by A. J. Downey
“That’s it, baby,” I whispered, encouraging. “That’s it.”
Jesus fuck, she came around me. The rhythmic milking of her sweet fucking pussy around my cock driving me wild. I mean right over the edge. I did everything to keep my strokes even and failed, thrusting deep, hard, one final time as I spilled into the condom inside her, my arms shuddering with the effort to keep myself from collapsing on top of her completely as my sweet fucking Eden brought me impossibly close to purest heaven. Heaven on earth.
She shivered beneath me, subtly jerking and I pushed my way up higher to take her in.
“Eden, baby, what’s wrong?” I asked, touching the side of her face lightly with my fingertips.
She had her hand stuffed against her mouth, her temples slick with tears as she tried to stifle little sobs.
“What’s wrong? Did I hurt you?” I demanded, growing more alarmed.
She took her hand from her mouth and wrapped her arms around my shoulders and pulled me down on top of her.
“No! You dumbass! That was beautiful… better than I could have ever imagined,” she said in my ear, voice trembling, and I felt the air leave my lungs in a rush.
I eased myself down on top of her and held her tight, burying my hands in her soft copper curls, kissing her forehead reverently.
“Just the beginning of what I’m going to do to you,” I promised her. “Just the beginning.”
She shivered with delight beneath me and smiled against my shoulder.
What I didn’t tell her was that it was seriously going to be hard to top that first time. Seriously hard.
19
Eden…
It was slow at the coffee stand, my shift almost over, and all I could do was daydream about Sage – about our first time, last weekend. We’d both been working, but we talked to each other on the phone every night before bed. It was nice.
What wasn’t nice was the weather. The stand was dead, the snow falling in another angel pillow fight outside the window. It was warm inside at least, the smell of rich coffee invigorating as I waited for either my shift to end or for a customer, whichever came first.
It had been so slow, I had cleaned and swept the stand twice and I was starting to wonder if Stacy, the girl who was supposed to replace me, was even going to make it. It was pretty bad out there. The power had even flickered once or twice.
I sat up sharply at the rumble of an engine at the opposite window and went to it, sliding it open, my smile turning to a grin of delight as Sage leaned out the club’s ancient truck’s window.
“What can I get you, mister?” I asked, and he grinned back.
“A kiss to start with, then how about a triple shot mocha?”
“Mmm, I think I can manage both.” I leaned way out the window, snowflakes pattering chilly in my hair and on my skin, but the warmth of Sage’s lips beneath mine made it totally worth it.
“Be right back with that coffee,” I murmured against his mouth and he smiled.
“It’s your last one of the day,” he called as I started making it.
“Oh, yeah?”
“Yeah, check your phone, Evy wants you to close up. It’s getting too gnarly out here and power has gone out across half the county. I’m supposed to make sure you get where you’re going safe.”
“Oh yeah? And where am I going?” I asked with a raised eyebrow.
“Well, it is Friday night. I was hoping back to the club with me.”
“Depends,” I said coolly. “Am I getting laid?”
He laughed and nodded. Still chuckling, he asked, “Think I’ve created a monster?”
“I think maybe so,” I said.
“Alright! What I like to hear, baby.”
“Can I meet you at the club? I’d like to run home and pack a bag.”
“Sounds like a plan. How much I owe you for the coffee?”
I gave him a reckless grin. “Club drinks free, pigs pay double the price!” I declared, holding out his finished drink to him and that made him laugh.
“That’s a good one. I’m going to have to remember that one! Text me when you get home and again when you leave,” he said.
“Okay. I love you, and I’ll see you soon.”
“Love you, too, babe. You be damn careful,” he said and put the old truck into gear.
“I will, I promise.”
I sighed happily and shut the window, going to my phone to check it for Evy’s text. Sure enough, it was there, and I had my marching orders.
I closed down, and I do mean all the way down, which felt weird to be honest with you. The coffee stands were a twenty-four-hour a day deal and unlike what I’d said to Sage, we were more like Switzerland. Club drank free and so did the local cops – town or county, it didn’t matter. We wanted them to respond when something happened. Like when one of the girls got caught selling meth or God forbid, we got robbed or something.
I bundled up, locked up, and took myself across the parking lot filling with falling snow to my car.
This was, without a doubt, the worst winter on record. I mean record snowfall, record low temperatures, and I mean it was legit icy misery out here. I texted Evy letting her know the stand was locked up tight, then I texted Sage, letting him know I was on my way home.
He texted back.
I mean it. Be careful.
It made me smile and butterflies took wing in my stomach. I was giddy with the thought of cuddling up with him by our Christmas tree while the snow pelted down outside.
As I pulled up carefully to the curb in front of my parents’ house, my mom, dad, and Dante were traipsing back and forth through the snow between my dad’s Expedition and the front door loading things up.
“What’s going on?” I called over the roof of my car.
“Check your phone!” my dad called back.
I pulled it from my pocket and looked. I had missed a mass text from Dray to the entire club phone list. We were all to bunker down at the club until the blizzard passed. With the storm really just starting and the power going out this early on, he wanted everyone at the club where the generators could keep the power on and the heat going.
Well that kind of sucks, I thought to myself. Nothing like trying to be cozy with your boyfriend with like your whole family and then some wandering right outside his door. Not like the club rooms were soundproof or anything.
“Hurry up and get your shit and get your butt out here,” my dad barked, and I waved him off.
“You guys go ahead,” I said shutting my door. “I’ll be right behind you.”
“I don’t like it,” my dad said and spit. My mom’s shoulders dropped.
“Zander!”
My dad scowled, and shook his head. We argued some more and with my mom and I against him two to one, he finally knuckled under with, “Fine but hurry up and be careful!”
I rolled my eyes and stopped in front of him, hugging him.
“You and Sage both.”
“Sage has the right idea of it,” my dad said and he let me go.
“I bet I’ll be out before you even finish loading the truck,” I said, giving my mom a quick hug and heading for the front door.
Truth be told, I already had a bag half packed in my bedroom. I’d pretty much anticipated spending the night with Sage. I even had a big bag of presents I needed to gift wrap still.
I put clothes together not just for tonight and tomorrow, but through the week on up through Christmas, just in case Dray orders that. That was why my parents were packing up their truck so thoroughly.
Dante poked his head in my room.
“We’re leaving, anything you want me to take out to your car?” he asked.
“Yeah, that,” I said, indicating my leather backpack stuffed with clothes. “And that, please.” He picked up the giant gift bag of boxed but unwrapped gifts and shouldered my pack.
“Got it.”
“Thanks, little brother.”
“Don’t mention it, and Eedee…” He stopped in the doorway of m
y room.
“Yeah?” I asked, looking up from my gym bag.
“Thanks for being cool about Harmony and all.”
I felt my expression soften.
“Don’t mention it,” I said with a half-smile and he nodded and went out, down the hall. I shouldered my gym bag of clothes and a few books I had been meaning to return to the club library and with one last lingering look in my room to make sure I hadn’t forgotten anything, I left too.
Dante was getting into the back of my dad’s truck as I locked the front door.
My dad yelled out his window, “Right behind us, be careful!” I waved him off and finished locking up and traipsed through the quickly accumulating snow to my car. I sat for a minute with the motor running. Making a face at my low gas gauge, I texted Sage like I promised.
Home, packed, and on my way.
He texted back immediately.
You were supposed to text me when you got there!
I chuckled, but didn’t respond. I just wanted to get to him. I stopped for gas, filled my tank around half way, and then set out. It was getting dark fast between dusk and the heavy, heavy cloud cover.
The snow was coming down so hard, I didn’t see the truck slide and come through the intersection. It hit my passenger side and scared the crap out of me. I was going sideways, my heart hammering, but it was okay – everything was okay. I was just sliding, it would stop. I did everything I was supposed to do, counter steering wise etc., but it didn’t save me from that awful tilt as I slid off the road and into the ditch.
I let out a short scream and gasped for breath as I came to a stop at a severe angle. I wasn’t hurt.
It’s okay. You’re okay, Eedee, I told myself, but then the car tipped and horror movie slow – it went over with me in it.
20
Sage…
“Hey.” I looked up and blinked at Rush. I was staring at my phone on the bar willing it to light up or do something to let me know Eedee was outside. To let me know she needed help with her bags or something. I couldn’t wait to see her.
“Hey, man. What’s up?” I asked.
He slid onto the barstool next to mine and fixed me with a look. He set a box on the bar top and slid it over to me. I blinked, looking down at it, and asked, “What’s this?”
“Open it,” he said, and I did, lifting the little hasp and opening it up.
“Oh, shit,” I murmured. There were three of his hand-turned Christmas ornaments inside. I looked up at him.
“I told you, I made them. They belong with the rest. It’s…” He took a deep breath and let it out in a rush… ha ha, fucking ha ha, I thought bitterly. “It’s your tradition now.”
I pressed my lips together and sniffed, staring into Rush’s brown eyes under his thatch of blond hair that had some iron in it now. I nodded and slipped off my stool, hugging him tight.
“Thanks, man.” He hugged me back tight, and we slapped each other on the back.
“You’re welcome. I’m kind of glad, you know? That you kept them.”
“Me too,” I said. I backed off so I could look at him. “I can’t wait to show Eedee.”
He smiled and nodded.
“I’m happy you finally pulled your head out of your ass on that one.”
I gave a rueful chuckle.
“Me too.”
My phone lit up, buzzing across the bar top – mine and Eedee’s Christmas tree on the screen.
“Eedee, babe, hi, are you here?”
“Sage?” Her voice sounded high, frightened.
“Babe, what’s wrong? Where you at?”
“I… I don’t know. I’m on my side. Someone hit me, pushed me off the road and they just left!”
“Hold on!” I said and conversations around me ceased. “Just hang on, baby. I’m gonna come find you. I’m gonna come get you!”
“Please hurry!” she said, and she was definitely crying.
“I’m on my way, just stay in the car!”
“What’s going on?” Dray demanded.
“It’s Eedee. Someone hit her, pushed her off the road. She’s in a ditch somewhere between here and her house.”
Chairs scraped, a bottle broke against the floor, and Dray yelled out, “Alright, alright, alright! Calm down! Sage, take the club truck, go! We’ll be right behind you.”
I took the keys Dray tossed me and went for the door just as Rev pushed it open to come in.
“Where’s the fire at?” he demanded.
“It’s Eedee,” I said. “Come on!”
He was right on my six as we went out the door, dread making me want to puke.
God, you right motherfucker! I thought savagely. Don’t you even fucking dare!
“Zander, what’s wrong?” Red called as we went to get into the truck.
“Not now!” he yelled back, and I got behind the wheel.
“Slow and steady,” he said in dad fashion. “Not gonna help her if we get dead in the process.”
“No, shit,” I said, and with grim determination, crawled down and out the club parking lot and out onto the highway.
My phone buzzed and it was Eedee again. I handed the phone to her dad.
“Yeah, baby, I’m here. Daddy’s here, Smoke’s driving. We’re coming to get you.”
He put it on speaker. “Daddy, I’m scared.” She sobbed, and it broke my heart.
“We’re coming, baby,” I called out.
“I remembered the road. I was passing Old Blyn Road. I’m in the ditch and I’m on my side and the engine cut out. I can’t get my seatbelt off and it hurts.”
“Are you hurt bad?” her dad demanded. “Where does it hurt honey?”
She took in a brave, deep breath. “Where the seatbelt is digging – ow!”
“Don’t move, baby. We’re coming,” Rev said.
“Eedee, do you think anything’s broken?” I called out.
“No,” she answered and already, she was calming down. Just knowing we were coming; she was calming down.
Rev pulled out his phone and dialed a number. “Pauley’s towing, this is Derek, how can I help?”
“Ghost, it’s me, Rev. Somebody hit my baby girl…”
“Eden?” I called out.
“Yeah, I’m here!” she called.
“Okay, talk to me,” I said. “Nothing’s broken, any cuts?”
“No!” she called. “I don’t think I’m hurt.”
“Okay, okay good, we’re coming, baby.”
“Dad?” she called out.
“I’m here, baby. I’m on my phone with your uncle Ghost. Just hang on. We’re coming!”
My heart was still hammering wildly in my chest. It was so hard to fucking see, and I was having all kinds of irrational thoughts. Shit like worrying about how long it took a person to freeze to death – which was stupid. We were gonna be there long before that could happen, but still.
“Stop, stop, stop, stop, stop!” Rev cried, and he had the door open before I could even roll to a complete stop. I blasted the heat, threw it in park and I was right on his heels.
“Eedee!” I yelled and I could hear her crying, yelling, and screaming for me. The road was raised here, and the ditch deep. Her driver’s side was up, passenger side down, the metal of her driver’s side door crumpled and already accumulating snow.
“Alright! Come on!” I heard behind us and whipped around to look back over my shoulder. Dray, Trigger, Reaver, Thirteen, and Archer were piling out of Archer’s truck behind ours with tools.
Rev jumped down onto the car, onto the rear driver’s side door.
“Be careful!” I shouted, and he scrambled at the handle on the driver’s side door. Eedee’s hand appears on the glass which was fogging inside.
“Unlock the door, baby. Hit the switch, unlock it!” he cried. I got down into the ditch and went around, bracing my shoulder against the car’s roof.
“I need help!” I yelled and Trig and Archer were there, bracing the car with me so that it wouldn’t move, so they could get he
r out.
In the span of time it took for me to get from there to here, I went from cursing God out to thanking him profusely.
Thank you, God. Thank you, fucking Jesus.
“I got you, baby. I got you,” Dray said, and he and Rev reached down into the car. My heart felt like it was about to come out of my fuckin’ chest. I wanted to see her, I needed to see her.
Reaver braced against the roof of the car, looked me in the face dead serious, and said, “Go.”
He didn’t have to tell me twice. I scrambled back up out of the ditch to the road, Thirteen reaching down to gimme a hand, bracing himself and hoisting me up. I turned just as Dray and Rev hoisted Eedee up out of her rumpled car. She gave a sharp cry like something hurt and I was there, at the edge of the road to take her. They passed her to me and Thirteen and the second she was back on solid ground with me, I wrapped my arms around her and swore I would never fucking let go again.
She sobbed against my chest, and I held her tight, relearning for myself how to fucking breathe again.
“It’s okay,” I muttered fervently. “You’re okay. I’ve got you. I’ve got you now.”
Rev jumped over and put a hand on her hair, and smoothed it back from her tear-stained face.
“You okay, baby?” he demanded, and she nodded, seeing him without seeing, shock written all over her face.
“You hurt?” he asked, and she shook her head dumbly.
“Okay, get her in the truck. Get her warm,” Rev ordered, and I nodded.
“Daddy!” she cried, and Rev turned.
“It’s okay, baby. Sage has got you now. You go with him. I’m going to get your stuff.” Eedee nodded, and I made eye contact with Rev and gave a nod. Something passed between us – an understanding. A responsibility, and I was the only man for the job he’d just given me. Eden John was mine now. There was no doubt about that. I wouldn’t have it any other fucking way.
21
Eden…
I shook, leaning heavily on Sage, breathing in the crisp cold that was heavy with dense, wet snow but most importantly, breathing in him. Warm with the breath of life, his masculine scent and the soap or cologne or whatever he used a comfort as he walked me, stumbling on the uneven snow and ice, to the waiting club truck. He helped me up into the middle of the bench seat and climbed into the driver’s seat, slamming the door with a metal clang.
