ROMANCE: CLEAN ROMANCE: Summer Splash! (Sweet Inspirational Contemporary Romance) (New Adult Clean Fantasy Short Stories)

by Michelle Woodward

  Father had me go to my room to clean myself up. We were to go to the funeral home to set everything straight for his burial two days after the next. I was still shaken. I didn’t want to move anymore. After my dramatic exit from Jackson’s lake house last night, I wasn’t prepared for anything worse. But here it was; pain coursed through my entire body.

  Downstairs, I could feel my brothers arguing, but it was mostly Henry just babbling.

  “It was them Pa! You know it!” He spoke through gritted teeth.

  Father shifted on his seat.

  “He’s right.” Vince Pitched in. “No ordinary bear could break through those traps. I tell you, they’ve come back. We need to stop them. Give them a welcome wagon they’ll never forget.”

  “We aren’t even sure.” Dad said with exasperation.

  “It’s them Damn it! I know it!” Henry roared at him as he pushed his way to the kitchen.

  *****

  It was a warm and sunny afternoon, Nico’s favourite kind. It was just us and a few of his high school buddies, mostly from the football team he used to play on. We didn’t cry anymore. We were Colemans and Colemans never cry, well, at least not in public. It didn’t matter that Jackson didn’t even come, although he did send flowers of condolences. I was a Coleman. I was strong.

  As everyone retreated and slowly returned to their cars parked just a stone’s throw away from the gravesite, I saw a figure emerge from the distant trees. I squinted to see which one of Nico’s friends had possibly arrived late, and to my surprise it was a face that was burned into my memory. It was Garret. Perplexed, I slowly walked toward him as he came closer to me.

  “I tried going to your bar, you know, for that drink. The bartender said your brother had passed and that today was the burial.” He talked as he scanned the pain in my face. “I just came here to make sure you’re okay, I mean, after that night I saw you in the woods…” But Jenna cut him off.

  “Please.” I said as I held up one hand, gesturing that I didn’t want to discuss it any further.

  “I’m sorry. Here.” Garret pulled out a white handkerchief was he wiped away my tears as they started flowing.

  “Thanks.” I said through sobs. “I need to return to my family now.” I turned away bidding goodbye to the man who had strangely been in the right place at the right time for me lately.

  As I made my way to my brothers waiting in the Jeep, I caught Henry eyeing Garret sternly.

  “Who’s he?” Vince demanded.

  “A friend.” I replied, not wanting to get into any details.

  “You are not to make friends with him. Do you hear me Jenna?” Henry suddenly spat at me.

  “What is wrong with you? We’re just friends. What the hell do you care who I am friends with!” I spat back.

  My father raised his head. “This is neither the time nor place to be arguing. Jenna, I hate doing this, but I too shall not permit you to go near that man again.”

  I was shocked at this. He was a kind and sensible man. He was never the type to judge people that he didn’t know. I was confused and tried to attribute this unreasonable behaviour to the fact that he was still grieving. I still couldn’t get my head around what was going on.

  “Why?” I said.

  “Just because we said so.” Vince replied quickly. I looked to Guiles for some sympathy or at least a little agreement. He had always been my hero, but today he just turned away. We made it back home in one piece even though we had been hissing and seething with anger at each other for the whole ride back.

  The day rested and night had fallen. I felt irate and mad, defeated and enraged, all at the same time. I decided I needed to take a walk. I marched down the staircase, and walked past my brothers on the porch.

  “Where do you think you’re going?” Vince called out.

  “Out.” I yelled back, pushing my way down the porch stairs and onto the path leading away from our house.

  I started marching to the lake – the only place I felt safe lately. When I reached the shore, I slowly walked along its edge while staring at the full moon, which reflected upon the surface of the now eerily still lake. In the distance I could hear the hooting of the owls as frogs croaked a monotonous chorus that added to the melancholic air of the evening.

  I lost track of time as I meandered along the water. I turned around to see that I had come quite a distance. I stopped in my tracks when I saw a familiar sight further ahead along the shore; it was Jackson’s lake house. I sat down on a big rock by the water’s edge, and decided that this was as good a place as any to relax and take in what had happened in the span of just less than a week.

  My meditation was suddenly broken by a low but audible sound. It was a sound similar to the one my brothers made when I had to repair really bad wounds with alcohol and stitches. It was definitely a restrained cry of pain. I tried to look around, discerning where it had come from until I finally saw a clearing in the middle of an overgrowth just north from where I had been sitting. I tried to peer as stealthily as possible so as not to spook whoever or whatever it was. What I saw shocked me and paralyzed me with fear.

  It was Garret. His clothes were torn up, revealing his naked body covered in hard and tense muscles. His large cock swung as he was struggling to contain what appeared to be sheer pain.

  Slowly, his body started becoming bigger. His arms stubbier and his legs became heavier. Fur started thickening all over his body as he finally morphed into what looked like an overgrown bear.

  I started shaking uncontrollably. Fear gripped my heart. I was frozen right there on the spot. I let out a faint whimper, making the thing notice my presence. It turned to my direction and it slowly approached me.

  As it stood face to face with me, I began saying my prayers. Halfway through, the most surprising thing happened. The creature lowered its head and rested it on my stomach. It was still Garret. It was Garret who was now a ferocious looking, but shockingly docile, creature.

  It stepped back as I stared at it; my heart started to calm down. Suddenly, a bright light engulfed the creature and after a few seconds, the light had subsided to reveal Garret, once again, as a human. He stared at me with worried eyes. I stepped forward towards him as he flinched at my sudden movement. I reached out my hand to hold his face. He pressed my hand with his as he closed his eyes.

  “Aren’t you scared?” He said finally as he stepped back.

  “Why? Should I be?” I replied.

  “No. You shouldn’t.” As he smiled the kindest and most sincere smile I had ever seen on a man. He let my hand go, turned around and disappeared into the dark forest.

  *****

  I walked back home with a light heart and a smile painted across my face. I soaked in the feeling of having someone making himself completely vulnerable to me and letting me touch him - I realized this was love. Finally, I felt that elusive feeling that had escaped me all these years. His bright eyes as he smiled at me spoke more than words. I knew that even though he was different, he was still the man who had been there at my worst lately and comforted me without judgement.

  When I got home, I found my brothers and father sitting at the front porch looking at me strangely. My father looked down, as though I had disappointed him somehow. He always did this when I disappointed him.

  “Dad?” I tried to reach out to him. But Vince cut me off.

  “Where have you been.”

  I didn’t have to answer him, but I did anyway. “I just went walking.”

  “Please Jenna. We’re family, please tell us the truth.” Guiles said with a hurt tone.

  “What do you mean?” I asked shaking.

  Henry stepped forward as Guiles tried to hold him back.

  “You little whore!” He screamed at my face. “What Guiles meant was that you went off to see that Fields guy!” He continued. I froze right there. How did he know? And if he did see me meet him, did he see what Garret had just changed into?

  “Yes Jenna, I went ahead and followed you.” He
said with a grin. “You know what’s more disgusting? You saw him turn into that monster and you still let him touch you!” He said with disgust.

  “Dad?” I turned to my dad who had now stood up.

  “You are not to see that monster again. Do you hear me Jenna?” He finally spoke.

  “No!” I snapped. “He is not a monster! You saw it,” I turned to Henry, “He didn’t hurt me, did he?”

  “Father.” I demanded.

  “You really don’t get it do you?” Vince spoke.

  “Vince, don’t.” Guiles warned.

  “No! She needs to know. Stop sheltering her!” Vince blurted.

  “What do I need to know?” I asked confused.

  “His family, those monsters. They killed your brother. They killed Nico.” Guiles answered.

  “We’ve always known about their kind. We were hunters and they were beasts. We decided long ago to create a pact. Our hunting grounds were off limits to theirs.” Guiles continued.

  “Nico didn’t know about them, so when he saw the biggest bear he has ever seen in his life ensnared, he rushed to it to kill it. But it wasn’t an ordinary bear. It was a monster, a werebear. It easily broke loose and mauled your brother.” Guiles finished.

  “If they had just stuck to the pact, they wouldn’t have stumbled upon our traps. Nico wouldn’t have died.” Henry said; a tone of hurt visible in his speech.

  “But it wasn’t Garret!” I replied.

  “We’re not sure.” Guiles replied.

  “No. I’m saying it wasn’t him. I was with him that night Nico died. It couldn’t have been him.” I answered with hope.

  “Does it matter Jenna?” My father finally spoke again. “A monster is a monster, when I say no, I mean it.” He made his way into the house and up to his room as the boys filed in after him.

  I followed. I made my way up to my room and locked the door as I cried myself to sleep. I decided I was going to confront Garret about what had happened to Nico. Maybe he knew something about it.

  The morning came without me dreaming. I felt that that was weird, as I always dreamed. Sometimes, it was a simple dream like me washing clothes or cooking. But never did I go to sleep and wake up without a single dream.

  I tried to act as normal as possible. I went downstairs, pulled out a few pans, stated the burner and cracked a few eggs. Then I brought out the bacon they all loved. Honey cured and homemade, just the way mom used to make it.

  I mused over that thought. If mom were here with me, would she have reacted the same way that everyone else did? I knew she wouldn’t. She never was the judging type. She was fair. Even when she got sick, she didn’t lash out at the doctor or us, her family. She just charged it as fate.

  The food was set. I retreated back to my room. Next was the bar. I needed to get down there to check up on everything. We had closed it down for the wake, but now more than ever, I needed an excuse to leave the house and drown myself in something other than my problems.

  I tied my hair back and as I slipped into my slim jeans and tank top. I liked that it made me look sexy but not haughty. It showed my curves – the ones I truly loved.

  “Where do you think you’re going?” Vince asked as I headed down the stairs.

  “The bar.” I answered as short as possible without turning my head to even look at him.

  “I don’t think so.” He replied.

  “What do you mean? I need to get to work now. Just leave me alone.” I spat.

  “No.” Guiles appeared from the other room, his face red from having been drinking all night. “Father decided you need to be kept here until your little problem is settled.”

  “I don’t have a problem.” I replied flatly as I made my way to the door.

  “Jenna.” My father spoke. “Have you lost all sense of respect for me?”

  I trembled. Of course I hadn’t. But keeping me locked up in the house was not something I was willing to just go along with. “Father. Please.”

  “Enough.” Father said. “Go back to your room and stay there. Vince will keep an eye on you, while Henry, Guiles and I will tend to the bar and to your problem.”

  I couldn’t believe it. I was now a prisoner in my own little home and I couldn’t do anything about it. I ran back to my bedroom with my tears fighting to break away from my eyes.

  This was unfair. I’ve been good to them. When my mother passed away, I stood there, filling her shoes. I let go of going to college just to be here for them. I never expected this to happen. My own family had betrayed me – punished me for finally choosing my own way. They knew Garret had nothing, absolutely nothing to do with it, but they went ahead and tried to protect me from a nonexistent danger.

  I slammed myself onto my bed, tears unceasingly flowing onto my pillow. As I started to drift off into sleep, I heard a quiet tap on my window. I stood up wiping the tears that had carved lines down my face. Someone was throwing stones at my window. I looked down at the forest that had always greeted my room. I searched for the source of the stones and finally found a man hunched under a bush. It was Garret.

  What the hell was he doing? He came here in broad daylight when he knew all along that my family hated his and could easily take him down with a few shots from their hunting rifles.

  I rushed downstairs and found that the truck had vanished, and that Vince was asleep on the couch. I quietly tiptoed through the kitchen and out the back door, and greeted a big man who was so happy to see me. I rushed to him as he rushed towards me as well. He wrapped me in a tight embrace as I stared into those kind and happy eyes.

  He put his finger against his lips, beckoning me to stay quiet as he held my hand and led me deep into the forest. We found a spot far enough from home so we could talk freely.

  “My brother.” I started.

  “Jenna.” He replied.

  “No. I need to know that it wasn’t you.” I replied. “Tell me it wasn’t you.”

  “It wasn’t me. I was with you, remember?” He replied.

  I blushed. “I do. But, my family, they’re convinced it was one of your people.”

  “I don’t know how to say this, but trust me on this one Jenna. It was not one of us.” He said with a stern face. “Your brothers have started invading our territories, and my elders do not like it at all. I’ve been successful so far in stopping them from retaliating. But Jenna, I can’t hold them off forever. You’re family has to stop. This wasn’t any of us. If there was a werebear there, then wouldn’t he have been injured from being caught in the trap?” He asked, soliciting a response from me. I nodded. “But none of my kin have any injuries of that sort. No one, Jenna.”

  I saw the fear in his eyes, which bothered me.

  “Are you scared?” I asked.

  “Yes.” He answered.

  “Why?”

  “I’m scared I might lose you because of this misunderstanding.” He replied.

  “You won’t.” I answered as I reached out to his face just like I did the first time. He held my hand firmly against his skin as he closed his eyes.

  “I love you.” He said.

  “I love you too.” I replied.

  He pressed his lips against mine. I let him. I took his hands and brought them closer to my body. Heat emanated from our contact as I felt his bulge growing. We unlocked our lips as I unbuttoned his shirt, revealing a layer of hair covering a well-defined chest.

  “Are you sure?” He asked.

  “Yes.” I answered without hesitation.

  I removed his shirt and ran my hands down his chiselled chest, and started to unbuckle his belt. His hands started to explore my curves, as he slid his hands along my waist and rested them on my ass. He gave my cheeks a light squeeze and pulled me in closer, my hardened nipples poking through my tank top against his chest. Our lips met again with more urgency and I parted mine inviting him to explore my entire being. His tongue met mine and they mingled as our bodies grew hotter and closer. I could feel his bulge growing as I finished unbuckling his be
lt and unzipped his pants, allowing them to fall to the ground. I reached into his boxers and firmly grasped his huge cock. I could hardly get my hand around it, and the thought of having Garret’s dick inside me was making me wet with eager anticipation. Garrett slid his hand up under my tank top and expertly unlatched my bra, releasing my breasts. I felt my face starting to blush and he raised my shirt over my head and threw it out of the way. He traced his hands down the curve of my waist down to my jeans and unbuttoned them. He slipped his rough hands under the waistband and pulled my jeans off of my hips. I stepped out of them and stood there topless in only my black lace panties, exposed to the forest.

  Garret laid me down on the mossy forest floor kissing my neck and began a trail of kisses down to my left breast. He massaged my right breast circling his thumb around my nipple as it pebbled in the crisp forest air. His lips wrapped firmly around my left nipple as he sucked gently with his tongue flicks sending jolts of electric desire directly to my clit. My panties were getting wetter by the second and Garret reached between my legs to feel the juices through the lace. “Jenna, you’re so wet,” He murmured in a low tone as his fingers slipped under my panties and began to caress my slickened folds. I could feel the strength of his fingers has he stroked my pussy, sending my body into a state of intense longing. I let out a breathy moan as he lowered his head between my legs. I felt his warm breath on my thighs as he quickly pulled off my panties. He ran his tongue along the length of my slit, my nectar inviting him in for a deeper taste. His tongue circled and flicked my bud as he reached up with both hands and massaged by tits. He kept one hand on my left breast, rolling the nipple between his thumb and forefinger while the other hand went down to my sex. His mouth continued sucking and nibbling my clit as his fingers smoothly moved in and out of my vagina. With precision, he found my g-spot and continued to pleasure me deeply with his fingers. The intensity of the pleasure engulfed me in ecstasy as my breath quickened and my hips naturally started circling. Garret sucked my clit hard as I began to lose control and let out a squeal as I orgasmed intensely, my hands tangled into Garret’s tousled hair. I motioned for him to bring his face to mine and I kissed him passionately, our tongues intertwined.