Sun Still Shining (Rain Must Fall #2)

by Deb Rotuno

  When my mouth finally met her pussy, her whole body rolled—her head fell back, her hands made purchase on the sheets and in my hair, and her hips rocked up, which gave me better access. Humming in approval against her wet skin only made her writhe that much more. My girl was needy, something I had no problem helping her with because I was right there with her. It seemed our time apart had made our alone time that much more special. Our sex life had never, ever been dull, but now it was almost an emotional upheaval every damn time.

  Sucking her, fingering her, and playing with her, I brought her to the brink of her climax, smiling when curses hissed from her mouth when I’d slow down, back off.

  “Jack…baby, please…stop fucking teasing!”

  Grinning against the crease of her thigh, I finally gave in, giving her everything. My fingers curled deep inside her as I flicked my tongue across her clit, and she immediately fell apart, her whole body arcing up beautifully.

  I drank her up, loving the feel of her orgasm against my tongue, but I finally crawled up her body when she’d calmed a bit.

  “Still cold?” I asked cockily, closing my eyes at the feel of legs and arms wrapping around me. I couldn’t help but chuckle when she looked at me, confused.

  “What?”

  “Never mind,” I said with a laugh, reaching for the condoms I had stashed in the nightstand as she shoved my underwear down with her feet. “You feel warm to me.”

  The foil packet was snatched from me, and she forced me over. “Sit up,” she said, waiting until I’d propped up against the headboard before she rolled the condom down over me. “I wanna see your face,” she whispered, straddling my hips.

  As I guided her over me with a hand holding my dick and the other on her hip, my eyes stayed on that gorgeous face as she slid achingly slow down onto me. I gritted my teeth at the need to move, to thrust, but she seemed to need a second.

  “Fuck, so good,” I grunted, trying to keep my eyes on her face, which swirled with every emotion: fear, lust, disbelief, and love. Cupping her cheek, I whispered, “Easy, baby… I’m right here.” I pulled her lips to mine, kissing her slowly, deeply, pulling back to bring her hands to my shoulders. “Feel me? Everywhere?”

  She nodded fervently, her hips doing that thing I fucking loved when she was on top—a lift and push, with this roll thing before going back down. My head thumped back to the wall behind me as I gripped her hips to work with her because when we were in sync, that shit was incredible.

  We started slowly, but eventually she let me take over, guiding her or holding her still while I pushed up into her. When she let go again, I couldn’t help but fall with her. But it was the searing kiss to my lips that made me sit up, keeping her astride my lap and wrapping my arms completely around her. Her arm wound around my head, holding my face to her neck.

  “It was too soon,” I mumbled against the now slightly sweaty skin of her shoulder. “To leave…even for a day.”

  “No, Jack, I…” She huffed a laugh, pulling back as she rolled her eyes. “Maybe,” she finally allowed, “but I may never be comfortable anymore with you going anywhere.”

  With that admission, she looked embarrassed, like it made her weak to say aloud.

  “Okay,” I said, smiling when she looked me in the eye. “So what? We’ll figure it out. That makes you sad…why?”

  She grinned, shaking her head. “I was a pretty strong military wife, Jack. I was used to you being gone occasionally, but…”

  I scoffed, grabbing either side of her face in my hands. “Shortcake, you were the fucking best, but this…was different. This was long and stupid and scary. And you’re not the only one still trying to…come down from it.”

  “So I’m not an idiot?”

  “No, never!” I laughed. “You’re not weak either, beautiful. You were scared, and so was I. I’m kinda okay with keeping you in sight for a bit.”

  She smiled in relief, raking her fingers through my hair. “How’d I get so damn lucky?”

  “You had an amazing ass in tight jeans and you gave me beer,” I stated with a straight face as I palmed her bare ass on my lap. “Not to mention you wielded a mean baseball bat,” I added, grinning at her giggle. “I love you, Shortcake. If we need to stay together, then…so be it.”

  “Love you too.” She was still smiling when she trailed a sweet finger beneath my eyes. “You didn’t sleep.”

  “Nope, though I was hoping I’d join you, and then I have a target lesson to teach.”

  She nodded, slipping off my lap. I removed the condom and tossed it in the garbage. I’d have to flush it later when I brought water in. Suddenly I was exhausted, the long day of tracking and no sleep catching up to me, not to mention my bones felt like goo after coming so damn hard.

  I pulled Sara’s back to my chest, curling around her. The feel of her in my arms was the final straw that pushed me into relax mode. I fell asleep quickly.

  I awoke around midafternoon to an empty bed and the sound of Sara trying to get Freddie to calm down at the door.

  “It’s okay, it’s okay,” I groaned, rubbing my face and rolling onto my stomach. “I’m up, you two.”

  “You sure?” Sara asked, but when I cracked an eye up at her, she laughed, raising her hands in surrender. “Just checking.”

  “Dad, c’mon! You promised!” Freddie said, doing an awesome job darting around his mother to get inside the room.

  I couldn’t help but laugh at her shocked face. “He’d have made a helluva running back.”

  Sara muttered under her breath about silver linings in the new world, which made me laugh again, but I looked to my son, who was practically vibrating beside me.

  “I’m up, I swear. How many are comin’?”

  “Um…Janie and Ava and me.”

  In his hand was a lever-action .22 rifle, which was perfect for him. It wasn’t heavy or cumbersome. It also wouldn’t have a loud sound or a harsh recoil. In fact, it was what Dad had taught Derek and me on when we were kids. It had been way before Derek’s parents had died. Hell, I’d been about Freddie’s age.

  Sara stepped back into the room with a bucket of water, a bit of steam coming off it.

  “Hint?” I asked her as I sniffed my armpit, grinning at her unladylike snort.

  “Maybe.” She shot me a wink, though, taking Freddie by the shoulder. “Let your dad breathe, kiddo. And he’ll get dressed and come out.”

  “Actually,” I said, sitting up. “Freddie, go get your Grandpa Rich. Tell him I want his help.”

  “Okay, Daddy!” he yelled, rushing from the room, and the front door slammed behind him.

  “He killed a zeak with that thing?” I asked Sara as I stood up from the bed.

  “He’s not a bad shot, Jack,” she replied, shrugging a shoulder. “You’ll see.”

  Once I was washed up and redressed in cleaner clothes, my sidearm strapped to my thigh, I stepped out onto the porch to see my dad sitting on the steps with the three kids around him. He had a bag of bottles and cans at his feet.

  Ava was the first to look up. “I wanna learn too, Jack.”

  “Okay, but is your sister cool with it?”

  “She said as long as it’s you and Rich, she’s fine with it,” she answered.

  “We need to get you a weapon,” I told her, gesturing to Janie and Freddie, who both had the same type of rifle. “I don’t have another rifle, but I think I have a .22 pistol in the Hummer. That’ll work for you.”

  “Okay,” she said, shrugging a shoulder. “I just…wanna help.”

  I tugged her long ponytail. “You do, Half Pint.”

  Dad stood up. “Where do you want to do this?”

  “More like…how?” I sighed, descending the steps to the grass as I pulled on my hoodie. “They attracted zeaks with one target practice, so we’ll have to keep an eye on our surroundings. I’m thinking along the side there. And this is more than targeting for hunting.”

  “Defense.” He nodded in agreement, but he placed a hand on
Freddie’s shoulder as my son watched us both raptly. “You were younger than this when you took down your first deer, Jack, so…”

  Smirking, I nodded, cracking my knuckles. “I know, so let’s get them started.”

  I stopped by the Hummer, opening the back. I found the gun I was looking for—a Smith & Wesson .22 pistol. Since Ava was a touch older, she’d probably handle that better than the other two. Taking two boxes of bullets, I closed the vehicle back up. It had remained the ammo storage because it could travel should we need to haul ass out of there.

  We walked along the side of the lake that faced the driveway. It had the most fencing, the fire ditch, and the crow’s nest up in the tree with Ruby and Margaret. If we made enough noise to pull in any zeaks, then we’d at least stand a chance. Using posts that Derek had already set up, I lined up several bottles and cans.

  “All right, guys… C’mere,” I said, taking a knee and setting down the boxes of bullets. “Here’s the thing. I’m pretty sure that Derek talked to you two—Freddie and Janie—about safety, that these aren’t toys, right?”

  “Yeah, Dad.” Freddie nodded.

  “Good,” I said, turning to Ava. “Same goes for you, Half Pint.” I held up the pistol. “It’s not a big bullet, Ava, but it can still inflict a wound, even kill. Got me?” When she nodded, I added, “No playing around with it, and no pointing it at anything other than targets, game, or zeaks. Am I clear, guys?” I asked all of them.

  “Yes,” they all replied together.

  “Dad, if you’ll work with Ava, I’ll take these two.”

  “Yup,” he said, taking the pistol from me and pulling Ava to the side. He started instructing her on how to engage it, aim, and fire, though it was empty.

  “Janie, ladies first,” I told her. “Show me what you know.”

  The kid couldn’t get any cuter, I was damned convinced. She was adorable, with chin-length hair the color of wet sand. Her face was like a fairy or a doll, sweet and curious, but it was fierce in concentration as she aimed, readied her weapon, and pulled the trigger.

  When she missed, I said, “Try again, Janie.” I knelt behind her, straightening her arms, correcting her stance, and helping her aim. “Fire when you’re ready.”

  The tin can pinged off the fence post, and her grin was big and proud.

  “Nice job,” I praised her, giving her a high five and waving Freddie over. “Okay, bud. What can you do?”

  I wanted to laugh when he rubbed his hands on his jeans, then cracked his knuckles before lifting his weapon and aiming.

  “Oh hell, Jack…” I heard Dad chuckle, but I waved him away. Freddie’s mannerisms were the carbon copy of mine, even when I was his age.

  “Straighten your shoulders, use both eyes, and widen your stance, son,” I whispered in his ear. “You got your target in sight?”

  He nodded, whispering, “Yes.”

  “Okay, it’s all you, then.”

  He pulled the trigger, and the sound of breaking glass echoed around us.

  “Excellent shot, Freddie,” I praised, and my son looked like he could fly with the pride bursting out of him.

  We took a few more turns, and the kids got better and better as we cleaned the fence posts of every can and bottle. I set up more for Dad to finally let Ava have a shot.

  “Why didn’t she learn on the way here?” Freddie asked.

  “She didn’t ask, but her sister was pretty protective.”

  “Why now?” Janie asked me.

  I knelt in front of them. “Guys, if this were the way things used to be, we wouldn’t be doing this, teaching you how to shoot. But as much as I hate it, times have changed. We want you to be able to hunt, which is what Freddie wanted, but we want you to be able to defend yourselves if you had to.”

  “Freddie killed a zeak. It was the scariest thing, but he did a good job. He saved us, ’cause she came out of nowhere,” Janie said with wide eyes and a nod.

  “I know.” I smiled at my son, who looked nervous at this conversation. “His mother told me.” When Freddie’s gaze snapped to mine, I ruffled his hair. “It was very brave, and you didn’t do anything wrong. You know that, right?”

  “It was a lady,” he whispered.

  “No, son. They stop being people once they turn. There’s no…person inside anymore. They don’t think anymore.” I tapped his temple as I tried to think of how to explain it, finally gripping his shoulder gently. “Remember that raccoon Derek used to feed at his place? He was fun and kinda hung around Derek’s backyard. But he got sick? Remember?”

  “Yeah, Roscoe.”

  “Yes, but Roscoe got rabies. He wasn’t the fun little guy anymore, the one who washed his hands in the bird feeder, and Derek had to shoot him. You were sad, but…he could’ve hurt you. Think of the zeaks or the infected or whatever you want to call them like that. They are no longer safe, and they’re not people anymore. They won’t hesitate to hurt you, so…you have to stop them. Freddie, you protected yourself, your mother, and Janie all with that one very brave act. Nothing about that is wrong, son. Does that make sense?”

  “Mom said you’d be proud,” Freddie said, his face not so nervous.

  “More than I can explain, son. And not just for that, okay?” I told him, wrapping my hand around the back of his neck so I could kiss his forehead. “Which reminds me… You and I need to talk about something.”

  Janie walked away to join my dad and Ava with another round of targets.

  “Is this about Klamath Lake?” he asked, making me narrow my eyes.

  “Yes… How’d you know?”

  “Brody’s been talkin’ ’bout it, and so has Grandpa Hank. They say we need a bigger place ’cause there’s not enough room here. And it’ll be too cold soon.”

  “All that is true, but we have to send a few people to look around first,” I told him.

  “So…you’re going?” he asked, but he didn’t give me a chance to answer. “I wanna go with you. I can help, I promise.”

  I sighed deeply, biting my bottom lip. I agreed with Sara on this one. I wanted us to stick together as a family, no more separations, but this scouting trip was necessary and could be iffy.

  “I’ll make a deal with you, Freddie. You show me you can handle that rifle, follow directions, and be responsible, and you can come.”

  “Leave Mom?” he asked, glancing back at his mother, who was watching us from the bank of the lake with Tina.

  “Not a chance. She’s coming with us.”

  “Oh, sweet!”

  Laughing, I hugged him. “Stop listening to Joel.” I pulled back, cupping his face. “I’m not kidding, though, Freddie. If you go, you need to listen to all of us around you. Am I clear?”

  “Yes, Dad. When?”

  “When Grandpa Hank’s leg is better.”

  “Okay,” he agreed. “Can we shoot some more now?”

  “Yup, go to it.”

  We were lucky that the shooting didn’t bring any zeaks around, though I expected a swarm soon. Enough time had passed since we’d arrived at the camp, so I was sure we were due. The survivors hadn’t shown up again either, which made me a bit anxious. If they wanted the place badly enough, then they could attempt another hit.

  Ava got good with the pistol but finally turned to Dad and me. “Your turn. Can you knock ’em down?”

  Her challenge was scoffed at, and I shoved my dad forward. “Age before beauty.”

  He laughed, rolling his eyes. “Whatever, son. Prepare to be schooled.”

  We had the attention of most of the camp at this point. We knew it was about time for dinner—the smell was making me ravenous—so almost everyone was outside for that, and they were watching us.

  Cheers and boos and jeers rang out aimed at my dad as he pulled his sidearm off his leg. Starting from right to left, he took nine out of ten targets down. The kids all ran down to line up more, running back breathless as I pulled my own weapon.

  “Gotta get ’em all to beat me, sport,” he teased me.r />
  Grinning, I aimed my .45, but I worked left to right, pausing at the last target. Whistles and cheers and bullshit comments met my ears, but I just snorted and aimed for the last bottle. The glass broke, but the bottom of it was still standing on the railing.

  “Doesn’t count,” Dad said, grinning at my scoff.

  “Oh, hell yes it counts!” I argued, pointing to the railing. “The bottle is no more!”

  He laughed, shaking his head. “Nope. The base is still there.”

  “I’m not listening to you,” I told him, spinning on my heel. “You’re a sore loser, Dad.”

  “If there’s nothing left to shoot, then it’s a hit,” Ava reasoned, grinning between us. “If it had been a zeak…”

  I pointed to her but looked to my dad. “Out of the mouths of babes,” I snarked. “Thank you, Half Pint. The win is mine!”

  My dad cracked up, raising his hands in surrender. “I’ll let you have it, if only because your son is watching.”

  “Mm,” I hummed, pursing my lips at him. “Freddie, is it a hit?” I asked over my shoulder.

  “Yes, Dad!” he called out.

  Holding my arms out wide, I said, “I rest my case, Dr. Chambers. We’ll have a rematch next lesson.”

  Dad laughed, rolling his eyes at me, but he walked to me still chuckling. “They did well, son.”

  “They did,” I agreed as we cleaned up our mess. “I hate the thought of them having to defend themselves, but I feel better that they can. Does that make sense?”

  “Complete sense, son.” He gestured to the group gathering around the tables for dinner. “Ava’s not but a year or so behind Josh, who’s damn comfortable hunting and fighting. You could handle that same gun at Freddie’s age. And that Janie, well…she’s eleven but a smart little thing. There may be a time when we’ll need them to at least know.”

  “Speaking of…” I said, stopping him just out of hearing range of the group at the table. “We’re planning a scouting trip to Klamath Lake soon. I’d…I’d really like it if you and Joel stayed behind to kind of oversee things.”

  “And watch over Freddie and Sara?”