by Leah Holt
Turning around, he walked down the hall, exiting out the patio doors to the backyard.
My heart skipped in my chest as I softly touched my lips. They were tingling, the sensation strong and bold as if I had just eaten a hot pepper.
“Hey,” my brother said, coming around the corner and gripping my shoulders. “I figured you went to hide out in your room.”
Shit.
“Oh, no, I just. . .” Pausing, I wondered if he could see that my cheeks were flushed and my skin was dewy from just being with Yuri. “I was going to, then I changed my mind.”
“Good, we would have missed you.” Joggling my body a little, he stepped around me. “I'm going to hit the can, I'll be right back.” Glancing up, Tyler stopped short and turned back to face me. Giving me a quick kiss on the cheek, he shrugged his shoulder. “Mistletoe,” he said, pointing up. “I don't want you to mistake that kiss as kindness.”
Laughing, I rolled my eyes. “Of course.”
Walking back into the party, my mother came up and stood beside me. “Where did you disappear to?”
“Geese, is everyone keeping tabs on me or something?” Nervously, I raked my fingers through my hair. I felt like a kid again, being interrogated about where I had been and who I had been with.
“Don't be ridiculous, it's just you were gone for almost thirty minutes. I sent Tyler to find you, did you see him?”
It was that long?
Time had stopped for me. Being with Yuri had always done that. I used to get into trouble for being late for curfew because of it. Whenever we were together, it always felt like it was just the two of us.
“I did.”
Laying her head on my shoulder, my mother closed her eyes. “This is the best Christmas in years.”
My smile arched high, filled with a rekindled love that I had never really given up, only lost along the way.
“It really is, Mom.” Laying my head on hers, I watched my father as he sat with my nephews, both of the boys all snuggled up under his arms. “It really is.”
Chapter Seven
Yuri
Closing the glass door, I walked around the front of the house. Standing out on the sidewalk, I watched the party for a moment.
I wish I could have stayed. If life had taken a different path, I probably would have been there with the girl I loved.
But she was right, I had made a choice. And I regretted every single move I made that night. It altered everything, what I wanted had been stripped from my hands in the blink of an eye.
At the time, I thought it was what I had to do, but in reality, it only changed who I was.
I had gone from loyal son to convict, from trusted boyfriend to lying criminal. My father ended up having to close to the doors to his business, his entire empire now a pile of dust because of me.
Hanging my head, I climbed into my car and drove back to the motel. For a brief moment in time, I felt normal. I could touch her, smell her, feel her pulse as her heart went crazy inside her chest.
That was what I'd been missing all these years, the woman who owned my soul. I hated having to walk out that door, but I had to leave.
I only knew about the party because I over heard my mother talking on the phone. When I asked her about it, she told me point blank not to even think about going.
There was no way in hell I was going to miss a chance to sneak in undetected and see her. After spotting her in town, I had this urge come over me. It was more than an urge, it was a need I couldn't shake off.
Flopping down onto the mattress, I rested my hands under my head, keeping my eyes on the ceiling. I had come back with a small hope my mother would welcome me with open arms, but now. . . Now I wasn't leaving until I told Gwen and my mother the truth.
She gave herself to me with little resistance, as if we had been separated by war and I had just returned home.
She had that same fire in her eye I remembered, she had that same flare that drew me to her in the first place. My heart was beating in my chest, but it wasn't to keep me alive anymore.
My heart was beating because it had found life again.
Opening my eyes, the sun was poking through cracks in the curtain.
What time is it?
Checking the clock by the bed, it was ten in the morning. I wasn't sure exactly when I fell asleep, it snuck up on me, whisking me away without me even realizing it.
Throwing my legs over the side of the bed, I gripped the edge of the mattress, taking a second to catch my bearings. Dragging a hand over my head, I rubbed my hair and shook my head back and forth, trying to wake up.
Standing up, I grabbed some clean clothes and took a shower. Making the water a little cooler, I ducked my head into the stream. The cold water trickled down my shoulders and over my back, creating goosebumps on my skin.
Pressing my palm into the tiles, I closed my eyes, allowing the water to run over my face. Gwen was all I could think about. The way it felt when I slid into her pussy, how warm and wet she was as I fucked her in the dark.
It brought me back years in my mind, making me forget all the time that had past between us. There wasn't any time missing, it felt more like days, as if we had only been apart for a week.
Gripping my cock, I started to stroke my length just thinking about how good she felt wrapped around me. Pumping faster, I jerked my dick, gently squeezing the crown as I hit the tip.
I couldn't help myself. The image of her body in my mind was enough to turn me rock solid. Faster and faster I stroked my shaft until the orgasm drew my balls up, making my toes curl.
Warm cum spilled over my hand as it gushed from the tip. The water washed it away, erasing any sign of my self gratification. Relaxing a little, I finished the rest of my shower, toweling dry and getting dressed.
Stuffing my phone and wallet into my pockets, I grabbed my keys and left the motel. I had one goal in my head, make Gwen mine again.
I wasn't sure how I was going to do it, but I knew that I would never give up. We were meant to be together, I had known that since the first moment I laid eyes on her.
Nothing had changed over the years. I still felt the same heat in my gut when I was with her, I still felt prickles on my skin when we kissed.
That meant something. And I know she felt it too.
I just had to make her see it. There was no way I could lose her again.
She was mine and mine alone.
That's how it was always suppose to be.
Chapter Eight
Gwen
The doorbell rang causing me to pop my head up from the pile of papers my mother had laid out on the table.
After a whole lot of convincing, she finally let me take a look at the lien issue her and my father were having.
My mother stood up, ready to go answer the front door. “Let me get—”
“I'll get it, “ my brother called out as he came down the hall.
“Never mind,” my mother said, sitting back down. “So, can you see the problem?”
It was hard to focus on what I was doing. All that was on my mind was Yuri and how good it felt being with him again.
“Not yet, I just started.” Scanning one of the papers, I read the highlights, doing my best to see where the lien had come from.
I was hoping the answer would be kind and jump out at me. This wasn't the type of stuff I was used to looking over. Most of the paperwork that landed on my desk involved a trademark logo or phrase that a company wanted to protect.
“Looks like someone has an admirer.” Tyler walked into the kitchen, holding a giant bouquet of yellow roses.
“How pretty.” Standing up, my mother reached out for the flowers.
“Uh uh, not for you.” Passing them in my direction, my brother smiled.
“Me?”
“You are Gwen Lieheart, right?” Jiggling the flowers, he said, “Take them already, they're actually heavier than they look.”
“You're showing your age, you know that?” Grabbing the bundle, I sta
rted laughing. “Weakling.”
“Don't start, I'll drop your ass right here, I don't care if I'm suppose to be a responsible adult.”
Sticking my tongue out at him, I plucked the card off the bouquet, and started to open it, unsure who the hell would have sent me flowers. The thought crossed my mind that maybe they were from my boss for winning the Greenier case right before I left to come home.
He typically did something for his employees if they got the job done, most of the time it was a fancy lunch or dinner with the whole office, but since I was away, I expected this was his thank you.
“Well, who sent them?” my mother asked anxiously, leaning in and smelling the perfect yellow blossoms. “God, they're gorgeous.” Taking a single stem in her fingers, she pulled it free. “Regardless of who they're from, this one is for me.”
Giggling, I pulled the card from the envelope and opened it up.
Life doesn't always go as planned, but that doesn't mean you can't find beauty in what you find. June sixteenth, two thousand-seven.
Taking in a shallow breath of air, my eyes started to water. Sniffling, I tried like hell to not cry.
“Who sent them, Gwen?” Snipping the end of the stem, my mother put the single flower into a thin vase, setting it in the center of the table.
Blinking quickly, I dried them before she noticed the glossy sheen. “Oh, my boss, they're from my boss for winning that case.” I lied, I lied through my teeth.
They were from Yuri. And he wanted to see me again.
But was I ready for that?
We shared one moment, a small glimpse of what we used to have. Yuri was the only man who knew how to get over my walls, and he was damn good at it. That didn't mean we were a thing now or that I was even willing to accept him back into my life with open arms just because he made my eyes roll back and my body explode with pleasure.
It was a weak moment, a mistake under the mistletoe. I folded so easily, and the fact I had given myself to him as if nothing had ever forced us apart scared me to death. I might have just opened the flood gates to exactly what I had run away from.
“That's so nice of him.” Taking her seat, she cupped her hands in front of her. “So back to this pile of crap, what can you do to fix it?”
Shaking my head, I pushed all the emotions down, doing my best to focus on what was important right then.
“You haven't paid your fire taxes all year, Mom.”
“What? Yes I have.”
“That's not what this says.” Turning the paper so she could see the print, I pointed to the spot where it was explained. “Can you prove you paid them? Do have receipts or bank statements that show you have?”
“Can I prove it. . .” Letting her words trail off, she rolled her eyes. “Of course I can. I have all of that somewhere around here.”
“Okay, so if you have them, I'm going to need them. We should be able to fix this easily, it's probably just an error in their system.”
“It might take me some time to find all the statements, but I know I have them.” Quickly, she rose to her feet and walked away, making her voice louder the further away she got. “I'll go look now, and I'll let you know when I have them all!”
“Alright!” I yelled back to her as I heard her moving up the stairs.
Touching a petal on one of the flowers, I ran it between my fingertips as I reread the small card. Yuri's note was one that only I would understand. It was coded with a date that was special, one that I couldn't believe he still remembered.
Should I go?
Tapping the sharp edge of the card stock, I scrunched my lips in thought. Fuck it.
Grabbing my purse, I snatched my mother's keys off the counter. “Mom, I'm borrowing your car for a little bit, I have an errand to run!”
“Okay!” she called back, her tone uncaring as she busied herself with hunting down more papers.
Jumping in the car, I started driving, heading for the spot I knew he was talking about. I wasn't sure what I expected from going or why I was even so ready to go there. It wasn't two days ago that I feared seeing him again, now I was running to him.
There was no explanation for my actions the night before or even right then, it was just a feeling. It felt right, it felt like I had to go. Either it was going to end any chance of a relationship completely or it would rekindle where we left off years before.
And I wasn't sure I wanted either of those.
I had to reach down deep and find my inner strength. He had robbed a store, he had beaten a guy almost to death. I couldn't let myself forget that just because these lingering feelings were coming back like a growing inferno.
What the hell does he want from me?
All I knew was that I had to see him to know what I truly wanted.
When he showed up at the party, sweeping me off my feet and seducing me, it flipped a switch in my brain. We weren't done, we had never really been done, no matter how much I tried to convince myself that we were.
Pulling down the dirt road, I parked the car and climbed out. Hiking through the woods, I followed the faded path deep into the trees.
It was easy to see that no one had been down there in a really long time. The path was overgrown, sharp thorns were sticking into my skin, making it difficult to press on.
What if this isn't what he meant?
What if he was just bringing up the memory?
Stopping short, I raked my nails through my hair, wondering if I was reaching for something that wasn't there to begin with. Had I just run to an invisible invitation?
I'm a fucking idiot.
Turning around, I started back towards the car, then stopped in my tracks. Yuri was walking up the path, carrying a small bag. He looked so damn handsome it took my breath away.
His dark brown hair was blowing in the soft breeze, gently brushing his brows. His arms were firm and muscular even under his jacket, creating bulges as he adjusted the bag. A strip of sunlight broke through the treetops, making his olive colored skin glow. The hard lines of his jaw caused my skin to prickle, making me shiver.
God, how does someone I'm supposed to hate, look so damn good?
Seeing me, his mouth instantly shot into a wide grin. “I wasn't sure you'd actually come.”
“I wasn't sure it was an invitation.”
“See, you still know me.”
Laughing, I felt my cheeks blush slightly. “Yeah and that scares the shit out of me.”
“It scares us both.” Yuri stopped once he was about a foot away, shifting the bag up on his shoulder. “You remember why this place is so special?” he asked, tilting his head as his eyes glinted like gold.
I felt the warmth of my cheeks spread like fire down my body, coalescing into a throbbing need between my thighs.
Damn it! Why does he still make me feel this way?
“Of course I do, I was actually surprised you remembered it.”
“Are you kidding me?” His mouth pulled back as he licked his bottom lip. “It's where I saw you for the first time. . .” Pausing, his smile turned sultry. “And it's where I took your virginity. I could never forget that.”
My cheeks heated, causing me to smile with embarrassment. “Yes, yes you did.” The memory of that day flooded into my brain, making my heart hammer inside my chest.
I had gone with a few of my friends from school to a party in the woods—these woods. We were hanging out with some older kids, and my parents would have killed me if they knew I was there.
Yuri was standing by the fire, laughing with a few guys. When I saw him, it was an instant attraction. He happened to look up right at that moment, our eyes locking, drowning out everything else around us.
I remember the butterflies in my gut when he started walking over to me, the way my hands became clammy, and how a cool sweat started to trickle down the back of my neck.
'I haven't seen you here before, you're Gwen, right? Tyler's little sister?'
The second he opened his mouth to speak and I heard his voice
, it felt like the air had been drained from my lungs. His voice was melodic, deep and thick, making my body do things it never had before.
We spent the night laying on a blanket under the stars, with his arms keeping me warm, holding me tight. He made love to me under that clear sky and we were inseparable after that.
Everything was perfect. Most girls want that, they want the perfect moment for their first time, and most don't get it.
I was one of the lucky ones.
“Come on,” Yuri said, braiding our fingers together and pulling me deeper into the woods.
We walked in silence, the only sound around us were the birds and the crunching of leaves under our feet. My stomach roared with those familiar butterflies as his fingers tightened around mine.
The woods opened up to a small clearing by a stream. It looked almost the same as it had when I was a kid. Yuri stopped, slipping the bag off his arm and letting it drop to the ground.
Letting go my hand, our fingertips swept over each other, the touch filled with a sensation of not wanting to let go. Our hands fit perfectly together, they always had.
Bending over, he unzipped the bag and pulled out a blanket. Flipping it open, he knelt on top and started pulling stuff out of the bag; a bottle of wine, two sandwiches, a bag of chips, and some cherries.
“Sit,” he said, patting the blanket.
Sitting down, I curled my legs up, watching him put the food onto paper plates.
“I have turkey sandwiches with mustard and lettuce, the mustard is between the layers of meat, just like you like it, it's not touching the bread.”
“You remember that too?”
“This might surprise you, Gwen, but I remember everything about you.” Sitting next to me, he filled two wine glasses and handed me one. “I remember how you eat your sandwich in a circle, saving the center for last, I still remember that you hate tomatoes and that your favorite food is macaroni and cheese. I remember how much roller coasters scare you and how you bite your nails when you get nervous.” Laughing, he flicked his eyes between my hands and my face. “Just like you're doing now.”
