Rannigan's Redemption: Complete Collection

by Pandora Spocks

  Maggie gaped at him. “We’re staying in a marina?”

  He laughed. “No, we’re staying on a boat. We’ll sail it wherever we want to go.”

  “You know how to sail?”

  “I grew up on the bayou, cher. I know about all kinds of boats.” He kissed her hand again. “And guess what? There’s a full moon tonight, plenty of light for us to take this puppy out away from the crowds, find ourselves a little privacy. We can come back tomorrow and go shopping, go out to eat, hang out in some of the clubs. Or we can stay out by ourselves, go snorkeling, enjoy each other in peace and quiet. Whatever we want to do.”

  Maggie nodded emphatically. “Yes! I want to do all of that.”

  “I wish you weren’t so god-awful hard to please,” he laughed.

  An hour later, they relaxed on the cushioned seat in the stern of the sailboat, sipping wine and enjoying the bustle and lights of Key West from a half-mile out. They were surrounded by dark water, their nearest neighbor another sailboat anchored a hundred yards away. A full moon hung straight overhead. A light breeze gently stirred their hair, and water lapped softly against the hull of the boat. Faintly music traveled to them across the water.

  “It looks so magical from here,” Maggie commented. She curled her feet under her and leaned back against Bobby, sighing contentedly. A moment later she leaned up to give him a kiss. “Thank you so much. This is the most amazing birthday ever.”

  He chuckled. “We just got here. We have days to go yet. And more surprises.” He winked. “It’s been a long day. Are you tired?”

  Her eyes sparkled in the moonlight as she shook her head. “I’m not tired. But I’m ready for bed.”

  A low growl came from his chest. “That’s ma ‘tite cher.”

  Chapter 13

  “I don’t think I want to go into town today,” Maggie said as she and Bobby lingered over an al fresco breakfast. “I don’t even think I want to get dressed today.” She smiled lazily and reached her arms over her head in a stretch that pushed her bare breasts front and center.

  Bobby rewarded her with his lopsided grin as his cock offered an enthusiastic salute. “Okay by me. Hell, we can go naked all weekend if you want.”

  The truth was that since they’d gone below deck the previous night, neither of them had bothered with clothes. They’d fucked hard in a heated, feral sort of way, come back on deck to drink more wine, then headed back to the master cabin to make love more slowly the second time. The third time, they’d faced each other on their sides, joined intimately, each leaning back to watch as his cock speared in and out of her slick pussy. Across the breakfast table, he watched a sated smile cross her face, and he knew she was reliving last night as well.

  “Of course, the folks in town might have something to say if we show up tomorrow in the buff,” he mused.

  “We’re definitely going in to town tomorrow?”

  Bobby nodded. “It’s your birthday, cher. There are reservations to keep.”

  “Oh,” she said, grinning like a little girl. “Well, let’s have naked Friday, then.”

  He raised his glass of orange juice. “By proclamation of the birthday girl, it is hereby so ordered that today shall be known as Naked Friday!” Maggie touched her glass to his and they both laughed. “How about we sail to a reef a few miles out, and we spend the day snorkeling?”

  “That sounds perfect,” she said.

  The first place they stopped had a few boats nearby so Bobby sailed to another reef a bit further out, and they found the privacy they wanted. They anchored just off the reef and lowered the transom to create a dive platform complete with a ladder into the water. Maggie and Bobby snorkeled for hours, delighting in scores of tropical fish, large sea turtles, and even a few sharks.

  As the sun sank lower in the western sky, Bobby clung to the ladder. “Maybe we should make our way back toward Key West,” he said, placing his snorkel gear on the platform.

  “I’m not quite ready yet,” Maggie answered. She swam up to the platform and put her own gear there, then swished backwards, treading water a few feet away. Her breasts floated near the top of the water and she gave him a wicked smile.

  “Not quite ready?” he asked, arching an eyebrow. “Did we forget something?

  “I didn’t forget,” she said as she swam to him and gripped his shoulders.

  Bobby continued to hold the ladder with one hand, wrapping his other arm around her waist and pulling her to him. Her lips found his and latched on as her legs wrapped around his waist. “I want you right here, bayou boy,” she murmured against his cheek.

  “Then you should take me, cher,” he growled as he devoured her lips. She reached between them to position his hard cock at her entrance and leaned back to look into his eyes. Slowly she tightened her legs around his body pulling him firmly into her tight pussy, her gaze never leaving his.

  “You are so sexy,” he murmured as he pumped in and out of her sex, feeling his climax building. She tightened around him and moaned as her head dropped back. “Come on cher, let it go,” he urged softly. As she cried out, his own release came as well, and after, they clung to each other trying to regain their breath.

  They anchored again where they had the night before. Freshly showered and still naked, they worked together in the small galley to create a dinner of fresh seafood pasta. Back on deck at the small table, they toasted to each other in the rosy golden light of the sunset.

  The following day was Maggie’s actual birthday, and they slept deliciously late in the over-sized master cabin. It was with slight reluctance that Maggie put on a long halter-topped sundress in bold strokes of turquoise and fuchsia.

  “You look stunning, Maggie,” Bobby said. He looked great himself in jeans with a crisp white dress shirt and a wheat-colored linen jacket with a navy pocket square.

  “I really enjoyed Naked Friday,” she replied, grinning ruefully. “You look pretty hot, though.”

  He grinned and kissed her cheek. “I know how to clean up okay.”

  They made it to Mallory Square in time for the Sunset Celebration, where they watched the various street performers, laughing at the antics of a juggler and clapping at the skill of a slack-rope performer. Overlooking the turquoise water, they joined in the applause as the sun sank on the western horizon.

  Bobby was recognized a few times, and Maggie waited patiently as he posed for pictures and signed autographs. As always, he was apologetic. “I’m sorry about that.”

  “I don’t mind, really. They’re excited to meet you.”

  “But it’s your birthday, cher.”

  A block or so off of Duval they enjoyed an intimate romantic candlelight dinner of fresh locally caught mahi-mahi at a restaurant called Pisces. Following dinner, they traveled back up Duval, stopping in at a couple of clubs for cocktails, and Maggie even managed to coax Bobby out onto a crowded dance floor for a few songs.

  Returning to the boat late that evening, Bobby gestured for Maggie to sit on the cushioned seat on the cockpit deck. “Wait right here, cher.” Maggie giggled as he disappeared below deck. “Okay, now close your eyes.” She did as she was told. “No peeking now,” he purred, his voice sounding closer. Maggie covered her eyes with her hands. He kissed her cheek lightly. “Alright, you can look.”

  She opened her eyes to see a small white birthday cake with pink roses on top, Happy Birthday, Maggie! written in green frosting. A candle in the shape of the number 30 burned on top.

  “Happy Birthday to you...” he sang to her, endearingly slightly off-key.

  When he finished she clapped her hands. “This is amazing! What a great birthday!”

  “It’s not over yet,” he said. “Make a wish.”

  She grinned at him, silently wished, and blew out the candle. “Guess what I wished?”

  “You didn’t have to wish for that, cher. Sex is pretty much a given.”

  “See? My wish will come true,” she laughed.

  “And there’s this,” he said, slipping a smal
l wrapped box from behind a cushion.

  Maggie’s eyes were wide. “What is it?”

  He gave a wry smile. “You have to open it to find out.”

  Carefully, she peeled pale lavender paper from the flat square box, then looked back to Bobby who was grinning happily. She lifted the lid off the box to find a vintage emerald pendent. The large emerald solitaire was accented with silver filigree and hung on a delicate silver chain. “Oh, Bobby, this is...” She gaped at him.

  He smiled proudly. “It’s your birthstone. Plus it sparkles like your eyes. Do you like it?”

  “No, I don’t like it, I love it! It’s absolutely exquisite,” she said, holding it up to the light.

  She held up her hair so he could fasten it around her neck. “What do you think?” she asked breathlessly.

  “It looks great with clothes.” He gave an impish grin. “I wonder how it would look without clothes.”

  On Sunday afternoon, they settled into their first class seats as they prepared to leave Key West. Maggie’s emerald necklace glinted in the sunlight pouring in through her window. She slid her hand under Bobby’s and laced her fingers with his. “I had the best time,” she told him. “Thank you so much, for everything.”

  He drew their hands up and brushed her knuckles with his lips. “My pleasure, cher. It was my pleasure.”

  “And,” she looked up at him through her lashes, “I might have said this last night, but I want to say it again. In the daylight. With clothes on.” She grinned. “I love you, Bobby Beaulieu.”

  He beamed at her. “I love you too, Maggie Flynn.”

  * * *

  Several hours later Bobby checked his phone briefly in the elevator of his apartment building. As they rode to the twenty-first floor, Bobby took Maggie’s hand. “What do you say,” he began, lifting her hand to plant a gentle kiss, “about coming to my place after you check in on Michael, maybe spending one more night with me?”

  Maggie smiled happily. “I’d say I like that idea a whole lot.”

  “Good. I want you all to myself one more night before I have to go out of town this week.” Bobby was scheduled to travel to Los Angeles to work a couple of games, then go to Houston covering three games against the Rangers. And since he was ending the week in Texas, he’d be spending the weekend with Savannah.

  She sighed. “I’ll miss you,” she said quietly.

  “I’ll miss you more,” he returned as the doors slid open. “Maybe I’ll say hello to Michael myself.”

  Hand in hand they walked down the hallway, pausing to leave their bags inside Bobby’s door before they went to Michael’s. Maggie dug her key out of her purse, but Bobby stopped her hand. “One more kiss, cher.” He gently lifted her chin and pressed his lips to hers. As the kiss deepened, Maggie wrapped her arms around his neck and he pulled her into him, his hands on her hips.

  Breathlessly, she stepped back. “Wow,” she whispered.

  He grinned at her mischievously. “And don’t you forget it.”

  She turned the key in the lock and pushed open the door. “Hello! Michael? We’re back.” When there was no response, she ventured toward the living room. “Michael?”

  It seemed to her that a hundred voices cried at once. “Surprise!” Fortunately, Bobby was directly behind her and caught her as she tripped backwards into his arms. Filling the space of Michael’s living room were all her friends, including Ben and Nate, Casey and John, Rance and Jason, and countless others she couldn’t begin to take in.

  Wordlessly, eyes like saucers, she gazed up at Bobby. “Surprise, cher,” he said softly as he steadied her on her feet.

  “I don’t believe it,” Maggie murmured as she looked back at the crowd.

  Standing slightly apart from the crowd, Michael raised a glass of champagne and bathed her in his signature grin. “Happy Birthday, Mags!”

  Chapter 14

  Days later in the oncologist’s waiting room, Michael sat back and grinned smugly, recalling the look of shock on Maggie’s face when she’d walked into her surprise party. Beau’s idea had been brilliant, and contacting Ben to take care of the details had been a stroke of genius. All Michael had had to do was to provide the venue. He couldn’t recall the last time he’d had a party at his place.

  Now, he glanced to his left at Maggie in the chair beside him and noticed that she seemed to have acquired a nice glow from her time in the Keys. He recalled his impression from the night of the party, that anytime she and Beau were close they were touching in some way, Maggie reaching to take his hand or Beau’s hand resting gently on the small of her back, as though neither of them could stand to be apart from the other.

  Making sure Maggie gave Beau a shot seems to be turning out successfully, he considered, feeling very pleased with himself.

  “Michael?” called the nurse from the doorway.

  “Do you want me to come back with you?” Maggie asked.

  He shrugged noncommittally, twisting the Yankees cap in his hands. “If you want, it doesn’t matter.”

  “I’ll rephrase. I’m coming back with you,” she said firmly.

  “Why did you even ask?” he wondered.

  “I just wanted to give you the chance to make the right decision.” She stood and hooked her bag over her shoulder.

  “Oh, for fuck’s sake,” he muttered as they followed the nurse.

  “I don’t want you to be discouraged,” the doctor was saying. “We just haven’t hit on the right treatment so far.” As so often happened to him in medical settings, Michael felt himself separating from the situation. Pulse pounding in his ears, he was an absent observer as Maggie engaged the doctor in conversation about further options.

  Before he knew it, she turned to him. “So what do you think?”

  Blinking guiltily at having been caught not paying attention, he sighed deeply. “Whatever you think, Mags.”

  She glared at him. “Fine. You want to leave this all up to me?” Maggie nodded at the doctor. “We’re in. Let’s schedule the radiation asap.”

  His eyes widened. “Radiation?”

  “Yes, Michael. That’s what we just spent the last fifteen minutes discussing. Welcome to the party.” Maggie abruptly crossed her legs.

  Shifting uncomfortably, Michael turned his attention to the doctor. “Is this really necessary?”

  The doctor leaned back in his chair and steepled the tips of his fingers together. “The chemo alone hasn’t made any significant change in the tumors. I suppose the good news is that there’s been no growth. But left alone, we can predict the tumors to expand. If we double-team them with another couple rounds of chemo and add to that radiation, we may see better results.” He looked at Michael thoughtfully. “I just have to be clear, there aren’t any guarantees.”

  Michael looked back to Maggie who was studiously avoiding eye contact, fixated on some imaginary hangnail on her thumb. Sighing heavily, he turned his attention back to the doctor. “Let’s give it a shot.”

  Exiting the building, Maggie wordlessly turned left and headed down the street. Michael hurried along behind her, replacing the cap on his bald head. “Mags, talk to me. What’s wrong?”

  She stopped and wheeled around to face him. “What’s wrong? What’s wrong is, your life is on the line here. And you don’t seem to give a damn. Which makes me wonder why I do.”

  “It’s not that I don’t give a damn.” Frustrated, he shoved his hands into his pockets. “Look, I just...” He chewed his lower lip. “I just don’t want to go through all this only to have it fail. I mean,” there was desperation in his eyes, “what if I jump through all these hoops, chemo and radiation and all of it, and I die anyway? And I’ve spent the end of my life sick and burned and miserable.” His pain was palpable.

  Maggie’s heart melted. “Michael,” she gripped his arm, “I get it. I know how rough chemo was, I saw how sick you were. But we have to try. We can’t not try.”

  Looking down he breathed out sharply. “So we’ll try. For now.” He looked
back up at her pointedly. “But I will decide when enough’s enough.”

  She looked at him for a long moment before nodding. “Okay. That’s fair.”

  “Starting over,” Michael said, sliding his classic smile back in place, “let’s go for some lunch. Come with me.”

  A few blocks later he stopped, beaming up at the sign. Maggie shook her head. “Seriously, Michael? Papaya King?”

  “I would remind you, counselor, that it was you who first introduced me to this place,” he quipped, opening the door for them to enter.

  “Yeah, but that was back when we were both young. And healthy.”

  Standing with their trays balanced on the narrow window counter, Michael gave Maggie a sideways glance. “You should know that I come here every once in a while for my chili dog fix.”

  She huffed at him in exasperation. “I thought we were trying to help you eat healthy.”

  “And while we’re on the subject of confessing our sins, Nurse Ratched, occasionally your boyfriend smuggles me some treats like beer and subs.” He flashed her a triumphant smile.

  Maggie’s eyes narrowed. “Oh, he does, does he?”

  “Dammit, I knew I should have quit while I was ahead,” Michael sighed. “Beau stops by some nights after work. We drink beer and shoot the shit. Makes me feel...normal.”

  There was something so plaintive in his tone that she couldn’t stay angry. “Michael, I know this is a difficult situation. But like I said before, we have to try.” She watched as he took another bite of chili dog. “I suppose every once in a while won’t hurt.”

  He dabbed at the corner of his mouth with a tiny white napkin. “You seem kind of uptight. Is everything okay?” He lowered his tone. “You and Beau are still good, right?”

  “Of course, are you kidding? He’s the best part of my life. I’m alright, it’s just...” she trailed off.