I lay on Steve's couch staring at my phone. It was 5:45am and I knew Eden was probably preparing to head out of town.
It had been impossible to sleep last night…I thought about how close I had come to kissing her and the constant disruptions that had kept us apart.
You should have just grabbed her and kissed her you idiot, distractions be damned.
Stopping her last night had been a mistake. Feeling her fingers slide under my shirt to caress my skin had excited me more than I hoped she could see…physical relations were not on HYDRA's agenda when they turned me into a monster. It had been 70 years since I had felt the sweet touch of a woman.
"I promise you won't get any sleep tonight if you don't" I had told her. It was brief, but I saw the flash of hunger in her eyes too. It had excited me knowing I could elicit that strong of a response from her with just words. I desired to see how much of a stronger response I could evoke from her with more than my words. I had hoped she would continue letting her fingers roam, giving me the permission I needed to take it one step further. But she had stopped, agreeing that she needed to get some sleep.
Her text message to me last night stating she wished she hadn't stopped when I asked was even more maddening. She only had to say the words and I would be there.
Three days!
I looked at my clock again. 6:00am
I jumped off the couch and went to the bathroom to shower and dress. Afterwards, I paced around the living room, an uneasy feeling inside. I was debating on going to see her… knowing when she opened the door I would silence any questions from her with my lips.
Do it Bucky!
I made up my mind. I slipped on my boots and headed down the stairs and next door to her apartment. As I entered the front door, I saw her rolling her suitcase out the back door heading to the parking lot.
Damn, she's already left her apartment.
She didn't hear me as I shadowed her but she must have sensed she was being followed.
More like stalked…the predator hunting down the prey.
I don't know what I planned to do: Let her get in her car and drive away… or maybe push her up against the cold metal of her car and trail kisses down her soft skin….drag her back upstairs to her bedroom and….
"Hello" she asked cautiously, looking around the parking lot, knowing something didn't quite feel right. I continued to sneak up on her, finally laying my hand gently on her shoulder causing her to cry out in surprise and drop her car keys.
"Good God Bucky, you scared the shit out of me" she said as she slapped me on the arm.
I couldn't help laughing as I apologized. She was absolutely the most beautiful woman I had ever seen; even standing there with her arms crossed looking irritated at me.
"What are you doing up so early? And why are you out here?" she questioned.
To convince you not to go…to finally kiss those lips…to take you upstairs and show you how a real man treats a woman….
"I came to see you before you left" was my reply.
Don't be a chicken shit Barnes.
I grabbed her arm and pulled her towards me, slipping my hands around her waist. I felt her hands on my chest and I hoped she couldn't feel how fast my heart was beating. The need to touch her was too much so I let my metal hand rub up and down her back softly. I watched her, waiting for her to tell me to stop…when she didn't, I let my right hand leave her waist and make its way up her back to her neck. She laid her forehead and my chest and let me continue massaging her neck.
The moan that came from her lips was so downright erotic that I felt myself instantly begin to harden. I leaned down to whisper in her ear a promise, "Three days" I felt her shiver in my arms and when she raised her head, I kissed her forehead gently. I stepped away and as she turned to put the key in the ignition and start the car, I reached down to adjust myself, making sure she couldn't see exactly how much that moan had affected me.
I could feel the loneliness coming, feelings I hadn't felt since my days as the Winter Soldier. I remembered being debriefed after missions by my HYDRA handlers, left alone for hours until they would eventually put me back on ice until I was to be of use to them again.
When she turned around she promised to text me when she got there and call me each night. It didn't make me feel any better but I nodded.
I got one last hug from her before she finally pulled away and touched my cheek. She climbed into her SUV and I watched as she drove away from me.
I stood there for a long time, even after she was out of sight, with a numb feeling inside my heart.
I eventually made my way back to Steve's apartment to find him finally awake and dressed for our morning run.
"Hey Buck, where did you go so early?" he asked.
"To say goodbye to Eden" I said quietly
"Three days will go by fast Bucky. Come on, get dressed and we can go for a run"
The long, although exhausting, run did nothing to ease the emptiness I felt. Steve dragged me to the gym afterwards and made me spar with him. I knew he was trying to be a good friend and help me get my mind off of her. We danced around the boxing ring for an hour….ducking, punching, blow after blow. It felt good, and although I hated what HYDRA had done to me, I enjoyed the power I felt. I didn't tire easily, I was strong, I was a super soldier.
We returned to the apartment after that and lounged around on the couch, watching movies that Natasha had recommended we watch. She insisted that "Star Wars" was something everyone had to see.
I checked my phone periodically throughout the day, never receiving a message from Eden. I knew she should have arrived in her hometown hours ago. I was becoming anxious, my mind instantly assuming the worse.
She could have been in a car accident…someone could have run her off the rode…
Steve tried to assure me that she had probably gotten so wrapped up in seeing her old friend that she had simply forgotten to message me. The thought didn't make me feel any better.
You should have known Bucky; you could never deserve someone like her…
We finished the first movie and agreed we liked it enough to watch the next one. Just as we were about to eat the leftovers that Eden had sent me home with, my phone alerted me I had a message.
I heard Steve snicker as he watched me stalk from the kitchen to the coffee table in the living room to retrieve my phone. When I saw the text, I stood frozen, griping the phone tightly. The message, Going out tonight, I'll call you later made me feel a flood of relief.
Eden has made it safely there…and she hasn't forgotten about me after all.
The pictures that popped up after the message is what caused my shock.
Holy shit Bucky, she's absolutely gorgeous…why would she ever want to be with you.
She was in a short black skirt that showcased every inch of her legs. Her blue top made her already tiny waist seem even smaller and her breasts seem fuller. She had worn her hair natural, curly tendrils framing her lovely face…. her eyes seemed fuller and her lips were painted a sinful red.
I could imagine grabbing her around her tiny waist and pulling her closer…running my hands up those toned legs…looking into those big blue eyes as my fingers found their way under that leather skirt…I would hear that moan of pleasure come from those ruby red lips….
The sound of concern in Steve's voice finally snapped me out of my fantasy, "What's wrong Bucky?"
I realized that I was still standing there frozen, breathing heavily. He walked up beside me to see what was causing me to react this way. When he saw the picture, he whistled and nodded appreciatively.
"Well, at least you know she made it" he added with a grin. He patted me on the back "Want me to go run you a cold shower?"
I sighed, taking one last glance at her picture before laying the phone back down on the coffee table.
As much as I enjoyed the picture she had sent, obvious by the tightening in my jeans, I was instantly jealous as well. Other men would see her, other men would admire her, and other men may try to take advantage of her. The thought of anyone laying a hand on her made me tighten my fist in anger.
Calm down Bucky, she's going out with her friend. Eden's smart, she will stay safe.
Steve came back into the living room, carrying multiple cartons of warmed up Chinese food, laying them down on his coffee table.
"Come on Buck, let's eat some food and watch the next movie" he said.
I tried to concentrate on the movie, but my mind kept wandering back to Eden. I stared at my phone, willing her to call. I wanted to know she was safe.
No Bucky, you need to know that she's not surrounded by other men…men who were touching her, touching YOUR girl!
I snatched my phone off the table with lightning speed the second it beeped.
Eden: Isn't she beautiful? I hope you know how lucky you are. Eden hasn't stopped talking about you since she arrived. You better take care of her mister, or I'll hunt you down and kick your ass. – Jill
The thought of a tiny girl hunting down me, The Winter Soldier, and kicking my ass brought a smile to my face. I reread the message again.
She hasn't stopped talking about me since she got there...me..
I looked at the picture attached to the message. There was my Eden, beautiful sweet Eden. She was standing on a stage, one arm wrapped around the shoulders of a pretty red head, the other hand holding a microphone.
I felt Steve lean over and peek at my phone, "Who's the message from?"
"It's another picture of Eden; apparently her friend Jill has her phone"
"Well if Jill is taking the picture and sent the message, who is the sexy red head?" he asked, pointing to the red head.
I glanced over at Steve; he was leaning even closer, trying to get a better look.
I knew Steve had been asked out by several women from S.H.I.E.L.D but he never seemed to be interested and always politely declined. I remembered the pretty woman in the red dress from so long ago….Peggy Carter. I knew Steve still went and visited her from time to time at the nursing home. I could always tell the days he visited; he would come home, sit at the table and pull out a stack of files and read them. I had caught a glance at them one time when Steve had left the room. There were files for each of the members of the Howling Commandos: Dum Dum, Jacques, Falsworth, Jim, Gabe…there were also files for Howard Stark, Colonel Phillps, and Steve's beloved Peggy. On the very bottom of the pile, I had found my file: Sergeant James "Bucky" Barnes (DECEASED) My file was more worn than the others, having been read over and over again by Steve. It had never occurred to me until then, how much Steve had lost in the war too.
I pushed my file back to the bottom and when Steve entered the room, I did something I hadn't done since becoming the Winter Soldier: I gave him a hug.
"What was that for?" he had asked
"The Winter Soldier may not have missed you all those years Steve, but I did, even if I didn't remember who you were. "
He had smiled at me: the most genuine smile that only Steve Rogers could do.
He had the same smile on his face right now as he stared at the picture of Eden and the red head.
"I don't know who that is Steve, maybe another one of her friends…you want me to run YOU a cold shower?"
He reached over to punch me hard in the gut.
"Jerk" I said, grunting in pain.
"Punk" he replied with a grin, sitting back on the couch to resume the movie.
I took one last look at the picture.
She's so beautiful.
I texted back a quick message.
Bucky: She is the most beautiful woman I have ever seen and I'm lucky to have her in my life. I promise you, I will always take care of her.
...xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx...
Jill smiled as she read the message Bucky sent back to Eden's phone. Her and Brooke were finishing up their rendition of "I Kissed a Girl" by Katy Perry, which had all the men in the crowd going wild.
Before her and Brooke could make it back to the table, Jill deleted the message she had sent and received back from Bucky. She felt better knowing that this guy obviously cared about Eden. She smiled at her two friends as they returned to the table, laughing and getting hi-fives from their fans.
"The next round is on me girls!"