by Macy Farmer
“How could you think I would do such a thing? Here drink this.” I sniffed it and it took my breath away. “It would be better if you drank it like a shot and chased it with this.” He held up a cup of soda. I held my own, up until about the fourth shot and that’s when I became belligerent.
“I really wanted to decorate a tree. Christmas was always our favorite holiday. My parents made it special. Our tree would have ornaments from every year of my life. And an angel on top.” I nodded my head. “Tomorrow will be the first Christmas without my parents and now a tree. Did you know I brought all my parents decorations just so I could share my experience with all of you?” I pointed to no one in the room. I poured myself another shot as he told me to take it easy or I’d regret it later. I slammed it back anyway. He yelled for Jesse and took the bottle from me.
Laughing he said, “I don’t want you to ruin your entire Holiday.”
“I just said it was already ruined,” I slurred. Mental note, whiskey is no good. I get drunk too easily.
As Jesse performed surgery, I continued to embarrass myself. “Nothing sucks more than when you try to surprise your boyfriend by showing up for the holidays and find him kissing another chick.”
Bradley chuckled. “I thought I explained that situation already. Thank you for the surprise and let’s not forget the dress. You look beautiful.” He kissed the top of my head.
I could barely hold myself up but it had its advantages. Mental note - whiskey is good to hide the pain. You don’t feel a thing. Jesse has sewn six stitches already and I’ve felt nothing.
With my head leaning against Bradley’s chest, I continued with my jealous ranting. “Just because I said I believed you, doesn’t mean I’ve forgiven you. You could have pushed her away sooner.” I drifted in and out of dreamland.
“You’re right, my beautiful drunk Natalia. I promise to never let another female put her lips on mine.”
I nod my head and slur, “That’s right… you better not! They belong to me.”
With his lips pressed against the top of my head he laughed, “You’re even more beautiful when you’re angry and jealous. I love you, please sleep.”
Unable to stay awake, I gave in to the alcohol and drifted off to dreamland. I heard all three of them laughing at my final response.
I woke to the sound of Christmas music and the smell of bacon. Feeling sluggish, my head pounded to the beat of my pulse. I waited a few minutes before I strolled into the bathroom. I did my normal morning routine before going out into the living room. I was pleasantly surprised to see a decorated tree. Reaching up, Bradley put the angel on top just as I walked in. Seeing his perfect butt instantly brought a smile to my face. That’s when I had a flashback of last night. Boy, did I jump to conclusions. I should have known better and waited to see how he reacted. But no, instead I ruined a wonderful evening. Well, I wasn’t going to ruin their Christmas Day.
I went into the kitchen where Jesse and Colleen were. I stood in the doorway so that I could see them all and called out, “Merry Christmas.” Colleen and Jesse returned the wishes and gave me hugs and kisses.
“Breakfast will be up soon, Nat.” Jesse said as he shoved a piece of bacon in his mouth. “We’ll call you when it’s done.”
“Okay.” I took my coffee to the living room. Bradley stood staring at the tree when I walked up behind him. “Merry Christmas, Bradley.” He slowly turned around and wished me one as well. I put down my coffee, stood on my tippy toes and kissed him good morning.
Confused by my actions he said, “Why the sudden change of heart?”
“Really? I thought we worked everything out last night.” I giggled at the memory and said, “The last thing I remember is we agreed your lips were mine. Was that not what happened? Was it just a dream?”
With relief in his eyes he said, “I thought you’d be too drunk to remember and I’d have to explain everything again. I don’t want to ruin your Christmas day, love. Are you okay with me being here?”
Wrapping my arms around his waist, wincing as I rub my bad wrist against his belt, “I’m sorry I let my jealousy get the best of me. You know I want you here always. If you left, that would ruin my Christmas…” His lips were on mine before I could even finish. Breathless, I said appreciatively, “Thank you for decorating the tree. It looks beautiful.”
After eating and cleaning up breakfast, we passed around gifts. They liked their gifts. I could tell the moment they opened them. Bradley’s reaction, however, had me confused. I gave him a framed picture of us and a white gold Rolex. I had the back engraved: My love for you will last all of eternity. Always, Natalia. I sat down beside him as he stared at the engraved words. He stood up and reached into his pocket. As if on cue, Colleen and Jesse announce that they were taking a long walk.
He handed me a gift. Excited, I practically ripped open the box. It was a beautiful white gold ring with a heart shaped blue topaz stone in it with a matching bracelet. “Oh, it’s beautiful, Bradley, thank you.”
“The bracelet is engraved,” Bradley said.
I couldn’t believe my eyes. The engraving read: My love for you will last all of eternity. Always, Bradley.
He took the ring from my hand and placed it on my ring finger. “With this ring I promise to be yours and only yours… to give myself completely to you.”
Straddling his legs, I jumped onto his lap and hugged him, “Thank you. I love it. The fact that we had the same words engraved on each other’s gift just showed we’re meant to be together.” I hugged him one more time and kissed his neck.
I heard him sigh. “Are you sure you want to do this, Natalia? I don’t want you to think you have to take any chances just because of last night.”
His mood swings really confused me at times. I replayed the last few minutes. “Oh.” I was in the position we usually start in and I kissed him on his neck.
“Hmm… That wasn’t at all what I meant when I kissed your neck but I’d be lying if I said I didn’t want to. I would love it if we could do something, anything. I am very happy right now. But I don’t think it’s something you want to do. So how about we catch up with Jesse, Colleen, and Seager, and go for a walk with them?”
“Have you always been so gullible? They left to give us some privacy. I wanted to try something new, if it’s okay with you?” His eyes full of hunger, his lips with a devilish grin.
“Okay, like what?” I responded happily, figuring out I wouldn’t be waiting until the New Year.
The next thing I knew we were in my room, both standing there completely naked. His naked body took my breath away. As I checked him out, I smiled saying, “Bradley, you’re gorgeous.” When I made my way back up to his face, his devilish grin vanished. He actually looked embarrassed, as if he wanted to cover himself up. I felt the need to reassure him that he had nothing to hide so I walked up and press my naked body against his, and kissed him flirtatiously.
“Easy, Natalia, we’re not doing anything.” He laid us in the bed with my back to his front. He said, “I thought maybe we could take a nap together. You looked tired. And you mentioned that you wanted to do something like this.” I really couldn’t hear him because I was busy focusing on the fact that I could feel his naked body pressed up against my back and his shaft rested along the crevice of my ass. It was an incredible feeling and I instantly became aroused. I began to imagine what he would feel like inside me when Bradley interrupted my fantasy.
“Natalia, what are you thinking about?”
“Nothing. I’m trying to take a nap, shhh.” I pressed my body closer to his, continuing my fantasy. I wiggled and snuggled my rear against his long, hard erection. “Oh god,” I thought to myself, imagining our having sex, “Just a little longer and…”
With his lips to my ear, he chuckled and whispered, “It doesn’t sound like your trying to take a nap. Your breathing is too accelerated for sleeping.”
“Please, Bradley. I’m trying to take a nap,” I repeated and smacked his leg. My heart race
d from my fantasy.
“I don’t think so, Natalia. If anyone's going to pleasure you, it’ll be me. There’s no need to fantasize when I’m right here.” He sounded hungry. I felt him reach down to lift my leg and place it above his. He put his hand between my legs and began to fondle me. I could feel him growing as he started to grind against my thigh. With his other arm under my neck, he gently squeezed my breast while he kissed my shoulder and the back of my neck.
He never spun me around, he fondled me until I climaxed and slowly ground against me until he did. Once again, he went for my throat, biting me lightly and causing me to experience another explosion. Nothing aroused me more except for the way he said my name when he erupted. There were a few times he came close to accidently sliding himself into me. Only then did he stop, so as to reposition himself. I wanted to turn around to kiss him but he said, “No, go to sleep.” To relax me even more, he started singing my song. I was tired, more than I thought because I slipped into dreamland pretty quickly.
When I awoke, my body was draped across Bradley’s naked body. My breasts were pressing against his chest, my hand between his legs, holding his hard shaft. It took me all of one second to take advantage of the situation. I started to massage him, stroking him up and down. He was big. Kissing my way up his chest I moaned and gazed up at him. Instantly I stopped when I saw his face. Staring up at the ceiling, his jaw locked firmly, he had one hand gripped tightly full of bed sheets while his other hand locked onto the headboard. I slowly let go and slid off of him. I pulled the covers over him and myself, no longer permitting our naked bodies to touch. Looking at him, I said his name. Slowly, his dark eyes met mine.
“Bradley, are you okay?” He didn’t respond. I’m not quite sure he could. His eyes looked up to the ceiling again.
Thinking I had crossed that thin line, I rolled over facing away from him making sure our bodies weren’t touching. We lay there quietly. For a few moments, I stared at the picture of him on my nightstand. Saddened, I got up, grabbed my clothes, and went to take a shower. He didn’t stop me from leaving. From my experience, he wouldn’t be there when I got out of the bathroom.
Standing there in the shower, I wept quietly. Why did I have to be so selfish? What did I expect him to do? He said it would be too much for him yet I pushed him over the edge. I don’t deserve someone like him. He deserved someone that could please him without causing him so much stress like I do. With my eyes closed, I let the water wash away my tears as they fell.
Without a sound, I felt Bradley wrap his arms around me. He turned me to face him. Shaking his head he admitted, “I keep making you cry.” He pressed his body against mine and kissed me tenderly. “I’m sorry, my love, but you’d been playing with me for quite some time. Had you woke up sooner, I would have been willing to let you finish. Not wanting to wake you, I let you go and let’s just say that was a huge mistake on my part. By the time you actually woke up, I was gone. I couldn’t move.
“No one ever wanted to please me the way you do. Natalia, you are very good at that. I would like it very much if later tonight we could pick up where we left off.”
“Really?” I asked doubtfully.
He kissed me as if to seal the deal. “Until later tonight, my love.”
Wrapping a towel around me he asked, “How about we go for a walk? It’s been snowing while you were napping. Colleen, Jesse, and Seager are already out there playing in the snow. Let’s go and enjoy our white Christmas.”
“How long have I been sleeping?” I wondered if I played with him the entire time I slept.
“For two hours. It was the last hour that was the hardest for me. Going forward when you go to sleep, I wear pants.” He laughed loudly, and it echoed in the small bathroom.
After getting dressed we went outside. It’d been snowing heavily for over an hour and a half. We accumulated about six inches. We built a small snowman, had a snowball fight, and made snow angels.
After dinner, we watched a chick flick. I really couldn’t tell you what it was about because I fell asleep on the couch in Bradley’s arms mumbling, “This is one of the best Christmases I've ever had. Thank you.” He kissed the top of my head and I was out.
That night I had sweet dreams about my parents and our past Christmases.
Chapter 15
Since Christmas day, I barely got to spend any quality alone time with Bradley. Though he stayed with me every night, he always left bright and early. Always leaving me a note, telling me to have a nice day and that he loved me. He said he had things he had to take care of but I had the feeling he purposely avoided me. Tonight he won’t be able to come by at all. Therefore, I won’t be able to see him until tomorrow night, which is New Year's Eve. He said he had something special planned.
I didn’t feel like cooking so I took a drive to Lee’s for dinner. They made an awesome burger. I got a seat in the corner of the bar and ordered a coke and burger. As I sat there, enjoying my meal, minding my own business, I felt someone staring at me. I took a subtle look around the bar until I found who had been glaring at me so intensely; the woman who kissed Bradley just over a week ago. She didn’t look happy to see me. My goal had been to finish eating and get the heck out of here as quick as possible. In an effort to dodge trouble, I avoided eye contact for the remainder of my meal.
When I didn’t look up again, she must’ve taken that as an invitation to come over to me. Standing behind me she sneered, “Hello, Natalia. My name is Jessica. Do you know who I am?”
I put money on the bar to pay the bill. Leaving, I said as politely as possible, “No. Have a nice evening.”
I made it into my truck but she prevented me from shutting my door by holding it open and blocking my closing it with her body.
“I’m Brad’s girlfriend. Or I was until he met you. Did he tell you about me?” Her eyes were black with jealousy.
“No. I’m running late, so please move and let go of my door.” Her laughter sounded purely evil.
“I’ll let you go if you promise to break it off with my man.”
“Bradley makes his owns decisions. You’ll need to have this discussion with him not me.”
“Oh I will later tonight when he meets me here. Did he tell you he was meeting me tonight? I’ve been his sexual partner for a few years now. Since he can’t have sex with you, a mere human, I’m sure I’ll be taking care of him tonight. Don’t wait up for him.” With that, she slammed my truck door. I floored it out of the parking lot. I looked in my rearview mirror and she stood in the parking lot, laughing as I drove away.
When I got home, I made sure every window and door was locked. I know it won’t keep a vampire out but it somehow made me feel safer.
“What’s the matter, Nat?” Seager growled from his striking position.
“I bumped into Bradley’s vamp girlfriend when I went to Lee’s for dinner. She wasn’t too pleased and told me to leave him alone.” I gave him my leftovers.
“What did you say?”
“I told her to tell Bradley herself. I don’t tell him what he can and can’t do. She made it quite clear that she’d be discussing it later tonight when he meets her at Lee’s. Apparently, they’ve been lovers for years. She implied that they were meeting for sex tonight since he could never have it with me.”
“Please don’t let your jealousy or imagination run wild again. You know he’s not with her anymore. Brad said he hasn’t kissed another woman since the day he met you in Black Forest. Trust Brad, Natalia… Please.”
“I don’t care either way.” I heard Seager sigh as he ate.
My plans were to watch Parent Trap tonight, one of my most favorite movies. I wasn’t about to let Bradley or his vamp girlfriend ruin my night. Unfortunately for me, the movie did not hold my attention. I found myself thinking of ways to leave tomorrow, just for a few days. That’s when it hit me, we could spend the holidays with Melissa. She invited me to her New Year’s party.
“Hey, Seager, you remember when I told you Meliss was
having a party tomorrow night?”
“Yep and no I don’t want to go. Again, you’re just running instead of facing the truth. Haven’t you and Brad been through enough? Can’t you for once give him the benefit of the doubt?”
“Sure I will, if you can tell me what his plans are for tonight. He hasn’t been here during the day, when I’m awake, only when I’m sleeping. I’ve been wondering if he’s been purposely avoiding me. It makes sense that he would do that if he were having sex with someone else. Maybe I should just set him free so he can be with whoever he wants, without feeling guilty about hurting me.” That sounded like a good idea. Tomorrow night I would let him go. Just the thought of it brought tears to my eyes.
“Nat, he gave you that promise ring. You need to trust him. Please don’t cry. Ugh!! Never mind. I don’t know why I bother. If you don’t mind I’d like to sleep on the porch tonight.”
“Fine. I don’t blame you. I wouldn’t want to be around me either.” I sobbed. He just rolled his eyes and went to sleep on the porch.
I cried myself to sleep before the movie ended.
I woke up to static on the television. When I reached for the remote, I noticed Seager sleeping on the floor next to the couch. Bradley was here, I could feel it. I pretended that it didn’t register and checked to make sure the front door was locked. I sat back down to find something else to watch. If he were actually in the house, he would have said something by now. I quickly fell into dreamland again. I woke up as I was being carried to my bedroom. Although I knew it had been Bradley, I was in the middle of a nightmare so I freaked out a bit.
He set me on the bed and turned on the lights. “It’s okay, Natalia, it’s me.” I could see he was worried about earlier. Still not ready to talk about his vamp girlfriend, I rolled over and pretended to go back to sleep. I felt him silently crawl in behind me, spooning me.
After a few minutes, I rolled over again and pulled his shirtless body to mine. I caressed his back moving my hand to his butt and discovered he was completely naked. Not wanting him to know I woke, I moved my hand up slightly and held him tight against me. I fell asleep for real this time.