Rescue Me

by Nikki Ryan

  “I do not snore, Sam McKiernan.”

  Sam slid himself down her body and took her nipple into his mouth and gently nipped it between his teeth. He looked up and smiled when she cried out.

  “Oh, I beg to differ, my lady.”

  He did the same thing to her other nipple.

  “Sam,” she said.

  He wanted her. He wanted her more than he had ever wanted anyone before. He knew that she wanted him too, that he didn’t have to feel her panties. He knew they were drenched. It scared the shit out of him. He had to keep in mind that this was a business arrangement, not a relationship.

  He slid his hand beneath her panty line and cupped her sex. “You get so wet for me, baby. I love it,” he said, slipping two fingers in simultaneously.

  “Oh . . . make me come.” Alyssa rode his fingers as he plunged them back and forth. He curled them so that they were now hitting her sweet spot as he rubbed her love button in small circles.

  “Ah . . . Sam . . . Sam . . . So good! So good!”

  He took her mouth with his and swallowed her cries as her channel contracted around him. When she finished, he stopped and stared into her eyes.

  “You look like a cat who just swallowed the canary.”

  “Mm . . .” was all she could say.

  Sam kissed her lips and flipped himself onto his back before sitting up. He found his jeans on the floor next to the bed and laughed as she groaned in his absence.

  “Don’t leave me,” she said.

  “Want some breakfast?” he asked. “I make a mean omelet.”

  “That sounds wonderful.”

  She reluctantly left the bed and put on the Red Sox tee shirt he had worn the day before. Then she headed into the bathroom to splash cold water on her face.”

  The coffee was ready when she met him in the kitchen. Sam was at the stove slicing vegetables when he turned to look at her. He took one slow glance head to toe.

  “That’s my shirt,” he said.

  “Uh. I thought you wouldn’t mind. I can take it off . . .” she said. She turned towards his bedroom.

  “No, Lys. I like it. I just wasn’t expecting it. You look good in my shirt. Really good, actually.”

  Alyssa blushed at his compliment and poured herself her a cup of coffee.

  “There’s hazelnut creamer in the fridge.”

  Alyssa stared at him with one brow raised. “That’s a little presumptuous, isn’t it?” she asked, flashing him her pearly whites.

  “I went shopping yesterday and figured I should buy it since there might be mornings you are here . . . you know . . . due to our arrangement.”

  “I see.” Alyssa giggled. She grabbed the creamer from the fridge and drowned her coffee with it.

  “I like to be prepared.”

  “I can see that.”

  Sam turned the stove off and placed Alyssa’s omelet in front of her. He sat down and began eating his own. They ate in silence for a while enjoying each other’s company. Strangely, it wasn’t awkward at all, like it was with some women that usually slept over. Sam sneaked glances at her. She certainly wasn’t shy about eating. He liked that about her. He hated that women were so hard on themselves. He watched his sister struggle for years before she headed off to college. Girls were so cruel to each other. Thank God he had been a man. Men just tell each other to “Fuck off” and then get over it. Women can’t seem to do that.

  Alyssa helped clean the kitchen when they were finished and left for her apartment. She had told Sam that her and Kat were going to the mall in the afternoon for some retail therapy and would check in when she returned home. He was just about to get in the shower when the doorbell rang.

  Sam wrapped a towel around his waist and opened the front door.

  “Chief . . . What are you doing here?” he said. He gestured his friend inside. The chief glanced at Sam’s lack of clothing and said, “Am I catching you at a bad time?”

  “No. I was just getting in the shower, what’s up?”

  “I need to talk to you about something.”

  Oh shit. This can’t be good.

  Sam looked at Jeff. They had worked together for eight years. He knew something was wrong. Something was very wrong. He could see it all over Jeff’s face.

  “Carmen Andrews has written a formal complaint about you stating that you sexually assaulted her.”

  “What?” he said. “This is fucking unbelievable!” Sam ran his hand through his hair. “Chief . . . you don’t think I would do something like that, do you? I would never . . .”

  “No I don’t believe her, Sam,” he interrupted. “But this is serious. Her father is the Fire Marshall and he’s threatening your job.”

  “Fuck!” Sam said. “What the hell is she claiming I did to her?”

  “According to her statement, she came here with a six pack of beer because you had won a bet at the firehouse. So she was making true on that bet. She continued to say that you forced her to have sex with you after you had a few.”

  “That’s bullshit! She was all over me . . . and slept over for fuck’s sake! I never forced her to do anything. What a bitch!”

  Sam started pacing around the room like a caged animal.

  “This isn’t good, McKiernan. We need to do everything the State tells us to do. They plan on conducting a full investigation in the next few weeks. I fought to have them not suspend you during the investigation and they agreed since Carmen is working at another firehouse now. I’m really sorry, Sam.”

  “Thanks, Chief. Can I at least talk to her? Maybe I can find out why . . .”

  “Absolutely not.”

  “Why not?”

  “I don’t want you anywhere near her. That girl is up to something and you don’t want to give her anything else to burn you with.”

  Sam grabbed his phone on the coffee table after the Chief left and dialed the number of his childhood home.

  “Dad?” Sam said when his father answered.

  “Hey, Sam. Mom and I were just talking about you.”

  “Dad, I have a problem.”

  Sam spent the next five minutes recounting the information he’d received from the Chief. He shared with his father what really happened that night. He answered all of his dad’s questions and agreed to meet him at the firehouse the next day to make a formal statement.

  Sam felt better knowing he had The McKiernan Dream Team on his side. He couldn’t believe that Carmen was doing this to him. He’s not a rapist. Sam had been really good to her that night. He did, however, decline her advances the next day. She had wanted a repeat of the previous night but Sam wasn’t that into her. She was the “clingy” type. She had been pissed but he figured she’d get over it and move on to the next guy in the house. She even spoke to Alyssa in the parking lot before she drove away that morning. Apparently, that hadn’t been the case. Alyssa! Fuck!

  He knew he needed to tell Alyssa. What would she think of him? Would she call off the whole thing? No matter what, he had to tell her. But he didn’t want to lose her. But she needed to know before they went any further. And if he was being honest with himself, he needed her to help him through this which was another first for him.

  Sam’s best friend and colleague, Jesse, came over in the afternoon to watch the game.

  “That fucking wench!” Jesse said, swigging his beer. “I was wondering what happened to her. She didn’t show up for her shift the other day and the Chief was very tight lipped about it all.”

  “I just don’t understand why she is doing this to me. She hasn’t been at the house very long and hardly knows me.”

  “Who knows, bro, have you called your dad yet?”

  “Yea. He’s meeting me at the firehouse tomorrow to make a formal statement.”

  “You’ll be fine, man. You did nothing wrong. You’re going to have to scrape her up from the ground after your father is done with her. The bitch doesn’t have a chance in hell.”

  Sam laughed. He and Jesse had been best friends since third g
rade. Jesse had been a surrogate son to John and Sylvia ever since. The two families, along with his ex-girlfriend’s family, had become very close throughout the years. They had spent every Thanksgiving together for the past eighteen years. There were no secrets the two guys kept from one another. Sam had already divulged the ins and outs of the business arrangement he had with his neighbor, which of course, his friend thought was completely ludicrous. But Sam knew, though unspoken, that his buddy supported him regardless.

  They spent the rest of the afternoon watching football. Jesse left a little before five o’clock and headed towards his car. Sam stood in the doorway and watched Alyssa and Kat step out of the car next to Jesse’s. He rolled his eyes when he saw his friend put the moves on the beautiful Italian standing next to Alyssa.

  “Hi, ladies.”

  “Hi yourself,” Kat said. She moved to the back of Alyssa’s car to retrieve the items she had just purchased.

  “Don’t be rude,” Alyssa said. Kat stuck her tongue out at Alyssa. Alyssa rolled her eyes and put out her hand to the man.

  “Hi. I’m Alyssa.”

  “Hey. I’m Jesse. It’s nice to meet you. I’m friends with Sam.”

  “I thought so. I’ve seen you here before. This is my girlfriend, Kat,” Alyssa said. Both sets of eyes turned to Alyssa’s friend.

  “Hi, gorgeous!”

  “Ugh!”

  “You’re a feisty one. I like that,” Jesse said. “Have a nice evening ladies.” He slid into his car and turned the key in the ignition. Kat threw the bags into the back seat of her car.

  “I’d like to apologize for him but there are no words,” Sam said.

  Kat looked in his direction.

  “No kidding. Is he always like that?”

  “Unfortunately. He thinks he’s Hugh Hefner with the ladies.”

  “More like Rodney Dangerfield.” The three of them laughed. Kat thanked Alyssa for the wonderful afternoon before getting into her car.

  Sam walked over to Alyssa. He removed his hands from his front pockets and reached for her bags.

  “Hi there. Looks like you had fun this afternoon,” he said. He followed her to the front door. Alyssa smiled at him. She had missed him all afternoon but wouldn’t tell him that.

  “We did. Of course, I spent way too much money.” She scrunched her nose while looking at the four large bags Sam had placed down in the foyer.

  “Isn’t that what you women do best?”

  “You women?” she teased. She lightly swatted his arm.

  “I missed you today,” he said. He moved one step closer to her as she took one step back.

  “You don’t know me well enough to miss me. And besides, I’ve only been gone for seven hours.”

  “But I did.” He closed the distance between them and leaned in to kiss her neck.

  “Sam, we are in a business arrangement, not a relationship. We can’t confuse things. We’ll only get hurt.”

  Sam stepped back and looked at her. He was furious. Before he said anything that he would regret, he turned on his heel and left her standing in the foyer.

  “Sam. I didn’t mean . . .” Her words were silenced by the slam of her front door.

  He went back to his own place. He was pissed. What the hell was happening to him? He was falling for this girl. And he meant nothing to her. He was just the guy next door willing to be her sperm donor. What the fuck! This was another first for him. There’s a lot of firsts happening with this girl and he didn’t know what to make of it. He laid on the couch with the remote in his hand when he heard a soft knock at the door. He remained on the couch acutely aware of the presence on the other side of the door.

  “Sam, please. I’m so sorry. I didn’t mean it like that.”

  Furious, he marched to the front door. He swung it open. He was going to tell her to go to hell. That he’d been lying thinking that was what she wanted to hear. But she was crying and his protective instinct over this woman completely changed the course of his earlier intentions.

  He pulled her inside.

  “Sh. Don’t cry.”

  Alyssa wrapped her arms around his midsection and rested her cheek on his chest. The tears started flowing uncontrollably.

  “I’m. So. Afraid. To. Get. Hurt,” she said in between sobs. “I’m the one who’s going to get hurt from this. Truth be told, I missed you terribly today. You were pretty much the main topic of conversation this afternoon. Much to Kat’s dismay.” She sniffed.

  Sam led her to the couch and sat her down on his lap. Alyssa straddled him so they were face to face. He slowly smoothed the stray hairs from her face and wiped away her tears. He couldn’t say anything. He was paralyzed from the pain emanating from her. She made a mad swipe as the tears continued.

  “Jack was the only guy I’ve ever been with and that didn’t turn out so hot. You and I have only known each other in passing for six months. These past few days have been wonderful. It really scares me how fast things are moving between us. This was only supposed to be a business arrangement. I’m scared of the feelings I have for you right now. You’ll get bored with me like Jack did. Find someone better.”

  “Stop putting yourself down, Alyssa. I won’t get bored with you. I’m enamored by you. I feel like you’re the ying to my yang. When we are not together, I want us to be.”

  “I’m so afraid to get hurt. Maybe we should cut ties for right now.”

  “What are you saying, Lys?”

  “Maybe . . . we shouldn’t go through with this . . . arrangement. Sex will just make me fall completely in love with you and you’ll hurt me.” Alyssa bit her lip. She looked intently into his eyes searching for any clue of the thoughts roaming around in his head.

  Sam’s hands dropped to the couch. They sat there for what seemed like forever just staring at each other. Neither one of them knew what to say. This woman was killing him. He placed her next to him on the couch. He stood and began pacing the room. Shit! Between the shit going on with Carmen and now this, he would wear a whole in his living room carpet by week’s end.

  “You think this is easy for me, Alyssa?” He stopped and looked over at her. Her doe eyes filled with tears again. He watched her wring her hands together and knew she was unsure of what to say.

  “I do,” she said. “Ever since I moved in here, you’ve had woman after woman waltz through your front door then out again the following morning. I know this because our rooms are next to each other, Sam. I hear you in the middle of the night fucking them. The only nights I get a full night sleep is when you’re at the firehouse.”

  Sam stood there stunned, mouth open. Oh my god! She could hear him all this time? He never thought about that before.

  “You must think I’m a pig.”

  He looked at her with a pained face. How had he not thought about her next door? Some of the girls had been pretty loud.

  “No . . . I don’t.”

  “Why did you agree to my proposal, Alyssa?”

  “I want to have a baby, Sam.”

  “Yes I know that but why me? Why didn’t you ask any of your male friends?”

  “I don’t have any male friends that I’m close enough with to ask that question. And besides, who the hell in their right mind would want to go along with it?”

  “Gee. Thanks.”

  “You know what I mean, Sam. This situation is benefitting you as well. You said so yourself.”

  “I remember.”

  “I should go home. Good night, Sam.”

  “Good night, Alyssa.”

  He stood still watching her as she closed the door behind her. He sat back down on the couch staring at the television. Thank God he had to work the next two days. He needed to put some distance between them.

  The next morning, Sam met his father at the firehouse. They sat in the chief’s office while Sam wrote down his statement. The three of them spent the next hour coming up with a game plan. When his father left, Sam sat on the couch with the other guys. Jesse had been sitting in the recl
iner and looked over at his friend.

  “Everything okay, bro?”

  “Yes,” Sam said. “It’s just complete bullshit.”

  “What’s going on?” one of the other guys asked. Sam told everyone what had transpired over the past seventy two hours.

  “I knew that girl was trouble,” John said. Sam liked him. He was the newest member to the house but had been fighting fires for the past fifteen years. The guy was good and Sam was glad to have him on the team.

  “Yea, well. I didn’t exactly make it easy for myself. I should have never let her in. I didn’t want to have sex with her but once . . .” he paused. He looked at the six faces staring back at him. “Well, you know. Things got pretty heated and I didn’t care anymore.”

  “You never could keep your dick in your pants,” Jesse said.

  “I envy the son of a bitch!” Matt said. “I haven’t had any since Riley was born six months ago.”

  “TMI buddy,” John said. He threw a pillow at him.

  Thoughts of Alyssa returned and Sam felt immediately depressed. He didn’t deserve her. She was honest and pure and beautiful. And he was a man-whore. She had been right. He was probably going to end up hurting her. He’s never been able to be with just one woman for an extended amount of time. Why should Alyssa be different? Sure. He’s never been so attached to a woman before, thinking about her all the time, wanting her in his bed every night but not for sex. He’s never had a woman in his bed without having fucked her first. He loved just lying next to her with her body intertwined with his. He even loved her soft snores at night. Yup! It’s official! Sam was a certified pussy! He knew what he had to do. There’s no way he could hurt her. She was too good. He didn’t deserve her anyway.

  Sam left the guys to their TV show and went into his office. Against his better judgment, he sat on his bed and dialed her number.

  She answered on the fourth ring. “Hello?”

  “Hi, Lys. How are you?”

  “I’m okay. You?”

  “I miss you. I thought being at work would help things but it doesn’t. I’ve also thought about what you’ve said and I think we should end it before everything goes south.” Sam closed his eyes at the deafening silence on the other end.