A warm draw on her breast pulled Meg from her drowsy slumber. Whiskers rubbed against the sensitive skin before another lengthy suckle teased her eyes open. Bright blue eyes twinkled up at her before he bent down to suck long and hard on the twin peak. Meg curled her fingers around his shoulders and began to lightly scratch his back as she rocked her hips. He's still inside me… and hard as a rock… Oh, dear Lord… Her head tilted back, her neck extending as she prepared to slide into oblivion. "Not yet, babe. Not yet…" He hooked her knees over her arms and folded their hands together on either side of her head. Now that she was nearly folded in half, he had full control over her as he rose to his knees. "I want to see you, take you, in so many ways…" he whispered, pulling out slowly and sliding back in just as slowly. "Right on the edge…" Another slow exit and return. "You feel… Oh… Meg…" Out… In…
Meg clenched his fingers as she whimpered. "Dean… Please…" Out… In…
"Please… What?" Out… In…
"DEAN! Please… I… I… DEAN! I NEED!"
Out… In… "What do…" Out… In… "you need?" he panted.
"YOU! I NEED YOU! PLEASE!" Meg's voice cracked as she screamed and bucked against him. Dean gripped her shoulders as he began to piston in earnest, slamming their bodies together so hard the bed began to creak and groan. "DEAN!" Meg shattered just before Dean went over the edge for the second time.
Curling beside her, Dean tucked Meg against his side and kissed the tip of her ear. "Welcome home from work." he teased.
Meg swatted the elbow she could reach. "You're not right." she laughed.
He wormed and slithered his arms around behind her until he could squeeze her tightly. "I just don't want things to get weird."
She threaded one of her hands with one of his. "That's up to us. This can get stilted and weird or we can talk like we've been doing."
A warm kiss stayed on her shoulder for several seconds. Dean whispered, "This is my first real relationship. I don't want to screw it up. Just tell me when I do, okay?"
Meg let her other hand slide down to rest on his thigh. She whispered back, "Dean, we both have doubts and fears. As long as we keep talking the way we are, we'll be fine. Open communication – communication, not open bedroom – and this just might work." A growl began deep in his throat. "You seem to agree. So we keep talking and finding our way."
Dean rolled Meg onto her back. "One thing I know - just as sure as you and I are laying side by side; I am a possessive and jealous man. I may come across as fun-loving and care-free but there is a streak inside that shouldn't be crossed. You, my dear, have found that place. You are mine and no one else's. I don't share my woman. My boat, my tools, my fishing rod, but no way in hell is anyone taking my woman."
Meg sat up enough to capture his lips with hers. Once he was silent she said, "No danger of that." A huge smile lit up his face. "The fun-loving side is a hoot to be around. The hard-working side gets stuff done. But this possessive side, the one that is reserved just for me? That makes me feel special. Not as special as the sex maniac, but special enough." A growling barrel-laugh rolled through his chest just before a screeching beep filled the room. "Go." she said. "I'll be here when you get back."
Dean didn't move. His tone was serious. "You should come. You are still a member of the department. The ambulance department could really use your help and the guys really miss you." She shook her head. "It makes sense, Meg."
Cupping her hands around his head she said softly, "I will, in time. This just isn't the time."
"When?" he pushed.
"Ugh. You need to get to the call." she huffed. "Look, I'm just back to town, you and I are like two hours into this relationship, and your best friends don't know about us yet. Once things are a bit more… solid. I promise you, I will be back up there."
Dean dropped a hard kiss on her mouth. "We were 'done' as soon as I laid eyes on you out on the water and I can guarantee the guys knew it. You were the only one who wanted to try and fight it. But we will do this your way." He pushed himself off the bed and began hastily donning his clothes. "I will be back…"
"Right after the call. I know. GO!" Meg watched as he finally took off down the steps. She listened as the door slammed and his truck roared out of the driveway. "Why do I think there will be several guys coming back?" she said to herself. Shaking her head and knowing that they would be all over the house, she stripped the bed and threw the sheets in the washer with her BDU's. With fresh sheets on the bed and running through the shower, Meg put on her ripped jeans and faded t-shirt. Slapping a backwards ball cap on her head, she set the ladder in the living room and went to work stripping paint from the trim.
"I didn't know you were a Kid Rock fan!" Jay hollered from the doorway a couple hours later.
"Feel Like Makin'Love? Is that a hint or somethin'? Do we need to go?" Seth teased.
Dean stood behind his friends, arms crossed, smirking. Meg waved a paint scraper in their direction from her perch on top of the ladder. "Blah, blah blah. You three jabber more than the ol' cronies on the town corner. Are you gonna talk about my music choices or work?"
The men looked around at the room. "If you are willing to turn the music down a few decibels, we'll help."
With a huff and dramatic eye roll, Meg agreed. "It's a small price to pay for hard labor, I guess."
Dean cupped one hip carefully as he swiped her legs out from under her. Holding her in his arms he playfully glared, "Hard labor? Really wanna go there?" His eyebrows waggled as he spun her in a circle.
"Put me down, you goof!" Meg laughed from behind her face mask.
"Can't help it, you make that look sexy." He laughed as he set her on her feet. Meg shook her head and laughed at his antics. Dean moved the ladder over a few feet. "Guessing your about ready to work on this grate, hmm?"
"Yep. Next step was to take that down." she agreed. Each of the men donned the protective masks and goggles before getting to work stripping the room of paint and old wall paper. The music played, jokes flew, and laughter roared.
"I thought I'd be working on this room for days. Thanks guys!" Meg said a few hours later.
Seth propped his elbow on Meg's shoulder. "Listen, Meg. You've got to realize that we are your friends and friends help each other. We've got your back, whether it's with this house or at the fire house. Just ask, okay? Or show up, we've got you. Trust us. Damn, woman. Have a little faith. We're not all assholes." He smacked her butt and walked towards the kitchen.
"Hey, man. Friends or not, you don't touch her ass again." Dean growled.
Meg turned and wrapped her arms around his waist, remembering what he'd confided to her earlier. These guys haven't seen the possessive, jealous side. They've seen the easy-going, jovial guy. I don't want to see the pissed-off, angry Dean. Tucking one hand into the back pocket of his jeans, she planted the other in the middle of his chest. "Boundary established. All's good."
Jay skirted the couple carefully. "Hey, man. Everybody here knows how ya feel and we're happy for ya both. Meg's a great woman and you're… eh. Just messin' with ya!" he laughed. He clapped his friend on the back. "It was obvious on the boat that you were gonna make a move since she was back and single." He looked between the two of them. "And you are clearly together."
"We are. And we're figuring out what that means." Meg said quietly.
"Didn't mean to snap." Dean apologized. Seth waved him off. "Like she said, we're figuring us out. She said she won't come back to the department until we're more solid and you guys know about us."
Seth smiled. "We've known about you and we've been here all day. That mean you're coming up for the next call, Meg?"
She shook her head. "Not yet. Not quite ready for it."
Dean tapped the hand that still rested on his chest. "She's still up on her EMT certs, all her credentialing is up-to-date, and she doesn't want to ride the trucks. I told her the ambulance department could really use her help but she's not listening to me. Maybe peer pressure?" Meg shook her head again.
"Beer. Bribe her with beer."
"Nah. Come up to the fire house and tell the guys about this house. You'll have all the help you could possibly need. Young guys hanging out in every room."
Dean resembled a bobblehead. "Nope. Nevermind. No need to come up to the fire house. Give yourself time. Lots and lots of time. Space. Yes, space. You need time and space. Let's think about what you want to do with the house, the colors you want and how you want to remodel. No need to rush… We want time together, too. Yes, no need to rush up to the fire house." Jay and Seth gave up covering their mouths and just howled. "Bite me."
"Alright, children." Meg chided. "Clean up and I'll start something for dinner."
Dean pulled her back against his chest. "We'll go out. Pizza, Chinese, seafood… What would you like?" Meg closed her eyes as she prepared to refuse the invitation. Dean tucked his head against her neck and muttered quietly, "You won't go to the fire house, you won't go to dinner, you won't leave this house with me. Are you ashamed? Embarrassed? What is it?"
"Chinese. Let's go." Dean tightened his arms. "What? I chose Chinese. Let's go."
Jay and Seth shook their heads. "You two are something else."
"Two minutes." Dean said. "We'll be out there in two minutes."
Seth nodded knowingly. "We'll bring you take-out. General Tso's? Orange Chicken? Sweet and Sour?" Meg threw her ball cap at him. "Stir-fried rice. Okay!"
Dean turned Meg around in his arms. "M-" Meg put her finger over his lips.
"I am not ashamed to be seen in public with you. If you ever say something like that again so help me I will kick your butt. It might take some doing, but I'll get it done eventually." She kissed his chin. "Dean, you know we are new at this. You know I have issues to overcome in this area. I already told you I want us more solid before we deal with him. If they are in the restaurant, I just don't feel like dealing with whatever drama comes about. I just want a nice dinner with you. Well, now you and those two guys. Yes, we'll go out on dates and dinners and to the fire house. I just want solid ground first. Is that wrong?"
Dean tightened his grip on the woman in his arms. "Not wrong, not wrong at all. It sounds so perfect." He kissed her temple. "I just want to…" The pager on the counter shrieked. Hearing the call, Meg gave Dean a little shove out the door. "Finish this later!"
Meg watched Dean jump into the waiting truck and race down the street. She picked up her ball cap, locked her doors, and headed off to get take-out. "I'd like six orders of fried rice, two orders of sweet and sour, two orders of General Tso's, an order of shrimp dim sum, and eight shrimp spring rolls. Yes, I'm waiting."
"Hungry?" Meg turned around to see her ex sitting at a table waiting for his order. Ignoring him, she headed to the furthest table to sit and wait. Unsurprisingly, he came over to join her. "I didn't know you were back in the area."
"It's really none of your business." She took out her phone to look busy and try to help tune him out.
"That's a big order. Having a party?"
"Still not your business."
"Back in town?" She didn't answer. "You know I'll find out." Silence. "There's no need to be bitchy."
"Walk away." she said quietly. "We aren't friends. There's no need to associate any more. Just go away."
His order number was called. He slammed back his chair, calling her an obscene name again, and stomped up to get his order. Meg looked down at her phone with her hands shaking. This is what I was afraid of. It could have been worse. If Dean or the other guys were here, they would have stood up to him and this would have escalated. She closed her eyes and hoped the tears would fade. Why do I let him affect me so much? He's the one with the problem. Finally her number was called. Meg rose and walked to the counter with her head held high. She looked at the assortment of bags and tried to figure out how she would carry all of the food to her truck. "Need some help?" Meg turned to see Roman, another member of the fire department and friend of Dean's standing there with his hands out. Before Meg could open her mouth, Roman snagged a couple of bags and motioned towards the door. "Lead the way."
"Thanks." she said softly.
Once at her truck, Roman set the food inside and faced Meg somberly. "He's an ass. Don't let him chase you away." Meg's mouth hung open. "You might be surprised if you gave people a chance, Meg. Not everyone thinks that jackass walks on water. You probably have more support than you think." He shut the door and headed back into the restaurant.
"Hey, Roman!" Meg called. "I've got some friends coming over for dinner tonight. Would you like to join us?"
"My order'll be up in a minute." he replied. "Be right behind you."
So, that answers one question that several of you have asked. No, the ex did not know Meg was around.
Yes, Roman, Seth, and Dean are friends in this story. No, there won't be any wrestling involved.
