Finding Peace: Baytown Boys

by Maryann Jordan

  “Oh, the big guy’s gonna come over here now,” the man sneered, staggering more. “You ain’t gonna do nothin’ with this bitch cop standing next to me.”

  “No, I’m going to do something,” Ginny said, reaching for his arm as she spoke into her shoulder radio, calling for assistance.

  The man made a swing as Brogan stepped forward, but Ginny tried to place herself between the drunk and Brogan. Unable to duck in time, the blow caught her on the jaw, knocking her backward.

  Brogan roared as he saw red, grabbing the man by the throat. Regaining her balance, Ginny moved quickly, pushing her body into the fray.

  “Brogan, let him go. I’ve got this.” With zip ties, she secured the man’s arms, still yelling at Brogan. “Let him go, or I’ll have to arrest you too!”

  He dropped his gaze to hers, his growl emanating from deep within, “No one hits what’s mine.”

  Standing to her full height, which still left her eyes having to look way up, she narrowed her eyes and said, “I may be yours, but right now, I’m a cop. Let. Him. Go. Now.”

  “Bro,” Aiden’s voice came from behind, calm and gentle. “Do as Ginny says. She’s got him.”

  He loosened his fingers and the man fell backward, Ginny taking his weight, stumbling slightly. “Yes, ma’am. By all means, do your job, Officer Spencer.” As soon as the words left his mouth, Brogan dropped his chin to his chest, regretting the sarcastic tone. “Ginny, I’m sorry, that’s not what I meant—”

  Grant made it to the tent and, taking the man’s other arm, said, “Come on. Time to sleep it off.”

  Brogan looked at Ginny, a red bruise on her cheek forming, blinking to battle the tears, and the hurt in her eyes, as she glanced back at him. “Fuck, Ginny, I’m sorry.” She gave a curt nod and walked off with Grant and the drunk, the crowd parting for them.

  Brogan looked over the gathering, his mom and dad looking on, worried expressions on their faces. Turning he saw Katelyn and Aiden standing behind him and he bit out, “Can you handle this?”

  Both nodded as Gareth said, “I’ll take your place. Go on. Take a walk and cool off.”

  “I need to go to her—”

  “Let her do her job, right now, Bro,” Aiden said, his voice still calm as he placed his hand on Brogan’s shoulder. “She’s fine and you need a breather.”

  “I need to fix this—”

  “Brogan,” Katelyn said, stepping up to him, her blue eyes pinning him in place. “You and Ginny are fine. Shit happens. Arguments will occur, but it’s okay. You and Ginny love each other and you’re still learning to be a couple.”

  Brogan sighed heavily, his hands on his hips and his eyes staring at his boots. “I’ve never told her I love her,” he confessed. “But I do.”

  “Then I suggest you rectify that situation tonight…along with your apology.”

  He lifted his head and said, “But what if…” His voice trailed off, unable to put words to his fears.

  “No ifs, Bro. She loves you. She’s doing her job right now, but if I had to guess, she feels as badly as you do.”

  Uncertain they were right, he nodded toward Gareth. “Thanks for filling in. I’m just going for a walk, but I’ll be back for cleanup.” With that, he walked away from the block party, leaving the noise, music, and laughter behind. With no particular direction in mind, his feet eventually took him down Main Street to the town pier. Walking along the wooden planks, the dark, moonlit waves washing against the pylons, he sat down heavily, leaning back against the sides. The memories of his first date with Ginny on this very pier assaulted him.

  Rubbing his hand over his face, he cursed his temper and the look on Ginny’s face when he made a snide comment as she was doing her job. Chuckling ruefully, he thought back to his last counseling session, when he had discussed his anger and sense of guilt. Charles had been so proud of him for telling his story to Ginny and encouraged him to continue to work on letting go of guilt. Now, I fuck up and have more guilt to deal with. And this time, it is my fault. God, is this what dating a cop is going to be like? Knowing she could get hurt at any time. And if I step in, then I take away her control and authority?

  After thirty minutes, he grew tired of his pity-party and knew it was time to head back. The music from the band could still be heard and, he had to admit, they were talented. The crowd appeared to have had a good time and the money raised for the American Legion and Fire Station was beyond expected. Trying to focus on the positives, he knew it was a losing battle, as long as things were unresolved with Ginny.

  Stepping off the pier onto the sand leading to the street, he saw a dark shadow nearby. Halting defensively, he opened his mouth to speak, but the shadow spoke first.

  “Hey.”

  The soft voice curled around his heart bringing peace as his breath caught in his throat. “Ginny,” he whispered, his low growl carried away in the night breeze.

  She stepped into the light of the nearest streetlamp and looked up at him. Her left cheek was bruised and slightly swollen. He wanted to roar before going to the police station, pulling out the drunk and seeing how he felt having a bigger man punch him in the face. Sucking in a deep breath, he pushed that thought out of his mind.

  Ginny stepped closer, still keeping her distance, uncertain of Brogan’s feelings. “I wanted to check on you, when they said you left.”

  “You went back to the block party?”

  Tilting her head to the side, she said, “Yeah. Once we got the drunk into the tank, we went back. The party still has another thirty minutes until it’s over and I know there will be some cleanup, as well as making sure the crowd disperses.”

  Swallowing, he nodded, “I need to get back. I…uh…took a walk.”

  A light chortle slipped from her lips as she said, “I kinda got that.” Sobering for a moment, she said with less lightheartedness, “Well…I better get back. I just wanted to check on you.” Turning, she was halted as his quick steps brought him next to her, his hand on her arm.

  “Can I walk with you?”

  Nodding slowly, but without smiling, she replied, “Of course.”

  Silently, they walked the three blocks to the corner where Finn’s stood proudly, the beginning of the party. Brogan looked over at the alcohol tent, now closed for business during the last half hour of the concert, seeing Katelyn, Gareth, Aiden, and others putting the alcohol away while swaying to the music. He knew he needed to be over there helping, but hated leaving Ginny’s side with so many emotions unsaid.

  “Ginny, I owe you a big apology for the way I spoke to your earlier. It was rude and uncalled for—”

  “Shh, Brogan. We can talk later.” She smiled up at him, jerking her head toward the tent. “Go on. You’ve got work to do and so do I.”

  “Will I…uh…see you…later?” His voice sounded strange, even to his own ears. Swallowing deeply, he steadied himself for her rejection. Instead, his eyes jumped down as she placed her hand on his arm.

  “Of course,” she replied. “We both have a lot to do, but I’ll see you when I get home.”

  “Home?” he asked, his voice hopeful.

  “Yes, silly. Home.” Her brow creased as she said, “I was thinking of my house, since it’s closer, but would you prefer yours?”

  The weight on his chest lifted as he said, “If you don’t mind, I’d rather wait and go with you. Either house…doesn’t matter, but…I’d…uh…really like to just be with you.”

  “Okay,” she said, her smile warming his heart once again. “We’ll go home together.”

  25

  Brogan stirred from sleep, his mind groggy with fatigue, but instantly smiled at the feel of Ginny’s warm body snuggled in close to his. Her head rested on his chest, her small hand placed over his heart in sleep. One leg was thrown over his thighs, perilously close to his twitching cock.

  He watched her sleep, trying to focus on her peaceful beauty and not the bruise on her cheek. Granted, it was only slightly reddish in the morning light and not ne
arly as dark as he assumed it would be, but he knew it had hurt and the idea of someone hurting her still made his teeth clench.

  Forcing the negative thoughts from his mind, he focused instead on the woman in his arms. After the crowd had dispersed without incident, the food trucks had driven away, Finn’s beer tent had been taken down, the money had been put away in the safe for Katelyn to do an accounting the next day, the kegs and crates had been taken back into Finn’s storage rooms, and as the town street sweepers had made their passes to collect the garbage, the city block once again retaining its normal appearance, Ginny had met him at the corner under the streetlamp at the door to the pub.

  They decided to go to his place, just so they could wake up the next morning to the sunshine reflecting off the bay, the peace of the beach dunes, and the gulls and herons as their only company.

  Both tired, they fell into bed, slumber coming almost immediately for both. Now, with the morning light shining in, Brogan knew there were things that needed to be said.

  Ginny stirred slightly, her eyes fluttering as she adjusted to the light streaming in the window, the sound of the surf in the distance. Seeing Brogan’s blue eyes, she smiled, licking her lips as she mumbled, “Morning.”

  Matching her smile, he leaned over and kissed her. Light. Gentle. “Hey, honey,” he muttered against her lips, his hand sliding to the bottom of her t-shirt.

  She mumbled incoherently again, her mouth opening as her tongue tangled with his. Feeling his cock twitch against her thigh, she shifted over his body, straddling him so her core was now pressed firmly on his erection. Holding on to his shoulders, her bedhead hair streaming down creating a curtain, she grinned.

  His fingers gripped her ass tightly as he closed his eyes, all the blood rushing to his dick as the heat from her sex knocked all thoughts from his mind other than me, her, now.

  Giggling, she whipped her t-shirt over her head, her breasts bouncing with the movement. His hands smoothed over her ribcage until both held her breasts, their weight filling his palms. Pushing them together, he jerked up, sucking first one nipple and then the other, deeply into his mouth. Ginny groaned at the sensation, wondering at the nerves that sparked between her breasts and her womb. Rubbing her panty clad sex on his erection, barely contained in his boxers, she sought the friction desperately needed.

  “Fuck this,” he groaned, his large hand grasping her hips and lifting her up enough to snag her panties. He noticed they were black and lacy and stopped just long enough to grin up at her.

  “Your sister took me shopping,” she said, grinning back.

  “Well, I hope you have more, ‘cause I can’t wait,” he said, just before he ripped them on one side and pulled the scrap of material away.

  Before she could protest, his lips latched onto one nipple again as his fingers found their way into her warm sex, tweaking the right spots to have her wiggling and writhing in need.

  Rolling them to the side, Brogan leaped from the bed just long enough to drop his boxers and free his massively erect cock, stroking it with his hand for a second as he looked down at her naked body, wide open for his perusal. Rolling on a condom, he grinned as he leaned over the bed.

  With no restraint, he lifted her calves to his shoulders, centering the tip at her opening and, seeing her bright, lust-filled eyes, he plunged to the hilt in one swift motion. Her tight, warm channel accommodated him as he groaned in satisfaction.

  “Fast and hard, baby?” he grunted, already moving inside of her.

  “Yes,” she cried out, her fingers grabbing onto his shoulders to hang on for the ride.

  Thrusting into her, he buried his frustration, his fears, and worries all into the movement of his cock rocking into her luscious body. Opening his eyes, he watched as her breasts bounced in rhythm to their movements. Looking down at their coupling, he stared at his cock, slick with her juices, sliding in and out of her sex, the scent filling the air.

  Realizing he had not made her come before they got started, a sliver of guilt hit him, but the light in her eyes and smile on her face took it away. Shifting his weight to one forearm, he slid his free hand over her breasts, pinching her nipples slightly before moving down over her mound and fingering her clit.

  Her orgasm hit hard as her body bucked underneath him. He rolled quickly and, with her on top, ordered, “Ride it out, baby.”

  With his hands on her hips, he watched as she moved up and down on his shaft, her orgasm still causing her inner walls to clench him. She smiled in open abandon as she bounced, her hands gripping his shoulders again.

  Throwing his head back, his neck muscles corded and his veins stood out prominently, his growl starting deep in his chest before it roared from his body. Pumping upward until every last stream of his orgasm was deep inside her, he collapsed back onto the mattress, her body landing on his with a thump.

  They lay, exhausted but exhilarated, for several long minutes, until their breath was less ragged. His hand smoothed over her skin from her shoulders to her ass and back again. Her unmarred cheek laid on his chest, the thick muscles cushioning her face.

  Slowly, she lifted her head and peered down at him, a smile curving her lips. “We good, honey?”

  “Oh, yeah, Ginny. We’re good,” he grinned in return, knowing they would talk later. But, for now…they were good.

  The man lay flat against the dunes, his binoculars trained on the naked couple in bed, the beautiful Ginny on top of that brute. He had watched her rosy-tipped breasts bounce as the barman pounded into her. Holding the binoculars with one hand, he had slid his other hand down his pants, working his cock, but he could not come. Furious, his impotence enraged him. It was taking more and more to get him off. Watching her lift her hand to stretch, the man’s cock still buried inside her, made him even angrier.

  Ginny jerked her head toward the window and he realized the glass in the binoculars might have sent a reflection toward the house. Dropping to the sand, he slid down the dune, completely out of sight, and ran down the beach until he could get far enough away that, to anyone else, he would just appear to be an early beach comber. Seeing a few people up ahead looking for sea glass, he smiled. Just a man out on a beautiful morning, enjoying the views.

  Ginny lounged in the Adirondack chair on Brogan’s deck, her shower-wet hair drying in the breeze. The unsettled feeling in her gut she had had since their morning romp had disappeared, seeing nothing on the beach but gulls, herons, and the occasional black pelican. MB sauntered out onto the deck, stretching before winding herself around Ginny’s legs, followed by Brogan, a tray in his hands, full of steaming cups of coffee, toasted bagels with cream cheese, and a plate each of scrambled eggs and bacon.

  Her empty stomach rumbled, giving evidence to her pleasure at his offerings. “Oh, this is wonderful,” she gushed, taking a sip of coffee. “Thank you.”

  The two sat in companionable silence for several minutes, enjoying the breakfast and the beautiful day.

  As Brogan finished, he set his coffee on the deck and leaned forward, holding her gaze. “Honey, I gotta apologize for last night. Well, for part of last night.” Seeing her eyes not wavering, he plunged on. “I’m a man, and a certain kind of man. They say a man learns how to treat a woman by how his father treated his mother. And, I gotta say, I learned from the best.”

  She reached across the space and laid her hand on his arm. “Yes, you did,” she agreed softly.

  Nodding, he continued, “My dad would have flattened any man who dared to lift a finger toward my mom. So would Pops. In fact, all the men I knew in my childhood would have done that. Mitch’s dad, Jillian’s, hell, even Zac’s dad if he wasn’t too drunk to stand up—” Seeing her quizzical expression, he shook his head and said, “another story for another day, babe.”

  Sighing, he continued, “But I know you were working. I’ve got no problem with you being a policewoman, Ginny. Nothing but the deepest respect for what you do. Hell, if I’d had a problem with your job, I wouldn’t have been panting
after you for two years.”

  At that, a smile slipped across her face, but Ginny remained quiet, knowing he needed to talk, and so pleased he was not holding it all in.

  Wringing his large hands, he said, “I saw that man arguing with you, calling you a bitch…babe, I wanted to pound him into the ground. I kept telling myself you were working. I know you’re a cop. But he clocked you, babe, and I saw red. Pure, fuckin’ furious red.”

  “It’s okay to want to protect me, you know.”

  At that, his eyes jumped to her, his brow lowered.

  Swinging her legs around, so that she was facing him, she said, “In uniform, I’m in control, but that doesn’t mean every situation can be handled according to plan. When dealing with belligerent persons, it’s good to have backup there. Last night, I’d called for help on my radio but he took a swing at you and I fucked up by trying to get between you and him.”

  “Jesus, babe. Never put yourself between someone and me. Not when your safety…or honor, is in question.”

  “My honor? Honey, as a cop, I’ve been called worse than bitch. And as a woman, I’ve heard it all. That doesn’t make it right and, as a cop, I do what I have to do.” Chuckling, “as a woman, I might just knee them in the balls if I feel the situation warrants it.”

  The two sat quietly as he placed his large hands over hers, rubbing them gently. “It’s hard for me, to be honest,” he admitted. “I never wanted some wimpy woman, and you being a cop is not a bad thing. But, I hope we don’t find ourselves in another situation like last night, ‘cause I can’t promise that I’ll hold back.”

  “I don’t want you to be anything other than what you are, honey,” she said, her gaze warm with the sunlight catching the golden hues of her hazel eyes. “I’ll always act like a cop when the situation warrants it, but otherwise, I can be your woman.”

  “There’s one other thing I realized last night that I need to rectify,” he confessed. Leaning closer, so that his lips were a breath away from hers, he whispered, “I love you, Ginny Spencer.”