Making Home with You

by Claire Raye

  “So where do you think you’ll live?” Kelsey asks, as we all make our way to the table for dinner.

  I end up sitting across from Sarah, meaning there’s no chance of me avoiding looking at her.

  “I’m not sure,” she says, shooting me another look. “I guess I’ll try and find something in Boston,” she continues. “The job is close to the train station though, so I can be flexible.”

  “I don’t want you living just anywhere,” Ryan says, smirking when Sarah rolls her eyes at him. “There are some sketchy places down there, Sarah,” he continues.

  “He’s right,” Beck says, nodding.

  “Well, why don’t you just stay here,” Erin chimes in. “Catch the commuter?”

  Sarah and I both jerk our heads up at the same time, our eyes locking before I immediately look away.

  “Well,” Sarah says as I feel the point of what I can only assume is her shoe as it runs up my leg. “That could work to start with,” she adds. “At least until I know if I like the job.”

  “I think that’s a great idea,” Ryan says quickly. “It’s much safer and it’s not like you’ll be working crazy hours, right?”

  Sarah shrugs. “Don’t think so, no.”

  And this time I don’t look away when she meets my stare.

  By the time dinner’s over, I can already tell Sarah and I won’t be catching up tonight. As much as I wish I could take her home with me, I know it’s late and with Ryan still none the wiser, there’s not a chance in hell we can come up with any kind of plausible excuse for why she needs to go out at this hour.

  And while I might have been serious about telling Ryan about the two of us, announcing that I intend to spend the night fucking his sister while she’s wearing nothing but those red shoes is probably not the best strategy.

  Reluctantly, I say my goodbyes, lingering a little too long as I kiss Sarah on the cheek, my hand invariably sliding around her waist. When I pull back, I catch Erin smirking at me and I know I have to get the hell out of there before I do something really stupid.

  Before I’ve even started the car, my phone is chiming out with a text.

  Sarah: I can try and sneak out.

  Me: No, don’t want you walking in the dark. What are you doing tomorrow?

  Sarah: nothing.

  Me: Tell them you’re going shopping and come over. Bring the shoes.

  Sarah: clever boy

  I grin as I throw my phone on the passenger seat and reverse out of the drive. My phone chimes out again as I drive down the street and I risk a look.

  Sarah: I’ll dream about all the things you’re going to do to me tomorrow…

  I can’t stop the grin, as I start to imagine exactly what all of those things might be. I wave at Beck and Kelsey as we turn in opposite directions, but before I continue on, I fire back a quick text.

  Me: clear your schedule babe, you’re going to be busy ;)

  The next morning, I wake early. I’ve got no idea what time Sarah’s planning on coming over and I know a lot of it’s going to depend on how and when she can get out of the house. To kill some time, I figure I’ll go work on my project, so I pull on some old jeans and a worn sweater, leave her a note on my front door and head into the garage and my workshop at the back.

  It’s not exactly warm back here, so I turn on the space heater, warming my hands on the mug of coffee I brought in while I wait for the room to warm up. Eventually it’s not too bad, so I switch on the radio and start working.

  “Hey,” comes the voice I’ve been waiting all morning to hear.

  I turn, see Sarah standing just inside the side door to my garage, a grin on her face and those amazing red shoes dangling from her fingers.

  “Hey,” I reply, smiling as she starts to walk over to me.

  “What’s all this?” she asks, gesturing toward me with the shoes.

  My smile widens as she stops in front of me and I lean down to press a kiss to her lips. “Just something I’ve been working on.”

  “You made this,” she asks, running a hand over the top of the large wooden chest.

  “Yep.”

  Sarah looks up at me, her eyes wide as though she’s surprised. “What’s it for?” she asks.

  “It’s a present for Erin and Ryan’s baby,” I say, shrugging as I put my chisel on the nearby work bench. “When it’s born.”

  “Oh my god,” she whispers, her eyes roaming over the carvings I’ve been working on. “This is incredible.”

  I watch as she takes it all in, turning now to the back wall and all the other pieces I have in various stages of completion.

  “Oh wow, is that a bench seat?” she asks, pointing to the large chair. “Holy shit, it’s for Beck and Kelsey?” she adds, her fingers tracing the large B&K I’ve carved into the headrest.

  “A wedding present,” I tell her, watching as she walks back over, placing the shoes on my workbench.

  “Holy shit, Finn,” she whispers, staring up at me. “These are amazing,” she adds, waving her hand over the space. “I mean really amazing.”

  “Thanks,” I say, nodding.

  “I mean,” she adds, a cheeky grin on her face now. “I always knew you were good with your hands, but shit.”

  I chuckle, stepping closer as I slide my hands down her back to her butt. Grabbing her, I hoist her up and sit her on the work bench, stepping between her legs. “Good with my hands, huh?”

  “Uh huh,” she says, locking her legs around my waist and pulling me closer.

  I grin, my hands sliding up to her hips as I lean in and press a kiss to her lips. “I’ve missed you,” I whisper between kisses.

  “Mmmm,” she murmurs, pulling me closer. “So what you’re saying is, that’s not a gun in your pocket, Chief?” she asks. “You’re just happy to see me?”

  I burst out laughing now, pulling back a little. “How long have you been waiting to use that one?”

  Sarah smiles up at me, her fingers sliding into the waistband of my jeans. “Oh, pretty much since the second I discovered what it is you do in this town.”

  I chuckle. “Cheeky,” I whisper, as I lean in to kiss her again.

  I feel Sarah’s hands on my jeans, her fingers as they start to unbutton them. My hands slide to the waistband of her leggings, inching them down a little.

  “You wanna take this inside?” I murmur against her mouth.

  “Nope,” she whispers, shaking her head a little. “I want you to do me right here.”

  I grin, slipping her leggings down further, Sarah shuffling around a little as she kicks off her boots. We eventually get them down her legs and as I step back between them, she finishes off my jeans, pushing them and my boxer briefs down, till they’re pooled around my ankles.

  Pulling her panties to the side, I run a finger over her clit, slipping lower and teasing her a little. She squirms, her ankles hooking around my ass and pulling me even closer. Grinning against her mouth, I deepen the kiss as I slowly slide a finger inside her.

  “Oh god,” she groans, her head falling back and exposing her neck.

  I kiss my way along her jaw, down her neck to the base of her throat, gently sucking as I slide a second finger inside.

  “Finn,” she moans, lifting her head and pulling my mouth back to hers.

  “What?” I ask, teasing her as I slowly pull my fingers out and ease them back in. “You okay there, baby?”

  “Ugh,” she grumbles, reaching down and grabbing my hand, moving my fingers so they are now against her clit. She grabs my dick, lining it up as her heels dig into my ass, urging me closer.

  “This what you want?” I murmur, teasing her as I slowly ease the tip in.

  “Yes,” she breathes out. “Fuck yes.”

  I can’t stop the moan that falls from my mouth as I slowly push the rest of the way inside her. When I’m buried all the way, I stop for a second as I give her a deep kiss. Then I slowly pull back out and repeat the move all ov
er again.

  We fuck slowly, neither of upping the pace as the only sounds that echo through my workspace come from the radio and our soft moans. It doesn’t even feel that cold now, the heat that’s between us more than enough to keep us warm.

  “God, you feel so good,” I groan, pushing my way inside her as my fingers slowly rub her clit.

  “Finn,” she groans. “God…”

  “Jesus fucking christ!”

  Sarah and I immediately freeze, our eyes locked on each other as Ryan’s voice booms inside the garage.

  “Fuck,” I groan, not sure whether I should pull away, exposing Sarah and everything we are currently doing or stay exactly where I am. I don’t really want to give her brother an eyeful of what’s going on here, although it’s not hard to guess given my ass is currently on display. But I also don’t exactly want my dick out and waving about for the world to see either.

  “Shit,” I say again, as Sarah groans and buries her face against my neck.

  “I think we’re busted,” she says, her legs tightening around me as Ryan walks into the garage, shaking his head at us.

  “Do you think?” Ryan asks. “This is something I cannot unsee…or see,” he says, shaking his head. “I’ll just step outside while you…” he pauses, waving his hand at us as though he has no idea how to finish that sentence, before turning and walking out.

  “Fuck, that was awkward,” I say, stepping back from Sarah and tucking my dick back in my pants.

  “Yeah, not ideal,” she says, getting dressed before standing awkwardly in front of me.

  I pull her toward me, wrapping an arm around her shoulder. “Don’t worry, I’ll talk to him,” I say, pressing a kiss to the top of her head.

  “No,” she says, shaking her head. “We both will,” she adds, before turning and yelling out to her brother.

  Ryan walks back into the garage and stops, standing there with his hands on his hips.

  “Ryan,” I say, not really sure how I’m supposed to even start this conversation considering what he’s just walked in on. “Look, I’m…I…”

  “Forget it, Finn,” he says laughing now. “We all knew what was going on with you two.”

  “What?!” Sarah says, lifting her head from my neck and finally meeting her brother’s stare. “Are you fucking serious?”

  “Please,” Ryan says. “What did you take me for, an idiot?”

  “Erin told you, didn’t she?” Sarah asks, apparently totally okay with the fact that she is discussing our sex life with her brother.

  Ryan nods. “Of course she did, but I’d already figured it out anyway,” he says.

  “How?” Sarah says.

  Ryan laughs. “Once a cop, always a cop, Sarah. And you,” he says, looking at me now.

  I swallow hard, wondering just what he’s going to say to me. He can’t stop me from seeing her, we’re adults, but I guess he can be pissed about it. Can probably make my life unbearable too.

  “Yeah?”

  He starts laughing now. “Well, if you hadn’t left that damn note on the front door, then I wouldn’t have had to walk in here and see you fucking my sister. Jesus, this is one image I am never going to erase from my brain.”

  “Jesus, Ryan,” Sarah says. “Like me listening to the sound of you and Erin having constant sex these past few nights is something I’m ever going to forget.”

  “Whatever,” Ryan says, walking over toward the row of tools along the far wall of my garage. “I just came over to borrow your power drill, Finn. Carry on.”

  Sarah and I watch in stunned silence as Ryan finds what he’s looking for and then wanders out of the garage, closing the door behind him as though none of this has happened.

  “Fuck,” I say, exhaling hard as my head now falls on to Sarah’s shoulder. “That went well.”

  “I’m sorry,” Sarah whispers, sliding an arm around my waist. “I should’ve taken the note down.”

  I lift my head, offer a half smile. “Not your fault, baby,” I say, leaning in to give her a kiss.

  She brushes a hand down my cheek. “You okay?”

  I shrug. “Dunno,” I offer. “I should probably go and talk to him,” I say. “Properly,” I add.

  Sarah chuckles a little. “I’ll come with you,” she says. “You might need my protection.”

  I can’t help but grin. “Sounds like a good idea.”

  The second Erin opens her front door; she starts laughing her ass off. “Oh fuck me, I wish I could’ve seen the looks on your faces,” she says, pushing the door wider for us.

  “Thanks a lot, bitch,” Sarah says, brushing past her. “I thought you weren’t going to say anything.”

  Erin rolls her eyes, a big grin stuck on her face. “Right, like that was ever gonna happen,” she says, smacking me on the ass as I walk past.

  I shake my head at her.

  “You could have at least given us a heads up,” Sarah says.

  “What?” she says, feigning surprise, “I thought you’d gone shopping?”

  Sarah rolls her eyes. “Please,” she says. “As if you didn’t know exactly where I was going.”

  “Where is he?” I ask, interrupting.

  “In the nursery,” Erin says, laughing so hard I can barely understand her. “So, paint me a picture,” she continues, turning back to Sarah. “Was he like naked, doing an oil change when you showed up and you just couldn’t help yourself?”

  Erin dissolves into laughter, even as Sarah punches her shoulder and storms off to the kitchen. I follow her in, accepting the two beers she now hands me.

  “You okay?” I ask.

  Sarah nods, as she grabs another bottle, twists off the cap and takes a long sip. “Do you want me to come with you?” she asks, looking up at me.

  I brush my fingers down her cheek, even as I shake my head. “It’s okay,” I tell her. “Given our history, I should do it.”

  “At least now I can stay the night,” she offers, her eyes searching mine.

  I smile now, lean in and kiss her softly. “Yeah, you can,” I whisper against her lips. “Don’t worry, it will be alright.”

  I turn and walk out of the kitchen and head down the hall toward the sound of my drill. When I stop in the door to what will be the baby’s nursery, Ryan is bent over a half-assembled crib, drill in one hand and piece of wood in the other. I’m half tempted to run away, forget I ever came here, but I don’t, because despite my concerns over what he’s going to think or do to me, I know I can’t do that to Sarah.

  “Ryan,” I say, getting his attention.

  He glances up at me, a hard look on his face. “Finn,” he says, standing. “You’ve got some balls.”

  I exhale hard, knowing I have to get this out, no matter what. “Yeah,” I say, stepping into the room. “And I’d really like to keep them too.”

  Ryan depresses the trigger on the power drill he borrowed earlier, the sound and sight of it enough to make my balls shrivel in my jeans. He stares at me, long and hard, and for a minute doesn’t say anything. When he starts to walk toward me, still holding the drill, I stand my ground as I offer the beer to him in apology.

  When he stops right in front of me, he stares at me, our eyes level, but neither of us saying a word.

  “I’m sorry,” I eventually breathe out. “I know that wasn’t…well, it wasn’t the…”

  Ryan’s face breaks into a huge grin as he dumps the drill on the dresser and slaps me on the shoulder. “Fuck man, I’m just messing with you, really,” he says, grinning as he takes the beer from my hands.

  I watch as he takes a long swallow. “So what, you’re not pissed at me?” I ask, a little surprised.

  Ryan’s eyes flick to mine. “Nah, why the hell would I be?”

  I shrug. “I don’t know, maybe because you walked in on me having sex with your sister?”

  Ryan shrugs. “Yeah, probably something I didn’t need to see, but fuck, it’s not like we didn’t all know
it was happening,” he says, smiling at me.

  “How?” I ask.

  Ryan grins. “Please,” he says, rolling his eyes. “Your reaction to seeing Sarah on New Year’s made everything pretty obvious,” he says, shrugging again.

  “But nothing even happened that night,” I say.

  Ryan nods. “I know, but it was pretty obvious you were into her,” he says. “Pretty obvious she was into you too.

  I stare back at him; amazed he’s being so cool about all of this. And really glad I didn’t tell him or my brother about the hook-up with Sarah a couple of weeks ago. I definitely do not need either of them knowing I’ve also joined their sex club in the pub we all co-own.

  “Ryan, look,” I say, running a hand through my hair. “This thing with Sarah, I…well, I just wanna say…it’s serious for me.” I pause, watch as Ryan stares at me, the smile on his face now gone. “I’m not fucking about here,” I continue. “I really…fuck, I really like her, okay?”

  Ryan says nothing for a couple of seconds and I’m starting to wonder if he isn’t rethinking how cool he is with this whole set up. Just as I’m about to say more, he smiles and holds out his hand to me.

  I stare down at it, finally reaching out and putting mine in his as he now shakes hands with me.

  “Yeah, I know, Finn,” he says, smiling now. “It’s pretty serious for her, too.”

  “It is,” I tell him, needing to know we’re both on the same page with what’s happening between us.

  Ryan nods, as if he understands, before saying, “But if you hurt her, Finn, I will cut your fucking balls off.”

  “That’s not gonna happen,” I say, my tone serious.

  Ryan nods. “Good,” he says. “Now, let’s go find these women of ours. God knows I do not need my sister talking to my baby mama about their sex lives.”

  And then he walks out, and I can only shake my head, unsure if I just dreamed this whole thing or not.

  Chapter Seven

  Sarah

  Since landing my job in Boston, I’ve been rushing around trying to get everything in order. I headed back to Eddington for the day to pick up some of my clothes and go over my offer letter with my dad. This is the first real job I’ve had and I have no idea what I’m doing with any of it. He helped me sort out the details of my 401K and my life insurance, before sending me on my way.