Page 14 of Ewing

He did, rubbing her back and shoulders until she began to relax. Closing his eyes, he started to fall asleep again then she spoke. Ewing could hear the tentativeness in her voice, and that made him smile. He didn’t laugh. He wasn’t that stupid.

“Is sex always going to be like that? Like it’s the end of all of our sexual escapades, and we’re the winners of the golden ring?” He did laugh then. She was so delightful that he didn’t think that she understood what she was to him. “I’m just asking you something important.”

“If it’s like that all the time, we may never leave this bed. I mean, I am seriously worn out. And sore. But I’ll deny that I said that if you were to tell someone.” She promised him that his secrets were safe with her. “Thank you. But honestly, that’s the best sex I’ve ever had. In all my life.”

“That’s all you need to say about that.” She put her fingers over his mouth, and he took the opportunity to kiss them. “I think maybe we might have to wait until the kids move out before we havethat loud of sex again. My bear is just lying in the corner of her space, exhausted but smiling. She’s forever smiling.”

“Thank you. My bear is strutting around like he’s won the world cup of all sex.” He tickled her when she told him it wasn’t that good. “You know that I’m right. That was the best.”

“Yes, it was. Now shut up so that I can take a quick nap. It’s almost five in the morning, and the kids will be back around ten.” He told her that he’d spoken to his brother yesterday, and he knew not to bring them back unless he called them. “So they’ll all know that we’ve had sex. Right?”

“Yes. Especially Mark. He’s more than likely marking in his book how many times you came and how many times you made me come, too. It’s a—hey, that wasn’t nice. Give me back the covers, or I’ll have to put my cold feet on you. I will, so don’t tempt me.”

For the rest of the morning, they talked about different things. He told her about being immortal, and she told him that she had some money that they could share, too. After telling her his worth, she told him she was keeping her money to buy things that he’d never know about.

“That’s a good idea. I go over the accounts when I get a bill from them so that no one is tricking me into any services that I don’t need. Sunny taught us that when she became a part of the family. Or it could have been Jamie. I don’t remember. But it has kept us on the straight and narrow about keeping our records straight. I have enough on my mind without worrying about someone double charging me for something that I’ve purchased.” Trinity told him that she did her own taxes as well. “Oh, not me. We have some accountants that do ours. It’s too many charities and income from rentals that I would definitely screw up if left in charge of that. Then there is us as a family that we have to take care of as well. Yeah, too much for one person to think they’d have a handle on, I think.”

They spoke about a few other things as they drifted in and out of sleep. By the time the sun was fully in the sky, they were both in the kitchen having a light breakfast of croissants and jelly. He had a cup of hot tea with his and Trinity was having a tall glass of juice. He told her that she’d have to drink a great deal more now that they had bonded, as the magic that they had would wear them out sooner if they didn’t.

Once they ate what they wanted, she headed to her office to take care of the things that she had to work on, and he did the same. The winery was doing well and he’d gotten his shipment of corks in just yesterday. He was thrilled to be able to have a smooth transition from white wine to the red that sold much better than anything else.

“You busy?” He looked up, lost for a few seconds in his thoughts, when his brother, Dexter, showed up outside the storage barn he owned, too. “I have several questions, but I have information as well. First of all, the paperwork came through on Patty. She’s officially yours. We heard from the judge last night and he said that he’d just go ahead and file it. None of the kids were shown to have any relatives out there that the judge thought the kids would be better off with.”

“That’s great news. When we get them back tonight, we’ll have a celebration about it. The other kids wanted to wait to have a party until all of them were adopted.” He shook his head. “I’m the father of six of the most wonderful females and the best little boy. I’m so fucking lucky.”

“You are.” He asked him what else he had for him. “Nothing earth-shattering. But the man who was trying his level best to buy you out a few months ago is in jail. His boss made sure that he knew what it was all about, too. They would like to talk to you about expanding but I told him that now wasn’t the best time as you’d only just gotten married. I hope that was all right.”

“It is, thank you. I really needed this time with Trinity. Not just for the sex, though that was mind-blowing, but we talked about a great many things too. The kids were the most important conversation. However, we decided that we have enough kids. I don’t know that later we’ll change our mind but that’s where we are now.” He asked him what else he had. “I mean, I’m feeling pretty good now, so lay whatever you’re putting off on me.”

“Ben has pleaded not guilty by reason of insanity. No one is buying it, especially the judge. He said that he wants the victims of his shit put out there for everyone to know about. I think that once he’s in prison, he won’t last all that long. The judge has received several messages from inmates wantingBen to be their cell mate. I doubt very much that it’ll be a long stay together either.” Ewing said that he didn’t think that he’d go easy either. “No, I believe that you’re right. He’s in for a rude awakening when he gets there. His sister is suing him for wrongful death too of her son.”

They talked about a few more things as he walked the line in his building. He did get around to asking his questions, nothing earth shattering as he said, but just general information and then asked him if he’d donate to the basket that Grannie’s store was auctioning off.

“It’s for the scholarship money that we set up at the store for kids to apply for. I didn’t get a good number, but Maddy was saying that there were over four thousand applicants as it was now. I don’t know what to say to that. Other than I need to ask you guys if you want to award two of them rather than the one for the first year.” Ewing told his brother he was all for that, and if they didn’t have enough money, he’d be willing to donate more. “Thanks. Anyway, the basket idea came from one of your kids as a matter of fact. Patty said that they had raffles at the grocery store they used to steal from. Did you know that she kept an accounting of how much they stole? She’s a good kid and I have a feeling she’s going to go far in life.”

Ewing had to agree. He had been helping her with her homework for the past several nights to get her caught up and he thought that she was smarter than the little girl thought she was too. She hadn’t had a great deal of positive reinforcement in her life, and he was going to make sure that she knew just how proud he was of her.

After his brother left him, Ewing decided that he’d gotten as much done as he could. The popping in and out thing was much more useful than he’d ever imagined it would be. He could be at home, pop to one of his many businesses, and be home in time for dinner.

He also loved that he was dressed after shifting. This morning he’d tested that theory when one of the faeries had asked him several times if he was all right. Shifting to his bear and back again, he didn’t have as many kinks to work out as he did before.

Also, with the shifting, he realized too that his bear was a bit bigger. Not so noticeable as a human but when he’d been his bear, it was obvious to him that he was at least several inches taller as well as his bear seemed to be wider across the chest than he’d been before sex. That’s what he was basing everything on before sex and after sex. He was laughing as he made his way into the house after getting there.

“You have to find a way to make this work, please.” He didn’t enter the office but listened to Patty talk to someone. It only took him several seconds before he realized that she was speaking to her mom. “The teacher won’t let me call the others sisters and brothers because our last name is different. And she said that until the court man tells us to, I’m not allowed to call you Mom either. That’s not fair.”

“What’s her name?” He could hear the anger in Trinity’s voice when she asked Patty who that was. After getting the name, she told her that she’d take care of it. That was when Ewing decided to make himself known. “There’s your dad now. You tell him what this teacher said to you, and we’ll see what his opinion is about this mess.”

“You’re our daughter. I wanted to put that out there first. Judge Hartman called my brother this morning and told him. And the paperwork has been filed as well. You are officially our daughter as are the rest of the family.” Patty hugged him, sobbing about how much better her life was going to be now. “It might not be right away if your mother goes down to the school and tells them off.”

“She won’t do that.” Patty turned and looked at Trinity. “You won’t do that, will you? Cause trouble at the school? I don’t care if you do or not, but I’m betting that you have a lot to say to Mrs. Spiegel.”

“I can make that promise. But when she hurts any of my children, whether we have the paperwork or not, she’s messing with me.” Patty looked at him and he could see just the beginnings of a twinkle in her eyes. “I won’t do this if you don’t agree that I should. But think about this. She might be doing this to other children, too, and I can’t stand for some other adopted kid—like you six, including little Billy see them suffer needlessly about some woman that needs to have her head straightened out by me.”

Patty looked at him and then back at her mom. Ewing knew that she was having a hard time deciding it or not, whether to allow her mom to kick some ass or just to let it go. He knew better than to put his opinion in but waited for her to decide.

“It would be better if she was made to know that the things that she’s been saying is wrong, won’t it?” Trinity told her that it would make a lot of difference to a lot of people. “All right. But don’t kill her. I think that I’d not want to see you in prison. You’d hurt other people. Just be nice if you can.”

“I will be if I can.” When Patty left them, Trinity was picking up her phone. “I’m going to get this over with if it’s the last thing I do today. No one is going to pick on my children.”