by Anna B. Doe
“Oh burn, bro. Burn,” Ethan barks while the others lose their fight trying to contain their laughter.
“Fucking hell,” I mutter, turning my back on them before this gets even worse for me.
I’ve got a rep. One I’d like to keep, thank you very much.
Taking the stairs two at a time, I make quick work of going in search of my girl.
All the doors are open aside from our bedroom. Knowing that’s where she’s hiding, I slip inside the room.
It’s empty, but the bathroom door is suspiciously ajar.
Walking over, I poke my head around cautiously.
I find her resting her palms against the counter, her head hanging between her shoulders. Her entire body sags in defeat and it fucking kills me.
“Amalie,” I whisper, not wanting to startle her in case she hasn’t heard me join her.
A sob erupts from her and it physically hurts me to hear it.
Racing over, I pull her to me and hold her as tightly as I can.
She tucks her face into the crook of my neck as her body trembles.
“It’s okay, baby.”
At my words, she breaks.
She sobs against me, her cries full of grief and sorrow, and there’s absolutely fuck all I can do about it.
I move us backward as one until my back hits the wall, then I slide down with her in my arms until we’re sitting on the floor.
She holds on to me as she cries for the longest time.
I have no idea what’s going on downstairs and quite frankly, I don’t care. I trust them to sort themselves out. My Brit is more important right now.
“It’s okay, baby,” I repeat, stroking my hand over her soft hair and down her back, hoping that my touch may help in some way. “I’m right here. I’ve got you.”
Eventually, her sobs subside and her breaths calm as she continues to hide with her face pressed against me.
“Amalie?” I ask, hoping that she’ll look up at me so I can get a read on how she’s feeling.
After a few seconds, she pulls back and hesitantly glances up at me.
Her blue eyes are full of emotion and pain, they’re red-rimmed from the crying and full of more unshed tears.
“I’m sorry,” she whispers, her voice hoarse from crying.
“Aw, baby, you’ve got nothing to be sorry for.” Reaching up, I wipe her freshly fallen tears with my thumbs, but keep her face cradled in my hands. “Tell me what you need.”
“You. I just need you.”
“You’ve got me. Any way you need me.”
She stares at me for a beat, before wrapping her fingers around the back of my neck and dropping her lips to mine.
Her tongue almost immediately slips past my lips, in search of mine. I eagerly respond and help her move as she straddles my waist.
My hands slide up her bare thighs until I’m able to grip onto her almost bare ass.
She grinds down on me as she controls the kiss. I’m more than happy to hand over power to my girl if it’s going to give her the escape she needs.
As she moves against my growing cock, red hot desire fills my veins as my fingers dig into the soft skin of her ass.
My need for her is as powerful, if not more so, as it was that first time, and I’ve got a feeling that it’s never going to stop. I fucking hope not. I always want to need her this badly.
Ripping her lips from mine, she kisses along the rough line of my jaw before licking up my neck.
“Jake, I need you.”
Releasing her ass, I grip the hem of her dress and pull it up over her body.
Chapter Four
Amalie
I know I freaked out. I know that Shane didn’t mean to hurt me with that comment, not that it did. Having a reminder that Jake had a past before me was just the tip of the iceberg for my already overflowing emotions.
It was in that moment I knew that this party, and this big Christmas that Jake has planned in an attempt to distract me from my reality, was the last thing I wanted.
I just wanted to be alone.
Well, not alone. I wanted Jake.
Just the two of us in our little haven.
The second my dress is free from my body, I reach out and start releasing the buttons on his shirt.
I need him. I need his skin against mine. I need to feel that connection that’s always there when we’re together. I need the reminder that I’m not alone. That just because they left me it doesn’t mean I’m alone, I’ve got someone in my corner.
Jake sits forward, allowing me to push his shirt from his shoulders and he rests back, allowing me to run my fingers down over his pecs and across his abs. His muscles jump with my touch. A sense of achievement and relief washes through me. This is what I needed.
As I lower my hands to his fly, he cups my breasts in his large palms. I moan as he squeezes, my need to escape and pleasure that only he can provide getting too much to bear.
In seconds, I have the button on his trousers undone, and after he helps me out my lifting his arse from the ground, I push the fabric around his hips.
His already hard cock springs free and I waste no time in reaching out and wrapping my hand around it.
“Amalie,” he grates out as I stroke him, his eyes locked on where we’re connected.
The muscles in his neck strain, I know it’s with his restraint. He’s not one to sit back and allow me to take control, but right now, he knows I need it.
Lifting up, I pull my panties aside, too impatient to remove them, and move him to find my entrance.
His eyes lift to mine and we hold each other’s stare as I sink down onto him.
My eyelids want to flutter closed as the sensation of him filling me consumes me.
I sit down until I’m totally full of him. My muscles rippling and my body begging me to move, to take what I need.
“Brit?” Jake asks, concern filling his eyes, but I’m okay.
I just need this moment to ground myself. To remind myself that I’m here. With him, and that everything is going to be okay.
I don’t respond, instead I lean forward, capturing his lips and plunging my tongue into his mouth as I start to move.
A groan of pleasure rumbles up his throat as I lift almost all the way off him before sinking straight back down.
My movements get faster, more frantic as I desperately search for those few mind-numbing seconds of bliss that I know are just in touching distance.
Unable to keep my lips to his, I sit up, throwing my head back as the angle change means he hits me in the most perfect place.
“Yes,” I cry, forgetting that we currently have house guests. I’m too lost to him, to the pleasure coursing through my body, to care about anything else but this moment right now.
Jake sits with me, his own need for control getting the better of him. He leans me back with his giant hands cupping my shoulder blades to keep me in place as he takes over. His hips piston into me as I continue to move.
It’s frenzied, frantic, and so fucking hot as we both push each other toward the releases we need.
Holding me with one arm, he drops the other to the tile floor to help him get some more movement.
My head falls back as he hits me incredibly deeply.
“Oh god. Fuck. Jake,” I chant as my much-needed release crashes into me.
“Amalie,” he groans, his voice so low it sends tingles through my body.
Sitting up, he wraps both his arms around me almost painfully tight as we both come down from our highs and try to catch our breath.
His lips brush against my shoulder and he kisses up my neck before his fingers thread into my hair and move me so I’ve no choice but to give him my lips.
Looks like my time in control is more than over. I’m now more than happy to hand myself over to him.
He kisses me gently before resting his forehead against mine and looking into my eyes.
“How you doing?”
I nod gently. “I’ll be okay. I’m sorry I freaked out.”
>
I avert my eyes, embarrassed for allowing something so silly to push me over the edge.
“You don’t need to apologize. Just tell me what you need and it’s yours.”
I think for a second. “I need a shower.”
He pulls away from me and our sweaty skin sticks together.
“Hold on then.”
“Jake, you can—argh,” I squeal as he proves me wrong and somehow stands from the floor with me clinging to him like a monkey.
His cock slips from me, causing aftershocks from my earlier release to shoot around my body.
After ensuring the water is warm, he stands us under the torrent. He allows me to drop to my feet, but he doesn’t release me until he reaches for the shower gel and sets about cleaning me up.
“Everyone said Merry Christmas,” Jake says, walking back into our bedroom just wearing a pair of low hanging gray sweats and fuck if my temperature doesn’t spike at the sight. It sure as shit helps to push away the sadness that keeps threatening to drag me under.
“I’m sorry I ruined our night.”
“How many times?” he asks, diving on the bed beside me and pulling me into him. “It doesn’t matter. The only thing I care about is making you happy.”
“You do,” I say, spinning in his arms so I can look into his blue eyes. I open my mouth to say more, but I hesitate.
“Whatever it is, tell me, please.”
“I… um… I don’t want to go to Cam’s tomorrow. I don’t think I can deal with a big family Christmas.”
“Okay.”
“Okay. Just like that?”
“Of course, baby,” he says, tucking a lock of hair behind my ear. “I can’t imagine how hard this must be for you, I just want to make it as good as I can.”
“But you had it all planned, you wanted to—”
“Shush.” He presses his fingertips to my lips. “The only thing I want for Christmas is you. I don’t care if that means we’re here, just the two of us, or in someone else’s house. I just want to see you smile.”
“I just… I just want it to be us.” I fight to keep the tears from my eyes, but I fail and they fall faster than I’d like. “I don’t think I can be with others. I’ll just ruin it for everyone.”
Gathering me up in his arms, I blow out a shaky breath as images of how we used to spend our Christmas Eve fill my head.
Mum and Dad have the biggest circle of friends and colleagues, but Christmas was the one time of the year they forgot about business and just focused on us.
They turned their phones off, shut their laptops down, and just enjoyed our family time. It was the best of times. We’d watch reruns of old Christmas sitcoms that my parents enjoyed as kids, we played all sorts of games and just enjoyed each other.
I so badly want that again.
A sob bubbles up and if it’s even possible, Jake holds me tighter.
“I- I really miss them,” I whimper.
“I know, baby.” His lips press to the top of my head, and I focus on his scent surrounding me.
His love and support never lets up and eventually, I drift off to sleep in his arms.
Chapter Five
Jake
I’ve been through some shit in my life but I can say hands down that watching my Brit break down in my arms and not being able to do fuck all to make it any better is the worst thing I’ve ever experienced.
It takes quite a while, but eventually her breathing evens out and her body goes limp in my arms.
Releasing her, I reluctantly climb from the bed silently and leave the room.
It’s past midnight on Christmas Eve so there’s not much I can do in the way of creating us the kind of day she can remember tomorrow, but I’m going to do my best.
When I get downstairs, I find all the food that Brit has prepared neatly stored in the Tupperware that Camila and Rae had put it in while I was in the bathroom distracting her.
My cock swells as I think back to us on that tiled floor. Fuck, that was hot.
Ignoring the images of her bouncing on top of me, I set about putting my plan into action before heading back up to bed and slipping in beside her.
She whimpers as I slide my arm around her waist, but she doesn’t wake.
“Merry Christmas, Brit,” I whisper as I drop a kiss to her shoulder.
I hate that while she’s losing herself in grief over what she’s missing this Christmas, I’m here excited about it being the best Christmas I’ve ever had. I’ve gone years without even receiving any gifts, let alone spending the day with someone who loves me. It’s a sobering thought.
I couldn’t care less about spending time with the others. Amalie’s request for it just to be us doesn’t disappoint me one bit because what I said earlier was true. I just want her.
After I’d messaged the others to say that we wouldn’t be there tomorrow, I turned my alarm off with the intention of allowing Brit the sleep she so desperately needs. She hasn’t mentioned the fact that she’s been up the past few nights unable to sleep because of everything, but I know.
Thankfully, her exhaustion means she sleeps soundly until almost lunchtime on Christmas day.
A part of me wanted to wake her, but as excited as I am to spend the day with her, I know that she’d prefer to sleep as much of it away as possible so I settle for sitting beside her as she sleeps, playing on my cell.
As expected, the only member of my family I hear from is Poppy. Even Mom seems to have gotten bored with trying to convince me to talk to her and fucked off at last. Good fucking riddance, I say. She’s nothing but a poisonous rat that neither Brit nor I need in our lives.
I get messages from the guys, which is unusual, but then I remember that they’ve all got girls now and probably had their balls squeezed until they did it.
I also get an apology from Chelsea for Shane’s admittance last night. I can’t help laugh as I remember his drunken confession.
I might have wanted to hurt Chelsea after discovering that she was the one who spiked Amalie’s drink all those weeks ago, but that feeling is long gone now. She’s paid her dues, I’m actually happy to see her finding love with Shane. Was I shocked? Fuck yeah. But I’m happy for them nonetheless. Plus, it means he really is no longer after my girl.
“What’s so funny?” a sleepy voice says, breaking through my trip down memory lane from last night.
“Just thinking about how drunk Shane was last night.”
“Aw,” she says jokingly. “Did he bruise your ego?”
“Pfft, unlikely. Every sex god is allowed at least one drunken disaster they’d rather forget.”
“You did not just say that,” she groans. “Although I must admit that I’m glad Chelsea didn’t get you at your best.”
“Nah, baby. I saved all my best moves for you.”
She drops her head to my side. “You’re something else, you know that?”
“Hey,” I say, tucking two fingers under her chin and lifting her head so she has no choice but to look at me. “Merry Christmas, baby.”
“Merry Christmas,” she whispers.
“Are you ready for our day?”
Hesitation sweeps across her face. “I thought we were staying here, just the two of us?”
“It’ll be just the two of us, but I’ve got something planned.”
“Oh?” she asks, sitting up looking genuinely excited about something for the first time since we got the keys for this place.
The sheet falls from her naked chest and my eyes drop.
“It can totally wait though.”
“Nope, come on. I want to know what you’ve schemed up.” She jumps from the bed, her bare ass swaying seductively as she walks to the bathroom. Just before she disappears, she looks over her shoulder.
“You can claim that present later, Thorn.” She winks before kicking the door closed behind her.
“Tease,” I bark, throwing the covers back and pushing from the bed.
Everything is ready for us downstairs, we just need
to get dressed and ready to leave.
Pulling on some clothes, I wait for her to appear.
“Going somewhere?” she asks when she finds me pulling my sneakers on.
“We are. Get dressed.”
She takes in my sweats and hoodie and tilts her head to the side. “Not going anywhere fancy, I assume.”
“Nope. I’ll be downstairs.”
Threading my fingers into her hair, I drop a kiss to her forehead and walk out.
“Whoa, what happened down here? I was expecting to walk into a disaster,” she asks, looking around at our mostly tidy house.
“Cami and Rae did most of it. I came back down after you fell asleep and finished off.”
“Thank you,” she says softly. “So what are we doing?”
Standing aside so she can see what I’m hiding, I announce, “We’re going for a picnic.”
“A picnic?”
“Yep. Grab a bag and let’s go.”
She laughs at me but does as I say and bends down to collect one of the bags I packed last night.
In only a few minutes, we have everything in Amalie’s car, and I drop down behind the wheel to take us to our destination. We’re at a different end of the beach to what we’re used to now we’ve moved, so I thought today was the perfect day to scope it out.
The car park is deserted when we pull up, everyone else is too busy celebrating with their families. I mean, that’s exactly what we’re doing too, we’re just going against tradition.
Laden down with bags, we head down onto the sand until we find ourselves a spot hidden behind a dune. I can’t imagine we’ll be interrupted today of all days, but I’m more than happy to hide anyway.
“Here.” I pass Brit a blanket to lay out while I get started making us a campfire.
“Are you allowed to start a fire on the beach?” she asks when she notices what I’m doing.
“Fuck knows. It’s not like there’s anyone around to stop me.”
She shrugs and allows me to continue. There’s no denying which one of us is the rule follower in this relationship.
It takes me a few attempts, but eventually, I get the fire started and drop down onto the blanket beside Brit.
