Rescued: A Festive Novella

by J'aimee Brooker

  “Ok. You’re right, Jack. Do you—is it ok if I come too? I just don’t want to be away from her” Sophie asked meekly, her voice quavering and giving away her fear and shock.

  “Ah, well look who’s decided to join us” smiled the nurse, “Anya, my name is Betty and you’re at St Vincent’s Hospital. Can you tell me what day it is?” she queried gently.

  “Christmas” she replied quietly, her throat raw and burning.

  “Why yes it is” Betty replied cheerfully. “Now, can you tell me who is this spunky young man who’s been brooding over your bed for the last hour?”

  Anya could help but smile, “Jack”.

  “Are you sure you’re comfortable Anya? The doctor said you can take another painkiller if you need it? I can grab it for you—or maybe a cold drink?” Sophie stammered, reaching behind her to fluff her pillows and adjust to blanket for the umpteenth time. She was clearly in shock and more frightened by the afternoon’s events than she was letting on.

  “I’m fine, honestly Soph, I’m ok”

  “Yes…but you nearly…you nearly weren’t ok” she stammered, her tears threatening to take over yet again.

  “Ok, ok, enough of that kind of talk” Jack called from the kitchen. “It’s Christmas, we’re all together, safe and sound, so let's concentrate on that. Besides, my glorious Christmas dinner is just about ready” he said, strolling into the bedroom, the concern etched on his face defying his attempt at a nonchalant attitude. “Soph, reckon you could go and finish making the salad that’s on the bench? Meat, seafood, and pasta I can handle—salad is just not my thing”

  As if understanding her queue to leave, Sophie jumped up and quickly left the room—Anya had never seen anything like it. Nobody told Sophie Anders what to do and Sophie Anders would never listen even if they did. Something had shifted.

  “You look worried” she said gently to Jack.

  “Of course I’m worried, Anya. God, I thought I’d lost you today” he whispered, lying down and resting his head beside hers, sighing heavily as though the concern was too great to keep inside any longer. “I was scared that I’d lost you”.

  “I was scared too, Jack. It all happened so quickly yet I felt like I watched it all happen in slow motion. I saw the board coming, knew it was going to hit someone then before I could even think to move I realized it was going to hit me. I should’ve moved, but I… I just couldn’t…” she explained, the tears falling for the first time since leaving the hospital. “It must’ve knocked me out for a little bit, because I remember it going black then next thing I was under the water and I thought I was drowning but I couldn’t remember why—it’s like those dreams you have where you’re screaming for help, screaming to wake up but you can’t. Then I realized it wasn’t a dream, and I don’t know what happened I just started kicking and fighting to get to the surface… then, you… you were there”

  “I’m sorry Anya, I should’ve gotten there quicker—“ he started, tears springing to his eyes.

  “I’m sorry too Anya, I should’ve stayed out there with you instead of heading in” Sophie cried from the doorway.

  “Oh, you two are killing me!” Anya exclaimed, “Come here, Soph” she offered, patting the other side of the bed and sitting up to comfort her friend before being struck instantly with a dizzy spell.

  “You sat up too quickly, Anya. You need to take it slowly” Jack offered, sliding behind her and settling her between his legs for support.

  “Yeah, Anya—listen to Jack, I had to fight him for you this afternoon, and he won, thanks to his lifesaving skills” she smiled, playfully.

  “I know I heard you both” she laughed, “but seriously, no more fighting. I need you both” she replied bossily, pulling Sophie into a hug.

  “I was scared today, Anya. I’d be lost without you. I know I’ve been a bitch these last couple of days, and god I’m so sorry—“ Sophie trailed. “And, Jack—I’ll never be able to thank you for rescuing her” she said, reaching up and running her hand down Jack’s stubbled cheek.

  To Anya’s surprise, Jack didn’t move away from Sophie’s touch instead he reached for Sophie’s hand and kissed her palm, “You don’t have to thank me Soph. I know how you feel about Anya, I’ve only known her a few days and already she’s changed my life. I can only imagine the impact she’s had on yours after all these years” he replied kindly before pulling Sophie closer into him and Anya.

  Sophie’s breath caught noticeably, as she shifted into Jack’s embrace, his left hand sliding from Anya’s thigh to just beneath the hem of her shirt, then higher until he stopped on her breast.

  Sophie was watching wide-eyed as he touched Anya so gently, so carefully and was surprised when he turned his attention to her as well, resting his hand on her outstretched leg.

  Anya stilled, uncertain of what was happening, wanting Jack to touch her more, to watch him touch Sophie who had her eyes trained on Jack’s awaiting his next move. His hand worked its way to Anya’s nipples, rolling them in turn between his thumb and finger, her desire no longer able to be hidden as she moaned loudly with pleasure. Relaxing her head back against Jack’s strong shoulder, she closed her eyes and relaxed into his touch before feeling Sophie’s soft hands glide up her body, taking her singlet with it. Startled, she opened her eyes and found Sophie watching as Jack’s hand continued to work her breasts, his finger dipping into Sophie’s waiting mouth for lubrication every so often.

  “Ssh… I’ve got you, we’ve got you Anya” Jack whispered, as she searched his eyes for an explanation.

  “Oh, Jack”, Anya found herself whispering.

  “We’ve both got you this time” he repeated, pulling Sophie closer and dragging her shirt over her head, steadily unclasping her bikini top before returning his attention to Anya.

  “Anya—Jack—is this ok?” Sophie started, before Jack reached for her and pulled her into a deep kiss. Anya knew the kiss, knew how it melted your insides, how it could stop the world from existing. She watched as Sophie transitioned from being uptight and unsure to relaxing into Jack’s mouth and his hands which were now unbuttoning her shorts.

  Moving from behind Anya, Jack slid free of his shirt and boardies before slowly pulling away his jocks. Sophie’s gasp echoed through the room as Anya took his impressive length into her mouth, feeling him relax into her throat as he carefully cradled and soothed her aching head. She glanced up to see Sophie, naked and watching her intently, her eyes hooded with desire. Settling flat on the bed, Anya dutifully took on the task of sucking and teasing the underside of Jack’s length, offering Sophie easy access to him from above.

  As they both settled into a rhythm of pleasuring him, taking turns in rolling their tongues across the head of his shaft, Jack stood watching the erotic and sensual show unfolding before him. Slowly sliding his length from between their mouths and immediately missing their warmth, he watched as their mouths aligned and both girls fell into each other.

  Walking to Anya’s feet, he lowered his mouth to her heat and felt her body relax against his tongue. As his pace quickened and her body convulsed against his mouth, he knelt between her legs, seamlessly sliding into her as both hers and Sophie’s eyes found his. Pushing her legs further apart, he positioned Sophie to better watch his every stroke into her friend, Jack reaching for Sophie’s nipples and rolling them to further pique her desire.

  Anya’s eyes had darkened, her need for release building and gaining an unstoppable momentum. Recognising Anya’s need for release, Jack took Sophie’s head pulling her in briefly for a kiss, before guiding her mouth down to Anya’s clit. The sensation of Jack’s thrusting and Sophie delicate suckling bringing Anya to an explosive climax.

  Sophie stretched up to cover Anya’s mouth with a kiss sharing with Anya her own scent and taste fused with Jack’s which had been stained across Sophie’s lips. As Sophie straddled Anya’s body and deepened the kiss. Anya felt rather than saw Jack lift Sophie’s backside into position before sliding himself into her and takin
g her firmly but gently with deep, passionate strokes. Breathing heavily, Sophie broke away from her kiss with Anya instead hovering above her, jolting forward with each thrust from Jack. Anya couldn’t resist taking Sophie’s nipple in her mouth and she begun suckling softly causing Sophie to moan with desperate desire.

  As Jack’s thrusting increased, and Sophie’s moaning became more insistent, Anya broke away from their union making eye contact with Jack who was already watching her intently. Locked in his gaze, Anya flinched as she felt his fingers enter her sex, a wild wink passing over his gorgeous brown eyes as he synchronized his fingers and cock into a steady rhythm bringing both women to climax simultaneously.

  Chapter Twelve

  “Jack, my head—it hurts” came Anya’s voice, cutting through the darkness of the early morning.

  He shuffled carefully, lifting her head onto a pillow and extracting himself from the tangle of limbs.

  “Ssh… Anya, sshh… I’ll grab you a painkiller. Try to stay still” he whispered as he walked back into the bedroom with a glass of water and the pill.

  “It’s throbbing, Jack. I feel like my head is bouncing off the pillow”

  “You took a nasty hit to the head, Anya. You’ve got eight stitches so it’s going to be painful for a few more days. You’re safe now, I’ve got you, just relax now and let the painkiller do its job” he soothed.

  There were those magic words again, “You’re safe, I’ve got you”; he’d said it so many times since he’d pulled her from the water. So many times, she felt herself starting to believe him.

  “I love you, Jack” she murmured as the painkiller quickly took effect.

  “I love you too, Anya. More than you know” she heard him reply, as her mind faded to black.

  “Did she wake up last night” she heard Sophie ask.

  “Yes, but just briefly—a headache, not nightmares” Jack replied, knowing that Sophie would understand how significant it was that Anya had enjoyed a nightmare-free sleep, the first in perhaps two years. “Look, about last night—I’m sorry if this sounds harsh, but I think we really need to discuss what happened. I don’t want to lose Anya, and I’m scared that what we did… might threaten… I just can’t lose her—“

  “Yes, a chat sounds good” Anya interrupted from the doorway.

  “You shouldn’t be up and walking” Jack rushed at her, grabbing her by the waist and leading her to the couch.

  “I’m ok, Jack. A bit dizzy and really tired, but I’m ok. Do you have any juice? My throat is so dry and sore” she asked.

  Sophie moved quickly to the fridge and dutifully brought her over a drink, “Anya, I’m sorry about last night—“

  “Why, Sophie? What happened only happened because we’re all so close, we were all scared, we are all feeling fragile. Does it matter how we all drew support from each other?” Anya asked them both, surprised at her own open-mindedness.

  When neither Jack nor Sophie replied, she continued, “Jack, I know it hasn’t been long but I feel like I’ve known you forever. Sophie, I have known you forever. We had a bond before the accident yesterday, and last night we created a new bond that we’ll always have. Soph, you’ve kept me on track for the past two years and I’ll never be able to thank you enough for that. Jack, since I met you that first time on the beach, I realized that I wanted something more from life than just existing. Coming face to face with drowning yesterday just secured that it’s time to start living again. The past will always be there, and I know I’ll always have you guys to support me with that—but Jack, you’re offering me a future and that’s what I want, with you. I don’t know if it’s the right thing to say but last night… last night made sense.”

  The silence was palpable. No one spoke for a few minutes until Sophie finally broke the silence, “Last night did make sense, in fact maybe too much sense, Jack you showed me what it’s like to be cared for, you gave me the experience of making love as opposed to sex. I don’t think I can thank you enough for that. I’ve been promising myself that I’d settle down into a relationship and after last night, I know that that’s what I want. What I need” she offered before turning to Anya, “And, Anya, I’ll never be able to thank you enough for letting me experience that with you and Jack.”

  “Anya, is that all ok with you?” Jack asked her gently.

  “I told you last night how I felt about you Jack, that hasn’t changed—I don’t think it ever will” she answered.

  “You remember saying that? I was hoping it wasn’t just the concussion and painkillers doing the talking!”

  “No, I remember—I love you, Jack”

  “I love you too” he murmured, gently placing a kiss on her aching head.

  Chapter Thirteen

  “C’mon, Anya—you said five minutes about an hour ago” she heard Jack call from the lounge room. “At this rate, we’ll miss the countdown altogether”.

  “Oh, c’mon yourself” she teased as she walked out to meet him. She’d been shopping earlier in the day and scored a gorgeous gold sequined dress and matching strappy sandals for their double-date with Sophie and Finn to celebrate New Years Eve, so what if it took her an hour or two to get ready.

  “Geez, Anya—you look incredible” Jack breathed as he crossed the room and took her in his arms.

  “Even with these lovely stitches in my forehead?” she laughed.

  “Especially with the stitches, after all, how else would I have convinced you to move in with me if not for my fine medical skills?” he teased playfully.

  “Oh, Jack, you underestimate me—I’d have moved in no matter what” she sighed, kissing him briefly before capturing his hand and leading him out the door.

  “Anya! You look incredible” Sophie called from across the bar, rushing toward her and hugging her tightly. “Don’t say anything, but Finn and I are official—he asked me this afternoon to move in with him, and I said yes!” she squealed under her breath. “Can you believe it, Anya?!”

  “I can, actually” Anya replied, “You’ve got so much to offer Soph, you just had to realize it yourself before anyone else could. I’m just glad you’re happy. Glad we’re both happy” she smiled.

  “Can we break this party up or is this private girls business?” came Finn’s booming voice. Sophie had told him about their Christmas Day tryst, and though he’d been insanely jealous of “Jack’s good fortunes” as he’d referred to it, he had also thanked him for helping Sophie get on track and into his arms. As uncomfortable as Anya had initially thought the situation would be, her and Sophie had continued their friendship seamlessly.

  “Anya, you’re looking great—how are you feeling? Dizzy spells stopped? How much longer til those stitches come out?” Finn asked, bringing her back to the moment, embracing her in a warm friendly hug before holding her at arms length and inspecting her in what was a not-so-subtle assessment of her health.

  “Enough questions, Finn! She’s fine, trust me, I’m giving her the platinum care package” Jack laughed, winking at Anya cheekily. “If there are any questions to be asked here, I think it’s more like—how are you and Sophie going? I hear around the tower that you guys are pretty much exclusive these days?”

  “Mate, you know the deal—I wouldn’t be without my Soph. In fact, I think now’s as good time as any to tell you both that we’re moving in together”.

  “Whoa! Now that, I wasn’t expecting” Jack exclaimed loudly, “how did it happen that my friends, the consummate bachelor and bachelorette, have found love so quickly? Did Cupid shoot you both in the arse while I wasn’t watching?” he laughed.

  “Jack, you know how it is—when you find the one, you find the one” Finn replied, smiling smugly at Sophie.

  Minutes later and with the New Years countdown firmly underway, Anya looked across at Sophie and Finn, their happiness engulfing all in their path, finally her friend was happy and absolutely head over heels in love whether she realized it yet or not.

  As for her and Jack, it was incredible that in j
ust two short weeks he had awakened and breathed oxygen back into her soul.

  “3…2…1… Happy New Year, Anya. I love you” Jack shouted, before dipping her back across his arm and kissing her theatrically for the whole of Bondi to see.

  ####

  More from the author:

  Draw On My Heart (Roman Capello)

  After being thrust into the role of protector at an early age, Roman Capello has spent his entire adult life building a future for his mother and two younger brothers.

  With a chain of successful tattoo studios, Roman is finally getting the recognition he deserves—industry acclaim as a freehand tattooist, significant media exposure and enough business to justify adding a fifth studio to his portfolio.

  When a mysterious woman, as fragile as she is seductive, enters his life; Roman is forced to acknowledge his past, appreciate his present, and picture her in his future.

  But what is her painful secret and why does she have Roman in her sights?

  Command My Heart (Dominic Capello)

  Dominic Capello has never had a problem capturing the attention of women—his rugged Italian looks and bad-boy attitude have always worked to his advantage. "Work hard, play harder" had always been his motto, and that attitude was more than evident in his bedroom.

  So, when Dominic's brother, Roman signs over the deed to a new tattoo studio to him, Dominic's life is turned upside down. With business booming almost immediately, Dominic soon finds himself overwhelmed and under-staffed.

  When creative, opinionated, and strong-willed Inta starts working for Dominic, it's not long before her hot-headed, feisty approach sends Dominic into overdrive. Finally a woman willing to rise to the challenge of keeping Dom's interest.