When Sparks Fly (69 page)

As I began to clean up after dinner, Tucker asked to help with the dishes. I nearly fell over. A man, in my kitchen, offering to do the dishes?

“Kaleb, did you hear that? Tucker has offered to do dishes.” I hollered knowing good and well he had already taken a seat in his chair in the front room. I knew he had been up long before the sun, but I still loved to give him shit about not helping do domestic chores.

“Oh yeah, well it seems you have him pussy whipped already.” Kaleb barked back with a hint of laugher in his voice.

“You’re an ass!” I quipped back. I attempted to push Tucker over so I could help him do dishes, but it didn’t work as well as I had hoped. He turned to face me. His arms covered up to elbows up in dish soap bubbles. “You don’t do many dishes do you?”

“Nope, this is the first home cooked meal I have eaten in I don’t know how long.” He smiled again showing me his beautiful teeth. I think all he would have to do is smile and most girls would drop their panties for him. “Pretty obvious?” He asked holding his arms up.

“Just a little.” I reached up to wipe the suds off his cheek, but the moment I made contact I retreated. I realized I wanted more from him. He turned to me with soap covered hands; he placed a palm on each side of my face. I closed my eyes briefly before I opened them. When I did, I saw lust and desire staring back at me.

As he leaned in, I wanted to step back out of his grasp, but somehow I mustered up the courage to not move. It had been months since I felt the kiss of a man. I almost closed my eyes, but thankful I didn’t as I saw him hesitate before he touched me.

“I want to kiss you, but….” His voice stopped when I reached up and pulled him to me locking his lips to mine. First time in my life I found the courage to kiss a man first. He pulled back for just a moment before I felt his hands go south picking me up letting me feel what the kiss was doing to him.

What I felt left little to nothing to the imagination. As he placed me on the kitchen counter, he pressed into me, just a little harder than before. He parted my lips with his tongue. I allowed him access to dip and dance with me. I wanted to taste, touch and feel every ounce of his being.

My hands found their way from his sides up along his neck and up into his hair. Locking my fingers into his muddy colored locks, I drew him tighter into me. I didn’t want the kiss to end. I sighed softly against his retreating lips at the sudden felt of loss.

“Oh Kennedy. You are not ready for what I would love to offer you.” He stepped back leaving me breathless and wanting more.

“How do you know?” I struggled to get out.

“I am positive. I am not the man for you. Trust me.” He clipped my nose leaving me completely flustered sitting on the kitchen counter.

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Chapter Three

“No, Nate. No you can’t be gone.” I screamed rocking his limp body back and forth. I screamed again as someone from behind me tapped me on the shoulder. I jumped when I looked up and saw Tucker standing over me.

“Kennedy, wake up. It’s just a dream.” A voice called out to me.

My eyes flew open and I sat up. I glanced around the room and no one was there. Who in the hell was calling my name? The sheets were all twisted around me. I wiped the sweat from my brow, shaking the nightmare from my thoughts. In the beginning they happened every night, but now they happen less and less.

I stumbled from my bed as my foot caught in the tight sheet making me fall with a very loud thud. I sat up, twisted around and untangled my trapped foot. I prayed to God I hadn’t woken the whole house up. Just as I was getting ready to stand Tucker appeared in the doorway.

“You okay?” He bent next to me as I attempted to pull down my shirt to cover my thighs, but it was no use; the short shirt barely hit the rim of my panties. Shit! I grabbed the sheet and pulled it up.

“Yes. A little embarrassed, but I am fine.” I made the mistake of grazing his body. The bottoms he had on left little to the imagination. There was no doubt that he was starting to get as turned on as I had been earlier.

“I heard you scream and didn’t know what to think. I came to check to make sure you were okay. Kaleb and Aaron left shortly after you went to bed.” Tucker stood and reached his hand out to me.

I took it in mine and managed to get to my feet without too much trouble. “Just a nightmare. I am used to them.” I lied, but he didn’t need to know that. “Where did my brother say he was going?”

“He didn’t. He just said behave.” Tucker snickered as I let the sheet go. I didn’t care anymore. The effort to hide anything had been thrown out the window minutes ago.

“Did he now? Sometimes…. My brother is the biggest pain in the ass. I really do hate him at times. Anyway… I was off to get a drink to settle my nerves; you want anything?” I asked as I slipped past him in the doorway. I did have enough clearance between us, but instead I purposely rub my ass against him.

As I passed him, I heard a low growl leave his mouth. “I think I will take a beer.”

I tried not to let him hear the giggle in my voice. “Ok then.” I led the way into the kitchen knowing full well he was watching my ass. The t-shirt hid nothing. I knew the tiny lace panties gave off more of ass than I should have shown him.

Although I knew my way around the kitchen in the dark, Tucker didn’t. He stood leaning on the doorframe waiting for me. I made my way to the fridge. I normally would grab a tall glass of milk to calm my nerves, but tonight I needed something much stronger. With the fridge open, I gazed inside a lot longer than I should have. Lost in deep thought about the man who had been invading my dreams and then my bed, I didn’t hear him sneak up behind me.

“I think I will take one of these.” His voice whispered in my ear as he rested his chin on my shoulder as his arm snaked around my waist; his hand lingered on my stomach and then wandered down until he reached the top of my panties. I took in a quick breath as he skimmed over the top of them, and then reached into the fridge taking a bottle of beer into his hand.

I screeched as he ran the bottle in the same fashion as his hand. The cold bottle sent a shiver down and across. He truly was trying to torture me. I hadn’t been with a man since before Nate’s death so to be touched in such an intimate way truly made me feel real again. Feel like a woman.

He rested the bottle against my stomach as he kissed his way around my neck. He firmly pressed his manhood into my back letting me know exactly how he was feeling at the moment. I leaned back into him. Every ounce of my body told me to take him to bed; but a part of my mind was telling me no. Could I honestly spend one night with a man I had just met? I had only been with one man and I had known him forever.

I was about to turn and face him when he spoke against my neck. “Not tonight. You’re not ready.” Tucker’s voice spoke as if he could read my mind. “I feel it too, but you are not ready to let go. When you are, I will be waiting.”

He left me frozen in the kitchen. How did I answer him? I was ready, wasn’t I? It’s not like I’m holding out hope that Nate would come back. Nate was gone.

I should have chugged the bottle of beer and went back to bed, but I didn’t. Instead, I grabbed it and headed out the back door. The summer air sticky and thick with humidity. The moon so full it gave off enough light to let me see the clear path to the dock. I didn’t care that I only had on a t-shirt and bikini cut panties that barely covered my ass. I need to breath and clear my head.

The moons silver rays skimmed the water. I dropped to the wooden planks taking a sip of beer. I knew Tucker had a point, because part of me wasn’t ready to let go, but I knew I had a life to live. I dipped my toes, breaking the still water.

This is the lake we grew up on…summer parties, fishing all year round. Even though I think I caught more sticks than anything else. This was home. I knew why I came down to the lake. I finally figured it out.

I was here to let Nate go. I had come to say goodbye. Nate didn’t have a grave. Since he had been cremated, his name hung among other family members on the wall in the graveyard. I brought his ashes up here a month after his death and sat in this spot.

It took me over an hour to stop crying. Then another hour to just open the container which held his ashes. My hands shook as I let them slide out into the cool still water. I sat there another hour just watching him slowly disappear into the water. His final resting place was this lake. His lake.

The coyotes howled across the way sending shivers down my spine. Although I was used to their sound, it still felt eerie sitting in the dark night air. Fish would occasionally break the surface of the water reminding me the top of the lake wasn’t glass. I sat silent for a long time just mentally talking to Nate like I had done so many times before. My life would go on although it had been altered greatly. Never would my life be whole. I had a hole in my heart and it would never heal. But I knew I had to move on. Nate would always be a part of me and my life no matter where I went in life. I ran my fingers through the water as if I were running my fingers through his hair. I whispered ‘I love you.’ I sat a few moments longer before I stood.

As I headed up the dock the boards creaked beneath my feet as I reached the end, the leaves rustled up and a soft breeze picked up for just a moment and then it was gone. I could feel Nate’s presence and then he was gone. I knew he was at peace and so was I.

I jogged back to the house. As I hit the back porch, I heard the boys laughing and having a conversation. I didn’t have a clue as to what time it was. I just knew it was well after midnight. I stepped in the back door and cringed. The three of them were all sitting around the table taking shots. My brother already sounded three sheets to the wind.

“Come join us little sister.” Kaleb slurred.

Tucker looked up shaking his head.

“No thanks brother. I think I am going to go to bed now.” My eyes widened when Kaleb turned around. He had been busted up in the face. Aaron turned around and raised an eyebrow to me. “What the hell happened to you?”

Aaron shook his head in a very quick fashion as to tell me don’t ask. Shit! Too late I had already asked the question.

“Well, you see little sister. It’s something like this. I showed up at Buster’s and Amy…. you know Amy. The girl who is friends with you. Who used to be my girlfriend?” He paused before taking another shot of whiskey.

“Yes.”

“Well she ain’t no more. She’s a slut. You know she was seeing some other stupid fellow behind my back?” He started to stand, but Aaron quickly grabbed his shoulder shoving him back in his chair.

I looked from Aaron to Kaleb and then to Tucker who had rid himself of his lower bottoms and sat in a pair of very tight grey boxers giving me a very defined definition of his manhood. Damn my brother for getting in the way. I had mustered up enough courage to come back to the house and crawl into bed with Tucker. I knew he had been right earlier. I needed to say goodbye to the man who had my heart. Even with saying goodbye, Nate would always hold a spot in my heart.

“Well I guess I am going to bed. Make sure he goes to bed and doesn’t choke on his puke.” I warned Aaron as I passed by them.

“Whoa, hold up there missy. Where in the hell have you been?” Kaleb slurred out grabbing my arm.

I pulled free from his grasp. “First off what’s it to you drunk boy? And two, I really don’t have to answer to anyone about where I go, but because I love you so much I will tell you. I went down to the dock to say goodbye.”

All three men cocked their heads to one side and almost instantly Tucker knew, but Kaleb and Aaron were still confused as shit. “What the hell are you talking about? Goodbye? Who?” Kaleb stuttered out.

“Kaleb, my brother, you are too drunk to really understand. One day when you sober up and ask again I will tell you what I mean. For now just leave it be.” As I started to leave the three, I caught his face. I wanted to tip my head back and have him follow me, but I knew the timing wasn’t right. I had let Nate go for him, but I needed to make sure I was ready to move forward. Ready for Tucker Jackson.

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Chapter Four