A Fresh Start
Chapter Two Hundred Fifty Three
Marah waited until she was sure that Reva and Josh weren't coming right back. Getting up, she gets dressed and then gathers up her clothes. She carries her suitcase down to her car before she walks into the kitchen. Taking out a piece of paper, she begins a note. "Mom and Dad, Thanks for letting me stay here last night. I do appreciate it. However, I think it's best if I find my own place. I'll probably end up at the Beacon, so don't worry. I'm not leaving town. I'll see you soon. Marah." She lays the note on the kitchen counter where they will be sure to see it and then she leaves.
Walking into the Beacon, she looks around for a moment before she walks over to the front desk. "May I help you?" The clerk asks, looking up.
"Yes, I would like a room."
"Is this for the night or for a longer stay."
"It's for a longer stay. I'm not sure how long but longer than one night." She says, as the clerk nods.
Pulling up the necessary documents, she fills in Marah's information. "May I see your credit card?" The clerk asks.
"Of course." She says, handing her the card.
"Thank you." The clerk says, taking the card and entering the information. Within a few minutes, the clerk is printing out the necessary papers. "If you will sign these." She says, handing the papers to Marah.
Looking them over quickly, she signs the papers and then hands them back to the clerk. Taking the papers from her, the clerk hands her a key and says. "Thank you and Welcome to the Beacon."
"Thank you." Marah says quietly, as she reaches for her suitcase.
"I got it." Julian says, walking up to her. For a moment, she stares at him. "Hello." He says, looking at her.
"What are you doing here? Are you following me?"
"No, I'm not following you. I'm staying here while I'm on duty."
"On duty, are you a cop?"
"No, I'm a federal agent. I'm here guarding the mayor's wife." He says, stepping away from the front desk.
"You know Jeffrey and Sam." Marah says, following him.
"Yes, I'm Sam's bodyguard until she testifies in an upcoming case, involving one of her patients and her brother."
"Her brother. Is her brother being sued or something?"
"No, he's not being sued. He's part of the complaint. It's a long story, but it's enough to say that Sam's life is in danger until the trial and during the trial and her husband hired me to protect her." He says, as Marah follows him upstairs.
"So you're here to protect her." She says, looking at him as they walk down the hall to her room.
"Yes."
"How's that working out?"
"We're adjusting to each other." He says, glancing at her.
"She worked with Jeffrey, right." Marah says, as he nods. "Then she's a trained federal agent, just like Jeffrey. Why does she need a bodyguard?"
"Mr. O'Neill wants to keep her safe from her brother."
"Her brother, it's her brother."
"And Jeffrey wants her protected from him."
"I don't understand."
"Sam and her brother have been at odds with each other for years now. Mostly because Sam refuses to come back' into the fold'"
"I don't understand."
"I'm not clear on all the details, but there's enough of a threat there for Jeffrey to be afraid for her life even if Sam wanted to deny it until few days ago."
"What happened a few days ago?"
"The mother of the patient that Sam treated was attacked on her brother's orders. Sam went to treat her and then ordered me to stay with the mother until the police arrived. I wanted to follow her, but she insisted and so I stayed. While she was on her way home, a man tried to kidnap her. Her brother-in-laws stopped it."
"You mean my dad and Uncle Billy stopped her from being kidnapped."
"I guess so."
"How are you still employed?"
"When I found out, I tried to resign but Sam wouldn't accept it and she wouldn't let Mr. O'Neill accept it either."
"Now that sounds like Jeffrey." Marah says, stopping outside her room. "Thank you for helping me with my suitcase."
"I... you're welcome." He says, as she takes her key and unlocks the door.
He steps back as she opens the door. "I'll see you around, Marah Lewis." He says, as she glances back over her shoulder.
"See you around." She says, before closing the door behind her. Once the door is closed, he turns around to leave.
"I'll follow you home." Frank says, as he walks over to his truck.
Megan gets the boys settled and then starts her car. Pulling out with Frank behind her, they carefully drive through town. When they reach her house, she opens the door as Frank gets out of his truck. "Let me get the door unlocked and I'll come and help." She says, ushering the boys towards the house.
Opening the tailgate, he tugs on the tree until is out. Megan drops everything at the front door and turns to go back outside. The boys rush over to the window and peering out they watch Frank and Megan get out of his truck. "Why don't you take the top and I'll get the end?" Frank says, reaching for the bottom of the tree.
"Why do I have to get the top?" Megan asks, looking at him.
"Because the top is lighter than..."
"Are you saying I can't handle the bottom? Because I can so..."
"Do you really want to argue about which end is carried by whom? Why do you always have to be so confrontational?"
"I am not confrontational. Why do you always have to be the macho man saving the day? I'm not helpless." She says, standing there.
Standing up, he looks at her and then walks around the tree. "What are you doing?" She asks, as he walks up to her.
"I'm doing what we both wanted to do in DC." He says, slipping his arm around her waist and pulling her to him.
"Wa..." He silences her with a kiss and at first she resists until small flames of desire kindle inside her and she kisses him back. He pulls her closer, deepening the kiss as the boys look at each other and then high five each other with a smile.
Slowly he pulls away, taking a deep breath as she looks up. "Now was that so bad?" He asks, gently caressing her cheek.
It was like throwing ice water on fire. She pulls away from him, still shaken as she demands. "What the hell were you doing?"
"Exactly what you've wanted me to do ever since we met in DC."
"I did not want you to kiss me in DC or at any other time."
"Bullshit." Frank says, looking at her. He takes a step close to her.
She backs up and hits her back against the tailgate. "Stay back, I'm not... We're not... I just got divorced!"
"So you're divorced. So am I. You have two kids...
"That's right, I do have two kids and I don't need set this type of example for them. They are right inside that door." She says, pointing to the house
"And I have a kid. Why are you so determined to fight this? You want it and I definitely want it."
"Men are all alike."
"I am not your ex." Frank fires back.
"Oh really, all you think about is what you want. You sure as hell don't think about what I... the woman wants."
"Actually, I am thinking about what we both want." Frank sighs and then looks at her. "I know you are not helpless. There are things, many things that you can do that I can't, but that doesn't mean that it's a bad example for your boys to see you with someone else. Are you going to live the rest of your life alone, because your ex was an ass?"
"How do you know what Patrick was or wasn't?"
"You're forgetting that I interrupted that fight you were having outside your hotel in DC. That alone is enough to know he's ass, but letting you go is the most massive indication that something was wrong with him. You deserve so much better." He says, moving closer to her. She tenses, expecting him to try and kiss her again. He doesn't. He simply reaches up and brushes her cheek. "You deserve so much more than that." He says, looking into her eyes for a moment, before he steps back. "So you get the top and I'll get the bottom?"
Swallowing, she watches him for a moment before she reaches for the top of the tree. Each holding on to their end, they bring the tree in as the boys rush over to the couch. Once they're inside the house, Frank asks. "Where do you want it?"
"Ummm, over in that corner." She says, indicating the window where the boys had be standing moments before.
They drag it over there. Leaning it against the wall, Frank asks. "Do you have a tree stand?"
"I do, but it's in the basement and you've got to go outside to reach it."
"You don't have a basement door?"
"No, it's outside, just passed the porch."
"Is the box marked?" Frank asks, walking towards the door.
"It is, but I can..." He looks at her. "Thank you." She says, as he opens the front door and walks out. He returns a few moments later with a box. "You can put the box down over there." Putting it down by the fireplace, she walks over to him and begins rummaging through the box, until she brings out an old tree stand. "This is all I got." She says, handing him the stand.
He puts it together and when he's finished, he says. "I'll lift the tree and you can slide it under."
Grabbing the tree stand, she gets down on the floor as he lifts a tree and after a few moments of directing, the tree is in the stand and she back out from under the tree. Sitting up, she looks up and smiles while Frank watches her. There's a moment before he realizes that she's getting up. Reaching for her hand, he pulls her up, holding her hand for a few seconds before he lets it drop. They turn to look at the tree and then he looks at her and asks. "Are you going to decorate it now?"
"I think I'll wait a couple days." She says, as he nods, glancing back at the tree. "Thank you for helping me, us with it."
"You're welcome." Frank says, still standing there. After a few moments, he says. "I'm going to go. I don't want to over-step my boundaries."
She looks at him and then turns back to the tree. "We'll, thank you."
Chuckling, he turns to go and she follows him to the door. "Let me see what it looks like once you've got it finished."
She nods, but knowing that she has no way of contacting him except for 911 and Company. She figures Company would be better. Reaching for his coat, he slips it on and then steps towards the door with Megan following him. When they reach the door, she opens it and steps out. He turns around, watching her and then he says "I'll see you later.
"Yes, and thank you for the help."
He pauses a moment and then says. "You're welcome."
He opens the door as she walks up and holding it with her hand, she reaches out to shake his hand. He pauses for another moment but then takes her hand. "If you need anything else, let me know." He says, as she looks at him and then nods. Satisfied that he meant it,
Walking back to his truck he's thinking about the kiss and her response to that kiss when he reaches his truck. Getting in, he starts it and then back out, leaving Megan standing at the door until he turns the corner at the end of the street.
Josh follows Reva into the house. His arms are full of shopping bags. Putting them all on the table, he leaves again as Reva walks over to the stairs. "Marah." She calls out before she turns away. Going into the kitchen, she gets out a pot and puts it on the stove. She turns to look at the stairs and then walks back over there. "Marah, we're home. Come down and see the Christmas tree." She says and then pauses. She doesn't hear anything. Slowly she climbs the stairs, mindful of Marah's reaction this morning. "Marah." She says again, opening her door. She walks in, looking around and quickly realizes that Marah's not there, nor is her stuff. She rushes back out of the room and down the stairs as Josh walks around the counter holding Marah's note. "She's gone." Reva says, walking over to the phone.
"Reva." He says, reaching for her.
"You don't understand. She's gone as well as all of her stuff." Reva says, reaching for the phone.
"I do understand." Josh says, holding up the note. "She left a note for us."
Reva takes the note and reads it. When she's finished, she looks at Josh. "She moved her stuff to the Beacon, why?"
"I think because she simply wants to be alone."
"We're her family."
"And she's been on her own for several years now." Josh says, as Reva reaches for her purse and keys. "Where are you going?"
"To bring her back home."
"No." Josh says, taking her purse and keys and putting them by her coat.
"Josh, she's..."
"She's an adult and when she's ready to come here, she will again. Let her be, Reva." He says, looking at her.
"How can you be so calm?" She asks, as he smiles.
He walks over to her and wraps his arms around her. "I'm the sane one, remember." He says, leaning in to kiss her. Releasing her, he walks into the living room. "Were you going to make some hot chocolate?" He asks, opening the box of Christmas decorations.
"Yes." She says, watching him for a moment before she walks into the kitchen while he starts emptying the box.
The boys come downstairs, ready for bed. Sitting down on the couch, they watch as Cassie and Richard put the tree up. "Mommy, can we have some hot chocolate before we go to bed?" Will asks.
Cassie looks at Richard and then turns to Will and Rj. "Go get your mugs and I'll make you some hot chocolate." She says, turning away from the tree. Richard continues putting ornaments on the tree as she and the boys go to the kitchen. About ten minutes later, she walks out of the kitchen holding two mugs in her hands. "Here." She says, handing him a mug as the boys follow her, both of them kneeling at the coffee table with their mugs. She steps back and looks at the tree after he takes his mug. "It's beautiful." She says, looking at him. Noticing the look on his face, she asks. "What's wrong?"
"I was thinking about my Mom and Matt." He says, as she slips her arm around his waist. Putting his arm around her, he pulls her to him and lightly kisses the top of her head. "It was fun seeing everyone today, but I wish they were here to see us together again, to know the kids and her." He says, after sipping his hot chocolate.
"I'm sure they've already met her." She says, as he looks at her. "She's from heaven so I'm sure they've already met each other."
He smiles as he sips his hot chocolate before he sits his mug down. "There's one final ornament to put on the tree." He says, turning to Will. "Come here Will."
Will looks up and then stands up and walks over to him. "Are you ready to put the star on the top?" He asks, as Will nods "Get the star." He says, as Will bends over and picks it up.
Bending his knees, he starts to pick him up as Cassie says. "Richard, you'll hurt yourself."
"I'm fine." He says, putting Will on his shoulder and then walking over to the tree. Holding onto him as Will reaches up and slips the star on to the top of the tree. Stepping back, Richard looks at the top and then looks at Will. "Very good job." He says, helping him down from his shoulder. "Do you boys want to sleep down here tonight?" He asks, looking at Rj.
"Can we!" Will asks, looking at Cassie.
She looks at Richard and then smiles. "Go get some blankets from the hall closet." She says, as both boys take off up the stairs. "You're bad, do you know that?"
"Why? Edmund and I used to do it but we had to sneak downstairs after everyone was in bed. Our nanny learned to come downstairs after we'd fallen asleep and carry us back upstairs."
"And what happened when you got to be too big for her to carry?"
"By then things were so different that we stopped going downstairs." He says, looking at her.
"I'm sorry." She says, reaching over to caress his cheek.
"Thank you." He walks around behind her. Looking at the tree, he says. "I think sleeping in front of a Christmas tree is a childhood tradition."
"Christmas wasn't that big of a deal when I was growing up. I was never with a family long enough to develop connections like that."
"I guess we both have reasons for us not to love Christmas."
"We do. And that's why I always tried to make Christmas special for my kids. I wanted them to have the things I didn't have."
"And I think you've done a wonderful job." He says, as she looks at him. "You have, everyone of your kids know that you love them and that you've done the best you can for them, as will this one." He says, slipping his arms around her. His hand resting on her stomach, she leans back against him as the boys come back downstairs, with blankets, pillows and teddy bears.
"I want the couch." Will says.
"No, I'm sleeping on the couch. I'm bigger."
"So, I want the couch." Will says, looking at Rj.
"Boys, if you're going to fight, you'll both sleep upstairs." Richard says, releasing Cassie. "Will, you can have the loveseat and Rj will have the couch."
"I wanted the couch."
"Rj is bigger Will. He needs the couch." Richard says, walking him over to the loveseat as Cassie helps Rj get settled.
When they're both settled, Richard says. "Alright, you both can sleep down here, but if we hear any fighting or playing around you both will sleep in your beds, understood?"
"Yes sir." Both reply. They each hug the boys and kiss them good-night before they head upstairs.
Ava walks into Emma's room. She's sitting on her bed holding a book. "What do you have there?" Ava asks, sitting down beside her on the bed.
"It's a book Mommy used to read to me every Christmas." Emma says, as Ava takes the book from her lap.
"You want me to read the Night before Christmas?" Ava says, surprised.
"Why are you surprised?" Emma asks, looking at her.
"Well, I sort of figured Mom would read something like A Christmas Carol to you something more educational than this."
"Oh she did, it's just that this was my favorite. She would read it to me on Christmas Eve before I went to bed. But this year she's not here to do that." Emma says, taking the book back.
Ava wraps her arms around her and lightly kisses her head. "Well, I know I'm not Mom, but I could read it to you." She says, as Emma looks up.
"Seriously, you'll read it to me?"
"Of course I'll read it to you and I have another story that was my favorite when I was a little girl. My mom would read it to me."
"What's that?"
"How the Grinch Stole Christmas."
"Mom would never read that to me. She hated Dr. Seuss."
"Yeah, well mom had some crazy ideas." Ava says, as Emma laughs.
"Yeah, she did."
"So, we'll read The Night before Christmas and How the Grinch Stole Christmas before you go to bed Christmas Eve and that will be our tradition."
"Okay." Emma says with a brilliant smile.
"Good, now it's time for bed." Ava says, getting up. Emma crawls to the other side of the bed as Ava pulls the covers back. "Did you brush your teeth?"
"Yes ma'am." She says, lying down. Ava pulls the covers up and tucks her in.
She leans over and kisses her forehead. "Sweet dreams."
"You too." Emma says, smiling as she looks up.
"I'll see you in the morning." Ava says, walking around the bed.
"Ava." Emma says, leaning up. Ava stops and looks at her. "Thanks."
"You're welcome sweetie." She says, smiling. "Now go to sleep."
"Yes ma'am." Emma says, snuggling down into the covers.
Ava leaves the room. And as she walks out, she finds William standing by the door. "What are you doing?"
"I was going to come in and tell her good-night, but then I overheard both of you."
He says, slipping his arms around her. "I happen to think you're going to be the best mother and the greatest sister ever." He says, as she laughs.
"That's quite a combination, the best mom and greatest sister of the year."
"More like of a lifetime." He says, leaning in to kiss her.
"You're crazy." She says, leaning back.
"Yes, I am about you." He says, kissing her again.
She pulls away after a few moments. "As much as I like this, I don't think we need to be doing this outside her bedroom."
"Well, we could go upstairs."
"We could, but you promised to watch a movie with me. Remember that?" Frowning, he pretends to think about it. "William!" She says, as he laughs.
"You're going to get yourself in trouble." She says, taking his hand and leading him over to the couch.
"Before we start this movie, do you want some popcorn?"
"I didn't think about that." She says, turning for the kitchen.
"You settle in. I'll get the popcorn." He says, turning for the kitchen.
"No stalling." She says, as he walks away.
A few minutes later, he comes back. Ava is on the couch with the remote in her hand. When he sits down and is comfortable, they start the movie.
The rest of the weekend passed uneventful for Springfield. Jeffrey and Sam decorated their tree after it arrived. Richard and the boys went horseback riding, leaving Cassie to work on the nursery and piddle around the house. William, Ava and Emma stayed in as well, decorating their tree and watching movies. Marah settled into the Beacon while Josh and Reva worked on their holiday decorations. By Monday morning, most of the snow had melted, leaving the kids disappointed that school wasn't canceled for at least one day.
Sam is coming out of her office around lunch time when her cell phone rings. Pulling it from the pocket of her lab coat, she looks down and is surprised to see Megan's face there. "Hey sis." Sam says, after connecting the call.
"Hi." Megan says, sounding down.
"What's wrong?" Sam asks, stopping in the hallway.
"I need to talk to someone." She says, looking out her window.
"Okay, what's up?"
"Not over the phone, are you going to be home?"
"Yes, unless an emergency comes up, why?"
"I'll bring lunch if you can talk."
"I'll be here. I've got one more patient to see and then we'll break for lunch."
"Okay, I'm on my way. I'll stop at Company. Is there anything in particular you want?"
"Ummm, some soup will be fine. Not the chili. It give me heartburn right now."
"Alright, I'll bring you some soup. I'll be there in thirty minutes."
"Alright, I'll see you then." They hang up and Sam continues on to the patient that's waiting for her.
Thirty minutes later, Sam's wrapping up her visit with one of her patients when Megan walks in. She nods to Julien as she walks up to the receptionist's desk. "May I help you?" Leah asks.
"I'm here to see Sam." Megan says, as Sam walks up with her patient.
"Meg, that's good timing. I'm just wrapping up." Sam says, handing a piece of paper to Leah. "I'll see you again, Mrs. Wells." She says, turning to her patient.
"Thank you Dr. O'Neill." She says, as Sam opens the door to let Megan in.
"Leah, I'm going to lunch when you're finished, you can do to lunch as well."
"Yes ma'am." She says, as Sam turns away and Megan follows her down the hallway leading to the break room and the stairway leading upstairs. Once they've settled in to eat, Sam asks. "So what's wrong?"
"Something happened Friday that I so did not expect." Megan says, picking at her salad.
"Okay." Sam says, waiting for her to go on. After several seconds, she says. "I'm not going to be able to help, if you don't tell me what happened."
"It's really not that big..."
"Megan, you always do this. What happened?"
"Alright, I was at Company with the boys on Friday for breakfast and Mattox asked me if we were going to have a real Christmas tree like we usually do and Buzz overhead him and my answer. So he told me about the lot on Main Street that sells trees and he suggested that we go. Frank overheard it too. Anyway, I said I would check it out and some how I'm not even sure it worked around to Frank coming with us to haul the tree to the house."
"Where you even going to buy a tree?"
"No, I didn't know at the time. But I did and at Company Frank pointed out that my car wasn't made to haul Christmas trees, that's why he went with us to haul it back to the house if I got one."
"So, you got the tree and he hauled over to your house, what's the problem?"
"He kissed me."
"He what!"
"He kissed me, out by his truck."
"How did it go from him hauling your Christmas tree home and him kissing you?"
"I don't know. I mean we were arguing..."
"What were you arguing about?"
"He told me to take the top of the tree and he'd get the bottom and I asked him why I had to carry the top."
"So you were being confrontational."
"I'm not confrontational!"
"You are when you're scared of what you're feeling. You did the same thing with Patrick."
"Great compare this to Patrick, that's what I really need."
"I'm not saying it's a bad thing, it's just your thing. Your defense mechanism when you're scared or don't understand what you're feeling. It's probably why you and Frank fight whenever you see each other."
"How do you know we fight?" Megan asks as Sam looks at her.
"I'm your older sister. I know how you operate. So, you were arguing about the tree. Where does the kiss come in?"
"We were arguing about the tree and he just walks around the tree to were I'm standing. So I asked what he was doing and he says, he's doing what we both want him to do and then he pulls me to and I tried to stop him, but he kissed me."
"Did you kiss him back?" Megan looks down at her salad and then puts her fork down and pushes her plate back. "You kissed him back."
"Not at first." Megan says quietly.
"But you did kiss him back." Sam says, pressing her.
"Yes, I kissed him back."
"I don't see the problem."
"That's the problem. I kissed him back."
"Did you like it?" Sam asks, as Megan looks at her. "I'm not trying for high school here. It's a valid question." Sighing, Megan looks away. "You wanted to talk, so tell me what you're thinking?"
"I'm thinking this is the very last thing I need right now. I haven't even been divorced six months yet."
"Are you still in love with Patrick?"
"Hell no!"
"Then what is the problem?"
"You don't think this is a little too soon after my divorce."
"This is what I know. Never, ever ignore something. What you have to day, you may not have tomorrow, so if Frank is what you want, grab it with both hands."
"What about the boys?"
"This will likely be hard for them. You remember how I was when Dad started dating again. They may react the same way, they may not. But for you to take care of them, you have to be happy and I just don't see you being happy being alone."
"You were happy alone."
"No, I survived being alone. It might have become too much for me to hold onto Jeffrey, I don't know. But I was never happy being alone. I just couldn't push Jeffrey out of the picture, so being alone was the only recourse I had. That's not your situation. And I know you're not holding onto Patrick. So if Frank is what you want, you'll have to make the choice."
"I don't know if Frank's what I want."
"Then you may have to make that choice too." Sam says, finishing her soup. "But I say, you've got nothing to feel guilt about." She says, hitting the problem right on the head.
"Why is it you always know exactly what to say?"
"I'm you're older sister. Did you decorate the tree yet?"
"The boys and I are doing it tonight. I see you and Jeffrey decorated yours already."
"Yes, yesterday after it was delivered. This is the last year will have a real tree until this one is older." Sam says, laying her hand on her stomach. The baby pushes back and she smiles.
"What?" Megan asks, noticing the smile.
"He just pushed against my hand. I never imagined this would happen, not to me. After Russia, I couldn't see it as a part of my life." Sam says, slowly moving her hand over her stomach.
"I'm so incredibly happy you have Jeffrey again. And I don't care how many years passed, I don't think you ever would've let anyone in his place."
"Probably not." Sam says, taking a drink as she looks at the clock.
"You've got to go back?"
"Yeah, my next patient is at one and it's ten minutes till now and I wanted to look over their chart before the appointment.
"You know for someone who's just opened this clinic, you're sure busy."
"Most likely because I'm tied to Cedars." She says, getting up and throwing her napkin and bowl in the trash. "You're going to eat that salad." She says, looking at Megan.
"I think I can eat it now that I'm a little more calm." Megan says, picking up her lunch.
"Good." Sam says, walking towards the door to the laundry room with Megan following her. When they get downstairs, she hugs her good-bye and goes to her office to look over her patients chart.
Early the next morning, the boys are still asleep when they wake up. Turning over and finding Richard awake, she smiles. He leans in and they kiss softly. When he pulls back, he asks. "So what now?"
"I want to sit here for awhile?"
"And what about the boys?"
"They're still asleep." She says, snuggling in closer to him."
After several seconds, she notices the changes in him. Shifting position, she looks up, watching him. After a moment, she asks. "What are you thinking about?"
There's a moment before he looks down. "I was thinking that sometime to day, if the snow isn't gone, I need to clear the sidewalk to the garage and off the porch."
She looks at him and smiles. "I don't think that's all you were thinking about." He looks at her.
"You think I have something else on my mind."
"Yes."
"What?"
"You tell me, or you could show me." She says, challenging him.
Wrapping his arms around her, he rolls her over onto her back. She sighs softly when his erection brushes against her hip. Leaning over her, he looks down. "I had several things on my mind. I was thinking about the walkway and the porch. I was also thinking about the fundraising gala next week for the campaign and the speech I'll have to make, making notes in my..."
She leans up, kissing him to make him shut up. She nips at his lower lip and he smiles, letting her slip her tongue inside. After a good while, he pulls back. "You might've been thinking about all that stuff, but I think this was what was on your mind the most."
"You do?' He says, watching her.
"Yes, now what are you going to do about it?" She says, challenging him again.
"You're competitive today." He says, as she smiles.
"No, I'm just giving you, what you want the most." She says, moving her body against his. He shudders marginally and she smiles.
"I dreamed about you last night."
"And that's what you were thinking about?"
"Well, yes. I was thinking about the other things, sort of trying to distract myself from thinking about the dream." He says, as she moves again. "You know that's not helping." He says, as she gives him a devilish grin.
"What was the dream about?"
"For this reaction, I think you know." He says, moving against her. A shudder rushes though both of them.
"How did it start?"
"At first we were at the palace again, and we were dancing in the moonlight, in the informal garden, but it wasn't a burial place because it seem like a happy place for us. Like we'd done that a lot."
"You miss the palace. It's okay to tell me."
"I miss the times that we had there together and as a family. I don't miss the intrigue and politics, or worrying about and dealing with Edmund."
"So back to this dream, we were dancing."
"Yes, we were dancing and you looks incredibly beautiful in the moonlight and there was a gentle breeze coming in from the ocean. It was warm, but it wasn't stifling, like it could get in the summer, some times." He says, as she nods. "It was almost like it had just rained, but the grass was dry. But you know how the air always felt lighter and cooler after it rained in the summer."
"Yes."
"So we were dancing and I pulled you in close to me. Really we were just swaying back and forth. There was no music, only the sounds of the night." He says, as he moves to her side, laying beside her.
"So what happened?"
"You were telling me about something, something the kids had done that day and the need to kiss you just hit me." He says, moving closer.
"Was it about Tammy or Rj?"
"It doesn't matter. I leaned in to kiss you and I remember the weight of your arms, as you slipped them around my neck." He says, as she reaches for him slipping her arms around his neck. "You were playing with my hair at the back of my head. Where it brushed against my collar." She reaches up and begins playing with his hair.
She looks up and smiles. "Show what else happened." She says, as he looks at her.
Leaning in, he kisses her. Moving to his side and bringing her with him. He pulls her closer. "I whispered I love you and you replied?"
"I love you too."
His breathe feels warm against her neck, heating her desire and warming her body. She pulls him closer to her, wrapping her arms around him as she presses her lips against his chest, lightly kissing him. Her lips burn into him, pushing his growing passion higher and he unconsciously tightens his arms around her, pressing her lips closer to him. She moves back, looking up at him. He leans down, kissing her, his tongue slipping inside her mouth, caressing hers as he pushes his body closer to hers.
They part long enough to suck in a deep breath before he's kissing her again as she lightly scratches his chest. Shivers of desire swell over his body deliberately drowning him with desire. He groans softly into her mouth. Reaching down he pushes against the boxers and pajama bottoms he wore to bed the night before. She reaches down to help him. Moving away from her, he sits up and lifting his hips, he pushes them down and then turns to her. Lifting her hips, she pulls her gown up and over her head, tossing it to the floor as he reaches for her. She reaches for him, cupping him. "Cassie!" He groans, desire surging through him.
She pulls her hand away, and he reaches for it, holding it there. She wraps her hand around his erection. She runs her fingers across him, groaning quietly in a soft sigh he says again "Cassie." She smiles as she kisses him again as she reaches for his hand, pressing it against her lower belly. He moves his hand down. Doing to her, what she has just down to him. He slips his fingers inside. He slides his fingers against her, teasing her desire. She reaches for his invading fingers, pressing them against her body silently asking for more. He pulls his fingers free and then thrusts them back inside, setting a steady rhythm. Arching her back, she lifts her hips, reaching for the ecstasy he's trying to bring her. Leaning back, he looks down watching her while she's watching his reaction. He leans in and she lifts her head, reaching for him. He pulls back, teasing her some more. "Richard, please." She begs. He watches her for a moment more and then pulls his hand away. Leaning, he moves over her as she wraps her arms around him pressing her against his. He can feel the heat and moisture flowing from her. He continues on, nibbling at the throbbing pulse at the base of her neck. Her hands fall to his waist, pulling him to her. He reaches down, spreading her open as he slips inside her, caressing her as he moves deeper into her clinging body. "Richard... oh... Richard!"
He can't put it off any longer. He needs her and the incredibly ecstasy they always share. "I need you." He whispers
He thrusts deep and she cries out with heated passion, forcing a shiver from deep inside him. He pulls out and then sinks deeper inside her. Arching her back she moves with him, squeezing him tightly from deep inside. He settles into a rhythm, slow at first then with each thrust he moves faster. Pushing them higher, she reaches lower, clinging to his driving hips and pulling him closer to her. Leaning forward, he presses his lips against her throbbing pulse as his arms weaken and he collapses on top of her, driving his him deeper into her, pushing them deeper into their passion and desire.
They cling to each other. And after a moment, he feels the first tremors deep within her and he slows down and pulls back. Bracing his weight against his forearms, he tries to slow down. Desperate to hang on to the passion for a few more seconds, but his body forces him to accept the end, sending each of them higher still. "Oh Richard... umm... yes."
"Cassie... Cassie."
With one final thrust he holds his body still, buried deep inside hers as her release milks his with waves of passion sweeping through him and filling her. Arching her back, she pushes her hips higher, taking him deeper. He thrusts one more time, releasing all of their shared passion. He collapses against her still shuddering body. Wrapping his arms around her, he presses his lips against her neck and whispers. "I love you Cassie."
Sighing softly she answers. "I will always love you Richard."
He pulls her closer, holding her. After a moment, he turns his head and looks at the clock. "What time is it?" She asks, snuggling closer to him.
"It's a little after eight." He says, as she sighs.
"Then we need to get up. The boys will be up soon, if they're not up already."
"I can handle the boys, if you want to sleep a little more." Richard says, as his cell phone rings. Reaching for it, he picks up and then frowns as he answers. "Hello."
"Richard, it's Julie."
'"Yes, hello." He says, sitting up. Cassie moves back, watching him.
"I was calling to see if you were alright." She says, walking over to one of the windows.
"I'm fine. Why would you think something was wrong?"
"Well, I thought you and Cassie..."
"Oh my... I forgot. We were supposes to come over last night." He says, looking at Cassie, seeing her face, he reaches for her hand. "I'm so sorry. We spent the day Christmas shopping with the boys and then we were decorating the tree and I completely forgot about coming out there. I am so sorry."
"It's okay, but I thought maybe you had changed your mind about us getting together, maybe you're still mad about me insisting that I didn't want you around." Julie says quietly, turning away from the window.
"No, no. I am not mad at you and I didn't change my mind. I understand why you were concerned about me being around the kids. I just forgot about our plans. I am so sorry." He says again.
"That's fine, but if you want to come over today. We will be home."
"Give me a moment." He says, before taking the phone away from his ear and holding it against his chest. "It's Julie." He says, looking at Cassie as she nods. "She wants to know if we want to come over today and since we were supposes to go over there last night..." Will walks into their room.
"Mommy, I don't..." He throws up right there in their doorway as Cassie climbs out of the bed.
"Julie." Richard says, pushing the covers back. "I think we're going to have to get together another day." He says, as Cassie leads Will out of their room. "Will's sick." He says, as he follows her, avoiding where Will had thrown up.
"Is he okay?"
"I'm not sure. We just woke up and he's sick so can I find out what's going on and I'll call you back." He says, stopping in the doorway of the bathroom.
"That's fine. Let me know what's going on."
"I will and again I am so sorry I forgot about yesterday."
"That's okay. We'll talk soon." She says, as Jacob walks into the room.
"Thank you." Richard says. They hang up as Cassie washes Will's face. "Is he okay?" He asks, stepping back.
"He's got a fever." Cassie says, leading him to his bedroom.