Chapter 32
Chapter Thirty-Two
JENSEN
We’re on night two in the Berkshires, gathered around the oversized dining table. Alley and I got in late last night. She had to work yesterday, so she caught a six p.m. flight from Chicago, and I picked her up at ten. We drove straight here and didn’t roll in until close to one in the morning.
Megan stands at the head of the table, pouring herself a generous glass of wine.
“Okay, classic rules. Everyone has five five-dollar bills. When it’s your turn, say something you’ve never done.
If you have done it, throw a five in the middle.
You’re out when your money’s gone. Winner takes the pot. ”
Alley laughs beside me. “Bets on Matt being out first?”
Matt cocks a brow, grinning. “Hey, this is one game I’ll proudly lose. Just means I’ve lived.”
“We all know who’s going to win.” Megan smirks, eyes sliding straight to Alley.
“Hey! I resent that. I’ve lived,” Alley protests, turning to me. “Babe, tell them. I’m adventurous and dangerous.” A wide grin stretches across her lips.
That pulls a laugh from me. “Wild as they come, babe. Matt won’t even see you coming.” I kiss her mouth and crack open a Liquid Death. Yeah, I know—those never get old.
“I’ll start,” Megan announces, eyes flicking between me and Matt. “Do I play nice or go straight for the jugular?”
“Do your best,” I say.
“Yeah, take your best shot,” Matt adds.
“Okay. No offense?”
“None,” we echo.
She shrugs, then grins. “Alright. Never have I ever done any drug besides weed or mushrooms.”
Matt, Jeff, and I each toss a five into the middle.
“Whoa, wait—Jeff?” Megan turns to him. “What the hell have you done?”
“This isn’t Truth or Dare, Megan. You don’t get answers,” Jeff says, sipping his old fashioned with a perfect poker face.
“Oh, come on! Half the fun is hearing the wild stories.”
Jeff sighs. “Fine. I did ecstasy once in college.”
Megan’s eyes widen. “Oh, shit. I forgot about ecstasy. I did that too.”
“I’m taking this back, then.” Jeff reaches for the five he tossed into the pile.
Amber’s up next. “Never have I ever faked an orgasm.” She grins, and Jeff practically beams.
Megan and Alley each toss in a five.
Kevin scowls at Megan. “That better not have been with me, babe.”
“Please.” She rolls her eyes. “Babe. When you’re drunk, you need a fucking road map. Honestly, sometimes I wish you’d just stop and ask for directions.” She flashes him a teasing grin as the whole table bursts into laughter. “I’m kidding.”
I nudge Alley, eyeing the pot. “Babe?”
She feigns offense. “Never! You know my ex was boring in bed. Couldn’t even find my clit. Sometimes I faked it just to make it stop.”
My brows lift. “Just making sure.”
Kevin goes next. “Never have I ever stolen anything.”
Matt, Megan, and I each toss in a five. Yeah, the three of us are fucked.
Jeff raises his eyebrows, scanning the table. “Never have I ever had a threesome.”
Matt grins and tosses in a five without hesitation.
Megan and I glance at each other.
“Fuck,” we both mutter, dropping in a five.
This isn’t a story I’ve ever told Alley. Not because I was hiding it. It just never came up.
She gasps, gaping at me. “What? Holy shit.” She smacks my arm. “How do I not know about this?”
“Ow.” I laugh. “It was one time. Freshman year of college.”
“Freshman year?” Her eyes widen.
“Yeah. But I was really drunk. And I’m not sure it even counts. I didn’t actually have sex with both of them.”
“Oh, well then, sure, that makes it totally fine.” Sarcasm drips as she shakes her head in disbelief.
She’s smiling though, so I know it’s all good.
“And Megan?” Alley whirls to her. “I need stories. Now.” Then she swivels back to me. “And you’re going into full detail on yours later.”
Matt frowns, pointing at himself. “Wait—no one’s surprised I’ve had a threesome? No one wants to hear my stories?”
Everyone snickers.
“You’re cute, Matt,” Amber says. “We’ve heard your threesome stories. They’re your go-to when you’re drunk.”
He shrugs. “Well, I’ve got a new one. But I’m saving it for later, when I’m drunk.”
Laughter booms around the table, and warmth spreads through my chest. I glance around and—damn, this is good. All my favorite people, in my favorite place. Laughing. Joking. Having a great time. Just… happy.
A quiet sense of pride settles in.
I did it.
I went to rehab. I did the hard shit. Got clean. Fought like hell for my sobriety and my wife. And here she is, by my side. Relaxed. Smiling. It almost chokes me up. I haven’t felt this complete in so long, I hardly know what to do with it. I want to freeze this moment and burn it into my memory.
God, it feels good knowing life doesn’t have to stay in the gutter when it’s shit. It can always get better. We can get better. Do better. I don’t know if it’s egotistical to admit, but I’m proud. Proud of Alley for giving me another chance. Proud of my family. Proud of myself.
My hand falls to Alley’s lap, giving her knee a squeeze. Her eyes meet mine, sparkling with pure joy as she threads our fingers together.
One thing I didn’t fully grasp until rehab ended was how much being an addict fucks up everyone else’s life, too. They stood by me. They loved me anyway. And right now, I feel like the luckiest bastard alive to be sitting here.
Alley and I lean back as the ski lift scoops us up.
She laughs when I pull the lap bar down. “Why do I still get nervous I’m gonna fall on my ass every time?”
I glance at her. Her gaze is forward, smile wide, nose red from the cold. Her goggles hang loose around her neck. I slip an arm over her shoulder and pull her in, kissing the top of her head.
“You haven’t done this in a long time. You’re doing great. Better than ever.”
She shoots me a teasing grin. “You have to say that because you love me.”
I bark out a laugh. “No. I tell you how shitty you are because I love you. I say you’re doing great because you actually are.”
“Compared to how shitty I normally am?”
“The why doesn’t matter, babe.” My arm drops to her knee. “Point is, you’ve never done a blue run until today. You’re getting better.”
“Doesn’t mean I have to like it. I’m only here for you,” she teases.
“Oh, come on. You can’t tell me you haven’t had fun. You’ve been laughing all day.”
“Yeah, but only because you’ve been making me laugh.
I’d rather be inside by the fire, warm and comfortable, and blowing my nose without having to peel these stupid gloves off.
” Her grin widens. “Wouldn’t you rather be back at the cabin?
Maybe a little naked under a blanket together?
” Her brows lift, her bottom lip catching between her teeth as her hand slides over my cock.
She fumbles against the padding of my snow pants and her gloves. “God, where is that thing?”
A low chuckle rumbles in my chest. “You trying to get me hard on the ski lift? That’s a new kind of torture. I can’t even adjust myself right now.”
“Turning you on is way more fun than skiing.”
“I don’t know if sliding down the mountain on your ass counts as skiing.”
Her head tips back in laughter, and God, she’s beautiful. It’s crazy how easily we fall back into this, like no time’s passed. Almost like she never left.
“Hey, you remember this conversation when we are naked and you’re wanting to get some—”
My lips connect with hers, cutting her off, stealing the heat of her mouth against the chill of the mountain air. She gasps against me, fingers clutching at my coat, and I kiss her deeper, greedy for more.
When we break apart, our eyes lock.
“What was that for?” she asks, her breath visible in the cold.
A corner of my mouth lifts into a smirk. “Only way I could shut you up.”
She shoves my shoulder. “Don’t be a jerk.”
“I’m not.” My voice drops to a low growl. “But you’re making Clark think about Lola, and that’s not very nice when there’s nothing we can do about that right now.”
“Oh? You don’t like it when I tell you how I can’t wait to have your”—she leans closer, whispering—“big, hard cock inside me tonight? What if I tell you Lola’s dripping for you?”
“Shiiiiit.” I cock a brow. “You better knock that off, or I’ll bend you over right here in the woods.”
She just grins, and for half a second I actually entertain the whole woods fantasy. My cock’s hard as hell, and there’s not a damn thing I can do about it.
“Ugh! Dammit!” Alley smacks the snow in frustration. She’s on her ass again, skis popped off, and if I didn’t love her so goddamn much, I probably wouldn’t have the patience for it. But she’s cute when she’s flustered. Too cute.
She flops back dramatically. “I give up!”
I laugh under my breath, pop off my skis, and jog up the hill to where she’s sprawled in the trees. She’s lucky she didn’t go straight into one.
I stab my skis into the snow. “Come on, babe. Hop up. We’re almost there.” I hold out a hand.
“Uh-uh. Nope. I’m done. Let’s fake an injury and call snow patrol.”
“Snow Patrol’s a band, babe. It’s ski patrol.”
“Whatever. Tell them I broke my leg and need a ride down.”
I step wide, placing her in between my legs, hand still extended. “Can’t fake an injury. The unbroken leg’s kind of a giveaway.”
She purses her lips and reaches for my hand. The second our palms connect, she yanks hard, sending me off balance. I stumble forward, barely catching myself as I topple onto her.
Her laughter bursts out as she wraps her arms around me. “How’s it feel to fall down? You like that?”
Oh, she’s gonna get it. I grab her forearms, pinning them to her sides, and straddle my knees wide to trap her beneath me. She wriggles, eyes wide with mock horror, laughter spilling between us.
I bend down, my mouth close to her ear. “Oh, I like it,” I murmur, skimming a gloved hand over her coat toward her tits. “How do you like getting groped in the snow?”
“This isn’t groping. You can’t even find my boobs through my coat. They’re too small.”
I sit back, still holding her pinned, and sweep both hands across her chest in exaggerated arcs.