Chapter 11
SAM
“That’s too high,” I said, staring at the giant house in front of us. “Not happening.”
Wetness exploded across my cheek as a snowball made contact. Lucy's high-pitched squeal flowed through my ears shortly after. Our eyes locked, and a proud smile spread across her face as she held another snowball steady in the other hand.
“Didn’t you jump out of planes or whatever? Come on. It’s just hanging some lights, you big baby.”
With a huff, I threw the lights over my shoulder and ascended the ladder. I mean, she wasn’t wrong. However, this was a two-man job on a normal day.
“I promise it will be fun. It will look so pretty after,” she called up.
Damn that sparkle in her eye and what it did to me.
We’d nixed the movie idea, opting to play a few rounds of UNO instead.
I played with the toy in her ass to distract her from annihilating me, but it didn’t work.
She wore her poker face the whole time, throwing a draw four on top of the draw eight that was already built.
The game was over right then. I had to say, watching her squirm all hot and flustered, and grinding against the floor was definitely a sight.
Now, I was here, an army crawling across a roof with Christmas lights.
“It will be so fun, she said,” I whispered to myself. “Fun for who?”
“Don’t be a sore loser.”
Oh…. I will.
“I hate you so much right now,” I stuttered through gritted teeth, standing from my spot to grab the lights needed to wrap around the chimney.
Warmth spread across my frozen extremities as she frolicked through the snow, gathering more snowballs and putting them in a pile. I’d live up here if I could. Lucy would be so happy, and there was plenty of room.
I wonder if her parents would sell it to me.
While watching her and creating delusional scenarios in my head, I hadn’t noticed the tangle of lights in my way and tripped, losing my balance.
With nothing to clutch on to, I slid down the side, and my instincts kicked in.
Jutting my leg out, I tried to slow my fall, everything moving in slow motion.
Memories flashed as I looked toward the sky, and suddenly, my mind played tricks on me.
Switching between desert and snowy terrain.
I could hear someone screaming my name, but had no idea where it came from as I hit the ground, the thick yet soft pillow of snow breaking my fall.
“Sam! My ass."
“Turn it off!”
Turn what off?
I sat up slowly, disoriented, and pain shot across my back from the fall. Red painted my hands as I braced on my elbows and pushed up carefully. I had no idea who was still screaming. Why wouldn’t they stop screaming?
“Sam!”
Oh shit.
A pair of hands latched onto me. The screaming halted, and a chorus of giggles mixed with sniffling filled my ears. Tears ran down Lucy's face as she held mine in her hands, trying to bring me back.
My eyes widened when she dropped to her knees in front of me, realization sinking in. When I fell, my phone must have fallen out of my pocket. I launched to the side, grabbed it from a pocket of snow next to us, and turned it off right away.
I gripped her tight, clinging to her until her tears subsided. It was really hard not to laugh at the situation. First, I had to see if she was okay. Then she would never live this down.
“I am so sorry.”
“My hero,” she purred, exhausted from taking her features as she went limp in my arms.
“I believe heroes get a kiss when they save the day.”
I rested my hand on the back of her neck and pulled her close, our lips ghosting over each other. Foreheads touching, and not a care in the world, aside from the fact that her poor asshole wanted to be free of the intrusion.
“You are so beautiful. I hope you look at yourself every day and know that.” I inhaled sharply when her hand brushed against me, and I immediately closed the distance, claiming her lips in a passionate kiss. My heart raced as it deepened, her tongue swiping across my bottom lip, asking for more.
Reluctantly, I pulled away and smirked at her, running my thumb along my lips. Her cheeks visibly flushed a deep shade of red as we maintained eye contact.
It was short-lived as she tapped on my shoulder.
“Can you take it out now?”
I rubbed my stubble, torn between jokes and seriousness, before holding out my hand to help her up.
She could barely walk, and I couldn’t hold it back any longer.
My laughter echoed around the trees, which I regretted instantly.
She pushed through the pain, tackling me into the snow, and pelted me with snowball after snowball until my shirt was soaked.
I smiled dangerously. “I was going to be nice, but now you’ve left me with no choice.”
Lucy’s eyes widened as she turned and made a pitiful attempt at running away.
I wasn’t great at making snowballs, but I tried.
It took a few good throws before one finally hit its target.
It broke into pieces when it made impact with her lower back and sent her tired form to the ground.
It didn’t take me too long to scoop her up and throw her over my shoulder.
As we made the trek to the lodge, a deep-set fear had settled in my stomach.
When I fell, I had no idea where my mind went.
All I knew for sure was I never wanted to hear her, or anyone for that matter, scream for me like that again.
When I had a free moment, a short text to Dr. Thomas would help. Maybe.
Once we got the buttplug out, very carefully, I might add, we relaxed on the couch, and I scrolled on my phone to try and get a pair of concert tickets I’d been saving up for.
Lucy’s favorite orchestra was coming into town for their Christmas show, and she’d always wanted to go.
I still had other plans for tonight. If they needed to be moved, that’d be okay.
I would be equally traumatized having a butt plug up my ass I couldn’t reach.
She shifted, opening her eyes slowly. A smile slowly crept across her face, and I threw my phone next to us.
“How’s your ass?”
“Better. It’s pretty funny now that it’s over,” she replied, drawing circles into my shirt.
“Look, I know you may be sensitive, but I did have somewhere I wanted to take you tonight. If you're interested, and you're okay putting the elf number back on. Annnnnnnnnd maybe the toy that's on the bed next to it.”
Her eyes lit up at the mention of getting out of the cabin for a bit, and I was equally excited. Marco said the roads were clear, so why not?
“Sure, let me get ready.”
We’d have to go home soon and face reality. Lucy had no job, and no home…well, she had Marco, and her parents. I couldn't give her what she needed right this minute. I hoped she’d be patient with me while I navigated things sober, starting with a job.
I’ll give you everything you have ever deserved and more, Lu. Just give me a bit of time.
LUCY
The car ride was scenic and peaceful as we listened to some of our favorite songs.
I had no idea what he had planned, but my nerves settled every time he placed his hand over my exposed thigh throughout the ride, his pinky teasing the outside of the body suit.
I had to chomp down on my lip to keep from begging for more.
This weekend had turned out amazing so far, and I’d started to enjoy having Sam around again. In our downtime away from the others, we’d really had the chance to catch up. He was able to open up a bit more about his time overseas. I was elated to give him that space, but he was distressed.
I wanted to help him. Something happened over there that killed a piece of him.
The way he’d sat silent, and unable to find the words without tears welling in his eyes, told me all I needed to know.
I wanted to do research of my own to learn how to help him in ways other than giving him sour candy and an ear.
We pulled into an empty spot near what looked to be some sort of club. His voice vibrated through my body, slingshotting me from my thoughts. “It’s a bit unconventional, but it will knock everything off your list. Almost everything. Would you like that?”
I gave him a seductive glance, wondering what the hell he had planned for us.
“I don’t want this to stop,” I blurted out.
He faced me with a raised brow. “You serious?”
“I think so, but we both have to find ourselves again. You need help to heal from whatever you feel guilty about.”
“I do not feel guilty for anything.”
“Bullshit, Samuel.”
The words rolled off my tongue like a hollow bullet, warning him that I wasn’t interested in playing games when it came to the future. He gripped the steering wheel tight, knuckles white.
“Coming from the person who had a sex toy so far up her ass, I had to dig it out. Hmm?”
“Correct, sadly. Sam, if this is going to work, you and me…we have to go slow.”
“How do we do that? Because I haven’t been able to stay away from you.
Everything about you, from your laugh to the birthmark you have on the inside of your thigh, has me vibrating.
Between deployments, I was always there.
You are an itch I can’t scratch, burrowed so deep into my skin, I'll never get you out.”
His confession scared me, and I fell silent, mulling over my next answer carefully. “You can start by not holding me to impossible standards. People change. You have changed. We can’t sabotage something that hasn’t been given a solid foundation.”
The soft hum of the music broke some of the tension. I couldn’t read him, and it was frustrating. He was calm and poised in his answers. Not even his body language alerted me to anything he could be feeling.
“I did promise you a good weekend,” He said, scratching at his stubble. “And I've ruined it.”
I ran my hand up and down his arm lovingly, reaching for the car keys with the other, effectively shutting the car off.
“No, you didn’t.” I soothed, smoothing down my skirt so I could step out of the car.
“You are lucky I love to praise you, because I have some very dirty things I want to say.”
I grabbed his hand, threading my fingers through his as we crossed the parking lot. My body vibrated with excitement as we approached the building.
What does this man have up his sleeve?