Beautifully Unfinished

by Beverley Hollowed

“Are you going to stay out there all night?” Tucker asked with a cheeky grin. “Or are you going to actually come in?”

  “I haven’t decided yet,” Lucy said as she nervously played with her fingers. Her breath hitched in her throat as Tucker slowly stepped down from the front porch and walked towards her.

  “Are you still mad at me?” He asked as he gradually closed the distance between them gradually.

  “Maybe,” Lucy whispered as her face flushed with embarrassment. “Maybe I came to say I’m sorry.”

  “Maybe I’m sorry too,” Tucker breathed against her lips when he reached her and took her into his arms.

  “Really?” Lucy asked as she looked up into his eyes.

  “Yes,” Tucker replied. “I mean, I still want to beat the snot out of that asshole, but I know that what you need right now is for me to use my head instead of my fists.”

  “So you didn’t go to see Trent?” Lucy asked, as her stomach tensed at the mention of his name.

  “Oh, I went to see him,” Tucker replied. “I warned him if he came anywhere near you again, I would arrest him for harassment, and this time, his buddies wouldn’t be able to save his ass, but I didn’t touch him.”

  “Good,” Lucy said, as she leaned into Tucker and pressed her lips to his softly. “I don’t know what I would do if you got into trouble because of me again.”

  “Have you being drinking, Ms. Chance?” Tucker asked in his best police officer’s voice.

  “I have, Deputy,” Lucy giggled. “I’ve been drinking margaritas.”

  “Oh no,” Tucker grinned. “Your father warned me about you and Alison, and your margaritas.”

  “Are you going to arrest me, Deputy Flynn?” Lucy said, as she reached up and touched Tucker’s face.

  “Oh, I can think of something much better than that,” Tucker growled, as he bent down and scooped her up in his arms. Lucy screamed and laughed out loud as Tucker turned and hurried back towards the house.

  When they reached the house, Tucker set Lucy down and turned her to him. Lucy didn’t waste any time. She kissed Tucker hard on the mouth, and as she reached up and weaved her fingers through his thick, blond hair, she drew him closer to her.

  Maybe it was false bravery from one too many margaritas, but Lucy suddenly felt confident, and she knew exactly what she wanted. She wanted Tucker.

  Tucker wasted no time wrapping her in his arms and pulling her closer to him. As their bodies became almost one, Lucy could feel Tucker’s arousal against her tummy, and she gasped.

  Tucker didn’t miss a beat as he dipped his tongue into her mouth, and quickly found hers.

  Lucy could feel her entire body come alive with desire. She needed him almost as much as she wanted him. She dropped her hands to the buttons on his jeans, then with one tug, she pulled them open.

  Tucker pulled his lips from hers breathlessly and stared down at Lucy with hunger in his eyes. Suddenly, he grabbed her by the hips and moved her back until her back was against the wall

  He stared down into her eyes, and Lucy could hear her heart hammering in her ears.

  He reached for the top button on her blouse and slowly opened it, his eyes never leaving hers. Each button he undid, the hunger in his eyes grew.

  When the final button was open, Tucker slipped his hands up over her body, until he reached her shoulders and slowly pushed the blouse from them.

  Then he ran his fingers tenderly down her straps, pushing them from her shoulders as he did. Finally, Tucker let his thumbs glide over the lace of her bra, teasing her nipples as he did.

  Lucy closed her eyes and threw her head back, as the pleasure rolled over her entire body.

  “Look at me, Lucy,” Tucker commanded breathlessly.

  Lucy forced her eyes open and met Tucker’s gaze. He gave her a smile as if he was asking for permission. Lucy smiled and leaned forward, as she reached for the waist of his jeans, as slipped her hand inside.

  She softly stroked the head of his erection, while her eyes never left his.

  “I need you, Tucker,” she whispered against his lips. “Please.”

  “I’m yours,” he replied, before he slammed his mouth against Lucy’s and pinned her against the wall. “Forever, yours.”

  Tucker dropped his hand down and gripped Lucy’s skirt. Slowly he eased it up her legs.

  Lucy moaned with longing as Tucker moved his hand around to her backside. He gripped it tightly as he pulled her closer to him and he ground his arousal against her.

  Suddenly he spun her around to face the wall and pressed his lips to her neck.

  “Do you trust me, Lucy?” He whispered into her ear.

  “Yes,” she replied, breathlessly.

  “If you want me to stop,” he continued. “You just need to say the words, I promise.”

  Tucker took Lucy by the hands and raised them to the wall in front of them.

  “Don’t move,” he whispered.

  Lucy pressed her hands against the wall, as her heart pounding rapidly in her chest.

  Tucker dropped to his knees behind her. He slowly ran his fingertips up along the back of her legs until he reached the rim of her panties. He slipped one of his hands around her waist and drew her closer to him, then he pressed his lips to the curve of her backside.

  He reached for the lace edge of her panties and eased them down her legs until they reached her ankles.

  Lucy lifted her feet, one at a time, as she stepped out of her panties. Tucker then pulled her to him once more, as his lips teased the soft skin on her bottom. His hand slipped between her thighs at the front, then up until he found her soft centre.

  “OH, GOD!” Lucy cried out as Tucker pressed the pad of his thumb against her sensitive clit, circling it over and over again. She closed her eyes and allowed him to take her body higher and higher. Each circle he made, pushed her closer to the edge. Lucy pressed her hand's tighter to the wall, and she prepared herself for her release.

  Suddenly Tucker pulled his hand free, and Lucy cried out at the sudden loss of contact, but before she had time to think, Tucker was standing up straight behind her. She could feel the smooth, slick head of his arousal against her backside. She longed to feel him deep inside her. She pressed herself against him and circled her hips against his rock hard arousal.

  Tucker wrapped his arm around her waist once more and pulled her closer to him once again. This time, he pushed her legs further apart with his foot.

  Lucy could feel his hot breath against her neck as the tip of his erection pushed through her soft folds from behind. With one thrust, Tucker was buried deep inside her, making her cry out.

  “I love you,” he whispered against her ear as he pulled out some of the way, then slammed back into her.

  “I love you, too,” Lucy cried as she pinched her eyes closed tighter.

  “Tell me you will never leave me,” Tucker pleaded, as once again, he pushed into her, deeply. “Promise me.”

  “Tucker, I…” Lucy said as her head spun with pleasure.

  “Tell me, Lucy,” Tucker pleaded. “I can’t lose you again.”

  “I will never leave you,” Lucy said as her entire body tensed. She knew she was close, and she wanted to make it last.

  Tucker didn’t let up, over and over he pushed into her each thrust bringing her closer to the edge.

  “TUCKER!” She cried out as she came apart. Her legs began to shake, and Lucy struggled to hold herself up.

  Tucker held her tight, and he pushed into her once again, this time, he too found his release.

  As he pulled himself out of Lucy, he scooped her into his arms and held her close to him.

  “I am far from done with you,” he whispered, as he walked towards his room. Lucy smiled and rested her head against his shoulder. She finally felt like she was exactly where she belonged.

  “Hey,” Tucker said, as Lucy opened her eyes and looked up at him sleepily. “Good morning, Sleepy Head.”

  “What time is?” Lucy asked, as she yawned
and stretched, then winced as her muscle ached. She felt sore all over.

  “It’s almost eleven,” Tucker laughed, as he leaned down and kissed her shoulder, then added. “Did I wear you out last night?”

  “ELEVEN!” She exclaimed as she jumped up in bed, suddenly wide awake. “Why did you let me sleep this late?”

  She jumped out of the bed and hurried towards the bathroom.

  “Lucy, what’s wrong?” Tucker asked, as he followed her.

  “I need to get home,” she said as she opened the door of Tucker’s shower and jumped beneath it. “Alison will think I forgot all about her.

  She switched on the water and screamed when the jets of cold water hit her skin. “JESUS FUCKING CHRIST!!”

  Tucker just smiled as he slid open the door and stepped into the shower behind her.

  “Calm down, everything will be fine,” Tucker said, as he wrapped her in his arms and drew her closer to him. He looked down at Lucy and thought for a moment. “Are you sure this is just about Alison?”

  “What else would it be about?” Lucy asked, as she looked into his eyes, confused by what he meant.

  “About what I asked you last night,” Tucker replied. “About not leaving.”

  “I…I just need to get back to Alison,” Lucy said, avoiding his question. She remembered their conversation, but she wasn’t ready to talk about it right now. She needed time to think of what it meant for her if she kept her promise.

  “Lucy, please,” Tucker replied. “We need to talk about this. I know you have your life back in New York, but I don’t want to lose you again. I need to know that there is room for me in your life too.”

  “Of course, there is room for you in my life,” Lucy replied, surprised to see the vulnerability in Tucker. “You mean everything to me. I just need time to figure it out.”

  “I won’t let you walk away from me again,” Tucker whispered, as he pressed his forehead to Lucy’s. “You and I have always been unfinished business. Since the first time I kissed you, all those years ago. I knew then that my heart belonged with yours. You are the only thing in this world I want.”

  “Unfinished business,” Lucy breathed against his lips. “We are beautifully unfinished. There is still so much more for us to do.”

  “Promise me,” Tucker pleaded. “Promise me that you won’t give up on me.”

  “I promise,” Lucy replied with a smile, as she leaned up on her tippy toes and softly kissed his lips.

  As they showered and got dressed, neither said another word. There was nothing left to say. They both knew that no matter what the future would bring, they would face it together.

  Thirty minutes later, as Tucker led Lucy to his truck, she smiled to herself. She couldn’t believe that she finally found her place in this crazy world.

  Over the years, she had started to believe that it was her destiny to be alone and lost, but now she had found Tucker again, life seemed to have so much more to offer.

  As Lucy reached the truck, she stopped before she climbed inside. She suddenly had the feeling that she was being watched. She turned around in a full circle, but there was no one to be seen.

  “Are you okay?” Tucker asked, as he gave her a worried look.

  “Yeah,” she said, as she still scanned the area. “I guess…I’m just being silly, that’s all.”

  “Well get in the truck, Silly Girl,” Tucker said as he kissed her tenderly on the lips. “We need to get you home.”

  Lucy laughed as she climbed into the truck, and Tucker slammed her door shut. She smiled to herself as she waited for him to hurry around to the driver’s side and get in.

  She looked over at Tucker as he started the engine.

  “I do love you, Tucker,” she said honestly.

  “I know,” he replied with a smile. He put the truck into drive and pulled out of the driveway.

  Chapter 25

  When Tucker and Lucy reached Tom’s house, Lucy was surprised to see Alison’s car wasn’t in the driveway. She was sure she would have still been hiding in her bed, hungover.

  “I wonder where she has gone,” Lucy said as Tucker turned off the engine.

  “Well, if she was on the margaritas last night, too,” Tucker said as they both climbed out of the car. “Maybe she is gone to get something for a hangover.”

  “Maybe,” Lucy said, as she headed up the pathway to the front door and pulled out her keys.

  The first thing Lucy noticed when she stepped through the front door was the smell. The strong odour of disinfectant hit the back of Lucy’s throat and made her already delicate stomach, heave.

  She walked into the living room and was surprised to find the mess they had created the night before all gone and the room spotless. Still, something seemed different, Lucy just couldn’t seem to put her finger on what is was.

  “Lucy,” Tucker said from the doorway. “I found a note.”

  Lucy turned and found Tucker holding out a sheet of paper, folded in half.

  She walked towards him, took it from him and began to read.

  Hi Lucy,

  I’m sorry for vanishing. I got a call from David. He got back from his trip early. He had some kind of accident. I have gone back to New York to check on him.

  He said it’s nothing to worry about, but I want to be sure.

  I cleaned up our mess from last night, but I did have an accident. I dropped a lamp and broke it. I will send money for a new one when I get back to New York. Talk soon.

  Alison xx

  “She went back to New York,” Lucy said, as she looked up at Tucker. “She said David had an accident, and she needed to go home.”

  “Who’s David?” Tucker asked as he watched Lucy.

  “He is her fiancé,” Lucy replied, as a worried expression appeared on her face.

  “What’s wrong?” Tucker asked, as he immediately sensed something wasn’t right with Lucy.

  “Nothing,” she frowned, then added. “It’s just, something doesn’t feel right. I hope she isn’t upset with me for not coming back last night.”

  “She is your friend, Lucy,” Tucker said, as he reached up and softly touched her face. “I don’t think she would be angry; I think she would be happy that you’re happy.”

  “I guess so,” Lucy shrugged. “Still, I think I will give her a ring and make sure everything is okay.”

  “Okay,” Tucker said, and he kissed her on the forehead. “I am going to go grab some coffee. You go get changed, make your call, then we can go to see your dad.”

  Lucy nodded, then turned and headed for the stairs. When she reached her room, she pulled out her phone and brought up Alison’s number. She let it ring until it reached her voicemail.

  “Hey, Ali, it’s me,” Lucy said, unsure of what she should say next. She decided just to apologise and go from there. “I’m sorry about last night. Tucker and I have worked things out, well sort of. Anyway, I am sorry I didn’t come back. I hope you’re not mad.”

  Lucy stopped, unsure of what else she should say.

  “I hope David is okay,” she continued. “I will call you later, or call me back when you get this message. Okay, bye.”

  She hung up the phone and sat on the bed for a few moments. Something felt off, but she wasn’t sure what.

  “Penny for your thoughts,” Tucker said from the door of the room, startling Lucy. She hadn’t even heard him coming in.

  “I was just thinking about, Alison,” Lucy replied.

  “Is she okay?” Tucker asked, as he walked to the bed and sat down next to Lucy.

  “I didn’t talk to her,” Lucy replied. “I got her voicemail, so I left a message.”

  “I’m sure she will call back later,” Tucker said, and Lucy knew he was trying his hardest to reassure her.

  “Yeah…” Lucy replied, but stopped and frowned.

  “What is it?” Tucker asked.

  “Alison always answers her phone,” Lucy sighed. “Even when she is in the car. I’m just surprised that she didn’t
answer, is all.”

  “You don’t think she is ignoring you?” Tucker asked. “I know I don’t know her, but I don’t think that is her style.”

  “I don’t know,” Lucy shrugged. “I guess I will know later if she returns my call.”

  “I guess you will,” Tucker said, as he gave her a reassuring smile. “So stop worrying. She is your friend.”

  Lucy smiled back, leaned up and kissed his cheek, then stood up and walked to her chest of drawers. She pulled out clean jeans, a blouse, and some underwear.

  “I will leave you to get ready,” Tucker said, as he stood up from the bed and walked to the door. “I need to make some calls. I will be downstairs.”

  “Okay,” Lucy said, as she watched him disappear out the bedroom door.

  Ten minutes later, Lucy made her way down to the kitchen and out onto the back porch, where she found Tucker sipping coffee and staring into space.

  “Penny for your thoughts,” she said, repeating his question to her from earlier, as she sat down next to him on the back step.

  “I was just thinking,” Tucker said, as he glanced at Lucy. “You’re going to go back to New York, aren’t you?”

  “I don’t know what I am going to do,” Lucy replied honestly, as her eyes fell to the flower planter in front of them. “I know my dad needs me here, and I can’t imagine spending one day without seeing you…”

  “But,” Tucker added. “I sense there is a ‘but’ coming.”

  “But,” Lucy said cautiously. “Staying here in River Springs also means I will always have the ghosts of the past hanging over me. I will always be afraid that I will see Trent wherever I go. I don’t think I can live like that. I don’t think I belong here.”

  “Then we will go to New York,” Tucker replied like it was the most obvious thing in the world.

  “We?” Lucy asked, stunned by what he said. “You would do that for me?”

  “In a heartbeat,” Tucker replied with a grin.

  “But…” Lucy said, still shocked by his response. “Your life is here…”

  “My life is sitting in front of me,” he stopped her mid-sentence. “I told you, I am not letting you walk out of my life again. I understand why it would be hard for you to stay here. So, if being with you means I have to go to New York with you, then I will.”