A/N: This chapter is REALLY long. Make yourself a coffee or something, get snacks and warn your loved ones you'll be M.I.A for half the day, lol. Sorry!
"Hello?"
She didn't say anything for a second; she just let the sound of his deep voice caress her spine like a shiver.
"Hey Rachel," Puck said into the silence, his tone rough with sleep, but not irritation.
"How did you know it was me?" she asked, leaning back into her pillows and drawing her knees to her chest.
"Just a guess," he teased, amused.
Rachel found her lips forming a small smile, even as she tried to fight it. 'I'm not the type of woman to make middle of the night phone calls," she protested.
"You know what?" he asked lowly, a sound that had goose bumps breaking out all over her skin. "I don't think either of us knows exactly what kind of woman you are yet."
She seemed to have lost her voice.
"But I can't wait to find out."
His voice was sexy. There was no denying it. She felt the heat pool from low in her belly, a dull ache that settled between the apex of her thighs.
"Noah…."
He chuckled, "I'm glad you called, Rach."
"You are? Why?" she asked almost breathlessly.
"Because it's unexpected. Life needs to hold surprises." That was rule number five on his list. Though he had vowed to scrap his plan, he was pleased that she was learning (what he considered important) all on her own.
"And I wanted a chance to clear the air," Puck had continued. "We were getting along so well and then-"
"Yeah." She replied inarticulately. "Can we just forget about that?"
He cleared his throat. "I guess - if you want." But he didn't want to forget about it. He didn't want to pretend like he hadn't asked her to dump her fiancée for him; didn't want to act as though he hadn't thought, for even half a second, that she might say yes.
That half a second had been pretty awesome.
"So, what's up?" He was rustling his bed covers and she could picture him sitting up, leaning against his headboard, as she was, settling in to talk to her, not trying to figure out how to rush her off the phone as Finn had done.
She hadn't pictured what Finn looked like in bed. She contemplated him now, tucked under his covers with a plain grey t-shirt and a pair of plaid pajama bottoms - Rachel refused to picture the faceless woman curled into his side.
Her mind returned to Puck. She bet he wore nothing at all.
"Um, nothing. Goodbye!" she said nonsensically, thankful for the anonymity of the phone and the fact that Puck couldn't tell what she was thinking or feel the heat flooding her cheeks.
"Hey wait a sec, did you call for a reason?"
Well no, honestly. She hadn't been thinking when she dialled his number, but what would he think if she said she called just to hear his voice?
"Yes, I called to tell you that Finn and I just talked about a date for the wedding," she announced flatly.
Silence, and then his voice again, calm and sensuous.
"You talked tonight, at two in the morning? Wow, scared you that much did I?"
"It had nothing to do with you," Rachel returned heatedly into the phone, panicked at the thought that she was so transparent. "We've been engaged for months and wedding plans can be quite involved. I thought it was about time I got a head start on the planning."
Puck sighed inaudibly, frowning at her stubbornness. She was really going to fight him on this every step of the way, ignoring the truth about her relationship with Finn that was abundantly clear to everyone but Rachel. He was going to have to find another way to get through to her, because he sure as hell wasn't giving her up on a silver platter to Hudson. Rachel was challenging, she didn't intend to make it easy for him. He kind of liked that about her.
"I think I could have waited until morning to hear that." He said dryly. She felt foolish. Of course he wouldn't have wanted to be woken up in the middle of the night for that piece of news, even if it was true and not just the first excuse she had grasped out of thin air. There were probably only a handful of reasons or activities he would want to be woken up for, most of which, she was sure, were ones she didn't care to contemplate when she spent far too much of her time lately thinking of Noah in intimate terms already.
"Actually I didn't call to say that," she corrected herself, "I called to say thank you, for tonight. Not for the argument afterwards or the kissing part, obviously, but for dinner." Rachel was clearly babbling like a lunatic, and just as clearly unable to stop herself, "though the kissing part was nice too…..Oh, shoot!"
She closed her eyes in mortification when she realized what she'd said, as his laughter rang down the line.
"Great, I'm glad."
"I meant I enjoyed your company." She emphasized, knowing she couldn't retract her admission. "You were right when you said we needed to be honest with each other. I just hope that that last part of the evening hasn't done any irrevocable damage to the progress we made. I like to think we understand each other a little better now," she finished awkwardly.
"That we do," he agreed, grinning at her apparent discomfort. She wasn't as indifferent to him as she liked to pretend, that was a big fucking plus.
"Okay. Well, goodnight."
"Goodnight, Berry."
She felt relief flood her body. His tone, the teasing lilt to his voice was almost welcomed. She was afraid that after the way they had left things that night, the easy camaraderie they had discovered during the second half of their dinner would be lost. She was thankful that didn't seem to be the case.
"Noah, I have asked you repetitively not to call me that!"
"Sorry," he laughed again, a deep rumble that had her tingling all over. "I forgot the rules. Perfectly understandable in the middle of the fucking night wouldn't you say?"
"I suppose," she didn't hate it, his preference of addressing her by her last name rather than her first. It wasn't indifferent or casual, not in the way he said 'Berry', all warm and affectionate-like. "It's late, I have to go."
"Hmm, well thanks for calling. By the way, what date did you set?"
She'd hoped he wouldn't ask that. "I said we talked about it, not that we had set a date," she reminded him.
"I see the distinction," he replied wryly.
She huffed, though she wasn't nearly as annoyed as she though she ought to be. "I wish you wouldn't make fun of me."
"I'm trying. But sometimes, you make it really easy." He let that sink in for a minute.
"Goodnight Rach."
Hang up the phone, she willed herself.
"Finn slept with someone," she blurted out, clutching tighter to the receiver and praying he had heard her and she wouldn't hear dial tone for the second time that night.
Puck exhaled loudly, "Wait, he what?"
Rachel bit her lip, "I called him and there was a woman, in the background."
"Ok," he thought quickly, trying to gauge how she felt about the situation; he couldn't tell. "Well that doesn't mean-"
"It was two AM Noah," she interrupted quietly, "I woke them up."
"Shit," he paused, "I'm sorry, Rachel. Are you ok?"
She was touched by his concern. "Fine. I just-"
"Yeah?"
She let the silence stretch between them and just listened to the sound of his breathing.
"Rach? You still there?"
"Yes, I'm here," she answered, bunching the comforter nervously in her hand. "I'm just thinking…"
He held his phone a little tighter, "Oh yeah? About what?"
"About everything you said." She answered vaguely. "About my relationship with Finn."
He didn't say anything, didn't jump all over her statement with any 'I told you so's' which she was eternally thankful for.
The future she planned with Finn was shaky now at best and there was a very real possibility that she didn't have a fiancée to go home to. She was running out of reasons to ignore the attraction she felt towards Puck, and the earnestness of his hazel gaze that evening, when he'd pinned her against his mother's door, begging her to give him a shot, replayed over and over in her mind.
She knew she wasn't ready to take that leap of faith, trust that he was sincere when he said that he could show her what it would be like to give herself up to that raging inferno of emotion inside her and still make her feel safe and protected.
But she was intrigued. She wondered how long his offer would be valid for.
"Alright, well that's all I wanted to say." She said when the silence stretched out for longer than she felt comfortable with. "Goodnight Noah," she said softly, "I'll see you in the morning."
"Bright and early," he agreed, "First Annual Puckerman Camping Trip."
"I can't wait," she told him honestly. She hung up the phone after his "Sweet dreams," turning onto her side and hugging her pillow to her chest. Suddenly, she smiled, burrowing down under the covers and contemplating three whole days of Noah and Eli, out by the lake. There'd be campfires and swimming, hours of lazy reading and yes, knowing Noah, ample opportunity for a stolen kiss or two…or several. She giggled and pressed her face into the down pillow, aware that the next few days could completely and indisputably change the entire course of her life – her future stretched out before her like a blank canvas and for once, she hadn't a clue what the final painting would look like.
For the first time in a long time, the unknowns in her future did not concern her. She was looking forward to them. Tomorrow couldn't come soon enough.
***/***
Puck hung up from Rachel thoughtfully. On a hunch, he dialled Quinn's number.
"Why are you calling me?" She groaned into the phone as she picked up.
"Where are you?" He asked without preamble.
"In bed," Quinn replied in a tone that implied he was an imbecile for asking that question at close to three o'clock in the morning.
"With who?" he asked pointedly. Quinn took her time answering.
"Finn," Puck surmised, shaking his head.
"How did you know?" She asked urgently, shushing Finn who had woken up again and was mumbling incoherently.
"Rachel."
Quinn shot up, clutching at Finn's arm before she leaned over and groped for the lamp switch on the bedside table.
"Rachel knows I'm here?" She asked guiltily, holding the sheet protectively to her naked breasts. She glanced at Finn whose eyes had widened. ***/***Crap, he mouthed.
"No," Puck assured her. "She just heard some skank in the background when she was on the phone to him. I just figured it was you."
"Fuck you." Quinn said evenly and Puck laughed.
"Kidding," he placated.
"Is she okay?" Quinn worried for her best friend. It might not seem like it, given that she was, at that very moment, in bed with Rachel's fiancée, but the circumstances were extraneous and she felt sure, when she explained her feelings to Rachel, that her friend would forgive her. She hoped Puck held true to his promise, and that Rachel would be so distracted trying to fit Puck into the perfect family she wanted to create for Eli, that she wouldn't have much time to worry over her broken engagement. It was selfish, Quinn knew, but she couldn't help it.
"She's great," Puck promised, smiling to himself as he replayed their last conversation in his head. "You and Hudson good?"
Quinn looked shyly at Finn before answering, "I think so."
"Cool, listen. I don't know what you two are planning to tell her but I think you should hold off on any grand confessions," he advised sagely.
Quinn perked up at the scheming in his tone, "What do you mean by that? What have you done?"
"Nothing. Yet." Puck added. "But I think if you give me a few days, the news will be easier for her to swallow. Does Hudson know 'bout me and Rach?"
"What is there to tell?" Quinn asked curiously and Puck snorted, having no intention of filling her in. He didn't want to jinx it. "Yes, he knows. I clued him in on your little flirtation when we…" she paused delicately.
"Decided you were hot for each other and to hell with whoever was standing in your way, even if that person is your best friend," Puck supplied, not unkindly.
Quinn didn't bother trying to justify her actions. She hadn't meant for it to happen, it just did and she didn't answer to Noah Puckerman, of all people. "Finn was understandably shocked. He hadn't picked up on the smouldering tension between you." She smiled at her lover who was still looking adorably confused, "he was surprised, but he's not upset."
"He has no reason to be, she hasn't done anything wrong." Puck defended gruffly. And she hadn't. He'd instigated every one of their kisses, except maybe for the steamy little make out session at the beach, but even that one he had goaded her into. He'd take full responsibility for them all.
"So far…" Quinn said and Puck rolled his eyes.
"People who live in glass houses…yada, yada. Whatever. Point is, you and Hudson aren't exactly in the best position to judge other people's secret fucks,"
Quinn gasped, "You haven't-"
"Yet." Puck said again with a shit eating smirk. "Use protection." he recommended before hitting disconnect. He threw his phone carelessly to the side, folding his arms under his head as he stared up at the ceiling. Well that night had been full of surprises, he mused. He could only hope the following days would prove to be just as exciting.
Confident in the fact that Rachel had packed her red bikini, he was sure they would be.
***/***
Rachel stood with her hands on her hips, surveying the campsite that would be her home for the next three days. Puck had chosen a spot under a canopy of oak trees, with a picnic table and large fire pit, only fifty yards from the lake's shore. As far as spots went, it was quite spectacular but the infestation of mosquitos and the fact that there was no bathroom within a five mile radius (a detail Puck had purposely left out until the very last minute) was putting a dampener on her excitement.
She heard Eli and Puck whooping triumphantly behind her and she turned, smiling as she watching them secure the last of the tent pegs and slap palms enthusiastically, chattering about their plans for the next few days. She walked over to them, her smile still in place, until she heard the tail end of their conversation.
"What do you think buddy? We just need to pump up the air mattress for Rachel and we're all set up. Pretty sweet huh?"
"Yeah." Eli agreed happily, standing beside his father as their identical hazel eyes swept over their sleeping quarters. "But Rachel's not going to like it. She'll make us go home." Both adults could hear as the excitement drained from the little boy's voice, to be replaced with disappointment.
Puck's eyebrow furrowed and he glanced down at Eli, "Why do you think that? Rachel told us both this morning how much she was looking forward to camping with us."
"It's dirty. Rachel hates dirt."
Puck looked up then, catching sight of Rachel standing a few feet behind them. She was biting her lip and looking crestfallen at Eli's declaration. Was she really that much of a kill joy that she could disappoint her brother without even opening her mouth?
"Yeah, she does." Puck admitted, his gaze locking on Rachel's. "But I promise you that she's not going to make us go home. She knows how much fun we're going to have and how great it's going to be. She wants to have fun too."
She had a feeling that he wasn't just talking about camping.
Rachel took a deep breath and pasted on a bright smile, "Hey guys," she forced herself to sound cheerfully, "What's going on here?"
Puck put his hand on the top of Eli's head as she came to stand beside them, both boys watching her carefully. She tried to keep her smile in place, even as it faltered and she wanted to cringe at the dark spots on the tent flaps that she suspected were the beginnings of mold. She took in the paper thin mattresses they would be sleeping on and eyed the dusty sleeping bags – she didn't even want to know the last time they'd been washed.
"D-do you like it, Rach?" Eli asked tentatively.
"No," she answered automatically, unthinkingly.
"Oh." His voice was very small.
She realized her error immediately and dropped to her knees in front of him. "I don't like it," she told him seriously, "I LOVE IT!"
Eli's full lips stretched into a wide smile, his eyes round and hopeful, "Really?"
Rachel nodded earnestly and Puck grinned at her proudly as Eli flung himself into her arms.
"Thank you, thank you, thank you!" the little boy squealed happily as he hugged her tight. "Me and Puck are gonna go fishing this afternoon, do ya wanna come?"
She couldn't help the way her nose wrinkled at the offer and Puck barked out a laugh. She glowered at him before turning her attention back to her brother. "Thank you for the offer Pumpkin, but I think fishing is a boys only activity. I'm planning on taking a walk around the lake instead and when you get back we'll have a swim before dinner. Is that alright?"
Eli nodded and tugged on Puck's hand, "Can we go now Puck? I wanna catch some fishies."
"Sure Bud," he replied. "I've just got to get our stuff ready so why don't you play with Hank for a little while and I'll call you when we're ready to go, ok?"
Eli ran off happily, picking up a stick and throwing it for Hank to retrieve.
Puck watched him settle into the game not too far away, and after he was confident Eli wouldn't run into any trouble if they left him unattended for the next few minutes, he turned his attention back to Rachel.
She was still grimacing at the inside of the tent, her face contorting with disgust as she toed one of the sleeping bags he'd unrolled and a small cloud of dust was released as a result. A second later a small spider scurried from in between the folds and Rachel shrieked, launching herself into his arms and climbing his body like a tree as she hooked her legs around his waist so her feet weren't touching the ground.
"I can't do it, Noah! I don't care what you say; I'm not sleeping in that- that thing!" Rachel spat, practically hysterical.
He laughed at her and she slapped his shoulder before wrapping her arms around his torso, her terrified gaze fixed on the small eight legged creature as it hurried out of the tent and out into the wilderness.
"It's gone now, it's not going to hurt you."
She buried her face into his neck and he felt her take in a deep, shuddering breath. "I hate spiders," she said in a small voice.
He rubbed her back soothingly, still grinning. Sometimes, Rachel Berry was just adorable.
"Don't worry Rach, I'll protect you from the big, bad hairy spider, I promise."
Her head shot up, "You're mocking me!" she accused.
He didn't deny it.
She glared at him, mumbling something about 'common rational fears' as she wriggled in his embrace, trying to set her feet back on the ground. Puck was having far too much fun to let her go, so he held her in place, his hands slipping to cup her ass. "Oh yeah, babe. Just a little lower."
Rachel heard the suggestiveness in his tone and immediately ceased her movements. Her eyes rose to meet his and he quirked his eyebrow in a silent challenge. All the wriggling had only caused her to slide down his body, bringing their pelvis' almost in direct contact.
They held each other's gaze for a full minute, a heated awareness sizzling between them, before he smirked, momentarily letting go of her ass and allowing her to drop another few inches before he caught her again, in exactly the position he wanted her.
"Noah!" she exclaimed. Whatever she had been planning to say after that, died on her lips as she felt her center press against his crotch. Through the thin cotton of their clothes she could feel the definite outline of his cock and she blushed, her efforts to detangle herself from him becoming more earnest.
"You're not helping," he said teasingly, and he was right. Her eyes widened as she felt him twitch against her.
"Noah," she said again, though this time her protest was weak. He noted the look of resigned expectancy on her face, like she knew what was going to happen and he was sure she wouldn't fight him.
"Yeah?" he rubbed his nose against hers before slowly brushing her lips in a barely there kiss; testing her, gauging her reaction.
When he pulled back to look at her, he couldn't define the look in her eyes.
Rachel stared at him, her lips tingling from where they had touched his. Her mind began to whirl in that way she was growing accustomed to whenever he was in close proximity, and suddenly her thoughts were a jumble of images of both Finn and Noah. She couldn't forget the phone call to her fiancée last night and the voice of a woman in the background, or standing with Noah on his mother's porch, his warm body pressing against her as he promised he could stoke that fire in her belly and take her to heights of pleasure she was sure she didn't know even existed.
Her eyes dropped back to his lips, impossibly soft and utterly tempting. She'd already decided that his mouth was her undoing.
He licked his lips as he noted where her attention was fixed and stared right back at her. When he let out a husky, "Rach…." she promptly forgot all the reasons why she was supposed to be resisting him.
Finn? It was frighteningly easy to dismiss the man she was supposedly going to spend the rest of her life with. Truthfully, he rarely infiltrated her thoughts anyway and besides, Finn was bedding another woman.
Eli? Eli adored Noah. The little boy's face was alight with happiness the entire time he spent in the company of Noah and his beloved dog. Noah was his father. Providing they could initially keep what was happening between them away from Eli, so as not to confuse him, he wasn't a viable excuse.
Her desperate need to be in control? She hadn't been in control since the second she'd met this man and despite one or two minor hiccups, she was relatively unscathed and the world had yet to end.
The fact that he couldn't promise her forever? Well, yes. That was probably the greatest cause for hesitation but she hadn't always been so fixated on her future, not in regards to her personal life anyway. Couldn't she just enjoy him, for as long as she could? They were adults. Mature, sensible (for the most part) adults. There was no conceivable reason why they couldn't just give into the sexual attraction that simmered between them. She had told him she wasn't the type of woman to have flings, that she couldn't embark on an affair for the sexual gratification alone, that she needed something tangible and real.
The heat between them was very real.
And hadn't Noah himself speculated on a future together the night before? He had voiced it out loud, the supposition that they could be happy together, and she had discounted his suggestion.
She was cursing her stupidity. How could she have dismissed him so readily? Something amazing was already blooming; she just had to believe that it was worth the risk.
Rachel couldn't ignore the way her pulse leapt every time Noah looked at her, a reaction she'd never had with Finn, and she'd be lying if she didn't admit that she hadn't been thinking constantly about the offer he had extended the night before. Two weeks, he's said. He wanted to be with her while she was in Lima, to remind her of what it felt like to be with someone who excited her, who challenged her and forced her to examine her feelings.
Two weeks to start with anyway.
She knew how he made her feel; she suspected that amazingly, he was equally as enamoured with her most of the time. If she took a chance on him and the next two weeks went well, would he take a chance on her and actively pursue something serious?
She thought he might.
Suddenly, she remembered the girl she used to be; Fearless, passionate, trusting. Life had taken that from her and she was so desperate to feel again that she let go and listened to her heart for the split second it took for her to make her decision. She hoped he wouldn't give her cause to regret it.
"Noah," she started quietly, her arms tightening around his shoulders.
"Yeah, babe." His voice had that rough quality to it that made her stomach flip.
She leant in slowly, "I'm about to do something completely irrational," she said softly, her eyes fluttering shut. "Just stay still."
She caught him completely off guard, and she took advantage of his momentary stupor to nibble lightly on his bottom lip and set her own pace. His lips parted automatically to her silent plea, granting entrance to her tongue and she took her time exploring the contours of his mouth, fisting his t-shirt and pressing more firmly against him. He buried his fingers in her hair that was tightly wound into a plait, tugging gently on the strands as she moved her lips over his like she'd be doing it her whole life.
Her legs tightened around his waist and she shifted, the movement inadvertently causing her to grind against him. There was a single, sharp intake of breath and then he moaned.
His moan was what had her returning to her senses and she pulled back, running her thumb over his bottom lip and wiping away the lip gloss that had transferred from her lips to his.
Rachel waited for the inevitable moment when she would panic and berate herself for her actions but all she felt was the warmth of her blood rushing through her veins and the skip of her heartbeat as she gazed at his face.
Puck's eyes were still closed tightly and she smiled, "Noah,"
"Shhh," he grumbled, his forehead creasing. "Don't wake me up, I think I'm dreaming."
Rachel giggled and pushed at his chest. Reluctantly, he let her go.
As she dropped to her feet and stood back, straightening her blouse and swiping the strands of hair that had escaped her plait into place, he shoved his hands in his pockets and grinned.
"Not that I'm complaining, but what was that?"
Rachel lifted her shoulder and smiled back, innocently. He made her feel light hearted. At that very moment she was happier than she could remember being in years, the blessing that was Eli aside; she didn't want to risk letting go of her euphoria just yet.
"What was what?" she asked flippantly, not waiting for an answer as she turned her head towards Eli. Her gaze found him on the ground, laughing as Hank slobbered all over him. Her smile widened and she stepped forward, looping her arm through Puck's.
"Come on, Noah. You have fish to catch and I have a date with a shady tree and my 'lady porn' as you take great pleasure in describing my reading material."
"Rach-" He stopped, forcing her to halt with him. "Do you think maybe we should talk about-"
"No," she shook her head, "It's a beautiful day Noah, let's not spoil it. To use an expression you may be familiar with, I think today is about just going with the flow." Rachel gazed up at him, her dark eyes sparkling. He had a look of confusion on his face and she couldn't fault him for it. She was surprised at her own behavior herself.
"Go with the flow," he was repeating skeptically, eyeing her with something akin to suspicion. Sometime in the last 5 minutes, Rachel Berry had undergone a rapid personality transplant. Spontaneous kisses, warm smiles…he was understandably stunned.
"Is that alright?" She tugged on the ends of her hair, and a look of anxiousness came over her features as she waited for his answer. She wasn't used to feeling so carefree, and already her impulsiveness was waning and the first seeds of doubt were creeping in.
Puck saw her blink twice and he knew whatever spell had been cast over her in the last few minutes was fading. His face cleared and he grinned, dropping a quick kiss on her nose he nodded.
"No problems Berry, let's play it your way."
She brightened and they continued towards Eli. When they got within a few feet of where he and Hank were playing, Rachel let go of Puck's arm and scooped the little boy up, raining kisses all over his face, mindless of his laughing shrieks of protest.
"Help me Puck! Help me!" Eli cried through his giggles while Puck stood by chuckling. Rachel smacked one last kiss on his cheek and set him down, pouting when Eli wiped his face.
"Alright boys, grab your fishing rods and off you go," she dismissed, still smiling, with a wave of her hand. "I've packed you drinks and snacks in the cooler. Try and be back by 4."
They nodded obediently and it was Eli's turn to pull on Puck's hand, steering him towards the truck where their gear was stored. Puck allowed the boy to lead him away, though his eyes were still following the brunette back at the campsite who was singing with abandon what sounded like a show tune as she rummaged around in her bag for her book.
Puck felt a surge of contentment course through him as he watched her graceful movements, his son chattered on animatedly beside him as they walked. He figured this is what it was like, having a family. He'd be willing to bet that this camping trip would shape up to be the best idea he'd ever had.
***/***
Puck and Eli returned from their fishing trip triumphant, elated at the rainbow trout and cod they had caught, and the trio spent the remainder of the afternoon swimming and laying out by the dock. Rachel had, to Puck's delight, packed her red bikini and she pretended not to notice the way he blatantly ogled her body as they watched Eli wander along the shore nearby, picking up rocks and trying to skim them along the water as Puck had taught him.
Her body was insane, Puck thought to himself as he not so discretely checked out her long, tanned legs and her toned stomach. Her boobs were small, but like the rest of her - fucking perfect - and his fingers were itching to untie the string that held her suit in place and watch the material fall away, spilling her breasts to his hungry gaze. His eyes were hidden behind the aviators he favored, but they offered her no protection from the heat of his gaze.
She shifted slightly, "You're staring again," she admonished, not for the first time since he'd rowed the boat to shore and immediately let out an approving whistle when he'd seen what she'd been wearing.
"Can you blame me?" He retorted with a smirk, "Your tits are fucking perfection in that thing and red is my favorite color."
She smiled slightly, turning her head slightly to look at him, "Is it really?"
"Is now." she tipped her head back and laughed and he grinned back at her.
Rachel bumped her shoulder against his and glanced out over the lake. They were getting better at the friendly banter and she found herself relaxing more and more in his company.
"So, camping? You still hate it?" Puck asked, settling back on his elbows.
"No, it's quite pleasant." she admitted, "But I haven't had to sleep in that smelly tent yet." she added, "I might change my mind come morning."
"It'll be aired out by now," he assured her. "And you can use my sleeping bag - it's been cleaned at least once in the last couple of years which is more that I can say for the one's Mike leant us."
"Thank you," she accepted sweetly, "That's very chivalrous of you, Noah."
Rachel shooed a fly from her face before asking, "How long have you known Mike? You two seem close."
Puck shrugged, "All my life. Mike and our friend Matt have known each other since kindergarten. Matt's engaged to Mike's cousin Tina, who also went to school with us."
"That must be nice, having a group of friends that go back so many years."
"It's a pain in the ass more like it," he contradicted. "Sucks that they know every fucking thing about me, and they never let me forget any of it either."
She giggled, "Well from the little bits you've told me, it seems you gave them plenty of material to torment you with. Cougars, cheerleaders, slushie facials..."
He smirked at her, "Bad ass mother fucker," he agreed proudly, "But fuck, they can't remember the legendary stuff, like how I was the only dude that Santana and Brittany ever let join their special 'girl time'. No, they've always got to bring up the embarrassing stuff, like Suzy Pepper plastering my picture over the health clinic downtown claiming I was an STD risk."
She let that slide. "Oh Lord," she groaned. "Who are Santana and Brittany and what is 'special girl time' or do I not want to know?"
She didn't want to know but he told her anyway. Rachel wasn't sure whether she should laugh or roll her eyes at what was obviously the highlight of his teenage escapades. She did both.
"And all of you still get together regularly to catch up?"
Puck nodded, "Once every couple of weeks. San and Britt got hitched not long ago, they're spending the summer in the Greek Islands but they'll be back by the end of August." It was on the tip of his tongue to say that he couldn't wait for her to meet them, because he had a feeling she and Santana would either love or hate each other on sight, and frankly he was curious to find out which one it would be.
He caught himself just in time. She wouldn't be here in August and although they still hadn't hashed out how they would work Eli's visits, he figured once she was back in Long Island the opportunities for her to meet the rest of his friends would be limited. He didn't want to listen to the ticking of his internal clock that was telling him that in no time at all he'd be standing at the end of his driveway seeing them off as Eli and Rachel left for their own home. The thought sucked, hardcore. They were such a huge part of his life already; he just didn't know how he was going to cope when they were gone.
"I wish I had had lifelong friends like that," Rachel was saying wistfully.
"You don't keep in contact with your school buddies or anything?" he asked curiously, pushing all thoughts of impending departures out of his mind.
She shook her head. 'I was somewhat of an outcast at school, people considered me too high strung and tense-"
"No?" he feigned surprise and she elbowed him good naturedly.
"Shockingly, yes." She rose an eyebrow at him. "You and your Neanderthal friends probably would have taking great pleasure in throwing those slushies drinks at me," she predicted lightly.
"Probably," he admitted, earning himself another jab in the ribs. "But I would have only done it on the days you were wearing white shirts. The slushies would have totally made your shirt see through and you know I dig your choice in lingerie." He winked roguishly, remembering the first day they met. Wet, white silk and purple lace bras were going to become a regular fixture on his rotation, he knew it.
Rachel surprised him by giggling, "Why do I have a suspicion that you'd have been unbearable with your ice drink torture?" she teased.
He chuckled as well. "You got my number, babe. So, you were Berry-no-friends, huh?" he pressed.
She frowned, "No, I had a few friends in my glee club, but we were all so alike. We were all so fiercely ambitious and focused on our careers that we didn't really prioritize our friendships. We lost contact over the years, especially when I quit the theatre and we didn't have anything in common anymore. I suppose Quinn is my oldest friend. We've been best friends for 10 years."
Puck felt bad when he saw Rachel smile to herself as she mentioned her blonde friend, the friend that was probably at that moment engaging is some decidedly un-PG acts with the fiancée she was so determined to hang onto.
Which prompted the question, "How long have you known Finn?"
She looked at him sharply and he remained impassive, giving nothing of what he was thinking away.
"A few years now," she replied after a moment, when she was sure he wasn't going to say something offensive or sarcastic. "He and Quinn dated back in high school and they ran into each other one day in the Supermarket, Eli was still a baby. The three of us used to spend time together before Finn and I started dating," she paused and laughed. "I suppose nothing really changed after we did."
"Whoa, back up." he held up his hand. "Finn and Quinn used to date?"
Rachel nodded, "It was all rather cliché. He was the Quarterback; she was the head cheerleader..."
"How long were they together?" Puck was probably more stunned by this revelation than he should be.
"Three years I think? They broke up when Finn went to Michigan for College."
"That's a long time," he mumbled.
"I suppose, but it was high school." She shrugged. "They were young."
"Hmmm," he mused distractedly. That kind of made sense. It had been clear to him from the start that Quinn, while adamant that Rachel and Finn were all wrong for each other, thought a lot of the likeable, if not overly intelligent man. She'd been crushing on him since high school.
It was almost cute, Puck supposed. Well it would be if Rachel wasn't the person to complete that awkward triangle and was going to be the one who ended up hurt because of it. He was shaken out of his musings by Rachel standing and bending back down to retrieve her towel.
"We should start dinner preparations, Noah. You promised Eli a s'mores tutorial after dinner and he'll be ready for bed soon after." Rachel pulled her hair into a messy bun and stepped into her flip flops as Puck followed suit.
"Bed? It's like 5pm." He protested in dismay as they strolled back towards the campsite. Eli ran up to them then, yawning as he wrapped his hand around Rachel's.
She gave Puck a pointed look when they were faced with Eli's obvious fatigue, "I didn't say we had to go to bed as well."
He liked the way she said that.
He brushed his fingers over her arm as they walked, "Well what is there for mommies and daddies to do when the kids are all tucked up in bed?" he asked suggestively with a playful leer.
"Well, I saw that you brought your guitar with you. I thought maybe you could play for me." Her refusal to comment on his innuendo left him disappointed for a split second until he remembered that she was a self confessed musical theatre geek. Rachel lived for music and Puck knew he had mad guitar skills and a voice she had already confessed had pleasantly surprised her. He could totally serenade her by the campfire; mood lighting, one of those love songs chicks went ape shit for….he was practically guaranteed a bit of boob action.
His night was set.
***/***
Puck continued to let his fingers pluck at the strings as he watched the firelight dance over her face. They had eaten a dinner of grilled fish and salad, and, after he had taught them how to make the perfect s'more, they had put Eli to bed.
Later, he had retrieved his guitar and proceeded to spend the next hour playing any song she requested that was in his repertoire. Rachel looked content, leaning back against the fallen log as she gazed into the fire, listening intently as he played for her. She mostly hummed along but every now and then she'd sing softly along with a chorus, as if she just couldn't help herself. Finally, he had enough; yeah he loved to look at her, but fuck that noise when he was about 80 percent sure she was down with a bit of groping. Puck set aside his guitar carefully and curled his fingers around her wrist.
Rachel looked up, startled by his unexpected touch.
"Come here," he requested with a gentle tug on her hand.
Her eyebrow rose and she carefully set down her mug. "Noah?" she questioned unsurely.
He tugged again and she rose on her knees, kneeling beside him. He grabbed her bare leg and swung it over his lap so she was straddling his thighs, her hands coming to rest on his shoulders.
"What am I doing here?" she asked shyly.
The way she nervously worried her bottom lip as she looked at him with soft brown eyes had him groaning. He brushed back the hair from her face and cupped her neck, pulling her down to his lips.
"Well you can start by picking up where you left off this morning," he said gruffly against her mouth, "then you can tell me what the hell it was all about. And none of that 'go with the flow' stuff. Shit just isn't you."
She complied, kissing him sweetly before leaning back, one of her small hands sliding down his chest to fiddle with the button on his plaid shirt. "You've been fiercely advocating the 'life has to hold surprises' outlook since I met you, Noah. I was merely doing my bit to ensure you were sufficiently taken aback once in a while yourself. "
"Right," he said dryly, running his fingers through the ends of her hair. "Like I said earlier, I'm not complaining, but what's changed? Because last night you told me, pretty brutally, that you were still marrying Finn and that I didn't have a chance in hell with you. Way to send a dude mixed messages, Rach."
She looked at him from beneath her eyelashes, trying to determine whether he was angry at her. He didn't look angry.
"I also told you," she said, quieter now, "that you'd given me a lot to think about."
"Are you?" he wanted to know, "thinking about it?"
She nodded and he felt his heart pound in his chest. She was coming around faster than he would have thought.
"I'm afraid."
"Of me?" He asked in surprise.
She stared down at her hand on his shoulders, her fingers playing with the collar of his shirt. "Yes, no - I'm not quite sure." she admitted quietly. Her eyes flicked up to meet his, "I think I want to be with you, Noah, for as long as I'm here. But-"
"No buts," he interrupted, pulling her down to his chest and bringing her in for a lengthy kiss.
Her lips quirked against his and she allowed him to distract her for several, blissful minutes.
"You're so good at that," she laughed breathlessly when they parted.
"Kissing?" he queried as his hand dipped under the back of the sweater she'd pulled on when the sun had gone down and the night had gotten cooler.
"Driving every thought from my mind." she corrected.
He snorted, "Babe, trust me when I say that there are hundreds of things I can do to you that will make you forget your own fucking name."
She swallowed heavily as his gaze burned into hers. "I have no doubt," she managed.
Puck smirked, "And you want me to do those things to you, don't you?" he murmured letting his other hand slide up the outside of her silken thigh to rest at the edge of her denim shorts. There, his fingers dipped under the hem to draw lazy circles on her skin.
She didn't answer she just fixed him with a slightly anxious, contemplative look.
"Did you mean it Noah? Can I trust you?" All the teasing that had been present in her tone all afternoon was gone and there was that flash of vulnerability that had him gathering her close and pressing reassuring kisses to her temple.
"Yeah, Rach. You can trust me."
"Well, then I think-" She pursed her lips, her brow creasing as she seemed to struggle with something. He waited patiently, stroking his thumb over her hipbone.
"I think I want to explore-" she hesitated, "this. Whatever's happening between us."
"Fina-fucking-lly," he exclaimed, tilting her chin.
She didn't hesitate, meeting his mouth, her lips parting eagerly and her tongue stroking his in a gentle caress. It was passionate and hungry, but at the same time teasing and slow. It wasn't the kiss of two people driven crazy with lust, but one of burning, barely contained passion.
He kissed her until she was breathless and panting, then his mouth fell to her throat, nipping gently with his teeth, careful to leave no marks on her soft, perfect skin. His tongue traced up the side of her neck and then over the outline of her ear and she melted against him with a small whimper.
He stroked her cheek as he claimed her lips once more, unable to get enough of her as he swept the insides of her mouth, tasting the sweetness that was all her. Slowly his hand slid under her sweater to caress her breast, fervently thankful for the fact that she was not wearing a bra as he felt the rock hardness of her nipples through the thin fabric of her tank top. Her hands moved between their bodies and she broke their kiss, holding his gaze as she pulled on the hem of her sweater and tugged it up and over her head.
She smiled shyly at him and drew his hand back to her breast. He needed no further instruction and squeezed gently, cupping her breast and caressing the erect bud with his palm. She sighed deeply into his mouth pulling away from him ever so slightly as she pushed her chest to his hand to increase the pressure. His kisses trailed down to her shoulder and he slowly reached up and hooked a finger in the shoulder strap of the tank top. As he pulled it down, Rachel obligingly slid her arm up and out of the strap. With her breast now from its cotton prison, she gasped as Puck's hot mouth descended over her taut, puckered peak.
Vaguely, he thought he heard something that was out of place amongst the crackling of the wood fire and Rachel's breathy little moans as he lavished attention on her breast, licking and nipping lightly. A second later she was pushing him away, forcing him to stop.
He tried to grab for her as she practically leapt to her feet, fixing her tank top, distress written all over her face. "Rachel! What did I-"
"It's Eli," she said urgently, taking off towards the tent, and it was then that Puck heard the sound again and recognised it for what it was. Eli was sobbing and Hank was sitting outside the tent, whining pitifully.
Puck wasted no time in following, crawling into the tent a split second after Rachel, seeing Eli sweating and crying in his sleep. She gathered the little boy in her arms, rocking him and brushing the damp hair from his face.
"Eli," she shook him gently, "Wake up Pumpkin, it's just a dream," she crooned in a voice Puck had never heard her use before.
"Rachel!" Eli cried her name, his body jerking as his eyes flew open.
"Shhhh baby, it's alright, I'm here." She pressed her lips to his forehead, caressing his cheek as she continued to rock him. "It was just a dream, you're safe I promise."
He was sobbing brokenly, his face pressed against her chest.
"Rachel, what the hell?" was all Puck could manage as he took in the two of them, his eyes wide and pained. He couldn't stand the sound of Eli's sobs or the look of anguish on Rachel's face.
"Nightmare," she supplied, strained.
"You said that he didn't have them very often." He said stupidly, sitting on his hunches, clueless to what he should be doing. "Only when he was-"
"Unsettled," She finished for him. "It's been a big week for him,"
He watched his son burrowed further into Rachel's body, if that was even possible, still crying as she held him tighter.
"Did I do this?" Puck asked numbly. It had been a huge week. He'd shown up on the kid's doorstep and driven him hours and hours away from home. He'd been living in a strange motel and been subjected to his crazy Jew mom. No wonder the poor kid was feeling out of sorts.
"No, Noah. You didn't do anything," Rachel took a few precious seconds to reassure him before focusing on calming down her brother.
"Shhh Pumpkin, you're alright." She repeated over and over again for what seemed like hours until finally the little boy's crying scaled back to ragged breathing and wet sniffles.
"Rachel."
"I'm here, baby,"
He reached up and touched her face and she covered his hand and kissed his palm.
"I thought you were dead,"
Puck's blood ran cold at his son's tearful statement.
"The lights-"
"It was just a dream sweetheart," Rachel cut in hurriedly, "Just a dream. I'm right here. We're ok."
Eli nodded, sniffling. "You're ok?"
"I'm ok," she confirmed. She twisted and laid down on the sleeping bag, still cradling Eli to her chest, rubbing his back and kissing his brow.
"Sing," Eli requested quietly, a demand Puck had heard him make on more than one occasion now. "Sing Dumbo."
Rachel immediately started humming, reaching blindly for the edge of the light weight sleeping bag and drawing it over the small boy's frame. Puck leant over and helped her tuck it in tight and she smiled distractedly at him.
Baby mine, don't you cry
Baby mine, dry your eyes
Rest your head close to my heart
Never to part, baby of mine
Little one when you play
Don't you mind what they say
Let those eyes sparkle and shine
Never a tear, baby of mine
He watched her face as she sang softly, her eyes fixed on Eli's distressed ones. She continued to stroke his cheek and after a while he saw the little boy's body go pliant, the tension easing as he relaxed under Rachel's touch.
If they knew sweet little you
They'd end up loving you too
All those same people who scold you
What they'd give just for
The right to hold youEli's eyes fluttered as if they meaned to shut, but he stubbornly refused to be lured into the sleep Rachel's voice was coaxing.
From your head to your toes
You're not much, goodness knows
But you're so precious to me
Cute as can be, baby of mine
When the song came to an end, Eli was sucking his thumb, the tears still rolling down his face. Rachel sighed quietly, pressing her lips against his forehead.
"See baby, you're safe. I'm here, Puck's here…"
"Puck?" Eli said around his thumb, his head lifting. Rachel looked up at Puck who hadn't moved and held out her hand. He took it automatically and she pulled him closer. Taking the hint, he settled on the other side of Eli, his son's back against his chest.
He wrapped his strong arm around the boy, his knuckles brushing Rachel's stomach, and kissed the top of his head. "I'm here buddy,"
Hank chose that moment to stick his head in between Rachel and Eli and lick the boy's face. Rachel laughed and pushed Hank away half heartedly.
"Evidently Hank wants you to know he's with us also."
Eli didn't respond which spoke volumes of his emotional state at that moment since he was in love with the dog.
The three (four) of them lay in silence, Eli's uneven breathing the only sound reverberating around the tent.
"Go to sleep pumpkin, we'll be here when you wake up." Rachel said softly.
"I don't want to." Eli's breath hitched like he was going to cry again and Rachel rushed to soothe him.
"Ok, ok baby. Shhh." She started humming and then started to sing 'Dumbo' again, quieter this time, and after she had repeated the song in its entirety three times, Eli had fallen into a fitful sleep again.
Rachel exhaled heavily and Puck rose on one elbow to look down at her, struggling to make out her features in the darkness. "Are you ok, babe?"
"Yes," she replied simply. "I just hate seeing him like this. I know it's still early but I'm going to turn in for the night. He needs me here."
He nodded, running his hand over her bare arm.
"I'm just going to put water on the fire and I'll be back."
"Alright."
He leaned down and kissed her cheek, then Eli's before he crawled out of the tent again. Ten minutes later, he was back; slightly sooty and smelling of smoke.
He toed off his shoes and zipped the tent after him, stopping as he saw Hank lying on top of his designated sleeping bag, right beside Eli.
"Hank, get off." He ordered gruffly, not in the mood to plead and cajole with his dog right then. Hank didn't even lift his head. Puck growled impatiently and Rachel shifted closer to Eli.
"Just sleep over here, Noah. There's room."
She was actually laying half on Eli's mattress and half on hers, so Puck took up her invitation and shifted in beside her. He unzipped her sleeping bag and covered them both with it, turning on his side and spooning her, his hand resting on Eli's back.
"Is this ok?" He asked quietly.
"More than okay," she said just as softly. He kissed her shoulder and closed his eyes, realizing just how tired he was, despite the fact that it was just barely nine o'clock.
"Was his nightmare about the accident? Is that why he thought you were dead?"
He felt her nod, "He was so little, and Shelby and I share so many physical similarities, he gets confused," she whispered. "He remembers the blood and it scares him."
Puck's stomach turned. "Does he remember Shelby at all?"
Rachel shook her head. "Not really. I have pictures in the apartment and he knows she was his mother, but it's hard to miss something you never had. I try to talk about her, keep her memory alive, but as I said, he gets confused." He thought he might have heard something like guilt in her tone and his arm tightened, hugging her and Eli close to him.
"He's young, Rach. There's plenty of time to tell him about her when he's older. Right now, it's a good thing he doesn't miss her. That just means you doing a kick ass job with the mommy stuff. You're not giving him a reason to think he's missing out."
She's quiet for a while and Puck had to wonder whether he's said something wrong until she said his name quietly, "Noah, do you think we'll be able to do this? Raise Eli together? Because we haven't really discussed it and we need to talk about it and make some decisions before the end of this trip. I hate that he doesn't have a conventional family unit and I don't want to do anything that makes it worse for him."
"Rachel," she felt him lean over her and she rolled over onto her back, feeling his breath against her cheek as he hovered over her. His fingers touched her face in the dark. "We can absolutely do this. It's not going to be smooth sailing, especially in the beginning but I told you I think you're doing a great job with him. I want to be his dad, I want you to show me how I'm supposed to do this parent thing. We love him, right?"
Rachel nodded emphatically, her hair brushing his chin.
"Then he's going to be fine. Conventional family unit or whatever. We're not going to screw him up, I promise."
She exhaled loudly.
"And this is what this trip is all about, right? Us spending time as a family?" he reasoned.
She scoffed, "I thought this trip was about you putting me in situations you know I'll be uncomfortable with, for your own amusement. I'm sleeping in a moldy tent for heaven's sake."
Puck snorted, nudging her so she rolled back onto her side and gathered Eli close to her again, Puck's body curling around both of them as his arms came around them.
"No, that's just an added bonus."
"You're so mean to me." She nuzzled her face into Eli's soft locks, her fingers entwining with Puck's as their joined hands rested together on Eli's back.
"And why would I want to be mean to you when I could be very, very nice to you instead?" He teased, kissing her ear.
"Go to sleep, Noah." She replied wryly.
He chuckled, "K, night babe."
"Goodnight, Noah."
Hank let out a loud snore.
"Goodnight, Hank." Rachel whispered and Puck grinned.
There was hope for her yet.
A/N 2: Guess what? There's 2 and a half chapters to go! I'm sad. Are you sad? Let's all be sad...haha.
So we're approaching the end and yes, Puck and Rachel are heading to bed...together. They only get one shot at it folks (for whatever reason), so what's it going to be? Hard and Fast or Slow and Sensual? Go to my Author's profile to vote! It's like a Puckleberry choose your own adventure!
Thanks for reading my lovelies :)