by Levi, Casey
As they entered the room, she noticed that her old clothing was folded on the bed. She picked them up and looked over at Reed.
“I washed them for you. Figured you’d want something comfortable to sleep in.” He grinned at her.
“Thank you.” She looked at him, and then realized she needed to change. “Um…”
Reed laughed. “I promise I won’t look… unless you want me too?”
“Reed!” Kristen squeaked.
“I’m kidding. I promise.” Reed turned his back to her, and she hurried and changed back into her boxer shorts and tank top.
After, she helped Reed cover the bed in some clean blankets they had found, and then she crawled into bed. Reed stripped his pants and shirt off, and she found it hard not to stare at him. His broad hourglass figure, so defined and smooth. She felt herself beginning to blush and turned over. The bed dipped next to her as Reed climbed in, and then he pulled her body close to his. All she could think about was how much skin of theirs was touching, and she let the warmth of his body heat hers.
“Kristen are you still awake?” Reed’s voice was soft in her ear.
“Hmm…” She murmured and snuggled closer to him.
She could feel the heat of his breath feather over her face as he leaned down and kissed her cheek. “I love you Kristen.”
Her body relaxed into the bed as sleep began to take over her. She had not felt this relaxed in so long, that it felt nice to not have to worry about anything for the moment. She cuddled closer to Reed and loved the way her body fit into his perfectly. At that moment she did not want to be anywhere else but right here with him, and she soon found herself drifting off into a dreamless sleep.
12
Chapter Twelve
Kristen woke up to the early morning sun shining through the curtains. She could not remember the last time she had slept through the night and waking up to her body feeling completely at ease. Stretching her arms above her head, she rolled over to see Reed still sound asleep next to her. She propped her head up with her hand, and lightly drew lazy patterns on his bare chest. He did not stir or make any movements of waking up.
Kristen laid there for a few minutes, biting down on her bottom lip as an idea came to her. She nervously trailed her finger along his chest, and down over his stomach. His muscles twitched under her touch, and she mischievously smiled as she continued to trail her finger down a little lower until she hit the waistband of his boxers. He flinched again, and she stopped to look up at him. When he did not wake, she began to trail her finger across his waist. Suddenly Reed grabbed a hold of her hand.
“Kristen?” His voice was firm, and raspy with sleep.
She looked up at him with lowered lashes. His eyes were still closed, and she knew that this was what she wanted. It was now or never. Pulling her hand out of his grip, she climbed on top of him and began kissing his neck. She slowly kissed along his jawline, and then moved up towards his lips. His hands firmly gripped her hips, and she sat up straddling him. He grabbed the end of her tank top and slowly began pulling it up, but he stopped just under her breasts.
“Kristen are you sure you want this?” He looked at her doubtfully.
She knew that she wanted this, but she could not help the nervous feeling that clenched at her stomach. She heard that the first time hurt, and with her being inexperienced she felt a bit awkward. She knew that Reed did not care about her inexperience, and she did not need her first time to be perfect because it was already perfect to be here with him.
“You know I’ll always wait until you’re ready.” Reed started to pull her shirt back down, but she gripped his hands to stop him.
“No… I mean…” She stared down at him. “Reed, I don’t want you to stop.”
“Are you sure? Because I promise that I can wait.”
“I have always wanted you…” Her words barley came out as a whisper.
She let go of his hands, and neither one of them said another word. He slowly slid his hands up the side of her curves, and again he stopped just below her breasts. Kristen placed her hands over his and guided them up until he cupped her full breasts.
“God Kris-”
“Dude are you guys… oh shit…” Aran barged into the room, and quickly turned his back.
Kristen rolled off Reed and climbed out of the bed. She picked up her clothes and ran out of the room. She could not even look at Aran as she passed him. Twice now they had been interrupted, and even though she was not in a hurry to have sex with Reed, she still felt like no time was going to be the right time.
As she walked down the stairs, she hurried and pulled her shirt and hoodie back on, and then her pants when she reached the landing. She walked into the living room, and found Jesse and Zac watching some early morning cartoons on the cable. She wondered how Zac was holding up but seeing him cuddled up next to Jesse on the couch made her feel better. Zac still had not said much since Barstow, but she did not blame the poor kid.
Continuing through the living room, she made her way towards the kitchen where she found Julie pouring some fresh coffee. She pulled out a stool and sat down at the island.
“Good morning sunshine.” Julie smiled at her as she placed a cup of coffee in front of her.
Taking the hot cup, she poured some creamer into it, and took a few sips. “Morning.”
She watched as Julie grabbed her a cup, and then leaned her hip against the counter. She was smiling at her, and she knew what Julie was thinking. Suddenly her embarrassment came rushing back. She did not know if she could face Aran after that.
“So how was your night?” Julie took a sip of her coffee, but Kristen could still see the smirk on her lips.
Kristen dropped her head on the counter and sighed. “Ugh…”
“Kris what happened?” Julie’s voice turned serious.
Letting out a deep breath, she looked up at her friend through the tangled mess of her hair. “Jules, it was so embarrassing… you really need to teach Aran to knock before he goes barging into rooms.”
“He didn’t? Did he see you and… oh my god!” Julie was having a challenging time forming a sentence.
“He didn’t see anything, thank god, but seriously Jules. This is twice now.” Kristen grabbed her cup of coffee and took another sip of it.
She could tell that Julie was on the verge of laughing but tried holding it back. Kristen found a dishtowel lying on the counter and threw it at her friend. “It’s not funny! I’m seriously going to die of embarrassment right now.”
“Oh, it’s not like he hasn’t seen anything before, and besides, I’m sure Reed is reaming into him about it.” Julie pushed off from the counter and poured her some more coffee. “So, we found some supplies that we can take with us, and after breakfast the men are going to check out the barn to see if there is anything useful in there that we can use.”
All thoughts about his morning pushed away from her mind. For a moment she had forgotten the reason they were here, and then the uneasy feeling found its way back to the pit of her stomach. “Do we even know where we’re going from here? Why can’t we just stay here for a while? Those things don’t seem to be around.”
“We need to find Brady Kris. He can’t be too far ahead of us.”
“Don’t you think that’s kind of risking it though? I mean, for all we know, him and that lady could be far gone by now. I don’t think it’s worth risking our lives over.”
Kristen really did not like the idea of chasing after a man they barely knew, and if he was hiding something, then there were more than enough reasons to stay away from him. He could be dangerous for all they knew.
Julie shrugged her shoulders and moved about the kitchen to start breakfast. Kristen felt bad, but she did not want her friends to get their hopes up. It was a long shot, but knew it was the only thing they had to go on right now. She needed to try and be more optimistic and try not to lose her hope so fast. The last thing she wanted was for her to be the negative one. Kristen finished her coffee and climbed off the
bar stool.
“I’m sorry for not being positive Jules. I just can’t stand the thought of losing anyone else.” Kristen had to swallow the hard lump that had formed in her throat.
“I understand Kris. We are all in this together, and if we stay together, we can get through this. I don’t want to lose anyone else either.” Julie grabbed her hand and gave it a light squeeze.
Kristen gave her a smile that did not reach her eyes. “Would you like some help with breakfast?”
“Of course!” Julie bumped her hip into Kristen playfully, and began gathering things for breakfast.
* * *
By the time they were done with breakfast, Kristen had become more open to the idea of finding Brady. She still felt uncertain that they would find him, but she kept hope that it was possible. He might know something about what is going on, and she was not about to let that information slip right through her fingers. She was thankful that there was some hope out there, and that hope was put into finding Brady.
As Kristen helped Julie pack up a box of dry food, she watched the men heading towards the barn. She and Reed have not really talked much this morning, mostly because she still felt embarrassed about what had happened this morning, and it did not help with Aran smirking at her knowingly. She wondered how that conversation went with him and Reed but knew that it was not that big of a deal. They have all been friends for so long, that if it did not happen now, it would have happened later.
Kristen and Julie had just finished getting everything out of the house and packed into the car when Aran and Reed returned. They were carrying a few gas cans, and a toolbox that they had found in the old barn. She could not help but shake her head at their overly pleased expressions.
“Well we have everything packed.” Julie said as they approached.
“Alright. We’ll get these gas cans strapped to the top, and then we can head out within a few hours.” Aran put the gas cans down and looked over at Reed. “You want to give me a hand?”
Reed set the toolbox down. “Actually, there is something else I need to do, but Jesse can help you.”
“What?” Aran raised an eyebrow at him.
Kristen felt her heart skip a beat as Reed swiftly walked towards her, and without saying a word he grabbed her hand and led her inside. She could feel her heart rate kicking up faster as he led her upstairs, and into the room where they had spent the night. Butterflies swam around in her stomach, and it felt like a gymnasium full of tumblers were rolling around in there.
“Reed-”
Reed pulled her into his arms before she could finish questioning him. He cupped her face with his hands, and firmly pressed his lips against hers. She opened her mouth to him, and his kiss became deeper. He grabbed the end of her hoodie, and swiftly pulled it over her head taking her tank top along with it. He tossed the clothing on the floor and took a step away from her pulling his shirt over his head. She could feel her eyes widen at the sight of his half naked body, so perfect.
“Do you want me?” Deep desire laced his tone, and she felt an edge of something else, but could not put her finger on it. Desperation? Need? Want? A mix of them all.
“Yes.” She breathed.
In one swift motion Reed had her pinned up against the door. His mouth moved over hers roughly as he ran his hands down her backside. He gripped the back of her thighs and lifted her up. She wrapped her legs around his waist tightly and pressed her bare chest into him. He spun them around, and gently laid her down on the mattress kissing his way from her neck, between her breasts, down her stomach, and stopped just above her pant line.
Kristen could feel the anticipation building within her, and every touch of his mouth on her skin sent an excited shiver throughout her body. She ran her hands through his thick raven hair to urge him on. He un-buttoned her jeans and pulled them off along with her boxer shorts. She almost felt the desire to cover herself up as he stared down at her naked body with such an intense gaze. A half grin spread across his lips as he undid his pants and let them fall to his hips. They loosely hung there, and she slowly slid her gaze down his body and stopped at the light dust of hair that disappeared beneath his boxers.
Sitting up, she ran open mouth kisses down his stomach until she reached the hem of his boxers. She looked up at him as she slowly slid the zipper down and looked back down to watch as his pants fell to the floor. He slid his boxers down, and gently pushed her back against the mattress. He climbed on top of her and rested a hand on either side of her head. She could feel the firmness of him against her thighs, and for a split second she felt the fear creeping its way inside her gut. She wanted this more than anything, but still she could not help the fear that was trying to take over.
He slowly kissed his way down her body, and gently squeezed her breasts in his hands before placing his mouth over one of her nipples. He began sucking on it, and then lightly bit it. She felt a tingling sensation as he pulled away and did the same to the other breast. Butterflies began to swim uncontrollably inside her stomach and caused a sudden tightness between her legs.
He started kissing down her body, and as he got closer to her core Kristen did not realize that so many nerve endings existed within her. She could not just focus on one feeling that he was stirring inside her, and it was driving her crazy.
His mouth was lower now, lightly nibbling on her hips, and along her thighs. Suddenly, he gently pushed her thighs open, and she gasped in surprise when he inserted a finger inside of her. Her whole body tensed up, and it caused Reed to steel his movements. After a few moments, he slowly began to move within her again and she felt herself relax. He leaned down, and continued to kiss her inner thighs, along her hips, and then slowly trailed his tongue down over her sensitive flesh. She felt a burst of pleasure shoot through her and jumped back away from him.
Before she could get too far, Reed grabbed ahold of her hips with both hands, and held her in place as his mouth closed around her. Kristen’s mind went soaring. Her body was going into overdrive as she felt something building inside of her that she had never felt quite like this before. Suddenly it hit her, and she was screaming out his name as her hands dug in the sheets. She felt the wave of spasms rack her body, and her legs wrapped around Reed’s shoulders tightly.
“Oh god, Reed. Please…” She begged him.
Reed licked his way down her, and inside of her before pulling away. He sat up and positioned himself between her legs. Slowly he slid inside her, and she instantly let out a cry as the pain shot through her body. Tears burned the back of her eyes, and she wrapped her legs around his waist to stop him from moving. Her breathing hitched, and she started to breathe harder.
Reed pressed a soft kiss to her lips, and then her cheek. “Just try to relax baby.” He kissed her lips again as he slid out of her.
Kristen could feel the pain easing, and her body slowly began to relax against him. She knew that the pain would hurt, but nothing had prepared her for that. Sliding inside her again, he captured her mouth with his and she leaned into his kiss. Her grip tightened around his waist as he moved within her, and she felt her body stiffening again. It was like pleasure and pain missed together as he filled her completely. He set a slow pace for them, and as her body began to move with his he picked up pace.
Her emotions were everywhere, and as she looked up at him, she could tell his were too. He gripped her waist tighter as he covered her breast with his mouth and let out a groan. His body shook on top of her, and suddenly he let all his weight fall on her. He lifted his head and kissed her deeply. She could not explain the way she felt. She felt exhilarated. Like pure ecstasy running through her veins. She honestly wanted to do it repeatedly.
Reed rolled over and pulled her body into his, so her head was resting on his chest. She did not want this moment to end and wished that they did not have to leave within a few hours. Her body felt weak, but relaxed. She could feel the soft touch of Reed’s fingers as he trailed them up her arm, and she rolled over and pressed her lips to
his.
“I love you.” Reed whispered before he returned her kiss.
She smiled against his lips and cuddled into him closer. She felt her eyes grow heavy and decided to take a small nap before they left. It was peaceful falling into a dreamless sleep, and she welcomed it.
13
Chapter Thirteen
Kristen sat back in her seat with an inward smile that she was sure was showing on her face. She did not get a chance to sleep as long as she would have liked, but it was enough. She and Reed had experienced something on a new level, and she knew that in a way their relationship had grown much stronger. It was not just to the fact that she had given him a part of her that no one else had ever had a chance to have, and it was not even the fact that the world was ending. No, this was something on a much deeper level. Something that had been building up since they first met.
It felt like they had been driving for miles, but Kristen knew that it was not going to take them that long to get to the next town. The roads have not been that bad, and they have not seen many of those things, but nature still made its call, and she could tell that some of them were getting hungry.
Even with the distraction of Reed, she still could not keep her thoughts from Brady, and finding him. She was not even sure where they were going exactly, but they were just following the road straight ahead. She vaguely remembered seeing a sign for Vegas, but that just seemed dumb to her. If Brady and his companion were heading there, the chances of finding him were very slim.
“Hey look! A rest stop. We should stop and take a break for an hour or so.” Julie’s voice was loud in the quiet car, and she knew that they were all ready to get out of the cramped cab.
Kristen leaned forward as Julie took the turn off and slowed down the car as she pulled into a parking spot in front of a small building. The building was just as deserted as the rest of the scenery they passed. Climbing out of the car, she stretched her legs first, and then her arms as she breathed in the air. The fresh air felt good in her lungs, and the light breeze was cool against her flushed skin. She looked around the area and noticed that it was not much of anything, just a small park, picnic area, and the building behind her.
