Chapter Twenty Five

Richie had gone downstairs still smirking as she sat on the bed and tried to get her head together. She’d never had this amount of orgasms in such a short length of time before and was beginning to feel the effects of them. Her legs felt like jelly and her stomach muscles hurt from all the involuntary clenching she’d done. She felt liquid and boneless and wanted nothing more than to lie down on the bed and dissolve into a watery mass.

Wearily she got up and pulled on last nights jeans and went to rifle through his walk in closet for a top to wear. She marvelled at the amount of clothes he had, racks and racks of tops, shirts, trousers, jeans and jackets all in colour formation with notes above each section saying what the colour was. She felt her heart melt at this. How could she not love a man who had to keep his clothes in colour formation in order to avoid fashion disasters. She brought her hand up to her mouth and felt her heart burst with love for him. Bless.

There was a small section at the back of the closet with women’s clothes in it. She guessed they were left overs from his exes. She picked up a black plunge-necked tee shirt, with the words ‘Rock Chick’ picked out in diamante on the front and checked the size. It was a size 4-6, bearing the label ‘Maternity’.

She made a face as she put it on. It fitted perfectly, plunging between her breasts. She checked her reflection in the full length mirror.

‘Ok, Rock chick ish but no too tarty. Must have been ex wifey’s when she was pregnant. God I can’t imagine Rich with a size zero woman, I mean he’s so big, in all aspects; he’d fucking crush her to death.’ she thought, grinning to herself, as she twirled in front of the mirror.

Satisfied with her appearance she turned to see if there was a small jacket she could pinch when she noticed a box full of make up.

‘What the hell’ she thought as she began to make her face up, checking the use by dates to make sure she wasn’t going to catch some god awful disease from using an out of date mascara. She applied a bit of eyeshadow in a taupe colour and tidied up her eyebrows before applying a couple of coats of the full lash mascara. She rooted around in the box and found a Chanel lip gloss in a peachy pink colour. She put it on and surveyed her handiwork.

‘Hmm, not bad.’ she thought, reflecting on the fact that she hadn’t worn make up for about six months.

She snagged a smallish black leather ¾ length jacket and picking up her boots, made her way downstairs to the den.

Richie was seating forward on the sofa, watching an American Football game. He was totally engrossed in it, watching the screen avidly. She sat next to him and placed her hand on his leg.

“Hey babe.” he said, distracted

She leaned against him and placed her head on his shoulder, breathing in his unique smell; clean and very masculine.

“So where..” she began

“Richie held up his hand for silence as the action heated up on the screen.

Dee sat back, a bit taken aback by his action. She sat for a moment then got up and went into the kitchen to get her cigarettes.

She then walked past him and out into the open air before lighting a cigarette and taking a huge drag off it.

She was standing in the garden, staring mindlessly into the distance when she felt his hands go round her waist.

“Sorry babe. I get like that sometimes. I get so totally in the zone that I forget my manners. Forgive me?”
She turned to face him and delighted as his eyes widened, taking in the plunge neck of the tee shirt and the make up she’d put on to enhance her eyes.

“Wow, you look amazing.” he said, walking round her, taking in the tight jeans and the form fitting tee shirt, topped off by a straw cowboy hat she’d picked up off the kitchen table.

“Thanks and you’re forgiven.” she smiled at him, her long hair blowing gently in the light breeze that was blowing in from the nearby ocean.

She sniffed, catching salt in the breeze.

“How far is the ocean from here?” she asked, dancing on the heels of her cowboy boots.

“Not far. Why?”

“ I want to go to the beach, walk on the sand.” Dee smiled, holding out her hands.

“Where ever you want to go I will follow.” he intoned, causing her to splutter with laughter, “Just let me put my boots on and grab another hat seeing as someone’s pinched the one I was going to wear. But I have to say it looks far better on you.” he smiled as he headed back into the house.

“Rich?” she called out as he entered the den.

“Yeah babe?”

“Don’t wear the leopard print one please?”

She could hear his laughter as he went inside.


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The breeze from the ocean was wonderfully cooling as they paddled in the shallows. Both had pulled their boots and socks off and rolled up their jeans as far as they would go in order to enjoy the cooling surf as it rolled over their ankles. To anyone watching them they looked like any other couple in love, as they strolled along, hand in hand, laughing and joking with each other. Occasionally she would mock punch him on the arm when he cracked yet another truly dreadful joke, then pull him close for a hug and a kiss.

“So Rich, have you spoken to your ex yet about what’s happened?” she asked as they splashed water over each other’s feet.
“Not yet. She’s probably getting advice from her lawyers before calling. It’s something I’m so not looking forward to. What if she takes Ava away from me? I mean permanently? What the hell am I going to do without my baby?”

“Oh sweetheart I’m sure it’s not going to come to that. I’m sure that the police are going to find out that it wasn’t your fault; that you had nothing to do with her death and that your ex will see that and let you see Ava again. She knows what a good dad you are and that it’ll only hurt Ava if she’s not allowed to see you.”

Richie cuddled her close to him, resting his head on the top of her hat covered head.

“How can you have such faith in me when I have none?” he murmured, squinting through his sunglasses out to sea.

“I love you.” she uttered, softly into his chest, eyes closed, feeling the warmth of his skin through his tee shirt.

Richie stilled. Had he heard her right? She loved him? He felt his heart leap at the prospect of this wonderful woman feeling the same that he was.

He pulled away from her and removed his glasses, prompting her to do the same.

He looked at her seriously. Dee began to feel a bit worried. Had he heard what she’d said? She hadn’t meant it to be audible; in fact she hadn’t meant to say it out loud, it has just slipped out as she’d snuggled into him, feeling content and warm and safe as she did around him.

“Did you mean what you just said?” he asked, his chocolate eyes boring into her blue ones.

“What?”

“Did you mean it when you said you love me?” he asked with a quiet intensity.

“Erm..yes…I did” she stammered under his close scrutiny.

Richie let out the breath he’d been holding in a rush and pulled her close again.

“I’m so glad.” he murmured, then pulled away again to look at her, “as I’ve fallen in love with you too.”