Everybody Loves A Parade - Part 7

Everybody Loves a Parade - Part 5

Warnings: Part NSFW, Smut, Mostly Fluff

Rolling over, I pat his side of the bed.  It’s empty.  I sit up.  It’s still dark out.  There’s music coming from the living room.  Smiling, I lay back down.  Grabbing his pillow, I curl up around it.  Listening to him creating.  In my living room.  My eyes close.

His arms wrapping around wake me.  “Pillow hog!” he whispers into my ear as he tugs the pillow from my arms.

“It smells like you” I whimper happily.

He gently rolls me over and buries my nose in his pit, “I’m right here” he grins.

I inhale deeply, “Actually, not bad this morning.”  He chuckles and pulls me to his chest.  I bury my nose into his chest hairs, “This does smell better” I say with a laugh.

Rolling me to one side quickly he smacks my ass softly, then kisses me  “So.  What do you do the Friday after the parade.”

Pushing myself up some, I look out the window.  It’s still snowing, but the flakes are bigger.  “Usually go see the windows on 5th Ave.”  I curl back into his chest.  “Although, with the snow it’ll be cold.  But fewer people.”  I look up into his blue eyes.  “Thoughts?”

He gently plays with my hair.  I can see he’s considering.  His stomach rumbles.  We both snicker.  “I think better on a full tum” he chuckles.

We detangle ourselves from the sheets and each other.  I grab a dress with a Hawaiian print on it and slip into it.  He pulls on a pair of shorts and a tank top.  As we head into the kitchen he grabs the fabric of my dress.  “Have you been to the Islands?”

“Once.”  I start making the coffee, “I treated myself when I graduated college.”

James pulls out the eggs, bread, cheese and avocados, “Which Island?”

“Maui.  I stayed in Lahaina.”  I turn to him, “It’s sad that it’s gone now.”

Gently resting a hand on my waist, “It is.  I’m hoping that they get the rebuild right.  It was a cool town.”

“You’ve been there?”

Nodding, “I still have property there.  North Shore side.”

“Really?”

“It’s a nice way to warm up in January” he grins as he kisses me.

“I bet!”

We pull together a simple breakfast of avocado toast – I added tomato to mine – with coffee.  Sitting in the living room, we catch up on the local news.  Again, the parade is the lead story, but the snow is the follow up.  Breakfast clean up is quickly done.

He wraps his hands around my waist pulling me into his body.  “So, are these windows really worth getting cold feet over?”

I gently rub my hands over his chest, “Yes.”

His hands reach down to my ass patting it, “Well, I’d like a shower first.”

“ok” I reach up and kiss his chin.  “And a shave please?”

He rubs his fingers over his chin, “I was thinking of letting the beard fill in” as his eyes twinkle.  “You don’t like that idea.”

“I don’t mind, but …. Uhm …” I grind my hips against his thigh “it can be uncomfortable” I grin up at him.

“Not liking rug burn” his hands grip me tighter to him.

“Not really” I look up at him with sultry eyes.

He kisses me, “Then a shower and a shave it will be!”  He pulls me toward the bathroom. 

With no timetable today, we take our time.  Our hands gently caressing each other.  Fingers washing hair.  Mouths gently kissing lips, arms, necks, backs.  Bodies writhing together in the warm water.  Moans gently fill the air in the bathroom.

James wraps a towel around his waist, then one around me.  “You ok?” he gently huffs a laugh.

Leaning into his arm, “Little wibbly” I grin up at him.  We kiss deeply.

“I never get tired of watching you climax” his eyes a glorious blue as a smile softens his lips.  I blush slightly.  He kisses me again.  “If we’re going out, we need to get dressed” he purrs into my ear.

Straightening up out of his arms gently, “Clothes.”  Pointing to the bedroom, “That way.”  He smacks my towel covered butt as I leave the bathroom.  I just giggle.

I find a pair of black heavy jeans, a tank top, a t-shirt and a sweater.  I’m in the process of layering when James comes in. 

He rubs his freshly shaven cheek against my still bare shoulders, “Better?”

“mmmhmmm” I purr looking over my shoulder at him guiding his hand between my legs.

An hour – and a very rumpled bed later – I am getting dressed.  Again.  James is pulling on a sweater.  As he passes me, I smack his ass.

“Hey hey!” 

I just grin at him.

He’s looking all over the floor.

“What are you missing?”

“Boots.”

“Entryway closet.”  He looks at me.  “By the front door.”

“ah”

Taking his hand and tugging down my sweater, I lead him to the closet in question.  Tucked inside are our boots and big jackets from the day before.  He pulls his boots out.  “They’re warm” his eyes in bright surprise.

“mmhmm” I point to the vent in the back of the closet and pull on mine.

“That’s clever” James inspects it.

“Grandmother’s idea.  She hated having wet boots.”

Kissing my forehead, “I do too.”

“Give me your phone, please” I ask.

“Why?”

“I need to put a Metro Pass on it.”

“oh.  Ok.”  He unlocks it and hands it over. 

I download the app and tie it to my account, authorizing it when my phone pings.  Handing it back, “There ya go.”

Collecting our wallets – he hands over my driver’s license - and the front door key, we head out into the snow.  I pull him around the corner to the subway station.  I show him how to use the app on his phone to pay the fare.  I lead him to the correct platform.

“How do you navigate this?” his eyes slightly bewildered.

“Experience.”  I pull him closer to me.  “This is how I got to school, work, sometimes shopping.”  I lean into his chest, “The parade.”  He just hugs me.  A train arrives.  “This is us” I pull him in the car.  He backs me into his chest, tucking his hands into my coat pockets.  The ride isn’t that long.  I pull him off the train and we exit up into the street.

With the snow falling it is actually a pretty walk up 5th Ave.  And not that many people around.  Bergdorf’s windows are a fantasy land.  His face lights up when we get to the angels in front of Saks.  I completely enjoy watching his eyes.

He turns to me, “Isn’t there a skating rink around here?”

Taking his hand, “This way.”

The look on his face when the Tree comes into view…  Even without the lights on, it’s an impressive sight.

We take a spin on the ice.  Actually, he takes the spins.  I take a couple of good spills while he laughs.  He picks me up after the last tumble, “I think we’re done here!” he laughs.

Rubbing my ass, “Yes, please!”  We turn in our skates.  “Anything else you want to see while we’re here?” I look up into his face, his cheeks bright red from the cold.

Shaking his head, “I don’t think so.”

“Then let’s head back.  There’s another tradition I want to share with you.”

“This doesn’t involve another Big Guy, does it?” he laughs.

“No!” I answer cheekily.

Taking the subway back home, I pull us off a stop early.  A couple of blocks over, I pull him into a Chinese restaurant.  The little bell over the door jingles merrily.  I reach up and violently shake the bell.  There is only one other customer in the place.

“It can’t be!  Is that Kira!” comes a voice from down by the kitchen.  A tall skinny woman with very long black hair – pulled back in a ponytail – comes almost running up to me, “Nǎinai said that was you on Page 6!!” as she bear hugs me.

“uhf!”  I hug back.  Extracting myself from the hug, “Dang girl!  You’ve gotten stronger!!”

“Someone has to heft the rice bags!” she laughs.  “And whom have you drug in here, huh?” she gives me a look.

“Fannie, this is James.  James, this is Fannie.  We went to college together.”

James pulls off his glove and holds out his hand, “Nice to meet you, Fannie.”

Fannie shakes his hand, “Nǎinai is not going to believe me!  Can I please?” she whips out her phone.

James huffs out a laugh, pulls me closer and says “Sure!” 

Fannie grabs my other shoulder and she snaps a selfie.  I watch as she sends it to Nǎinai.  “Now, the usual?” she rubs her hands together.

I hand James a menu “I know I want the Moo Shu.  James, do you need a minute?”

“hmmm, Can I please get the Sizzling Beef?”

“Sure.”  Fannie starts inputting our order into their system.  “Rangoons?”

“Duh.”

“1?”

“3.”

“Rice?”

“Yes please.”

“Ma Lai Gao?”

“Yes please!”

“2?”

“4.”

Fannie gives me a look.

“I’m hungry.”

She laughs at me, “Windows?”

“And skating” I grin.

“You?” Fannie gives me a look.

“She actually spent more time sitting on the ice than standing” James wraps his arms around me chuckling.

Fannie laughs even harder.  “I’ll go help Jie get this put together.”  She points to a table behind the counter, “Have a seat.”

James and I pull out chairs at the offered table.  He holds out his ungloved hand.  I pull my left glove off and take his hand.  He fiddles with my ring and smiles.  “Ya did good today” I assure him.  He scrunches up his nose and eyes, smiling.

“Hey Kira!  Nǎinai wants to say hi!” Fannie yells holding her phone out the pass-through window.

“Her Grandmother” I smile at James and go collect the phone.  “Hi Nǎinai!”  I walk back to the table and sit with James.  “Yes, it was really beautiful! … We did.      No, it’s James’ first time seeing it live.   Of course!”  James takes my gloved hand in his.   “The windows are a fantasy this year.    They were really weird that year.”  I smile at James.  He smiles back.   “Yes Nǎinai, I was in Colorado.   That’s where James lives.    Yes, it snows in Colorado too.”   We both squeeze hands.   “Thank you Nǎinai!  And Shèngdàn kuàilè to you too!”  I end the call.

“I didn’t know you speak Chinese.”  James cocks his head at me.

Scrunching up my nose, “That’s all I know.”

“And she still mispronounces it” Fannie laughing arrives with a box in her hands.  “Dinner’s ready!” she grins.

“Woah” James says as he pulls his glove back on.

“Watch the bottom of the box.  Oh, and I need that plate back” Fannie passes the box to James.  He gives me a look at the weight.

I hand Fannie her phone back, “Total?”

She grabs me in a hug, “Paid.”

“Thanks Fannie!”  I go to open the door for James.  “Merry Christmas!”

Fannie waves as she heads back to the kitchen.  I quickly pull out a large bill and drop it by the register and follow James out the door.  We get just around the corner, “Thanks Kira!” Fannie yells.  It echoes around the block. 

It’s a quick walk back to my building.  Carl opens the lobby door and quickly hits the elevator call button, “Have a good time?”

“Yes, thanks Carl.”

“Do I smell Moo Shu?” he grins.  I nod as the elevator door opens.  “I’ll have to stop by on the way home!”

I take the box from James as he digs out the key and pushes the door open.  I quickly enter and set the box on the dining room table.  We shrug off our coats and dive into the box with our dinner in it.  In the very bottom of the box wrapped up in a couple of towels is a cast iron plate.  It’s hot.  “That’s why it was heavy.” James quips.

I grab some mitts, “Let me reheat that.”

James watches me start the gas stove and set the plate directly on the burner, “Why?”

“Can’t have sizzling unless the plate is hot.”  I turn off the burner and put the plate on top of a mitt on the butcher block.  I collect the container marked SB.  I open it and upend its contents on the cast iron plate.  It begins sizzling delightfully.  “See?”  Using chopsticks I make sure that everything is sizzling hot.

James comes over and kisses my neck.  “That smells really great!”

I pull out a couple of plates and we fill them.  I carry my plate to the living room and turn on the TV.  The weather again forecasts snow.  James joins me.  I let the news finish and Jeopardy starts.  We both try to get the answers right between bites.  When done, I collect the plates and take them to the kitchen.

“You ready for Ma Lai Gao?” I ask James.

“What is that?”

“Yum is what it is!” I say carrying the container to the living room.

James takes a slice.  I watch his eyes widen as he takes the first bite.  “Dats werawy gowod!”

I pull out a slice for me.  “Fannie doesn’t offer it to just everyone.”  I smile around my first bite.

“What’s that smile for?” James licks his lips pulling out another slice.

“It can be the holidays now” my voice a little wistful as I pick at the cake slice in my hand.  James wraps an arm around my neck and kisses my temple.  I lean my head on his bicep as he finishes the last slice.

“I like that it’s not super sweet” he says standing up, collecting the carry out container.

“It is satisfying” I agree.  A shiver runs up me.

Jame sees it, “You cold?”

“A bit chilly.  Dinner helped.”

“naw” he comes up to me, “let’s warm up.”  He stops a moment looking around.  “Uhm…”

“Office bath” I grin up at him.  “But we need the towels from the big bathroom.”

“You go start the water, I’ll grab the towels.”  I watch as he pulls off his sweater walking towards the bedroom.

I move towards my office shedding my clothes in front of the washer closet on the way.  I’m standing naked beside the tub checking the temp when James comes up behind me.  I can feel that he’s naked too.  I step into the tub holding a hand towel.  The warm water actually stings my toes a little.  I sit and slide forward as James slips in behind me, pulling me back into his body.  Completely soaking the hand towel in the water, I drape it over my chest.  I turn my face towards James’ neck and heave a sigh.

“You good?” his voice rumbles gently.

My left hand gently caresses his cheek, “Very good.”

His left-hand cups mine holding it close to his face.  His lips kiss my fingertips.  His right-hand curls softly around my neck.  I can feel his erection rising into the small of my back.  I wiggle my hips.  He sucks the tip of my left pointer finger.  His right hand slowly, gently, drifts down between my legs.  I move my left leg up over his granting him full access to my pussy.  He starts with gentle caresses to my whole crotch.  His large hand cupping me, holding me firmly.  Gently, his large fingers start exploring my folds.  Pulling my lower lips apart tenderly.  His fingers start running circles around my bud.  I suck in a sharp breath.  His lips warm my temple and work down to my ear.  His left hand moves to my breasts, playing with them.  The circles on my clit become slow strokes reaching down to my opening.  I can only relax into his body as his arms keep me from reaching back to grab his stiffening cock.  “uh huh” his lips right by my ear.  “I want to watch you” a kiss to my ear, “feel you,” a kiss to my neck, “convulse in climax.”  His lips find the magic spot between my neck and shoulder.  I shudder and moan.  His left hand gently holds a nipple, his right-hand slides two digits into my tight hole.  I groan, my body both arching and tightening.  "Fuk, you have a tight pussy” his voice rumbles happily in my ear.  My head rocks back on his shoulder as I start panting softly.  His left knee holds and lifts me as his right hand pushes another digit into me.  I groan and whimper at the same time.  His right thumb finds my clit.  My hips buck up.  His left arm holds me securely.  “don stawhp … don stawhp” escapes my lips, my head rocking back and forth on his shoulder.  “I have no intentions of stopping” more kisses to my neck “until you cum for me.”  I groan louder, my hips buck up again.  His left hand reaches up and cups my chin – a couple fingers wrapping around my throat.  His right fingers curl and uncurl inside me while that thumb speeds up on my clit.  I crash over into orgasm, my hips thrusting completely out of the water, sloshing some out, his left hand turns my chin and his mouth covers mine as I cry out in pure pleasure.  “There’s my good girl” he purrs into my ear as my hips slowly sink back into the water, his fingers gently slid out of me then again cup the juncture between my legs gently yet firmly.  He holds me, his fingers gently making lazy patterns on my body, as I recover laying on his body, his lips randomly kissing my face, ear, neck, hair.  My breathing evens out. 

I rotate over so that I am now floating face to face with him.  I pull my knees up the outside of his legs, my hands on his shoulders.  His blue eyes pierce into mine.  I kiss him deeply.  Then sitting as best I can over his knees - making sure to not hyperextend them – I move his arms to rest on the edge of the tub.  I let my hands drift over his chest, one fingernail gently tracing his tattoos.  He closes his eyes, shifting in the tub some to rock his hips up.  My right hand slowly runs teasing circles down his chest, sides, belly, finding his happy trail.  His eyes slit open.  “I like watching you too” as I chew on my lower lip.  He rumbles at me and closes his eyes again.  My right fingers tenderly wrap around his hard on.  He groans and his cock thickens.  “mmmmm” I purr and land a kiss on his Adams’ apple.  He sucks in a sharp breath.  I tighten my grip on him as he moans again.  I release my grip – his eyes open - and reaching between my own legs gather the slick he’d done to me and quickly wrap that hand back around his cock.  “That’s wicked” he mumbles.  I raise my eyebrows at him, “That’s payback” slowly beginning to pump him.  He actually growls at me.  My actions on him cause the surface of the water to slosh some.  His head rocks back and rests on the edge of the tub, his breathing quickening.  I plant my left hand over his clavicle divit.  His eyes fly open.  I speed up my right hand, “That’s my good boy.”  He groans and his shaft gets even thicker.  He's trying to keep his hips from bucking up.  I suck my lower lip, “Such a good boy.”  My left fingers grab a little tighter, my right hand moves faster, his eyes close and his groans fill the bathroom.  “close …. so damned …. Close .. close”  My left fingers slid up his throat gently.  I can feel him ready to explode in my right hand.  I lean into his neck, “Now.”  I cover his mouth as his release slams into him.  His arms strain as his hands grab the edge of the tub.  I’m sure his toes curl but I can’t see them.  I slow the motion on his cock but keep a tight grip.  His left hand joins my right around his shaft pulling it slowly up milking the last out of him.  His right arm flops around my shoulders and gently tugs me to him.  His lips still locked with mine.  His left hand pulls my right hand slowly from his deflating cock and puts it on his chest.  He presses his lips to my forehead, “I needed that” he mumbles.  I put both my hands on the tub on either side of his neck, rising and kissing his face.  His eyes drift open.  “hi” I sing softly.  A smile spreads from his lips to his eyes “hi” he sighs.  I lay several quick kisses to his cheeks, nose and lips.  I let my hands drift across his shoulders and down his chest.  “Your knees can’t be comfy” he mumbles shifting me to my left, urging my legs to straighten.  A thread of his cum floats across his tummy.  “uhm, we may need to rinse off in the shower” I grin.

“Ya think” he sighs out.

I push myself up to my feet.  I look to floor, “And some more towels.”

“Puddle?”

“Lake.”

“Yikes.”

I step out and pull a towel from the counter.  I shrug my shoulders and drop my bathsheet into the water on the floor.  James stands up and pulls the plug in the tub.  I hand him his towel, “I’ll be right back.”  I quickly streak across my apartment and grab some more towels, one for me, the rest for the floor.  Returning to the bathroom, I find James on his hands and knees reaching under the tub with his towel.  “That’s not exactly what I was expecting to see.”

He wiggles his hips, “Good view?” he chuckles.

“Very” as my voice cracks.

James laughs as he stands and starts collecting the wet towels, “Washer?”  I show him that just outside the office door is the laundry closet.  My clothes from the day are dumped in front of it.  I open the washer door and he shoves the wet towels in.  I hand him a dry one.  He wraps an arm around me, kissing me.  “I’m hungry again” he says as I start the washer.

“There’s turkey leftovers.”

He pats my ass, “Let’s rinse off first” wrapping an arm around me and pulls me toward my bathroom. 

A quick rinse off and some clean jams, we converge on the fridge.  I make myself a turkey sandwich with some warmed sweet potatoes on the side.  James makes a pile of the turkey and finishes off the stuffing.  “Do you mind?” he asks pointing to the stuffing pile on his plate.  I shake my head smiling at him.  He puts his plate into the microwave.

I take another scoop of the sweet potatoes and head to the living room.  The snow is still falling, pretty heavily.  The path lights in the park are just pools of lighter snow in the dark.

“Wow.  It’s really coming down.”  James is standing behind me holding his plate.

“Yeah it is.”  I take a seat on the sofa.

James rounds the table and sits next to me.  He lifts my left hand, kissing my ring “Reminds me of another night.”

I look him in the eye, “Me too.”  I flip our hands over and kiss his palm.  We smile at each other warmly.  He squeezes my hand, gently letting it go and we dig into our plates.  Afterward, we jointly empty the dishwasher and reload it with the dirties.  I move the potatoes into a smaller container and restore them to the fridge with the last of the turkey.

We return to the living room and sink into the sofa.  James pulls me into his body.  “Hey.”  He gently rubs my shoulder, "You're a million miles away.”

Sighing, “I have to come clean on something.”

“You’re pregnant.”  He totally deadpans that answer.

I smile, “You know I can’t get preggers!”

“Please tell me.”  Both his eyes and voice smiling kindly.

“I told you that my parents died when I was three.”  He nods.  “They were in a plane crash that killed everyone onboard."

"Holy shit.”  His hand squeezes my shoulder.

I grimace a smile.  “I guess Grandmother sued the airline.  They settled out of court.”  I look up into his eyes, “I have a trust fund.”  He just looks at me.  “I don’t use it often.”

“That’s up to you.”  Just a statement from him.

I smile softly.  “That how I bought the Shelby.”  Again, he just nods.  “I used it to pay for my education.  And the remodel.  The trip to Hawaii.”

“That’s it?” his face a little shocked.

I think, “Oh!  I spent last summer in Seattle.”  I look into his eyes, “New York summers suck.”

He smiles and pulls me to him, kissing me.  “Your Grandmother would be proud of you.”  He again rubs my shoulder, “Feel better?”  I nod.  “Any more secrets?”

“At the moment no.”  I look sideways at him as he gives me a look.  “I haven’t started Christmas shopping yet.” 

“Fair enough!” he laughs and kisses me again. 

The washer beeps.  I go forward the load into the dryer.  James meets me by the kitchen.  “C’mon.  You can barely keep your eyes open.” 

I let him guide me to bed.  I drop my robe and slip under the covers that James holds up and curl up next to him. His left hand gently stroking my hair.  I don’t remember the sandman taking me away.

Rockies Christmas - Day 6

Warnings:  Shameless product placement plugs, NSFW, Sex

James is shaking me awake.  “C’mon.  I hate to wake you, but it’s snowing hard.  We gotta go.”

I sit up in bed.  James has opened the drapes.  It’s very dark.  And it’s snowing.  Hard.  Tossing the blanket aside, I grab some clothes and get dressed on the toilet.  James stops and looks at me.  “You said hurry and I have to go.”

Nodding at me, “While that is killing two birds with one stone.”

Within a few minutes, we’re dressed, packed, shopping bags in hand and headed down to the lobby.  James checks us out while I go get the Shelby from the valet.  The valet parks it close to the door under the portico.  James gets the soft top up while I put everything into the trunk.  I get into the passenger seat, James climbs into the driver’s seat and heads towards the freeway.  At a stoplight, there’s a McDonald’s on the other side of the intersection.  He looks at me.  “We can eat at home” I say gently.

As the light changes, James looks ahead but runs his right hand up my thigh to my crotch, “Deal.”  I squeeze my thighs around his hand for a moment, then release it so he can drive as the roads are sloppy.

There are pockets of clear weather on the drive back.  James keeps to the posted speed limit under the messy conditions.  Even in the worst parts of low visibility, I am not nervous with his driving.  I’d been more nervous on the back of the ATV.  But then I’d never been on one before.  The weather clears more as we approach Vail.  I can sense James relaxing some.  But he still keeps to the posted speed limits.  Once we get onto our road, he sighs.  I just rest my hand on his bicep.  Pulling into the garage, James turns off the engine and hands me the keys.  “Thank you.”

Smiling at him, “Did you have fun?”

Leaning over the gearshift, he kisses me.  “Yes!”

“I’m glad.” 

He pats my thigh.  “You said we’d eat at home.”  He gives me a look.  “We’re home.”  His hand travels up my leg.

I shove it between my legs, “ok.”

Like civilized adults, we get out of the car, collect the items from the trunk, James closes the garage door.  Once inside, dumping all the bags just inside the door, we are like a pair of teenagers running into our bedroom.  Clothes flying in every direction.  Arms snaking around each other.  Lips kissing whatever they connect with.  Ending up on the bed – almost – he’s pushing my legs apart to get at my cunt.  His tongue works its devilish magic on me.  Before I can completely recover, he’s flipping me over and pulling my hips up his thighs.  He’s not rough, but not exactly tender either, in seeking his release.  We collapse into a heap just as the sunrise peeps into the windows.  The clouds quickly cover it up.  Sleep quickly covers us both.

I stretch in his arms.  It’s 10 am.  Wrapping my arms around his head – which is buried between my tits – I kiss his forehead.  He stretches, squeezing me in the process.  “Morning.”  I kiss his hair.

Stretching again, “Mawhrning” he mumbles into my boobs.

Kissing his hair again, “What do you want for breakfast?”  He humps his hips into my leg.  I just giggle.  His stomach rumbles.  “I heard that.”  I can feel him smile into my breasts.  He looks up from my chest giving me his big blue puppy eyes.  “Breakfast sandwich.”  His eyes get sad, and I can feel his lips pout.  “Burritos?”  His eyes brighten and he wiggles his butt.  I laugh as he kisses my tits.  “Well, if you want burritos, I need to get out of bed.”

“Fawine” he mumbles from my boobs.  Then his lips are covering mine with tender kisses.

Climbing out of the very messy bed, I collect the clothes on my side.  He actually tidies up the covers.  Gathering the rest of the clothes tossed all over our room, I dump them into the dirties hamper.  Pulling out a pair of jeans and a sweater, I head into the bathroom.  Again, I get dressed sitting on the toilet.

“How did I not know you do that?”

“Do what?” I ask while wiping.

“Get dressed on the toilet.

“Saves time.  I realized in college that I could sleep in another five minutes by getting dressed on the toilet.”  I wash my hands.

His face scrunches up a minute.  “Ok.”  Then he looks at me, “As long as you clean up after.”

“Always.”  I kiss his chin.

Making my way into the kitchen, James follows me.  He turns on the tree lights and opens all the drapes.  Then he turns on the Christmas music.  As I’m scrambling the eggs, he checks the water in the tree.  What happens next is like a ballet in the kitchen.  I hand him the syrup as he puts the tree pitcher in the sink.  I pull out the shredded cheese as he grabs a towel.  I reach for the saltshaker, and he smacks my ass before grabbing the pitcher and heading to the tree.  He turns on the fireplace after watering the tree.  I finish the burritos as he’s putting the pitcher away.  Handing him his plate, he grabs my neck and plants a kiss on me.  I follow him with my plate into the living room.  It’s snowing lightly out the windows.

“I hope this holds off until the kids get here tomorrow” James says quietly looking out at the snow lightly falling.

“Which airport are they coming into?”

“Eagle county.”

“At least that’s a shorter drive.”

“Yeah.  I rented them a van.”

“You’re worried.”

He looks at me with a soft smile.  “I trust them.”  He looks out the window, “I don’t trust the world with them.”  I lean over and kiss his cheek.  Collecting his plate, I take them to the kitchen.  It takes a little bit to unload the dishwasher and reload it.  In returning to the living room, James is working on the outside light strings.  Between the two of us, we get them out the patio door and hung on the balcony railing.  After brushing off the snow coming in the patio door, I take more of the empty bins back to the storage area.  I had to start stacking some that probably came in from the garage.  Pulling from another bin, I find a wreath.  James finds the door hanger and puts it up on the front door.  I find some holiday soap dispensers.  Filling them from the bottle under the kitchen sink, I distribute them to the bathrooms around the house.  James is standing in the middle of the living room staring at the fireplace.

“You ok?”

“Yeah.  I just can’t remember where the wreath is that hangs there” he points to the chimney. 

I pause a moment.  “There’s a large flat red bin over your workbench.”

He spins to me, “That’s it!”  He plants a kiss on me and almost skips to the door.

Digging through the last few bins, I find some candle holders.  There’s actually quite a few.  I put a pair on the kitchen table.  I’m holding the others when James returns with a huge wreath made of poinsettias that look real.  “Will you please help with this?”

“Sure.”  I set the candle holders on the table.  “What do you need?”

“Will you please move the step ladder in front of the fireplace?”

As I position the ladder, “Should I turn it off?”

Shaking his head, “I won’t be up here that long.”  He reaches up and finds the hanger in the stone.  The wreath is gorgeous.  Climbing back down, he folds up the step ladder, he puts it by the door leading to the storage room.  His eyebrows knit together again, “Tree skirt and stockings.”

Shifting the bins left in the living room, “Some of these haven’t been opened yet.”

We both dive in.  I find the stocking holders.  James finds the tree skirt and stockings.  He’s looking a little concerned.

“What’s wrong?”

“You don’t have one” as he fondles the stockings in his hands.

“Hang on a sec.”  I go to the shopping bags left by the garage door.  I find the one I want and return to the living room, “Here.”  I hand him a stocking.  It’s covered in books, pens, pine boughs, and gold stars.

His eyes soften, “That’s perfect for you!”  He puts the hangers on the mantle and hangs the stockings.  “There.”  Turning, he collects the candle holders, “These go here.”  Following him to the dining table, he spreads them around the table.  “There.”  He wraps an arm around my shoulders, “What’s next?”

“Need to get the last of the bins downstairs and wrap up what we bought yesterday.”

“I’ll get the bins if you’ll wrap.”  He looks at me, “Please.”

I squeeze him, “Of course.”

I go to the shopping bags.  James’ hand pops around me, “I’ll do this one” he kisses my shoulder grinning.  I pat his ass as he leaves.  Taking all the shopping bags to the room that I’d made into my office, I set them on the floor.  Returning to the storage room, I dig out the long bin that holds the wrapping paper.  I also manhandle the smaller bin filled with bows at the same time.  It takes me a couple of hours to get things wrapped up.  I put tags on my gifts.  On the bottom of the gifts from James, I stick post its of its contents along with a gift tag.  It takes me a couple of trips between my office and the tree to get everything under the tree.  I set James’ gifts on the table.  The bins have all been removed from the living room, but James is nowhere to be seen.  His guitar comes screaming from his studio.  I just smile and head into the kitchen.  I spend the next couple of hours baking up some of my favorite sugar cookies.  Digging into the pantry I find storage tubs for what I’ve made.  I also dig out some serving platters, give them a wash and set them on the dining room table.  Grabbing my phone from my purse, I look up a frosting recipe.  The only thing I need is food coloring.  Pulling out the step stool from the pantry, I start digging through all the kitchen cabinets and shelves in the pantry.

“What are you doing?”  I jump slightly.  He puts his hands on my hips as I climb down the step stool, “Sorry.”

“I was looking for food coloring.”

“If there’s any here, it’s going to be really old.”  He folds up the stool and leans it up against shelves in the pantry.  “What do you want it for?”

“Decorating those” I point to all the sugar cookies sitting on the kitchen table.

“My little steam engine!  You have been busy!”

“It’s fun!”

“But I don’t have cookie cutters.”

“I bought some yesterday.  Nothing fancy.”

He wraps me into his arms, kissing me.  “My talented little steam engine!”  Another deep kiss.  “We still have to pick up the roast tomorrow.  We can grab food coloring then.”

I squeeze him, “That will work.”

“What do you want for luner?”

My eyebrows meet my hairline, “What?”

“Lunch.  Dinner.  Luner.”  A smile replaces the question, “What do you want?”

His hands rest on my hips, “Well, I’m thinking about doing pulled pork for tomorrow.  There’s the roast on Christmas.  How about brats?”

“Only if you grill onions with them.”

“That’s a federal offense to NOT grill onions with brats” he deadpans.  Then a huge smile spreads across his face.

“Is there anything I can do to help with luner?”

Easing his grip on me, “Don’t think so.”

“Then I’ll get the last of the bins downstairs.”

He pulls me back, kissing me.  “Thank you.”

I caress his cheek, “You’re welcome.”  He again releases his hold on my hips.  As I pass the table, “Oh.  These are your gifts to the kids.  There’s name tags on them and post its on the bottom of each with the contents.”

“Perfect.  I’ll finish those up.”  He pulls out a couple of onions and starts slicing.

There were only a couple of bins left that I shift to the big storage room.  By the time I get back to the kitchen, James has the brats going in a cast iron skillet.  I stand and watch him.  His eyes bright as he’s cooking.  He looks at me smiling, his eyes deepen in color.  In a short time, he’s got our luner plated and handing me one.  The cheddar brats are smothered in grilled onions and kidney beans on the side.  Again, we sat in the living room to eat.  I couldn’t finish and set my plate on the coffee table.  I lean into his shoulder.

“Hey.  C’mon sleepy head” he’s laughing gently at me.

“I’m sorry.  I didn’t mean to fall asleep.”

“Well, it’s been a long day.  We did leave Denver at 5:30 this morning.”

Yawning, “Wah timawh is it now?”

“Bedtime.”  He pulls me off the sofa then collects his plate.  I gather up mine.  James closes all the drapes while I finish loading the dishwasher.  He sets his on the counter before turning off the Christmas tree lights.  I put his dishes into the dishwasher, toss in the soap pod and start it.  Holding out a hand to me, James gently guides me to our bedroom.

The covers are barely draped over both of us before we are asleep.

Don't freak out, just be cool ...

Had this thought the other day and had to capture it! Just a short one! Well, for me!

Warnings: NSFW, Verbal Abuse mentioned, full on sex.

It’s been 30 years since I’ve actually seen Mark!  We went to high school together.  We’ve stayed in touch through the years.  After he left the armed services, he went into private security.  He’s now the personal security guard for – of all the people on the face of this planet – James Hetfield.  THE James Hetfield.  Metallica’s James Hetfield.  Mark has been around the world with them now several times.  Mark has shared photos of his journeys with me.  On the rare occasion, I get a photo of Mark and James romping about in a foreign city.  Mark made me promise that I’d never tell a soul who he works for.  I haven’t. 

Well, does my diary count?

The new tour is coming to the city I now call home.  Mark wants me to come on down to the show!  Of course I said yes!  Mark told me that he’s planning on taking the day off so that we can hang.  I get to the stadium and find the security check-in.  I have to wait for Mark to come collect me.

“Y/N!” Mark yells from behind me.

“Mark!” I yell as I run to meet him.  He swoops me up and spins me a couple of times.  “Whoah” I mumble as he puts me back on my feet, grabbing his arms.

“Head rush?” Mark grins at me.

“Ya think!” as I smack his chest.

Mark takes me back to the security check-in table and I get my pass.  An All Access pass.  I give Mark a side hug “Thanks.”

“Hey, you have helped me out with all those late-night calls when I was deployed.  This is the least I can do for you” Mark returns the hug.  “Now, this way.”

He walks me out onto what should have been an NFL field.  But instead, there sits Metallica’s massive stage.  He tells me all about it as he walks me around it, by it.  Up on it.  Being early on a summer afternoon, the black stage is very warm.  I wipe my brow. 

“Yeah, it gets a little warm in the day up here.  Let’s go get something to drink” Mark helps me off the stage.  “Canteen is this way.”

He leads me into the bowels of the stadium.  I find it fascinating as I love football as much as I love Metallica.  The place is huge.  All the hallways are super long and it takes forever to walk them.  When we get to the catering area, someone approaches Mark with a question.  Marks points me toward a counter, “Head on over there.”  Then he yells “Hey chef!  Hook up Y/N with whatever she wants please!”

The big guy wearing a chefs’ smock grins “You got it Mark!”  He smiles kindly at me, “What can I get you?”

“Just something to drink please” I smile back.

Chef points to a list on the counter, “Which would you like?” he grins.

“Oh!  A Severed Lime please!”

“Be right back!” he spins toward the big refrigerator.

A hand claws down on my shoulder “Just what do you think you’re doing here, Y/N?”

I turn to see Jolene.  Someone that went to high school with Mark and me.  She has always hated me.  “Getting something to drink” I respond flatly.

Jolene grabs my shoulder harder “Watch the attitude Y/N.”  She points to the security emblem stitched on her shirt “I can kick you out!” she snarks.

Chef has returned with the can and is trying to hand it to me.  But Jolene smacks it away.  It lands with a clang on the floor and rolls across the area under a table.  “You don’t have the right creds to be in here” a vicious gleam flares in Jolene’s eyes.

Several things simultaneously happen next:  I hear Mark’s Keep Cool signal.  I stomp my right heel twice in rapid succession on the floor in response.  Jolene is trying to pull me from the counter when a very large, very tattooed hand drops over my other shoulder to rest on my sternum, gently tugging me back into a very tall frame just as James Hetfield leans over and – Keep Cool Y/N! – kisses me.  Not a big kiss.  But not just a peck either.  “Hey babe” he rumbles at me a little loudly.  “Everything ok?” he grins at me, his stunning blue eyes sparkling.

“Just getting a Severed Lime” I smile at him, proud of myself that I didn’t squeak.  My heart is beating a zillion miles an hour.

“She’s leaving!” Jolene tries again to tug me.  “I’m kicking her out.”

“Uhm, no you’re not.”  James’s voice is firm.

“Fine!” Jolene snaps.  “You both are getting kicked out” she snarls at me.

“Nope.  You’re getting kicked off my tour” James stands up.

Jolene grabs my ponytail, yanking it hard.  Almost pulling me to the floor.  “OW!” I yelp.

James keeps me from being yanked from his arm and pulls me tighter to his chest, his fingers griping my sternum tightly, his other hand cupping the back of my head.  “Mark!”

“On it, James.”  Mark grabs Jolene’s wrist, “You’re supposed to be at Merch” he barks at Jolene.

“I’m bored there.  I belong back here” Jolene snaps.

“Jolene, you belong wherever you are assigned.  I gave you a chance because we went to school together.  But this is the third strike.  Now c’mon.”  Mark tries to spin Jolene to leave the catering area.

Jabbing a finger at James “Just who the fuck is he?” Jolene snaps angrily at Mark.

“He’s the guy who signs my paycheck.”  Mark spins Jolene from us successfully “This way.”  As they walk away, “You Chillin’ James?” Mark asks.

“Yeah.”  James’ fingers ease on me “We’ll be in the Chill.”  Marks responds with a thumbs up.  Looking at chef “Sorry about the commotion” James apologizes.

“No harm done, James.  Y/N, here’s your drink” chef smiles at us both.

“Thanks” I reply softly, taking the new can with one hand and rubbing my very sore head with the other.

James rotates us.  Keeping an arm draped over my shoulder, he walks us out of the catering area.  My arm automatically wraps around his waist.  I hear the commotion in the hallway as Jolene is loudly begging Mark to let her stay.  James holds open the door to a room that has a sign taped on it James’ Chill.

Inside, there are a couple of comfy chairs, a small sofa and a couple of tables.  There are deep purple drapes on poles covering the cinderblock walls and the two torchiere lamps give the room a warm feeling as I notice that the big fluorescent lights overhead are turned off.  One table has some munchies on it.  The other holds a couple of guitars and a small amp.  There’s a very large opened road case with clothes hanging on one side, the other filled with drawers.

“Please, sit” James smiles at me.  I sink into the sofa, still rubbing the back of my head.  James looms over me, “May I check?”

Tenderly pulling the elastic out of my hair, “Yes, please.”

His fingers very tenderly search through my long hair to my scalp.  “I’m not seeing any blood” he gently finger tidies my hair as he sits on the sofa next to me.

I sigh, “Well that’s good.”  I rub my scalp again, “It’s probably going to be tender for a while.”

His fingers are still playing with my hair.  “Probably.”  I look sideways at James.  His eyes are roaming over my hair.  I look at my hands holding the unopened Severed Lime can.  “May I ask you a question?”

I look at him “Sure.”

“When I kissed you – which was Mark’s idea” I snort a giggle “you didn’t seem surprised.”

“Mark warned me.”

“How” James’ eyebrows furrow together.

“He cooed like a mourning dove.”

“So that’s what he was doing” James grins.

Chuckling, “That’s been his Keep cool just roll with happens next signal since High School.”

“Ahh” James nods in understanding.  “But you didn’t respond.”

“Yeah I did” as I thump the floor with my heel twice, grinning.

“Ahhh!  Yes, you did.  Didn’t know what you were doing” James huffs a soft laugh.  “Who was the security girl?”

“Jolene.  We all were in school together.”  I again look at the can in my hands.  “She’s always hated me.  Don’t know why.”

“Oh.”  He twists slightly on the sofa to face me.  “Mark has told me that you were there for him during deployments.”

“Yeah.  He’s always been like a big brother to me” I smile at James.

He fidgets some “So, would he mind if I kissed you again.”  I just blush furiously.  “Would you mind” his fingers gently lift my chin “if I kissed you again?”

“Not at all” I whisper.

Still gently holding my chin, he leans in.  I meet him halfway.  We both breath in deeply keeping our lips pressed together.  His fingers on my chin slide up the side of my face to cup my head.  My fingers gently wrap around his wrist.  A feeling of electricity passing between us.  We are eagerly, tenderly, kissing the other.  I am trembling slightly.  Finally parting the kiss, he rests his forehead on mine. 

His blue eyes finding mine.  “You felt that too?” he whispers. 

“uh huh” I manage, still trembling gently.

He too is quivering “Glad it’s not just me.”

I huff out a small laugh.   And kiss him again.  His fingers still cradle my head as he returns the kiss.

A knock on the door and we jump apart like a pair of teenagers caught necking by our parents.  Grabbing my leg just above my knee, squeezing, smiling at me, “Sandman!” James says loudly standing.

For some reason, I put the cold Severed Lime can on the back of my head as Mark walks in.   “Hey” he nods at James.  “Y/N?  You ok?” as Mark sees the can on my head.

“Jolene yanked my ponytail really hard” I grin gently.

“You OK?” Mark is immediately in Big Brother mode.

“I’m fine.”

“She’s not bleeding” James offers.  Seeing the look from Mark, “She let me check” James reassures the big ex-Marine.

Nodding “Well, that’s good.”  Turning back to James, “Lars needs you in the dining room.  Something about an interview next week.”

Grimacing slightly “I hate those” James shoves both hands into his front pants pockets.

“Yeah, I know.  But they want all four of you” Mark rests his hands on his hips.

“Is there a bathroom around?” I ask quietly.

“Oh yeah” James smiles gently at me.  “That door right there.”

Setting the can down on the table with the munchies, I make a quick exit.  After using the toilet, I am washing my hands when I hear the two men:

“Do you think she’d like to have dinner with me after the show?” James asks.

“I know she’d like that.  But James, please don’t hurt her.”

“You know I won’t intenti…”

“I know you won’t mean to.  But her last relationship, the guy was a dick.  I heard some of what he’d say to her.  He was verbally abusive to her” Mark’s voice very quiet.

“Just verbally?” concern lances James’ voice.

“She claims that he never hit her.  She has no reason to lie to me.”

“Other than you’d go murder the fucker!” James chuckles.

I can almost see Mark’s head bobbing around “Yeah I would have!”

In the following silence, I flush the toilet again, run the water in the sink.  Grabbing another paper towel, I walk out the door.

“Feel better, Thumper?” Mark grins.

I smack Mark’s arm “Only you!”

James just looks at Mark.  “That’s what I called Y/N in school for her little bunny kicks.”  Mark does his bird call again.  I automatically thump the floor twice.  The three of us burst out in laughter.

James rests his hand on my shoulder, “Mark is going to stay with you during the show?”

I look up at Mark.  “Like I’d let her go out on the floor alone!  She’s 5’ 2”!  She’d get slaughtered!” Mark laughs.

“Take her up on the F&F” James looks with a grin at Mark.  Then gives me a wonky grin “You’ll be able to see from there.”

I smile at him “Thanks.”

James grabs a phone from the table with the guitars “Then I’ll see you two out there!”  He turns to Mark “Darren tonight?”  Mark nods.  “Lars is in the dining room?”  Mark nods.  “The others there too?”

“Heading that way” Mark nods as he opens the hallway door.  “Got everything?” as we all walk out into the hallway.

James pats down his pockets “I think so.”  The two men fist bump.  James gives me a smile and starts down the hallway.  Then he spins makes a quick trot back to me, kisses me again, and walks back down the hallway.

I stand there a second in shock.  I look up at Mark.  “Damn Y/N!” Mark grins at me.  “You just landed the biggest fish in the sea!”

My hands kinda flap as Mark leads the other way down the hall “I didn’t mean to!”

Mark pats my back “Be glad you did!”  Mark looks over his shoulder towards James’ retreating figure, then back to me.  “You two will be good together!” he grins at me.

Mark leads me back out to the field.  The floor has already begun to fill in with fans.  The seats are a little sparse, but it is still early.  Mark tucks me in behind his frame.  I rest my hand on his back – just like we used to do at the big concerts when we were in high school.  I ask him to take me into the Pit because I want to stand on the fifty-yard line in the center of the field.  He does and takes a picture of me there.  Looking like a dork.  Then we walk around the field.  I’m not really impressed with the first opener.  So, Mark takes me to the lounge and we grab something to eat.  We watch the stage get changed to the second opener.  The seats are beginning to fill.  I like the one song for this second group.  Otherwise, meh.  When that act ends, Mark walks me back down to the field from the lounge.  And to a tower.  He flashes his pass and leads me up onto a platform.

“James thinks you’ll be able to see better from here!” Mark laughs.  “Welcome to F&F!”  I give him a look.  “Friends and Family!”

“I don’t know how to act!” I grin.  Mark looks confused.  “I’m used to seeing just shoulder blades and elbows at a concert!”

We both burst out laughing.

Then it starts.  The Metallica walkout songs.  I bounce a couple of times with joy.  And perhaps I’m a little giddy.  They take the stage in full roar with Creeping Death.  The next two and half hours I get an unimpeded view of them.  Of him.  He keeps looking over towards me and each time his grin gets bigger.

When the field lights come on and Metallica are doing the usual end of show antics, Marks leans into my ear, “We need to get you down to the car.”  He grabs my hand as we exit the platform.  I walk very close behind Mark, with my other hand planted in the middle of his back.  When we get past the security barricade, I am able to walk beside Mark.  He takes me back to the Chill room.  There he loads up the backpack that is tucked into the big road case with some of the munchies and several cans of Severed Lime.  I use that bathroom again.  There’s mouthwash on the sink.  I use it since I did have garlic fries.  As Mark walks out of the room carrying two backpacks and down the hall – with me trotting behind to keep up with his long legs – he goes into the catering area.  There on a table are five to go bags, and several Hydroflasks.  Mark looks a little flustered as his hands are full.  I look at him and he hands me one backpack.  Mark stuffs a couple very large Hydroflasks into the backpack and zips it closed.  “Keep that upright please.  Those two Hydros like to leak.”  Then he grabs three of the to go bags, his backpack and nods at me.  “Let’s roll!”

He leads me down another hallway, then through a set of double doors into the stadiums loading bay.  There sits a very large black sedan, engine idling.  Marks takes me to the driver’s side back door.  “Ok, you get this side.”  I put the backpack on the floor between my feet.  Marks stacks two of the to go bags on the transmission hump on the floor.  Looking at the passenger side front seat.  “Shit.”  Mark closes my door, runs around the car, opens the front passenger door and hits the button to move that passenger seat forward.  Mark puts both hands on the seat and leans over it looking at me.  “He’s a good guy, Y/N.  He won’t talk much on the drive to the hotel.  He might want the camo hydro on the drive.  That one is on the side so that you won’t have to unzip the bag much.”  Mark smiles at me.  I thump the floor twice with my heel.  Laughing “That’s my Thumper!” Mark exits the car, closing the front door.  I make some minor adjustments to the to go bags and the backpack when the passenger back door is opened.  And James – wearing a black robe with flames on the sleeves – slides into the back seat.  He’s sweaty, but smiling.  The big sedan heads out of the loading bay.  I realize that Mark moving the passenger seat up meant that James and his long legs would easily fit into the back seat.  James just grins at me. 

“Drink?” I whisper.  He huffs out a soft snort and nods.  I find the camo hyrdo and hand it over.  James takes a couple of solid pulls from it and leans back in the seat.  I just watch him.  The sedan slows at a red stop light.  James sits up and hands back the hydro.  I put it back into the bag and zip it closed.  Just as the big sedan starts to roll again, I sit back up.  James holds out his left hand to me.  I gently rest my right fingers in his palm.  He lifts my hand to his lips and kisses the back of my hand.  I shudder out a soft sigh.  Smiling softly, James pulls my hand to his chest, holding it there.  I smile back at him.  The big car pulls into the portico of one of the fanciest hotels in town.  Two valet are quickly there.  But they open both doors on the passenger side.  The driver hops out to open my door.  I grab the backpack and both to go bags and quickly follow James.  He’s waiting just inside the hotel lobby doors giving me a wonky smile.  He wraps an arm around my shoulders and we get into an elevator.  The doors open on the top floor. 

One of the security guys there greets us.  “Hey James!  Show sounded great!” he comments as he leads us down the hallway.  He taps a key card on the door.  James gently pushes me through the door and quickly follows me.  As the door clicks closed, I move into the room and set the backpack down in a chair at the table and the to go bags on the table, kicking my shoes off.  James comes up behind me and rests his hands on my hips as I open the backpack and pull out at least the hydros – just in case the bag falls over.  His nose buries into my hair.  I shiver slightly.  My hands ghost over his.

“I’m sorry I don’t talk right after a show.”

“You don’t need to apologize” I grin turning towards him.  “You just sang for a good two hours!  I understand.”

His stunning blue eyes lock with mine.  His hands slowly wrap around to my back – one on my lower back, the other travelling up to my neck, his fingers gently cupping it.  I wrap my arms around him and pull myself into his body as our lips meet again.  Gently.  Tenderly.  He rests his forehead on mine.  “How’s your head?” he grins.

I grin “Doing great.”  I let him pull me into a hug.  My nose buries into his chest.  I inhale deeply.  Faintly, there’s cigar.  Sweat.  The fabric softener from his robe.  I feel his breath in my hair as he leans into my head.  From his robe, “I heard you and Mark talking.”  His fingers clench gently on me.  “I have just one ask.”

He urges my head back, kissing down my forehead, my nose to my lips.  His stunning blue eyes lock with mine.  “Ask” he says gently.

I whisper “Please don’t call me ‘babe’.”

Lifting his head some “Is that what he called you?” concern knotting his eyebrows together.  I can only nod.  He kisses me tenderly, “Then I will find something else to call you” he smiles at me.

“Thank you” as I pull him into another kiss, y body relaxing in his hold.

He tightens his arms around me.  Our lips still eagerly kissing.  He gently reaches under my shirt.  When his fingers touch my skin I shiver and a stuttered sigh is pulled from me.  Our lips are still kissing as his fingers reach my bra.  With a deft flick, he unhooks it.  My body arches into his.  His thumbs hook my shirt and bra lifting them both.  Gently parting the kiss, I raise my arms as he tugs the fabrics from my body.  His left hand quickly splays open on my now fully exposed back, holding me.  I watch his face.  His eyes follow as his right hand softly caresses my left cheek, slowly slides down my neck to my clavicle, then agonizlingly slowly to my breast.  He tenderly cups it.  I hitch a breath.  His right hand eases its hold but my lefthand snaps up to hold his hand on my breast.

As his left arm gently hitches me closer “Are you sure?” he purrs.  His blue eyes searching mine.  I nod slowly chewing on the corner of my lower lip.  He kisses me.  His fingertips on my breast find my nipple tenderly playing with it.  I whimper into the kiss.  Slowly he moves us towards the bed.  As the back of my legs hit the mattress, I start to sink.  With a speed I didn’t know that James possesses, his fingers hook the waistband of my shorts and thong, removing them from my body with one swift motion.  I am left sitting on the bed totally naked.  But I don’t feel naked under his gaze. 

His hands cup my face, kissing me.  I lean back, my arms pulling me up the bed, his hands on either side of my body hold his weight as he follows me, his knees naturally going between my legs.  Spreading them.  I can smell myself.  His hand grabs my thigh stopping me.  He kneels up.  I am quivering as he eases the robe from his lean, firm body.  His erection proudly standing at attention.  Again, he leans over me, kissing me.  His lips blazing a trail from my face, down my neck, to my breasts, my stomach.  He lowers himself between my legs grinning like the Cheshire cat at me.  I answer the question in his eyes with a short nod.  I know that I am a sopping wet mess.  His grin goes wicked as he sticks out his tongue.  With the very pointy tip, he licks into the very top of my cleft.  His grin is even more wicked.  I whimper.  His tongue delves deeper into my wetness.  My back sinks to the bed as he groans happily into my pussy.  His arms snake under my thighs, wrapping over my hips.  Holding me.  His tongue is non-stop gently swirling around my bud, searching through my folds, dipping teasingly into my opening.  I squirm in his hold, whining.  His fingers dig deeper into my hips.  I look down my body to see the silvered hair on the top of his head between my legs – his feet up in the air wiggling.  He tenderly sucks on my clit drawing a loud moan from me.  My hips try to buck up into his mouth, but his hands prevent them.  An “uh huh” from him reverberates through my cunt as I feel his lips smile.  My fingers find his hands on my hips and grab his wrists.  He begins licking me with broad tongue laps.  Again I squirm in his hold.  He only grips me tighter keeping his tongue working on me.  My head rocks side to side as I whine loudly, the knot in me tightening quickly.  I start panting hard as he finds the spot.  His tongue concentrates on that spot “pahhleez” I whine loudly.  He chuckles and uses a slightly harder pressure on that spot.  I hitch a deep breath “Th  deheere” I pant out as my eyes fly open wide.  Another lap from his velvet warm tongue and I explode.  I grab a pillow and scream into it.  He overstimulates me making my body convulse.  My eyes close when he finally – with a gentle parting kiss – extracts his mouth from between my legs.

I feel him move on the bed.  His arm runs under my right thigh to grab my left leg as his other hand grabs my right arm.  In a swift action he flips me over.  I yelp.  His lips press between my shoulder blades as his hand slowly runs up between my legs, his fingers wiggle against my clit.  My hips lift as I whine loudly.  He huffs out a soft laugh against my back.  In a blink, he’s kneeling between my legs.  His hands grab my hips hoisting them up his thighs.  “I don’t want to rush ….”

“Gawdz pahleez faahkkkk me!” I beg.

His fingers grip me tightly “Gladly!”  I feel his hand between our bodies.  Then his cockhead is gently pressing against my entrance.  My back arches allowing him easier access to me.  He grunts softly as he slowly pushes into me.  Spreading me.  Drawing a long low loud moan from me as his girth presses into me.  Bottoming out in me, James holds my hips tight to his body.  His hands hitch me up gently thudding a little deeper into me.  I wallow in his hold.  I hear him chuckle as I squirm.  “Ready?”  I nod slowly.  His hand connects sharply with my ass “I want to hear you.”

“Yaeezzz!  Paahhhleeezz!”  My begging only making me wetter.

He smacks my other ass cheek “Please what?” his voice a deep growl.

“Fuck me!” I yell.

“Be happy to!” I hear him grin before he starts doing what I just begged of him.  His hips begin thrusting his rigid cock in and out of me at a fast pace.  I feel the rigid veins of his shaft sliding deep into me.  His fingers hold me tightly, digging into my hips.  I know will be bruised.  I wrap my feet around his legs, pulling.  His motions become a little harder.  I groan happily.  My hands push on the headboard.  Into his hips.  My butt cheeks shake in his hold.  He ruts into me grunting.  Thrusting deep into me.  He hitches me up his thighs as we both are sweating.  The knot in me tightens up again.

“Harder!” I plead.

He snarls as his hips begin slapping into me.  Hard.  Deep.  Fast.  I whine loudly.  My feet tug him hard.  I feel him get impossibly thicker inside me.  Twitching.  His right hand reaches around me and finds my clit.  With a few flicks, I am tossed over the edge of my orgasm again as he explodes deep inside me with a roar.  I bury my face into the mattress as I scream in release. 

Slowly, he eases me down his thighs to the bed, his cock gently sliding from within me.  His body gently sinking over mine.  His lips gently pressing kisses to the back of my neck.  We shift to our sides so that I am wrapped up in his arms, my back pressed up tight against his chest, one of his arms now my pillow.  His lips still leaving a million tiny little kisses on the side of my neck and over my shoulder. 

I reach back and pat his hip, “I should go and let you sleep” I murmur groggily.

His arms pull me tighter into him “No” he purrs.  “You fit perfectly right here.”  I nod slowly.  “There is no need for you to leave.”  His lips kiss my neck just below my ear.  “Ever” he whispers.  “My little bunny.”

Did anyone else notice that his Scary Guy is branded into his hat?

What are you hiding there James, hmmmm????

Ohhhh myyyyy!!!!!

Rockies Christmas - Day 3

Warnings: Fluff and Shameless Product Placement

I wake up with a grunt.  Everything hurts.  I can’t lower my left arm.  James is face first into my side, his arm wrapped around my ribs.  Our legs tangled up together.  I can just reach his silvered locks with my right hand, playing with them softly.  Damn, but the short haircut looks good on him.  I would have loved to have known him in our 20’s when his hair was probably as long then as mine is now.  But the short silver hair works on him.  He grunts into my side, rubbing his face into me.  His mustache gently rubbing me.  His lips press against my ribs.  “Morning my woodsman” I whisper at him.

He groans, “I forget every year what a workout that is.”  He slowly pushes himself up on his elbow, gently caressing my stomach with his left hand.  “But it’ll be worth it!”

I smile at him, “I know it will be.”  He leans down and gently sucks on my nipple.  His stomach rumbles.  We both giggle.  “We didn’t have anything after the sandwiches.  I bet you are starving.”  He nods, my nipple still between his lips.  “Burrito morning?”  His eyes light up.  “Ya gotta let go of my boob.”  He pouts slightly, gives my nipple a hard suck as it pops out of his lips.  I grab my boobs, “They are still not fully recovered from the other day.”  He’d pinned me in bed in my NYC apartment and spent who knows how long sucking, pinching, nibbling and lovingly torturing my nipples.

He kisses my knuckles giving me a wicked grin, “And you enjoyed every moment of it!”

I cup his face, “I did.  My nipples haven’t yet decided” as I kiss him. 

He kisses me firmly.  Then breaking the kiss, “I should go squirt the creepy crawlies out of the tree again.”  He again tickles the side of my neck with his fingers.

“Stop that!” I giggle, squirming.  He plants a kiss on my forehead, flips the covers off us and climbs out of bed.  I watch as he stretches his back.  “You ok?”

“ayup.  Just super sore.”  He helps me straighten the bed up.  I smile as I watch his naked frame walk into the bathroom.  This, the megarocksuperstargod helping tidy up the bed.  The sunlight catches my ring.  The megarocksuperstargod who is mine.  I make my way to the closet and pull on a pair of stretchy pants, a tank top and a thin sweater. 

Heading to the kitchen, I hear his phone ring in the bedroom.  From the ring tone, it’s his son, Castor.  I pull out the ingredients to make burritos.  I’m browning onions in the cast iron skillet when James comes into the kitchen.  “Castor is going to arrive about the same time as the girls” he grins.

“I thought that he had some press to do before getting here.”

“It was decided that the press can wait until after the New Year.  So, it will be a full house in a few days!”

“Then you better get that tree debugged.” 

“On it” he grins cheerily, heading to the front door.

“Breakfast will be ready when you get back” I call after him.  I can hear the hose running out front.  Just as I hear it shut off, I put the final roll on the burritos.

“MMM!  Those smell good!”  He looks out the patio door, “I didn’t get the firepit started.”

“That’s ok.”  I hand him his plate, “Sour cream?”  He nods, I plop a large spoonful on top of his breakfast.  Putting some on mine, I join him at the kitchen table.  Between my own bites, I watch him happily munch his breakfast.  He pats his stomach as he sits back in his chair.  “So, what’s next?” I grin at him.

He heaves a sigh, “Pull out all the decoration boxes.”

Collecting our plates, “Where are they?”

“Some in the garage.  Some downstairs.”

I add our plates to the dishwasher and I rinse the sink, “I’ll get the ones from downstairs if you’ll get the ones from the garage.”

He’s grinning, “You trust me to pull them off the shelf so close to your Shelby?”

I cock a smile at him, “You trust me and my short little arms” I flap my forearms holding my elbows to my sides  “to reach them in front of your truck?”

He stands, “I’ll get the ones in the garage.”  He pulls me into a kiss.

I press against his chest, “Show me where the others are, please.” 

Another deep kiss, “You are beautiful.”

I caress his head down to his neck, “You are my handsome woodsman.”

He leans into my neck, kissing me.  Still holding me, “Let me show you where those bins are.”  He takes my hand, “The tree will go in that window corner.”  I nod.  He leads me downstairs to a storage area by the media room.  “You’ll want to check, but I think all the red bins are Christmas decorations.”  There were a lot.  “Here, I’ll pull down the top row.”  He lets go of me and starts unloading the bins.

“Thank you.”

He grabs my shoulders and rests his forehead against mine, “Do not over do.  This doesn’t have to be completed today.”

I grab his neck, “Same thing for you.”

He nods, “Agreed.”

I smile, “Agreed.”  We seal that pact with a deep kiss.

The next hour or so is spent shifting the bins to the living room near where the tree will stand.  I find that some bins hold other holiday decorations in them and put those back on the shelves downstairs.  I find a sharpie and label those bins accordingly. 

I come upstairs to find him sitting on the floor with light strings between his long legs, testing them.  As he finishes a set, I put the working strings on the big living room sofa.  The non-working strings are set aside.  A couple bins have the light strings with the big bulbs for outside.  These also get tested.  In the bottom of a bin is a small box with the spare bulbs in it.  I hand that to James and soon all the lights are ready to go up.

“Hey, wanna take a break and get lunch?” I ask as James stands up off the floor.

“Yeeaahh” he answers as he stretches his back.

I gently rub his back, “You ok?”

“Just a little sore.”

“Well, maybe sitting on the floor wasn’t the best idea” I smile gently at him.

“Yeah, maybe I should have sat on the sofa.”  He wraps an arm around my shoulders as we head into the kitchen.

Grabbing some ground meat, James puts together burgers for us.  I pull out some macaroni and toss together a quick pasta salad as a side.  He lights the firepit and we sit on the patio eating lunch.  The wind is picking up and the last of the leaves are dancing around.  “We’ll need to get the tree in before this wind knocks it over” he says watching the leaves.

Grabbing his empty plate, “I’m ready when you are.”

“My little steam engine” he grins at me.  He kisses me as he stands.  Turning off the firepit, we head back inside.  I put the dishes in the dishwasher and start it.  I follow James out the front door.  He hands me another pair of the blue gloves just before he puts on his work gloves.  Going to the tree, James steps behind it, leaning side to side.  “It’s going to fit!”  Then reaching into the branches and grabbing the trunk, he picks it up and lets it drop on the driveway a couple of times.  The last of the water drops splash off.  “Think you can handle the top of the tree?”

“Yeah.”

“Ok, it’s going in stand first.  I’ll go slowly so I don’t pull you over.”

“That’s appreciated!” I smile at him.

He pushes the tree over and I catch it a couple of feet below the very top.  He hoists the trunk end with the stand and we maneuver the conifer in through the front door.  Shifting it around the sofa took a moment as I was still in the entry hallway with the top.  But we managed that swing and got it into the corner.  We were both breathing a little hard.  “A real tree is heavy” I pant out.

“Yeah, they can be” he smiles at me.  “But they are pretty.”

I stand beside him looking at the tree.  It’s bluish green branches glinting with the stubborn water drops in the midday sunlight.  “That is pretty.”  I inhale deeply, “It smells good too!”

The wind slams the front door against the house making me jump, “Oops!”  James is quickly down the hallway.  He checks the door and the outside of the house.  “No damage done” he says closing and locking the door behind him.  “But that wind is kicking up.”  I shiver a little.  “Is that cold or nerves?” he asks pulling me to him.

“Both?”  I lean into his chest.  “I mean, I’ve been through snowstorms in NY.  But this wind is different.”

Wrapping his arms a little tighter around me, “I got you.”  He lifts my chin and gently kisses me.  I sigh into him enjoying his body close to mine.  “Here” he gently separates us.  Moving to the fireplace, he starts it.  The glowing flames spread their warmth to the room and that glow is friendly.  Again, wrapping me into his arms, “Better?”  I just sigh into him.  “Yeah, that’s better” I can hear the smile in his voice.

I lean back gently, “These lights aren’t going to put themselves on the tree.”

“No” he smiles at me, “they are not.”  He kisses the top of my head, “And I suppose my height is an advantage to putting them on?” he gives me a wonky grin.

“Do you trust me on a ladder?” I raise an eyebrow at him.

“Absolutely not!” he chuckles and squeezes me a little tighter.  Then he looks at me.

“What?”

“You’re beautiful when you smile.”

I pull his head to me and kiss him gently yet deeply.  “You are my handsome woodsman.”  He leans in and we kiss again.

“Lights” he whispers into our kiss.  I start giggling.  He follows with outright laughter.  “I’ll go get the ladder.  Will you please plug this extension cord in behind the tree?”

“Happy to.”  As he walks away, “I suppose water needs to get put into the tree stand?” as I look into the empty basin through the branches.

“Shit!” I hear from the storage room.  “Hang on, I’ll show you that.”  He comes up with a short step ladder and pops it open leaving it in the living room.  He digs into a bin and pulls out a rather large pitcher, “Here, let me show you.”  He takes my hand and leads me into the kitchen.  Starting the hot water in the sink, he pulls down a bottle of karo syrup from a top shelf.  “There’s a line on the bottom here for this” as he pours the syrup into the pitcher, leaving the bottle on the counter.  “Then it fills with the hot water.”  He lets some fill the pitcher, swirls it to mix the syrup, then tops off the pitcher.  “Now, this gets poured into the stand.”  He grabs a kitchen towel and I follow him to the tree.

“I guess my shortness is best for this task?” smiling up at him.  He smiles sheepishly at me.  I slip under the tree, “Extension cord before the water, please.”  He hands me the plug end and I find the socket.  “Ok, pitcher please.”  He hands me the towel, then the pitcher.  It was a little tricky dodging the boughs, but I was able to get the stand filled with only a little spillage.  I had to basically do the worm to extract myself from under the tree.  James grabs my waist and helps me stand.  “Ta dah!  I just watered my first real Christmas tree!”  He laughs with me and pulls some needles from my hair.

“Ok.  Lights.”  He pulls out the other end of the extension cord and plugs in a string of lights.  And they don’t turn on.  “Oops!”  He crosses the living room and turns on a switch.  The string of lights flares to life.  “Ta dah!”

“Almost like magic” I grin at him.

We spend the next couple of hours lighting the tree.  I fed the strings to James as he wraps them into the branches.  The sun is setting when he finally climbs down off the step ladder, “There.  I think that’s got it.”  He moves around the living room looking at the tree.

“What are you doing?”

“Making sure that there are no light holes.”  He goes to the tree, “Like here.”  He shifts the light strings a bit, then steps back.  “There.”  He pulls me into the sofa with him, “That’s going to be pretty when the ornaments get put on it.”

I lean into him, “I am looking forward to seeing your ornaments.”

He grabs my boobs, “I love yours” as he gently squeezes them.  I squeal in laughter and twist to get my boobs out of his reach.  He simply yanks me back, “Nope!”  His lips find my neck.  That special spot.  I wilt into his arms.  “Works every time” he breathes into my neck.  His stomach rumbles.  He starts to giggle, which sets me off and we both end up laughing.  He gently releases his hold on me, “Pizza?”

I caress the back of his head, “Yes, please.”

He pulls me up with him and we walk into the kitchen.  “I suppose you want your rooty-tooty-fruity pizza?”

“Yes please?” I give him my puppy eyes blinking at him quickly. 

He pulls me into him, “There’s a price to pay for that in this house” his hands grope my ass.

I arch my butt into his hands, “Gladly” I purr at him.

He plants a passionate kiss on me, “Thought you’d agree!”  He makes sure that I can stand before grabbing the house phone.  He places the order – 1 meaty pie, 1 fruity pie, 1 large salad, 1 pan brownies – and winks at me.  “Dinner will be here in about 30 minutes.”  The wind flips a cushion off a chair outside.  “Or maybe a little longer.” 

We both quickly move to the patio doors.  James pulls the cushions off the chairs and I stack them inside the door.  He checks the other items on the patio before coming back inside.  “Damn, that wind is cold.”  I press my hands to his bright pink cheeks.  “Your little hands feel so good!” as his big cold hands cover mine.  His blue eyes capture mine.  I pull him to me and tenderly kiss him.  “Your lips feel good too” he smiles at me.  I take his hand and move him to the living room.  I turn his back to the fireplace and just wrap my arms around him.  “Ahhhhh.”  He takes up what I call his stage power stance to hold me while kissing me.  Then, he picks me up and moves away from the fireplace.  “Bit warm on the butt there.”  I reach back to his ass, rubbing it while smiling up at him.  The doorbell rings.  “Dinner!”  He carries me toward the front door, setting me down to open the door.

The poor delivery guy looks frozen.  James hands the kid a tip and collects our dinner.  I close the door and make sure it’s locked.  I rub my arms as I walk into the kitchen, “That wind is cold.”

“Yeah.  It’s going to knock down the last of the fall leaves.”  His eyes look to me, “Glad we got the tree yesterday.”  I just look at him.  “Pizza’s getting cold” he smiles softly at me.  He turns and pulls out a couple of plates.  I hug him from behind and kiss his back.  He pulls me around in front of him, putting me between him and the counter and starts loading salad on his plate.  Then several slices of his meaty pie. 

I pile up salad on my plate and grab a couple of slices of my Hawaiian pie.  Slipping away from his body, I open the fridge, “What do you want to drink?”

“Severed please!”  He turns on the TV.  The local news is on.

I grab a couple of the Severed Lime cans, close the fridge and grab my plate.  I join him at the table.  The repeating story is the wind.  Some trees down across the freeway, a couple of houses clobbered by trees, some power lines down.  No one hurt.

James heaves a sigh, “Great way to start the holiday.  With a wind event.”  He looks at me.  “You look scared.”  I nod smally.  He pulls my chair - they are wheeled - to him, “Hey.  This house can – and has – gone a week without power.  There’s a generator on the backside of the garage.”

“I’m not afraid of not having power.  It’s the tall trees.”

“Ahh.”  He rubs my back, “I had all the trees that could potentially do damage to the house cut before I moved in.”  He smiles encouragingly at me.  “I got you.”  I just blush and smile.  He rests his left hand on my right arm and returns to eating his pizza.  I ate what I could with my left hand.

As we clean up from dinner, I can tell he’s still super sore.  I gently take his hand, “Come with me.”  I make him sit on the sofa as I stand behind.  I dig into his shoulders with my fingers.  His shirt gets in the way, so I tug it off him.  Then I return to digging into his shoulders.  His upper arms.  His neck I’m a little more careful around with the herniated disc.  I watch as his eyes slowly close.  I gently stop digging into his muscles and start just rubbing, touching him.  I look around the room.  Although the living room is still filled with storage bins, it feels festive.  The lights on the tree twinkle warmly.  The fire sheds a warm glow to the room.  The fresh smell of pine fills the house.  James snores loudly.  I just smile at him.  I turn off the fireplace and figure out which switch is the tree.  “Hey sleepy head, c’mon” I pull his hand.  He sniffs awake, stands and follows me to our bedroom.

He disappears into the bathroom as I tug down the covers and drop my clothes to the floor.  He pads to the bed naked and slides into it, pulling me close to his body as I pull the covers over us.  His lips caress my neck, “I’m sorry that this has worn me out so.”

“I blame the altitude.”

“Colorado’s or mine?” there’s a smile in his voice.

“Both.”  I wrap my arms around his.  I feel his breath on the back of my neck, his nose buried in my hair.  My eyes close as his breathing evens out.

I don’t hear the winds at all.

I am reduced to a sticky mess.....

Happy 1995🍻🍻

Need this! But hold on to your wallets ....

LOAD FANS ALERT 🗣🗣🗣

Da bulge......

Snow Way to Escape

I originally posted this a while ago, but I think I screwed it up. So, here's a re-write that has become the prologue to several other fics that are in the wings. I hope you enjoy it!!

Warnings:  Angst, Sex Suggested

Why did I ever fall for this man?!  Is he talented?  Yes.  Is he good looking?  Damn yes.  Is he great in bed?  Fuck yes.  Is he being a dick?  All holy hells yes.  Has been since he got home from the road.  Am I regretting moving to his place in Colorado?  Right now.  Yes.  His last dig at me has me packing my carry on and putting my computer into my backpack while wiping away the tears I swore I wouldn’t shed.  I can walk away from everything I can’t fit into these two bags.  I looked over at the smart home device for the time.  It’s 3pm.  The notification bar was flashing yellow.  “Computer, what’s the notification?”  The robotic voice responds, “For the Vail Colorado area, the National Weather Service has issued the following weather warning.  A severe winter storm is forecast to begin snowing heavily at 2pm local time with heavy snow levels accumulating to 3 to 4 feet, drifting 6 to 8 feet.”  The rest of the warning went unheard as I grabbed my two bags, the note I’d written, and ran to the front door.  I dropped the bags on the floor, still clutching the note, as I saw my plans end.  Opening the front door I slowly walk outside into the dark, the snow had already been falling.  Big fat fluffy flakes so thick I could barely see the light at the end of the driveway.  Looking over to the garage door, “No, no no no, no!”  The drift was already a good 2 feet tall.  For a split second I thought about taking his damned truck.  It would easily clear that drift.

“What the hell are you doing?” James yelled from the open front door, looking between me and the bags on the floor.

Taking one last glance at the pile of snow blocking the garage door, I turn back to the house, “Well, I was going to leave you.”  I slapped my note into his chest.  Pushing past him, I collected my bags and slowly made my way back to the room that I had claimed as my own a week before.

“What the fuck!?” James yelled just before slamming the front door closed.

I kept walking dejectedly.  Making it back to the room, I tossed the backpack onto the bed and just stood there clutching the carry on.  I could hear James come storming down the stairs.  “What the fuck?  You are leaving me?”  I turned.  His usually glacier blue eyes now a threatening dark blue filled with rage.

“Well, mother nature said no” as I motioned to the now very dark window.  “Not tonight anyway.”

I heard the paper flutter to the floor.  “Why?”  The pain in his voice was natural, not forced.  It pinched my heart.

I turned to him but couldn’t look him in the eye.  “What was the one thing I asked of you when we started dating?”  He just stood there.  Then I did look at his face.  He was obviously thinking.  “I asked you to not compare me to the exes.”  He nodded slowly.  “I am not them and the exes are not me” I raged at him.  The rage fading from his eyes.  “But ever since you got home from the tour, you have been … well …”

“A dick” he finished my sentence.

“Yes” I snapped.  I put the carryon I was still holding on the bed.  “You have done nothing but compare me to them for months.”  I turned back to him, “The final straw was when you started counting your cash.”  His eyebrows knitted together.  “Every night before you go to bed, you count the cash in your pocket, put it in your wallet which you put on your nightstand.  Then in the morning after you shower and get dressed, you count it again.”  His fingers twitched as he processed what I said.  “I don’t need your money.”  He just looked at me.  “I have my own career and my own bank account.”  He continued to stare at me.  “I could have taken your damned $90 thousand dollar truck and left you the Shelby that I paid $125 thousand for.”  He cocked his head but didn’t ask.  I answered anyway.  “Taking your truck I would have gotten pulled over by your state trooper friends in a heartbeat.  That would be a felony.  And you would have no say if I got arrested or not.”  I turned away from him shaking slightly.  “Right now, you are not worth a felony on my record.”  I moved to the desk and sank into the chair.

He looked around the room.  The realization hit him, “When did your stuff get down here?”

I huffed a smile, “James, I moved down here a week ago.”  He looked at me.  “You didn’t notice that I wasn’t sleeping in your bed?”

His hands kinda flapped uselessly, “I thought you were coming to bed after me and getting up before…”

“Thanks for noticing” I said sorta like Eeyore.

His eyebrows knitted together again, “But the sheets got changed.”

“Yes they did” I just looked up at him.

“And the kitchen … the dishes … the laundry …”

“The grocery shopping, collecting the mail, dusting” I looked down at my hands. 

“Why?”

“Who else was gonna do it?” I dug back at him.  “It’s not like you’d do any of those things.”  He huffed a moment but didn’t say anything.  “I wanted to hire a cleaning team, but you went almost mental on me about that.”

“I don’t want someone just rummaging through my shit” he flared.

“I understand that” I tried to stay calm.  “But there are teams that specialize in people of your status.  Plus” I pointed to the monitors on the desk, “I have a job!  One that I enjoy!” my temper trying to flare.  I leaned my elbows on the desk rubbing my eyes. 

He was quiet for a minute.  “Look, this storm is going to blow for a couple of days” he said trying to stay calm.  “Let’s get some sleep.”  I just nodded.  He stepped backwards out of the room collecting the note from the floor, “We can talk in the morning.”  He softly closed the door.

I looked at the closed door.  His cologne lingered.  More than just his cologne.  Him.  The tears started to fall.  I let them.  Sniffling, I decided to take a soak in the tub.  Starting the water, I dumped in some salts from the cupboard, then sank into the hot water.  I mulled over the past 8 months.  The good, the bad.  More tears.  When the water turned cool, I got out, drained the tub and climbed into the bed.  The heat from the soak worked a charm and I was asleep in minutes.

I woke up still wrapped in the towel from the tub soak.  I slipped out of the bed, pulling on jammies and a robe.  I opened the bedroom door.  I could hear that James was in his studio.  It was a super crunchy riff floating through the house.  Smiling to myself, I went into the kitchen.  Pulling out what I needed to make a breakfast sandwich, I looked at the items on the counter.  It’s just as easy to make three as just one.  I left two on a plate in the fridge covered with a paper towel, with “Zap for 30 seconds” written on it.  I left another note on the counter, “Breakfast in fridge.”  Collecting my sandwich, a granola bar and a couple cans of Severed Lime from the fridge, I returned to my room.  Pulling my computer out of my backpack, I logged into work.

My chat window opened:

Boss:  You make the flight?

Me: No.  Got snowed in.

Boss:  You ok?

Me:  Meh

Boss:  Wanna talk?

Me:  Not right now.

Me:  I’m going Marinas Trench.  I need to get the last three chapters done.  They’re late.

Boss:  Understood.  Don’t worry about being late.  I’ll put in a good word for ya!

Me:  Thanks.

I clicked on the Out of Office option.  Then opened the files I needed from the New York servers and ate my sandwich waiting for the computers to synch.  Once done, I launched into where I’d left off.

I had no idea how long I’d been working until there was a soft knock on the door.  “Hey?” came James’ voice.

I turned to the door, “Yeah?”

“May I come in?”

Stretching, “Yeah.”

James came in and leaned against the wall.  “You sleep ok?”

Uncurling my legs from the chair, “Yes, thank you.”  Looking over at him.  “You?”

“Yeah, ok” he said.  He looked like shit.

I cocked a smile at him, “Liar.”

He huffed a laugh, “I don’t think I slept at all.”  He scrubbed his fingers through his silvered hair.  “Thanks for the breakfast sandwiches.”

I nodded, “You’re welcome.”  He kept trying to look at my computer monitors.  “What are you doing?”

“I guess I don’t know exactly what your job is.”

Patting the end of the bed, “Sit” I said.  He sat and leaned forward.  “I’m an editor.”  I rotated back to face the monitors.  “This screen is the book I’m working on” pointing to the monitor on the right.  “This screen” motioning to the one on my left, “are my notes.  The laptop in the middle just keeps me awake.”  I paused the cheesy disaster movie.

“Why the notes?” his curiosity was genuine.

“Well .. here” I pointed to a block of text highlighted on the right screen.  “The author has brought in a new character that has no backstory.  If this character was just in this paragraph it wouldn’t matter, but it shows up several more times.”  Pointing to the text on the left monitor with matching highlighting, “These are my notes back to the author asking about a backstory for this character.” 

James shifted to my left so see the screen.  “And how many notes does this author have from you?”

“On this book” I looked to the page count in the lower left corner of the window, “92.”

“Really?” he seemed shocked.

Stretching out my back, “Yeah, this guy tends to get lost in his own words.  So, I have to try to get him back out of the woods.”  I turned back towards James.  “You have never asked about my job before.  Why now?”

He sat back and looked at me.  “Because your note is correct.”  He rubbed his hands nervously on his thighs, “I haven’t taken any interest in you … outside of the bedroom.”

I heaved a sigh, “I probably should have edited my own writing.”

“No” his eyes popped up to my face.  “No.  You were right.  You were probably pissed as hell when you wrote that note.”  He ran his hands through his hair – which he did when he was nervous.  “But every word was true.  I have treated you like a whore.  I have compared you to the exes.  I have not discovered you … about you.”  His shoulders slumped some.  “I am sorry.”

That hit my heart.  Hard.  I rested my fingers on his knees.  “James.  I can accept your apology.”  His glacier blue eyes found mine.  “I can see that you mean it.”  Those gloriously blue pools now filled with doubt.  “But you will have to work on the forgiveness.”  I withdrew my fingers from his knees slowly.

Nodding, “I completely understand.”  His smile slightly lopsided.  “Will you please give me the chance to earn that forgiveness?”

I watched him a moment.  Then, smiling back at him, “Yes” I said softly.  His eyes brightened along with his smile as he stood.  “By the way” I looked up at him – damn but he’s tall.  “I really liked that crunch you had going this morning.  It sounded amazing!”

Incredibly, his eyes lit up even more, “You really liked that?”

“Yes” I smiled up at him.

“Thanks.”  He fidgeted.  “Uhmm, what would you like for dinner?”

“What time is it?” I asked looking at my computer screen.

“It’s like 3pm.  But since you made breakfast, I thought I’d make dinner.”

Nodding at him, “I will leave that to the chef.”

Nodding as he moved towards the door, “You like your steak …?”

Smiling at him, “Medium Rare.”  He closed the door with a grin.  My head was laughing Of course it would be steak!  My laptop pinged.

Boss:  Surface to Marianas Trench…. (I love my boss!)

Me:  evening.

Boss:  How’s it going?

Me:  Half way through last chapter.

Boss:  And the other thing…..?

Me:  Perhaps there is a chance here.

Boss:  ????

Me:  He just invited me to dinner.

Boss:  I thought it was snowing there still.

I took a picture out the window of the thickly falling snow and attached it to the chat.

Boss:  So?

Me:  He’s making me a steak.

Boss:  Ahh.  Well, then you need to go get ready!

Me:  Right after I finish this chapter.  Then I’m all caught up on this book.

Boss:  Fine. 

Boss:  Hope it goes well!

Me:  Thanks!

I finished the last chapter fairly quickly since it was not a complete chapter.  Saving both files to the servers and sending the links to the author – with the boss cc’d on that email – I closed down my computer.  Standing up and stretching, I moved to the bathroom.  I decided to take a shower and wash my hair.  If James was going to put in the effort to change, so could I.  No more being a slob.  I sat on the bed drying my hair when there was a tap on the door.  I popped up and grabbed the robe.  “Yes?”  No answer.  I opened the door.  There hanging on the light fixture in the hallway was a garment bag.  A postit note stuck to it.  Dinner at 6pm.   Smiling, I collected the bag and closed the door.  Laying the bag on the bed I opened it.  I only got about 6 inches open when I gasped.  Inside was a dark green velvet gown with beaded trim around the scoop neckline.  It was the dress I’d told him about.  I’d even made him watch the movie.  James had had it made.  He’d threatened to have it made for me to wear to the next awards show.  But I never thought he’d do it.  That was just a month or so after we’d started dating.  I looked at the clock.  5pm.  I had time.  I went back into the bathroom and did some tidying up.  Did my makeup and pinned up the hair.  I knew that he loved my long hair, but this gown … the hair had to be up.  Going back to the bed, I pulled the gown from the bag.  I slipped into it.  With the plunging back to just above my ass, I was completely commando beneath it.  I went to move the garment bag and it felt heavy.  Patting it down, I discovered a pair of heels.  They glittered with the same rhinestones as the trim.  Just as I slipped them on, there was a single tap at the door.  I opened the door.  The hallway was empty.  But there was a pink post it note on the floor.  Squatting down – if I’d bent over the gown would have slipped off me – I picked it up.  There was a doodle on it.  I couldn’t figure it out.  But looking up the hallway was another post it.  Another doodle.  As I walked to the stairs, there were more postit notes.  Each with a doodle.  I climbed the stairs and turned into the living room.  There stood James.  In his Brioni tux.  The sight took my breath.  Damn!  He looked good!  And he was holding another postit note, a crooked smile on his face.  He held it out to me.  The doodle on this one was a rose.

“Oh!”  I held out the ones I’d collected, “These are rose petals!”

Blushing, “Yeah, I couldn’t go get a real rose, so I improvised.”

I gently collected the one he held, “It’s lovely.”  I looked up into his eyes, “Thank you.”

James held out his hand to me – which I took – and he slowly spun me.  “I should have given this to you ages ago.”  He lifted my hand to his lips and kissed it.  “You look stunning.”  I just blushed.  James tucked my hand into his elbow and gently led me down the hallway away from the kitchen and into the formal dining room.  He’d set the table.  There were candles on it and two place settings.  He pulled out the chair for me and scooched it in when I sat.  “The staff seems to have not reported to work this evening, so I will have to substitute” he said in a really bad French accent.  I giggled.  His eyes lit up.  “I shall return madam.”  I giggled even more.  James disappeared into the kitchen.  I put the pile of post it note petals on the table.  He returned with two plates.  Each bore a steak, a pile of green beans and a large slice of bread smothered in butter.  I smiled.  He was trying.  I cut into the steak and took a bite.

“How is it?” James asked.

Swallowing, “Perfection” I said.  He dug into his own.  I took a bite of the green beans.  A couple were still pretty frosty.  I didn’t say a word, but just smiled.  The bread was a garlic sourdough that I loved.  The butter was a bit much, but again, I wasn’t going to complain.  James had obviously put some thought into making dinner and I wasn’t going to ruin it.  I’d had worse meals. 

“The weather is forecasting that this snow will last another 48 hours or so” James said.

The weather.  A safe place to start.  “I haven’t listened to the weather or news today.”

“Did you get your book done?” James leaned towards me.

“I did.”

“How many do you edit?” his blue eyes clear and piercing.

“Uhm.  I have about 20 items in the wings to work on.”  I took a sip of the Squeezed to Death Orange in my glass.  He’d used champagne flutes for the sparkling water.

“Why so many?” James looked at me with raised eyebrows.

“Some are just articles.”  I put my fork down, “It all depends on release dates.  The one I worked on today is supposed to release after the New Year.  The others have release dates after that one.”

“It has nothing to do with whom the author is?”

Pushing my plate away and leaning on the table, “Sometimes.  All depends on the author and release dates.”  I looked at him.  He was genuinely interested.  “If it’s big wig author and the release date is close, then that file gets bumped to the top of the pile.”

“Who is the biggest author you have edited?”  His smile was slightly crooked.

“I don’t get the Mitchell’s or the King’s”  I grinned.

“Why not?”

“My boss says that I’m too brutal with my notes” I slow blinked him.

James sat up.  “Yeah, you can be.”  He used his napkin on his lips.  “But perhaps they need those brutal notes.”  He smiled at me.  “As a recipient, I can attest that it kicked my ass into changing how I think.”  He held out a hand to me.  I laid my fingers into it.  “And I thank you.”  I didn’t know what to say.  He simply laid his other hand over my fingers and smiled at me.  Then he popped up, “Dessert” he said collecting our plates.  I squirmed in my seat.  My thoughts ranging all over the place.  He had totally messed me up.  Again.  Just like he had when we’d met.  He returned with two small plates.  Piled creatively on each were four sandwich cookies held in place with cake frosting and topped with whipped cream.  He set them down with great flourish, “Tah dah!”

Trying my best to not snort out a laugh, “I’m sure that the patisserie chef labored all day to create these delicacies.”  James did snort out a laugh.  Which made me burst out in laughter.  I picked up one of the cookies and happily munched it.  James retook his seat and tucked into his plate.  “Seriously, these turned out pretty good” I said licking whipped cream from my fingers.

“The frosting isn’t too much?” James asked seriously.

“No.  It’s just the right amount” I said scooping the last bit up on my finger.

James grabbed my hand and gently sucked the frosting from my finger.  I didn’t retract my hand but did go a little stiff.  He kissed the back of my hand before pushing it back tenderly towards my body, smiling at me.  “I’m sorry” he said kindly.  “Just a little too soon.”

Looking down at my now empty dessert plate, “Maybe not” I said softly.  I knew he couldn’t see it, but my thighs squeezed together tightly.

“Perhaps I should escort the lady back to her room” he said looking down at his plate, “before I make a compete fool of myself.  Again.”  He smiled at me as he stood, offering me his hand.

I took his offered hand, collected the postit notes and stood.  He tenderly tucked my hand into his elbow and walked me back to the room I’d claimed as mine.  I turned at the door, “That was lovely James.”  I again slow blinked him, “Thank you.”  I wiggled his bow tie, then let my hand rest on his chest, “You look very handsome in this suit.”

He gently cupped my face and kissed my forehead.  “Thank you” he said softly.  His hands gently ran down my shoulders then arms to my hands, “I can’t wait to see you in this gown again.”  He lifted both my hands to his lips and kissed them.  “Good night.”  He took several steps backwards before turning.  I turned and opened the bedroom door.  I put the post it rose petals on the desk.  I kicked off the heels and then shrugged and let the gown slip off.  I stood there naked.  My desires wanted to race up to his room and let him have his way with me.  My integrity said no.  My curiosity wanted to know what James would do next.  Hanging the gown up, I decided another soak was in order.  I unpacked my waterproof vibrator on the way into the bathroom.

I was sound asleep.  I felt his hand on my shoulder, “Kira” he said softly.  He shook me slightly, “Kira, wake up.”  I opened my eyes to find James standing by the bed holding my robe.  “There’s something I want to show you.”  I fumbled out of the bed.  James helped me into the robe and then tucked me into his side, his left arm draping from my right shoulder down to my waist on the left side.  Wearing a huge coat and scarf, he guided me to the big sliding doors to the upper patio.  “Here, put these on.”  He guided my feet into a pair of fuzzy boots, then put on his own mukluks.  He opened the door and led me outside.  It was bitterly cold, trying to suck the air from my lungs.  James lifted the collar of the robe to cover my mouth, “Here this will help.”  It did make breathing easier.  I looked up and he had the scarf wrapped around his own mouth.  He opened his coat and his arms gently held my back close to his chest.  Then he pointed.  I followed his finger.

The clouds had parted and the sky was filled with stars.  The landscape was a blanket of white snow as far as I could see. The bitterly cold temperatures had crystalized the top of the snow.  The moon was rising.  It was reflecting on the frozen crystals making them glitter.  It looked like diamonds had been scattered over the ground.  “Here it comes!” he whispered excitedly into my ear, his breath warming my ear and neck.  I shivered.  My nipples hardened painfully.  Then the Aurora flared into life.  An undulating ribbon of greens, blues and purples danced into the sky.  I gasped.  The frozen snow below reflected the colors of the Aurora.  James wrapped his arms around me, one around my shoulders the other around my waist.  I leaned back into his warmth watching the magic of nature unfold in front of me.  I have no idea how long we stood there speechless at the beauty.  As quickly as it started, it ended.  “Wow” was all James said.

I leaned back into him, looking up at his chin, “Thank you for waking me.”  He hugged me tighter.  “That was stunning.”

His hands patted my body, “I am glad I shared it with you.”  He nodded towards the distant pass “And here comes the next round of snow.”  The clouds looked black and nasty in the now darkened sky since the Aurora had faded.

James kissed the top of my head.  “Now, you are shivering.  Let’s get back inside.”  He rotated us, his arms still wrapped around me.  We walked – a little awkwardly – back into the house, closing the big glass door behind him.  We both kicked off our boots.  He backed us into the sofa, pulling me down into his lap.  He reached over and pulled up a blanket.  He wrapped it around us.  I curled up into his arms shivering, my head resting on his chest.  His fingers gently stroked my hair.  Sleep reached up and grabbed me.

I woke up on the sofa with the blankets tucked in around me still wrapped up in my robe.  I could hear James in the kitchen.  I sat up.  “Morning sleepy head!” he chimed cheerily.  “Coffee?”  All I could do was nod.  He brought over my favorite mug filled with coffee.  I took a sip.  It was super sweet.  “Too much sugar?”  I nodded.  He went to pull the mug from my hands but I wouldn’t let it go. 

Instead I took a couple of huge slugs from it, “Now, just put more coffee into it and it will be fine.”  James went to the kitchen and grabbed the coffee pot bringing it back to me.  He filled my mug.  I swirled the mug and took a drink.  Smiling, “Yum” I beamed.  I looked out the window.  More snow had fallen over night.  The sky was still filled with grey snow clouds, but not snowing.  At the moment.

James collected his mug and sank into the sofa with me.  He flipped on the TV and tuned in the local news.  There were the stories about roofs collapsing under the weight of the snow, power lines down, cars sliding off the roads – one accident ending in a death.  “I’m glad you were smart enough to not drive that night” James whispered to me.

“Me too.”

I looked into his eyes.  The passion I saw there made my knees weak.  I reached up and wrapped my fingers around his head, pulling him to me.  I kissed him gently.  His eyes widened.  He cupped my head and kissed me back just as tenderly.  “So how are we going to spend the next day or so?” I asked teasingly.

James tightened his arm around my waist pinning me to his body, “I can think of a way” he rubbed his hands on my hips, “or two.”  He gently pushed me back, “Only if you want to.” 

I could tell that although his voice was joking, his eyes said that he’d changed.  I was no longer just a fuck buddy.  I was a woman that he wanted to spend time with.  In more ways than one.

“I’d like that” I purred.  “Just remember, you are still working on my forgiveness.”

He showered kisses all over my face, slowly pulling me towards his bedroom, “I know a way to start working on that” he growls softly at me. 

I just smiled and willingly let him lead me.