How To Save A Life (Brown County)

by Amber Nation

  They began their last song for the night and Tessa instantly perked up looking behind her for someone in the bar. “Oh, Emmalynne will be so pissed that she isn’t here. They are covering her favorite bands newest single “Sleeping With A Friend" by Neon Trees."

  The last swallow of my Diet Coke traveled down the wrong tube and I instantly started choking. Tessa lightly pounded on my back until I could catch my breath. What were the odds that they were playing a song about sleeping with a friend?

  Mike’s gaze had zeroed in even more on me if that was even at all possible.

  Toby was traveling around the stage doing little twists and turns as he sang.

  It was a different tune for them, but the song was catchy as hell. I found myself singing along to the chorus even though I had never heard of the song or the band before now.

  The song actually described Mike and me perfectly, talking about how it wasn’t easy to get together but once it happened, and it would happen, it would be explosive.

  Then Mike had a drum solo and something completely feral and all-encompassing passed between the two of us. I was done pretending that there was absolutely nothing between us. I just knew that, in the end, one or the both of us would get our world ripped apart and our heart broken, but then there was that little chance that everything would turn out perfectly alright. I wanted to believe in that little chance. I wanted that little chance to expand into something amazing and my worrying to end up being a nonexistent glimmer of doubt.

  I felt completely stripped bare and all of my emotions towards this man were being brought to true light. I couldn’t hold back another second longer.

  This was finally it, the moment that I would give into everything that I had sworn against. The stage lights faded out and the house lights came on but dimmer than before and music began streaming through the strategically placed speakers once the band exited the stage.

  I didn’t know how long it would be until Mike came out and found me, but I knew without a shadow of a doubt that it would happen.

  I left Tessa where she was standing and went to discard my empty glass back at the bar and as soon as I sat the glass on the counter. I felt a light tap on my shoulder and a warm breath at my ear that instantly made a shiver run down my spine, “I bet you could play this song much better on the piano."

  I hadn’t even noticed that “Faithfully" by Journey had come on through the speakers, I was so into my own head trying to decide the next step between the two of us. I turned around and looked straight into Mike’s eyes, the vulnerability and raw passion that was reflecting back at me was enough to take my breath away. He was so unbelievably beautiful, every single bit of him down to his deeply hidden emotional scars. I pulled my bottom lip in between my teeth as he took my hand and led me to the center of the makeshift dance floor.

  He pulled me close to where one of his hands was curved around my waist while the other held one of my hands on his chest between us. “Dance with me, Sheridan," he said huskily. It wasn’t a request, it was more of a command. You could tell that he was definitely feeling the effects of being so close to me. I wrapped my free hand around his shoulder and rested my chin up on it as we just swayed to the beat of the song.

  It really brought a smile to my face whenever he began softly singing the words in my ear while he drew tiny circles on my lower back. I would’ve never been one to peg Mike for the singing type, but he had a beautiful tone. To hear him sing about being only mine, it almost made me believe it. I closed my eyes and just enjoyed this time that we had being enraptured by the moment.

  I could feel eyes on me, so I casually lifted one eye to see Tessa standing in my line of sight with the goofiest grin on her face. I could almost see her shouting to the entire room, “Told ya so!" I really wanted to retaliate against her, in a loving way of course, so I mentally gave her the middle finger in a silent fuck you!

  The song quickly changed to John Legend. “All of Me" began playing and I leisurely lifted my head so I could lock eyes with him, “What are we doing here, Mike?"

  Mike

  This night was actually turning out better than anything I had hoped for. Sheridan looked incredible and here she was with me in my arms, where she belonged.

  I was honestly expecting her to give me some kind of lip about my bossiness and basically trapping her into dancing with me, but true to Sheridan she surprised me at every single turn.

  After the change of songs, I continued to hold her tight, I would’ve been extremely complacent just standing here all night having the curves of her body in my arms.

  She moved her head from my shoulder to look up at me, “What are we doing here, Mike?" Her voice as well as her facial expression was screaming passion and that she was into this moment just as much as I was.

  “I’m not entirely sure, but I’d love to find out. Give us tonight," I said as I leaned forward to nuzzle her neck.

  I could’ve kicked the shit out of myself for only offering tonight, but I would worry about the rest later because she eagerly nodded her head affirming my notion to get the hell out of here. I wasn’t going to waste another minute.

  Releasing her waist, I started lightly pulling her out of the exit but in the end, she sped up her steps and she was almost to the point of pulling me out.

  I hoped to hell that I could make it back to my house because the feral feeling I had right now I wanted to take her outside against my truck and there was no way in hell that was happening. I needed to take my time with Sheridan and savor over her every inch.

  Once we stepped outside of Emmy Lou’s, we were each hit with the muggy summer night air, which did absolutely nothing to cool down our rising temperatures. I didn’t expect Sheridan to be so forward until she was shoving me up against the outside of the building and her lips were upon me.

  I sent up a slight ‘thank you’ to the heavens above. I couldn’t honestly believe that I was actually having another chance to kiss her because after that one time in the garage I thought that would be it, and it did absolutely nothing to quell my thirst for her.

  If rough was what she liked, I was more than happy to oblige. I grabbed her hips in my hands and she wrapped her legs around my waist, then it was my turn to push her up against the building. Her eyes were glazed over and her breathing accelerating. “I have to taste you," I said moments before I nipped her bottom lip then smoothed my tongue over it to dissipate the sting. I began devouring her neck while my hand was massaging her breast through her clothing. My dick had never been so fucking hard, I needed to slow down or run the risk of ending things right here before they ever really began.

  I broke apart from her and sat her on her feet, I was out of breath, so in between each rise and fall of my chest, I tried to tell her we had to get home. “Home…" Deep breath. “Now…"

  She practically sprinted to my truck, I had never seen her move so quickly. I followed suit and hoisted myself into my seat and fired it up, peeling out of the parking lot. I needed to get home as quickly and safely as possible, I didn’t want her to have a change of heart. I hoped to God that wouldn’t happen, I still couldn’t even believe that we were in this situation.

  It was funny to think that just a few months ago I was relieved for the barrier of the center console and now I was cursing the damn thing’s existence as it was a hindrance from me touching her.

  She seemed to still be holding on, she was currently chewing on a fingernail and fidgeting with her hands, something that I had noticed her do whenever she was nervous, and her feet were resting on my dashboard. Normally I would say something to her, but at this split second she could be completely covered in mud and I wouldn’t give a flying fuck about it.

  And that’s when I knew I was a goner. It hit me like a ton of bricks. I put Sheridan before my beloved truck, I had finally let another woman entirely into my life and into my heart. I took a minute to pray that nothing would mess this up.

  I quickly turned onto my street and whipped around the cul-de-sac,
slamming on my breaks and skidding to a stop in front of my house.

  We were both out of the truck and onto my front porch in a split second. Sheridan had yet to mutter a single word since leaving the bar, I needed to make sure that we were on the same page. I quickly unlocked the door and before I was able to speak a word, she shoved me inside the door and jumped into my arms. I chuckled a bit as I slammed the front door closed with my foot, “So I take it you are still ok with this?"

  “Well, if you don’t get a move on to your bedroom, I will have some choice words for you. So why the hell are you standing around in your entryway when we could be in your bedroom getting naked?"

  She began alternating kissing and nipping my neck, “Well alright then." I didn’t waste any more time, I went straight to my bedroom and literally threw Sheridan on my bed. The sound of her giggling as she soared through the air helped me in realizing that this was really happening and I was going to show Sheridan how amazing we would be together. But first I had to take care of a little problem that had been on my heels since entering the house.

  I turned towards my open bedroom door and apologized, “I’m sorry Sadie, but you have to stay out," and I quickly shut her out. I had to take a deep breath before I turned around and I was glad that I did. Sheridan was sprawled out on my bed. I hadn’t ever had another woman in my bed, well not this particular bed, and before that it was only Erin. No, when I had my occasional hookups we always went back to her place, I didn’t ever think that I would let another woman into my bed let alone my life, and here was this goddess.

  I crawled up the entire length of her body ending on my forearms right above her head and then captured her lips in a slow and sensual kiss. Feeling her hands sink into my hair was incredible and I couldn’t even formulate the words to describe it.

  Deciding that I had had enough and I was ready to see the rest of her delectable body, I rose from my position and quickly shed free from my clothes, leaving only my boxer briefs as the only article of clothing left on my skin.

  She licked her lips and sucked her bottom lip in her mouth again so I knew she definitely liked what she saw.

  Kneeling on the bed, I slowly unbuttoned her jeans and lowered the teeth of the zipper one tooth at a time. I practically had to peel the jeans from her body, they were made to look like a second skin. “These jeans are almost as bad as Toby’s. I don’t know how you can move in them." I completely got them free revealing her glorious legs and a satin red thong which matched the hue of her lips and I proceeded to discard it as well leaving her stark naked from the waist down.

  “Do we really have to talk about Toby’s jeans now?" She sat up and whipped off her tank and threw it on top of my abandoned clothing and her jeans and then unbuttoned the front clasp of her bra, freeing her impressive pert breasts. My mouth watered just looking at them.

  A deep guttural growl erupted from my chest and I was back on top of her again, “I wanted to do that. I have often fantasized of taking your clothing off piece by piece, revealing your glorious body."

  Taking inventory of all of her curves and features she wasn’t just glorious though, “But you are more than just that, you are fucking exquisite, a goddess."

  I trailed kisses down her breasts, taking a pink supple nipple into my mouth and giving it a good suck, then releasing it and giving the same attention to the other before I descended my way down the rest of her body.

  Placing my mouth on her core, she reacted just the way I’d hoped she would, with her back bowing off of the bed and a string of expletives releasing from her lips as her hands dug into my hair again.

  The faster that I licked her pussy and the harder I sucked on her clit, the more response she would give in pulling my hair, so I wasn’t exactly gentle in my ravishing of her. I had waited too long to take it easy.

  It wasn’t until I felt her center begin to tighten around my tongue and her legs begin to tremble I took my mouth off of her, bringing her to the edge, but not quite letting her fall off to the other side. I quickly ditched my boxer briefs and didn’t let her get in a protest or a smart ass comment before I slid my straining erection slowly into her tight pussy until I was completely seated.

  “Mike!" she screamed digging her nails deep into my back.

  Gritting my teeth because it felt so unbelievably amazing, I began slowly moving bringing my dick out, exposing almost the very tip then thrusting into her quickly again. Each time I completed this I got a little rougher and each time her moans got a little louder and her nails dug in a little further.

  I pulled myself completely out and flipped her onto her stomach, she quickly caught on and lifted her ass into the air. I entered her from behind, and this different angle was incredible, I had to refrain from rolling my eyes into the back of my head from the sheer pleasure of it. I bent forward and cradled a breast in my hand, squeezing gently, until she said that one word that made all of the difference.

  “Harder!"

  Something feral went off inside of me and I started pumping harder and faster and she would push back meeting me thrust for thrust. I decided I wanted to get a bit bold, not knowing how it would come across since she was in such a dark place with Pate, but I was too far gone to turn back now, I lifted my hand and brought it down on her ass. Not too hard, but hard enough for her to feel the bite from the sting. She cried out only to quickly say, “Again!" So who would I be not to comply? I repeated my actions, just a little harder this time and the instant my hand connected with her ass, she screamed out during her release. I had to bite my tongue in order not to come while her pussy was gripping my dick so tightly.

  Seeing her ass pink from my handprint turned me on even more. Once her orgasm subsided, I flipped her back over and this time I was going to take my time.

  It must’ve been something about Sheridan, because any other time I wouldn’t be able to control my release this long. I wanted to savor this time in case it would be the only time.

  Her breathing was still ragged, but I slipped into her once again, this time looking directly in her eyes. And her eyes, God damn those eyes, they were sparkling back up at me and I swear something passed between us right then and there. She was mine.

  After her second orgasm and me finding my release, I fell onto my back utterly exhausted and without me even asking, she curled into my side. I could tell that things changed for the better and I fell asleep with a smile on my face.

  Opening my eyes at the first sight of dawn and hearing the birds chirp outside my window, I sat up and stretched my arms above my head, getting all of the kinks from sleep worked out. I felt completely rested for the first time in years, the same smile that was on my face when I fell asleep still lingered. I didn’t think I had ever smiled so much since Hannah had died, in fact, I knew I hadn’t. Until I looked down and my smile completely vanished due to the empty space where Sheridan was supposed to be sleeping.

  I placed my hand down on the fitted sheet over the mattress expecting to find it still warm, but it was completely cool to the touch.

  I wondered if she had a bad dream and just stayed up with Sadie, I would’ve thought that she would wake me up if it occurred, but I would’ve have put it past her stubborn self.

  I quickly got out of bed and went to my dresser picking out a pair of basketball shorts to slip onto my otherwise naked body. Spotting the pile of clothes on the floor I had to do a double take to confirm that she had indeed taken her clothes off of the pile.

  Opening the door, Sadie was right there laying on the hardwood floor, and she perked up whenever she saw my face.

  “Morning, Sadie. I’ll take you out in a minute. Where is Sheridan, girl?"

  Sadie looked at the closed door that was next to mine, Sheridan’s room. I stepped in front of the door and strained to see if I could hear any movement going on from within the room before I turned the knob and slowly opened the door, “Sheridan?"

  She was in there alright, snuggled underneath her covers still fast asleep. It made me w
onder how long she waited before slipping from my bed. And then I wondered if I had said or done something to make her leave. I thought things had changed, but I guess not.

  I felt hurt and betrayed at the thought, but then there would be absolutely no one but myself to blame because I had asked for just one night.

  Making a fresh pot of coffee, which wouldn’t be strong enough for my present feelings I thought back to my dream last night. I remembered that I told her that I loved her in my dream, whispering it ever so lightly, but what if I actually said that to her not realizing it? I probably scared her off with my forwardness.

  A few minutes later I had myself a strong cup of coffee and I sat down at the bar knowing that she would smell the brew and wouldn’t be able to resist. Plus she would be getting up for work soon anyways.

  Sure enough, she came out covered pretty much from head to toe in her long sleeved bathrobe which practically reached the floor. She went straight to the cabinet to retrieve her favorite coffee mug that said, Keep Calm I’m A Paramedic. Which, in fact, was my favorite, but I just let her use it to make her happy, and didn’t even spare a second glance my way while filling her cup.

  She still hadn’t said a word as she retraced her steps back through the living room and evidently down the hallway. I heard the bathroom door shut and the shower turn on and I thought that was just great. I knew a blow off when I saw one. Too bad for her that her walk of shame occurred under my roof.

  I looked down at Sadie who was laying on her side, “You’re lucky you have it so easy girl," looked back at the empty space where Sheridan just occupied one last time and let out a long drawn out sigh. “Let’s go outside."

  By the time Sadie and I had come back in from our lounge session on the back patio, Sheridan had already left for her shift at the diner.

  And how lucky for me, Brock wanted to meet at the one place that was crucial for me to avoid…

  I let out a loudly audible sigh as I jerked my body into the booth across from Brock at The Diner, and pulled my baseball cap lower over my head to try and shield my eyes. My thought logic was that if I couldn’t see her then I wouldn’t have to think about her.