Summary:
Beckett and Meredith attend the Thanksgiving feast organised by the settlers at Foundation.
Beckett finds out that Ward has romantic feelings for Jen and offers his advice and perspective to help him avoid the mistakes he made with Meredith before they sealed their romance.
On their return home after the Thanksgiving party, Beckett and Meredith get caught in the rain and things get steamy when they get back to the house.
Chapter Text
"Babe, you ready to go?" Beckett's voice called from downstairs, rousing Meredith from her daydreams while peering through her window in the bedroom at the sky above them.
"Almost!" she answered back, pulling the curtains to so she could get dressed. Dark skies hung over the horizon some miles away from the house in the evening as Meredith heard Beckett close up for the day. Though the crowds of people seemed somewhat displeased, they were soon rallied to carry on their journey up the hill to Foundation or go to wherever their business was waiting for them as a flash of lightning illuminated the sky and the rumble of thunder followed not long after. Meredith counted seven seconds before she heard the faint rumble; it was far enough away that it might just pass them by without a drop of rain.
Going over to her drawers, there was a dress she had tucked away in there that she had been saving for a special moment, hoping one day that there would be an opportunity to wear it. Tonight was as good a time as any. It was a flowy a-line cut navy dress with a sweetheart neckline and off the shoulder short sleeves, pairing it with a pair of lightly worn cream coloured low heel shoes she bought from a trader at Foundation.
Running her hands over the fabric to straighten any creases, she took a breath in and headed downstairs, picking up her coat on the way as it was getting a bit colder every day.
"I'm all set!" she announced when she reached the bottom of the stairs. Beckett was pacing at the end of the room nervously, his hands fidgeting by his sides but when he turned and saw her in her best dress he froze in place and his eyebrows raised in surprise.
"W-wow, you… You look…wow", he stumbled on his words, making Meredith grin widely in amusement.
"Thank you", she gave a little nod before checking him out, "You clean up pretty good yourself". He was dressed in his best dark blue jeans, an off white short sleeve t-shirt and his worn black leather jacket; Meredith noticed that he took the time to shave and tidy his dark hair with some wax.
"You uh… ready to head out?" he approached her, taking her hand in his. Meredith gave him a nod and they both locked up behind them before making their way up the hill.
Tonight was the evening of Thanksgiving and both she and Beckett were invited to attend the party that had been organised by the settlers at Foundation. She smiled as she played back the memory of Beckett mentioning the event to her a couple of days ago; even though they were an item for about a month at this point, he sounded a little nervous as his voice stuttered when he asked her if she wanted to go.
"So uh… I talked to Ward today", Beckett had said, "He um…Mentioned that there's this thing…this this party they're having in Foundation and uh…wanted to know if we'd be interested in going. I-I-I said I'd ask you first and get back to him".
"Beckett…are you asking me out?" she remembered asking coyly, watching with satisfaction as he fidgeted.
"W-well… Yeah… I uh, guess I am", he answered, shifting nervously on his feet.
In all her life growing up in the Vault, Meredith wondered what it would be like to live outside of the safety of the vault, to experience a warm summer's day and cold winter showers like she'd seen in the old movies that were so popular to watch on the projector. Though she knew what to expect and understood the science of weather and climate behaviour, nothing could have prepared her for the first-hand experience. Summers were typically hot and humid in Appalachia, but if you travelled up the mountains it was more bearable and, although it was nice to feel the warmth on her skin, Meredith's favourite season was the fall. She remembered the first time she felt a real rainfall, how refreshing and clean it made the air around them once the dark clouds moved on to grace other parts of the land with their precious water. Then her memories drifted to her parents; they were still alive when Meredith experienced her first rain. Her father was a military veteran who took to construction after being discharged on medical terms for losing a leg in the war and her mother was a doctor. They met in a hospital in Alaska where her father was taken for treatment and married within six months of meeting each other, something Meredith couldn't get her head around when she was a young girl and her parents recounted their story. Shortly after they married they moved to her father's home in Appalachia and the rest was…well…history. As she walked up to Foundation arm in arm with Beckett, she wondered what her parents would think about the life she was leading now, with a man who used to be a member of one of the most dangerous and bloodthirsty raider gangs in the whole region…
One thing Meredith was certain about was that whatever their or anyone else's opinions on her being with Beckett would have been, nothing would keep them from being apart; they'd been through too much together to have something as innocuous as the opinion of others keep them apart. Despite his past Beckett had made the conscious decision to change and that was something she admired about him; most people would simply shrug at the prospect of change and not even make an attempt, chalking it up to habits and not knowing how to do anything else other than be what they are. As they walked up to Foundation hand in hand, Meredith couldn't help but feel a sense of admiration and pride in him.
Even before they reached the main gate they could hear that the party had already started; music was turned up to the highest volume the little speakers on the radio could handle, groups of people were chattering and laughing as they enjoyed themselves, and a delicious aroma of food wafted over the walls to greet them, making both their stomachs rumble in anticipation. Walking through the gates Meredith was surprised to see how many people had gathered, most of who were the Foundation settlers but many others seemed to be wandering trades people, several caravans that had also set up temporary stalls to sell their wares, including the supermutant trader Grahm who seemed to be trying to calmly talk to his slightly agitated brahmin while BBQing chunks of meat on a grill.
"Don't worry Chally, there's no moo moo in meat cook", he uttered, petting the beast on the head and then turning to Meredith and Beckett when they passed by to whisper "Don't tell Chally what is in meat cook!"
"My lips are sealed", Beckett answered, motioning a zipping movement over his mouth with a grin as they carried on past the busy traders and to the centre of the camp where they were both spotted by Jen.
"Meredith! You made it!" she exclaimed enthusiastically, "Would either of you like something to drink?"
"I'll go get us all something", Beckett held up a hand, "Getting people their drinks is what I know best".
"Sounds good", Meredith smiled and gave him a kiss on the cheek before he walked off to one of Sunny's stations.
"So, how are things?" Jen asked once Beckett was out of earshot, glancing between her and Beckett. Her question made Meredith chuckle; Jen had been curious about their relationship since she found out about them being an item.
"Good, I have no complaints", Meredith grinned, feeling her cheeks flush, "What about you? Anyone we should know about, a secret crush, a forbidden romance?"
Jen's brow furrowed and she shook her head emphatically, "Stop trying to deflect, you and Beckett are all everyone seem to talk about around here".
"Really?" Meredith's eyebrows raised in curiosity, "What's the word around town?"
Her question made Jen feel flustered, "Oh… Nothing really, just that… It's… You make an interesting couple".
"Uh huh", Meredith folded her arms in front of her chest and gave Jen a look that told her she wasn't buying her answer.
"Honest Mere! Everyone here's happy about you two being together. It's just… well… I feel like we hardly talk anymore even though you now live just down the road. We used to talk a lot about… you know…"
"Uh huh", Meredith grinned sheepishly, remembering the times they'd spent tucked away at one of the benches chatting about who they thought looked cute and who caught their eye when she came back from her missions. In all those times, there was only one person who seemed to catch Jen's eye, and Meredith wondered whether this was just an attempt from her to get some advice on how to proceed.
"So you still like him".
Jen's ears turned red and soon her face followed suit, almost matching her auburn red hair, "…Maybe".
"I guess that means you haven't told him yet".
"No… I mean…it would be weird, wouldn't it? Him and me…together, in that way…"
Meredith shrugged, "Honestly, no. I've seen weird first-hand, you and Ward would be far from that".
Meredith had known for a while that Jen had a certain attraction for Ward and caught both of them sharing glances in the past, but so far nothing had come of their mutual pining. Perhaps this was why she was so focused on her and Beckett.
"Really?" Jen asked, a relieved look crossing her features, "You think… Should I…?"
"Yeah!" Meredith nodded, placing her hands on her hips, "If he hasn't come forward yet, then you should".
"Oh Mere… I don't think I could", the flushed colour in her cheeks faded quickly at the fearful prospect of having to go up to Ward and tell him how she felt, "I'm not brave like you…not that way".
"I disagree, I know you're brave in every way. And if you really like him you should tell him. If you don't and miss you're chance you might regret it for a long time".
"What do I even say?!" Jen exhaled, her eyes wide with anxiety at that prospect, "I don't even know how…"
"It's easy. You pick your moment when he's not surrounded by people and say you need to tell him something important. When he has your full attention, you let him know how you truly feel and then take it from there".
"Right now I feel like I wanna throw up", Jen's brow furrowed at the daunting prospect of talking to Ward in that way, "How did you and Beckett get together? Maybe it would help me with Ward if I know how you two found a way to make it happen".
"Oh… well… I told you about that, didn't I?", Meredith asked uncertainly.
"No, you didn't tell me".
"Well… It's uh... a bit of a funny story actually", Meredith chuckled, "On the day I told him, Beckett was packed and ready to leave".
"Leave? Where?" Jen asked, already interested in Meredith's recollections.
"I don't think even he knows where", she chuckled, "But needless to say I changed his mind".
"How?!"
"I reminded him about how I felt, and that I believed it was worth us giving our relationship a chance to blossom".
"Wait… so he knew that you liked him by this point?"
"Yeah, he knew. We'd been flirting for a couple of months and then before we went to rescue his brother Frankie I just spilled everything out in the open… told him I cared about him, that I had feelings for him… I'll admit my timing could have been better but I just wanted him to know in case…"
"In case you didn't make it out of there", Jen finished the sentence for her, and Meredith nodded in agreement.
"It all turned out for the best in the end", her gaze drifted to Beckett who was still waiting in the long queue to make their order at Sunny's, "I know now he didn't want to be the first to act on his feelings because he was afraid to be hurt, afraid that things won't work out. Now we're both here together. Sometimes I can't believe it but I'm glad I told him that day…otherwise he would have been gone and I would have spent the rest of my life wondering what if".
Jen took a deep breath in and straightened her back, giving Meredith a nod, "Well, when you put it that way. Still, it's a bit odd…"
"What is?"
"That you were braver than Beckett…are braver than Beckett I mean", Jen answered with a coy smile, "You'd think an ex-raider wouldn't be scared of letting someone he cares about know how he feels, especially if he knows the other person cares about them too".
"That's just it though, they are the ones who are most afraid. They try to hide it by being tough and all, but they're just as afraid as we are…they simply use their fear in a different way", Meredith answered, "So you're going to have to be brave for both of you; if you do care about Ward in that way, you need to be the one to say it… otherwise you both might miss the opportunity".
"And what if he doesn't feel the same way?"
"Then you'll know", Meredith shrugged, "Either way, you'll have your answer. But judging on what you've told me and the way Ward is when he's around you, I have a feeling that there's no need to worry about the alternative".
Meredith's words seemed to have the desired effect as Jen smiled and appeared more confident than when they first started talking about her admirer.
"Should we go see what's taking Beckett so long?" Jen craned her head to see where Meredith's significant other had gone.
"Nah, let's give him some time while you and I enjoy our seat at our bench and…admire our beaus from afar", Meredith countered, which was met with a bashful chuckle from Jen.
By the time Beckett had gotten through the crowds gathered around Sunny's, he was about ready to turn around and head back home; crowds made him uncomfortable, so much so he was finding it difficult to concentrate on his order above the noise and bustling of people. It didn't help that the Protectron robot was slow as hell to get all the orders out; there was something to be said about the human touch when it came to catering.
"I'll uh… I'll have… Two Nuka Colas and a uh… a beer", he almost had to yell to get his order heard above the noise.
"Coming right up", Sunny's robotic voice uttered in response as it turned to collect the items in the fridge behind it. Just as he was beginning to feel the hackles on the back of his neck stand on end, he saw Ward approach him from the side for a greeting. Like everyone else in Foundation today, he was dressed in his best attire in slightly faded black jeans, a maroon and off white checked flannel shirt and a white t-shirt underneath.
"Hey, you made it", Ward smiled and patted him on the back, "Glad you could come".
"Yeah, we're glad to be here", Beckett gave him a nod, "Didn't know it was going to be this big a party".
"Yeah, seems our festivities have gained the attention from traders and merchants over the years that this year Paige decided it would be a good idea to get some of them to open up some stalls…just for this occasion though", Ward added, observing the crowds that had begun to gather in Foundation, "Though I have to admit… all these newcomers make me nervous".
"Good to know it's not just me then", Beckett chuckled nervously, accepting the order from Sunny and paying the sum he owed, "Oh, I wanted to thank you for that reading material you let me borrow…the stuff on…y'know"
"Ah, yes", Ward gave a curt nod of understanding, "Hope they've proven useful".
"Yeah! Very much", Beckett grinned enthusiastically, "Considering I've started from zero when it comes to relationships, it's helped get a better perspective on what to do and say in certain situations. It's definitely helped with my confidence in the whole matter".
"Glad to hear it", Ward answered, moving away from the crowd gathering around Sunny's to a bench near one of the trailer houses, "So... Where is Meredith?"
"Ah… I'm…not sure", Beckett's gaze darted to where he'd last seen her and Jen but they were no where in sight, "She was with Jen before I went to get us all drinks".
"There, by the bench", Ward indicated with a tip of his worn Stetson hat, but it seemed that the women had already spotted them and were both sharing coy grins at them as if they knew something the men didn't.
"I wonder what they're talking about", Beckett wondered out loud and made a move to join them, but Ward placed a hand on his shoulder to draw his attention back.
"Just…wait a little while. Let's give them a chance to catch up".
"Ok, but…Why?" Beckett asked with a confused expression on his features.
"Didn't you read the magazines I gave you?" Ward asked in a hushed tone, as if he were slighted that Beckett didn't remember everything from the reading material.
"Which bit are you referring to?"
"The section about keeping them interested and building anticipation?" Ward mentioned, "Let's give them a chance to catch up and make them wonder what we are talking about".
"Oh…", Beckett scratched an imaginary itch on the back of his neck and turned back to Ward, following his lead, "So, uh… what do we talk about then?"
Ward shrugged and quickly stole a glance over at Jen before turning his attention back to Beckett and the beer in his hand, "We don't have to talk about anything, just give Meredith the impression that you are…you know… talking about something interesting, get her to come to you".
"But the drinks are getting warm", Beckett motioned to the bottles in his hand, though it wasn't until he noticed Ward shoot another glance toward Jen that he began to piece together what was going on, "Wait wait, this… this isn't about me and Mere… It's about you and Jen!"
"Keep your voice down", Ward answered in a hushed and urgent tone.
"Oh my God, how did I not see this coming?" Beckett chuckled, glancing over at Meredith and Jen who were both still sitting together and whispering in each other's ears while shooting glances at the two men, probably planning their next strategy, "Are you two a thing then?"
"What?! No!", Ward exhaled, taking an awkward sip of his beer and trying to act cool even though his flushed face gave him away.
"Then… what's with all this back and forth thing?" Beckett motioned between Ward and Jen with his arms, "Just go ahead and tell her you're interested".
"I can't do that!"
"Why not?"
"Many reasons", Ward folded his arms in front of his chest, a disgruntled look crossing his weathered features, "For starters, she just got reunited with her mother not two months ago… I don't want to come between that. And besides, I'm not even certain she likes me in that way. What if I go up to her and she rejects me?"
"Oh man… you're as clueless as I was before Mere and I got together", Beckett commented with a shake of his head, "Listen, don't make the same mistake I did. Don't wait for something to happen and live in fear of things between you two not working out. Luckily for me Meredith saw through my bullshit excuses and had the guts to tell me how she felt to my face, and if she hadn't I can tell you I wouldn't be here today. Now, you can either do something about this, or carry on with these games and get nowhere. Your choice my friend".
Ward clenched his jaw and gulped down some of his pride, knowing Beckett was right. The two men were so engrossed in their conversation that they didn't notice Meredith and Jen had snuck up next to them.
"You two doing alright here?" Meredith asked them, her curious gaze falling on Beckett.
"Yeah, yeah just…catching up", Beckett grinned and handed her and Jen their Nuka Colas.
"Would you like to come join Meredith and me on the bench back there?" Jen asked with a hopeful look in her eyes.
The two men agreed but before they got half way to the bench, Ward stopped and placed his hand lightly on Jen's arm, "Actually, could we… do you have a moment to talk... In private?" he asked.
"Sure", Jen agreed before excusing herself, leaving Meredith and Beckett to saunter together through the settlement.
"What's that all about?" Meredith asked curiously, her gaze following Jen and Ward until they disappeared around the corner.
"Erm, well… Ward and I got to talking and I noticed the looks he and Jen were sharing, so I…kinda…gave him a nudge to talk to her", Beckett replied hesitantly.
"So he does like her too!" Meredith grinned cheekily, "I figured as much".
"You knew?"
"Well yeah, Jen talks about him a lot when it's just the two of us. And while you and Ward were having your chat, Jen and I were having ours".
"Huh…go figure", Beckett commented amusingly, then upon realising that Meredith and Jen were talking about Ward without his knowing wondered if she did the same before they got together, "Hey, d'you ever talk to Jen? You know…a-about us?"
"Yeah, though since we got together I haven't had much time to hang out with her as we used to do", Meredith's cheeks blushed.
"Sooo, umm…. What do you two talk about then?" Beckett prodded curiously.
"Beckett!" Meredith exclaimed in embarrassment, "That's between me and Jen. I'm sure you and Ward have your own conversations about us".
"No we don't!" the tone in Beckett's voice feigned insult but Meredith knew better.
"Oh please, I know he's been sharing relationship tips with you", Meredith swayed her hips to bump his as they sauntered down to the bench and sat down, "I've seen the piles of magazines and I know for a fact that there is only one person in Foundation who would have that extensive a collection on that topic".
"I don't know what you're talking about", Beckett folded his arms in front of his chest, still feigning innocence that made Meredith chuckle.
"Listen, I just want you to know that you don't need to read some old and outdated articles about being in a relationship to impress me or whatever; I already admire and love you like crazy".
"You do?" Beckett asked with some surprise in his tone, something that perplexed Meredith as she thought he already knew.
"Of course I do", she turned to him and placed her hand on top of his as they sat together, "Would've thought that you'd know that by now. Though if you have to ask, maybe I should be doing more to convince you", she smiled and leaned in slowly to softly graze her lips on his and coax them to part by running the tip of her tongue between his lips. She felt a satisfied rumble in his throat as he moaned lightly in response.
"Mmm… I'm really into what you're layin' down", he grinned and ran his fingers through her hair as he went in for another passionate kiss.
As the evening went on and the Thanksgiving feasts began, Meredith and Beckett were inseparable, holding hands and often drifting into their own deep conversations, enjoying each other's company and oblivious to how much time had gone by. Although Beckett didn't like being in such crowded situations, Meredith helped him forget about his discomfort and he found himself actually enjoying a party for the first time in his life.
Jen and Ward emerged hand in hand not long after the feast began and as soon as news of their budding romance reached the attention of the other settlers, the table erupted in joyful laughter and conversations around them.
"I knew they would get together eventually", Meredith smiled happily.
"Ward took his sweet time to make a move though", Beckett added, taking a swig of his beer.
"It wasn't that long", Meredith retorted, surprised at Beckett's response, "And as I remember it, it took us almost a year until we took the plunge, even with all my upfront flirting ".
Beckett chuckled and placed his arm around her waist to pull her closer to him, "Yeah, yeah… you're right. But in my defence we ex-raiders are slow learners, you need to be direct with us and tell us upfront what you want or we won't get the message".
Meredith's mouth gaped in disbelief only to quickly close and purse her lips at him, "I'm certain you knew exaaactly what message I was getting across to you. The only way I could have been more explicit is if I took all my clothes off and stood naked in front of you, and even then you'd probably not get the memo".
Her response only intensified his laughter and Meredith couldn't help but join in, remembering the back and forth flirtatious banter they used to share before they got together, the butterflies that she felt in her stomach at the prospect of seeing him again after completing his missions. Although she knew Beckett was an ex-raider, she could have sworn that there was a natural gentleman side to him when it came to matters of romance between them that he preferred remain hidden, even if his actions told a different story.
A clap of thunder above them roused the whole table, startling some of the settlers out of their seats and making the others chuckle at their fright.
"Think we should head back?" Meredith wondered out loud, her gaze turned to the sky that was darkened by the heavy and threatening clouds above them.
"Yeah, probably should", Beckett replied, slowly getting up from his seat and eliciting a grumble from Paige who was sitting just opposite them.
"Everything alright?" he asked with a perplexed expression, "You're not leaving now, are you?"
"Sorry Paige", Meredith answered apologetically, "Looks like a storm's brewing. We should be getting back to the house".
"If it gets bad we wouldn't want to put anyone out of their beds for the night", Beckett reciprocated, helping Meredith with her jacket.
"Oh come now! You're just down the road not a 5 minute walk, and even if it does end up pouring cats and dogs out there there's plenty of space for the two of you to hunker down for the night".
"I think they'd rather be in their own home and bed Paige", Elsie jumped in to their defence, giving Meredith a knowing wink, "Besides, it is getting late, we should all probably think about turning in for the night too".
Paige grumbled in response but didn't disagree, instead he and some of the other settlers grabbed several dishes, including a whole freshly baked pumpkin pie, rib-eye steaks and roasted sweet tatos for them to take back home in a drawstring sack, waving them goodbye as they left Foundation.
"They loaded us up like Chally moo moo", Meredith chuckled when they were making their way downhill, "Look at all this food! We've got enough to feed a whole family".
"On the bright side it means I won't have to cook for a few days. And we'll have more time for…other things", Beckett added in a suggestive tone that made Meredith's cheeks blush in return.
Not even half way to the house, the heavens opened up above them and rain poured from the sky like someone up there in the sky had filled up a bucket to the brim and kicked in over. Meredith and Beckett yelped in surprise and pulled their coats above their heads to at least help keep their heads dry, but by the time they reached the covered front porch they were soaked through.
"Urgh, damn this rain!" Beckett exclaimed as Meredith got the keys out of her jacket pocket and they both rushed inside, taking off their soaked garments and tossing them in the laundry bin.
"I happen to like the rain", Meredith commented, taking her heels off and setting them by the door, "Especially if there's some thunder that follows it".
Beckett shook his head, a displeased frown on his face, "If it were up to me, it'd be summer every day of the year".
"It's just a little rain", Meredith chuckled as she climbed the stairs to get changed while Beckett hung his jacket on the back of a chair to dry off, took a clean shirt and trousers from one of the dressers downstairs to change into and knelt in front of the fireplace, piling some wood to get a fire going. By the time Meredith had finished getting changed into more comfortable clothes and made her way to the living room, Beckett had a nice crackling fire going and was digging into a chunk of ribeye steak.
"You can't still be hungry?" she commented, eyebrows raised in surprise. Beckett grinned in response and carried his plate of food to their red couch in the middle of the living room so he could sit next to her.
"Got any plans for tomorrow?" he asked between bites.
Meredith shook her head, "Nope, I've finished all my work for the next few days".
"Well, in that case", Becket polished off his plate and set it aside on the coffee table, "I was thinking… How about we go and do something together?"
"Sure, what did you have in mind?"
"I dunno. We could take a picnic with us to Whitesprings, or…", Beckett inched closer to her on the couch, a seductive look in his eyes as he lightly trailed his fingertips over her exposed arm, "We could just stay in all day and…enjoy… each other's company, if you know what I mean".
Meredith couldn't help but chuckle at his attempts, "Hmmm… I wonder what you mean by that", she feigned innocence. The rain outside was beginning to pick up in strength and Meredith could see out of the corners of her eyes fat rain droplets lightly batter the windows only to roll down gracefully forming little streams; together with the sound of the crackling fire warming up the house, it made her feel all cosy and relaxed.
"Oh really?" Beckett called her bluff, wrapping his arm around her waist and pulling her to him, "Maybe I just need to refresh your memory then". He nuzzled the crook of her neck and trailed hushed kisses up from her collarbone to her lower jaw, giving her pleasing goose bumps.
"Why wait 'til tomorrow?" she asked seductively, making Beckett's heart skip a beat.
Beckett was more than willing to oblige her request. He let Meredith run a hand underneath his clean shirt, feeling her cool fingertips glide up his abdomen to his chest and make small, short circular motions. Knowing she wanted him as much as he her made him grin and he was happy to indulge her unspoken request. Untucking his shirt, he pulled it up over his head and tossed it onto the armchair beside the couch. Meredith pulled back slightly and seductively removed her own shirt, revealing her bare chest and perky nipples. The sight of her alone was enough to send his mind into a spin, and now with her sitting beside him half naked he couldn't help but wonder how he ended up being such a lucky bastard.
"C'mere", he motioned with his hands for her to come closer.
"Here?" Meredith asked, scooting closer until her body was pressed against his.
"Closer", he smiled.
Meredith chuckled, "The only way I could get closer is if I got under your skin".
"Mmmm wouldn't that be something", Beckett purred, his lips sauntering over her neck with slow and lustful kisses, "I want to feel your body pressing on mine".
Without disturbing the caresses on her neck, Meredith moved with graceful fluidity to sit on his lap, facing away from him.
"That what you had in mind?" she asked sultrily.
"Yeah", he breathed, his hands skilfully moving past her waist to pull her trousers off.
"Don't you want to take this to the bedroom?" Meredith asked in amusement as Beckett flung her now free trousers away from them, but Beckett gave a little shake of his head.
"Nah. It's nice and warm down here", he grinned with satisfaction before leaning over the arm of the sofa to pick up a folded blanked that was draped on the chair next to them, "Here, don't want you to get cold", he said pulling the soft knitted fabric to cover them as they got comfortable.
"Maybe I should turn around" she suggested, wondering how they were going to be intimate with her facing away while sitting on top of him.
"No no, you stay right where you are", he whispered in her ear, trailing his warm hands up and down her waist, "Just relax, and let me take care of you for a change".
Meredith grinned and did as he suggested, relaxing her lithe body back onto his abdomen and chest, allowing him to caress her curves with his hands and feel the warm kisses of his lips on her neck and little playful nips on her ear. He began with his hands massaging her breasts gently, lightly circling her nipples to make them stand on end. Light moans of pleasure escaped her lips with every touch and her heart fluttered when she felt his hot breath on her neck, building up a warm sensation in her lower abdomen and between her legs. As Beckett tantalisingly progressed his way down to her sex, her body gave little involuntary twitches of anticipation. With his left arm wrapped around her waist he carried on stroking her breasts, while with his right he moved down to her pubic region, lightly stroking the soft skin of her mons and her thighs before grazing her inner lips. Her breath hitched when she felt him brush past and Beckett knew she wanted more. Every little moan and sigh that escaped her lips made his heart race and he felt his own sex pulse in anticipation. Something about the position they were in, with her sitting on top of him and facing away, made the intimacy feel more titillating and erotic, and Beckett noticed that because he wasn't able to look directly at her features and he had to rely more on the sounds she was making and the way her body moved, it made him want to work even harder to please her. Rather than feeling a sense of urgency to get to their climax, they felt like they could relax and take things nice and slow.
The only sounds in the house were the calming crackle of the burning firewood, the patter of the heavy rain outside on the windows, and their breathing intermixed with Meredith's sighs and moans; bathed in the warm light from the fire that cast silhouettes of their bodies onto the wall opposite them. Beckett wished that this night could last forever.
As his fingers continued to caress the soft lips between her legs, he felt her hips make small gyrating motions letting him know she was ready for more; it made his cock throb to attention and all he wanted to do was pull her hips back to align with his and feel himself become enveloped in those warm, wet lips. He sighed and let out a pleasing little rumbling groan in his throat, letting his fingers wander further south until he felt the warm, wet slick of her opening and began making gentle circular motions. Meredith's back arched slightly and he heard her take a breath and hold it for a few moments before letting out a long sigh. She gyrated her hips a bit more forcefully this time, pushing his member to press between her soft buttocks.
'Fuck she feels so good', Beckett felt his mind swim as he tried to regain control. Pushing her legs open with his thighs and feeling her feet hook behind his calves, he felt her sex open up to him. Taking hold of her hips, he pulled her slightly up and back into him, letting his fully erect and ready member sit between her legs, lightly graze her slick lips with every throb. Meredith threw her head back and was sporting a lustful grin on her luscious lips. He buried his face in the crook of her neck and moaned as he felt her breathing hasten with his every stroke; it wouldn't be long now.
"That feel good babe?" he sighed in her ear.
"Yeah", she breathed, lightly biting her lower lip and with a free arm reached behind her to run her fingers through his thick hair, enticing Beckett to carry on.
Beckett allowed himself to explore her sex, tantalising her with various motions switching between circular, up and down, and diagonal motions, every once in a while teasing her with his middle finger by gently pushing further past her lips and penetrating her. He could feel the intense thump of her heartbeat on his body, increasing in speed as he pushed her to her limits…until…
"Fuck!" the words flew out from her as she reached the cusp of orgasm and felt herself lose control, grabbing a handful of Beckett's hair. A wonderful warmth spread through her emanating from her sex and caused pulsating ripples of pleasure to flow throughout her body. Her legs felt tingly and funny, and Meredith couldn't help but let out a satisfied and amused giggle, wriggling against Beckett's body as she came down from her high and opened her eyes to see his dark and hungry gaze focused on her. The arm he had used to stimulate her moved away from her sex and she could feel his feverish need to quell his own desires as he pressed his engorged member between her lips. Arching her hips down slightly, she angled herself so he could enter her freely and watched his intense expression ease as she felt every millimetre of him enter her slowly. Everything felt more intense after she reached her climax, especially her sex. Even though they had been intimate countless times since they became an item, his size and girth was still something that surprised her. She was in awe how he never tired of her, never tired of wanting to be with her, to touch her, feel her, kiss her… Many couples she'd seen in the Vault and even outside in Appalachia seemed to grow weary of each other within the first couple of weeks, save for a handful few who seemed to keep the fire burning between them. She hoped that the latter was the case with her and Beckett, because she couldn't imagine ever not wanting to have him. Being together in this intimate way was the closest she could get to being whole with him, and she relished every chance she had to feel the wonderful sensation of him inside her, feeling his engorged member fill her ever so pleasingly.
"God…you feel incredible", he almost gasped the words as his head rolled to rest on the back of the couch.
Meredith smiled in response and twisted slightly to one side so she could kiss him, trailing the tip of her tongue over his lips and successfully coaxing a more passionate response from him, feeling another wave of warmth between her legs and her walls ripple around his cock as she felt his tongue caress hers. She loved feeling him inside her; although Beckett was a man of few words when it came to expressing his feelings, he more than made up for it in their moments of passion.
His hands roamed over her body as his hips began to thrust up and down in a steady motion. Though still facing away from him with her back pressed against his abdomen and chest, it allowed Meredith the option to stimulate herself. With one hand she began trailing the tip of her index finger around her clitoris while the other hand was free to stroke Beckett's cock and balls; it was like a whole new experience. She felt his sex respond to her touch - his balls seemed to contract upwards, the skin went taught and she felt his member throb several times as he made short but deep thrusts inside her… he was close.
A deep moan escaped his lips as Beckett slowed to a stop, taking a moment to catch his breath while Meredith carried on stroking herself and Beckett's hands moved up to her breasts to massage and lightly pinch her nipples. The room was beginning to feel too warm and Meredith pulled the blanket away from them, exposing them both. It wasn't until the corner of her eye caught the uncovered windows that she realised anyone passing by or coming up to their porch could clearly see what they were up to. She was about to move to get up when Beckett stopped her, wrapping his arms around her and holding her to him, refusing to part with her.
"Someone's gonna see us", she protested, feeling vulnerable and exposed.
Beckett's eyes flitted to the window in question but he made no move to do anything about it, "No one's out in this weather", he murmured between kisses, "How will I watch you playing with yourself if the curtains are pulled to?"
"You've…you've been watching me?" Meredith asked in surprise.
"Uh huh", Beckett grinned mischievously, "Turns me on so much watching your reflection in it".
'Since he put it that way…' Meredith thought in amusement, deciding that maybe having the curtains pulled away from the window wasn't such a bad idea…and she discovered that he was right, it gave their lovemaking a more erotic feel. She relaxed back into him and continued stroking herself, watching Beckett's reflection in the window. When Beckett resumed thrusting again, she could see everything - Beckett's strong arms wrapped around her, his fingers massaging her pert breasts, the stroke of his member as he penetrated her, and it sent her mind spinning with lust and desire. Her breathing quickened and she felt herself edging closer to another orgasm. Inadvertently her legs shook and began to close, but Beckett took hold of her inner thighs with both hands and gently pried them open and increased the intensity of his thrusts. A rumbling groan caught in his throat as if he were straining against an invisible weight, which was enough to send her through the familiar whirlwind of back arching, toe curling waves of pleasure. Her fever pitched moaning very quickly brought Beckett to the precipice and he found himself holding onto Meredith tightly as if his very life depended on her. When he reached that sweet spot he lost all control, burying his face in the crook of her neck as his hips did all the work and he felt sweet release. Waves of pleasure flowed through him and he felt a high stronger than any drug; it felt as if both he and Meredith had melted and, for a brief moment, become one.
"Oh my God", Meredith breathed, her chest heaving against his body as she shivered with pleasure, "That...that was... incredible".
Slowly but surely Beckett followed suit and floated back down to Earth. His hips slowed to a few inadvertent short thrusts, sighing into Meredith's shoulder as they held each other on the couch, listening to the patter of the rain outside and the warm crackle of the fire beside them. After a few silent moments caressing and holding each other, Beckett and Meredith felt their eyelids grow heavy.
"We should get to bed", Meredith's soft voice murmured as they lay on their sides on the red couch, tucked tightly together like silt beans in their pods.
"Mmph, bed's too far", Beckett groaned, pulling the blanket back over them and tucking it around Meredith, "And besides, a couch can be a bed".
Meredith laughed and pressed herself into him, feeling his arm wrap around her small waist and his lower jaw just touch the top of her head. She was so warm and cosy that the prospect of going up to their roomy bed was unappealing. Even though the couch was a snug fit, in that moment all Meredith wanted to do was lay beside Beckett, feel the warmth of his body on her bare skin, listen to his steady breathing as her heavy eyelids closed and they both dozed contentedly, falling asleep in each other's embrace.