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by Kris Bryant

  “I don’t want to keep what isn’t mine. After I’ve exhausted all possibilities, I’ll consider it or give him to my mother. She could use another friend. But right now, I’m going to take him out. I won’t be long.” Natalie promisingly squeezed Sarah’s hand before she leashed him and slipped out the door.

  Sarah walked into the living room and looked at the framed photos on the mantel. She smiled at the picture of Natalie and her parents. They were always at the high school games supporting her. Sarah was too busy trying to fit in with the kids to get to know anybody’s parents, but she was always aware of Natalie’s because she was focused on Natalie, too. The other photos were of people she assumed were family. Same blond hair, same smile. Cousins, aunts, and uncles probably. The one baby picture on the mantel was unmistakably Natalie. Adorable hair, beautiful dark-blue eyes, and the precious smile that captivated her even in the photo. Sarah turned when she heard Natalie and Ghost Dog return. She waved the frame at Natalie. “What a beautiful baby you were. And wearing a dress.”

  “I don’t have too many occasions to wear one here in Spruce, so my wardrobe is limited. I think the last time I wore a dress was for my cousin’s wedding.”

  “Oh, I want to see a photo of that,” Sarah said.

  Sarah didn’t move when Natalie gently took the photo from her hands and put it back on the mantel. She forgot to breathe when Natalie stepped closer and touched her cheek. She slightly shook when Natalie kissed her softly. “I don’t know what’s better. A heated kiss from you or the soft, gentle ones. Both leave me breathless.”

  Natalie undid the clip that held Sarah’s hair back. “You always talk about my hair, but we never talk about yours. It looks great long. And I love the highlights.”

  Sarah closed her eyes. When was the last time she felt beautiful? When was the last time somebody made her feel beautiful? “Thank you.” Natalie’s lips brushed hers again, softly, sweetly.

  “I’m going to start a fire. Then I’m going to make us a drink. Get comfortable.”

  Sarah sat in the middle of the couch, giving Natalie very little doubt about her intent. She fluffed up her hair while Natalie’s back was turned and tried to make herself look as sexy as she felt.

  “What do you want to drink?”

  “I’d love a glass of water, please.”

  “Coming right up.”

  Sarah barely waited for Natalie to sit down before she reached for her. Natalie didn’t hesitate. They kissed, and just like before, their chemistry ignited immediately. Sarah didn’t remember how she got on her back. She didn’t care. Having Natalie on top of her was a dream come true. She slipped her hands up Natalie’s sweater and sighed at how soft her skin was. Hearing Natalie moan fueled the fire inside her. She moved her hands higher and tried to spread her legs to accommodate Natalie’s hips, but her skirt was too tight. She growled in frustration.

  Natalie broke the kiss. “Are you okay?”

  “I’m so mad that I wore this skirt. I was going for sexy, but I can’t move at all. Bad decision.”

  “Are you kidding me? I couldn’t breathe when you walked down those stairs. You look amazing and feel incredible. I have an idea.” Natalie sat up and pulled Sarah to her. “Follow me.”

  “Where are we going?” Sarah looked deep into Natalie’s eyes and smiled when she realized Natalie was slowly falling backward on the couch. When they finally settled, Sarah was resting comfortably between Natalie’s legs. She arched her brow. “Oh. I like this.” She leaned up and pulled her skirt up past her knees. She had more freedom as she sank back into Natalie. “Oh. I like this a lot.”

  Natalie pulled Sarah down to her mouth. “So, this is okay?”

  She liked the way Natalie asked and looked her in the eye, as though she was the most important thing. She kissed Natalie softly. “This is very okay.” In the span of about three seconds, Natalie had spread her legs wider and had both hands on Sarah’s back, holding her close. Sarah closed her eyes at the intimacy of their cores pressed together and their bodies flush. They kissed softly, but the second Sarah felt Natalie’s hands under her sweater, the kiss deepened. She almost smiled at how Natalie’s fingers stopped and fluttered when she realized Sarah wasn’t wearing a bra. She wasn’t wearing panties either and wondered if Natalie would discover that, too.

  When she felt Natalie’s fingers brush along her ribs, moving closer to her breast, Sarah arched her back to give her full access. She broke the kiss and watched Natalie’s face as she guided Natalie’s hand to her breast. Natalie’s eyes narrowed when her fingers cupped it, but she never broke eye contact. Sarah was the one who closed her eyes first. She couldn’t process everything—the physical closeness, the overpowering emotions that flooded her head and her heart. Natalie was intense and knew exactly what Sarah wanted. She opened her eyes when Natalie pushed up her sweater and watched as Natalie slowly sucked her erect nipple. She moaned when she felt Natalie’s tongue stroke her sensitive skin and shook with desire at how Natalie knew exactly what she needed. Sarah pulled away and took off her sweater.

  Natalie fell back onto the pillows and stared up at her. “I can’t believe how beautiful you are. I can’t believe you’re here, in my house, in my arms.”

  Sarah didn’t feel embarrassed to be half-naked on top of the woman she wanted to be intimate with. Natalie touched her hair and gently pulled Sarah down to her mouth. Every kiss got better, but how was that possible when the one before was so perfect? “I can’t believe I’m here either.” Sarah placed her hand on Natalie’s chest. She was afraid to want someone this much. She’d spent the last year of her life picking up the pieces and not focusing on just herself. Now, in this moment, it was all about her and Natalie.

  She kissed Natalie’s neck and collarbone. She slid down her and smiled when her hip pressed against Natalie’s pussy and she moaned. Very slowly, she pushed up Natalie’s sweater and placed tiny kisses on her stomach. She kissed Natalie’s hands when they slipped down to pull the sweater over her head. Sarah leaned up to give her room and sighed with pleasure when she saw Natalie’s full breasts in a sexy black bra. She traced her fingers along the lacy edge, dipping inside until she held the beautifully hardened nipple in the palm of her hand. Natalie was up on her elbows watching her, her eyes hooded with passion. She licked her lips as her breath quickened.

  “I have been wanting to touch you forever,” Sarah said.

  “You can’t possibly know the restraint I’m showing right now.”

  Sarah swallowed hard at how sexy and raw Natalie’s voice was. She ran her fingers down Natalie’s hard stomach and pressed her palm flat on her abs. “You can’t possibly know how fucking sexy you look right now.” She placed a kiss on the swell of Natalie’s breast. She slipped the strap down her shoulder to loosen the lace and pulled it back to take Natalie’s nipple into her mouth. Natalie’s hiss of pleasure was music to Sarah’s ears. Her hand on the back of Sarah’s neck encouraged her to continue kissing and sucking. Sarah needed more but didn’t want to push things. Her first time with Natalie shouldn’t be on a couch and what was technically their second date. When was the last time she had an orgasm? It was before she returned to Spruce. She took a deep breath and pulled back. “I’m sorry. I’m so sorry. I’m jumping in too soon.”

  Natalie pulled her down and kissed her. “It’s okay. Just being here with you, holding you, is a dream come true.”

  Sarah rested her head on Natalie’s shoulder and listened to her rapid heartbeat. She couldn’t deny that Natalie felt something for her. She could tell by the way Natalie looked at her and the words she whispered that they had a strong bond. But was she being honest with Natalie? Spruce Mountain was a place to regroup, not a place to set roots. It was never in the plan to stay. Maybe a year or two, but forever? That scared her. Was this the best place to raise her daughter? Would Harley have the best education or childhood living in a small town? Why the fuck was she thinking about this now? She sighed. Because she wanted to be fair to Natalie. She d
idn’t want to do the same thing again.

  “Are you okay?” Natalie stroked the back of Sarah’s head.

  “I am. I’m sorry. I didn’t mean for this to get out of control. I don’t want you to think less of me because I threw myself at you and then pulled back. I just want to do this right and not ruin something by rushing, you know?”

  She felt Natalie’s lips press against the top of her head. “There’s no rush. I’ve waited seventeen years, and I can wait a little longer.”

  Sarah put her hand on Natalie’s heart and kept it there. She felt Natalie pull a blanket off the back of the couch and cover them up. With Natalie’s arms around her and the warmth of their bodies pressed together, she fell asleep feeling loved for the first time in a long time.

  Chapter Eleven

  Halloween was a day of highs and lows. Natalie always worked to keep the peace and to make sure the pranks were minimal. She loved seeing the kids dress up in costumes and parade through the quaint neighborhoods, but she hated chasing kids who threw rocks at houses and cars.

  It had rained earlier in the day, a cold, uncomfortable rain that hinted of snow in their future, but that wasn’t what put Natalie in a foul mood. She woke up alone and on the couch. Sarah had left sometime during the night, and she slept through it. She left a sweet note, but Natalie was sad that she didn’t say good-bye. She wanted a tight hug and a kiss. Instead she got a lukewarm shower that didn’t help improve her mood. There was a text message from Sarah this morning asking her to text when she woke up so she could pick her up and get the Jeep. She even took out her foul mood on Ghost Dog when she took him outside.

  “It’s too cold, buddy. Can we speed things up a little bit?” He must’ve picked up on her vibe because he went straight to his bed when they walked in the house and avoided her eyes.

  She brewed a cup of coffee and grabbed a banana and sat on the couch staring at Ghost Dog. “Come here, boy.” She reached out her hand as a peace offering. He slowly walked over to her and sniffed it. She stroked his soft ears and patted the couch. He jumped on it and rested his head in her lap. “I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to snap at you. I should be in a good mood, right? Sarah and I had a pretty good night. Nothing about it was bad. So, why don’t I feel great?”

  Ghost Dog thumped his tail softly and perked up when she opened the banana.

  “Do you like bananas? Can dogs even eat bananas?” She broke off a small bite and gave it to him. He wolfed it down and stared at her. “What? You want another bite?” He rolled onto his back and looked up at her, his tongue lolling out of the side of his mouth. Then he gave a small woof, followed by a begging motion of his front paws in the air. “Well, I’ll be damned. I’ve found your weakness.” She quickly googled to see if bananas were good for dogs. She gave him another bite. “Moderation, it says, so this can be your treat.” Just having him in her lap so happy about a banana improved her mood.

  She shot off a text to Sarah and told her she was available anytime. As much as she thought about having Betty drop her off, she wanted to see Sarah and ensure that everything was okay with them. Things had gotten hot and heavy fast, but then fizzled. It was as if a switch inside Sarah had flipped on, and Natalie wanted to know why.

  I can be there in ten minutes.

  Natalie had no makeup on and was in yoga pants and a sweatshirt. She jumped up from the couch, causing Ghost Dog to twist and almost fall off. “Sorry, buddy. I’ve got to get ready. Sarah’s on her way over.” She was running a brush through her damp hair when the doorbell rang. Ghost Dog gave a deep bark but was wagging his tail. He knew it was Sarah.

  “Hi. Hang on. Let me get some shoes on. Come on in,” Natalie said.

  Sarah grabbed her hand before she got far. “Hang on, Nat.” She pulled Natalie close. “Two things.”

  “What’s going on?” Natalie put her hands on Sarah’s hips and waited. She was so beautiful that Natalie could stand in the foyer and stare at her all day if Sarah would let her.

  “I need to apologize for last night.”

  “Not at all. Well, maybe the part about you leaving and not telling me.”

  “Actually, I told you, and you grumbled something about being cold, so I covered you up, and you drifted off to sleep. But that’s not what I meant. I’m sorry for leading you on and then stopping. Look, can we sit down?”

  “Of course. Let’s go sit on the couch.”

  Natalie sat on one side and allowed Sarah the opportunity to sit wherever she wanted. Sarah sat directly beside her, their thighs touching.

  “I really like you, Natalie. I always have. I screwed up before, but I want to take things slow this time and do it right. I pushed too hard last night.”

  “Hey, hey. I wanted you last night, without a doubt, but we can go at whatever pace you want. I meant what I said. I will wait for you.”

  Sarah nodded and looked down. “You’ve been so wonderful to me, to my family. Thank you for understanding.”

  Natalie squeezed her hand. “What was the second thing?”

  “This.” Sarah smiled before she kissed Natalie.

  Fire spread through Natalie, and she wondered if she was going to last. She pulled Sarah onto her lap and deepened the kiss. She couldn’t help it. She wanted to touch Sarah but didn’t know what was acceptable. “Is this okay?”

  “Definitely.”

  Sarah was breathing harder than she was before the kiss. Natalie knew she felt something, too. More than passion. She ran her finger over Sarah’s cheek and across her bottom lip. “I’m sorry I was grumpy with you last night when you tried to wake me. Apparently, I’m not used to people staying over.”

  “That’s a good thing to hear. I’m fine with you sharing your bed with Ghost Dog only. And his bath was a good call.”

  “Fresh sheets, fresh dog,” Natalie said. She patted Sarah’s hip. “Come on. Let’s go get the Jeep. I have a few errands to run and need to make sure Mom has everything she needs for tonight. Halloween is a big event around here.”

  Sarah stood and pulled Natalie up with her. “Harley is beyond excited. She’s going to wear herself out before things even get started. What time do most people start?”

  “About six. I’ll begin patrolling about five.”

  “What? You aren’t going to pass out candy?” Sarah tickled her softly.

  Natalie grasped her hands and entwined their fingers before she kissed her. What had happened felt sweet and made her feel like they were a couple. It was hard not to read too much into the moment. “I’ll have a big bag with me in the car. Plus, nobody comes over to the house. I’m at the end of the road, and the house backs up to the woods.” Natalie slipped into her jacket and grabbed the keys. “This way, I can see all the costumes and talk to the kids.”

  Sarah kissed her swiftly. “You’re adorable. Just a softie.”

  Natalie shrugged. “What can I say? I get to be the big, bad-ass sheriff three hundred and sixty-two days out of the year. I need a few days to be me.”

  “So, Halloween, Christmas, and what else?” Sarah held up her fingers, counting down the holidays.

  “Thanksgiving is my favorite.”

  “Why?”

  Natalie could feel the heat flood her cheeks. It was a holiday that was overlooked, and she was embarrassed to say why she liked it so much. “I just have so much in this life to be thankful for.” She shrugged like it was no big deal.

  Sarah stopped her. “You’re right. Thanksgiving is special and should be celebrated. I have a lot to be thankful for, too. Come on. Let’s go before Harley blows up my phone. We have to complete a few alterations on her costume before tonight.”

  Natalie turned to Ghost Dog. “You be a good boy, and I’ll be home soon.”

  “I really think you should keep him,” Sarah said.

  “He’s perfect, but he might be somebody’s dog, and if I get attached and have to give him up, I’ll never recover. I don’t think he wants to break my heart.”

  Ghost Dog wagged his tail and gave
her a gentle, low woof, as if he understood her. Natalie blew him a kiss as she shut the door. She was quiet during the short drive, but didn’t hesitate when Sarah reached out to hold her hand.

  “Do you want to come in for a minute? I’m sure Harley is dying to show the town sheriff, who loves Captain Marvel, her costume.”

  Natalie thought about everything she needed to do today, but no way was she going to tell Sarah no. “Only for a few minutes.”

  “Sheriff Natalie. You’re here. Look at my costume.” Harley stood with her tiny fists on her hips.

  It took all of Natalie’s energy not to pick her up and squeeze her because she was so damn adorable. Instead, she mimicked Harley and put her hands on her own hips. “You look awesome like that.”

  “Now go take it off before you spill your lunch on it. We’ll alter it closer to when we leave.”

  Eye roll followed by an exaggerated huff. “What time are we going?”

  “If you want to know where all the good places are, I’d suggest hitting the lodge first. That gets started about five. Most of the trick-or-treaters begin around six in the neighborhood.”

  Sarah arched her brow in disbelief.

  “What? I thought you wanted the schedule?”

  Harley danced around the living room. “That’s in only five hours. Woohoo!” She threw her hands up and pretended to fly around the kitchen, making whooshing sounds as she weaved around everyone.

  “Hi, Natalie. It’s good to see you again,” Judy said.

  “Are you feeling better?” Natalie winked at her, remembering Judy’s feigned headache two days earlier.

  “I feel wonderful. How about you?”

  Natalie happily nodded. “Okay, ladies. I have to check on my mom. I will see you out and about this evening. Be safe. Bring extra flashlights and dress in layers.” She slipped into the cold Jeep and waited for it to warm up before driving the ten blocks to her mother’s house. It always made her sad when she pulled up in the driveway because her dad had always met her at the door, and now he was gone. He would have been proud of her and how far she’d come.