

Considering this prediction briefly, her eyes lit up. "Ya do know, that is exactly the effect I was going for, don't you?"

"The possibility had occurred to me," I allowed. "but, please don't stop on my account! Just keep on and let the chips fall where they may!"

"As if you could stop me!", she muttered, and set to teasing my cock chowder from me. She bobbed upon me, her breasts swayed in counterpoint, and I felt her exhalation from her nostrils upon my pubes with each down-stroke.

She had interrupted herself just short of the point where I was about to share my cum explosion with her. As enthusiastic as she was, and hot as she was, there was not a lot of catching up for me to do, until I began to tense up. She drew herself off my throbber, and, eyes wild, stoking my cock, she pleaded with me. "Oh, God, I want your cum! Feed me! Pour out onto my tongue, and let me gulp your love down! Drain yourself into my face! Fuck my throat, and let me have it! I want it all, and I want it in my mouth! Oh, god! Now, please, now!"

Then she took me back into her mouth, pulling my ass cheeks as if to screw my dickhead through her throat and into her stomach entirely. Pumping her head back and forth on my beef baton, she was fucking her own face on me.

I had been close prior to her soliloquy of lust, her hot narrative had done nothing to cool me off, and her energetic face fucking tossed me over the edge. I clasped her head to me, driving my entire reltney fully into her face, and pouring myself into her, as I felt her gulping my love lotion rapidly, driving each bolus into her stomach.

Once I had enough sense to release her, I settled against the counter, and she settled back onto her heels, gasping. Her breasts heaved with each breath, her taut stomach rose and fell, and she licked her lips as if to savor a wonderful meal.

I drew her to her feet, and embraced her. "Omigawd, that was wonderful! My cock will be forever spoiled, no other woman could ever please me as much as you just did!"

She favored me with a cum seasoned kiss, and grinned at me. "Well, I'm not about to give you the opportunity to be disappointed by any other woman, because I plan to be your woman, forever! So, do you still feel tense?"

I considered for a moment. "No, now that you mention it, no, I don't. So, that sort of virtuoso performance deserves an encore. I'd like to return the favor!"

Waggling her finger in my face, she corrected me. "No, no, no! That one was just for you! It's now 0830, and you have enough time to get dressed, again, while I get dressed and brush my teeth! Then, we have business to conduct, and a road trip to take!"

Listening to and following directions, I got dressed as she retired to the bathroom with clothing, water soon running. Shortly after I had my shoes again tied upon my feet, she reappeared, and pecked me, handing me my coat, and leading me to the driveway, handed me her luggage. Stowing it in the back seat of the truck, we set off for the courthouse, arriving shortly after the deputies had unlocked the doors and set up for their day.

We passed through the screening, and beelined for the court clerk's office. I provided our case number, and the fax number for the Shelby Count Sheriff's office. I watched as the woman sent the several pages of the judgment to Kentucky. Once she had received the transmission confirmation, I phoned Sergeant Willoughby, and re confirmed that the papers were, indeed, on their fax machine as we spoke.

"Mr. Evans, it looks as if we received everything, and, right here, I can see where the judge required Mrs. Evans to not leave the state, and awarded you half time custody. I'll forward this to our protective services folks, but it sure looks to me as if you ought to get on the road, as you have two children very eager to see their daddy!"

I cannot be sure if Bobbie heard my cheer, but it certainly unsettled the women in the clerk's office. The deputies that poked their heads into the office, appeared to be reassured once they saw Ashley and me hopping up and down, hugging each other, sharing a congratulatory kiss.

It's a long drive from mid Michigan to central Kentucky. It's longer when you cannot really set the cruise control on, oh, say, 125 miles an hour and let the miles flow past you. Yeah, the 7 or so hours were made more pleasant given who I was sharing the ride with, but I was chafing at every additional hour I was separated from my kids. I asked Ashley how she had identified my dominance/submission fantasies.

"Well, since you are oolllddd", she began with a grin, "You pretty much sleep like a stone, once I've had my seductive way with you. Me, I'm pretty, and young, and energetic, so you leave me vibrating once I come down from the climaxes you bathe me in. I couldn't sleep the other day, and I was surfing on your laptop. I noticed peculiar search bar suggestions. I looked a little deeper, and your search history is full of interesting insights into what my man is interested in, and likes, and what he reeaalllyyy likes!"

I blushed. Some of my reading material had themes that were pretty out there. She smiled at that, patting my thigh. "Just relax! It turns out that your little girlfriend also is interested in some of that stuff!"

It was around 1600 hours when we pulled up in the parking lot of the sheriff's office. I had mentioned my estimated arrival time, and Sgt. Willoughby had told me that their child protection folks would be there, as would he, for our arrival. Ashley and I walked up to the desk, and I announced myself.

The desk officer looked me up and down, and asked for my ID. I passed my license to her, she looked it over, and handed it back. "So, you are the guy who hopped in a car and drove all the way here, without a stop it looks like, to pick up his kids? Your ex wife didn't have anything terribly flattering to say about you, but, then, you aren't the one who cussed out the trooper over a broken tail light beef, and got her LEIN checked very thoroughly as a reward. Nice move on her part. Once the trooper saw her warrant, well, he was only too happy to escort her here, and once he found out about the took-the-children-across-state-lines thing, well, she made his entire day! He said to tell you, 'once we arraign her, she'll be coming up for a visit. When you see her in court, please tell her Trooper Andrews said to tell her 'hello', please!'"

I responded with a tight grin. "I'm not certain that I really want to have that many words with her, but thanks for the suggestion. I'll keep it in mind."

I looked around. "So, when may I see my kids?"

She held up a "wait just one minute" finger, and dialed somebody. A hurried conversation, and she hung up. "Follow me, please!"

Ashley and I were ushered into an interview room, and left to wait. A couple of minutes later, Brittney and Adam were ushered in, with who I presumed to be a caseworker. Four year old Brittney appeared a little bashful. That was understandable, since I hadn't seen her in around 1/4 of her lifetime. Six year old Adam had no such reluctance, bursting into a run, hugging me around my knees, and exclaiming, "Daddy! Where have you been? Mommy said you had run away and joined the circus, and we had to go visit her cousin Marlon. I don't think he's really her cousin, Daddy, because they acted more like a mommy and a daddy, than like they were cousins."

I looked up at the caseworker, and asked, "What do you require of me, before I take my children home?"

"Mr. Evans, we'll have to make a photocopy of your driver license, and verify your contact information. Should take a couple of minutes. Oh, and could you introduce me to this young lady, please?"

"Certainly. Mrs...." "Timmins!" she supplied, and I continued, "Mrs. Timmins, this is Ashley Merritt, my girlfriend. She kept me company, and helped make sure I didn't drive too far without eating."

"Ms. Merritt, would you mind providing your ID, as well? Our Family Court judge likes to know who all the players are, when we involve children."

We passed our licenses over, and settled in to hear from the children all the exciting things that they had to tell us. Brittney got over her initial shyness, and came to me, perched on one knee while Adam wound up his summary of his adventures since I had last seen him, over a year ago.

Once everybody was satisfied that I was who I had said I was, that the kids weren't screaming basket cases at coming with me, and that Ashley was not a fugitive axe murderess (Yeah, I knew that they would run her through LEIN and NCIC, before letting the kids depart with us. Hell, I was pleased that they took my kids' safety that seriously!), we said our goodbyes and headed off. Sergeant Willoughby made a point of shaking my hand before I left.

"Mr. Evans, your little girlfriend there, her brother called me from your county in Michigan. I know a little bit about him, from when he won that Medal of Valor, a couple of years back. I read that citation: if it tells the story straight, he's a hell of a man, a hell of an officer. He told me that he thought very, very highly of you, and that if I could do anything to help you with this child custody issue you're having, he would be personally grateful, and consider it a favor to a brother officer. I just want to say, if you have impressed him that much, and you two are not even family, well, you must be doing good things. Keep up the good work. If you need me, once your ex is back in Michigan, well, here's my card. Trooper Andrews and I would be honored if there was anything we could do, once this goes before your judge. Call me."

I choked up. This guy literally did not know me from anybody, and he was touched by my problems. I tried to speak my gratitude, but Ashley saved me. "Sergeant? Thank you very much. Mark is overwhelmed, because he didn't know if he'd ever see his children ever again. I will tell my brother Bobbie just how helpful you have been, and how your kind, kind offer choked Mark up. Just so you know, Mark has kind of been my savior, as well. That might have something to do with how favorably disposed Bobbie is toward my guy Mark, here!"

"Ma'am, you and Mark are welcome. Have a safe trip home!"

We meandered out to the vehicle, and I buckled my children into their car seats in the back. Talk about simple pleasures, typically unsavored!

After the obligatory MacDonald's stop, we spun out onto the road. Adam chattered away, careening from topic to topic. From time to time he'd turn his attention to his sister, playing with her, showing her the toy from her own Happy Meal. Ashley took it all in, halfway turned in her seat, tranquilly overseeing (and occasionally refereeing) the activity in the back seat.

After an hour or two, between their full stomachs and the movement of the vehicle, the kids fell asleep. Ashley reached over, covering them with their coats, and, satisfied that they were secure and warm, she turned around. Reaching for my hand, she squeezed it, and smiled at me.

"It made me happy, seeing your eyes light up as you hugged your kids. It looks as if you were made to be a daddy!"

I smiled back at her, and responded, "Well, when I met their mother, I had never considered fatherhood, or marriage. I had been pretty happy, or so I thought, working, hanging out, going camping whenever it suited me, and generally 'baching' it. I was surprised when I became aware of just how much their mother had meant to me. When the kids came along, well, I did not think that I could love anymore than I came to love my wife and my children. That marriage, these children, made me change from a bachelor, into a family man. You could say, loving these children, has made a man out of me."

She leaned over, and smooched my cheek. "It shows. You became the man who saved me, and who remained dedicated to his children."

She paused, and smiled at me, again. I was very much coming to like being subject to the glow of her smile. "Gotta say, I think I'm done dating boys. Now that I've started to love a man, I don't think I'll settle for less, ever again!"

We pulled into my drive after 0100. The kids stirred as we released them from their seat belts, and I carried Adam, and Ashley carried Brittney, into the house. As I supervised pottying and tooth brushing, Ashley turned down the beds, and I tucked them in. Both Adam and Brittney whined that they wanted their bed time hugs from Ashley, and she melted as they hugged her, and murmured, "Thank you for coming with our Daddy to get us!"

It took a couple of weeks for the legalities of the extradition to be settled. Eventually I received a call from my attorney reporting there was a hearing for the ex, and I arranged to be there in the gallery.

Inasmuch as she had skipped the state and left no forwarding address, for some reason the judge figured that she presented a flight risk. So, she was escorted in by a deputy from the corrections department. She did not appear happy about that, nor about the belly chain and handcuffs she was sporting.

The bailiff announced the entry of the judge, and we all stood. Once seated, the judge made an opening statement.

"Ms Evans, you violated the order of this court. That is the black letter definition of contempt of court. I will order you confined for ninety days by the county sheriff. You will forthwith pay your attorney the amount that he is due. You will consider that to be another order of this court. Take notice that failure to comply with this order will result in further contempt proceedings against you."

She erupted. "I do not have that much money! And, since you have me caged, like some sort of animal, there is no way I can make that money! This is insane!"

The judge stared her down. "Ms. Evans, I am not finished. You will be seated, and hear me out, or you will, again, be held in contempt. Now!"

Slowly, she sat down. The litany continued. "For the duration of your incarceration, your children will be in the sole custody of Mr. Evans. Inasmuch as you elected to disregard the court ordered visitation, and fled the state with your children for an entire year, Mr. Evans will be paid, in compensatory damages, full child support as if he had sole custody of the children for that year."

The effect could have been predicted. "Judge, that's more insanity! I don't have that sort of money, and there is no way I can get it! You can't make me pay this!"

The judge turned to her bailiffs. "Please encourage Ms. Evans to keep her seat. If she has another outburst such as this, she can read the transcript."

To The Ex, she retorted, "Well, Ms. Evans, you now have plenty of time to consider whether this court can, or cannot, compel you to make this court ordered payment. And, since you have impressed the court with your contempt of both this court's orders as well as it's decorum, you are now obligated to pay the sheriff's department the costs of of your incarceration, as well as your extradition. As regards the state of your finances, you have a vehicle. You can elect to have that asset seized after a court hearing, or pay the assessments you face. You have bank accounts, which you can find subject to a lien issued by this court. You can comply with the orders of this court, or you can discover whether or not this court can cause you enough unhappiness so as to make you willing to comply. And, you now have an additional 90 days to reflect upon your life, and your decisions that have led you here, as sanction for your outbursts today in court."

To the court officers, the judge directed, "Please return Ms. Evans to the custody of the sheriff."

To the Ex, she simply said, "Madam, you are dismissed."