by Nikki Ryan
“Oh, you scared me.”
“Can I come in?”
“Of course, you can.” She opened her arms to him.
Sam took her mouth with his and grabbed the back of her thighs, wrapping her legs around him. He was in her before she knew what was happening. He couldn’t explain it but he had that dying need to be inside of her.
“Wow. I don’t think I’ve ever seen you move that fast before,” Alyssa said, leaning back against the shower wall. She gripped his shoulders for stability as he pounded into her.
“I. Need. You.”
“Then take me, Sam,” she said and shifted her hips so he went deeper with the next thrust.
“You like it when I fuck you like this, don’t you?”
“Uh huh. Sam! I’m coming . . .”
Sam took her mouth as she came and swallowed her cries. He found his release and gently let go of her legs. They stood for a moment holding each other, both out of breath, while the hot water cascaded over them. Sam rested his forehead on hers and looked into her eyes.
“Alyssa. I love you so much. I can never lose you.” A tear escaped and began its descent down his cheek. Alyssa gently brushed it away with the tip of her thumb, her eyes never leaving his.
“I’m not going anywhere.”
“That accident really freaked me out.”
Alyssa wrapped her arms around his neck and brought him closer to her body.
“I know it did.”
She dropped her arms to his hips and gently pushing him backwards so that she could open the curtain. She bent over to grab both towels when she felt the light tap on her ass, not enough to hurt but sting a little.
“Hey,” she said handing him his towel. Sam smiled.
“I couldn’t help it. You’re ass looked inviting.”
“Humph.” And she laughed with him. “Hey don’t forget we have to meet Helena today around four to look at that house.”
“Yea, about that. Lys. I have something to tell you and you might want to sit down.”
“I hate when you do this to me.” Alyssa looked at him guardedly. The last time he wanted her to sit was when he told her that some girl from work claimed he raped her and was now pregnant with his child.
She wrapped the towel around her body and sat on the edge of the bed. “Okay. I’m sitting.”
“I bought the house you wanted.”
“That’s it? Wait? How do you know it was the house I wanted?”
“Because I paid cash for it.”
Alyssa let out a squeal of joy and jumped into his arms, towel long forgotten as it fell to the floor.
“You’re happy? Oh thank God.” And he kissed her. “Do you have time for a quickie?”
“Always for you. I love you, Sam McKiernan.”
“I love you, Alyssa Mckenzie.”
Although he called it a quickie, he made love to her slowly and thoroughly before she headed off to work.
Later that afternoon, Sam met Alyssa at the new house and gave her a set of keys.
“Here’s to new beginnings,” he said.
“New beginnings.” Alyssa kissed his lips.
Sam unlocked the door and grabbed Alyssa under the legs. She shrieked as he lifted her.
“Shall I carry you over the threshold, my lady?” he asked in his best British accent.
“Why yes you shall, my Lord.”
They spent an hour going through the house talking about design ideas, new paint colors for the walls and what needed replacing. Sam walked up behind Alyssa who had been standing in the doorway of the nursery. He wrapped his arms around her belly bump and gently massaged the baby as he kissed Alyssa’s neck.
“This is going to be our daughter’s room?”
Alyssa leaned back into his embrace. She relished these moments with Sam.
“Yes. It’s the closest room to ours. I hope you like painting?”
“I’d do anything for my two girls.”
“I like the sound of that.”
“I’m sure you do. Come on. Let’s lock up. I remember promising you tacos for dinner.”
“Mm. Tacos.”
“You’re a funny girl.”
Chapter Thirteen
Sam and Alyssa spent the next three weeks preparing the new house. They enlisted the help of Kat, Connor and Jesse when their days off coincided.
Sam was busy painting the living room when Connor waltzed in with a bag tucked under his left arm.
“Hey, bro. I picked up the items you needed at the hardware store.” He placed the bag on the floor in the middle of the living room.
“Hey. Thanks. You helping out today?”
“That depends. Are you going to feed me and let me drink all of your beer?”
Sam paused mid-stroke and looked at his brother incredulously.
“Don’t I always?”
“Hey, Sam. Alyssa wants to know . . .” Kat froze when she saw the new arrival standing next to Sam. “Connor.”
Connor was just as shocked to see her. “Katherine.”
By this time, Sam had laid the roller down onto the paint tray and looked at the two of them. Alyssa, who had overheard the conversation from the kitchen was now standing next to Kat.
“You two know each other?” Sam and Alyssa asked simultaneously.
Connor was the first to speak up. “Yea. We kind of had a thing once.”
“A thing, Connor? It was a weekend at the Cape and you never bothered to call me again after that. It obviously wasn’t a thing, just a longer version of a one night stand, I’d say; the only thing you’re capable of obviously.”
“Ouch! Why are you being such a bitch?”
“Screw you, Connor.” She looked at Alyssa. “You’re a player. I’m surprised your dick hasn’t rotted and fallen off yet.”
Sam and Alyssa watched dumbfounded as their bestie and brother carried on a verbal war in their new living room.
Connor cringed at the thought. “Katherine, that’s not nice. You said you’d loved my dick.”
It was like a light bulb went off in both Sam’s and Alyssa’s heads.
“Wait,” Sam said, looking at Connor. “She’s The Katherine you couldn’t stop talking about?”
Connor replied with his hands in his pockets. His gaze never leaving Kat’s. “The very one.”
Alyssa immediately understood what Sam was thinking and looked at Kat.
“And he’s The Connor you wouldn’t stop talking about?”
Kat replied with a simple nod, her gaze never leaving Connor’s.
“Holy shit, Lys. Can you believe it?” He grinned like the Cheshire Cat.
“How do you two know each other?” Connor asking pointing back and forth at Kat and Alyssa.
“She’s my best friend, you douche,” Kat said. She didn’t need to ask Connor how he knew Sam. The resemblance was uncanny as they stood side by side. She was shocked she hadn’t seen it before. “And you two are brothers, I take it.”
Both men now wore the same Cheshire cat grin as they nodded.
“So now what?” Connor asked.
“You stay the hell away from me, that’s what,” Kat said.
“Fine.”
“Fine.”
Sam looked at Alyssa. “Well, I guess that settles it for now.”
“I guess so.” Alyssa followed Kat back into the kitchen. Sam pulled out another paint handle and placed a fresh roller on it. He handed it to Connor.
“Boy. You really fucked that up, Con. She really hates you. Why didn’t you call her again? You talked about her for weeks after that weekend.”
“She scared the shit out me. I connected with her in two days like I’ve never done before with any woman. Ever.”
Sam understood completely. His brother had fallen in love. With a sabre tooth tiger, no less.
“Well, this should be interesting then. I hope she doesn’t eat you alive.”
“Humph. Not funny, Sam. She was really scary back there.”
“Yea. You’re so screwed
. I’d wear a cup whenever you drop by if I were you, just in case she’s here.”
“No shit.”
They spent the rest of the afternoon painting the living room. Connor and Kat stayed away from each other as best as they could. When the boys needed another beer it was Alyssa who brought them out or Sam who volunteered to walk into the lion’s den, also known as his kitchen. When it was time to wrap up for the day, Sam asked everyone if they were up for pizza.
“Ah. I’m going to bow out. I’m beat,” Connor said, looking at Katherine.
“I’d love pizza, Sam.” Kat beamed like she had won first prize.
“Figures.” Connor mumbled and said his good byes.
Once Connor was safely in his car, Sam looked at Kat.
“Do you want to talk about it?”
“No. I don’t want to talk about it. There’s nothing to say. Girl likes boy. Boy seemed to like girl. Turns out boy never liked girl. Boy never calls girl. Boy is a dick. End of story.”
“Uh. He’ll kill me for saying this but that’s not really how the story goes.”
“Really? Seems pretty cut and dry to me.” Kat stood with her hip cocked to one side and her arms crossed over her chest. Sam put both hands up in surrender.
“All I’m saying is that there is more to the story. In your favor, I might add. He just hasn’t grown up yet.”
“Isn’t he older than you?” Alyssa asked.
“Yup. It’s obviously a recessive gene in our DNA makeup.”
“I see.”
“That ass hat is older than you? Unbelievable.”
“Can’t deny nor defend.”
Sam grabbed his phone from the ladder and called in a pizza and a salad. The three of them met back at Alyssa’s to wait for the delivery guy. There was no more talk about Connor. Kat seemed to have calmed immensely after hearing that Sam knew another side of what she thought was an open and shut case. She had left after dinner whining that her body needed to soak in a hot tub. Sam and Alyssa didn’t comment as their bodies had felt the same way.
Sam left Alyssa lying on the couch and went into the bathroom to draw a warm bath for the two of them. Alyssa liked it hotter but couldn’t now with the pregnancy. He had climbed in first and guided her to lay in front of him. Her back was to him as they laid there quietly until their fingers pruned. At one point, Sam had thought Alyssa had fallen asleep. Maybe she had and then woke up. It didn’t matter though. He liked being right where he was.
* * * * *
“You wanted to see me Chief?” Sam asked.
“Yes. Come in and have a seat.” The chief set his pen down and walked around his desk to sit in the opposing seat. “I have come across some information that may or may not be of use to you regarding Carmen O’Connor. My best friend from College stayed in Chicago and applied to the Fire Academy the same year I joined BFD. He too became a Battalion Chief.”
Sam’s eyebrows raised and leaned in towards The Chief.
“As you know, her two older brothers are also with BFD. But did you know she applied to the Denver Fire Department Academy four years ago and was denied?”
“How would I know that?”
“I didn’t think you would. I was curious and gave my buddy a call to see if he remembered anything about her since he is on the admissions board. One of the guys on the board had been adamant that they not put her through the academy. John said she had excellent testing scores and couldn’t figure out why this guy was being so belligerent since they’ve passed women through that were much less qualified. He ended up cornering him in private and the guy admitted that her father had called him once he learned she had applied and since they had been old friends asked him to deny her.”
“Why the hell would he do that?”
“He doesn’t believe in female fire fighters.”
“Did she ever find about this?”
“Not sure but I doubt it because she applied to BFD Academy last year and was denied again.”
“Holy shit. But why would she target me? I don’t get it?”
“I don’t know but we need to tell your father so he can look into further. I have a hunch that the two are related somehow. Just not sure how.”
“I’ll call him right now. Thanks, Chief.”
“You’re welcome.” He handed Sam a piece of paper. “Here’s John’s number at DFD. I’m sure your father will want to follow up with him. John is expecting his call.”
Sam took the note and headed to the lieutenant’s quarters to tell his dad about the new development.
“That’s great news, Sam,” he said once Sam had finished. “I have some other great news. The baby isn’t yours. The test results just came across my desk. You’ll probably get it in the mail soon.”
“Oh thank God! I have to call Alyssa and tell her. Bye, Dad.”
“Bye, son.”
Sam hung up with his father and started dialing Alyssa’s cell.
“Hello?”
“The baby isn’t mine.”
“It most certainly is yours, Sam McKiernan!” Sam paused for a minute. Why was she giving him attitude?
“No! Your baby is mine, Lys. Carmen’s is not.”
“Oh thank God!”
“My expression exactly when Dad told me.”
“So what happens now?”
Sam updated her on the new developments. “So, Dad is calling the Chief’s friend today. As far as the sexual assault claim, I don’t know yet. But it’s not looking good for Carmen. I have faith in my father to get to the bottom of it.”
“I’m so happy, Sam. It will be nice not having that hanging over our heads.”
“Agreed. Listen, babe. Dinner is on the table so I want to get it while it’s hot. I love you and I’ll see you in the morning before you head for work.”
“Okay. I love you too.”
Sam hung up and put the cell in his pocket. He’d felt like a mountain had been lifted from his shoulders. He knew it wasn’t over yet but this new information was very interesting to say the least. He still couldn’t figure out why she would target him especially since there was obviously another man in the picture. It certainly didn’t look good for her. He walked into the common with a smile on his face. Now hopefully there wouldn’t be any call outs tonight. Here’s hoping. He walked over the table and started piling food onto his plate when the alarm rang. Everyone rose from the table and ran to the trucks.
Chapter Fourteen
Alyssa and Kat were sitting on the couch watching a movie when Sam had called to tell her that he wasn’t the father of Carmen’s baby. She had been elated and shared the news with Kat when she’d disconnected with Sam.
“Now I don’t get it? Why would this girl accuse Sam of sexually assaulting her which he clearly didn’t do based on the fact that you had actually heard the two of them that night? Especially since she’s been banging this other guy.”
“I have no clue,” Alyssa said. “Sam seems to think that there is a connection somehow but he can’t figure it out yet. His dad was going to call the Chief’s friend in Chicago. Maybe he’ll uncover more about Carmen and her family that we don’t already know.”
“Yea maybe. I’d like to punch that bitch in the face.”
“She’ll get what’s coming to her, I’m sure. Imagine her face when she realizes that we all know that Sam isn’t the father of her baby. I don’t know about her but I’d be mortified if everyone knew I was pregnant with another man’s child when I claimed it had been Sam’s.”
Alyssa brought another spoonful of ice cream to her lips and licked the spoon clean afterward. “Sure you don’t want any, Kit Kat? It’s yummy.”
Kay cringed. “No thanks. I can barely fit into my scrubs as it is. It’s definitely time for me to go back to the gym. So no ice cream for me.”
“Okay. More for me then.” They both laughed and watched the rest of the movie in silence.
* * * * *
That morning, Sam entered their apartment and quietly shut the door. He didn
’t hear the shower going and figured that she must still be in bed. He found her folded into the blankets on his side of the bed and smiled. He had found her on his side more than once when he came home for work. She had claimed that she could smell him on his pillow and it comforted her when he wasn’t there.
Sam sat on the edge of the bed and brushed the tendrils of hair away from her face.
“Hey, sleepyhead. I’m home.” He brought his hand to her forehead. She was on fire. “Hey, baby, wake up, are you okay?”
“Sam?” She turned over and her teeth began to chatter. “I’m so cold and my body hurts.”
Sam went to the hallway closet and grabbed another blanket and laid it over the two that she had already been entangled in. He went to the refrigerator where Alyssa kept all pertinent phone numbers and called her boss to let him know that she wouldn’t be coming into work. Then he dialed her OB and spoke to the on-call operator since it was before office hours. He assumed that she had the flu but he wasn’t taking any chances with the baby. The on-call physician called back fifteen minutes later and agreed that it was indeed the flu. She told him that they’d received a lot of calls from women with the same symptoms. There was a bad flu going around and Alyssa just had to wait it out. She told Sam what type of over the counter meds Alyssa was allowed to take if she needed anything for the fever and pain.
He went through her medicine cabinet and saw that she only had Tylenol, nothing for flu symptoms. He went back into the bedroom to tell Alyssa that he was going to the drugstore.
“Do you need or want anything else while I’m out?”
Sam saw her head shake back and forth under the covers. “Okay. I’ll be right back, honey.”
No response. She had fallen back into the fever induced stupor.
He drove to the nearest drugstore and recognized Carmen’s car in the parking lot. His heart began to race. He remembered the Chief telling him to stay away from her when he had wanted to confront her but it wasn’t his fault if he walked into her at a store, right?
He turned down the aisle marked cold and flu medications and saw her reading the back of one of the boxes. He stopped dead in his tracks. Sensing that she was no longer alone in the aisle she looked up and their eyes met. She looked like hell. It appeared to him that she had the flu as well. She also looked like she had been crying.
