Chapter Three
Slater
I am never in a good mood if you ask anyone else.
Today is different. I woke up without the usual feeling of doom and gloom. Of the emptiness I feel almost every single day. I have not been able to shake that feeling of being in a strange limbo. It has been that way since I lost my parents. Since I went through the terrors of war, of fighting for my crews lives while being forced to take lives.
It does not matter how long it has been since I was in that hell, it will always be with me. Being a soldier means you lose parts of yourself on each mission, whether you all make it out alive or not. Parts of me were left all over the world, and that emptiness has not been replaced by friends or family or hell, even a lover, since.
“Were you nice to Serena and my wife, you grumpy fuck?”
Blinking at Landon, I frown for a moment. His wife? Oh, hell. Lilli, she was there with the carolers at my cabin last night. Lilli and Landon live just up the road from me. I almost forgot about her being part of the group. Hard to remember anything besides the brunette with the pretty eyes.
Matter of fact, those stunning eyes have all I been able to think about.
“Probably not,” I mutter to him honestly, shrugging as if I could not care less. I do care. I am still gutted I was such a prick to her. To all of them. They were there to be nice, to be kind, and I sent them off. “I am not good with people, has this not made the rounds of Driftwood Peaks?”
Chuckling, Landon nods. “Well, yeah, but the same thing was said about me. About Mack, hell most of the guys on your landing were assholes once. No one wanted to deal with them. Lilli changed that for me.”
Rolling my eyes, even as a flush heats my face, I shake my head. No. His wife may have changed him, sure. All the ladies in the other guys’ lives may have made a difference. I am beyond what any of those guys were. Landon was still patient, still kind, he created beautiful gifts out of wood for families in need.
Meanwhile, I kicked a group of do-gooders off my porch.
Landon and the other guys on the mountain have always made room for me. They invite me to dinners, to weddings, hell even to their kids’ birthday parties. I just never go. Not because I hate the guys or their families. I just feel out of place in rooms full of happiness, of love.
“Stop before you start, bud. Just get your limber and beat it,” I tell him, frowning at his attempt to make small talk. Landon just smiles even bigger as he loads the last of his lumber into the bed of his truck.
“Just be nice to Serena next time you see her. Lilli thinks highly of her. She is one of the girls, as they say. If you’re not nice to her and it upsets those girls, I might have to cut your throat. Don’t make me kill you, Slater. See you next time, bud,” he calls with a finger in the air as he climbs in his truck and heads back to his workshop.
Asshole. Bigger men have delivered much scarier threats than that one from Landon Holms. None of them delivered, and neither will he. Not that I plan to be an asshole to Serena if I ever see her again. Chances of me seeing her again are slim enough I can almost guarantee it.
Finishing things up at the landing, I intend to do some more work on the Main Street pieces. I want to have most of downtown done before the winter is over. Good way to pass the misery of a season I barely tolerate. I hope those carolers have made their last pass through the mountains. I do not want to have to kick that group off my porch again.
Then again…if they were to come back, I might let Serena sing as long as she wants. Just thinking about her beaming up at me with those pretty eyes and that angelic voice makes my chest burn. Why was I such an asshole to her? It has bothered me since she stormed off my front porch and I was fool enough not to go after her to apologize.
“You coming to dinner on Christmas, Slater?”
Blinking at Locke, the second in command on our new landing, I shake my head. Christmas dinner? Was I invited? Probably, but that doesn’t change the answer. Why would anyone want an asshole like me at their place on a holiday?
“No, I don’t think so man. Where is dinner anyway?”
“We’re all going to Watt and Willa’s place this year. Willa wanted to host the whole gang this time. You should be there, man. You can’t keep all of us out forever, you know?”
For a moment, I want to say yes. I want to be there with the guys I am slowly starting to consider friends. It has taken me a long time, sure, but I like the men on the landing. We work well together, they’re good, hard-working men, and some of us we in the military together, though not all in the same battalion. Still, I have nothing to bring, nothing to offer them.
“I would not count on me being there this year, Locke. But I won’t say no forever, I suppose,” I offer with a shrug, giving as much as I am going to.
Locke nods as if he understands, and I think maybe he does. Just as Landon teased earlier, we were all loners before we came to Driftwood. Our ties were to each other through the Marines, but beyond that, few of us, outside of cousins Mack and Everett, have no ties at all. Working on the landing together is one bond that I am growing thankful for.
On my way home, I think about why I am slowly accepting that bond. Slowly accepting the guys on Felle Landing as more than just coworkers. Truth be told, they’re the closest thing to family I have left. My brother has refused to talk to me since we lost our parents—not that I blame him.
“You’ve always an asshole to everyone , jagoff,” I mutter to myself.
Muttering about how mean I was yesterday to those kind folks, how I was even an asshole to the guys on the landing today, I am in a foul mood once I get to my workshop. Thinking a hot shower might take care of some of my shit mood, I peel off my filthy clothes and head for a shower.
As I fear, the moment I am under the hot water, I am anything but calm. Just as she filled my dreams last night, Serena is in my thoughts. So much so, my cock aches as it stiffens between my legs, growing heavy and hard as I think about her pretty eyes staring up at me. Right here, under the hot water, her curves bare for my hands to touch, to feel against my skin.
“Do not be so dumb,” I hiss at myself, knowing damn well I am dreaming. There is no way that woman would ever let me get my hands on her. Closing my eyes, I let out a grunt as my hand closes around my cock.
It aches as I pump it once, the tip swollen and sensitive. I hiss again as I start to stroke myself, wishing it were her soft hands. I wonder if they would fit around me tight. If she would want to take me into her mouth and suck until I let go down her throat. I bet she would taste so sweet on my tongue, if she let me get it inside her.
“Yes, so sweet,” I groan as I pump my fist faster, rubbing my palm over the tip. “Such a sweet little thing, sweetheart,” I can almost feel her softness, her little body wet against mine as I rub my cock against her little pink pussy. I bet it’s the prettiest little pussy I will ever see.
Even thinking about being between her thick thighs, face buried in her pink pussy makes me start to come. I can’t hold back. I jerk harder as my cum shoots against the shower wall, thick, hot ropes of stickiness. I hate that it is being wasted. I rather it be deep inside of here, where it might take and get her round and pregnant with my child.
“Ah, fuck, Serena. Pretty little thing,” I grunt, falling forward against the cool tile of the shower, still pumping myself.
Spent, I stand beneath the hot spray until I can breathe right again. Toweling off later, I am hit with a sense of guilt. I have no right thinking about her that way. Wanting her that way. Not after how I behaved last night. It is not as if I will get a chance to redo that now. I had no reason to be such an asshole when all she wanted was to bring joy to all of us on the mountain.
No sooner do I get back to my workshop, tools and the coffee shop in hand once again, than a knock sounds at my front door. I laugh. Because there is no way this is happening again. It is freezing out, with a storm on the horizon, so they cannot be out there caroling again. Just thinking about sweet Serena in the bitter cold shoots me to my feet before I race to the door.
Throwing it open, I curse at what awaits me. There she is, standing in the heavy winds, with snow blowing around her tiny frame. This time she is all alone. If she were not, I might not be so foolish. Reaching out, I snatch her up, pulling her inside with me, slamming the door shut behind her.
“The hell you thinking coming up on this mountain tonight, sweetheart? Do you see that storm heading our way?”
“Excuse me, chief! Who do you think.... storm? Wait...what?”
“Too pretty to not be too bright, Serena. We’ve got one hell of a storm headed this way. You should never have come up on the mountain.”
It is then I realize how foolish I truly am. Serena is pressed close to me, her little frame soft against my hard one. I am in just sweatpants, so her soft breasts brush against my bare chest. I grasp her tightly, pinning her to me as her body begins to tremble. Her teeth chatter as she pouts up at me, those big, doe eyes sad once again. Because of me, once again.
All the things I thought before in the shower come rushing back. How she must taste. How soft her skin would be against mine. Would she make soft little sounds while I ate her for hours? Would she come in my mouth and on my cock? Could I fuck her raw and get her pregnant? Just thinking these things makes my dick so hard it hurts, and I start to push her away.
“You won’t hurt me, will you?” Serena breathes, staring up at me with big eyes, her hands clutching at me.
“Oh, sweetheart, no. I would never hurt you. Not ever. I just...I did not mean to scare you, Serena. It’s going to be a whiteout out there soon. It just scared me to think of you up here during a storm. I am sorry I keep upsetting you. I do not mean to. I am... I am no good with people, sweetheart.”
“How do you know my name?”
Blinking down at her, I smile what be a crooked, rueful smile. “Landon told me not to be mean to Serena again. It seems I upset his old lady by upsetting you. I was told not to do it again or risk him slicing my throat. I would honestly rather let myself bleed out than hurt you, sweetheart.”
Serena stares up at me, her pink mouth forming an ‘o’. I laugh. It rumbles from my chest, and she lets out a gasp, pressing flush against me. I groan at the feel of her curves fitting against me. Lowering my head, I hold her gaze as I swallow hard, breathing in her sweet, minty scent.
“I brought you...I mean I made everyone else.... I made gifts. I wanted you to have one. I did not know there was a storm,” she stammers, her eyes shining with unshed tears that break my heart.
“Oh, sweetheart,” I gentle my voice, cradling her jaw in my fingers. “I am sorry I am such a damn jagoff all the time. I honestly do not know how else to be. Please don’t be sad. I hate it. You were sad last night because of me. I hate that I upset you, Serena. I am so sorry. I just.... what. What has you smiling now?”
Serena beams up at me, lifting a little box up for me to see. “You would not make me sad again by refusing my gift, would you?”
“No, I would not ,” I answer without hesitation. This makes her smile even bigger. That smile steals my breath and settles my heart right in her little hands.
“Open it. I made it just for you,” she coos, pushing the box at me.
Stepping back a little, I take the gift. I think better of putting space between us, so I grab her hip to draw her close again. I am thrilled when she does not hesitate, letting me have my way.
“You made it for me, did you?” Taking out the glittering ornament, I shake my head. It is black, with a grinch face on it.
“It suits you,” she teases, still beaming that beautiful smile at me.
“Yeah, I suppose it does. What...what am I to do with it?”
Serena blinks at me, taking a quick look around the cabin. Her face falls, her eyes going big again. Jesus, she’s fucking adorable. Standing up straight, still letting me hold her close, she shakes her head as if chastising me. Again, I want to laugh, but I do not because I see she is very serious.
“Slater. You need a Christmas tree, chief!”
“Do I?” I wonder, frowning as I take the same look around she did.
“Yes. You will put one up, won’t you?”
“Sweetheart, if you want me to put a Christmas tree up, I will go cut one down this minute and put it up. Just so I can hang this gift.”
Serena nods with a smile. “Yes. I want you to have a tree up.”
“Hold that thought. I will be right back.”
To keep that smile on her face, I go outside with axe in hand to cut down my first Christmas tree.