10. Oaklyn Bridges
OAKLYN brIDGES
Ifelt like a little kid running around the yard playing in the snow.
The storm had finally dissipated, and the sun was shining brightly, like it had a point to prove.
I begged Soni to come outside with me, so while he was busy chopping more wood for the fireplace, I was doing everything from snow angels to building a snowman because the accumulation of snow over the last few days was a few inches deep.
My eyes danced over to Jasoni. He looked so sexy with an ax in his hands, even more so every time he struck the wood, cracking it in half.
I bit into my lip feeling a little jealous, because even wood was getting cracked before me.
After falling asleep on the couch yesterday, we stayed wrapped around each other until this morning.
The more time we spent in isolation, the more space I created in my heart for him.
I was worried that this was just a moment for him, like he was only taking advantage of the fact we were snowed in together and would soon enough find another woman who would force him to walk away again.
I knew thinking like that wasn’t healthy, and in a way, it blocked many blessings of mine, but I didn’t trust easily anymore.
I understood people were allowed to switch up at any moment.
I had to do my part to protect myself, even if it meant not entertaining delusional thoughts.
Walking over to Soni, I decided to bother him. “I want to do one,” I told him while peeking over his shoulder. He was in the process of picking another log of wood to chop down for the firewood.
“Really?”
I nodded excitedly. “Yes!”
He gave me the cutest smile before lifting the wood and placing it on top of the chopping stump.
I struggled to pick up the axe but pretended that everything was good by the time he turned his attention to me.
He took a step back to create space between the stump and me clumsily struggling to hold the axe.
I rolled my shoulders back to loosen my muscles.
“Watch this,” I bragged, feeling confident that I could chop wood too for some unknown reason.
I lifted the axe as best I could, then slammed it down on the stump.
Unfortunately for me, I missed the entire thing and nearly went crashing to the ground from the weight of the axe.
Jasoni was quick, and only his arm around my waist was enough to keep me from going face first into the snow.
I caught him shaking his head after he steadied me on my feet.
“Damn, you almost convinced me you were about to do something too.” He bopped me on the nose while I stood there with my arms folded and a pout on full display.
He took notice of my sad face and decided to take pity on me.
“Come here. Let me help you, Oatmeal baby.”
I smiled cheerily, feeling completely at ease when he walked up on me.
His body heat was comforting, and I almost lost focus on the task at hand, feeling him pressed up against me.
His long arms wrapped around me and assisted me with holding the axe.
With his help, I was able to not only lift the axe but also successfully chop the log.
Excited about it, I completely forgot about the axe. It would’ve smashed on our toes if Jasoni wasn’t quick enough to catch it in time. “Opps,” I said apologetically. I slapped a hand over my mouth to hold in my giggles.
“Oh, that’s funny?” He shook his head before pushing me out of the way. “Yep, you’re done. Go back to taking your pictures over there.”
I shook my head like a defiant child. “Nope. I don’t want to.”
He slowly looked up at me, and that undeniably sexy smirk of his appeared on his face. “Oh, no? What do you want to do then?”
Without pause, I bent down to pick up some snow and quickly made a snowball that I launched at him.
He clearly thought I was going to miss when I aimed at him, because he didn’t attempt to move or dodge it in any way, and ended up with a face full of snow.
I took off running, not giving him the chance to retaliate.
All that could be heard was my laughs and him promising to get me back.
For a minute, I forgot about the existence of the entire world, allowing my laughs to fill my belly with glee.
But because I wasn’t paying attention in front of me, trying to make sure Jasoni didn’t catch me, I tripped over a fallen tree branch.
This time, I really did end up face first in the snow. I howled in pain knowing there was probably a cut on my leg by the way it burned. All I could see was Jasoni’s boot-covered feet as he came to a stop beside me. I moaned in pain but also from embarrassment.
He chuckled lightly. “Are you okay?” Before I could respond, he yanked me up to my feet, and I nearly toppled back over from the pain. He realized I was not joking around and sat me on the tree limb that tried to take me out.
I fought to keep my tears at bay as he took off my Moon Bootz to inspect my ankle.
I was certain that it was broken, but he assured me it wasn’t after feeling along my bone.
He rolled my pants leg up, and that was where the real damage was.
My skin was scraped enough to draw blood.
I hissed when he lowered my leg to the ground.
Out of nowhere, he started blowing softly on the cut. “What the hell are you doing?”
When he glanced up at me, I saw humor in his eyes before he blew on it again. “That’s what they be doing when they get hurt on them dramas you be watching. Does it help with the pain?”
I wanted to be pissed at him for playing at a time like this, but it was actually hilarious because we both knew the answer.
Instead of responding, I whacked him on the arm before allowing my laughter to explode out of me.
It was only funny because he’d said it was so stupid when they did that, and I had to agree, but it was a part of the C-Drama culture.
When we finally stopped laughing, he got back serious. “Do you think you can walk?” I shook my head without thinking about it. He gave me a knowing look but didn’t press the issue. “Aight, up up.” I giggled, wrapping my arms around his neck so he could lift me up in his arms.
I clung to him like my life depended on it as he walked us back to the cabin. Once in the house, he sat me down and disappeared somewhere behind me. I hissed, trying to remove my jacket because it seemed like the smallest movements irritated my wounded leg.
Soni came back into the living room with a first aid kit and a mug that had steam coming from it. He set the kit down then handed me the cup. “It’s some tea to warm you up. It’s hot, so be careful.”
I nodded, accepting it. I inhaled the floral scent and hummed. “That smells good. What is it?”
“Chamomile to calm your dramatic ass down.” I flipped him off before blowing on the tea to cool it down. “Keep it up, and I’m going to give you what you’re asking for.”
My head jerked back as I feigned offense. “And what would that be?”
He began to rummage around the kit for what he needed then set them to the side. “Me balls deep inside of you.” I nearly choked on my tea because I wasn’t expecting him to be so vulgar. He chuckled softly. “You asked.”
“Why are you so convinced that I want to fuck you?”
He paused, opening the peroxide package to look at me.
The intensity of his gaze warmed me in a way the tea in my cup would never be able to.
I released a shaky breath, allowing my eyes to fall to my tea so he wouldn’t see how nervous he had me right now.
My heavy breathing created ripples over the surface, and I prayed he couldn’t see it.
“Because you have yet to say you don’t want to.” My mouth fell open, knowing that was the truth, but he didn’t have to put me on blast like that. I picked up the pillow beside me and whacked him with it. Unfortunately for me, it made me spill tea on myself. I hissed from the stinging of the heat.
Jasoni shook his head. “You are clumsy as hell. Sit still before you fuck around and make things worse.”
This time, I didn’t have any rebuttal, so I sat back to allow him to tend to my wounds.
His touch was gentle and attentive. I watched him work, knowing I could trust him to take good care of me, even all these years later.
It made me think about the accident that seemed to change the trajectory of everything between us.
Jasoni had always been willing to do whatever he could to protect me.
I felt tingly inside, knowing he still felt that way.
“If we ran into a bear out there, would you run away and leave me?” I randomly asked.
He quirked his eyebrow at me like I’d grown a second head. “You think I’m Superman or something? It would be every man for himself.”
My mouth fell open in shock because I expected him to say something cute like he’d wrestle the bear so I’d have enough time to escape. Sadly, I was mistaken. This nigga would try to outrun me if it came down to it.
“Happy to know how you feel.” Even though I was pouting, I continued to drink my tea.
Jasoni looked up at me with a shake of his head.
“Dramatic as fuck. You need to stop watching them shows.” When he realized I was deeply in my feelings about what he said, he paused his work to lift his shirt.
The barrel of a gun rested in the waistband of his jeans, and something about it was sexy as hell to me.
So much so that my pussy started purring.
“Don’t worry. Big daddy can neutralize any and all threats.
I will always protect you, Oaklyn. Except from yourself.
” He motioned down to my cut leg. “You’re clumsy as fuck. ”
“Not too much on me.” He got back to work with a hearty chortle. After bandaging my leg, he placed my foot on the floor. “Thank you,” I said softly.
He nodded once. “It’s my job to take care of you.”
“How you figure that?”
“We’re here alone, which makes you my responsibility.”