A Fresh Start
Chapter One Hundred Seventy Four
Jeffrey and Sam slept for about an hour before they both wake up at the same time. She rolls to her side, as he reaches up to wipe the sleep from his eyes. "How are you feeling?" She asks, reaching up to brush her hair back.
"I told you…."
"I'm only asking. I don't want an argument."
"I'm fine, maybe a little hungry."
"Yeah, me too but I don't want to go out. So do you want me to cook?"
"No, do you think you can handle pizza?"
"I handled lasagna so I think I can handle pizza."
"Then I'll call that place on Main Street and ask them to deliver."
"And for the sake of argument, I'll let you decide what kind of pizza we'll have."
"You're so generous."
"I know I am. Is that why you love me?" She asks with a smile
"I love you because you're incredibly beautiful and sexy and smart. And you know a good thing when you see it."
"I do."
"Yes, because you married me."
"I'm having your baby."
He rolls her over onto her back. "Is that the only reason you married me?"
"Well no, I happen to like you."
"You only like me."
"Well yes, I like the way you hold me. I like the way you love me. I like that you let me be myself…."
"As if you would let me, let you, be anything else."
"I like it that you wanted to protect Emma. And I like it that you'll go ahead an order the pizza I like because you love me."
"I'm going to order the pizza you like."
"Yes."
"Why do you think I would do that?"
"Because you want me to be happy." She says, moving away from him. "I've got to go to the bathroom." She slides off the bed and then she turns to him and says. "Remember I like Canadian bacon." He picks up a pillow and throws it at her as she laughs walking out the door and he reaches for the phone.
When she comes back upstairs, she's carrying the flowers that he gave her. Jeffrey had ordered the pizza and pulled the cover back and was laying back against the head board when she comes in. "The pizza will be here in twenty minutes." He says, as she walks over to him.
She puts the flowers on the nightstand beside the bed before she turns to him and notices the sheets have been changed. "How did the sheets get changed?"
"I changed them."
"When?"
"When you were waiting downstairs."
"Why?"
"Because I called you and asked you to come home and when I got here I thought maybe I should've put a little more thought and planning into it so I changed the sheets and straightened up a little bit."
"That's why you had me waiting downstairs?"
"Yes." He says, as she leans over and kisses him. "I love you."
He reaches up and buries his fingers in her hair, deepening the kiss. She moves onto the bed, wrapping her arms around him as he lays back, running his fingers through her hair before he pulls away. "Do you want to start this when we're going to be interrupted in about twenty minutes?"
"Well, there is a lot we can do in twenty minutes." She says, laying her hand on his hip as she looks up at him.
"That look is going to get you into a lot of trouble."
"I like trouble." She says, moving closer to him.
He lays back and she moves to lay on top of him as he wraps his arms around her, holding her to him. She leans up and looks down into his eyes. "I'm glad you're happy."
"I'm happy because I'm with you."
"Have you talked to Ava since last night?"
"No. But I'm sure she knows about Olivia. She was probably at the arraignment."
"Do you know what Chris offered her?"
"Yes." Jeffrey says, running his fingers through her hair.
"You can tell me. I'm not mad that you asked Chris to make a deal with her."
"I told him to offer her a suspended sentence if she pleads guilty and agrees to leave the state."
"Do you know if she took the offer?"
"No, I left before he made the call. I'm assuming that if Ava hasn't been by that she took the deal."
"So she has to leave the state. You know that she can still get to you even if she's not in Springfield."
"Yes, but she won't be right there, everywhere we go and maybe if she's not here and she doesn't see us together, she'll realize that the only connection she has to me is Ava and that we were never meant to be more than what we are."
"You know that you couldn't've done anything differently."
"Yes, I could have. I could have sent her home that night at the embassy. I should have treated her like my younger sister instead of what I did."
"If you had've done that you wouldn't have Ava."
"No, I wouldn't but it would have saved us both a lot of pain. But I can't go back. And without Olivia, I might not have joined that agency and we never would have met."
"I don't know about that." Sam says with a smile.
"What do you mean?" He asks, looking up when she doesn't reply immediately. She moves to sit up, straddling him across his chest. "Sam."
"I don't know. Sometimes I think that maybe we were destined to met and be together. Maybe that's why you never married after I left you in Russia and maybe that's why I couldn't see anyone else after I left Russia. It just seems like there was something there that kept us free for us to meet again."
"Maybe you're right. All I know is that I'm glad I went with Cassie and William to see Richard that day at the hospital. I didn't really have to do it. Noah could've met them and showed them to Richard. He was Richard's best friend." Jeffrey says, as the doorbell rings downstairs.
"The pizza." Sam says, looking around for his shirt and boxers.
"I can go get it."
She turns to looks at him and then looks down. "Somehow I don't think the pizza boy needs to see you in that state. I'll be right back." She says, pulling his shirt on and reaching for his pants.
She pulls his boxers on as he says. "Take my wallet, there some cash in there for the tip." She pulls his wallet out and then leaves the room as he settles back, waiting for her. Several minutes later, she returns, carrying two pizza boxes. He's still lying in the same position when she walks in. "No, the pizza boy didn't need to see you in your present condition."
"Why?" Jeffrey asks, as she sits down on the bed.
"Because the pizza boy was a pizza girl and she was fairly young." She replies. "Why do I have two pizza boxes?"
"Open them and find out." Jeffrey says, watching her.
She opens the first one and it's a deep pan pizza with everything on it and she hands it to him. He lays it on the bed while he watches her reach for the second box. Pulling it open, he watches her face as she realizes he bought her pizza too. She looks up at him and then at the pizza. "You bought both of them."
"Yes."
"Why? I could've eaten yours."
"You wanted the Canadian bacon and I know you detest deep pan pizza."
"I don't detest it. I prefer thin crust."
"Either way, that's what you wanted. So I got both of them." He says, reaching for a slice of pizza.
She takes a slice of hers and then takes a bite. She's watching him eat and when she swallows she says. "You know I really was teasing about you getting me a pizza. I would have eaten yours."
"I know you would have, but think of it this way, you're saving calories eating only the thin crust."
"Meaning, I need to watch my…."
"You haven't gained a pound since you got pregnant and if you gain a hundred pounds during this pregnancy I wouldn't care." Jeffrey says, leaning over to kiss her.
"Very well said." She says, smiling as he sits back.
"I'm serious Sam."
"I know you are. But I'm not gaining a hundred pounds with this baby. Dr. Sedgwick said twenty five to thirty pounds would be health and that's all I plan to gain." He leans over to kiss her before he moves to get up. "Where are you going?"
"To get us something to drink."
"Can you bring me some milk?"
"Sure." He says, with a smile before he leaves the room.
Sam finishes the slice of pizza she was eating and reaches for a slice of his. She's eating that when he comes back upstairs. He hands her a glass of milk before he goes around to his side of the bed and sits back down. "Thanks." She says, taking a drink.
"You're welcome." He says, reaching for another slice of pizza. "I met with Billy today."
"You did, what did he want?"
"He was showing me plans to add the bathroom and bedroom to the loft for Ava and William."
"How are they coming?"
"He's got some great idea and I think we can get it done quickly and without spending too much money."
"Is… are we short on… I didn't think about…."
"No, no, the money is fine. I made a good living when I was working with Mel and I had some pretty good investments that I made. And the agency sends me a check every month and then the salary I get for being mayor, we're fine."
"Okay, but I'll start bring money in once the practice is…."
"I don't want you to worry about that. We're fine and you bring in money now."
"Yeah, but my check from the agency is enough to live on. But we've had a lot of expenses with the wedding and the honeymoon and you bought the house and had it totally remodeled. We're still buying stuff for that and then this project for the loft. If we need to wait maybe we can find another way to help Ava and William."
"Sam, we are not in trouble financially. I've got everything covered so don't worry about it."
"You would tell me if we were in trouble."
"Of course I would tell, but we're not. Billy was only discussing the cost so that we have an idea of what we will have to spend, so that we don't over spend."
"Okay."
"Good." He says, closing the box on his pizza. "Are you through?"
"Yes." She says, as he takes her pizza and closes it.
"I'm going to take these downstairs." He says, getting off the bed.
"Here." She says, finishing the glass of milk. "And can you bring me a can of Sprite?"
"Sure." He says, taking the glass and leaving. He leaves and before she lies down she pulls his shirt and boxers off, lying down next to where he was sitting. When comes back upstairs, he stops for a moment, watching her. She turns to her head when she senses his presence and slowly he walks over to the bed. He lies down beside of her, turning to her. He watches her before he asks. "What are you doing?"
"I was thinking about you." She says softly as she turns towards him.
"You were thinking about me." He asks, slowly moving his eyes down her body, watching her hand as she moves it over her desire.
"Yes." She says, moving in to kiss him.
"Sam." He whispers, nibbling on her lower lip. She pulls her hand away and he reaches to stop her. "Don't, I like watching you do that." He says, wrapping his arms around her and rolling to his back. She lays there for a moment, kissing him until he helps her up. "I was thinking about us and the first morning at that hotel in the lake district before you were kidnapped in Belfast. I went to your room that morning because I couldn't take it anymore. I knew you would probably have a couple agents there with you."
"But I was alone. The other agents were out relaxing at one of the lakes. They wanted me to go, but I wanted to be alone so that I could figure out what I was going to do about you. I wasn't sure I could be on another stake out with you and not attack you. And you made me think you detested me."
"I detested the attitude you always gave me. I never detested you."
"What, you didn't like the male chauvinist pig routine."
"You were more than that. You were a complete ass to me most of the time."
"I was at first but I started to soften by the time we were in the Lake District. Who told Wilson to leave you alone after the contact gave you the slip?"
"Well, that's true." She says, pulling her hand free and he reaches for it.
Bringing up to his mouth, he catches the scent of her desire and feels sparks of electricity surge through him. Opening his mouth, he takes one of her fingers and sucks it into his mouth, swirling his tongue over her finger. When it's clean, he moves onto the next one and does the same thing until her hand is clean. Letting her hand fall to his chest, he reaches up and pulls her to him again. Latching onto her mouth, he kisses her as he wraps his arms around her, holding her tightly.
During this whole time, she never took her eyes off him, sparks of electricity rushed through her, filling her body with heat. He may have started the kiss but she takes control of it, slipping her tongue into his mouth, playing with his. Finally she pulls away, looking down. He looks up, his eyes half closed and faded to a light green. Lifting his head, he nuzzles her neck before moving down her upper chest, softly kissing her. He moves down, nibbling across her chest to the valley between her breasts. He softly kisses her before he licks the side of her breast. She sucks in a deep breath. The muscles in her lower body clinch as she closes her eyes. He continues to nibble on her breast until she moves to lean over him. He lies back down and she moves closer, her breast hovering over his mouth. He takes her breast into his mouth, sucking it deep, playing with her nipple.
"J!" She moans, rocking back and forth. He feels her moving against him, her desire brushing against his stomach. He moves to her other breast, continuing what he had been doing. She feels it coming, an enormous surge, building inside her. Her muscles clinching inside, wanting to squeeze him tightly but there is nothing there. She pulls away and he follows her, leaning up on his elbows. "J! please." She moans, but he doesn't release her. Instead he continues until he feels her hips jerk.
A swirling eruption of passion crash through her, he holds her to him tightly, feeling each surge though he's not connected to her. Slowly he fills her relax. He releases her and she sits up, bracing her hands on his chest. Feeling the rhythm of his breathing and knowing that his own passion is raging through him. She leans over him, catching his mouth in a kiss. He reaches up to pull her to him and she pulls away.
Laying her hand on his chest, she moves them down his chest. He closes his eyes, letting her feel the rhythm of his breathing, feeling the way it changes with each surge of desire that rushes through him. She reaches for his nipples, playing with them. She moves down as his fall to her waist. He closes his eyes, letting his body fall under her spell, letting her move at her own pace. She moves down, settling over him, his erection pressed against her thigh. It feels like hot steel encased in satin. She leans down, moving her tongue over his nipple, stroking it until it's pressing against her tongue. She sucks it into her mouth, playing with it. "Sam!" He groans, shifting his hips.
She moves to hover over him and for a moment he thinks she's going to take him inside but she doesn't. Settling her hips against his, she leisurely rolls her hips over his. Surges of desire sweep through her, the muscles inside clinch tighter. She struggles to catch her breath. Slowly he moves his hand down from her waist, settling it between their bodies, slipping it between them until he's holding her desire. His fingers slipping inside, moving over her, needing to touch every part of her, he finds her center, hot with liquid fire. His fingers slip deep as he whispers. "I want to be connected to you."
She leans over him, kissing him as she pulls away from his fingers. Leaning on one arm, she guides him inside. "Jeffrey!" She moans, as he slips inside her.
"Beca, baby." He groans, fighting the screaming urge to thrust, savoring the feel of her body closing around him, encasing him in slick hot satin. Her body clinches around him, squeezing him. "Sweet…!" He groans.
She rolls her hips. Slowly at first but then need takes over. She moves faster and he holds onto her hips, letting her control the pace. After a while, he lifts his hips and she braces her hands against chest and then moves them to his shoulders. Lifting her hips, she releases him until he's barely inside her and then she sinks around him again, repeating that over and over and over.
She settles against him again, rolling her hips over his, sliding back and forth until he moves his hand. Reaching for her, he moves his fingers, caressing her desire, stoking the fire rushing through both of them. He feels her hips jump. The muscles clinching around him, holding him as her fist clinch. "J!" She cries. Staggering waves of her release swirl over him, squeezing him. "Sweet… Sam!" He groans. "Baby, I love you." He whispers, lifting his hips, throbbing surges of release roll through him, starting at his feet and moving up until it fills her.
She feels each surge, loving the feel of his release as he lifts his hips against hers. Answering waves of release flutters over him, bringing another throbbing wave from him until she lies down, laying her head on his chest. He wraps his arms around her, holding her as they suck in deep breath.
Cassie comes out of the bathroom as Richard comes in. He stops to watch her, imagining the feel of her skin beneath his hands. He's lost in memories of her beneath him, the sound of rushing water from the waterfall. She brings the towel down from her hair, looking up and seeing him standing there. The sleepy look of desire in his eyes, she walks over to him. Dropping the towel, she leans in and softly kisses him.
He reaches up, wrapping his arms around her waist. He pulls her to him, deepening her kiss. She can feel the warmth of his chest through the towel. He moves his hands, moving them to the front, tugging on the towel until it's free. He lets it drop to the floor as he pulls her to him. She wraps her arms around him. He lifts her and she wraps her legs around his waist as he walks towards the bed. When his legs brush the side, he stops, breaking the kiss. Their gazes lock and he smiles. "We just finished this."
"I know, but you want this again."
"I will always want this." He whispers, leaning in to kiss her as he lays her on the bed, moving to settle over her. She lays her hand on his chest. He looks up.
"The boxers." She says.
He stands up, pulling the boxers off. She moves back, lying back and holding her arms open to him. He moves onto the bed, catching her mouth for another kiss as he settles against her. She can feel his erection, pressing against her thigh, a fiery rod of steel wrapped with satin. She moves her hands down his back, over his hips, squeezing him gently and he moves against her. "Richard!" She groans.
Swirling passion rushes through her. She feels her muscles clinch, wanting to feel him inside her. He's moved down to her breast, playing with her nipples. She releases his hips, moving them between them. She lays her hand over his erection, cupping him. "Cassie!" he groans, laying his forehead against her chest.
Closing her hand around him, she squeezes him, mimicking their body's desire. He's frozen for a moment. When she moves her hand over him, caressing him, he thrusts forward, moving his hips while she continues to caress him, its seconds before he pulls away from her, sucking in a deep breath, he closes his eyes, fighting his bodies demand for release.
He leans over her, softly kissing her stomach, nibbling on her, feeling the rhythm of her breath and the heat of desire pressing in on them. He moves down, hovering over her navel. She can feel the heat of his breath mix with the coolness of the air in the room. He slowly licks her navel and her skin tastes like salt. He can smell the scent of her soap mixed with scent of her desire. He methodically moves his tongue over her navel, feeling her jumps, her muscles clinching. He pauses for a moment before he licks her once more and then moves away from her navel.
Moving down, she opens her body to him. Lying beneath him, eyes closed, drowning in desire and desperate need. He opens her and her fist clinches again. He leans forward, taking a deep breath. Her scent fills him, incredible surges of electricity rolls though him. Gradually he moves forward, gently licking her desire. "Richard!" she screams, arching her hips, reaching for him.
He's there, moving his tongue over her, sucking her leisurely, methodically, building the passion rushing through them. He plays with her, until she's withering with need beneath him. He kisses her for the last time and then pulls away, moving up her body, kissing her until he's hovering over her. He looks up, watching her as he moves into place, sliding inside her.
Her body closes around him, pulling him inside, enclosing him slick satin. He feels the desire pressing in on them, fighting it, wanting this to last. He pulls away and she arches her back, desperate to hold onto him. He thrusts deep. She reaches for him, pulling him into her, rolling her hips against his. "Cassie!" He groans.
He leans up on is forearms and thrusts, over and over and over again. Their bodies clinging to each others, their rhythm frantic with desire, over and over again, he thrusts. He slows down, and she pulls him to her. "Don't stop." She pleads, her muscles squeezing him as fluttering waves of her release sweeps through her. He thrusts deep and feels her clinch around him. "Richard." She cries, arching her back.
He thrusts again and her release breaks over him, squeezing him. He continues to thrusts, deep waves of her release break over him. He feels her tugging him deeper, pulling his release from his feet up through his body, like a fisherman reeling in a catch. He feels throbbing surges of desire burst from him. He thrusts once more and then let's go. Collapsing into her waiting arms, sucking in a deep breath, she holds him to her. Another release sweeps through her, squeezing him with each throbbing swell of his release.
Slowly they relax. He leans up and looks down. "I love you."
"I love you too." She says, smiling.
He moves away from her. Lying down beside her, he sucks in several deep breaths before he turns this head to look at her. "I didn't come up here for that to happen."
"I don't care." She says, moving over to him, laying her head on his chest, her arm across his waist and her leg over his.
"I thought we could go over to the town beside the lake, maybe look around."
"Okay." She mumbles sleepily.
He looks down and smiles. "Go to sleep, we can go later."
"We can go."
"Later, Cassie." He says, reaching for comforter and pulling it over them.
He lies back down and she snuggles back into him, closing her eyes. She's asleep in moments and he lies there, holding her, listening to her breath. Closing his eyes, he falls asleep.
The next morning, Ava takes Emma to school and then goes to Sam's house. She wants to see how the painting was coming along. The electrician was due as well and she wants to go over with him what she knew Sam wants. Ava's already at the house when Sam pulls up. She is in the master bedroom when Sam comes in. "Good morning." Ava says, seeing her walk in.
"Good morning." Sam replies. "How are you?" She asks, after taking a drink of the hot cider she had picked up at CO2.
"I'm fine. I came by to see how the painting is going and to meet with the electrician about the flooring."
"That's not what I was talking about."
"My mom, I'm fine." Ava says, turning away from Sam.
"You know it's okay to be angry with her." Sam says, watching her.
"Sam, I appreciate what you're trying to do, but really I'm fine. My mother will have to pay the price for what she's done not me."
"Okay. I'll be downstairs, if you need me." Sam says, as Ava nods.
Sam leaves, going downstairs. She begins to look through the resumes the agency in Chicago sent over. She had taken Ava's advice and asked one of the agencies there to help her find the staff for the clinic. She only had a few more positions to fill. She tried to concentrate on that but her attention kept slipping to Ava and the cold way she spoke about Olivia.
Reaching for the phone, she dials Jeffrey's number at City Hall. After a couple rings, Stacey picks up. "Hello, Mayor O'Neill's office."
"Stacey, its Sam."
"Yes, Mrs. O'Neill."
"Is Jeffrey free to talk?"
"I'm sorry but he's in a meeting right now. He's looking over sites for some new companies that want to build here in Springfield."
"The sites Richard recommended before the wedding, of course."
"Can I leave him a message?"
"Just tell him I called and I'll talk to him later."
"Yes ma'am."
"Thank you."
"Do you want him to call you back?"
"No, that's not necessary. I just wanted to talk to him."
"Yes ma'am."
Sam hangs up and goes back to looking over the résumés. Ava spends another hour going over the plans with the electrician and explaining where the wiring needed to be for the flooring. She was just wrapping up, when her cell phone rings. She pulls it from her pocket and looks down, recognizing Olivia's number she pushes the button to send the call to voicemail and then walks downstairs.
Sam was walking out of her office as Ava is coming downstairs. "Sam, I'm going to go. I've got some work I need to do at the office before I go get Emma."
"Okay, you still have Emma?"
"Yes."
"I figured that Olivia took the deal that was offered. If you have Emma, then I guess…."
"She took the deal. She was released yesterday."
"Oh, alright, then I guess you'll be taking Emma back to Olivia's."
"Actually no, I won't." Ava says, turning to leave.
"You're going to keep Emma?"
"Yes, I am. Olivia gave me custody and so I'm keeping her. The electrician should be finished by this afternoon, so I'll call the flooring contractor and have them start tomorrow, if that's okay?"
"Umm, that's fine."
"Then I'll see you later." Ava says, as a young woman comes in.
"That's fine." Sam says, watching as Ava walks away.
"Excuse me." Says the young woman.
"I'm sorry, yes. Are you Jasmine?"
"Yes ma'am, but everyone calls me Jas."
"Okay Jas, please come in." Sam says, watching as Ava pulls out of the parking lot.
For a few moments they stand there until Jas asks. "Is there a problem? I was supposed to be here today for the interview."
"Yes, yes you are. I'm sorry. We've… I've got a lot going on. Getting the practice started and other things."
"If this is a bad time, I can come back." Jas replies, as Sam looks at her.
"No, this is fine. Right this way and we'll do the interview." Sam says, turning back to her office with Jas following her.