Page 77 of Marlin's Faith

“Where’re we eatin’?” Bobby asked as we reached the main boulevard, Johnny let out an explosive breath as first one, then another police car pulled past us and into the marina’s parking lot.

“How about Tommy’s fish shack?” he suggested.

“Sounds good,” Marlin said and we walked at a leisurely pace in the proper direction.

41

Marlin…

We had a good dinner, the boys and me walking Faith from the restaurant, strolling easily along the boulevard. When we reached the marina, on the way back to the Scarlett Ann, Johnny cast a sideways look in my direction before casually saying, “Y’ know, it’s getting late. Why don’t you guys stay on the Scarlett Ann tonight? I’ll bunk down on deck or in the living quarters.

Faith looked up at me and nodded silently, picking up as much as I was what my brother was putting down. He didn’t want to be alone in case his crazy ass soon-to-be-ex-wife decided to show up and cause trouble. We looked to Bobby and he asked, “You got beer?”

“What the fuck you mean, ‘have I got beer’? When do I not have beer you happy bastard?” Bobby gave me a shove and I careened into Faith who lost balance right along with me, we giggled, going foot over foot off to the side to bounce off my little brother like a human rendition of pong. Johnny laughed and gave us a gentle shove to help us get righted.

“Cool, thanks guys,” Johnny said and Bobby shrugged.

“Don’t mention it,” my best friend said and Faith gave a soft, contented sigh beside me.

When we got back to my boat, we hung out on deck and had a round of beers, except Faith, she had water. She didn’t want to drink with the new meds and I didn’t blame her. I think she’d had enough of living in an altered state for her lifetime and then some.

It was late when she and I finally went to bed, and I have to admit, I’d been fighting the urge to rush her there all evening. When I shut the door to my master cabin, she stood in the dim lighting and looked like a fuckin’ angel.

I went to her, stripping my tee off over my head, and pulled her to me when her breath caught with desire. Those incredible aquamarine eyes of hers wandered over my chest and arms and it was like she was drinking me in, the way she did it had me instantly fucking hard and I asked her, “It alright if I make love to you?”

“Yes,” she breathed and her hands were tangling in my hair, dragging my face to hers, even as I slipped her flimsy cover up, sweater thing off her shoulders and off her arms. It dropped to the carpet, pooling behind her and before it’d settled completely, I was working at the aqua wrap that hung low on her hips, the gauzy material lighter than air. It fluttered to the floor two or three seconds later, Faith’s hands finding their way to the front of my shorts, working at the button and zipper.

I groaned into her mouth when she reached inside and wrapped careful fingers around me. She grasped me, her palm soft against the head of my dick and I found my hips jerking forward all on their own to meet her firm strokes.

“God, Baby Girl, that feels so good,” I moaned and tipped my head back to just enjoy it for a few seconds. Her kiss on my chest was light and reverent and I smoothed my hands up and down her arms, my fingers going up under her hair to work at the halter of her swim top. It gave way and I eased it down, following it, going to my knees so I could take first one, then the other nipple of her pert breasts into my mouth. I loved her body, every curve, every angle, every supple inch but my woman had breasts to die for.

Faith’s fingernails scratched lightly against my scalp, her voice a hoarse, muted cry as she threw back her head and allowed me to pay homage to her beautiful fuckin’ tits. I smoothed my hands up her ribs and around to her back where I found the catch to her swim top and got it loose, pulling it off completely, leaving her in just the bottoms. I pulledthoseaside and buried my face at the juncture of her thighs, kissing; tongue questing for that small prize, that pearl of nerve endings that would set her on fucking fire.

Her legs shuddered and she bit her bottom lip, trying to keep her voice down and I chuckled, backing off her long enough to pull the bottoms down her lithe legs. She shuddered and I stood, leaving my shorts on the floor, stepping out of them and my flip flops. I picked her up and she twined her legs around my hips. It was a few steps up and I was laying her back gently and carefully in my bed.

“Marlin,” she gasped, a slight edge of panic in her voice and I realized I was looming, and tonight it was setting her on edge.

“Whatever you want, Baby Girl, just tell me,” I said and held myself off of her, my arms to either side of her body. She had her lip between her teeth with apprehension and when she finished searching my face, realizing I meant every word I’d just uttered, she relaxed, slowly.

“Kiss me,” she said softly and I lowered myself, placing my lips softly against hers.

She kissed me carefully, her hands holding my face, cradling them gently and I pulled back just enough to ask her again, “Is it okay if I make love to you, Faith?”

“Yes,” she said, unequivocally, and so I slipped inside her.

She was wet and ready, despite the demons inside her head and I moved slowly, maintaining eye contact with her. The moment she let go was a beautiful thing, her eyes drifting shut, her body relaxing beneath mine and her breath escaping in a shuddering sigh.

“That’s it, Baby,” I murmured and it was the wrong thing to say. Her eyes flew open and I immediately pushed myself up. Her eyes were wide and frightened and I instantly made a mental note toneversay that again.

I pulled out of her and she covered her breasts with her arms, tears springing to her eyes making them luminous. I made soothing noises and moved off to the side, asking her, “Can I hold you?”

Faith nodded, and I gathered her into my arms and she wept. I sighed inwardly, and didn’t fault her one bit. It would be silly of me to expect that we would never have one of these kinds of setbacks. I held Faith tight and let the tears fall. As soon as I’d seen the fear in her eyes, my erection had flagged, and somehow I think that actuallyhelpedin this situation. She whimpered that she was sorry into my chest and I felt a fission of anger travel down my spine, though I would be damned if I would show it. I wasn’t angry at her, and I didn’t need her thinking I was.

“Shh, no need to apologize, Baby Girl. It’s gonna happen, I understand.”

I hushed her and I soothed her and I pulled the sheet and blanket up over us both, cuddling her near, and letting her cry it out, until exhausted, she fell asleep. I lay awake for a long, long time after that, absently stroking her back as she whimpered and slept fitfully in my arms.

It was probably the toughest night we’d had together to date, since the earlier days when she was still in the throes of her body’s addiction. It’d been a real good day, too. I had to imagine, if there was anything that’d set her off, it wasn’t me; I was thinking it had to be Lynn. Abuse is abuse and if ever there was a more abusive broad, Lynn was exactly it.

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