Stand (Southern Heartbeats Vol. 1)

by Jennifer Rebecca

  I hate this dark turn my thoughts have taken, but I just can’t help it. I know what Kimmy and I had wasn’t real. But in my head and in my heart, I know things with Angel are the real deal. God, I’m such a pussy. Sam and Holt would laugh their asses off if they heard me like this.

  I try and shake off these weird moods and girly emotions as I pass through the gate of my family homestead. I love this place. I love the farmhouse my parents raised me in and still live in to this day. I love the old Victorian built by my great great grandfather for his bride that my grandparents, my dad’s parents, still live in. And I love the old cabin that is mine. It was once the original homestead and a real piece of shit on the inside seeing as no one had lived there for over a hundred years. So while I was still in the NFL I gutted the house myself and brought her back to her glory, and then some, in between seasons. It turned out to be perfect because I had a place to land after my injury. Add to that the job my dad had offered me in the hospital and I had the tools I needed to rebuild my life.

  I’m just rounding the lane that leads to my cabin when I see my dog and my girl sprawled on the porch like roadkill. I can’t help the smile that over takes my face. It’s almost painful. Jesus, when was the last time I really smiled. Really laughed. I hit the base of the steps and there they are, Angel on her back like a starfish, arms and legs wide, eyes closed. Steve is also on his back, but his four doggie legs are straight up in the air, his tongue is hanging out of his furry face.

  “You need to stretch,” I tell her as I put my leg up on the porch railing to stretch out my muscles. Angel just groans which draws my attention to her as I switch legs.

  I look at her, really look at her. Her little workout outfit is adorable. I didn’t figure her for a jogger, but she caught me off guard with that yoga comment. She’s still laying on the porch, panting. Her heavy breathing makes her full breasts bounce with each breath. The cool evening air is chilling her over heated skin causing her nipples to stiffen. I don’t even think she notices. Her skin is flushed and glowing with sweat. This is exactly how she looks after I take her. And suddenly, that’s all I can think about.

  Trying to rally my thoughts, I wrap my hand around her ankle and lift it up towards her body to stretch out her leg. Two thirds of the way towards her face, with no sign of stopping, Angel surprises the hell out of me and pulls her ankle over her head and holds it there for a few seconds before releasing it. I let out a strangled gurgle watching her do the splits on her back. I think I’m suddenly a big fan of yoga.

  I grab her second leg, not wanting her to hurt herself, yeah, that’s what we’re going to go with. And not that I want her to do it again. I lift her leg towards her head and again, she takes over, taking her ankle above her head, holding it there for a while, before releasing it back to the ground. Then, as if she couldn’t surprise me more, I watch her start to drift off to sleep on my front porch with a smile on her face and the mother of all hard-ons in my pants. For the first time in my life, I am glad that the cabin sits back farther behind the other two houses. The last thing I need either my mother or my gran see is the giant tent I pitched in my favorite running shorts. Or worse, the thought of taking my sweet Angel on the porch is suddenly appealing.

  “Get in the house, Angel,” I growl because I need her. Now. Like a cat in the sun, she just wants to be left to sleep but that just isn’t happening. Not since I saw her sweaty and panting on my porch. Now, I want to see her sweaty and panting in my house. Naked. Underneath me. On top of me. The list is endless.

  “Unless you want me to fuck you on the front porch in front of both my parents and my grandparents. Get. In. The fucking. House. Angel.” I’m barely hanging on to my control by a thread and I think she gets that because she reaches up a sweet little hand for me to help her limp body up off of the floor. I grab her hand but pull her up over my shoulder and stalk to the front door.

  I throw the door open and Steve walks in. He makes his way to the kitchen for his water and dinner which are already there for him. Then he will nap on the doggie bed in the living room. I take the stairs two at a time with my naughty little nurse over my shoulder and stalk my way to my bedroom door, slamming it behind me. I think Steve will stay down stairs, but nothing kills a mood like a one hundred and twenty five pound, one eyed dog staring at you while you make love to your woman.

  I carry Angel into the master bathroom and slowly slide her down over my shoulder, down my body so she can feel every inch how turned on I am. She opens her eyes and I see the heat in them as she looks at me. Then I take her mouth. I could kiss her for days. But not now. Now I need her too much. I pull her little tank over her head and growl when I see she has no bra on underneath, it was one of those built in thingies girls wear, but now she’s bare to me and it does something to me. It. Makes. Me. Wild.

  I pull my t-shirt over my head and toss it the way Angel’s went to the floor. Next, I strip her shoes and socks off her little feet. Tossing them in the same direction. Angel reaches for my dick in my shorts, but I catch her wrist in my hand and shake my head no just once. Hoping to convey the fact that if she touches me, this will be a hard and fast fuck, but I want so much more.

  I strip her tight pants down her legs and have to grab my dick to keep from coming as she steps out of them, one foot at a time. I pick her up by her waist and sit her on the bathroom counter in between the two sinks on the cool granite top. Without hesitation I plunge two fingers into her tight pussy and she moans and grabs onto my shoulders. Angel throws her head back as I curl my fingers inside of her. I swallow down her cries as I kiss her again. And when I feel like she’s close, I pull my fingers from her body and walk to the shower to turn the water on.

  I strip my shorts down my legs, and stalk naked, back to Angel, who is reclining against the mirror, her eyes closed and her gorgeous chest heaving with each glorious breath she takes. She doesn’t notice my approach as I drop to my knees in front of the vanity and pull her hips to the edge of the counter.

  I lick her once and she sucks in a deep breath and screws her eyes shut. I lick her twice and her fingers squeeze the stone edge of the counter so hard, I’m surprised it doesn’t crush in her grip. I seal my mouth over her and she gasps as she calls out my name. God, I love the sound of that.

  “Cody,” she says again as I thrust my two fingers in her core and curl them like before. One of her hands finds its way into my hair and she pulls. Hard. I almost come right there, but manage to hold back. Just barely. And then she comes. And comes. And it’s so beautiful to watch.

  When she comes back down to earth, I pick her up and carry her into the now steamy shower. Her legs wrapped around my waist, her arms around my shoulders with her face nuzzled into my neck. My hands are on her ass as I lean her into the stone shower wall so I can shut the glass door. Angel is kissing my neck as the steam swirls around us. Her soft, warm, wet body sliding against my cock. But it’s when she bites my ear that I lose my mind.

  Pinning Angel to the shower wall, I hold her over the tip of my cock and slam her down on it. We both groan out loud. She circles her hips and there goes the ballgame, folks. I pull back and slam into her. Again and again. There are no words. No yeses or I loves yous. Just hot, heavy breaths as I take her against the hard shower wall.

  Angel squeezes her eyes tight again and wraps her arms around me, her face in my neck as she comes again. But I’m not done with her, not by a long shot. I pick up my pace and thrust into her tight body, harder, faster.

  “Again,” I bark out. Its building. I can tell the way her body grips mine. She’s close but not there yet.

  “Cody,” she breathes.

  “Touch yourself,” I tell her. “Now.” Without hesitation, she lets go of my neck with one arm and slides her hand down her belly to where our bodies join together and circles.

  “Cody.” She’s close, desperate for it and so am I. I pound into her even harder.

  “Faster, baby.” I’m so close but so is she. She throws her head ba
ck against the stone wall of the shower.

  “Cody.” She’s there. She closes her eyes.

  “Look at me,” I demand. And those baby blues instantly pop open. The moment is so intimate. So intense. And she looks at me as she touches herself as I fuck her against the shower wall. And then she comes on a scream that I swallow down my throat as I kiss her. I thrust into her once, twice more before I come harder than I ever have before into her warm body.

  We’re both still breathing hard when I pull from her body and slowly lower her feet to the shower floor. Gently, I shampoo her hair and wash the sweat from her body. And hell, if I’m not half hard again watching my come roll down her legs, but I’ve worn her out. It wouldn’t be fair to take her again even though my body wants to. Twice today, I didn’t use a condom. Before, I would be ready to slit my own throat for my stupidity, but all I can think about is how gorgeous she’ll be when her belly is round with my baby. I need to shut that shit down right now. Clearly, I’ve lost my mind.

  When we’re both washed up, I shut the water off and towel us both dry. I pull on a pair of boxer briefs and take one of my t-shirts and drop it over her head. Then I take her hand and lead her down stairs to the kitchen where I wow her with my cooking skills. At least I hope.

  We sit together at my battered oak kitchen table, smiling at each other over the grilled chicken breast and cooked spinach I made for dinner. I laughed when she turned her nose up at it. As it turns out my sexy nurse might keep her body toned with yoga, but that’s where her healthy streak ends. Her idea of eating a vegetable is mushrooms on her pizza. Her genetics are truly amazing.

  After dinner, we wash the dishes together, side by side at the sink. When we’re done I take her hand and lead her up the stairs back to my bedroom where I strip my shirt off of her and make love to her slowly, sweetly, with her hands in mine. Afterwards, I curl my body around hers. Her back to my front. And fall into the deepest, sweetest sleep I have ever had in my life. I am so screwed.

  Angellica

  Three Weeks Later….

  The last couple of weeks have passed in a blur. A beautiful blur of Cody and I both working at the school, meeting up for runs and dinner, going out on weekends with our friends or just us, and delicious sex. It’s been so good. We have dinner with Aunt Mable at least once a week. Cody even took me to her showing in Dallas one weekend. But I’m tired. Actually, I’m fucking sick.

  Two weeks ago, I had a rash of students with fucking strep and mother fucking bronchitis. I should have known this would happen. What the fuck is wrong with me. Actually, I know what’s wrong with me. I was so wrapped up in my yummy sexy, sexy time bubble of sin that I didn’t get enough rest and vitamin C or whiskey, whatever. I took all the precautions I would have in the hospital, but all my efforts proved to be futile. I’m fucking sick.

  So, here I am on a Monday, laying on the floor underneath my desk in the fetal position praying for a quick death before I cough so hard I pee my pants. Or vomit. Or both.

  Cody and I spent the weekend apart because he and Sam and the other coaches were away at a coach’s clinic. And thank God for small favors. Steve spent the weekend with Cody’s parents. I spent it hoping to die but not actually doing it.

  I hear foot steps outside my office and I pray to pizza and bourbon and hot romance cover model gods that this person keeps on going. I should have known better. I haven’t seen Cody in four days. I knew that sweet bastard was going to check in. Gah! A knock falls on my door and I might have whimpered. The door opens.

  “Angel, are you in here?” Cody asks. I can see why he’d be confused. I have the lights dimmed because the bright, fluorescent lights were like taking a melon baller to my brain. I cannot help what I do next. It’s a reflex my body and brain make without my thought.

  “No?” I question.

  “Honey, where are you?”

  “No!” Rasp. “Stay back! Save yourself,” I warn him. But Cody just chuckles. I hear him walk around my desk and take me in. I’m in the fetal position, crying under my desk.

  “Baby, what’s wrong?” He asks me sweetly.

  “I’m so sick. You have to go or you’ll get it too,” I try again, but he just puts his palm on my brow.

  “Baby, you’re burning up,” he tells me something I already know.

  “I am a nurse, you know,” I snap.

  “Not a fucking smart one if you haven’t been to the hospital yet,” He snaps back. Well, that just burns. He’s right, but still damn it!

  “I’m fine. I’ll be fine,” I tell him.

  “Yeah, after I take your ass to the hospital,” he growls.

  “You will do no such thing.”

  “I will too.”

  “Will not,” I retort. Obviously, tiring of this volley back and forth, Cody whips out his cell phone and calls his dad, aka our boss.

  “Hey, dad….Yeah….Hey, Angel is really sick, like needs to go to the hospital sick,” he says into his phone. “No, not like I was away for the weekend and need to have sex with my girl, sick…Like burning up, sick….Ok. Will do. Thanks dad.” He signs off from his mildly mortifying conversation with the man who signs my checks.

  “Do I even want to know?” I ask, folding my arms.

  “Probably not, but I’ll tell you anyways. Dad says I’m to take you to the hospital and you’re to let me or we’re both fired. And that Gran and mom will be by this afternoon with their magical healing powers of chicken and dumplings and mint tea. And also, Steve. He’s apparently a moody bastard without you and he’s getting on everyone’s nerves.” I laugh before I can help it, but immediately start coughing.

  “Okay,” I say softly. “Grab my purse out of the bottom drawer, please,” I ask him. Before I can say anything else, Cody is lifting me up in his arms like a bride and carrying me out to the parking lot. I feel so miserable, all I can do is lay my head on his shoulders and close my eyes. My jaw is wrenched shut so I won’t give in to the coughing.

  When the kids on the varsity team see us in the halls, they start singing “A Dream is a Wish Your Heart Makes” and it takes all the effort I have in me to flip those little shits off with a smile on my face. Cody throws his head back and laughs.

  “She’s a keeper, man,” I hear Sam’s deep laugh from somewhere in the hall and it makes me laugh too. Weirdo.

  I think Cody is going to lead me to his old truck, but heads to my jeep and wedges my body between his and the car while her rummages through my purse for my keys.

  “Jesus, this is like Mary Poppins carpet bag. What the hell all do you have in here?” He grumbles. “I half expect a magical Genie to pop out and grant me three wishes,” he gripes while palming my keys. I just scowl at him until he kisses the tip of my nose.

  “Ugh. Don’t do that. You’ll catch this plague. This infestation of death bacterias!” I yell as I try to swat him away. Cody just laughs and opens the passenger door, tucking me into the seat. He belts me in and leans my seat back a little bit with so much care, I feel like precious cargo.

  Cody drives me to the hospital which is all of about 5 minutes from the school. I’m so thankful for a small town right now. I think I’m starting to feel a little loopy. Thankfully, Cody opens the door to the car for me before I can say something really embarrassing. And once again, he places my purse in my lap and carries me into the hospital.

  “Hello, Hun. Long time no see,” a woman greets Cody as we walk in the door. “What do we have here?”

  “Hello, Ms. Marg. I have Angel.”

  “Angellica,” I but in.

  “Like I was saying, I have my girl, Angellica, here, and she is really sick with some bug she caught from the kids at school.”

  “Whoowhee,” she says. “Must be the strep all those kids had a few weeks ago. We’ll, get you in right now, doll. Go ahead and take her into room three. The doctor will be in soon. He’s just checking out Mrs. Jones’ new baby.”

  “Thank you, ma’am,” he tells her before carrying me down the hall to room th
ree.

  Room three looks like any other beige room in any other medical facility that I have ever seen. Cody places me gently on the wax paper covered table and gives me a stern once over.

  “Why didn’t you tell me you were sick?” He asks. “Or called my mom or my Gran or your…” But he stops abruptly.

  “My what?” I ask when the hair on the back of my neck rises.

  “Your aunt,” he says. “Why didn’t you call your aunt home?”

  “I’m fine,” I tell him. And I am. I think.

  “Damn it, Angel! You are not fine!” I flinch but he keeps on keepin on. “How do you think I would feel if something happened to you? How do you think I feel knowing you were here, suffering alone, while I was at camp?”

  “It’s not like I have leprosy,” I say sullenly. Now, I feel like a real brat. And Cody is just standing there with his hands on his hips and his feet shoulder width apart, staring me down. Thank god, the doctor chooses that time to walk into the exam room. Jesus, is everyone in this town freaking gorgeous or what? The doctor is a little older than us. Late thirties, forty at the very most. Sandy brown hair and very familiar brown eyes. He has to be related to Sam.

  “Well, what do we have here?” He asks. “I’m Dr. Wilson, but you can call me Mark.” Yep, totally Sam’s brother. Or hot older cousin. Young uncle? I’m mulling this thought over when Cody interrupts me.

  “Apparently, nothing important because it’s not leprosy,” Cody fumes.

  “Could we maybe act like adults?” I harp.

  “You first!”

  “Get out,” I shout as I point to the door but fall into a huge coughing jag.

  “Over my dead body,” Cody counters.

  “I think I can figure out what’s wrong,” the doctor tells me as he listens to my lungs with his stethoscope. He puts his hand on my forehead, frowning. “We need to get that temp recorded.”