by Hope Ford
He stands really still and then holds his arms open to me. I don’t even hesitate. I launch myself at him and he catches me high in his arms. My feet are not even touching the ground, but I don’t care.
“I’m so glad you’re okay,” I tell him, but it’s muffled because my face is pressed against his chest.
“Of course I am. A pretty lady promised me a kiss when I got back.” He kisses the top of my head.
I slap at his chest and pull away from him. “What happened? Did you get the guy?”
His mom walks into the living room wiping her hands off on a towel. “Everything okay, Ford?”
“Well, I couldn’t really ‘get him.’ He wasn’t breaking the law. I did go and talk to him. I think he just has some built-up hatred for me, but I think it will work out.” He blows it off like it’s nothing, but that doesn’t stop me from worrying.
He walks over to his mom and gives her a hug. “Thanks for today, but I’m going to steal your help now.”
She hugs him back before walking toward me and putting her arms around me. “Thank you for your help today, Ali. I expect to see you tomorrow for Thanksgiving dinner.”
I start to argue, but decide to just give in. She’s told me all day that she expects me here tomorrow, so there’s no way I can disappoint her now.
I just nod at her and Ford grabs my hand and walks me out to the truck.
Ford
Before coming to pick her up, I had grabbed a bag of clothes and a pizza. As soon as she gets in the car, I hear her stomach grumble.
“Did Mom not feed you?” I ask her. Which I will be surprised if she says no. Mom feeds everyone.
“She tried. I just couldn’t eat,” she confesses.
I drive quickly across town and pull into her driveway. Before I get out, she puts her hand on my arm to stop me. “Thank you for today, Ford. I really enjoyed spending it with your mom, even if it was under bad circumstances.”
“I can tell she had fun too. Look, so, uh I brought a bag with me. I want to stay and help you tonight since I wasted most of your day.” I get out of the truck and don’t wait for her response.
Once I help her down, she asks, “I thought you said it was safe now.”
I look her straight in the face. “He said all the right things. At this point, we can’t do anything, Ali. He hasn’t broken any laws. There’s no guarantee. But keeping you safe is not the only reason I want to stay,” I tell her honestly.
“Well, why then? Why do you want to stay?” she asks me breathlessly.
“Honestly?” I cup her cheek in my hand.
She nods her head.
Stroking my finger along her chin, I tell her, “Because all I think about is you. I know you leave on Sunday, but I want to spend time with you. I want to help you pack up your grandma’s house because it kills me to think you’re doing it alone. I want to get to know you better. I want to be here just so I know you’re safe. And well, uh, I want to kiss you again.”
She’s stunned. I can tell by her wide eyes and her intake of breath. But I don’t budge. And I don’t let her look away. Only moments pass by and she huskily asks me, “Just kiss me?”
I smile at her joke and lean down to kiss her nose before releasing her. “Well, you know I want more. But nothing will happen you don’t want to happen. Okay?”
She opens the door to the back seat and gestures inside. “Well, let’s grab the food. I’m starving.”
Carrying everything inside, we sit down at the table and eat. She talks about how much fun she had baking with my mom and I see a real, true smile for the first time. All evidence of sadness and grief is gone from her face. I tell myself I’m going to remember to thank my mother tomorrow.
She takes another bite of pizza and chews it softly. Once she swallows it, she asks, “So are you off work tomorrow?”
“Yep, I had requested off. You’re stuck with me,” I tell her cheekily.
Once we finish eating, I start helping her go through a guest bedroom. We are almost done when I come across photo albums in the back of the closet. I pull one out and sit on the bed, pulling it onto my lap.
When she sees what I have, she dives for it, but I hold it out of her reach. “No, no, Ford. That book is so embarrassing.”
I start flipping through the pages and we both get lost in all the pictures. There are pictures of Ali and her gran, but a lot of them are of just Ali. Her cheering at the high school, her winning a debate, her going to prom, and her graduation.
She’s sitting beside me now and I reach over and wrap my hand around her knee. “You’re beautiful, Ali.”
She smirks at the book in my lap, ‘’You mean I was beautiful.”
I turn sideways to face her and study her. I can see the insecurity in her eyes. “No. I mean you’re beautiful. Right now.”
I lean in a little and there’s no way she has any doubt that I want to kiss her. But I don’t move any closer. I want her to come to me. When I’m about to give up, she hesitantly leans forward, closes her eyes and presses her lips to mine.
Chapter 6
Ali
I want him. There’s no doubt about it. But I’m hesitant to let things go too far. This isn’t my first time, but I haven’t been with a man since I’ve gained my weight and being self-conscious is never sexy, I know that.
He puts the picture album on the dresser and then lays me back on the bed. His kisses are more insistent as he kisses up and down my neck. His hand slides under my shirt, and lazily strokes my naked belly. I tense underneath him.
“What is it?” he asks, pressing kisses along my earlobe.
“I want you, Ford,” I admit.
He freezes against me, obviously surprised by my admission. “I want you, too.”
“Do you really?” I ask him for reassurance. I sit up and pull my shirt down to cover my belly.
He sits up and grips my hands with his. “Do you trust me, Ali?”
I think about it and realize I really do trust him. I nod at him.
He grabs the bottom of my shirt and starts to pull it over my head. He stands up and kisses the tip of my nose before he tugs my shirt the rest of the way off. Once my shirt is off, I start to shiver.
His eyes never leave mine. He reaches behind me and unclasps my bra, pulling it down over my arms and then tosses it to a chair. And still, his eyes don’t leave mine.
He puts his fingers in the waistband of my pants and tugs them down my legs. I hold on to him to steady myself as he bends down to let me step out of them.
Immediately, he stands back up, still looking into my eyes. His are so dark, they’re almost black.
He quickly takes off his shirt and pulls off his pants until between the two of us, I only have a pair of panties on. And still he doesn’t take his eyes off mine.
His hands go down my shoulders, over my torso and his fingers grip the edge of my underwear. I inhale deeply, and try to keep my body from trembling.
He pulls them down my legs and once I step out of them, he stands back up.
He tucks a piece of hair behind my ear. “You with me?”
I nod at him, but I am looking over his shoulder, too afraid to look at his face now.
He cups my cheek and pulls my face toward him. “I need you to look at me, honey.”
My eyes snap to his and I know he can see the fear in mine. “I want you, Ali.”
I finally allow myself to look at his bare shoulders, down his naked chest and then my gaze lands on his hard rod that is poking straight out between his legs. I gasp at the size of him, but lose my train of thought when his hands slide down my back and grip my butt. He pulls me against him, and I feel his long, hard shaft poke against my belly.
I gasp at the contact. He leans in and kisses me briefly before pulling away. “I’m going to spend the whole night worshipping your body. By morning, you will have no doubt how much I want you.”
Ford
She trembles in my arms. I pull her hand and lead her over to lie on the edge
of the bed. Once she lies down I take a moment to stare at her. She’s pure perfection. Her body is full and curvy and I can’t get enough of looking at her.
I stand between her legs and kiss her neck, down her chest and suck her nipple into my mouth. Her hips buck against me, but I don’t release her. I suckle her until she’s begging for more.
I kiss down her belly and then drop to my knees beside the bed with her legs over my shoulders. Her pussy glistens and I cup her mound, the drenched heat pulling me toward her. I kiss along her inner thighs and ultimately land on her swollen lips. Her head falls back and her body arches as I kiss and suckle her swollen clit. I lick along her slit and stroke her with my fingers and tongue. I put two fingers deep inside her and feel her stiffen against me. Her walls squeeze tightly on to me and when I latch my lips to her clit and her body starts to writhe and she screams her release.
I dig a condom out of my jeans and tug it along my hard length. Sliding up her body, I nestle between her legs, slowly entering her. She opens her legs wider. With my eyes on her, I grip her hips and press down into her. The farther I go, the more I can feel her inner walls gripping me and sucking me in. Once I’m fully seated inside her, I give her time to adjust, but I can’t hold off. I can’t hold back any more. I pull out of her and then slam back inside. With each thrust, the pressure builds until I’m thrusting uncontrollably and when I know I’m not going to last, I apply pressure to her clit once more and instantly it pushes her over the edge.
I keep sinking deep inside her until we both explode and I fill the condom as her tight cunt milks me. Home. That’s my first thought. As weird as it sounds, I’m finally home.
Chapter 7
Ali
Surrounded by Ford and all his family reminds me of being with my gran. She was such a wonderful woman and always made sure we had great family holidays. Probably the only difference is that the Tates’ holiday get-together is so much louder. I look around the table at Janice and Mr. Tate, Jackson and Megan, and Brent and Abby. It’s evident how much love is in the room. Ford, as if sensing my thoughts, brings my hand that he’s been holding since we walked in the door up to his lips and kisses it.
I smile at him and don’t even try to stop myself from leaning in and kissing him. He was so patient with me last night. He made me feel like I was the most beautiful woman he’s ever known.
Mr. Tate bangs his spoon against his glass to get everyone’s attention. “Janice, honey, you’ve outdone yourself. Everything looks perfect.”
Janice chimes in, “Oh, I had help this year. Ali made most of the pies.”
Everyone turns to me and smiles and I know my face flushes at all the attention.
Mr. Tate continues, “Everyone, bow your heads. Lord, we have so much to be thankful for this year. First and foremost, I want to thank you for allowing me another year with my beautiful wife. We thank you for bringing Megan into Jackson’s life and Brent into Abby’s and Ali into Ford’s. I couldn’t pick anyone better if I had done it myself. We thank you for bringing Ali to us today and I hope she feels the love from our family as her gran looks down on us from heaven. We thank you for keeping Cooper safe while he’s serving overseas and we hope and pray we will get to see him at Christmas. Please, bless this food. We give all praise to you. Amen.”
“Amen,” I say before lifting my head.
I grab my napkin and wipe a lone tear that rolls down my cheek.
Ford leans over and kisses me and I can tell he wants to say something, but everyone starts passing around food.
We enjoy dinner and then desserts. Janice made sure that I try every dessert and by the end of the night, I feel like I’m waddling. She has bragged on my baking skills all day and makes me promise to help her again at Christmas.
We spend the rest of the evening playing some card games with everyone. Ford has his hand on me most of the day and even steals a few kisses. Once the evening wraps up, I help Janice clean everything and put stuff away. She packs me and Ford up a to-go plate, and before I know it, I’m back in Ford’s truck.
He drives straight over to my grandma’s house and helps me inside. I have been quiet the whole way and I know that I have a decision to make.
Today was perfect. I would give anything for this to be my life, my family. But it’s not. My family is all gone. And I know that the longer I spend with Ford, the more it’s going to hurt when I leave on Sunday. I can already feel my heart breaking in two.
Ford
Something has changed since we left my mom and dad’s house. She was quiet the whole way home and even now I can tell she’s lost in thought. She’s hardly said a word since we got here.
I’m sitting on the couch, watching her walk around the room picking up items and dumping them into boxes. When she passes by me, I grab her hand to stop her. “Talk to me.”
Hesitantly, she sits down, but she’s so far away I can’t even reach her.
I put my elbows on my knees and lean forward. “What’s going on, Ali?”
Her blue eyes look at me and then she quickly looks away. “I’m leaving Sunday.”
I slide down the couch to her. “I know that. But it’s only an hour and a half away and then you’ll be graduating in a month.”
She shrugs and then shakes her head. “Yeah, but I’m selling this place. Who knows where I’ll be after graduation? I’ll have no choice but to go wherever I get a job.”
“Ali, I just found you. I’m not giving up on us. Just apply for jobs here. And let me take care of the house. There’s still a lot of work to do before you sell it. Let me take care of it. Let me do this for you,” I plead with her.
In my heart, I know we are meant to be together. But she’s so independent, I know she’s not going to just let me take over.
She starts to cry and that’s the last thing I want. “I can’t, Ford. I can’t. I’ve looked at every option. I can’t come back here, no matter how much I want to. I think it would be better if you went home tonight.”
“But, Ali, I can’t leave you like this. I promise. If you let me help you, we can figure out something,” I beg.
She stands up and walks to the door. “I just need some time by myself, Ford. Please just give me that.”
I follow her and don’t stop until I’m right in front of her. I lean down and kiss her softly on the cheek. “This isn’t over, Ali. I know you’re going through a lot. I’m going to give you some time, but I’ll be back tomorrow. I don’t want to cause you more stress, but I can’t leave here without telling you. These last three days have been the best of my life. I’m falling in love with you, Ali. And I know you can’t see how this is going to work, but I can’t imagine not having you in my life now.”
I lean down and kiss the top of her head before pulling the door open and walking outside. I rub my hand across my chest. I hate just leaving her.
Chapter 8
Ali
I lean my head up against the closed door and my body starts to tremble with sobs. I don’t know how much time passes before I hear the squealing of tires and a gunshot outside. Alarmed, I sling open the door and see a black car flying down the street. I run outside and Ford is lying on the ground next to his truck.
I start screaming, running for him. “Oh my God, oh my God, Ford, talk to me, please be okay. Please tell me you’re okay.”
He tries to move but he starts moaning and I use my hands to hold him still. I pull back and my hand is covered in blood. I apply pressure to his shoulder, pushing even harder when he moans in pain. I dig in his jeans pocket and pull out his phone. I dial 911 and give them my address and tell them that a police officer has been shot. As soon as I hang up, I lean down and kiss his lips.
He jars awake. “Ali, go inside. In case they come back.”
“No! No. I’m not leaving you. God, please Ford, be okay,” I plead with him.
Only minutes pass by and my whole front yard is filled with multiple police cars and ambulances.
The paramedics start working on For
d, forcing me to back away. One of them turns to me. “Are you okay, miss?”
I look down at myself and I have Ford’s blood covering me. “It’s his blood.”
They start to load him in the back of the ambulance and I climb in after them. “Ma’am, I’m Detective Bailey. I have some questions for you before you leave.”
“Please, I have to go with him. Can you meet me at the hospital? I’m pretty sure it was his ex partner’s dad. It was the same car anyway,” I tell him hurriedly.
The paramedic slams the door on the ambulance and I turn my attention back to Ford. He’s so lifeless laying there. I ask the man working on him, “Can he hear me?”
The man shrugs, but doesn’t stop what he’s doing. “It’s worth a shot.”
I grab on to Ford’s hand. “Ford, I need you to listen. I love you too. I was just scared, but nowhere near as scared as I am now. I can’t lose you now. Please, be okay,” I tell him. My head drops into my hand that is not holding his. I sit there listening to all the sounds around me, but I don’t take my eyes off Ford. I can’t.
Once we get to the hospital, I pull Ford’s phone out of my pocket and call Janice and Abby to let them know what happened. They all assure me they’re on their way.
A nurse takes pity on me and gives me a change of clothes.
Almost as soon as we got here, they took Ford back for surgery. We wait for what seems like hours. All of his family is here and probably every cop in town. When the surgeon comes through the door, everyone jumps to their feet. But Janice pulls me to the front with her.
“Mrs. Tate?” he asks me.
His mother answers for me. “Yes, and I’m his mother. How is my son?”
“Surgery went well. We were able to extract the bullet without any further damage. He will need to take it easy for awhile. But I expect him to make a full recovery.”
