The Victory
by Elise
Chapter 5
Movement and a whimper pulled him from sleep.. It took Bud’s mind a moment to recap events and realize the source. Ginny had rolled away, crying in her sleep. Large tears ran down her cheeks.
“No! Please!” She begged in her dream.
Shocked for a moment, Bud almost didn’t know what to do. He had thought his heart hardened by the job, but felt it ache at the frightened pleas. Bud reached for her and gently caressed her damp cheek. “Ginny? Ginny. Sweetheart it’s just a dream. Just a bad dream.”
She sat up with a gasp and pulled at the covers as if they held her down.
Bud let her jump out of bed and look around at the unfamiliar surroundings. When her wide eyes fell on him Bud held out his hand. “You’re in my room, remember? It was just a dream.”
Ginny stood there frozen as she regained wakefulness. How many times had she gone through this? Woke standing in the middle of a room trying to fight off the nightmares to find herself alone.
Only this time she wasn’t in her room and panic rose until she saw him. Bud sat calmly as he held out his hand for her to take shelter in him. No matter how badly Ginny wanted to take that hand she couldn’t, she didn’t want to taint him with her shame.
Bud slid off the bed and walked to her. Her breath came in pants, scared and yet relived that he was coming to her. She watched a large hand push her sleep tossed curls from her face. That hand rested on the back of her neck and urged her to move closer to the man.
Warmth spread through her body as she looked up into his eyes. “Take them away, the memories, take them away.”
The way she said that made him question her choice of words. Ginny said memories, but which ones of the fright she had today with those men, or was it something else in her past? Right now as he looked into her face it didn’t matter, she needed him to make it better. “I can’t take them away, sweetheart. We all have them whether we want them or not.”
Tears rolled over her cheeks and he bent brushing them away with his lips. Bud realized he had gone too far, he let her go and stepped back.
Ginny stepped forward and took his hand pressing her cheek into his palm. “Then give me something good to remember. Help me push away the bad ones with one wonderful memory.”
Bud’s fingers curled in her hair as he pulled her into his kiss. Caressing each lip before he seized her whole mouth, deepening the kiss as she responded. Bud had to remember to be slow and gentle make it a good memory.
When he let the kisses break she was panting for a different reason. When he looked into the dark heat filled eyes there was no sign of a little girl. Before him stood a woman who wanted his touch.
The sight sent a wave of heat tightening his body as he licked her bottom lip plumped from their lingering kisses. “Ginny…I….Are you….”
Made bold by her own rising desire Ginny undid the buttons of his shirt. Sighing as he shrugged it off his shoulders. “I’m sure.”
Bud pulled the drawstring on the bottoms and watched the bulky cloth fall and gather around her ankles. Hands started at her hips and pushed the tee up her body slowly before pulling it over her head. She stood before him a vision of grace he never expected.
He removed the last of his clothing kicked it out of his way. Bud scooped her up into his arms. He relished the way she felt as her hair brushed his shoulder and arm. Gently he laid her in the center of the bed then lay beside her.
He was no little man in any way. His body was thick built for what he did best. Ginny was petite, almost dwarfed by his bulk but she fit against him perfectly.
Each curve seemed to have its place. She rolled on her side exploring him with her eyes as one hand traced the line of his body to his hip. “You’re so warm.”
He grinned knowing it was about to get warmer but for now he let her touch him as she wished. Let her explore as he reveled in the feel of her hands.
Ginny had never felt so comfortable. Here she was nude with a man, and from what she saw what a man. She could see the need in his eyes and the tension in his body yet he was willing to be still and wait for her. Chewing her bottom lip she propped up on one elbow and let her hand roam down his arm to his hip where she could reach.
She trailed fingertips over his chest, felt the curve of his muscles and the way his nipples grew taught as her fingers brushed. When his eyes closed in reaction to her hand sliding down the trail of fuzz on his belly Ginny couldn’t help but grin. She was in control he was at her mercy. He gasped as she closed her fingers around his length.
The past crept up and tapped her on the shoulder threatening to ruin this moment. She refused. Closing her eyes she saw the closet door shutting. Forcing her eyes open she looked at Bud.
He wasn’t forceful though he could be, he wasn’t going to hurt her. His gentle kisses and patient expression filled with promises of something she had never experienced pushed the memory away.
Her hands moved over him with a new confidence and she took pleasure in his hissing intake of breath. He had to bend a bit to kiss her or she would lose her grip and she saw he didn’t want that. It made her feel good, strong. She kissed a long line down his neck along his collar bone.
With a smile Ginny swirled her tongue around his nipple. The smile widened when his hips moved to meet the rhythm of her hands.
He stopped her hands with a deep sound from his chest and seized her mouth wonton. Unafraid she met his rough kisses.
Pushing her back Bud showered her with caressing kisses as he tried to slow his pounding heart. She had enjoyed his body now it was his turn to enjoy hers. He suckled one full breast as he teased the other with his thumb until the nipple was taught. She gasped for him then held his head to her breast when he changed sides.
He trailed one hand down her belly to the dark curls and she stiffened. He stopped and watched as she fought with herself. “Ginny, it’s alright we don’t have to do this.”
She didn’t hesitate as she pulled him to her lips for a deep kiss and moved his hand further. “I’m fine, touch me, please.”
He did as he was asked as she opened her legs for him. She seemed surprised when he toyed with her body and the sensation traveled though every nerve arching her back.
Slowly he explored, letting her get used to the feeling, then moved further entering her warmth. She was wet and wanting as he moved fingers mocking what he would do for her later.
Ginny writhed, filled with things she had only heard other women speak of. He was making her shutter and shiver as a growing ache began to spread through out her body. Suddenly his hands were gone and the ache quieted. “Bud?”
Did she do something wrong? Then she felt his hot breath on her thigh. It pulled a deep sound from her chest. Then it wasn’t his hands making her cry out it was his mouth. Nipping and lapping her into a frenzy until she shattered into a thousand pieces arching up off the bed. When he stopped she fell back gasping, shaking and amazed.
Bud gave her a moment to calm before he moved over her with his weight. His face hovered over hers, strong arms shaking with the need to find his own shattering place.
“Ginny?” He whispered against her lips. She kissed him her hands touching everywhere at once. Instinctively her hips moved up to his. Carefully he moved her legs further apart and guided his body to hers. He wanted to be slow and easy not to hurt her but his need was on the edge of falling into that mindless place.
He pushed himself inside to the end of her and tried to be still, let her get used to the fullness of him. She surprised him when she pulled more of his weight on to her small form and whispered in his ear, “You feel wonderful.”
He needed no more encouragement Bud began to move. Ginny soon caught the rhythm and he could no longer hold on to sanity. He let himself fade into that black hole of pleasure as her body tightened around his. When she writhed and clutched at him calling his name Bud let go and found his own peak splintering as he spilled everything he was into her.
Collapsing to the side of her they lay for a moment, tangled and trying to catch their breath. Bud pulled her close, then pulled the covers over them. They were warm from the activity but the room would chill.
Ginny rolled to face him tears in her eyes. He worried he had hurt her until she burst into laughter. It was the sound of joy. He hadn’t heard that sound in a long time and heard himself joining in it.
He caressed her cheek as she snuggled close. “You’re alright?”
He felt her smile against him. “Better than okay. I didn’t know it could be like that. I didn’t know that you could feel….”
He looked down to find her blushing at her thoughts. “If I’d have understood what you said earlier.”
His voice trailed off as he stroked her back and nuzzled her hair. Ginny thought for a moment she could fall in love for the first time with this gentle brute. “It doesn’t matter. You gave me what I wanted; a new memory that outshines the others.”
He saw her glance at the clock. “Exley gave me the day off to take care of you. He kind of likes you.”
She smiled tracing the line of his serious jaw. “Well he’s out of luck you have stolen my heart my White Knight. Always coming to my rescue.”
Ginny sighed as she relaxed and settled against him. “I do care about Ed.” She saw a nerve in the jaw twitch as he tried not to react. “As a friend or a brother, I’ve never seen him as anything more. But.” She looked up into his face. “There was something about you from the moment you stood behind me on that ladder.”
Bud rolled her onto his chest, she squeaked making him giggle boyishly. “Well you can break it to him.”
She propped up her hands on his chest. “I thought you were a tough guy? He really gave you the day off for me?”
Wrapping around her then rolling them back with him on top Bud looked down into her beautiful face. “Only when there’s a damsel in distress am I a tough guy. And yes, I have the whole day and night. I think he’s going to regret that decision.”
She giggled as he assailed her with kisses until it turned back into heated passion. After making love they fell into a peaceful slumber tangled together no matter that the storm outside raged.
It was around two o’clock in the afternoon when a frantic knock on Bud’s door woke them. Bud rolled over and glanced out the window. “Shit, get dressed quick.”
Ginny pulled on the tee and bottoms seeing his creased brow. “What’s wrong, who is it?”
A call through the door told her before he could. They scrambled to dress. “Bud are you in there? Ginny’s not answering the door or the phone!”
Once he looked over and saw her dressed Bud opened the door. “It’s okay she’s fine, she’s here.”
“Thank God, I was worried you had to take her to the hospital. Then I saw both cars and the office is locked and no one around. Ginny are you rea….”
When he stepped around Bud he saw Ginny sitting on the edge of the bed in cloths far too big and her hair sleep tossed. He refused to believe what had to be obvious but maybe not. “Ginny?”
When she bit her bottom lip and blushed he turned on White. Bud was ready for it and the other man was knocked back on the bed. Ginny scurried between them. “Ed! Stop! Stop!”
“This is not what I meant White when I said to take care of her!”
Ginny stood between them a tiny hand on each man’s chest. “Listen to me both of you! Ed, I said to stop!”
Bud had immediately stilled at her touch but Exley was livid. Finally her shouts broke through. He took her hand cradling it. “I’m sorry Ginny, I should have brought you home.”
He had heard the saying dynamite comes in small packages but had never witnessed it first hand until now. Bud saw the tension in her body before she cut loose.
Ginny was the one who was angry now. “How dare you. Bud did exactly as you ordered him too. I came to him Ed, I was scared over there alone in the storm. My clothes were soaked so he gave me something dry to put on. For you to jump right to… ”
She looked into his angry face, angry herself. How dare he, she was done being someone’s property and he had no right to make any kind of claim. Ginny glanced between them not knowing what else to say. “I’m going to make some coffee, act like an ass if you want to.”
Bud watched Ginny as she walked back across to the office and her rooms. She didn’t want Ed to know, that was fine with Bud. He’d never liked his private life nosed in either. Besides wasn’t’ sure how he felt about Ed knowing anything. Bud’s gut was telling him there was more that frightened Ginny than just those men yesterday.
Bud looked at Exley and contemplated their tenuous friendship. “Ginny came in last night soaked to the bone. It was pouring the rain and she had run over frightened. I couldn’t let her freeze to death. Or send her back to her own room in that state.”
Ed shook his head remembering the last time they had a conversation involving a woman. He had been the bad guy on that one. “I jumped to conclusions. Ginny is just so sweet and simple, good. I want her in my life not yours White. You had your chance.”
Bud exhaled deeply and shook his head. “No, that wasn’t a chance it was a disaster from the beginning. With Lynn, I was thinking with the wrong head. You should thank me for keeping you out of that mess.”
Ed examined the man sitting across from him. Bud White the champion of the weak. “What the hell did you come back to L.A. for?”