Saving Us

by Heather D'Agostino

  “No,” I slowly shook my head. I could hear a buzzing sound getting louder and louder the longer I sat there, and soon the room started to go dark.

  “Maddie? Maddie!” Cole began shaking me by the shoulders. “Stay with me Maddie.” I blinked a few times before I noticed he was still talking to me. “… I think that would be best, don’t you?”

  “Huh?” I shook my head to clear it.

  “I said, I think we should get away for a few days. I called your office this afternoon and told them you needed some personal time.” He cringed as if he was waiting for me to get upset. It made sense now. I had those days off because of Cole. It wasn’t a mistake. He was the one who had called Hannah.

  “Ok,” I nodded as I wrapped my arms around myself trying to ward off the chill that was coursing through me. “What’s gonna happen now?”

  “I don’t know, but I do know that I’m not letting him anywhere near you. I have an order of protection against him, and I’m keeping you with me. If he comes anywhere near us, his bail is revoked, and he goes right back to jail until trial. Wes has a cabin not far from here. We’re going to head out tomorrow and enjoy a little summer vacation. Swimming, boating… it’s on a beautiful lake,” he smiled at me. “We can work on us,” he winked. “I think a little time alone is just what we need to get back to the way things were, right?”

  “Sure,” I chewed on my lip. “Back to the way things were,” I sighed as I stared at my hands. “Do you think he’s really going to come after me?”

  “I don’t know, baby.” Cole reached for his beer. “He seemed pretty upset when he saw us getting ready to leave Vibe together. I’m not trusting that he will stay away. For all we know, he’s stewing and getting angrier by the minute. Besides,” he squeezed my hand. “Doesn’t a few days alone sound nice? No work? Nothing to bother us?”

  “I guess,” I mumbled.

  “You guess?” his voice rose slightly, and he pulled away from me. “Are we on the same page here? I thought you wanted this,” he motioned between us. “Do you not wanna be with me?”

  “It’s not that,” I huffed and shifted away from him. I wasn’t sure what I wanted at the moment. He seemed so lost and hurt as he sat there watching me. What we’d been building had seemed strong, but at the first threat, I’d caved. I wasn’t sure I could stand up to Richard and fight for what I wanted. I wasn’t sure I could be the woman Cole thought I was. I was still battling so many memories, the demons seemed to be getting stronger lately, and I wasn’t.

  “What is it, then,” he reached for my chin and lifted it so that I was looking at him. “I want this,” he implored me to understand, “more than anything. You’re worth all of this; do you hear me? I’ll fight for you…all of you…no matter what. Maddie,” his eyes softened, “I’m falling in love with you.”

  The tears that I’d been holding back began to spill down my cheeks as I listened to him try to get through to me. I wanted this, I knew deep down inside I did. I wanted to be with Cole. I wanted him to protect me, to love me as a man was supposed to love a woman. I wanted him to push all the bad that had festered and grown so far down that it died. I wanted the light that he promised, the light that I saw every time he was around. “I love you, too,” I sniffed.

  “I just…” I swallowed and wiped at my eyes. “I don’t know how to escape him. Every time I think I’m away from it all, every time I feel like I’m finally able to breathe again…he shows up and wrecks it. I just get so angry!” I balled my hands into fists and shoved them into the couch cushions beside my legs. “I don’t want to take you down with me.” I peered up at him, begging for understanding. Didn’t he see that I was pulling away to protect him? That everything I did was to protect him? It had nothing to do with not wanting to be with him.

  “Stop worrying about me. Let me worry about you,” he smiled as he nudged me with his elbow. “Now,” he reached for the pizza box, “you hungry?”

  “I’m starved,” I groaned as I lifted a piece of pizza. I moaned aloud as I sunk my teeth into the slice and let my eyes close. I was so hungry, and I’d been so upset lately that I really hadn’t been eating well. It was nice to have someone take care of me. I hadn’t had that since I was little.

  “So,” Cole yawned, “I was thinking I could crash here tonight.”

  “Um,” I swallowed as I sat up from where I’d been slouching against him. We’d finished the pizza some time ago and had been watching TV. I don’t really know what was on; I wasn’t really concentrating on it. The heat coming off his body, and the beat of his heart as I laid my head against his chest, was consuming every bit of my attention. Now I had to decide what I was going to do. It wasn’t like we hadn’t slept together. Hell, we’d christened several surfaces at his place, but now I felt like we were back at the beginning.

  “I can stay on the couch,” he murmured. “I know we’re taking things slow. I just thought…” he trailed off.

  “That’s fine!” I blurted out. “I’ll sleep better with you here, anyway.” I looked away. “You seem to keep the monsters away.” I offered a half smile before standing. “Let me get you some blankets and a pillow. I’ll be right back.”

  After handing off a pile of linens to Cole, I gave him a very strained kiss good night before barricading myself in the bedroom. If he really wanted to come in, he could, but I was the weak one and I wanted nothing more than to go out there and grab him. I knew he’d be a gentleman…that was just the way Cole was. He’d always been my protector, and that night, he would come to my rescue once again.

  Chapter 5

  Maddie

  “You know,” Richard’s breath blew across my cheek as he pinned me to the mattress, “this would be a lot better for you if you didn’t fight it so much.” He skimmed his nose up the column of my neck as I turned away from him.

  “Please,” I begged in a whispered voice. “I don’t really feel like it tonight.”

  “You never fucking feel like it lately,” his voice was harsh as he pressed his erection against my center.

  “I’m just tired,” I murmured. “I’ve been so busy with school.” I tried to push him off me but he grabbed my wrists and pinned them above my head. “Richard,” I begged again. “Please, stop.”

  “You’re mine, Madison, and it’s time you realize that. You don’t get to tell me no.” He tightened his grip and began tugging at my panties with his free hand. The farther they slipped down my thighs, the harder I struggled against him.

  “No,” I began thrashing against him. “No! No! No!” My head jerked from side-to-side trying to avoid his kiss. When he smashed his lips against mine, I did the only thing I could do to fight back…I bit down…hard.

  “You bitch!” He pulled back and slapped me across the face so hard I saw stars. “You’re my girlfriend, and when I want to fuck you…I will.”

  I swallowed against the sting on my cheek and used everything in me to keep my voice steady, “No you won’t! I said no, Richard!” I began struggling once again as I thrashed from side-to-side. “No!”

  ooooooooo

  Cole

  I had been so tired lately, that it didn’t take much for me to fall asleep tonight. A few quiet moments, and I was out…that is until I heard her. At first, I wasn’t sure what it was, but as I cleared the sleep from my brain, I heard it again. “No!” it was being repeated over and over, and each time, it was a little louder. She sounded panicked as if she was fighting something. “Stop! No!” She was crying. I leapt from the couch and almost tripped as I rushed toward her closed door.

  After opening it, I raced in to find Maddie thrashing around on her bed. The sheets were tangled around her, and she was covered in sweat. Her face was screwed up into a frightened scowl and her hands waved wildly in the air. “No!” she cried. “Please, stop!” I didn’t know what she was dreaming about, but whatever it was it had a death grip on her.

  I rushed over and climbed up on the bed. I pulled her into my lap, wrapped my arms around her, and h
eld her to my chest. She pushed against me at first, but I held firm and tried to soothe her. “It’s ok, baby,” I whispered. “I’ve got you. You’re safe.” She trembled and whimpered slightly as her eyes fluttered open.

  “Cole?” she sobbed.

  “You’re safe,” I pressed a kiss to her forehead as she turned and wrapped her arms around my middle. We stayed entwined like that for a few moments as she let herself calm down. I didn’t really know what I should do. I wanted to stay with her, but I wasn’t sure if that was what she wanted. She’d been reluctant to let me spend the night, and here I was, wrapped around her wearing only a pair of boxers. To say that leaving her and returning to the couch would be easy was the lie of the century.

  When I pulled back and began to loosen my grip, it seemed that she felt the same way. Her nails dug into my sides as she peered up at me with teary eyes and begged me to stay. “Are you sure,” I watched her to make sure that this was what she wanted before I joined her.

  “Please?” She leaned closer and nuzzled her face into the crook of my neck. “Sleep in here.”

  “I want to; I just want to make sure that’s what you want,” I lifted her chin to look at me. She nodded before sliding off my lap and straightening the covers. I moved to slide in next to her, and then stretched out my arms to beckon her back into my embrace. She came willingly, and as she slid up to face me, our legs tangled together. “You wanna talk about it?” I whispered as she settled her head on my chest. She shook her head before pressing an open mouth kiss to my left pec right over my heart.

  I sucked in a breath as she pressed herself impossibly closer before uttering the words, “Just make it go away. Please? Make him go away.”

  “Baby, I want nothing more than to do that, but I don’t want us to go there for the wrong reasons,” I ran my hand lightly down her back and stopped right above her rear.

  “There are only right reasons for us to be together right now. I know I’ve been pushing you away, but right now? Right now, I need you. Please?” She lifted her leg and wrapped it around my hip, her center brushing right against my semi-hard cock. He was slowly coming to life the longer we laid there, and I knew that within a few more minutes he was going to demand attention. “I wanna feel you inside me. Fill me with good things, drown out the bad,” she rubbed her hips against me and that was all it took to shred what little hold I had left on my control.

  “Fuck, Maddie,” I groaned as I tipped my chin down and captured her lips. She parted them willingly, and as my tongue dipped into her sweet mouth, her hands drifted up my bare chest, wrapped around my neck, and sank into my hair.

  “I love you,” she whispered before pressing every inch she could against me. I rolled us so I could hover over her, and when she giggled, I couldn’t help but laugh, too. We needed this so badly, both of us. We’d been through so much over the last month. We needed to feel the passion that had once burned between us.

  The tank top and sleep shorts she was wearing left very little to the imagination, and she did little to resist me when I began pushing her top up so I had access to her perfect breasts. “I’ve missed you so much,” I mumbled before leaning down to capture one of the firm peaks between my lips. Her back bowed off the bed as a mewling sound escaped her lips.

  Her hips rocked up as if she was searching for friction, and I was having a hard time denying her. “Please, Cole,” she gasped when I lightly bit down on her nipple causing it to harden instantly. Her hands flew to my head, and held it to her as I licked and sucked my way down to the waistband of her shorts and panties. I ran my index finger over her, and chuckled when she groaned in frustration. “Patience,” I murmured. “You’re wet as hell baby. Have you been thinking about this?”

  “Not any more than usual,” she panted. Her hands untangled from my hair, and began reaching for my shoulders.

  As she tugged against me, I fake pouted, “I wasn’t done there.”

  “I can’t wait any more,” she began twisting under me as she tried to remove her clothes. She finally got them down far enough that she was able to kick them loose before reaching for me.

  “Maddie?” I gripped her wrist right as she brushed her hand across my cock. It jerked with the contact, and I knew that once I entered her there was going to be no holding back. “Are we still good, or do I need a condom?”

  “We’re good,” her arm flew up and wrapped around my neck yanking me down against her.

  “Holy shit!” I gasped as she attacked my neck. Where had this girl come from? The Maddie I knew was so unsure and afraid of disappointing me, and this girl here was the polar opposite. This girl knew what she wanted, and I was having a hard time adjusting to this sudden change.

  “Cole?” Her free hand trailed down my stomach causing it jump before she wrapped her fingers around me and gave me a few quick pumps. “Make love to me.”

  I had no intention of denying her any more. When I rocked back and sunk into her, it was like pure heaven. Her body tensed at first, but relaxed as I held still letting her adjust. I could feel the muscles stretching, and when I started to move, her eyes rolled back alerting me that she was teetering on the edge. I knew it wouldn’t take me long either, but I wanted to prolong my release as long as I could. It seemed like it had been more than a month of separation, and I wanted this reunion to be everything I’d been promising myself it would be.

  I pulled back slowly, before plunging in with just as much speed. She quivered against me, and her eyes blinked a few times as she watched me hover over her. She had this look of peace etched across her features as we moved together as one. It was as if none of the bullshit we’d been dealing with existed. It was just us, here, pleasuring one another in the hopes of healing our broken souls.

  I pushed in once again, this time deeper than before and watched as her teeth clamped down on her lip, fighting to hold back a cry of pleasure that was getting ready to burst from her. “Let go,” I murmured as I ground myself against her. “Don’t ever feel like you have to wait for me.” She blinked rapidly as she hugged me to her chest and ran her nails down my back. I could feel my release coming. It was right below the surface, and when she nipped at my ear, it came rushing forward like a freight train with no brakes to stop it.

  My hips lost the slow rhythm that we’d set, and began slamming into hers at a ragged staccato pace as my release rushed to the surface. “Oh fuck, Maddie,” I groaned as the blinding pleasure consumed me. She tightened her grip around on my shoulders as her legs lifted to wrap around my hips. Her body shook with pleasure as she sighed.

  “Cole?” She slowly loosened her arms as I caught my weight on my elbows to keep from crushing her. “That was…”

  “I know,” I gazed down at her and placed a kiss on her forehead. “We can’t go this long apart again. I’ve missed you too much to lose this ever again. Promise me that you’re going to stop running. Promise me we’re not ever going to lose this connection we have.”

  She nodded as tears pooled in her eyes. We were still connected, and when I rolled us to the side, and gathered her in my arms, I felt myself slip from her. She burrowed into my chest as she whispered, “I promise,” before falling into a deep sleep.

  Chapter 6

  Maddie

  It felt strange waking up with someone else in bed with me. I’d been denying myself this pleasure for so long that I’d almost forgotten what it was like. I stretched, careful not to wake Cole, and glanced back over my shoulder at him. At some point in the night, we had slipped into the spoon position, and his hand was now possessively clamped down on my hip. His soft breaths were wafting over the back of my neck and causing the small hairs there to tickle me. I sighed as I closed my eyes and reveled in the moment. I wasn’t sure how many more of these I was going to get, and I wanted to enjoy this as long as I could.

  When I leaned back, pressed myself harder against his front, I felt his cock begin to harden against my rear. My center throbbed with need as if it was calling to him, and the hand t
hat had been stationary before was starting to come to life. He groaned before slowly opening his eyes and smiling at me.

  “Morning,” his voice was husky as he pressed a kiss to my bare shoulder.

  “Morning,” I blushed slightly and shivered against him. It was hard to be bold in the daylight, and as I remembered how wonton I had been the night before, I couldn’t help but be a little embarrassed.

  “What’s wrong?” his face scrunched up as his hand began to slowly slide up and down my thigh.

  “Nothing,” I murmured as I looked away.

  “Doesn’t look like nothing,” he kissed the side of my neck as his hand slid up my stomach and then cupped my breast. My eyes fluttered closed as I gasped. “Doesn’t feel like nothing either,” he rolled a nipple between his thumb and finger as he pressed his erection harder against my back.

  “Cole?” I sighed.

  “Definitely not nothing,” he murmured as his hand drifted back down and slipped between my thighs. “Seems like something…to me,” he gripped my thigh and pulled it back draping my leg over his hip. His fingers skimmed back and lightly danced across my throbbing wet center.

  “Oh, god,” I gasped when he pushed his cock through the wetness coating himself.

  “You feel so fucking good, Maddie,” he groaned before thrusting inside me. “So good,” he pulled back before rocking forward once again.

  “Mmmm,” I moaned as I ground myself back against him. I was pulsing with need, and Cole was moving at such a slow languid pace that I thought I might die of pleasure. His strokes were smooth and unhurried. It was as if he was trying to prolong the pleasure.

  “You feel that, baby?” His hand moved back to my front. “You feel me filling you up with all this good?” His fingers found my clit and pressed down causing a tremor to race through me. “I’m drowning the bad. I’m gonna fill you with so much good that the bad doesn’t have any room.” I could feel it coming…bliss. It was right there below the surface, but his slow and steady thrusts were keeping it just at bay.