Worth the Risk (Blue Falls #2)

by Stella James

  “Uh oh,” Mona says.

  Everything that happens after is like a slow motion reel. As if sensing the repercussions to come, Mona pulls me back and out of the way. Melissa barely has time to wipe the sneer from her lips before Kate turns and clocks her right in the face. She stumbles back and falls on her ass while blood pours down her dress from what I assume is her very broken nose. Kate stands above her frozen in place. The anger in her eyes is downright scary. It takes about ten seconds for the bouncer to come and recommend that the three of us head home. We leave Melissa in a heap on the floor and call it a night.

  Kate is quiet the whole drive back into town. I open my mouth several times to say something. Anything. But every time, Mona shakes her head slightly and warns me against it. She knows Kate better than I do so I follow her lead. We drop Kate off first and are about to pull away when Mona rolls down the window.

  “Be sure and ice those knuckles, Rocky!”

  Kate doesn’t bother turning around and shoots Mona her middle finger instead.

  “She’ll be fine,” Mona chuckles.

  “What was that all about? I don’t think I’ve ever seen Kate look so…so…?”

  “Totally wild and unpredictably angry?” Mona supplies.

  “Yeah. She never really talks about Asher, and I’m always too scared to ask.”

  “Ahh. Well, they have a rather unique friendship. We’ve all been friends for ages, growing up and going to school together. But Kate and Asher? They’re different. They were thick as thieves when we were little. His family moved here when we were five and about to start school. They bought the acreage just down the road from the Stones’. Kate’s always been Kate. Neat, tidy, organized. It’s who she is, but with Asher, she was always different. It was like he had this power to bring out a side of her that no one else could. Even me.”

  “So what happened when everyone got older?” I asked.

  “We all stayed tight. They drifted apart a bit, he played football and she was a complete and total nerd, of course. But they always had a connection. They never dated each other or anything like that. He wasted his time on brainless walking tits and Kate focused on whatever nerds focus on. But the day he left for basic training she was a complete wreck. She stayed in bed nearly all day and when she wasn’t locked up in her room, she was in her backyard sitting on a crappy old tire swing just staring at the trees.”

  “Oh wow, I can’t even picture Kate falling apart like that.”

  “I know. But trust me, Asher Montgomery is Kate’s weak spot. Always has been, and probably always will be.”

  Chapter 13

  Trace

  I don’t know what it is about the holidays but I swear people get fucking dumber every year. I’m sitting at an empty desk filling out my paperwork for the day. Typical holiday drivers, going way too fast and ignoring the weather conditions. Those bastards are lucky they didn’t kill themselves or anyone else. This time of year is so busy that it’s impossible to keep track of the traffic coming and going. The town is occupied to the max with people who can’t navigate an icy road worth a shit. I look at the clock, grateful that my shift is almost over and I can go home to Sophie. It’s Christmas Eve and we are spending the night at my place so we can have our own time together in the morning. Mona is spending the night at her dad’s with her sister Hanna who was in town for a few days and we are all meeting at Tim and Judy’s tomorrow afternoon for dinner. I typically work through the holidays but this year I put in for the time off. The café will be closed for a few days and I want Christmas to be special for Sophie. She’ll never admit it but I’m sure that she hasn’t had a decent holiday since her gran passed away. I love her more than anything in this world and tonight I’m going to let her know in more ways than one. I’m also planning on asking her to move in with me. She’s there most of the time anyways and I know that Mona can handle their rent on her own like she did before.

  I think about the sad little tree that we decorated together. We spent a good hour at the lot looking for the “perfect tree” she called it. There were plenty that would have looked good in my apartment but Sophie insisted that it was more than just looks. She said we needed to be sure that we were picking the right one. I indulged her as she walked up and down the rows before she came to the most pathetic looking thing I’d ever seen. It was short and scraggly and missing half its needles. The guy selling them told us that it had fallen off the truck and gotten run over so it was on sale for a quarter of the price. Sophie beamed at the disgraceful tree and I was powerless to do anything other than pay the man and load it up.

  I check the time again before I sign my report, drop it in the basket and head home to my woman.

  *

  I ride the elevator up to my apartment and think about a hot shower and all of the ways that I can convince Sophie to join me. The image of my little red head naked and wet makes me instantly hard. Yep, I definitely need her in that shower with me. I open the front door to find the entire room lit up by the flickering glow of little white candles placed on every surface. Soft music plays in the background. It takes my eyes a minute to adjust before they zero in on Sophie. She’s kneeling on the bed wearing a tiny red nightie with white trim. Sweet fucking Christmas miracle. She’s a sexy Santa. My sexy Santa. Every ounce of blood goes straight to my cock and I’m left standing there without a single coherent thought. Somehow I manage to move my feet and now stand at the foot of the bed.

  “Merry Christmas Trace,” she whispers.

  Her soft voice stirs me from my appreciation. I take off my jacket and let it drop to the floor and place my hands to either side of her beautiful face.

  “Merry Christmas sweet Sophie.”

  “Do you like this?” She backs up and trails a slim finger along the line of her generous cleavage.

  “Baby, I fucking love it.”

  She leans up and begins unbuttoning my shirt. She pulls it down over my arms and lets it drop to the floor. She goes to work on my belt next, until I stand there naked and very, very hard. She rests her hands behind my neck and traces her fingers back and forth through my hair as she kisses a trail across my chest and up to my jaw.

  “I’m glad you love it. I want to make you happy Trace,” she whispers the words along my ear. “I’ll do whatever it takes to make you happy baby.”

  Fucking hell.

  “Tell me what I can do for you,” she faces me dead on and the look in her eyes tells me that this is just as much for her as it is for me.

  “On your knees Sophie, I want those lips wrapped around my cock.” Her eyes fall heavy as she licks her full lips and slides down to her knees in front of me. Her small hand wraps around the base of my cock as she takes one long swipe with her tongue, sucking in the tip and releasing it with a kiss. I can’t take my eyes off of her as she repeats the action, this time taking in my length until it hits the back of her throat. She swallows hard causing a savage growl to rumble in my chest. I pull her straps down over her shoulders and watched the red silk slide down to her waist.

  “Holy fucking hell Sophie, that’s it baby, take it all,” I grip her hair in my hands and urge her back and forth, slowly fucking her beautiful mouth in long strokes. She moans against me as she slides one of her hands down between her thighs and begins rubbing her pussy.

  “Let me see those fingers Sophie, I want to see how wet they are,” she holds up her hand, her two fingers dripping with her own wetness.

  “Fuck!” I grip her hair tighter and slide my cock in and out of her tight mouth as fast as she’ll allow. Watching her grind her hips against her hand with my dick in her mouth is the most erotic fucking thing I’ve ever seen. She whimpers deep in her throat and I know I’m going to lose it soon. As much as I love to watch her swallow, I need her tight pussy around me. I pull myself from her mouth and flip her onto all fours on the bed. I slide in on one hard thrust and bury myself in her slick center. I pull all the way out before thrusting back in, my cock dripping wet. I kneel down on t
he bed behind her and pull her up so that her back is snug up against my chest.

  “Put your hands on your tits baby, I want to see you rubbing yourself while I fuck you,” she pinches her nipples and rolls them between her fingers while I grip her waist and drive into her.

  “Oh God Trace, yes, fuck me harder! Please, I need it harder!” She cries.

  My body is rigid, I’m so close. I reach my hand around and rub her swollen clit until I can feel her pussy tighten around me, her sweet nectar floods my cock as her core pulses around me in a steady beat. I plunge into her one last time and let go of my own release. I slow to a stop and kiss the damp skin on her neck.

  “Fuck. Merry Christmas is right.”

  She laughs lightly and leans forward, falling gently onto her side. I lay down beside her and pull her close. Too lazy to bother with the covers, we fall asleep wrapped around each other as the candles slowly burn out.

  *

  I open my eyes the next morning to find Sophie already wide awake. She’s sitting on the bed beside me holding a small gift. Her hair is in a messy braid over her shoulder and she’s wearing one of my shirts and a pair of sweats. Her smile is wide and goes straight to her eyes. I’m not usually a fan of being awake at the ass crack of dawn but she looks so damn happy that I can’t help but return her smile.

  “Good morning,” she says.

  “Morning baby, how long have you been up?” I pull her to me and breathe in the scent of cinnamon. “Have you been baking?”

  “Oh, ya know, just a little treat for breakfast, I couldn’t sleep,” she blushes.

  “Mm, I want you for breakfast.”

  She laughs and pulls away. “No way! It’s Christmas morning, we are not spending it in bed. Here, I want you to open this one now,” she hands me the small box wrapped in green paper. Her eyes are hopeful but she looks nervous. The sun isn’t up yet but I know how excited she is to have a real Christmas, and I’ll do anything to make her happy. I sit up and tear open the paper, revealing a small wooden box. I lift the lid to find a watch nestled in the tissue. When I pull it out I realize that the leather strap is brand new but the watch itself looks older and a bit worn. She gently takes the watch from my hand and speaks softly as she secures it around my wrist.

  “It was my grandfathers. He died before I got to meet him but my gran held onto most of his things. She gave him this watch on their wedding day and she said he wore it every day until he passed. I wanted to give you something special and this was the first thing I thought of. Do you like it?” She looks unsure.

  I glance down at the watch and then at the amazing woman sitting in front of me. I will never in my life understand how I got so lucky. I pull her to me and wrap my arms around her tightly. I choke back the lump in my throat and know in this moment that I will never feel whole if I don’t have Sophie beside me. She’s the only woman I could ever love and the only home I’ve ever truly known.

  I lean back and put my hands on either side of her face. I speak the words that were only ever meant for her. “I love you Sophie.”

  “I love you too Trace,” she smiles and blinks back the tears that threaten to fall from her beautiful eyes.

  I place my mouth gently on hers and nudge her back onto the bed. I trail my lips down her neck and back up to the soft spot behind her ear. “Move in with me Sophie, I don’t want to be apart from you,” I pull the hem of her shirt up and take my time tasting each one of her breasts. She brings her hands to my hair, holding my mouth in place while she moans deep in her throat.

  “Is that a yes, sweet Sophie?”

  She looks down at me and giggles, “Yes Trace, I’ll move in with you,” she says. She pulls me back up to her and places her hand on the side of my face. There will never be a time that I don’t crave the comfort of her touch.

  We spend the next hour in bed, whispering our love to each other over and over. I make love to her in the slowest way possible and soak up every ounce that she offers me in return. Sophie is mine and I am hers and nothing in the world has ever felt so right.

  Chapter 14

  Sophie

  Christmas morning with Trace was more than I could have ever hoped for. I was nervous to give him my grandfather’s watch but I wanted him to know how much he means to me. I knew from the first time he kissed me that I could easily fall in love with him so I wasn’t surprised when I did. What I didn’t expect was how deeply those feelings would run. I love Trace with everything I am and knowing that he loves me too is a gift that I will always cherish.

  I can’t stop smiling as we drive out to Cole’s parents’ house for Christmas dinner. I’m running my new necklace between my fingers, a beautiful ruby tear drop on a white gold chain that Trace gave me after we made love this morning. Every kiss, every touch and the way we whispered our love to each other over and over plays through my mind as I touch the delicate chain. I’m anxious to build a life with him and make a home for us. He promised me that his apartment would be temporary until we find something bigger but I told him that I don’t care where we live, he is home to me and as long as we are together it doesn’t matter. I called Mona to tell her the news, she threw a tantrum for maybe five seconds before I placated her with the promise of girls’ night once a week. I know she’s happy for me, and for Trace.

  We arrive at Tim and Judy’s and haul our box of gifts and the trays of baking I’ve made to the front door. Before Trace can knock, Judy opens the door and takes the trays from my hands. She sets them down and wraps me in a tight hug which I’ve grown quite accustomed to. Judy is a hugger and one of the kindest people I’ve ever met. Her and Tim have welcomed me into their home numerous times and never fail at making me feel like I belong.

  “Merry Christmas sweetheart, the kids are in the kitchen, go on back,” she says. She’s wearing an apron with a half-naked Santa on it that says “Ho Fo Sho”. I pick up the trays and carry them to the kitchen while Trace engulfs her tiny frame in an affectionate hug, much like a son would his mother.

  *

  Christmas at the Stones’ is something I’ve never experienced before. Holidays with my gran were wonderful but quiet. It was always just the two of us, some small gifts and decorations and a meal we cooked together. In Judy’s kitchen we all sit crammed together at her big blue table. Food is laid out on every available surface and multiple conversations overlap each other. Kate and Judy are arguing over a game of scrabble while Kate tosses pieces of turkey under the table for her dog, Asshole. The men talk about hockey and work while Lily and I chat about the long list of baby items she still needs to pick up. Mona’s sister Hanna is in town from Ireland, I’ve only met her briefly during their weekly skype visit. She’s a couple years younger than Mona and physically the complete opposite. Where Mona is petite and curvy, Hanna is athletic and tall. They have the same light blue eyes but that’s about it. What they lack in physical similarities they make up for in personality. Hanna is just as bold as Mona, enveloping me in a tight hug the minute I meet her and immediately telling me that I smell so good she’s seriously thinking about giving up cock. I assure her that it isn’t necessary since I’m not gay anyways, but she just laughs and squeezes me tighter until Trace comes over and pries her arms off of me. I’ve met their dad, Earl, several times since living with Mona. He’s friendly and easy going, a trait I imagine served him well when he was raising the two of them as teenagers. Everyone is in good spirits and genuinely seems to enjoy each other’s company. It’s the perfect end to a perfect day.

  *

  Three days have passed since Christmas, Trace is back on shift until New Year’s but I’m not due back at the café until tomorrow. I’m going to take the opportunity to bring some of my things over while I have the free time. I dropped him off at the Sheriff’s office this morning and I’m taking his truck to Mona’s to load up a few boxes. Trace insisted that I upgrade my learners permit to an actual license before we got too far into winter. I passed my test and have been driving for a couple months. I sti
ll prefer walking but in cases like this it’s handy. I hate relying on other people for something that I can easily do myself.

  I pull up to the building and grab the empty boxes from the passenger seat. I don’t plan on taking too much. The snow is already starting to come down quite heavily and I still have a pit stop to make before I head out to Cole and Lily’s. She seemed stressed out the last time we talked about the list of items she still needed to pick up for the babies and I wanted to do something helpful. She’s been so good to me since the day I first met her and now was my chance to do something nice for her. Trace and I drove to the nearest Walmart about an hour away yesterday and picked up some odds and ends. Eventually he intervened when the cart was nearly full. Apparently I have a hard time controlling myself in the baby aisle. The thought of someday having a family of my own makes my heart feel indescribably full.

  I fill the boxes with what I think will be necessary for now and leave the container of fat free muffins I made for Mona on the counter and head back out in the snow. I drive across the railroad tracks and watch for the county sign that will tell me which driveway belongs to Hank Meyers. I didn’t mention my small detour this morning when I dropped Trace off at work. I hated keeping things from him but I knew he would try and convince me that I was wasting my time. I wasn’t sure if he would understand that I need to see for myself that his dad is happier being written off rather than accepting help. When I think of my mother I often wonder if just one more person had tried to help her, could it have made a difference? Would she have finally gone to rehab? Would she be alive today? I want to be that person for Trace’s dad.