by Lia Lee
I was almost done with breakfast when there was a knock at my door. Farrah froze and looked at me. I frowned. No one ever came to my door, usually. I got calls that took me down the mountain when I was needed and Hannah saw me often enough at the pub, so she never made the trip.
After the whole story with Jim yesterday, I was immediately suspicious. If he was here to hurt her, I was going to cause him more trouble than I had yesterday. Now that I knew what she had been through, I was that much more protective of her. If I had known this extent of his abuse before we had seen Jim yesterday, he wouldn’t have walked away only a bloody nose.
I walked to the front door and opened it up.
“Sheriff Holland,” I said, surprised. I hadn’t expected him here. He hadn’t come alone, either. He had Bobby with him, another officer. “Please, come in.”
I had known Sheriff Martin Holland for years. We had grown up together. Bobby had come to Packwood a couple of years ago, so he was a friend, too. I introduced Farrah to the sheriff and his deputy and we sat down in my living room.
“I have bad news, Lee,” the sheriff said. “James Horace wants to press charges.”
“For what?” Farrah asked in a small voice.
“Assault,” Sheriff Holland said. “He said you punched him in the face, unprovoked.”
I snorted. “Unprovoked, my ass.”
Sheriff Holland chuckled. “I didn’t think it was. I know you. I also heard from a couple of people in town that Horace was causing trouble at the bar on Friday. Hannah confirmed that for me.”
I nodded. Farrah was quiet, but she didn’t look like she had when we had been talking to Jim.
“Let me tell you what happened,” I said. Sheriff Holland sat back, ready to hear what I had to say. I knew he would be open to my side. We had known each other for a long time and he was a reasonable guy.
I explained to him about Farrah and his past relationship with her, that he had been harassing her and demanded to have her back now that she was pregnant. I knew that the sheriff wouldn’t run around with the news. After explaining that I had been defending Farrah, he nodded.
“Right,” he said, slapping his thighs and standing up. “I think I know how to handle this. Thanks, Lee.”
I shook both their hands and walked them to the front door. Farrah followed me and we watched as the two officers climbed into their police car, turned it around in front of the cabin and followed the dirt road back through the trees.
“Do you think it will be taken care of?” Farrah asked.
I turned to her and nodded. “Yeah. Sheriff Holland is a close friend of mine. You saw how he was on our side. Nothing will go wrong, trust me.”
Farrah nodded and we headed back to the cabin. I finished making breakfast. Farrah was quiet but when I glanced at her, she didn’t look scared the way she had before. I hoped it was a good sign. I wouldn’t push her to deal with it any quicker than she was comfortable with, but I hoped she was coping with everything that was happening.
I had half-expected Jim to press charges. It was the pathetic kind of thing he would do after he had lost the fight. He wasn’t going to get Farrah back by asking or trying to manipulate her, so he wanted to get me out of the way so he could get to her alone. Well, that wasn’t going to happen. Everyone was on my side. Jim had come into town causing trouble from the start. Maybe in a big city like Seattle, it was more about every man for himself, but in a place like Packwood, we stuck together. If Jim had wanted sympathy from anyone around town, he shouldn’t have gotten drunk and caused a scene the moment he had arrived.
When breakfast was ready, we ate together. Farrah was more and more her usual self, despite the news of Jim trying to cause trouble by pressing charges. It was wonderful to watch her opening up again and I was glad she was able to do it so quickly.
After breakfast, we washed the dishes together. We worked side by side and even when we were together in silence, it was comfortable silence and companionship, the way it had always been between us.
The rest of the day was a calm one. We spent it together largely in front of the television, watching old movies. We laughed and we talked, watching classic show and commenting on them.
Sometimes, Farrah and I made out. I loved touching her and kissing her. I loved being with her in general.
When I kissed her, I wanted more. I wanted to take her to my bed and make love to her. I wanted to touch every inch of her body. I wanted to kiss her, taste her, and make her mine after everything that had happened. But I wasn’t going to push her into anything she didn’t want to do. After what I had found out about Jim, I was even more careful with her when it came to sex. I had never done anything like he had, but I wanted to give her the time to deal with all that had happened.
I would wait and when she was ready for me, in her own time, I would be here.
“It’s really early on,” Farrah said, when we paused our movie watching to make lunch. “But do you ever think about names for the baby?”
I shook my head. We were standing in the kitchen, making lunch together.
“I haven’t,” I said. “I’ll have to think about it. What about you?”
Farrah shook her head. “I want to, obviously. I’ve wanted this for a long time. But I’m too scared to take that step. I’ve believed I couldn’t have children for so long that I’m too scared to get my hopes up only to end up losing the baby after all.”
I understood what she was saying, but I had a feeling we were going to get through this just fine.
After we had made lunch together we sat down in front of the television but we didn’t play the movie.
“Thank you,” Farrah said.
“For what?”
“For being so nice about everything. There have been so many times you could have chosen to turn me away. Instead, you’re taking it all in and you’re still trying to make it work with me.”
“Of course I am,” I said. You’re amazing. I know he led you to believe otherwise, so I will just take whatever time we need to show you how great you are.”
Farrah blushed. I smiled, but I wasn’t only paying her a compliment. I was serious. I had seen glimpses of who she was and I would give her all the time she needed to become the woman she was meant to be.
When Hannah had asked me if I was already in love with Farrah, I hadn’t been able to answer that question. I wasn’t sure if could say yes, but I knew I couldn’t say no. Now there was no question. I was falling for Farrah.
I was falling for her, hard.
Chapter 28
Farrah
I woke up on Monday morning. The night was still thick in the room but it had the silver quality that came with the promise of morning. I hadn’t woken up because something was wrong. I woke up because, for the first time, something was right. For the first time in a long time, I wasn’t scared or worried—and I didn’t hate myself.
There was still a journey ahead of me to take care of everything that had happened in my relationship with Jim, but everything I had been worried about between me and Lee was over. He accepted me for who I was and he was willing to make it work together. It was all I had ever wanted and the one thing I’d been terrified to hope for.
When I glanced at the time I saw that Lee’s alarm wouldn’t go off for another hour. He had work again today. I would have loved for him to stay with me but I couldn’t expect him to give everything up. That was what Jim had expected of me and I didn’t want to be anything nearing that. What I liked about Lee was that he took care of me by letting me live. And I cared for Lee because of who he was in total. I hadn’t been loved that way and it was refreshing to approach our future together like that.
As I lay next to Lee, I just watched him sleep. He had been so wonderful from the start. Not only had he allowed me to be bold and do things I had never done before when I’d first met him, he had also been understanding and kind when I’d explained why I had wanted to sleep with him.
When I had gotten pregnant he could h
ave turned me away. Instead, he had committed to a new life he hadn’t planned for, purely because it was the right thing to do. And he wanted to try a life with me as well. Even after he’d learned everything about me, and had to deal with Jim coming here and causing trouble for everyone.
Lee was an amazing person and I was starting to fall for him. No, that wasn’t true. I had already fallen for him. Lee was the kind of man that was impossible not to love, and I loved him. When I looked at him I saw the father of my child, the man I wanted to spend the rest of my life with, if we could only make it work. I wanted to try to make it happen. I wanted to be with Lee for the long haul. We were going to raise this baby together and that was exactly what I wanted. A family.
I traced Lee’s features with my eyes. His straight nose, his thick brows, his dark hair—at least half of it gray—was messy from sleep. He arm was propped up under his head, a habit he had when he slept, and his pillow was folded double as if it wasn’t thick enough.
When I looked at him like this, my heart swelled with affection and I knew without a doubt that I loved him.
Yesterday, Lee had been kind and gentle. We had spent the day together and he had done everything in his power to cheer me up, and to ensure that I was alright without smothering me in the process. He hadn’t touched on anything that was difficult to talk about. He hadn’t asked any questions, even though I had thought he might. He made an effort to make the day a great one, and he had succeeded. I had been able to relax and stop thinking about Jim, and thanks to that I was able to lift my chin and keep marching on again.
Lee had never pushed for anything more, even though we had made out on the couch like teenagers all day. He hadn’t touched me anywhere sexual, and he hadn’t put pressure on me to give him more. I hadn’t been ready for it and I had been a little worried he would want something I wasn’t ready to give.
The fact that Lee had done that for me really mattered. He was a true gentleman. He respected me and cared about my feelings. It was something I wasn’t used to. I had been with someone who had always taken what he wanted and done nothing else. This time, it was different. This time, I was with someone who treated me with the respect I hadn’t even known I deserved until now.
It was amazing that Lee had waited for me, that he had been kind and careful and that he had held back no matter what he wanted so that I could decide what I wanted.
But now, I wanted him. I wanted more. I wanted us to be together, to connect in the way we had connected before. I needed to be with Lee that way again so that we could repair whatever might have slipped through the cracks when Jim had come back trying to ruin everything for us.
I should have known that Lee would never have let that happen, but everything we went through was a learning experience. Lee and I were still getting to know each other and I had learned this weekend that he was a pillar of strength.
Being connected in that way was what I wanted, and now. I wanted to carry on building this thing we were creating together—a world where everything was sure and solid, based on respect and mutual affection. If not love.
I reached out and ran my fingertips down Lee’s cheek, caressing his face. He took a deep breath and sighed. A moment later, his eyes fluttered open. I shifted closer to him so that my face was close to his and gently planted kisses all over his face. He sighed again and wrapped his arms around me, pulling me against him and rolling onto his back so that I lay half on top of him. I shifted so that my crotch was pressed against his, and I and started moving my body, grinding myself slowly against him.
As I did, I felt him stiffen, and his cock was hard in no time. I kissed him on the mouth and we made out the way we had on the couch yesterday, but this time it was charged with sexual tension. I wanted him. Warmth washed over me and I was quickly getting wet.
Lee ran his hands down my body and squeezed my ass, helping me grind myself against him. Our lovemaking became more and more urgent, and Lee started tugging at my clothes. He wanted me as much as I wanted him.
He peeled up my shirt and pulled it over my head. When I was topless, my breasts were against his naked chest. Lee always slept with only a pair of boxers. We carried on making out like this. Lee ran his hands over my naked back, running his fingers through my hair while we kissed.
After a while, Lee tugged at my waistband and I helped him pull down my pajama bottoms, working them down my legs with my own hands when he couldn’t reach anymore. I kicked them off the bed. I wanted to go for his boxers but Lee pushed me onto my back, taking control. He put his hand on my heat and I spread my legs for him, bending my knees, giving him space. He kissed me while he pushed his fingers into my slit and rubbed my clit. I moaned into his mouth while he ran his fingers up and down my pussy, pushing them into me before coming back to my clit.
He alternated between my clit and my g-spot, working me up until I was on the edge but not letting me tip over into my first orgasm. He was making me want it so badly. My body trembled in anticipation as he drew it out until I finally moaned and cried out, begging him to let me have my release.
Lee chuckled when I begged, and pushed his thumb against my clit while he plunged his fingers into me again. He took me all the way and I orgasmed, crying out and curling on the bed. Lee kissed me and I moaned into his mouth, pulling up my legs as pleasure pulled me into a ball.
Lee rolled me over so my back was toward him and shifted so that he was behind me. He pulled my hip so that I was bent at the waist a little and he guided himself to my entrance. He was doing me from behind but this wasn’t doggy style. This wasn’t animalistic fucking. When he pushed into me, he was spooning me, his face in my neck where he kissed and nibbled the skin and he rocked his hips, sliding in and out of me while he held me the way he held me when we fell asleep at night.
He made love to me. We moved together on the bed. Lee’s hand slipped between my legs again and while he pushed into me, rocking my body with his dick, while his fingers were on my clit. I was sensitive after orgasming the first time, but he managed to coax me into a second orgasm and I breathed out long and low as it was different than what I’d had before.
After I recovered for a moment, Lee pulled back and I rolled over so that we faced each other. I kissed him, my arms around his neck. He moved so he was on top of me, his elbows on either side of my head and he pushed into me again. It was missionary, the position said to be the most boring, but with Lee it was amazing. Sex with him was different this time. It was as if he was showing me how he felt about me. We were closer after everything that had happened. The connection I’d been looking for was there, and building as his face was only a breath away from mine. We stared into each other’s eyes and it was intimate, passionate and perfect.
Lee started rocking harder and harder. My breathing deepened and increased as he pushed into me faster and faster. Before, he had pushed me into orgasms but this time it was as if we were holding hands and we were walking into it, together.
When we orgasmed, it was exactly at the same time. My body contracted in the same rhythm his pulsated and we were on a level we had never been before. This was what happened when we were a team, I thought. This was how it was when we cared about each other and we were willing to fight for each other.
We lay together like that, with his dick buried inside of me, unwilling to break contact, for the longest time after the orgasms faded. Finally, unable to stay inside of me anymore, he slipped out of me. Still, he pulled me against him and I lay on his chest. His arm was wrapped around me and the warmth that came from him was like sunshine. I basked in it. His heart beat against my cheek and I closed my eyes.
We dozed off together. I wasn’t sure if it was minutes or hours but the time between us seemed to stretch into infinity. We waited together for the alarm to go off, telling me Lee had to leave for work.
Being with him like this was amazing. Even when I had met Jim and had thought that was what real love felt like, it hadn’t been anything like this. Nothing Jim did would e
ver feel like this, because he was the problem.
My shot eyes open when I realized what I had just done. For the first time, I had blamed Jim and not myself.
I glanced up at Lee and he dropped a kiss on my forehead, looking at me with nothing but love in his eyes.
Chapter 29
Lee
The alarm on my nightstand went off too soon. Holding Farrah in my arms was the only thing I wanted. Right now, it felt like it was the only thing I had ever wanted. She was pressed against my body and there was nothing between us to separate us. We were skin on and skin and I loved it. When we slept together, Farrah was completely and truly herself. Now, more than ever. It was beautiful to see this side of her.
Even if this was the only time I would ever see this side of her, it was enough.
When my alarm went off, Farrah and I groaned in unison. I turned my head to her and she looked up at me with a face that suggested she didn’t want me to leave just as much as I didn’t want to.
“I have to go,” I said.
“I know.”
I kissed her, lifting my head. Kissing her quenched a thirst I hadn’t known I’d been walking around with until I had met her. I wanted to spend the whole day in bed with her. I wanted to lie here with her and relish her warmth. There was nothing between us right now, no barriers, no past, no fears, and worries. Only what we felt for each other.
But Hank had asked me on Friday if he could take the day off, and after I had already taken so much time off to spend with Farrah, I had to agree. So, I needed to go into the office since I was the only one that could take care of the ranger duties.
“I hate leaving, but I have to cover the office,” I said, finally prying myself away from Farrah and reluctantly climbing out of bed. I had to shower and change before I could leave.
“I understand,” Farrah said.
“Why don’t you to stay in bed so I can find you here this afternoon when I come home.”
