Chapter 13 Forest #2
I got on before he hopped onto the back.
This four-wheeler wasn’t big enough for us, but we made do.
Jude was able to press himself closer and if I wasn’t mistaken, he was hard.
As we drove back to the house his hands roamed.
The kiss had made him brave, I needed him to be confident to take what he wanted.
Webber’s car was in the driveway as Jude tensed behind me. His hand stopped their perusal of my body and everything that kiss had done vanished into thin air. Maybe he didn't like Sam or maybe he didn’t want to ruin the friendship?
Jude got off the back of the ATV as Webber slipped out of his car. Jude froze as Webber got a few bags of the car and I pushed Jude towards the house.
“I got two desserts because while I love shortcake, Mae’s apple pie is pretty damn good and then I got to thinking you can’t have apple pie without ice cream, so I went to get ice cream and then brought some drinks too,” Webber said, completely unaware of the existential crisis Jude was having.
I opened the door letting Jude go in first and then Webber, who gave me a quick kiss before going inside. He placed the bags on the table before going to Jude.
“Hi,” he said, hugging Jude.
Jude’s eyes grew wide before he settled into the hug. The look of contentment crossed his features before Webber pulled back.
“Are you ok?” he asked.
“Yeah… are you?” Jude asked quietly.
I went to the kitchen to grab everything I needed for the stuffed baked potatoes.
“I’m fine,” Webber said, leaning down.
His back was to me and I'm sure he leaned down to kiss him.
I tried to mind my business, but it was hard when all I wanted to know was that Jude was ok.
The sound of lips smacking had heat running through me.
I turned around hoping to catch a glimpse of something, but it was over before I could see anything.
“I like kissing you,” Webber said. “I’ll never say no to kissing you.”
Jude was quiet.
“Whatever you want,” Webber said.
Jude mumbled something and I was dying to hear it.
“Ok,” Webber said. “Alright, what do you need help with?”
Webber came into the kitchen standing next to me.
He smiled, relaxed, and I had to hope that whatever they had talked about was a good thing.
I gave a few things to Webber and Jude brought out a few drinks while I grilled the steaks, potatoes and finished making the toppings.
The nights were slowly becoming cooler, and it was becoming my favorite time.
I fired up the grill, and I put the potatoes to cook first.
“Need help?” Jude asked, as he rolled up his sleeves.
“Nope, go sit back and relax,” I said, opening an avocado and taking the pit out to make guacamole.
“I can help.” He stood a little closer.
“I got it,” I said, kissing his forehead.
He turned pink.
“How was work?” Sam asked, pulling Jude towards a chair.
“Slow for once, we had only two calls,” Jude sighed. “We got a call out to the Bed and Breakfast. Someone ran into a tree and a branch fell onto a car. Then we had a false alarm at the school.”
“Damn kids still pulling fire alarms?” I said, looking over my shoulder.
“Actually, I heard it might have been a teacher,” Jude chuckled.
“A teacher?” Webber looked shocked.
“Shit, they probably needed a break,” I said, putting the avocado flesh into a bowl with salt, pepper and a little lime.
“Seriously, being a teacher seems hard,” Webber said. “I don’t know how they do it.”
“How’s PT?” Jude asked Webber.
He shrugged. “Fine.”
“Just fine?” I asked.
“Sam,” Jude said softly.
“This last surgery really messed up my range of motion,” Sam sighed. “I don't think I’ll ever get good use of my leg ever again. The PT has been hounding me to go skating, but I already know it’s going to be hard.”
“Aren’t you still eligible to play hockey?” I asked.
“Technically, but the moment they contact my PTs they’ll know I’m not going to be the player I once was,” he said, looking away from us. “I’m going to call Miles and tell him to remove me. I can’t see me getting any —”
“No, let's go to the rink before you decide that,” Jude said, interrupting him. “I’m sure Monroe has a rink. If not, maybe we can see if we can use the college rink.”
“Jude’s right,” I said, grabbing the steaks and putting them on the grill.
“I don’t think I can handle knowing skating will never be the same,” he said, his voice full of emotion.
I turned around and walked to him, grabbing his chin so he could look at me.
“Peaches, running from it doesn’t mean it doesn’t exist,” I said, the words hitting a little too close to home. “We can go with you, but you have to give yourself some credit. You’ve come a long way and it’s only been a few months.”
“I know,” he murmured.
“Do you? The second surgery basically undid all of your progress and you're going to be stiff. Yeah, you're not going to have great range of motion because now you have more scar tissue, but that’s why we go to PT,” Jude said, moving his chair closer to Sam. “We just got to get you into hockey shape, that’s all, Sammy.”
Jude hugged Webber’s arm, leaning his head against it.
“Give it at least another month before you dismiss it, please,” I said, leaning down close enough to kiss him.
“Ok,” he said.
“Good,” I said, kissing him softly. “Good boy, Peaches.”
He glared at me, but I kissed him again before kissing Jude on the forehead. My stomach swooped when I looked at them cuddling together. They were so cute.
I finished the steaks, and we ate outside as they told me stories of their college years. We learned we were all from Texas and we shared the best places to eat and the best things to get a Buc-ees.
As they left, I realized we never once talked about what happened at Webber’s, but throughout the night we never stopped touching each other and we all kissed once more.
Tonight felt like it was a date, and while I liked it, they made me nervous.
They made me feel things I didn’t know I could and had probably spent a long time running away from.
But as I closed the door and locked it after they left, I knew I was too far gone to stop now.