Links Almost Made & Kisses and Playtime
Police Park – Picnic Area
Brayden was about to ask Sam if he ever camped in Réserve Faunique Ashuapmushuan but his phone rang and the id said it was Bayleigh. He answered "Hello darling. What's up?"
[Bayleigh's voice was a mix of frantic and frustration "Brayden I need you. Zed's crying for you again. Please can you get to the pediatrician's office quickly? Zed fell off the monkey bars and cut his head. He is okay except he needs a few stitches. But he won't let the doctor near him without screaming for you."]
"On my way. Let Zed know Daddy will be there in five minutes" Brayden answered. Looking at Jules he said "I have to go. Zed got hurt and needs stitches."
Jules asked with concern "Is he okay?"
Brayden grinned "Yeah he's a tough little dude. But he's going through a phase that when he is hurt he only wants me. It's driving Bayleigh batty because Zed is quite active and somewhat accident prone. That little dude doesn't know his limits. Constantly pushing against them. Reminds me of you when you were four Jules."
He wrapped Jules in a hug and said "Let us know when and where you are competing and we will all be there. Love ya sis. Gotta run though."
Jules hugged Brayden back and responded "Love you too Bray. I'll send you the details." Then she watched as Brayden raced to the parking area.
Sam sat back down at the table "I'm glad that went well Jules."
Jules sat down "It was like debriding a wound, painful but necessary. We both will heal now. I understand his motivations. I understand so much more now about them all. I'm glad I talked to all of them." Jules sighed.
Taking her hands in his Sam could see something was bothering her. Sam assumed it probably had to do with her dad. So he offered "I'm listening if you want to talk about it."
With a heavy sigh Jules moved so she was leaning into Sam's chest. He wrapped his arms around her and waited. Secure in his arms Jules said "Remember that night at Wanderlust Lodge when you stormed off and I found you punching the brick wall?"
Sam questioned where this was going in his head. What did Wanderlust Lodge have to do with her dad? But he simply answered "Yeah."
"I understood your need to burn those boxers" Jules said and then stopped.
Sam hugged her closer and Jules continued "It's what I did after I was raped. In my mind at the time I thought that if nothing was left then it didn't happen. So I snuck out and burned everything I was wearing that night. You and Sarge are the only ones I ever told about the rape. But I just found out my brothers knew. They knew and they risked everything to try and get justice for me without hurting me more."
Softly Sam asked "What did they do?" White hot anger rippled through Sam as he thought about Jules being raped. Sam knew what he would do if anyone attacked Natalie that way. The man would definitely lose a part of his anatomy and never be capable of doing it to another woman. He'd gladly go to prison for assault.
As Jules remained quiet another thought popped into Sam's head. It confused him. Into the silence he added "Wait. You never knew who it was. How could they risk everything if they didn't know who to go after?"
Jules's had remained quiet as thoughts of what could have happened to her brothers slogged through her mind. Her feelings were really swinging wildly this afternoon.
When she finally answered Jules's tone was gloomy "Aidan overheard my ex-boyfriend bragging to his friends in the locker room about what he did two weeks after it happened. Bruce didn't know Aidan was there. My brothers beat the crap out of Bruce and ran him out of town. I never knew they did that. I always thought Bruce just up and left to join the Army right after graduation."
"So you never saw him again?" Sam asked.
Jules shuddered as her memories rolled through her head "No and I was glad at the time because Bruce was a dipshit. He dumped me publicly which is one reason my brothers couldn't go to the police, they would just think I was trying to get back at Bruce. Also there was no evidence thanks to me burning my clothes. I realized Bruce was a creep at the time and I always had a bit of a suspicion it might have been him who attacked me. But no proof and I really wanted to just pretend it didn't happen."
Jules then related how Bruce had treated her when they were going out for three months and about how she broke up with Bruce. She also told him how Bruce behaved after she broke it off with him.
Sam inwardly winced when Jules said she kneed Bruce in the balls. But he was proud of Jules for her taking a stand against Bruce. Then Sam was back to seething with anger toward a man he never met as Jules told him how Bruce had slapped her. Sam wondered what he might do if he ever met her ex-boyfriend.
But Sam knew that Jules did not need to see his anger now. So he pushed it down and forced himself to focus on her words and to relax. She needed him to listen right now and offer warmth and a secure place for her to share her memories.
When Jules finished she said firmly "So I was glad I never saw him again. Never want to see him again either. He was such a creep." Then the memory of writing Julianna Nealy forced its way back into her head. She wanted to dispel those memories right now. She knew exactly how to do that.
Turning in Sam's arms so she could kiss him Jules pressed her lips to his in a soft gentle kiss. The warmth of their love enveloped her giving her strength. After a long slow kiss Jules broke the connection of their lips but not of their hearts as Jules pulled out of his arm. Jules gazed into his blue eyes.
She could see what her kisses did to Sam. It happened every single time. His eyes became a bit glazed and soft. Those eyes were the window into his heart and soul. Sam always allowed her to peer in and see the depth of his love for her. Jules lovingly said "I'm so glad I met you. I'm looking forward to being Mrs. Braddock."
Sam was returning from the special place that Jules's kiss always took him. When she kissed him like that he would gladly lose himself to her. As his eyes cleared he grinned "So am I. It has a nice ring to it. Mrs. Julianna Braddock."
Jules smiled "Yes it does."
Then she shook her head at the memory that pushed back in unwanted and wouldn't leave. Maybe sharing it with Sam would help it go away. So Jules revealed another small part of her past "I was so naïve back then. I used to doodle my name with Bruce's last name in my notebook. I can't believe I was ever so naïve."
Sam could see Jules needed help to banish a bad memory. He figured if he could get her laughing it might work. So Sam snorted and chuckled then kidded her "Man what I wouldn't give to see the guys' faces when I tell them you were so girly. Bet you wrote it in sparkly glitter pen."
He moved quickly out of range of Jules's fist as it cocked back. Sam set off at a run, careful of his knee, laughing out loud as Jules chased him. He made it behind a tree before she caught up to him.
They circled a tree going this way and that way as Sam eluded Jules. Both were laughing brightly. After several minutes Jules faked giving up and stood still slightly turning her back.
Sam teased "Ah come on, giving up so soon?" as he stopped moving.
That was his mistake. Jules grinned wickedly, lunged and tackled him. They rolled in the grass playfully each trying to pin the other. Sam finally got Jules pinned under him holding her wrists above her head. He straddled her with half of his weight holding her down.
When they quit laughing and started to settle down Jules said "Let me up and you better never tell them."
With a suggestive twinkle in his eyes, Sam said with a roughish timber to his voice "What ya gonna give me to let go and keep your girly secret?"
Jules let out a short, half-suppressed laugh and her eyes sparkled with love and admiration for Sam "Do you ever think of anything else?"
"On occasion but you know it's real hard when you are underneath me" Sam quipped.
Jules did a quick maneuver and she had Sam pinned under her in seconds flat.
"Or for that matter on top of me" Sam added with a lopsided grin and a wink. He was impressed with her skill. Mason and he had taught her some effective skills for handling a larger opponent.
Leaning down Jules kissed him passionately. The two of them made out, sharing hot sensual kisses under the shade of the trees. Sam started to slide his hand under her shirt when Jules realized they were out in plain view in the park. It was difficult but she pulled back.
Sam groaned at the loss of her lips. Looking at her Sam said "Damn good thing you have more control Jules. Your kisses knock me for a loop every single time. If you didn't stop us we would have surely gotten arrested for lewd behavior in a public place."
Jules giggled "Oh god can you imagine having to call the Boss to come bail us out. Ed would be so ticked at us."
Sam sat up and leaned back against the tree reining in his desire. Exhaling deeply Sam said in all seriousness "The Boss and Ed would be piece of cake compared to your brothers. I can imagine the ass kicking they would give me for embarrassing you like that."
Leaning against Sam's shoulder and putting her hand on his chest over his heart Jules responded "I'd protect you from them."
Sam stared at Jules a moment as he thought she would and she had. He grinned "They'd never know what hit them."
They both burst out in laughter again. Sam stood and then offered a hand to Jules. After pulling her up he looked at his clothes. "We should probably head back. After that horse ride and graceful dismount into the dust and rolling with you in the grass Ed's gonna wonder what the hell I've been up to if I don't change."
Picking grass out of her hair Jules added "Yeah we should have time for a shower and change. I can check your knee again too."
Sam threw his arm around her shoulders and Jules put her arm around his waist. They walked slowly to the truck. At the truck Sam leaned in and gave Jules a quick kiss then cheekily asked "So when you said we have time for a shower did you plan on joining me?"
Jules lightly tapped Sam arm but tilted her head to the side and said impishly "I'm all for water conservation."
Sam gave her a WOW smile then remarked "Oh I don't know that we will save water but it sure will be more fun."
Jules's heart sang as she kissed his cheek then headed for the driver's side. God she loved this man and couldn't wait to marry him. He was right, the shower would be more fun together. Good thing they had enough time before dinner for a long steamy shower.
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AN: Decided to give you short chapters. Ones that I can write quickly instead of making you all wait for longer chapters. This way while I'm busy with real word stuff over the next few weeks the story can move along, albeit slower and less content per chapter. Hope you enjoy the JAM moments.
