A Fresh Start

Chapter One Hundred Three

Reva is in the study when Josh comes in. Sitting down on the couch, Josh watches her. Since the barbeque and she had found him in the park with their attorney he has been avoiding her, coming home late and getting up before she did. When he sits down, Reva is flipping through a book, not really reading it. She glances over at him and then lays the book down. She starts to get up when he says. "Reva." She stops, but when he doesn't any anything else she stands up. "We have to talk about this."

She turns to him and asks. "Are you going to tell me the truth?"

"I told you the truth. I don't have feeling for Sam."

"Your reaction to her being pregnant says something else."

"Where would you get the idea that I have feelings for Sam?"

"Something Cassie…."

"Cassie!"

"Yes, Cassie. She knows you about as well as I do, and she has a point. Why would you be upset about Sam being pregnant with Jeffrey's child, if you didn't have feelings for her?"

"I don't know what she's trying to prove or start, but I don't have feeling for Sam!"

"Then explain your reaction."

"I was surprised, just like everyone else is."

"No! It was more than surprise and I would be willing to bet that, that meeting you had with our attorney had something to do with Sam and Jeffrey."

"No, it wasn't."

"Then what was it?"

"We needed to discuss a contract for the job in Oakdale. I told you that when I left."

"You couldn't do that at Lewis, or wait till after the holiday. And you told me you were going to check on a job site, not meet with our attorney."

"I was on my way home when I ran into him."

"In the park!"

"Yes, in the park."

Reva turns around and walks out of the study with Josh following behind her. When she grabs her purse and keys he ask. "Where are you going?"

"When you decide to tell me the truth you know how to reach me." Reva says, opening the door and walking out. Josh follows her but he doesn't say anything as she gets in her car and leaves.

After she leaves Cross Creek, she drives around Springfield for a while before she goes out to Cassie's farm. Richard is in the barn when he hears someone pull up outside. Putting the hammer down, he walks outside as Reva gets out of her car. He walks over to her, meeting her about halfway between the barn and the house. "Hi." He says, as they hug.

"Hi, is Cassie here?"

"No, she's at the Beacon." He says, realizing that she's upset.

"Okay, I'll go over…."

"Come inside." Richard says, taking her arm and leading her towards the house.

"I…."

"You're upset." Richard says, walking up to the house.

Opening the door, he lets her in. They walk into the living room. Reva sits down on the couch with Richard sitting down in the chair across from her. "I don't know if I should talk to you about this."

"This is about Josh."
"Yes."

"And what Cassie said about him and Sam?"

"She told you about that."

"Yes, do you think he has feeling for her?"

"I didn't until Cassie suggested it."

"Why do you think that now? A simple suggestion wouldn't upset you like this."

"After Cassie and I talked at the barbeque, I went to find Josh and I found him in the park with our attorney. He wouldn't tell me what he was doing."

"What did he say?"

"He said he was doing business for Lewis."

"Maybe he was."

"On a holiday, in the park." Reva asks skeptically.

"Alright, so what else did he say?"

"I asked him about Sam, and he denied having feelings for her. But he was truly upset over the fact that Sam's pregnant with Jeffrey's child."

"He's been upset about Jeffrey for a while now, how was his reaction different yesterday?"

"He's been upset about Jeffrey, Sam never entered into the picture. And when he came home after he found out about the pregnancy, he was agitated, like he couldn't believe that this was happening."

"A lot of people are going to be that way, especially Olivia."

"I understand that, and Olivia might feel she has reason to be upset but if he doesn't have feeling for her, why was he so upset and I've asked him." Reva says when Richard starts to say something. "This has something to do with Jeffrey. I know it."

"Could he be afraid to tell you he has feelings for Sam?"

"No, of course not, Sam's a beautiful girl. I can understand if he does feel something for her."

"Have you told him that?"

"No! He won't even admit what he feels."

"Reva." Richard sighs.

"What?"

"I know you and you attack a problem head on. But this is something you can't attack. It's not easy for a man to admit this to himself, or his wife, especially his wife, if he has any feeling at all."

"What other explanation than that could there be?"

"I don't know, but you have to let him come to you."

"I can't confront him about Sam and what he may feel for her, but what about Jeffrey and hiding things that pertain to Lewis, what about that? And I've asked him. I've begged him to tell me what's going on with that and he refuses. All he will tell me is to trust him."

"Maybe you should do as he says."

"And can you think of any reason for Josh to be upset with Jeffrey, or any reason why we should doubt Jeffrey for that matter."

"Put Jeffrey aside, maybe you need to trust that when he's ready he will tell you why he's upset with Jeffrey. It may not have anything to do with Jeffrey."

"What else could it be?"

"I don't know. But if you keep pushing him, he's going to continue to fight you."

"So, you're saying to step back and let him come to me."

"Yes."

"Richard!"

"I know that's going to be hard for you. I remember well how you pushed me about things."

"This isn't…."

"I'm not criticizing. I'm only stating a fact. You are not a patient woman, but this maybe a case where it's in your best interest to be patient."

Reva looks at him before she gets up and walks over to the fireplace. "Every instinct tells me to push him to tell me what is going on."

"But you've been doing that and how well has it worked for you?"

She turns to look at him. "You can't use my own psychology on me."

He smiles as he stands up and walks over to her. Hugging her, he says. "I think if you take a step back he will come to you."

"Alright, I'll back off." Reva says hugging him as Cassie walks in.

"Back off from what?" Cassie asks, as Richard releases her.

"Josh." Reva replies.

"Does this have to do with what I said about him and Sam?"

"Some of it, but Jeffrey too."

"I'm sorry about that. I know you were not thinking that until I suggested it."

"You're right, I wasn't but it's okay. I'm going to take a step back and let him come to me." Reva says, as Cassie looks at her skeptically. "I can do that." She says.

"Alright." Cassie says, turning to Richard. "Did you finish the barn?"

"I'm almost done."

"What are you doing in the barn?" Reva asks.

"A few of the stalls needed to be repaired and I was working on that when you pulled up."

"You were working on that."

"Yes, I went to the hardware store last week and got a book."

"A book, why didn't you ask Josh to…."

"Because I wanted to do this myself, that's what normal guys do."

"Yes, but they also ask…."

"Hey, I've done a pretty good job."

"And how many times did it take you to…."

"Come out to the barn and see for yourself." Richard says, walking out of the living room.

"I think you hurt his feelings." Cassie says, following her as they walk out of the living room.

"And you're not skeptical." Reva asks, looking over her shoulder.

"Go." Cassie says, gently pushing her.

They follow Richard out to the barn. He's standing by the stall he was working on when they come in. When they walk up to him, he asks. "Is this as good as Josh?"

"It's not a competition Richard." Cassie says, walking over to him. "But I think you did it better than Josh." She says, leaning up to kiss him.

"Thank you." He says, putting his arms around. "Reva." He asks, looking at her.

"I agree with Cassie. And I'm sorry if I hurt your feeling. But this doesn't seem to fit you."

"It's alright." Richard says, leaning against the stall with Cassie beside him.

"I'm going to go home. I've taken up enough of your time." Reva says, turning to leave.

"Reva stay, I need some help addressing invitations. I don't have a lot but I need to get them mailed out."

"Especially since the wedding is only three weeks away." Reva says, as Cassie releases Richard.

"I've been busy." Cassie says, as she turns to Richard. "Are you going to be okay?"

"I'll be fine. Did you…."

"No." Cassie says, cutting him off.

"Okay." Richard says, reaching for the hammer.

"We'll be in the house." Cassie says, following Reva out of the barn.

Ava walks into Towers. Pushing the button for the elevator, she waits for it and walks on with some other guests. One of them asks. "Which floor?"
"The penthouse, thank you." Ava replies.

They ride up in silences and the other guests get off on their floor. When the last guest gets off, Ava moves over to the back wall. When the doors open she walks out and down the hall. Stopping outside, she knocks softly and then waits. A few seconds later, William opens the door. He steps back to let her in and then closes the door. When it's closed, he takes her into his arms, kissing her as she wraps her arms around him. After a few moments, he leans back and says. "I missed you."

"I've only been gone an hour."

"I know, but I still missed you, both of you. I called Jodi while you were out." He says, as they walking into the sitting room.

"You did why?"

"To tell her that I wouldn't be coming back until tomorrow night."

"But the…."

"They can start the process without me being there. I can't be involved directly anyway, beside I'm going with you tomorrow." He says, leaning into kiss her.

"Are you sure?"

"Yes, its time I get involved with this, especially if I'm going to be moving here after the election." William says, as they sit down on the couch. "So, how did it go?" He asks turning and lifting one leg. He slips her shoe off and begins to massage her foot.

"They said they will let me know."

"Do you think you got the job?"

"I'm not sure. I did the best that I could, but I'm not sure if they listened."

"What do you mean?"

"I think they might have already drawn some conclusions before I went in."

"So you think they were biased?"

"Yes."

"Against what?"

"I'm not sure, it maybe Spaulding. This company is a smaller competitor to Spaulding. And while I've defending working for them to my dad, I do realize that Spaulding has a questionable reputation."

"What are you going to do?"

"Keep looking and we'll see if they call me back."

"Have you thought about applying with Lewis?"

"Lewis Construction, I'm not sure that would be wise either."

"Why?"

"Because of whatever is going on between Jeffrey and Josh. I'll find something but it maybe a while before I do."

"Okay." He says, leaning over to kiss her. When he sits back, he asks. "Since I'm not going back till tomorrow night, what do you want to do?"

"Would you mind if we stayed in, maybe watch a movie."

"No, that's fine. Are you hungry?"

"Yes."

"Then I'll call room service and we'll stay in." William says as he walks over to the desk.

Over the last few days, they have grown a lot closer. It's been nice to have him around. She was surprised at how easily she let him into her life. She was thinking about that when he comes back to the couch and sits down. "The order will be here within the hour." He says, turning to her, when she doesn't answer he says. "Ava."

"Huh." She says, shaking her head.

"Are you okay?"

"Yes, I was just thinking."

"About what?" He asks, as she moves over to him.

"It was nothing important." Ava says. "What did you say?"

"I said that room service will be here within the hour."

"Okay." She says, leaning back against him.

Jeffrey rolls to his side when he wakes up, expecting to see Sam beside him. When he realizes that she's not there, he rolls to his back and looks around the room. "Sam." He calls.

"I'm in here." She calls back, lying back against the tub after she turns the hot tub on.

Sitting up, he pushes the covers back and gets up. Walking to the bathroom, he pushes the door open. He stands there in the doorway watching her as she lies back with her eyes closed. After a few seconds he says. "You couldn't wait, could you?"

Opening her eyes, she sits up and smiles at him. "Do you want to join me?"

"You're offering to share your hot tub, who are you and where is my wife?" He asks, walking over to her.

"Very funny." She says, as he sits down beside her. "I've shared before and if I remember correctly I offered when we got here and you declined."

"I was…."

"Shut up." She says, reaching over to slap him and he pulls away. "Are you coming in?" She asks, as he stands up and pulls his boxer off before he gets in.

Sitting down beside her, he whispers. "Good Morning, Mrs. O'Neill."

"I like that." She says, moving over to him.'

"You're up early." He says, putting his arm across her shoulders.

"I had to go to the bathroom."

"Was that all?"

"No, but I'm okay."

"When does that stop?"

"It's different for every woman. Some women have it throughout the pregnancy."

"I hope you don't." He says, gently caressing her shoulder.

"Why, does it make you sick?" Sam asks, teasing him.

"No, I hate you being sick. How long have you been in here?"

"Not long."

"So what do you want to do today?"

"Umm, let's go to the falls again."

"Okay, and after the falls what do you want to do?"

"I don't know. We'll see after we get there."

"Alright."

She leans against him and he lifts her, moving her onto his lap as she asks. "What are you doing?"

"Shhh." He says, putting his arms around her. "I want to hold you for a while." He whispers, softly kissing the back of her neck. She settles back against him, wrapping her arm around his waist as she lays her head on his chest. "I like holding you."

"I know, and I like you holding me."

Her breath feels warm against his chest as she lies against him. He lightly kisses the top of her head, trying hard not to give in to his need for her. After a few moments, she senses the struggle inside him and she says, as she looks up. "We can, if you want to."

"I know, but I want to hold you without…."

"Shhh." Sam says, turning to him.

She leans in to softly kiss him. "Why is it that I only have to be in the same room with you and I want you?" He asks, when she leans back.

"Because you love me, and I feel the same thing. We've been apart for too long and we love each too much to be apart as long as we have."

"Will this need ever lessen?" He asks as she moves around to face him.

Wrapping her arms around his neck, she says, with a mischievous smile. "I hope not."

"Come on, we've been in here a long time." He says, un-wrapping her arms from around his neck.

"So, you're not…."

"I didn't say that, just not here." Jeffrey says, leaning in to kiss her before she moves off his lap and he stands up.

He helps her out of the tub and then takes a towel and slowly begins to dry her off, moving the towel down her arms and across her stomach and up her back. He moves down from her shoulders to her upper chests, down into the valley between them, cupping them as he leans in to kiss her. She lays one hand against his cheek as she sighs softly and he slips his tongue into her mouth, deepening the kiss.

After a bit, he leans back and moves down to her legs, leisurely moving down her leg, he looks up as he reaches for her foot. Laying her hand on his shoulder she lifts her foot. Drying it, he knows that she's trying not to laugh. Putting the foot down, he reaches for the other one, and dries it off. She can't stop it, as she starts to giggle as he looks up at her as he reaches for the bottom of her foot. "Don't." She says, looking down.

He looks up and puts her foot down, gradually moving the towel up her other leg again, drying her off. When he reaches her waist, he stands up. She reaches for the towel and walking around behind him, she starts at his shoulders, moving down his back to his hips, across his lower abdomen. She stops for a moment laying her hand against his stomach, feeling the rhythm of his breathing through the towel as she walks around him and looks up.

He leans in, kissing her. Reaching to wrap his arms around her, she breaks the kiss and steps back. "You finished with me, so I'll finish with you." She says, moving up his chest, caressing him as she moves up to his shoulders and neck. Reaching for his arm, she slowly moves down his arm till she reaches his fingers, drying each individual one before she reaches for his other arm and repeats the same process.

Kneeling before him, she begins with his right leg, drying it off as she moves down to his feet. Lifting one, he lets her dry it off and then the other before she moves up his left leg. When she reaches his hips, she looks up at him before she leans in and kisses him. "Sam." He sighs.

"Shhh." She whispers before she takes him in, caressing him with her mouth and tongue.

Reaching for her, he buries his fingers deep in her hair, holding her against him. After a couple seconds, she tries to pull away. His hold is too tight. She glances up as he looks down. Relaxing his hold, he lets her do what she wants to do. Letting his head fall back, as he releases her, clinching his fists as his eyes close. She takes him as deep as she can, loving him.

After a few minutes, he feels his release rushing through him. Pulling away, as she looks up and he holds his hand out to her to help her up. When she's standing, he kisses her almost brutally. She can feel the love behind the desperation raging through him. Wrapping her arms around his neck, she moves into his arms. He wraps his arms around her, holding her tightly against him. After a moment or too, he relaxes his hold enough to move his hands down her body to her hips. Slipping his hand between their bodies, he reaches for her. "Sam." He groans, when he feels how much she wants him.

"Listening to you, want me, makes me want you." She says, as he caresses her, gently moving his fingers against her desire

After a few seconds, he pulls away from her. "Come on." He says, taking her hand and leading her out of the bathroom. When he reaches the bed, he stops and turns back to her. "I want you to feel the way you make me feel." He says, reaching up to caress her cheek.

"You do." Sam says, moving closer to him. "Every time."

"Beca." He whispers, leaning in, he kisses her as she wraps one arm around his neck and the other around his waist.

He pulls her to him, pressing his body against hers, almost like branding her as they cling to each other. After a few seconds, he steps back, still kissing her as he sweeps her up into his arms and turns for the bed, laying her down as he kneels over her. He looks down into her eyes before he leans in and kisses the side of her neck, moving up to her ear. He stops to nibble on her earlobe, knowing that she can't resist him when he does that.

His lips feel warm against her skin as she lays back. Closing her eyes she concentrates on the feel of his mouth moving over her body. Kissing her neck, nibbling on her earlobe, knowing that he knew she couldn't resist him when he did that. Reaching up, she runs her fingers through his hair before burying them in it, holding him against her as she moans softly.

He moves down to her breasts. He lays a gentle kiss in the valley between them before he pulls away and her hand falls to the bed. He watches them rise and fall as her breathing deepens. Reaching for them, she lays her hands underneath, lifting them like and offering to him. And offering he doesn't immediately accept as he looks up. She reaches for her nipples, pinching them until they harden, straining for him. "Beca." He groans, as she cups them again.

Leaning in, he softly kisses her left nipple and then her right as he lies down beside her. Laying one leg across her, he takes her left nipple into his mouth, caressing it with his mouth. After a few moments, he releases it and moves to her right one as she arches her back. Laying his hand on her stomach, he travels down her body, softly caressing her stomach and the child growing inside her, his child.

Leaning back, he looks down and says. "I love both of you."

"We love you." She replies, reaching up to run her finger tips over his face.

He tenderly kisses the tips of her fingers as he continues on. Moving his hand down her body as he moves her legs apart, cool air rushes over her a stunning contrast to the fire raging throughout her body. Reaching for her, he cups her for a moment before his fingers slips into her warm desire. caressing her as she arches her back, reaching for the sheet below her and clinging to it with one hand while he leans over her. He tenderly kisses his way down her stomach, following the path he previously used. He inhales deeply when he reaches her lower abdomen. Her desire rushes through him, filling him with a burning fire.

She gasps when he pulls his hand away and replaces it with his mouth, caressing her as she arches her back. After about a minute, she reaches up and pushes against his shoulder and at first he ignores her until she becomes more insistent. Leaning back, he looks up. Sucking in a deep breath, he realizes what she wants without her asking. As she moves down on the bed, he flips around, being careful not to pull her hair as he leans over her again.

Reaching up, she gently begins to caress him with her hand, holding him tightly as she moves up and down his desire. She reaches between his legs, caressing him before she leans up and closes her mouth over his desire. When she does that, he lifts his head from her, groaning loudly as she caresses him, arching her back, silently asking him to continue what he was doing.

Leaning over her, he begins again. Caressing and manipulating her desire with his mouth and tongue as she increases her caress, pushing him to match everything she does, and he has no trouble rising to her demand. Their release breaks without warning, surging through them like a flash flood in the canyons of the desert. She takes all he will give her and then collapses against the bed, moaning loudly as wave after wave of desire assaults her soul, filling her with warmth and desire all over again.

He collapses beside her, struggling to catch his breath as residual waves of desire washes over him. Gathering his strength he moves up beside her a few seconds later. Turning her head, she watches him for a moment before she says. "I don't think we've ever down that before."

He looks at her and smiles. "Maybe not, but I liked it."

"Me too, she says, leaning over to kiss him "That wasn't what you had in mind when we go out was it?"

"No, I was simply going to make love with you. I liked that better."

"I'm sure you did."

He looks over at her and smiles. They lay there for a while before she looks over at him and asks. "Do you want to go to the falls now?"

He looks at her and then moves over to her. "If you don't mind Mrs. O'Neill, I'd like to do what I originally planned to do." He says, laying on top of her and kissing her softly.

Wrapping her arms and legs around him, she sucks in a deep breath when she feels him pressing against her. "I wouldn't mind at all, Mr. O'Neill." She whispers, arching her back.

He moves into position, slipping inside her as she arches her back, closing her eyes, savoring the feeling of their bodies connecting. Leisurely he begins to thrust, arching her back she takes him deeper as she clings to his hips. After a few moments, she moves with him. Reaching for him when he pulls away and clinging to him when he's buried deep inside her.

Laying his head on her shoulder he increases the pace, thrusting deeper and harder while her nails dig into his hips, leaving half moon indentations in them. "Beca." He groans. "Darlin, I love you."

"I love you too, J." She moans, clinging to him.

He feels her release building and he knows that it won't be long until she surrenders. Leaning up on his forearms, he thrusts harder, pushing them both towards the end, rolling rivers of desire burn through them until she arches her back. "Jeffrey." She cries, clinging to him

With each wave of release, he thrusts into her, prolonging her release until every last ounce of desire is wrung from her body and then he surrenders. Thrusting for the final time, he collapses into her waiting arms as his desire surges through him, erupting from deep inside him and filling her with each wave.

They lay there, arms wrapped around each other, holding each other as their bodies settle and they regain control. After a while he leans up and looks down. "That was what I had in mind when we got out of the tub." He says, leaning over to kiss her.

When he leans back, she looks up and says. "I liked it all."

"I'm sure you did." He says, with a smile.

Moving to lay beside her, he holds his arm out for her to lie down beside him. Laying her head on his chest, she listens to his heart beat as she lays one arm across his waist and her leg across his thigh, Closing her eyes, she sighs softly as she falls asleep. He looks down and smiles. He holds her, gently running his fingers through her hair.