Author's Note: Holy cow a new chapter! Sorry about the long wait. I've been working on the new Breaking Through and this one just struggled along next to it. I've been writing this chapter off and on for a while now and just couldn't get anything out. So, it came in spurts, hopefully it doesn't read that way! Anyway, enjoy, and as always, happy reading. Dark rolling sea.
CHAPTER TWENTY-FIVE
Once Tom and Sasha had left, Mike locked up the apartment and went to find Ginny. He found her sitting in Wyatt's room watching the boy play quietly building with Legos. He peeked into the room and made eye contact with her. She nodded at him and got up off Wyatt's bed and slipped out into the hallway.
"Everything, okay?" she whispered. Mike wrapped his arms around her and pulled her in tight.
"Yeah," Mike breathed out as he took a deep breath. He let Ginny go and she pulled back and looked at him curiously.
"You, okay?" she asked quietly. Mike smiled.
"Very much, okay. I think I'll pack my things up tomorrow and bring them down here."
"I like the sound of that," she smiled wickedly, as her hands roamed his chest. Ginny checked the time and then winked at Mike. "You get Wyatt to sleep, and I'll tell Ty to get to bed…then I'll meet you in the bedroom."
"Deal," Mike groaned out and then went into Wyatt's room. The boy was still building with Legos and Mike sat down on the floor next to him. "Hey, Wyatt."
Wyatt looked up at him from the corner of his eye. "Mike," the boy said in a monotone. Mike smiled.
"Time for bed, little buddy," Mike replied as he held out his arms. Wyatt looked at his Legos and whined. Mike scooted closer. "It's okay, we can build with Legos in the morning." Wyatt didn't respond. "Race you to pick up?"
Wyatt started to take apart what he had built, and Mike chuckled a little. He then started to pick up the pieces scattered on the floor. Wyatt frantically dismantled his creation and then started to throw the lose ones in the bin too. When all the Legos were picked up Mike scooped Wyatt up and took him over to the bed. He tucked the little boy in and sat on the edge of the bed.
"Night, Wyatt. Sleep well," Mike said. It took Wyatt a while to fall asleep and Mike waited anxiously. He knew from previous experience that if he left the room before Wyatt was asleep, Wyatt would just get up and leave the room too. Finally, Wyatt's eyes closed for the last time. Mike waited a few more minutes then slowly left the room and headed for Ginny's room. He paused…his and Ginny's room he thought. That thought both scared and exhilarated him. When he slipped into the darkened room, he saw her curled up in the bed already. He stripped down to his boxers and climbed in on the other side, pulling the blanket around him. She immediately shifted curling into his chest.
"You took forever," she whispered. Mike chuckled.
"Wyatt took forever," he said back as he stroked his hand up and down her back. He realized she was naked almost at the same moment that her lips touched his skin. Then she was nipping at him, and her hands were skimming across his body.
Mike let her explore him, laying back on the bed with his eyes closed as the sensations of what she was doing washed through him. He sucked in a breath when her fingers slipped inside his boxers and wrapped around his already hardening shaft. She shifted, throwing a leg over his hips and straddled him, her hand still slowly caressing his dick. She leaned down, kissing his chest, licking over his nipples. Mike opened his eyes and reached for her jaw, tugging slightly, pulling her face up to his own.
Their mouths met, a duel for dominance erupted, as tongues and lips, and teeth tangled. He dropped his hand to his boxers and rolled them down his legs, then used his foot to push them the rest of the way off, before gripping her at her hips and lifting her up. Her hand reached down and lined him up as he slowly sank her down.
They both groaned and he slid into her, then she was moving, and Mike matched her rhythm. Mike felt her start to spasm around him so he flipped them so Ginny was on the bottom and he took over the pace. He pushed into her as deep as he could. Once both had orgasmed Mike collapsed to the bed next to her, breathing hard.
"I love you, Michael Slattery," Ginny whispered as she curled into his side. Mike leaned over and kissed her temple.
"I love you too," he replied. A thought occurred to him after she had called him Michael. He looked down at her and pushed a strand of hair off her face and behind her ear. She looked at him and scrunched her face.
"What?" she asked.
"I don't know your full name," he whispered. Ginny chuckled and Mike smiled.
"Virginia Rose Higbee. Before Higbee I was Weston. You have a middle name?"
"I actually don't," Mike replied. Ginny smiled. They settled into each other, and Mike felt himself drift off to sleep.
The next morning Ginny was up and off to work early. Mike sat on the couch watching the television, wondering how long he should give Tom and Sasha before he went down to his apartment to pack. Wyatt was awake and half running, half skipping through the apartment. Ty was away at school. He glanced at the clock and figured it was late enough. He fired a text to Tom letting him know he was coming down. He gathered Wyatt up in his arms.
"Wanna go down the hall, Wy?" Mike asked. Wyatt didn't answer him, but he didn't try to get away either. Mike took them down the hall and let himself into his apartment. He set Wyatt down and the boy took off making sound effect noises. Mike noticed Sasha and Tom sitting on the couch watching television.
"Morning," Tom said absently. Mike walked towards them.
"Morning," Mike replied. Wyatt buzzed in front of the couch, stopped abruptly and looked at Tom then Sasha, made a bomb noise, then took off again. Sasha watched him with a curious look on her face. "You get used to him," Mike quipped. Sasha looked up at him and Mike shrugged.
"What's up?" Tom asked as he looked from the television up to Mike.
"I figured I'd pack my stuff up and get it out of the big bedroom," Mike replied. Tom nodded slowly.
"You moving out?" Tom asked.
"You want an apartment?" Mike asked, cocking his head to the side, both men ignoring Sasha for the moment.
"Maybe I'm in the market for one," Tom replied. "For a little bit at least."
"I'd love to have you as my neighbor," Mike replied with a smile. "Both of you in fact," Mike continued then glanced at Sasha. Her eyes widened a moment before she looked at Tom. Tom's eyes drifted from Mike to Sasha. "Wanna help?"
"Sure," Tom said laughing. "Sash, can you keep an eye on Wyatt? He's a spitfire and a handful but I think you can handle him."
"Um…sure," Sasha said uncertainly. She was still staring at Tom. Tom got up and followed Mike back into the bedroom. They closed the door as Mike found some boxes. He started to put his things into the boxes and Tom started to help.
"So, how'd things go last night?" Mike asked.
"Well, there wasn't much talking involved. We've always been good at that part," Tom said with a shrug.
"So, you two haven't actually talked about things yet," Mike said.
"Nope," Tom sighed. "Talking generally turns to yelling. Then yelling turns to shouting and screaming. Then one of us says something really stupid, then someone leaves."
"But after the therapy you've been doing do you think you can have a talk without escalation?" Mike asked hopefully. Tom looked at him as he folded some clothes into a box.
"I hope so. I mean we did…okay last night at your place."
"But I was there as a buffer," Mike said softly.
"Bingo. Maybe we just need a referee," Tom mumbled.
"I'm not really qualified for that," Mike breathed out and Tom looked up at him and laughed.
"I didn't mean…holy shit, that might be awkward," Tom said laughing more. Mike laughed too.
They finished packing the boxes Mike had in silence. Once the boxes were full Mike and Tom took them down to the other apartment and unloaded them. They then returned for round two. The conversation for the rest of the morning was light and avoided personal subjects. Mike's brain was half concentrating on that while the other half was thinking about how things went down the night before.
He started to think about what he wanted out of life and quickly came to the conclusion that he wanted the Higbee family to be Slatterys. They put the last of Mike's things away in his new apartment and then they all went back to the other apartment. It was lunch time and Mike fixed up a bunch of sandwiches and some pizza rolls for Wyatt. After they ate Sasha retreated to the living room watching Wyatt play with Legos. Mike glanced over and saw Tom staring at him.
"What?" Mike asked.
"You've been quiet. Inside your own head. That usually means your trying to make a big decision," Tom shrugged. Mike nodded slowly as his gaze went to Wyatt.
"I did make a big decision," Mike said quietly. Tom cocked his head to the side. "I'm going to ask Ginny to marry me properly and ask her if I can adopt her boys."
"Wow," Tom said in surprise. "That's a big step."
"Yes, but we're ready," Mike said with a smile. "I'm ready."
"I'm happy for you," Tom said with a genuine smile. Mike looked over at Sasha then back at Tom.
"Thanks. Now, it's your turn to fix your life, Tom," Mike said softly. Tom glanced at Sasha and then down at his own feet. "No matter what happens between you two? There's a baby now."
"I know," Tom said quietly.
"What do you want?"
"I want to be me again," Tom said with a sigh. Mike watched as tears built in his friend's eyes. Mike felt himself break a little. He wished he could fix it for his friend.
"You need to let them go. Forgive yourself, Tom. It's not your fault."
"I'm learning that," Tom said as he picked at the sleeve of his shirt.
"Therapy is helping," Mike said, half statement, half question. Tom simply nodded, then looked up at Mike.
"Thanks for that. I'm very thankful you got me to agree."
"I think it was just time. You knew it, that's why you came out here. You want to get better now."
"I really do. And I think after last night…it's even stronger. Mike, I'm gonna be a dad again."
"I know," Mike said with a grin. He watched Tom look over at Sasha, obviously thinking about something. Mike waited him out. Sasha glanced up and smiled at Tom then turned her attention back to Wyatt.
"I…before…when she left when I was younger it simply crushed me, but then…second chances…" Tom mumbled absently. Mike reached out and clamped a hand on Tom's shoulder. Tom looked up at him.
"The past is in the past, Tom, enjoy the now. Let go of everything and seize the now."
"I'm learning that," Tom said again. Tom then walked away and Mike watched him go to Sasha and sit down next to her. He wrapped an arm around her shoulders and kissed her temple. Mike hoped that the two could fix their issues and raise the baby together, maybe even as his neighbors.
To Be Continued…