I Had To Correct This Image .... That's Better!

Da bulge......

Everybody loves a parade - Monday

I came up with this idea a while ago. I hope y'all enjoy it! There will be a post everyday this week - as the story continues!! Again, I left the name of the main character in the story. I find it difficult to write without it. Sorry!

Link to the beginning:

Today's post: Fluff, Shameless Product Placement (IYKYK)

Monday

I was so thrilled to be back in my city.  The Concrete Jungle.  The City that Never Sleeps.  The Big Apple.  NYC. 

The brisk fall air slaps my cheeks as I step out of the taxi in front of my building.  Turning back, I help collect the luggage from the cab trunk: Two suitcases, a pair of backpacks, one large garment bag and a guitar case.  My boyfriend pays the driver.

“Welcome back Miss Mooreland!”  Carl, the doorman, is quick to help with the luggage onto a cart.  “And your guest is?”

Smiling, “Carl, this is James.”

“A pleasure to meet you.  Here, let me get that for you.”  Carl reaches for the guitar case.

James quickly picks up the case.  “I can get that, thank you.”  He smiles at the doorman, “But would appreciate your help with the rest tho.”

“Of course!” Carl smiles back as he holds the door open for both of us.  “It’ll be up in a minute for you Miss Mooreland.”  Seeing another resident, “Mrs. Friedman, you and Floofy had a good walk I hope.”

The elderly woman scoops up the little lap yap yorkie, “We did Carl, thank you.”  Seeing me, “And you are back from your adventures?”

“Yes, Mrs. Friedman.”  Taking James elbow, “May I introduce you to James Hetfield?”  James offers his hand.

Shaking just his fingers, “Are your people from Wisconsin?”  Mrs. Friedman squints up at James’ face as she is shorter than me.

Blushing slightly, “I honestly do not know” James admits.

Letting go of his fingers, “Well, you have their height.”  Setting the little yorkie down, “Come along Floofy.  We need to visit Mr. Jefferies” as she pushes the call button for the elevator.  When it arrives, “Shall we share this one?” she asks.

“Thank you, Mrs. Friedman.”  I grab James’ hand, and we get into the small car.  Mrs. Friedman pushes the buttons for the 9th and 12th floors.  I smile kindly at the elderly woman.

“Will you be in town for the Holidays?” Mrs Friedman asks.

Nodding, “At least for the Parade.  James has not experienced it live.”

“Ah.  That will be fun.”  The elevator stops on floor 9.  “Here we go Floofy.”

“Have a good afternoon” I say to the old woman.  When the doors are closed, leaning back into James, “Booty call.”  James snorts a laugh as the doors open on the 12th floor.  “This way” I lead James down the hallway.  Opening the door, “Ahh!  Home.”

“Woah.”

My apartment is done all in white with tile flooring.  The furniture in tan is understated but comfy.  Dropping my backpack on a chair at the dining table, shedding my heavy jacket as well, I take James into the living room.  The large windows look out over Central Park.  The foliage in the park is a glorious mix of golds and reds with a smattering of evergreens.  The doorbell rings.  I leave James staring out the window.

“Thank you, Carl.”  I take the luggage from the doorman.

“Glad that you are back safely, Miss Mooreland.”

Laughing, “Carl, when are you going to call me Kira?”

Leaning into me, “When the old biddies are all gone!” Carl chuckles as he closes the front door.

James wraps his arms around my waist.  “This is a cool place!”  His coat now is on the chair with mine.

“It’s small, but home.”  Pointing to a room right by the front door, “My office.”  Taking his hand, “Kitchen.  You’ve seen the living room.  Guest bedroom, my bedroom and” opening the last closed door, “storage or Grandmother’s room.”  It’s taken all of about 20 steps for him.  50 for me.

“You weren’t kidding about it being small” James says as he investigates my bedroom.  The king bed almost fills the entire room.

Smiling awkwardly, “I like a big bed.”  Pointing to a darkened doorway, “Bathroom.”  Wandering back to the living room, “There are two more bathrooms as well.”  Collecting my backpack, I go into my office.  Flipping on the light, I wince a little.  The desk is covered in piles of folders, magazines, newspapers and books.

“Why would put your office in the smallest room?” James asks, “Why not clear out the other bedroom overlooking the park?”

Smiling up at him and wrapping my arms around him, “I’d never get any work done with that view.”

Frowning slightly, “Huh.”  James cups my head and plants a kiss on my lips.

Detangling myself from his body, I set my phone on the charging stand.  James pats his pockets and pulls out his phone checking its charge.  “Uhm, do you have a place I can plug in?” 

Digging into a desk drawer, I find a cord and plug one end into a hub.  Holding the other end to him, “A little Apple juice?” I smirk.

“That’s funny!” he chuckles as he takes the cord and plugs it into his phone. 

Kissing his bicep and I retrace my steps into the kitchen.  Checking the fridge, “Yikes.”

“What?”

I let the fridge door swing all the way open.  There’s a mustard bottle, ketchup, soy sauce, butter, and a few cans of Severed Lime.  The rest of the shelves were empty.  “I think we need to hit up the store.”

“uhm, I’d say so” James huffs a laugh. 

Quickly collecting my wallet, shrugging back into our big coats, I lock the door after stepping into the hallway.  James rests his hand in the small of my back inside the elevator.  Carl holds the door for us as we walk out onto the sidewalk.

James asks, “Cab?”

“On the way back.  It’s just a short walk there.”  Buttoning up my jacket, “But carrying the full grocery bags back can be a pain.”  Slipping my hand into his elbow, “This way” I smile up at him.  Although the parade is just a couple days away, the streets are only slightly crowded at the moment.  James is getting a little tense.  At the stoplight, I look up at him, “You ok?”

“Yeah,” he smiles down at me, “Just not used to so many people.”

Nodding, “Colorado is a lot less populated.”  Tugging him with me when the light changes we cross the street.

Entering the store, I grab a shopping cart.  Pulling out of the main traffic flow, “James, are we doing turkey dinner in or out?”

James steps in front of the cart, leaning his tattooed hands on it.  “I don’t know” he says honestly.

Smiling gently at him, “If you do the bird, I can do the rest.”

His face lights up, “Deal!”

Unbuttoning my coat, “Right then.  Meat department first.”

An hour of shopping and cab ride later – his height made hailing one super easy - we step from the taxi back at the building.  Carl is there immediately with the cart.  As I pay the driver, Carl and James load the groceries onto the cart.  The three of us and the cart take the elevator to the 12th floor.  At my front door, “Oh.  Carl, we have a turkey being delivered on Wednesday from the store.”  I hold the door for Carl to pull the cart inside my apartment.

“Thank you, Miss Mooreland.  I will add you to the list.”  Carl helps put the sacks on the counter.  As he pulls the cart back into the hallway, “Should I put it in your fridge if you are not available for the delivery?”

“Yes, please Carl.  I don’t know our plans just yet.”

Nodding, “I will see it’s taken care of.  Have a good evening!”  Carl makes certain that the front door clicks shut.

After putting all the groceries away, I set about making dinner.  James seems to be fascinated by the view out the living room window.  The sun is setting and dancing off the windows in the high rises.  The leaves in the park are dancing in the winds as they pick up.  After making sure that our dinner is simmering just right, setting a timer, I join him, slipping an arm around his waist.

He drapes his arm around my shoulders.  “I get it now.”

“Get what?”

“Why your office is in the back room.”

We stand there for a time just watching.  The trees.  The setting sun.  I point out a skein of geese flying over the Park.  Shifting me to stand in front of him, he wraps both arms around me.  I lean back into his chest.  A siren screams down the street.  I heave a sigh.

“Life in the big city, huh?”

“yeah” I sigh out.

The timer dings.

“That smells good.”  But his arms still remain wrapped around me.

I squeeze his arms, “It’s going to burn if I don’t take it out of the oven.”

Kissing my shoulder, “Don’t want that!” he rumbles into my ear.  Easing his hold on me, I move back into the kitchen.  He follows me.  “Is there something I can do to help?”

Opening a cabinet, “Yes, please.  Can you grab two of those big white bowls?”

“What?” he grins.  “You can’t reach those?”  He easily lifts the bowls down.  He holds them tightly as I try to collect them.

“Thank you” I purr at him.  He lifts my chin and tenderly kisses me.  I breathe deeply.  His cologne, the faint cigar smoke, him, fills my nose.  “Dinner is going to burn” I purr.  He huffs a laugh gently, letting go of the bowls.

I check on the rice and open the oven door.  The steam from the paella wafts out.  Pulling the dish out, I set it on the stove to cool.

“Where will I find silverware?” James asks sincerely.

“Oh.  Thanks!  That drawer.  And there are glasses in that cabinet.”  Tasting the paella, I add just a couple grinds of pepper.  “Napkins are in that drawer.”

I watch him go about setting the table.  This, the megarocksuperstargod that I about dumped three months ago, doing a mundane task.  A freak September snowstorm gave us a second chance.  He has been working on changing.  So have I.  It’s not been an easy road.  We have had some heated discussions.  We have had some intensely deep discussions.  But - so far - we have agreed that this is the best relationship either of us have had and it’s worth the effort to make it work.  His offering to set the table is just one more step in the right direction for us.  It was his idea for us to spend Thanksgiving in NY.  That he’d be willing to give up the sanctity of his Colorado home for the big city during one if its biggest events spoke volumes to me. 

As I dish out the rice and paella into the bowls, James collects drinks for both of us from the fridge.  “Squashed or Severed?” he asked.

“Either will work with the paella.”

Smiling at me, “Blended it will be!”  Filling two large glasses with ice, he pours half of one can into each glass, adding half of the second can to each.  Taking a spoon from the drawer, he gives them a gentle stir.  He carries them to the table, me following with the bowls.

Taking a bite of the paella, “This is so good!” James smiles at me.

“Thanks.”  I smile gently.

“What’s that look for?” his concern genuine.

“My Grandmother taught me to make it.”

Taking another big bite, “She taught you well” James smiles at me.  “Tell me about her.”

Sighing, “She raised me from the time I was three.”  James looks at me and puts his spoon down.  “My parents died” I shrugged off the memories.  Looking around the apartment, “She bought this apartment when it was new before I was born.”  Taking a sip of the concoction James had made, “That’s good!” I smile at him.  Hie eyes light up.  “When I was 23, she added me to the paperwork.”  Smiling awkwardly at him, “When she died, it reverted to me.”  I set the glass down.  “I didn’t mean to be a Debbie downer.”

James rests his hand on mine, “I’m sorry about your parents.  But it seems that you have a lot of happy memories here with your Grandmother.”

“I do.”  I took another sip.  “I am grateful for everything she gave me.  This apartment.  My love for reading that got me my job.”  I smile at James.  “Her cookbook!” I giggle.

Picking his spoon back up, “Me too!” he chuckles at me.

We finish dinner talking about my childhood memories in this apartment.  Going to the Parade.  The Rockettes.  The windows.  The baking.  Summers playing in the park.  The fall trips to Vermont to go leaf peeping.

As we clean up, James really looks around.  “This kitchen is newer.”

Nodding, “I upgraded about six years ago.”  Shuddering, “It needed it.”

“That bad?”

Patting his chest as I leave the kitchen, “Think avocado green and shag carpet.”

James shudders.  “Shag carpet?”

“Yup.  The whole place.”

“Blech!”  He sinks into the sofa, pulling me with him.  “It looks good now.”

“Thanks.”

He presses a kiss to my neck.  Leaning back, “So what’s the schedule tomorrow?”

Twisting slightly and leaning into his chest, “I have three articles that need to get finished.  Two won’t take long.  But the third one, she gets technical and I have a lot to look up.”

“You have to look up?”

“Yeah.  I made the mistake once to not double check and there was holy hell to pay.  Not making that mistake again."

James wraps a hand around my head and kisses my hair.  “While you are working, then I want to get to the management company office.  They will probably insist on taking me out to lunch.”  He looks at my face, “That ok with you?”

Again, my heart is warmed that he’s really trying.  A few months ago, he would have just taken off and not said a damn word to me.  “Yes.”  I kiss his chin, “Just bring me the leftovers, please.  I will probably forget to eat lunch.”

Patting my stomach, “You got it!” his eyes sparkle as he grins.  Looking out the window, “Dang, it gets dark here early.”

“Yeah.  And sadly, we don’t get the stars.”

“Too many lights.”

“Yup.”  Leaning forward I grab the TV remote and power up the system.  We watch a little bit of the local news.  After the weather report – potential snow flurries for the Parade – I change the channel to a nature show.  I can feel him looking at me.  “The rest of the news will be shootings, stabbings, holdups.”  Looking up at him, “Sunday will be game day.”  His eyes light up.  “Yes, I get all the games.  I have the morning game, you have the afternoon game.”  He looks like a kid that just got handed the keys to the candy store.

“I’ll stop on the way back tomorrow and get some ribs from that store.”

“I’ll text you the address” I smile up at him.  “And my address so you have it.”

Gently kissing me, “And text me anything else you want to go with the ribs.” 

He wraps his fingers around the back of my neck and messages it.  “mmmm.  That feels good” I murmur.

Leaning into my ear, “It’s been a long day.  Let’s get a shower” his voice a velvet rumble.

I stand, power off the TV and take his hand, pulling him from the sofa leading the way to my bathroom.  It is a bit smaller than his in Colorado.  But the white marble and glass stall fit us both comfortably.  We take turns washing each other’s hair and scrubbing each other’s backs.  I wrap my hair up in a second towel, using a bath sheet around my body.  James, wraps in a towel, goes to his luggage and pulls out his toiletries bag.  I am brushing my teeth when he comes back, claiming the second sink and starts brushing his teeth.  Finishing drying my hair, I hang up both my towels and pad naked to my bed.

Flipping off the bathroom light, a very naked James joins me between the sheets.  He wraps me in his arms, pulling me to his chest.  Kissing my forehead, “I can’t believe I almost let this slip between my fingers.”

I snuggled in closer, “Well, you got lucky” I purr.

Kissing me tenderly, “Yes.”  Another kiss.  “I got very lucky.”  He tucks my head under his chin, his left hand playing with my hair.  His right hand holding me securely to his chest.

I fall asleep listening to his heartbeat.

Rockies Christmas - Day 14

Warnings: Fluff, Marvel Universe Referenced, New Years celebrations, (Hang on!  It’s cumming!  {see what I did there}) Finger Fucking, NSFW

Guide: CBF = Cali’s Boyfriend / CGF = Castor’s Girlfriend / MBF = Marcella’s Boyfriend {I didn’t want to give them names}

The day dawns bright.  Right into my eyes.  Patting the bed, James’ side is empty.  Then I hear the toilet flush.  I slip out of my side and pad into the bathroom.  James scoops me into his arms, planting a kiss on me.  “Morning gorgeous!”

My hands find his shoulders, “Morning handsome!” and kiss him.  Then I sniff.  And look at him.

“Shower.”  He picks me up and carries me into the shower stall.  As I wash his body, I am amazed at how quickly he’s healing.  James sees the look on my face, “What?”

“Are you sure you’re not part Wolverine?” as I gently caress his bruised face.

“I might be.  I was back onstage 15 days after the fire.”

“How the hell where you able to do that?  You had to have been in serious pain.”

“Just stubborn idiocy.”  He rinses my hair.  “And I didn’t want to disappoint the fans after what happened.”  He gently kisses me.  “I promised myself after that happened, if at all possible, I’d get my ass on stage.”

“You should be proud of yourself.  You’ve done pretty good.”

He turns off the water, “It was because of me that the Australian dates had to be cancelled.”

I kiss his wet back, “That was needed.”  I turn him, “And I am proud of you.  That environment is tough to stay sober in.”

“Hey lovebirds!  Pancakes!” comes from downstairs.

I am almost dumped on the shower floor as James bolts to get dressed, “PANCAKES!”

“Go!” comes from downstairs.

It took me a little longer to get dressed before I could make my way to the kitchen.  I snort a laugh as I see James sitting at the table behind a stack of about eight cakes on his plate. 

Marcella is at the stove grinning.  As she flips another cake, “I made a whole batch just for Dad” she tells me.

When everyone is done, I kick the kids out of the kitchen and start with the clean-up.  James helps with the unload on the dishwasher.  He puts the big platters away in the high cupboard.  He smacks my ass when I bend over to put the cookie sheets in the drawer under the range.  I stand up rubbing my butt, “That one hurt.”

Pulling me to him, “I can kiss it and make it all better” he grins at me.

“Gross Dad!”  “Take it upstairs!”  “There’s kids here!” comes from the table.

We snort in laughter.

As we finish with loading the dishwasher and starting it, CBF comes into the kitchen.  “Out.”  We quickly depart the kitchen.  Cali sits on a stool and watches her man with a grin, hand on her belly.

“Hey Dad, are there still skis downstairs?” Castor asks.

“No.  I donated those to the ski school a couple of years ago.  Why?”

“I thought about doing a couple of runs.”

“You could call the run and see if they can help out.  You’d need them to be brought here and a tow to the lift.  I’m not driving today.”

Castor uses the house phone.  By the look on his face, it’s not what he wanted to hear.  “They don’t have someone to do the tow.  I guess a bunch called in sick today.”

James pats Castor’s knees as he sits on the sofa, “Sorry about that buddy.”

“Mind if bang awhile?”

James gives his son a look, “When did you grow up?”

“When you did” Castor gives his Dad a look.

“Will you two please go bang away!” Marcella gives them both a look.

“Race ya!  First one gets the drums!” James is grinning broadly.

“Now!” Marcella yells and they bolt from the room.  Laughter is heard from the studio.  Quickly followed by drums being played.  “Castor won” Marcella states.

I go to the tree and start collecting the empty gift boxes and collapsing them.  Marcella joins me, flattening out the tissue paper.  We manage to manhandle the boxes to the bedroom I’ve set up as my office.

Seeing the monitors and computer, “Whose set up is this?” Marcella asks.

“Mine.”

“Those monitors are huge.”

“I have bigger ones on my desk at work.”  I open the closet door, and the wrapping paper bin falls out.  We both giggle as we wrangle the rolls back into the bin. 

“How often do you have to work?”

“You mean you haven’t seen me working?” I grin.  She nods.  “I got the top files done the first week of December.  If something gets pressing, my boss would have called me.” 

The boxes threaten to fall off the shelf, but Marcella gets them organized and closes the closet door.  I slid the bin of papers under the bed.

“Don’t let Dad see that.”

“I’ll move it later.  Thank you, I appreciate the help” I tell her on the way back upstairs.

“You’re welcome.”  She stops on the stairs and turns to me, “I have noticed a change in Dad.  A good change.  What happened?”

“I was ready to walk out the door, but didn’t get out before the snow in September.”

“What aren’t you telling me.”

“My boss edits my notes to the authors that I edit.  I can be a little blunt.  Sometimes harsh.”  I sigh, “I was downright mean in the letter I wrote to James.”  I heave a sigh, “He still says that my bluntness was what he needed to see that he was being a …” I hesitate.

“A jerk?”

“That’s a nicer word” I smile.

“Your ring.”

“This is not an engagement ring” I look at my diamond encrusted band.  “I told him that I could accept his apology.  But that he’d have to work on my forgiveness.”  I play with the ring, “He said that this is his promise ring to me that he will work for that forgiveness every day.”

“I like you” she states simply.

I grin at her.  “James has told me that he will never marry again.  I told him that I don’t need the blessing of an archaic theological institution to say that I can love someone.”

“Soooo, you love Dad.”

Patting her shoulder, “With every fiber of my being” I tell her from my soul.  Marcella nods and we continue up the stairs into the living room.

Father and son are still pounding out music in the studio – all songs from other artists.  Marcella, myself, CGF, Cali, CBF and MBF all sit around the living room.  We occasionally pause when the song from the studio changes.  We start to see who can name the song first.  The discussion then goes into the memories of the new song.

“We could help you take this stuff down” Cali offers.

“No thank you.  I’ll get it taken down later” as I snuggle into the sofa a little.

CBF stands, “I need to check the Jambalaya” as he goes into the kitchen.

CGF looks at Cali, “You are so lucky.  Castor can barely boil water.”

“Yeah, but he can order a mean pizza” Cali deadpans back.

Nodding to Cali, “He learned that from his Dad.”  I manage a straight face for about 30 seconds.  Then there’s outright laughter.  “CBF, that smells wonderful!” I smile at the young man as he returns to the living room.

“Thank you.  It still needs a little longer.”

James and Castor walk into the living room, arms around each other’s shoulders.  Both sweating.  “Bit of a workout?” I ask them.

Using the hem of his t-shirt – exposing his still bruised belly - James wipes his brow, “Little bit.”  He sinks into the sofa next to me dropping his hand on my knee.  I smile softly at him.  Castor picks CGF up, sits and plops her into his lap.

“Was that better than skiing?” James smiles at his boy.

Castor laughs, “Not nearly as messy.”  CGF gives him a look.  “Wet snowsuit, wet socks, snow covered boots …”

“Usually left in the middle of the hallway.  Skis dropped in the driveway” James smiles at his kids.

“Hey!  Those weren’t my skis!” Castor says pointing at Marcella, who smacks her brother’s leg.

“I never left my boots in the hallway” Cali says.

“No, you’d leave yours in the garage and then complain that they were frozen the next day” James points out with a grin.

Nodding, “Ok yeah, I did that all the time” she confesses with a grin.  Then she looks at her belly.  Total fear written on her face.  “Dad?”  She looks again, “It feels weird.”  CBF is ready to jump up and dial 911.

James is instantly sitting on the table in front of her.  “Show me.”  She puts his big hand on her bump.  James feels around a minute, then grins and kisses her forehead.  “That’s your baby moving.”

She works her fingers under his big hand, “Really?”

“Yup.  Right there.”  James smiles, “That’s probably a foot.  Too early to tell for certain.”

Cali’s eyes tear up, “That’s our baby” she leans into CBF’s shoulder.  His hand joins Cali’s, wonder etched on his face.

James returns to my side, draping his arm around my shoulders.  “You used to kick your Mom really hard” James tells Cali.  “Especially late at night.”  Looking to Marcella, “You had your butt out almost the whole time.”  He smiles at me, pulling me closer to him.  “I should have known that you’d be the drummer” he looks at his son.

“Why?” CGF asks.

“His hands were constantly playing a rhythm!”  Smiling at Cali, “Your child will only get more active as time goes on.  Sleep while you can.”

CBF, with his hand still on her belly, “I’ll see that she does.”

Pointing to the young man, “Good answer.”

“I remember the first time you took us skiing!” Marcella laughs.  “I think I spent more time sitting in the snow than standing on my skis!”

Cali points to her dad, “I remember the trip to Hawaii where you ended up carrying me because I lost a water shoe!”

James huffs a laugh “My favorite memory is the look on your faces when that elephant charged the jeep!”

They spend time dredging up memories of family trips, holidays, tours and school events.  I feel James flinch slightly at some of the school things the kids talked about.  Evidently he’d missed a few.

Castor looks at CBF, “When’s dinner?”

“About 40 minutes from now.”

Castor just looks at everyone with his own goofy grin smeared on his face.

“Hang on Castor.  I want Kira to see the Torchlight Parade and Fireworks” James says.  I look up at James.  “They ski down the main run with flares lit right after sunset” he looks at the clock on the shelf “in about 20 minutes.  Then there are fireworks lit.  Not as big a show as the Fourth, but still decent.”

I smile, “I like fireworks.”

MBF leans forward on his knees, “You should the ones in Vancouver BC.  It’s three nights.”

“Isn’t there a huge competition for fireworks?” CBF looks to MBF.

MBF thinks a second, “I think that’s the one in Finland.  There are a couple of others in the states, but not as big as Finland.”

Nodding, “We’ll have to see about getting to one of those” James hugs my shoulders.

“Can we see the skiers from the house?” I look up at James. 

“Yes.  But the best place is outside on the patio.  Which means, we’ll need coats and boots.”  He stands up and pulls me to my feet.  “I want to change shirts.  This one is a little damp” as he pulls it off. 

I toss him a look as he knows I love to see his body undressed.  Even bruised.

Everyone is searching for a coat and boots when Marcella yells from the living room, “There’s the warning shot!”  A small firework booms.

Wearing my big coat, I’m tugging on my mukluks when James comes up behind me bumping his hips into mine.  Putting a hand on the wall to keep from being knocked into it, I look over my shoulder at him.  He’s giving me a wicked grin.  Standing up, I turn to him caressing his face with both hands, “Later” I purr at him.

“It’s starting!” MBF calls.

James gets his boots on and follows me to the patio.  It’s quite the sight of all the skiers, each holding a flare, coming down the hill making a zig-zag pattern down the main run.  James wraps his arms around me, pulling me into his chest.  I reach back and grab his pants and pull his hips closer to me.  He growls gently into my ear. 

The fireworks start almost as soon as the last skier gets to the bottom of the run.  James was correct that it was a relatively short show but still pretty.  I sigh as it ends.

“Dinner’s probably done” CBF says.  “Who’s hungry?” he grins.  CBF leads the way into the kitchen with coats and boots left by the patio door.

“I think I forgot something, but it turned out ok” he grins as he dishes out dinner. 

Taking my bowl, I sit with the others at the kitchen table.  I take a couple of bites.  “It’s delicious.”  Looking at Cali, she has a bowl of rice with a little of the Jambalaya in a separate bowl.  “Tum?”

“Don’t know yet.  I’m going to take it easy.”

“Good thinking” James smiles at her.

Marcella makes CBF sit as she, Castor and CGF clean up – which doesn’t take long.

“Ok.  There’s about six hours to midnight.  Six more episodes?” again Castor with the goofy grin.  For the win.  He almost skips leading the way into the media room. 

After four episodes, “I could use another bowl of Jambalaya” James declares.  He almost dumps me off the sofa as he stands up, barely catching me before I hit the floor, both of us laughing.  Even MBF reached out to help me.

As we walk to the kitchen, Castor drops an arm around my shoulders, “You might regret Dad having another bowl.”

CGF pat Castor’s stomach, “Yeah, you too.”

Nodding, “It might be a tie then” Castor grins.

Grabbing his hips from behind CGF chuckles, “You can’t talk!”

Pointing, “Dad is worse!”

Both his sisters shake their heads, “You can be worse!”

CBF dishes out bowls for those wanting more.  I, like Cali, go for just a bowl of rice.  Clean up was everyone putting their own dishes into the dishwasher.  CGF tosses in the pod and starts it.

“Hey, Kira.  Are there any more cookies left?” MBF asks.

As James pulls me down the hallway to the media room, “Check the pantry!” I laugh out.

Castor starts another episode after we’re all back in our places, some happily munching cookies.

Three more episodes under our belts, James stands up and stretches.  “Who wants pots and pans?”  He’s almost knocked over by his kids running to the kitchen.  James holds his hand out to me and hand in hand we follow the six kids.  They are all in the pantry pulling out the old pots and pans that I’d almost thrown out.  Donning coats and boots again, we pile out on to the patio.  James keeps an eye on the clock in the kitchen.  The kids are all bouncing around.  His velvet rumble starts the countdown, “Ten.  Nine.  Eight.  Seven. Six.  Five.”  He turns me to face him, “Four.  Three.  Two.  One.”  To the banging of pots and pans from more than just this patio and fireworks from the skir run, James leans in and kisses me.  I wrap my arms around his neck pulling him closer.  His hand cups the back of my head keeping me in our kiss.  He slowly lets me go, his blue eyes flaring with passion, happiness, a flash of darkness, then something deeper.  He gives me a quick follow up kiss.

“I’m freezing” Marcella says as she goes back inside.

“Me too” as CGF follows.

I caress James’ head to his neck, “I’m pretty warm.”  His smile goes a little wicked.  I wiggle out of his arms, take his hand and lead him inside.

Castor is coming back up the hallway from the media room, “I’m thinking we’re done in there tonight.”

“Morning, you dork” Marcella playfully shoves her brother.

As James gently pulls me upstairs, “Happy New Years, kids.”

A chorus of “Happy New Years” follows us the stairs.

“Hey Castor!”

“What Cali?”

“Close your bedroom door tonight.  We don’t want to hear you two again.”

James hangs his head, “I didn’t need to know that” he whines softly as I close the door on our bedroom.

I start the home device playing classical music.  Going to James, I slowly start undressing him.  His hands softly cover mine.  I run my hands over his body.  He’s still got some bad bruising.  Some are still a little tender.  Standnig behind him, I gently run my hands down his back and over his hips.  His hands grab my wrists and tug them to his belly pressing my face against his back, “Not sure I am ready yet.”

Kissing his back, I flatten my hands against his stomach and chest.  “I just want to touch you.”

Holding my left wrist, he pulls my hand to his mouth kissing my ring and finger.  Then he rotates in my arms.  He kisses my ring and finger again as a tear leaves a trail down his cheek. 

Using my thumb, I wipe it away.  I pull his head to me, kissing his lips tenderly, “You’re here.”  Another kiss.  “You’re alive.”  Another kiss.  “You’re whole.”

He kisses me deeply.  I can feel another tear fall.  Looking at me, “I will be.”  He kisses my hairline.  “If you’ll help me.”

I know what it took for him to say those four words.  “I’m in this for the long haul, James Alan Hetfield.”  I kiss him softly.  “I love you with every fiber of my being.”

He kisses me.  “Kira Elizabeth Mooreland, I love you with … every cell in my body.”  He grins at me before kissing me again. 

“You can say fiber.  I don’t mind” I smile at him. 

Another kiss.  His hands run up my back pulling my clothes from the waist up off me.  His hands softly run down my arms still over my head.  I just watch him.  His eyes slowly wander over my body as though he’s memorizing every pore of me.  My fingers gently run over his face, neck, shoulders.  His lips find my neck.  They find that one spot.  My knees buckle as he kisses, sucks, and nibbles on that one magic spot.  His arms lock around me, keeping me from falling to the floor. 

I don’t realize that he’s backing us to the bed until my bare back is laying on the cool sheet.  He’s pulled the duvet to the floor.  I arch up some into his chest.  He runs his hands down my back warming it as his lips work their way over my collar bone, across my chest, to the other side of my neck, finding that magic spots’ twin.  I whimper into his shoulder.  He rolls off the bed, moves to the end and slowly pulls off my pants, grinning wickedly at me once I am totally naked.  I slowly writhe under his gaze, my hands roaming my own stomach and breasts. 

James moves to the side of the bed and lays down on my right side, making sure to trap my right arm under him, his left arm snakes under my neck.  I slowly make lazy patterns on his back with my right hand.  His right-hand cups my chin tilting my head up and kissing me.  He tenderly encircles my left wrist and slowly pulls it to my left shoulder where his left hand securely holds it.  He looks at me.  I suck in a shuddering breath.  His right fingers slowly drag across my arm, my shoulders, caress my neck, palm my breasts – giving each a tender squeeze.  His eyes still drinking my naked form in.  Then his fingers trace tender patterns down my stomach.  They slow as they reach my pubic bone where they stop.  His eyes slowly make their way back to my face.  I’m panting slightly.  I know that I’m soaking wet.  His eyes lock on mine, he places his right palm on my abdomen just above my pubic bone, his fingertips right at the crest of my folds.  I suck in a sharp breath.  His right leg wraps around my right leg pulling it between his, trapping it between his thighs, then his right toes press against my left knee keeping me from closing my legs.  I know that I’m now totally trapped by his body and completely at his mercy.  I take several stuttering breaths.  He kisses me tenderly.  Then his right hand slowly starts exploring my folds.  I arch up slightly.  “I haven’t even started and you’re soaking wet” he grins at me.  I can only pant and smile at him.  “Already beyond words?” he purrs at me.  Again, I can only nod.  He kisses me as his fingers tease my clit making me shudder.  “Good!”  His eyes never leave mine.  His fingers are torturously slowly working my cunt.  Rubbing, then spreading my vulva, then fingertips making lazy patterns around me.  He lays his whole hand over my core, his fingertips wiggling softly.  He kisses me.  Smiling like a cheshire cat, “Ready?” as he slowly presses one digit into me.  I groan loudly just before his mouth covers mine, the fingers on my right hand digging into his back.  He’s snickering into the kiss.  Then his lips are right beside my ear as he slowly adds a digit inside me, “I love to watch you” as those digits reach deep inside me.  I arch up into his hold clawing at his back.  “So wet” he purrs at me as his hand slowly starts to fuck me.  Each thrust a little deeper.  Each deep thrust includes a wiggle from his fingers.  Each thrust making me a mewling mess.  He slows his actions watching me writhe, then adds another digit.  My hips rise on their own accord.  He grins at me as he starts thrusting his hand into me.  I’m panting, clawing at his back, my breaths coming in shorter gasps.  He kisses the end of my nose, “Should I be mean?”  I’m trying to buck my hips so his fingers go deeper into me.  “Should I make you beg?” his grin so lovingly wicked.  I whine, my right hand smacking the bed.  “Not tonight” he grins as his thumb finds my clit.  His mouth covers mine as I cum all over his fingers, my hips bucking hard against his hand.  He slows the actions with his right hand as he releases the hold on my left wrist.  I am incapable of moving, my left arm flopping to the bed.  My hips give one last lift as he tenderly withdraws his fingers.  I watch panting as he slowly sucks my wet mess from his fingers grinning at me, “Better than Jambalaya.”  I laugh softly panting still.  He withdraws his arm from under me.  He slips off the bed to recover the duvet which he flips up over my still slightly quivering body.  Dropping his pants, he slides into bed, spooning me into his body.  I curl up around his arm.  His nose buries into my hair at the back of my neck.  “Happy New Year Kira” he breathes softly.

As my eyes close, “Happy New Year James.”

Rockies Christmas - Day 11

Warnings:  Hospital stay, Shameless Product Placement, Fluff – I guess

Guide: CBF = Cali’s Boyfriend / CGF = Castor’s Girlfriend / MBF = Marcella’s Boyfriend {I didn’t want to give them names}

It’s still very dark out the window.  Damn but hospital beds suck.  Especially when you’re sharing one.  But I would not have slept anywhere else.  Still cradled in James’ arm.  His bruised body next to mine.  His face, a little less swollen.  Remembering his split helmet still in his truck, I shudder.  This could have been so different.  I try to detangle myself, but James tugs me gently.  “James, I gotta pee.”

He grunts softly.  “I could piss too.”

“Well, let go of me and I’ll help you.”  I kiss his chest.

“mmmmk”

I climb out of the bed, retrieve the bottle and put it in place.  “Ready when you are.”

“Fire!” he smirks.

I put the gown back and flip the covers back up over him when he’s done.  I quickly make it into the bathroom.  When I’m done and washed – leaving the bottle under the sink – I retake my spot next to him.  His arm pulls me closer.  My eyes close.

I blink awake to the room filled with bright sunshine to find the nurse and doctor in the room.  “I suppose I should move, huh?”

“It would make checking the patient a little easier” the doctor laughs gently.

I slide out of the bed and step out of the way.

The doctor gives James a thorough go over, including rolling him to the side to inspect his back.  The nurse whispers into my ear, “Has he had a bowel movement yet?”

“Not yet.”  I look at her, “Should he have?”  She nods.  “Find me a tool catalog.”  I get a look.  “Trust me on this” I grin back.

“Ok.”  She is obviously thinking, “This might take a bit.”

“Check with the maintenance guys.”

She nods, “Yes!  Great idea!”

“What’s a great idea?” James asks as he rolls gently to his back.

The doctor pats his stomach, “You pooping.”  He totally deadpans it.

I snort softly and James laughs.  Not hard, but enough.  He toots.

“That’s a start!” the doctor smiles.   Reaching for the IV lines, “I understand that you know how these work.  Let’s pop the line off for now and see how you do.”  He removes the IV lines, hanging them from the IV bag holder.  “Leave these in” he instructs as he tapes the ports to James’ arms.  “Before I go, let’s make sure you can stand.  Using a bedpan is the worst.”  Looking at me, “Do you think you can help him?”

“I’m gonna try” as I move to the bed.

James flips the covers back and I help him get his feet untangled from the sheet.  He stands holding tightly on to the bed.  Right leg is good.  Left leg, not really happy.  I move to that side, wrapping my arm around his waist and put his arm around my shoulder, “Lean” I say.  It takes us a bit, but we get into the bathroom.

Grabbing the ADA rails, James sinks on to the toilet, “Might as well try to go while I’m in here.”

“Want me to leave?”

“You’re not gonna want to be trapped in here” as he toots again.

“I’ll get some spray” I smile exiting and closing the door.  The nurse is right there with a can, smiling.  “Thanks!”  Looking at the bathroom door, “Can I please get a second gown for him?”  She nods and disappears out the door.   Looking at the bed, it’s already been changed.  The new sheets and blankets flipped back waiting for James.  The nurse returns with the second gown.  “Thank you.”

“You’re very welcome.”  She pats my shoulder, “At least he’s not being super demanding.  There was a movie star in here that was just a pain!”  She grins at me.  “You got him from here?”  I can hear beeping down the hallway.

“Yeah, I’m good.”  She leaves.  I hear the toilet flush.  Then the sink running.  I crack the door open and spritz the can into the room and close the door.  I can hear him laugh.  Opening the door, he’s leaning on the sink, the hospital gown open in the back.  His bum fully exposed.  “That’s a sight!”  He wiggles it grinning at me through the mirror.  I see the bruises on his back.  “Can you stand a minute more?  I want to put arnica on these.”

“Actually, it feels good to stand.”

I quickly find the bottle and tenderly rub some of the oil into his back, hip and the back of his thigh.  Bending over, I get his shin.  He rests his hand on my lower back, “If I felt better…”

I stand up looking into his wicked grin, “Soon” as I gently rub his penis through the thin fabric.  He groans softly.

“Where are you, Dad?”

“Here, let’s get this on you.”  I pull the second gown on him with the closure in the front covering up his bare ass.  “Be right out!”

I open the door and the kids are all there.  James leans on me to get out of the bathroom.  Castor smacks CBF on the arm.  “Here let us” Castor takes his dad’s arm from me, “We’re a little better height wise.”

“Thanks son.”  James is slow but getting more confident with his left knee.  “Would you mind if we walk the hallway a bit?”

“Not at all Mr. Hetfield.”

James stops and looks CBF, “Call me James.  You are officially part of this family now.”

Cali giggles, “Told you!”

James starts walking, “Forward into the hallway!”

“Isn’t that forward into battle, Dad?” Marcella asks.

“Technically yes, but I am not quite ready for battle” James smirks back.

“I’m going to let you kids take this round.  I want to freshen up some.”

Cali grabs my purple bag and hands it to me.  “I thought you’d like to change clothes.”

I grab her upper arms, “Thank you!” I say a little over dramatically.  She chuckles and follows the others.  I step into the bathroom and close the door.  Grandmother would call what I do a whore’s bath: wet soapy washcloth on the major points.  Face, Pits, Crotch.  In that order.  Then rinsing the cloth out, a wipe down.  Granted, not a full shower, but I do feel better.  I pull on the extra cloths from the bag and stuff the dirties in.  I use the brush quickly on my hair and redo my ponytail.  I’m exiting the bathroom when the little parade re-enters the room, the nurse trailing them in.

James sinks into the bed.  The nurse helps him get his legs under the covers.  Seeing his face a little pale, she says “I think you’re going to want this back.”  She pulls the IV line and reattaches it to the port.  She tapes it securely in place.  “I’ll make it a slow drip.  If you need more, well…” she smiles knowingly at James.  Turning to me, “I’ll check in again later.”  I smile my thanks.

“Hey Dad, what do you want for lunch?”

James lets his head fall back, “A Hopdoddy Bacon Classic!”

“Ahh yes!!  I was hoping you’d say that!” Castor’s face lights up.  “Fries?”

“Both.”

Turning to me, “What would you like?” Castor asks me.  I shrug. 

“Get Kira the Doddy Melt, hold the Comeback sauce on a regular bun.  Or sourdough if they have it.”  James smiles at me, “You’ll love it.”

“Shake?” Castor’s grin is wide.

“Two regular Salted Caramels, please” James is almost drooling.

I dig into my bag, find my wallet and pull out some cash.  I hand it to Cali, “Use this.”

“That’s way too much!”

“What?  You guys aren’t going to eat?”  She smirks at me.  “So, bring me the change.”  I smile back at her.  “And that should cover transportation too.”

“We’ve been using the car service.”  CGF suddenly looks like she said something wrong.

“That’s fine” James grins from the bed.  “Probably cheaper than taxis anyway.  And you’re all in one vehicle.”  There’s a chorus of yeahs and yeses as the kids head to the door.

“Hey!  Don’t forget lots of napkins!” I call out.

“Got it!” comes a couple of responses.

James pats the bed.  I find the bottle of arnica, “This first.”  I pull up the hospital gowns to get to his torso.  I tenderly rub the oil over all the purple spots.  They look horrid.  I gently pull the gowns down and put some on his arm. 

James has closed his eyes.  “That feels good” he rumbles softly.

Wiping off my hands, “The pain meds have kicked in, huh?”

“Not yet.  Just your fingers on my skin feel really good.”  He lifts his head and looks at me.  “When I was in ICU, I had the worst mental image.  Me paralyzed from the neck down.  Not being able to ever feel you again.  Or hold you.”  He scrubs away the tears before they can even fall.

I sit on the bed facing him.  “I cried in the shower that night.”  My hand resting on his belly.  “I take that back.  I sobbed.  I’d spent the helicopter flight in with my own mental images.  The worst was that you’d end up living the horror of your own song.”  I let my tears fall.

“I’m so sorry about all this…”

“James” I cut him off.  “We could have spun out or hit black ice in the Shelby.”  I rub his belly.  “It wasn’t our time then.  This” I wave my hand over his body “isn’t your time either.  The kids have assured everyone who will listen that you weren’t showboating when this happened.  They said that you’d gone to investigate new snow, that your machine started to sink in that snow, so you powered it up some.  And that’s when you turtled.”  I watch James’ face as he nods.  “Castor says that your snowmobile is completely trashed.”

“I wouldn’t be surprised.  But my machine didn’t sink.  I hit something.”

“I saw your helmet, James.”  More tears leave trails down my cheeks.  “If you’d not been wearing it, we’d be planning your funeral.”

He blanches some, “That bad?”

“James.  I wasn’t joking when I said it’s been split in two.  From here” I point to my hairline “to here” my hand stops just past the crown of my head.

He scrubs away another tear.  “Someone upstairs was looking out for me.”  He grabs my hand, “Again.”

I grin, “Being a Leo, you have now used 4 lives.  Please don’t use anymore!”  My fingers trace the flames tattooed there.  I look into his face.  “It wasn’t your time.  You have a grandchild that you need to meet.” 

His head falls back, “I still can’t believe that I’m going to be a Grandpa!”  He looks at me, “So what will that make you?”

“GG” I shrug.  His eyebrows knit together, “Grandpa’s Girlfriend.  What else?” I smirk at him.  He tugs my arm.  I take the hint and lean up over him, planting a deep kiss on him.  I heave a sigh as we pull apart.

“What?”

“I haven’t kissed you in two days.”

He pulls me in for another kiss.  After, “Then we have some kissing to make up on.”

I kiss the end of his nose, “Not here.”  His eyebrows furrow together.  “Because that kind of kissing leads to … well … other activities” as I raise an eyebrow wantonly.

He nods.  “Yeah, this bed is not big enough for those.”

“This bed is barely big enough for you!”  I giggle, turn around and lay down next to him.  He grabs the TV controller and finds the news.  I am rather surprised that he actually watches the whole program.  I rock my head back to look up at him.  “Making sure that I’m not page six” he grins.

“Ahhh” I say, snuggling in a little closer. 

He scrolls to the movie offerings.  We find one that is fairly long and start it.  His fingers play with my ponytail.  The movie is about a quarter through when the kids come waltzing back into the room.

Our burgers are handed out.  James sits on the bed, and we share the bed table.  The boys sit on the floor.  Mine is delicious.  James giggles watching me take my first bite.  The milkshake is thick and creamy with lots of caramel.

“We made a second stop.”  Cali pulls out a box.

James’ eyes fly wide open, “Dirty Islander!”

Grinning, “Yeah, we had to get a couple of these for you!”  She pulls out two rather large cookies that look like James’ eye.  “Black Eye Concussion cookies!”  The room erupts in laughter.  James laughs the hardest, holding his ribs.  Cali points to a couple of others, “These are mine.”

“What are they?” I ask.

“They’re called Mum I’m Preggo!”  Again, the room erupts in laughter.

I pass on the cookies – for the time being – as I still have half a shake left.  I sit and watch the kids and James interact.  He is most decidedly getting better.

The burger wrappers were gathered up and tossed out.  The boys take James for another hallway run.  Cali approaches me, “Kira?”

“Yeah?”

“Thank you.”  She was almost in tears.  I gently pull her into a hug.  “I’m sure these are just the hormones” as she scrubs her eyes, “but I wanted to say thank you for everything.  You were so calm.”

“I guess I got that from my Grandmother.  I don’t think I ever saw her lose her cool.  She always told me that to panic is to lose time and to lose time could be very bad.”

Nodding, “I hope I can be that cool.”  She rubs her belly.

“I hope you never have to.”  I hug her again.

I can hear the boys coming back down the hallway laughing.  Evidently James has been in bad dad joke heaven with the boyfriends, as Castor keeps groaning loudly.  They enter the room and James is walking without help.  A nurse is following.

“Now, don’t you overdo!” the nurse scolds him.

“Naw, he’s just showing off” Castor grins.

James sinks onto the bed, “Yeah, I was that time.”

“All right kiddoes, the adults need nap time” the nurse says with a wink at me and a smile for the others.  “Oh!  Dirty Islander!  May I?”

James motions towards the box, “Please.  But check with Cali which ones are hers.”  The nurse gives James a questioning look.  “She’s pregnant” he dramatically whispers.

The nurse looks around.  Marcella and Castor point to their sister.  “You look great!”  Cali blushes and rubs her belly.  “Now, which ones are yours sweetie?”  The nurse picks out a cookie, “Now out.  All of you kids, out.”

There is a chorus of Byes as they are hustled out the door.  Munching on her cookie, the nurse nods her thanks.  James finishes getting back into the bed.  He pats the bed on his right side.  I grab the extra blanket and climb in next to him, his arm pulls me close.  He heaves a sigh.

“You good?” I look into his face.

“Yeah.  Actually I am.”  He sniffs a laugh, “I still can’t believe that Cali is pregnant.  That I’m going to be a Grandpa.”

I stroke his stubbly cheek, “Well.  Ya are.  Mighty Grandpa Het.”

He snorts a laugh, “That doesn’t work!  I’ll have to come up with something new!”  He tightens his arm around me.  I grab the tv controller and we pick a movie.  He’s gently snoring about halfway through.  I heave a sigh and snuggle up closer.

I feel James shifting.  “You ok?”

“Gotta go.”

I unwrap my arms from him, push him vertical, “You got this?”

Nodding, “Yeah, I think I’m good.”  He grabs the IV bag and closes the bathroom door behind him.  I am scrolling through the movie selection when I hear the toilet flush.  Then water running.  James closes the door behind him, “You’ll want to give that a bit.”  He re-hangs the bag and sits on the bed.

I move up the bed and gently tug his shoulders, “Here.”  He rolls into me on his right side, his right arm sliding under my shoulders, his left arm with the IV port drapes over my ribs, his head on my shoulder, his nose against my neck.  My left arm wraps around his head, cradling it, my fingers softly playing with his silvered locks.  I start another movie.  I feel him sag into sleep.  Part way through, I get a text from Castor asking if we need dinner.  I send him the snoring emoji and say thanks anyway.

I watch all of this movie.  James’ breathing is steady.  His fingers on my ribs twitch.  He’s probably writing a song in his sleep.  At least I hope that’s what he’s doing.  I smile and kiss his hairline.  The nurse comes in to check on James.  Seeing that he’s asleep, she takes what vitals she can without waking him.  She pulls the IV line from the port, taping the port in place.  Giving me the thumbs up, she departs the room, closing the door behind her.  My left fingers gently rub his scalp.  After starting another movie to kill the sounds of the hospital, I lay my right hand over his left arm draped over my ribs.  I don’t remember my eyes closing.

Did he REALLY take his cigar for a swim??!!??

Everybody Loves a Parade - Part 7

Sunday – Part 7

Sorry it's late posting. It is Gameday!!

Warnings: Ending NSFW , Shameless Product Placement, Football!

I roll to my back.  Everything aches.  I groan a little.  His hand gently lands on my stomach.  “hey beautiful.”

“uunngh”

“Yeah, you overdid.”  He rolls to his side, his fingers gently smooth my hair out of my face, cupping the side of my head.  He kisses my forehead.  Grabbing my left hip he forces me to my stomach.  He kneels up over my thighs and basically palms my back with his big hands, his thumbs digging into my lower back.  “Damn your tense.

“Ow” whimpers out.

His hands work out the knots in my lower back.  Then they work their way up my back.  He shifts up my body and ends up sitting on my butt.  The pressure of his hands on my upper back and his weight on my butt stretching out my spine feels so good.  He pulls his hands down my back.

“Do that again, please” I ask quietly.

His hands flutter over my hips, “Do what?”

“Push on my upper back again.”

“Ahh.  Like this?”  His hands again push on my shoulders and he pushes down on my hips with his body.

“yeah” I sigh out.

He gently eases up, “Better?”

“yes.”

His hands warm my sides as he leans up me.  He plants his left hand up over my shoulder.  His right-hand cups over the top of my head, his fingers gently playing with my hair.  His lips gently kiss the back of my neck.  “Morning.”

A smile lifts the corners of my lips, “Morning.”

“It’s game day!”  He lifts his weight off me and stretches out beside me.

“oh yeah!” I breath out.  “What time is it?”

“It’s 7am.”  He kisses the small of my back, “I need to get the ribs going.”

I reach for his hand, “Can I have the oven for about 20 minutes first?”

“Sure,” he again kisses my lower back, “But you’ll have to get your ass out of bed – like right now.”

I can feel him smile against my back, “Ok.”  I swim my way to the edge of the bed.  James climbs out and helps me stand.  “You good?”

Facing him, I put his hands on my hips, “Hold please.”  And I arch back, my head almost touching the bed.  My back crackles back into place.  His hands slide up my back, slowly pulling me upright.  I look into his eyes.  “All better!” I grin.  James grabs my robe and slides it up my arms.  I kiss his chest.  “Kitchen is that way,” I point out the door.

“Yes.  Yes it is,” he chuckles and gently gives me a push.

Getting into the kitchen, I open the fridge and pull out the two types of rolls – cinnamon and orange.  Double checking the temps, I start the oven.  Tenderly bending over, I pull out a cookie sheet from below the oven.  Popping open both canisters, I take one orange and one cinnamon roll, unwinding each, then lining them up and rewinding the pair together.  I do this for all the rolls.  Then slide the tray into the oven and set the timer.  Taking both of the included little icing cups, I dump them into a bowl and add some cream cheese to it and blend til smooth.  Setting that aside, I start making coffee.

James comes up behind me, resting his hands on my waist, “What are you concocting?”

“Yumminess” I lean back into him.  

His thumbs dig into my lower back again.  My knees almost buckle.  His hands grab me.  He kisses my hair and pats my ass, “Go sit.”  He turns my shoulders and points me toward the sofa.  “I got it from here.”  There’s only concern in his voice.

I can’t argue with him.  My back is trying to tighten up again.  I sink into the sofa, grab a blanket and the remote.  Turning on the TV, I find the right channel and try to get comfy.  I watch him in the kitchen.  Eyes glowing, big cheesy grin plastered on his face.  The sun shining in the window, I close my eyes.

“Here’s your coffee and two ibuprofen” his voice a gentle rumble.  The concern in his eyes pinches my heart.

“Thank you” as I take the pills and a slug of coffee.  “It feels good to have that room cleaned out for you.”

His face lights up, “I still can’t believe you did that for me.”  Putting his hands on the back of the sofa on either side of me he leans over and kisses my forehead – his lips lingering there.  My hand gently strokes his arm, the other holding my coffee mug.  The timer dings.  I can feel his smile on my forehead.  Shifting, he rests his forehead on mine, his blue eyes finding mine.  “How do you want your eggs?”

“Scrambled, please.” 

He kisses my nose and stands, “Cheesy eggs?”

“mmmm, yes please!”

His fingers gently caress my chin, “Be right back.”

“Mmm k.”  Gawd, I really overdid it yesterday.  The pre-game chatter on the TV is a distraction. 

And so is watching him.  He pulls out the rolls and checks the temp on the oven, then in go the ribs.  In short order, he’s got our breakfast ready.  Bringing over two plates each with a combo roll smothered in frosting and a pile of cheesy scrambled eggs.  He sets them on the table and returns to the kitchen.  Grabbing his coffee mug - and the pot - along with forks, he returns to the living room.  Handing me my plate and a fork, he grabs his.  I dig into the eggs.  He takes a bite of the combo roll.  I watch his eyes widen.

“Dis is rweary gud.”

“Thanks” I look at the huge roll on my plate.  “Grandmother showed me.”

He strokes my hair, “I wish I could have met her.”

Looking at him, “I think she would have liked you.”  He leans over and kisses my temple.

We finish breakfast and he gathers up the plates and forks.  When he comes back from the kitchen, he sits next to me, urging me to lean up against him, making sure that the blanket is tucked in around me.  And my game starts.  The Seahawks against the Jets.  We spend the next three hours cheering the good plays, heckling the refs on the bad calls and smooching during the commercial breaks.  Halftime, I make a bathroom run as James checks on the ribs.  He is actually humming while cooking.  He’s wearing a big cheesy grin as third quarter started.  “What?” his eyes sparkling.

“Cheshire cat” I snicker.

“The ribs are going to be really good!” his grin widens as he tucks the blanket back around us.

I sniff loudly, “They smell really good!!!”  His arms wrap around me.

The second half of this game is close, but the Hawks pull off the win.  I am very happy.

James again checks on the ribs.  I stand and stretch.  James returns with two cans of Severed Lime and two rolls and two more Ibuprofen for me.  I give him a smile, take the pills and give him a kiss as he sits back down, tucking me back up against him again.  His game starts.  The Raiders vs Steelers.  At halftime, the score is tied.  Again, he checks the ribs.  I make a bathroom trip, and so does he.  We both converge back on the sofa just as third quarter starts.  It’s a well fought game.  It goes into overtime.  We’re both sitting on the edge of the sofa.  With seconds left on the clock, the Raiders make a hail Mary pass into the end zone for the TD.  James literally jumps off the sofa yelling in joy that just makes me laugh.  His face is lit up in joy.  He spins and plants a toe curling kiss on me.

“Ready for some ribs?!”

“Yes!”

“Where’s the cornbread mix?  That won’t take long.”

“I’m feeling better, I can get it.”

Placing his hands on my shoulders, he pushes me flat on the sofa, “Nope.  Not gonna risk you” he grins.  “I got this.”

I tell him where the mix and the pan are.  He almost skips into the kitchen.  I watch as he sets about finishing the ribs and the rest of dinner.

“Hey, there are some green beans left from Thursday.  We can have those too.”

Nodding, “I suppose an actual vegetable would be a good idea” he smiles at me.

I stand and stretch, my back finally beginning to stop complaining.

“You ok?” he couldn’t hide the concern in his voice.

“mmmhmmm.  I didn’t think I did that much yesterday.”

“Let’s see.  You pulled out about ten bags of donations.  Three of just garbage.  You vacuumed out all those drawers.  Trevor said that you helped shift about as many boxes as he and Gary did in the other bedroom.  Hmmm” he’s smiling dorkily at me, “There’s no reason why your back will be hurting.”  He pulls the cornbread out of the oven, “Oh yeah, you did two or three loads of laundry too.”

“Forgot about the laundry” I mumble as I sink back into the sofa.

“uh huh!”  He pulls the green beans from the microwave.  “Do you want to come make your own plate?”

Standing back up, “Sure.  Otherwise I might forget how to walk.”

He pulls me into a kiss as I walk into the kitchen, his fingers gently caressing my cheeks, his blue eyes shining.

“What?” I smile up at him.

“Trevor sent me a text this morning.  His sister was super happy with the donations.”

“I’m glad they went to a good place.”

He kisses my hair, “Dinner’s ready” he purrs.

Looking at the spread he’s put together, “This all looks really good!” 

He almost slaps a plate into my chest, “Dig in!” as he piles ribs on his plate.

I reach into a drawer and pull out a couple of kitchen towels, slinging one over his shoulder.  “Napkins aren’t big enough for ribs.”

Again, he kisses my hair, “No!  They aren’t!”

Putting some ribs, green beans, cornbread and BBQ beans on my plate, I head back into the living room.  James has already changed the channel for the Sunday night game.  Bears vs Colts.  At half time we work together to clean up the kitchen.  The game is well fought.  Da Bears win by two. 

“Pie?” James asks me.

“Sure.  Although I feel like all I have done today is stuff my face.”

He pats his stomach, “Me too.”  Standing, “But I can think of a way to burn those calories!”

Raising my eyebrows, “Just one?”

He grabs the remote and turns off the TV.  “Pie later” he sneers at me.

“Ok” as I let him pull me off the sofa.

His fingers gently hold my hands, pulling me toward the bedroom.  As I get to the end of the bed, he slowly spins me tenderly and he encourages me to sit on the bed, he kneels over my lap, wrapping his arms around me under my arms, he lifts me into the middle of the bed.  “Don’t throw your back out!”

As he lays me down, “I won’t.”  His eyes sparkling blue.

Kneeling over me, he slowly unties my robe.  I rest my hands on his thighs.  I can feel them flex slightly as he shifts his weight.  Slowly, almost reverently, he opens my robe exposing my naked body.  He hisses in a sharp breath.  “I forgot you’ve been starkers all day.”  Putting a hand on the bed beside each of my shoulders, he starts kissing me.  My face.  My neck.  My collarbones and shoulders.  He sits up tenderly shifting my arms off his legs and places my hands on his shoulders, a wicked glint in his eyes.  “Gawd, you are so beautiful” as he gently runs his hands over my breasts, stomach and lower belly.  I groan in answer.  Again, his lips are on mine.  One hand by my head.  The other still groping my body.  My hands run over his shoulders, my nails dragging gently down his biceps, ghosting fingers down his forearms.  He gives me a wicked smile and gently grasps both my wrists.  Bringing them together, he easily wraps one of his hands around both of my wrists and slowly pushes them to the bed above my head.  His eyes search mine, looking for any discomfort.  I can only moan and writhe under him.  Grinning, he starts kissing my neck again.  Laying his body down on me, his height making it easy for him to keep my arms pinned, his lips work down to my neck to my breasts.  His other hand cups, squeezes, palms and teases one nipple while his lips, tongue and mouth work the other.  My groans urge him on.  Tugging my wrists makes him suck harder.  I gasp but keep pulling.  My hips try lift up into him.  “uh huh” he says around a mouthful of my boob.  He pulls off my nipple with a pop, “Not yet!” his eyes smiling as broadly as his lips.  Sticking his tongue out, he licks the nipple he’d been working.  Keeping my hands pinned, he shifts his head to my other breast.  This leaves the one wet.  And getting cold.  And harder.  I squirm more.  His suction increases.  I gasp loudly.  He slowly pulls off my other nipple with a pop.  His eyes gleaming, “Shhh” he coos at me.  “The more you struggle, the longer I am going to take” he breathes wickedly at me.  Keeping my eyes locked to his, he lowers his mouth to my ribs.  I can’t help it.  I squirm and moan.  He just chuckles into my ribs, his mustache tickling some.  I snort a giggle and struggle some more.  Grinning up at me, “Ok, that doesn’t count.”  I buck my hips up into his stomach grinning at him.  “That does” he whispers and returns to working my nipples, switching between them.  I whimper, still trying to tug my wrists free.  The sensations he’s putting through me are mind blowing.  They are slow.  Deliberate.  Exceedingly sensual.  I can barely move under his weight pinning my hips to the bed.  His arm holding my wrists is just out of the reach of my mouth.  His mouth shifts from breast to breast, his eyes gleaming up at me.  I whimper at the sight.  Leaving my breasts, he rises slightly, “Damn.  I can smell you.”  I can only nod.  “Puddle?”

I laugh gently, “Lake.”

Those damned blue eyes sparkle brighter, “Good.”  Those lips reattach to a nipple and I arch up whining.  He puts a finger on my lips and literally pops off my nipple again.  “Shh.”  He looks a the wall.  “Neighbors.”  I can only giggle until his mouth reattaches to my other nipple making me gasp again.  He reaches up with his other hand to caress up my arm.  He puts one of my wrists in each of his hands and eases them down to my sides.  This action has put most of his weight against my hips and I moan loudly.  “You doing good?”  I can only nod.  “Good” he smiles.  He gently pins my arms with his forearms which lets him use both hands on my breasts.  He tenderly squeezes, tweaks, palms, kisses, cups and sucks them.  I can only groan under his attention.  He pinches one nipple and I wince a little.  “Getting tender are they?” he grins wickedly.  I nod.  “Good.”  He sucks each one.  Hard.  I whimper and whine.  I manage to get one hand free and pull his head closer to my chest.  He gently nibbles but I refuse to let his head go.  I pull his head even closer to my body.  He forces his head up.  “Let me breath woman!” he chuckles.  I breathe heavily into a grin.  Watching me, he teases both nipples.  I writhe under him.  He lets go, smiling.  Firmly placing his hands on my sides, he lowers his mouth to my ribs, sides, belly.  He shifts his body lower on mine.  My hips being freed from his weight wiggle in anticipation.  His kisses move over my pubic bone.  His elbows urge my legs apart.  His eyes take in my sopping wet cunt.  “Forget lake.”  His eyes catch mine.  “Ocean!”  Placing a hand behind each knee, he pushes my legs farther apart.  I pant some.  Smiling at me, I watch as he purses his lips and blows on my wetness.  I gasp loudly at the sensation, my hips bucking up.  He chuckles still keeping our eyes locked on each other.  Without warning, he dives into my folds, his arms snake under my thighs, his hands reach up, grab my hips, his tongue laps up what I have already excreted.  “Damn you taste good!”  He dives right back into me.  My fingers curl into his silvered locks.  He groans into my pussy.  His tongue explores my folds, caresses my clit, dips into my entrance, laps up my wetness.  I can only use his silver locks to pull him closer.  He grabs both my wrists again pulling them close to my thighs.  I start panting.  Hard.  The knot in my belly is tight.  Very tight.  “don stawhp … gawds don stawhp … right … there!”  He concentrates on that one spot, eagerly lapping me.  I start to fall over into my orgasm, I yank one hand free, grab a pillow just in time to cover the scream exiting my mouth.  My body bucks, writhes and squirms as he continues working me.  I can only scream.  He slows down painfully slowly to a stop.  He presses a kiss to my over sensitized bud.  My body jerks.  I hear him chuckle softly.  Then his hand is tenderly pulling the pillow from my face.  I am still breathing heavily and unable to move.  My arms and legs feel like lead.  His lips press against mine.  I can smell me in his mustache.  “you back yet?” he huffs gently at me.

“uhn huh”

“Take your time.” I huff out a soft giggle.  His hands caress my hair, my cheeks, my eyebrows – which waggle slowly.  My eyes slowly open and I’m looking directly into those gorgeous blue pools.  “Hi.”

“Hi” I whisper.

“Weclome back.”  He shifts my bangs out of my eyes.  I just smile.  He kisses me.  I try to grab him.  “Nope” he takes my hand and kisses it.  My eyebrows knit together.  “Not tonight.”  My eyebrows remain knitted.  “You gave me something amazing yesterday.”  He gently pats my pubic bone, the very tips of his fingers touching my clit making me draw in a sharp breath.  “I wanted to give you something amazing.”

I manage to get my left hand up to caress his head, “Ya did good.”

James kisses me deeply, “So did you.”  He takes my left hand and kisses my finger around my ring.  I smile at him.  My eyelids drift down.  His fingers gently urge them to close.  “Shhh.  Sleep.”  I feel him pull the side of the blanket up over me.  I roll into him.  I feel his hand gently stroking my hair. 

I don’t feel myself slip into sleep.

Hiya! As a big fan of your works, I was wondering, would you ever consider writing something like a prologue to “Snow Way to Escape”? Like how James compared Kira to his exes, the money counting thing, how he failed to notice she moved out of bedroom? I thinks it’d be an interesting story to read, but of course, your blog, your rules. Thanks 😊

Hmmmm!!! I will have to think that one out! Thanks for idea!! This series is going to be a monthly installment. Had to do something while job hunting! I think I can work that into the "year anniversary" chapter.

Hope all is well in your world and that you have a wonderful Holiday Season!

H4H

Oh! Hello James!

Rockies Christmas - Day 13

Warnings: Fluff, Gifting First Responders, Shameless Product Placement

Guide: CBF = Cali’s Boyfriend / CGF = Castor’s Girlfriend / MBF = Marcella’s Boyfriend {I didn’t want to give them names}

I blink awake.  Stretching and yawning, I roll to my side.  James is still sound asleep.  I slip from bed, grab yoga pants, a baggy sweatshirt and go use the toilet while getting dressed.  I wince as I flush the toilet.  I don’t want to wake James.  Checking on him, he shifts, snorfels softly, then sighs and sags back to sleep.  I quickly leave our room. 

Getting into the kitchen, there stands Cali staring into the open fridge.  “You ok?”

“Now I’m starving.”  She lets the door shut.  “I couldn’t eat anything a few days ago.  Now I can’t get enough.”

Moving her to a barstool, “What are you craving?”

“Everything.”

Smiling gently at her, “I mean, are you craving sweets?  Proteins?  Carbs?”

She stops and thinks moment.  “Proteins.”

Nodding, “Ok.  Breakfast burrito it is.”  I pull out what I need from the fridge.  As I start the onions grilling in the skillet, “Would you please start the coffee maker?”

“Sure.  Why?”

“I give it five minutes and your Dad will be down here” I grin at Cali.  It only takes a short time for the onions to grill.  I move them off the burner and start a second skillet heating.  This one I dump the beaten eggs into, scrambling them with a wooden spatula.  Looking at the clock, “Three.  Two.  One.”

“I smell onions” comes James’ voice yawning.

“Morning Dad” Cali smiles.

James gives her a hug, “You look better.  You have some color in your cheeks.”

“I can eat without barfing every ten minutes.”

“That’s good news” James smiles.  “Means that you’ll be starving from this point on.”  He moves to the coffee pot and makes our mugs.

“Was Mom that way?”

“Morning sick?” James asks.  Cali nods.  “A little with each of you.  But not too bad.”  James sets our mugs on the kitchen table.

I can see the concern in Calis’ eyes, “Cali, everyone is different.  I worked with a pair of twins.  Sasha couldn’t keep anything down for about two months.  Nadine never got morning sick at all.”  Cali’s eyebrows knit together.  “Even twins have certain wiring that’s different.  And there’s nothing wrong with that.  It’s just how we are.” 

I pull the pan of eggs off the heat and shred some of the roast beef.  I pull out and zap for a few seconds three large tortillas.  Putting them each on their own plate, I quickly get one burrito made, handing it to James.  His eyes light up.  “What do you want on yours?”  Cali’s burrito ends up being very close to her Dad’s.  Just no hot sauce.  I put mine together.  The three of us sit at the kitchen table happily eating our breakfast when the others stumble in.

“Oh wow!  Breakfast burritos!” Castor grins.

“Well, the cook has sat” James puts a hand on my shoulder keeping me in my seat.  “The kitchen is now self-serve.”

Nodding, “Fair enough” Castor grins.

Quickly, all eight of us are seated around the table with our burritos in various stages of consumption. 

CBF speaks up, “James, what New Year traditions do you have?”

James leans back in his chair, “I usually take gift cards to the first responders.  Why?”

“What about meal?”

“Whatever is leftover in the fridge.”  James gives CBF a look, “Why?”

“I’d like to make Jambalaya.”

James looks at me.  I motion, “There’s the kitchen.”

Cali grins.  “We will need to make a trip to the store.”

“We can use the van” CGF offers.

James looks out the window.  It’s snowing lightly.  “Naw.  We’ll take the truck.  Let’s make a trip to the store.”

Castor looks out the window, “Truck it is!”

The kids clean up the breakfast dishes.  Within the hour, we are all dressed and piled into the truck.  I decide to let James drive.  It wouldn’t be cool for the megarockgodsuperstar to climb out of the passenger side of his own truck.  Even if he still looks like he got slapped in the face with his own seven hundred pound snowmobile.  The first stop is a SB.  James pulls on a pair of sunglasses.  The bruising can still be seen, but the worst of it is hidden.  We all pile out. 

Walking in the store, the manager turns.  “Hey James!”

“Hi Chris.”

“Brought the whole fam damily this time, huh?”

James smiles, “We’re making a day of it.”

“The usual?” as Chris goes to a register and signs in.

“Yes, please.”

“Ok, that’s one tall Pike Place roast and 50 cards at ten dollars each.”

“Do you already have those loaded?”  Chris nods.  “Would you be mad if I have a few more loaded?”

“Not at all.”

James turns to us, “Each of you pick out five cards.”

The kids go to the card racks.  There are giggles and chatter among them as they make their selections.

James leans into me, “You too” and he kisses my temple.  I find a cute card at the bottom of the rack and pull out five.

The cards all get placed on the counter.  “This will take a minute, James.”

“No worries.”  Looking to us, “You all good on coffee?”

“A grande blond vanilla latte, add two pumps caramel, please” I ask.  I get a look from James.  “What?”

“You always manage to surprise me with something” as he pulls me into a loose hug, his hands clasped behind my back.  I rest my hands on his chest.

The kids each place a drink order and Chris rings up the total.  James releases me gently, pulling out his wallet.  “The math isn’t adding up, Chris.”

“The coffees are on the house today” Chris grins.

“Thanks, that’s very kind.”

“Hey, I know where these cards are going.  I wish I could just give these to you, but then they wouldn’t work” as he hands the new cards to James.  “Do you want the envelopes?”

“Yes, please” as James ponies up his credit card.  He hands me the new gift cards.

Chris finishes with the register – handing James a rather long receipt which just gets passed to me – and he disappears into the back.  He comes back holding a small box.  “Here they are.”

“Thanks again Chris” James shakes hands.

“My pleasure!”

We collect our coffees and James sits at a table – which takes me off guard.  From an inside pocket of his coat, James pulls out a sharpie.  The next 45 minutes are spent with James putting his JH mark – he stopped signing his full name years ago – on each card with the year.  The rest of us blow on the cards to dry the ink and put the card into an envelope.  There’s chatter among us about how we’ve celebrated New Years’ Eve in years past.

“Kira, have you ever seen the ball drop?” CGF wants to know.

“On TV.”

Castor looks at me, “You’ve never been there in person?”

I look at Castor, “I’m 5 foot 2.  I would be crushed.”  He grins.  “There’s easily a million people crammed into the Square.” 

Castor’s eyes squint.  “Think Moscow.  I know you’ve seen the footage” James says.

There’s a quiet “woah” from the kids.

“And since 9/11, they have tightened up security to the point where there are no in/out’s allowed.”

Marcella’s eyebrows knit together, “In/outs?”

“You can’t leave to go get food or use the bathroom and come back.”

“Nope.  Not going now” CGF says.

Hiking a thumb at James, “Get your Dad to play it.  That’s the only way I’ll go in person” I grin at him.

“Nope.  Not playing there or Superbowl.”

Castor leans across the table his hands outstretched towards James, “C’mon Dad!  You guys would kill a Superbowl halftime!”  James just shakes his head, taking a drink from his coffee.  “But you did the Raiders” Castor whines slightly.

“We played the parking lot.  Before a Playoff game.  On a flatbed trailer” James looks at his son.  “We didn’t play the game” he grins.  “And I know why you want us to play Superbowl.  You don’t want to buy those tickets!” James gives Castor a wink and grin.

Castor puts his head on the table between his outstretched arms, “They are soooo expensive!” this time he did whine.

Patting his sons’ hands, “Perhaps one day, you will play half time and I will be the one asking you for tickets” James deadpans.  Castor raises his head and bursts out laughing, which causes the rest of us to laugh.

The gift cards are all collected and put into the box.  Which James hands to me.  Castor collects the sharpie.  We climb into the truck.  The cards are taken to the firehouses, the Hospital Emergency Room and Police station, where James shakes the hands of everyone on duty that shift, leaving cards for those not on duty today.  He begs off on selfies – this year.  “Let me recover from being smacked upside the head” he nods in my direction grinning.  I just shrug my shoulders and chuckle. 

One paramedic took it seriously.  “I can’t swing much less pick up a snowmobile” I snark.

“Yeah, I took a tumble with my machine” he pulls his glasses down a little.

“Ouch!” is the general response.

“You should have seen him a week ago” MBF adds.

As we pile back into the truck, “James, there’s twelve cards left.”

“I know.  Those are going to the airport” he just gently grabs my thigh.

We pull up to the chopper hanger and all tumble out.  “Hey Jacobs!” James calls out, pulling off the sunglasses.

“Well look what the cat dragged in!  You’re looking good James!”

“And I have you to thank for that.”  James gives the chopper pilot a hug.

“Hey, just doing what I do” Jacobs says matter of factly.

“Well, these are for you and your team.  It’s not much.  But they are signed.”  James hands over the cards.  “And you and your team will be on the list for any show you want.”

Jacobs shakes James’ hand, “That is above and beyond, but greatly appreciated!”

“Once this snow melts, I’ll need to hire you to get my machine out of that field.”

“And straight to the junk yard” Jacobs chuckles.

James’ eyebrows knit together, “You’re the second one to say that.  Is it really that bad?”

“James” Jacobs puts a hand on James’ shoulder, “I have seen what you have done with cars.”  Shaking his head, “But this is beyond even your skills in the garage.”  James just heaves a sigh.  “The cowling is completely smashed up, the frame is probably bent – if not cracked, the handlebars are through the engine cover, probably skewered the engine and the track is in about three pieces.”  He looks James in the eye, “You shouldn’t have survived.”  I can see that James is shaken by this information and I gently rest a hand on his lower back. 

“I shouldn’t have survived the fire.  I shouldn’t have survived the skidoo.  Now this.”

“Hey Dad, I know you are a Leo.  But will you leave the last few lives alone?” Cali smiles at James, rubbing her belly.

Grinning, James pats the growing bump, “I’ll try” he smiles at his oldest child.  Jacobs gives James a look.  Smiling like a fool, “Cali is making me a Grandpa!”

“Well Congratulations!  Old man!” Jacobs slaps James’ shoulder.  The phone in the office rings and is answered.  “I should probably see what that’s about.”  He shakes James’ hand again, “We’ll get your machine when the snows melt.  I’ve already told BML about it, so they know it’s there.  Happy New Year you lucky bastard!”

“Happy New Year to you, you freaking sky jockey!”

Pointing at James as he heads into the office, “You can do better!”

Waving, “I will next time!” James smiles.

Again, we stuff ourselves into the truck.  As we go to enter the freeway, something makes me grab James’ arm. Hard.  He stops and looks at me.  I shiver.  He gives me a concerned look just as a motorcycle comes screaming between us and the truck in the next lane over, using the gore point to pass.  The biker almost lost it in the slush there but managed to stay upright and punched it even harder.

“That guy had to be doing 80” Castor says quietly from the back seat.

“Closer to 100” James states.  He pats my hand, then checking traffic again, pulls us on to the freeway.  We are silent for a time.  “So, we need the grocery store, yes?” James asks the backset.

“The one with the really good andouille sausages, please Dad” Cali says from her boyfriend’s lap.

I can see James thinking, “Ok.  I remember where that one is.”

It takes a few minutes to get there.  With the size of his truck, James parks it towards the back of the lot.  I swear we look like a clown car as we tumble out.  CGF does almost sits down in the slush, but Castor and MBF make the grab for the save.  It’s a smaller store with a good specialty meat counter.  CBF’s eyes light up.  I grab a cart and wander the store with the others.  CBF catches up to us with his parcel from the meat department.  He dashes around collecting the other things that he needs, smiling. 

Pulling his daughter to his side, “Does he always shop like this?”

Cali grins, “He’s a lot like you.  He likes to cook” she side hugs her Dad.

“Why Jambalaya?”

“He’s from New Orleans.”

Nodding, “So we’ll get the good Jambalaya then” James wiggles his eyebrows.

As CBF drops a bag of rice into the cart, he kisses his fingers like a French chef, “The best!”

The store has a selection of cookware, CBF stops.  “What is the biggest pan you have?”

James pats CBF on the shoulder “Pick out whatever you need.  That way it will be here when you come back.”  CBF eyes open wide.  Cali motions for him to pick out what he needs, rubbing her belly.

I backtrack to a previous aisle, find what I’m looking for and catch up to the little hoard around the cart.

At check out, I beat James to pulling out a credit card.  Giving him a goofy grin, he wraps his arms around me, putting his lips next to my ear, “Gonna be like that, huh?” kissing my ear.  I just nod leaning into his embrace.

As things are bagged up, I collect the lotion I’d selected.  I hand it to Cali, “You are going to rub your belly raw.  Use this.”  She just laughs but takes the bottle.

The purchases are piled into the bed of the truck and the kids strategically pile into the back seat.  James steps in after making sure that I have clambered into the passenger seat.  “Anyone need anything else?” James asks.

“Nope.”  “All good.”  “Can’t think of anything.”  Comes from the back seat.

James looks at me.  I smile at him.  I can tell that he’s tired.  He smiles at me and – checking the surroundings – backs the truck out of the spot.  Once we get home, he stops outside the garage to let the back seat out, before putting the truck into the garage.

Marcella pats her Dad’s back, “We got this Dad.”  She gives me a smile.  I can tell that she too sees that he’s tired.

I hold my hand out to him.  James tosses the key fob to her, takes my hand letting me guide him to our room.  I pull his clothes from his body creating a small pile of our clothes at the foot of the bed.  James makes a trip to the bathroom.  Pulling the covers back, I pull off my clothes and climb in.  When James returns, I hold my arms out to him.  He slides into the sheets, wrapping me in his arms, resting his head on my shoulder, his leg draping up over my hips.  I flip the covers over us.  I caress his hair gently with my fingers.  I feel his body sag into slumber.  I lay awake for a time just watching him sleep.  His eyelashes and eyebrows still showing hints of the blonde he used to be.  His cheeks bearing the slight scarring from the acne he’d had as a kid.  He shifts some in his sleep, rubbing his nose and mustache into my boob.  I kiss his hairline.  Resting my hand on his tattoo laced arm, my cheek on the top of his head.  I don’t remember my eyes closing.

I wake as James stretches.  He looks up at me.  The bruising on his face going into the yellow-green stage.  I kiss him between the eyebrows.  “Sleep good?” I almost whisper.

“Yeah.  Didn’t realize how tired I was.”

My hand rubs his arm, “Well, gee.  It’s not like you haven’t been through a lot in the last ten days or so” rolling my eyes overdramatically at him.

He grabs my ribs and plants a solid mouth fart between my boobs.  I squeal in laughter.  He blows another making me laugh even harder.  He rests his chin between my boobs.  “I love to hear you laugh.”

Caressing his head, “I love to see you smile.”

He’s closing in on kissing me when “Dad!  Kira!”  His head sinks to my chest.  “Dinner!”

“Did we just get called to dinner by the kids … like we’re the kids?” I ask the top of his head.  His head pops up, his blue eyes twinkling.  He bursts into laughter as he hugs me tightly which makes me laugh.

“C’mon you two!  It’s getting cold!”

“Give us a second!  Geez!” James yells back.  I can hear the laughter from downstairs.  He looks at me, “That was their standard answer back in the day!”

Kicking out of the covers, we climb out of bed.  James helps me tidy the covers.  Grabbing a pair of leggings and a tank top I head into the toilet.  I hear James laughing softly.  After washing, he smacks my ass as he heads to the toilet.  I go back to the closet and pull on a baggy knit sweater.  Wearing a pair of sweatpants and a Motorhead t-shirt, James wraps his arms around me – almost carrying me – down the stairs to the kitchen.

“Took you long enough!” Cali says, hands on her hips.  She’s trying to keep a straight face, but loses that battle when James starts laughing again.

Pulling away gently from James, “Standard answer?”  He can only nod at me.

We are presented with open face roast beef sandwiches and the last of all the vegetables from Christmas dinner.  The surprise is the grilled onions on the sandwiches.  James nods, “Nice touch!”

I insist on helping with the cleanup as the kids had done the cooking.  Once the dishwasher is started, Castor says, “Stranger Things time!”

“We really going to binge the whole show?” James looks at his boy.

“Yes, Dad” Castor nods, “This should become the new tradition!  Besides, there’s a new season being worked on!”

In short order, we’re again piled onto the huge sofa structure in the media room, covered in blankets as another episode is started.  James pulls me a little tighter into his side, kissing my temple.  I rest my head on his chest.

Two episodes later, “I gotta pee” I announce.

“Good idea” MBF says.

The bathrooms are all soon put to use.

As I come back through the kitchen, I grab the tub with the cookies.  James is pulling out some Squeezed to Death cans from the fridge.  “Need to restock these” he grins.  Castor starts the next episode once everyone is again tucked into their blankets.

Three episodes and one bin of cookies later, we call it a night.

As we climb back into bed, James pulls my naked body to his.  I curl around his arm sighing.  His breath warm on the back of my neck.

“I have a question for you.” 

“mmhmm”

“What happened today with the motorcycle.”  I nod slightly.  “Does that happen often?”

I pause a moment, then rotate towards his face.  “Grandmother told me that I could answer questions before they were asked.”  I look into his eyes, seeing nothing but compassion there.  “What happened today.  It’s never happened to me before.”  Goosebumps rise on my arms.

Rubbing my arms and kissing me, “I’m glad it did.  At that speed, he’d’ve come right through the back window.”  That makes me shiver.  James pulls me closer and just holds me, my head tucked under his chin.  My eyes close.  I feel myself sag into his arms as sleep grabs me.

Reflections

Finally fulfilling a request for a backstory. I hope this answers some questions from the "Snow Way to Escape" start...

Warnings: The ending NSFW, p in v sex, Anxiety mentioned.

Reflections

Here I lie.  In a bed in a private overwater hut in the tropical heat of the Maldives.  Naked.  He’s lying on my body, also naked.  His head between my breasts, the silvered hairs on his head tickling my chin.  One tattooed arm looped under my right arm.  The other draped over my side, that tattooed hand resting on my left bicep.  His stomach pressing into my groin.  Our legs a tangled puzzle.  The air filled with the scent of tropical flowers, salt from the sea, and the aftermath of our last round of lovemaking.  Sex.  Fucking. Probably round number six for the day.  He’s sound asleep.  I kiss the top of his head, with memories of how I got pinned here under this megarocksuperstargod flooding my brain.

Derek, a former co-worker, had wanted me to go to a charity car show event.  Derek was taking his girl Sasha.  I needed a date, soooo, he called in a favor.  Long story short, James ended up being my plus one.  Or I was his plus one?  We never did get that sorted.  He was reserved when we first met.  Not sure if I was fan or not.  But that changed when I about dove under the hood of the 1953 Buick Skylark that was on display at the car show.  I love a well put together automobile.  That the car is painted purple helped!

“You like it?” James asked me, with a grin growing on his mug.

“It’s beautifully done!” I smiled as I tried again to get closer to it, but respecting the rope line.

“You want a closer look?” James grinned as he easily stepped over the rope line.  I guess I had a dumbfounded look on my face.  “It’s ok.”  His grin going what I came to know as his psycho grin.  “It’s my car” as he held out his hand to me.  Derek nudged my shoulder.  I stepped over the rope line and James pointed out all the modifications that he actually did himself.  Opening the driver’s door “Have a seat” he smiled at me.  “Would you like to fire it up?”

“Sure!  But I can’t reach the pedals” I giggled, wiggling my feet a good foot from the pedals.

“Skooch over then.”  I slid over to the passenger side as James stepped into the car.  The car rumbled to life.  James told me more about the car as he revved the engine.  He finally turned the engine off.  “What do you think?”

I gave him a sidelong glance, “Meh.”  Then bust out laughing at the look on his face.  “It’s gorgeous!” I grinned broadly at him, my eyes flaring wide at him.

“I’ll have to show you my other cars!” he grinned from ear to ear.

The rest of that day, James and I wandered the car show checking out the other vehicles on display.  He admitted that he’s not done any cars in recent years and his welding is now used making tables for charity auctions, or repairing the heavy equipment he uses at both his Colorado and California homes. 

I don’t know when or where Derek and Sasha left us during the show.  I took some ribbing from him the next work day.  James took me out to dinner that night.  We had sushi.

Over the next two weeks, James would call or text me inviting me out to dinner about every other day.  There was something beneath the rockstargod mask that he wore in public that pulled me in.  He made me laugh.  Granted, most of the time it was his kooky really bad dad jokes.  There was an innocence in him.  It’s still there.  It’s hidden unless he’s alone with someone that he’s super comfortable with.

The band headed out for the European leg of the tour.  James would call or text me everyday.  When they returned to the states from Europe, James asked me to join him on the road.  I had some PTO accrued, so I took it.  Being on a tour is mind boggling.  The sheer number of people in the stadium stands every show night.  The sheer number of people that keep the production running.  The fact that there’s a routine that sets up is a help.  But it’s still mind dumbing.

As summer began to fade, James begin asking me about the possibility of staying with him when he returned to Colorado.  Hindsight being 20/20, I now know that he was terrified of having all that time off.  Alone.  His divorce long since finaled.  The recent girlfriend being shifted out of his life.  His kids having their own lives.  The other band members having family commitments that he didn’t want to intrude on.  I remember there was something in his eyes when he asked me.  The vulnerability peeped through.  I said yes.

That’s when the comparisons started.  “Well, the wife would fold the sheets this way.”  “The ex would keep the ketchup in the cupboard, not the fridge.”  My constant come back:  “They aren’t me and I’m not them.”  Those comparisons would pop up randomly.

But my moving into his Colorado house was almost our undoing.  It started out great.  We’d go on hikes.  He’d take me to the best steak houses for dinner.  Almost like he was showing me off.  I went with him when he took his big ass truck in to the dealership for some warranty work.  He was talking with the service dept guy and I was left in the show room.  That was a mistake!  That’s when I bought my Shelby.  Since I basically paid cash for the car, I was the one who drove us home that day. The truck had to stay for some parts to arrive.

“You gonna let me drive this?” James asked on that drive home.

“You gonna let me drive your big ass truck?” I gently snarked back.

“I don’t even let Lars drive my truck!” he laughed.

“Well, like me, Lars wouldn’t be able to reach the peddles!”  We both laughed.  I finally let him drive the Shelby at Christmas.

He’d get snappy when I had to spend hours doing my job.  The comparisons to the ex’s soon became a daily thing.  About everything.  The laundry.  The dishes. How I cooked.  The cleaning.  When the mail got pulled from the mailbox.  It was like he was angry that I wasn’t treating him as a megasuperstarrockgod like the way he’d been treated on tour by everyone.  Only Lars, James’ tech and security guy would knock him back down to reality. And they weren’t there.  I was.

The almost final straw happened when we had gone grocery shopping.  I had picked up something that he snorted at.  So, I put it on the belt and paid for it myself after he’d paid for the other items.  I used cash.  Don’t know why, but I did.  That night before going to bed was the first time that he counted his cash before going to bed.  That had hurt.  It was also the first time I ever played like I was asleep when his hands started groping my body.  The bigger dig was his re-counting his cash in the morning. I moved my stuff out of his bedroom into a spare bedroom in the basement about a week later.  He didn’t seem to notice.

A week after that is when a freak September snow storm had foiled my plans to leave.  It was like the universe said “No.”  I had walked out the front door of his house to see that a two foot drift of snow had accumulated in front of the garage door.  It was snowing so hard that I couldn’t see the end of the driveway.  My little Shelby wouldn’t have made it very far in that snowfall.  For a second I had considered taking his big ass truck.  He could have slammed the front door shut leaving me outside instead of standing there yelling at me.  As I had passed him on my way back into his house, I had slapped my goodbye note into his chest.  The next afternoon, we started repairing our relationship.  We were honest with each other.  With ourselves.  Some discussions ended in tears.  Some with laughter.  He won a few.  I had changed his mind on a few.  There are still topics that we have agreed to disagree on and just won’t bring up.

The longest conversation was about anxiety.  We both suffer from it.  His a little more broad than mine.  That discussion was actually very calm.  Neither of us raising our voices.  Both of us shedding tears at some point.  We stayed up all night talking.  Him relating times on the road where he’d been almost paralyzed with fear that he wasn’t good enough.  How the other three had basically pulled him cringing onstage.  The times he’d cried himself to sleep after shows wondering if he could carry on.  The temptations of the road hard to ignore.  And at times, largely given in to.  He did tell me that he is grateful that I feel no need to keep alcohol around.  I assured him that I’m not missing out on anything by not keeping liquor around.  His other road addictions – gambling, strip clubs, food – I have promised him I will help with those.  He whole heartedly and gratefully agreed.

And now.  Here I am.  Pinned in a bed on a tropical island by James’ body.  He snores softly into my boob.  I caress his silvered locks.  The sun makes my diamond encrusted eternity band glitter.  His promise ring to me.  That he’ll work to earn my forgiveness every day.

I have already forgiven him.  I forgave him completely months ago.  But, he doesn’t want to hear it.  So, I will keep it to myself.  I whisper into his hair “You’re doing great James” kissing the top of his head.

I feel his lips curve into a smile against my breast.  His head rocks back and those glorious blue eyes open “Thank you.”  He kisses me.  Then his big blue eyes look deeply into mine.  “What are you thinking?”

“How I got here” I murmur softly, smiling at him, my fingers gently playing with his hair.

He slowly slides to my right giving me a wonky grin, “Well, first it was the truck to the airport, then a great big plane, to a smaller plane…”

Laughing loudly, I gently smack his bicep.  He kisses me again, his eyes twinkling, chuckling softly.  This bad-dad-joke telling dork of a supermegarockstargod holding me.

I caress his cheeks, pulling his face to mine, kissing him.  He eagerly kisses me back.  His hands gently squeezing me.  His lips find my neck.  Nibbling, licking, sucking, leaving little love marks all over my skin.  I moan in his hold.  My fingers gently digging into his shoulders as my body arches against his.  My fingers find his silvered locks, snarling into them.  Holding his head to my neck.  He shifts his body back between my legs.  His teeth gently nibble the magic spot.  I groan loudly as my body sags in his hold.  His big hands gently find my breasts.  Then his tattooed fingers gently start working my nipples.  Squeezing.  Rolling.  Tugging.  Each action pulling another groan from my mouth.  Each action pulling my hips up into his body.  His lips loudly start working towards my nipples.  He moves from one nipple to other, leaving little licks and nibbles between my breasts.  I place a million little kisses to his hair on the top of his head.  My lips tasting like the salt in his locks.  From sweat after fucking.  Our swim in the ocean.  James slowly lifts his body to his knees, holding his weight on his elbows, his lips still working on my flesh.  I suck in a sharp breath as his teeth nibble my right nipple, my body squirming in his hold.  His tongue gently flicking my nipple trapped in his teeth pulling a loud moan from my lips.  Pulling up, he lets my nipple literally pop from his lips.  Then his lips are kissing mine as his knees budge up against my legs, spreading them, his hands pressing down on my hips keeping them pinned to the bed.  Almost painfully slowly, James works his way down my body leaving nibble marks all over my flesh.  His hands hold my legs open.  He actually slows as he approaches the juncture between my legs.  I whimper as I struggle happily in his hold.  Then gasp loudly as the pointy tip of his tongue dips into the top of my cleft.  His groan reverberates through my body as his mouth locks on to my pussy.  Another gasp is pulled from my throat that becomes a moan as my body arches up from the bed.  His hands hold my hips down as his tongue works its magic on me.  Slowly.  It’s too much and not enough at the same time.  My sight blurs and my mind stops actively functioning.  It only concentrates on what his tongue is doing to my sex flesh.  My fingers tangle into his hair, pulling.  I feel his chuckle just before I explode into his mouth.  I feel his suction on my pussy increase as I flood his face.  The pressure on my cunt continues as he overstimulates me.  I scream as another climax slams into me.  He slowly eases me down from that high.  Then chuckling softly wipes his mustache on my inner thigh making me giggle and squirm.  He licks away the mess.  He lifts his head looking up my body.  Those stunning blue eyes locking with mine as he starts to grin madly at me.  Rising fully to his knees, his eyes not leaving mine as he grabs my legs.  Then flips me over.  I squeak.  He quickly pulls me up his thighs, guiding his cock into me, pushing his rigid dick all the way into me.  Deep into me.  Stretching me.  My breaths come out in hitched gasps.  I feel his heavy balls gently swinging between my thighs.  I push my body back against his with my arms, my fingers clutching the sheets, my teeth finding the pillow as I whine loudly.  His fingers wrap around my hips digging in deeply holding my hips close to his pelvis.  I struggle in his hold.  “Tell me” he growls softly at me.  I whine.  His large hand smacks my ass hard.  “Tell me” the growl becomes lower.

“Faahck me James!  Fuck me hard!” I almost scream.

“Happily” he grunts as he starts rutting into me.  Hard.  Fast.  Deep.  I can only whine in his hold.  Happily whine.  His rhythm steadily harsh.  I struggle some in his grasp.  I wrap my feet around his legs and pull.  “ahhh.  Gonna be that way are you?”  I nod vigorously, knowing he can’t see the grin on my own face.  He keeps thrusting harshly into my cunt.  His big hand finds my butt again.  I bark in shock at the pain flaring in my ass cheek, my back arching deeply.  “Liked that did you?” he growls at me.  I again nod vigorously, panting hard.  He smacks my other cheek.  Another sharp bark is pulled from me.  He ruts harder into me, his hands digging deep into my hips pulling another loud gasp from me.  His grunts get more feral.  He hoists my hips up his thighs as I am sliding down his sweaty skin.  My own body coated in a sheen of sweat.  I reach back and paw at his knees, my fingers not finding purchase on his slick skin.  His fingers find my clit as I feel his cock thicken inside me.  Stretching me more.  Twitching deep inside me.  His strokes get sloppy.  His fingers on one hip tighten.  His other fingers find my clit.  We both slam over into orgasm together.  He roars.  I scream.  Loudly.  He thrusts a couple more times into me.  Deep.  Then he lets me slide down his thighs slowly to the bed.  His cock sliding out of me.  His body lowers over mine.  His breath hot on my back, cooling the sweat.  His fingers gently tangle into my hair, pushing it up over the pillow.  His head comes down on my left shoulder.  I look over my left shoulder into his blue eyes.  “hi” he mumbles.

“hey” I groan sleepily.  My arms and legs feeling like they are filled with lead.

His fingers gently making lazy circles on my back make me shiver and giggle.  His lips gently kiss my shoulder.  My neck.  He rolls me over.  His large hand palms up my body from my hip over my stomach stopping momentarily to squeeze my boob before gently wrapping around my neck, sliding around to the back of my head.  His lips find mine.  Gently.  Tenderly.  Sucking on my lower lip softly.  My body arches under his hand which he flares open wide into my sternum pressing down gently on me.  I whimper and gently kiss his lips, my hands wrapping around his head.  His hands wrap around my back as he keeps kissing me.  I feel his hips slide from the bad.  He pulls me with him.  I wrap my legs around his waist.  I’m still kissing him as James carries me out of our private overwater hut.  Into the Arabian Sea.

I swim to the surface, sputtering out water.  “Ya could warn a girl!” I laugh.

James is also laughing, “I’m taking you for a swim!”