Bonus Scene: Andrea

Now would be a good time for Andy to be here.

The house was huge, or at least it felt that way after three years in the apartment on Juniper Hill. It had taken us six months to come to a decision on whether or not to buy it, and even then, the hell of calculating our finances was enough to make us think twice. In the end, it was Andy who had pushed for it most, telling me that if we didn’t do this now, we never would.

I loved him for it, even though standing in the empty living room, surrounded by boxes of our stuff, I was beginning to feel that maybe we were in over our head.

You’ve gotten this far. No reason to freak out.

I wasn’t freaking out. Not really. I just felt like so much was happening so fast, I was worried I might miss out on simply enjoying the wins. Ever since Dennis’s arrest, and the swift and almost effortless divorce, my life had taken a turn to the better. The only problem was, after years of living through hell, I felt like I was in the middle of a fantastic dream I would wake up from at any second. That scared me, more than anything, and the better my life got, the more worried I became.

It was almost as if I were being shown what could be, just to have it taken away from me. Like the dream would end abruptly, and I’d find myself waking up in my bed in Manchester, with my abusive husband snoring next to me.

If that happens, I’ll slit my wrists.

I sighed, ran a hand through my hair, and tried to decide which box to start emptying first. The move had been a disaster, the sheer volume of things we had surprising us both. It was funny how much could go into a small apartment like the one we had been living in for the past three years. Looking at the boxes now, I couldn’t even fathom where all this stuff had been.

I turned the first box to my right around and clicked my tongue when I read the word ‘Junk’ written in my cursive handwriting on the side. Most of this is probably junk, I thought to myself. Andy, though, had been determined to get out of the apartment so quick, he didn’t want to sift through anything. Just pack it all up and we’ll organize later, he had said. I made a mental note to give him hell about that when he got home.

I pushed the box to a side and opened the next one, sighing when I saw the neatly packed memorabilia wrapped in bubble wrap. I’d have to arrange the living room properly before emptying this, so I pushed that box aside as well and went for the third. After four more boxes were set next to their siblings, I realized that I could do this all day and not empty a single thing.

“Now or never, Andrea,” I said to the empty house. Bracing myself, I grabbed the scissors off the mantelpiece and marched towards the bubble wrapped couches. I had to start somewhere.

***

Andy proposed after a year of us living together.

He took me to Eagleville Manor, making sure Jack was not around to spoil the surprise, and we spent the afternoon there, picnicking on the terrace and watching the sunset turn the world into a tapestry of purple and orange hues. It was beautiful, enchanting even, and when he got down on one knee, looking as cliché as ever, I cried like a baby.

There was no doubt that I’d say yes. He had turned my life around, gave it new meaning, made me feel like I was a real person and not just some drunkard’s punching bag. He gave me the confidence I needed to get past my issues, was patient while I struggled with memories and triggers that had me sitting in a corner, shaking like a leaf. He held me through bouts of depression, listened to me when I voiced my fears about our future, and walked me through every step of recovery I needed.

Bobby constantly teased me about it, calling me the woman who tamed the dragon. I knew about Andy’s past, about his sexual adventures, the number of women enough that I’d need a filing system just to keep track of them. And I didn’t care. I knew a cheat, had married and lived with one for years, and Andy wasn’t that. He was as devoted as they came.

So, of course I said yes. Over and over again until he got up and hugged me so hard, I could have crawled inside him if I had wanted to.

It was a small wedding, just friends and family, and since both of us had very little to no family left, small wedding really did mean small. Bobby gave me away, despite Andy arguing that he needed him to be his best man, and the hug my brother gave me before we left for our honeymoon said so much more than words ever could. It was as if he were welcoming me back home all over again, and it felt good. After years estranged from Mansfield and my family, I was finally where I belonged.

I got a job at Mansfield Middle School after finishing a teaching diploma, and the job kept me busy, and happy. I had found my calling, sort of speaking, and I loved the kids. Besides, it was always a plus being married to a fire fighter. The kids kind of looked at you differently, like you were married to the most important person in the world. And to me, Andy really was.

Yet through it all, there was always that ominous feeling like it would all come to a crashing end, like the universe would suddenly realize that it had made a mistake and would rain wrath upon me for taking advantage of the mishap. A part of me half expected the telephone to ring, and when I’d pick up, Dennis would be on the other line, telling me he was out and that he was coming for me. That this time, he would finish the job.

No kidnapping this time, baby. Round two, and we’re going to really boogey!

A call did come, eventually, and when the phone rang, my heart had skipped a beat. Andy had answered it, the look on his face scaring me more than what he would eventually have to tell me. It had been the lawyer, letting us know that Dennis had hung himself in his cell.

I cried for hours. Not out of grief, but a beautiful sense of relief.

But that feeling never really went away. I worried that one day I’d look over my shoulder and find Dennis standing behind me, not dead at all, and ready to rock and roll.

Andy was patient through it all. It was one of the reasons why he had pushed for us to buy the house. The apartment was a reminder of the past, and we needed to move on. The house would be a new beginning for the both of us, a future we would build together.

***

“I’m home!”

“I’m in the kitchen!” I called out, adjusting the plate cabinet to make room for the rest of our dishes. Andy walked in behind me, wrapped his arms around my waist and kissed the crook of my neck. “Oh no, mister, you’re not getting off the hook that easy.”

“What?” Andy chuckled.

“I’ve been unpacking all day,” I said, turning around and giving him a quick peck on the cheek before reaching for the next box. “I’m dusty, sweaty and exhausted. I’m not doing anything else without you.”

“And here I thought you didn’t need me for the heavy lifting,” Andy said.

“I’m a strong, independent woman,” I smiled, “who needs her husband’s muscles to get things done while I sip iced tea and tell him where to put things.”

Andy wrapped his arms around me again and kissed my neck, growling softly. “I love it when you’re bossy.”

“Easy, tiger,” I giggled. “Get the other boxes labelled kitchen and help end my misery.”

“Yes, ma’am,” he saluted, and disappeared into the living room.

After an hour, the kitchen was unpacked, and I was in the upstairs bathroom, undressing and ready for a hot shower. The water felt like bliss against my skin, and I closed my eyes as I let the steaming streams wash the grime of the day away. My muscles loosened, and I felt my entire body relax.

“Mind if I join you?”

I smiled, my eyes still closed, as Andy stepped into the shower behind me. His hands gently massaged my shoulders, and I moaned in appreciation as my body melted into his.

“You should always join me in the shower,” I mumbled.

“Don’t mind if I do,” he chuckled. “Besides, water running down that sexy body, how could I ever refuse?”

I could feel him getting harder, pressed tight against my ass, his arms moving to massage my sides and stomach as he mischievously moved higher up. I smiled when he cupped my breasts and felt a tingle between my legs when he worked his magic on them as well.

“I have a feeling you’re in here for more than just a shower,” I said.

“Oh?” he whispered against my neck. “Why do you say that?”

“Well, for starters,” I grinned, reaching back and grabbing his now fully erect cock, “this guy is totally giving you away.”

“What can I say? He has a mind of his own.”

“Something tells me you share his sentiment,” I said.

“He’s a very important part of my life,” Andy joked. “The more satisfied he is, the better I feel.”

“Is that so?”

“Yup.”

I began to slowly grind my ass against him. “Well, you know how much I care about you feeling better.”

His hands tightened their grip on my breasts, and is thumbs began to rotate around my nipples. “I was hoping you felt that way.”

I turned around, a devilish smile on my face as I stroked him under the water. I pushed my breasts against his chest, my lips inches from his, and whispered, “Maybe we can turn this into a mutually beneficial arrangement.”

Andy smiled and kissed me. “Way ahead of you.”

He kissed my neck, his lips tracing a line down to my breasts as his hands cupped my ass. He took one nipple into his mouth, and then the other, flicking his tongue across them, drawing circles around them before kissing his way down lower. He gently pushed me back against the shower wall, and I lifted one leg over his shoulder while he kissed the inside of my thighs.

“I like where you’re going with this,” I moaned.

His lips brushed against my pussy, kissing it gently, breathing hot air against it, and I had to fight hard not to push his face forward. I let him tease me, relished the feeling of his tongue and lips exploring every inch around my pussy, sending shivers up and down my spine. When his tongue finally found its way between my lips, parting them as he brought it up in one long lick until it flicked against my clit, I shook with anticipation.

I grabbed his hair, pushing my hips forward and burying his face against my pussy. His tongue worked its magic, licking up and down and in figure eights, probing me from the inside, pressing hard against my clit. My toes curled, and I closed my eyes, bolts of electricity shooting through every part of my body as his tongue worked. He grabbed my ass and pushed me further against him, burying his face between my legs, eating me until my moans turned into screams of ecstasy and my body shook with pleasure. I wanted to feel him there forever, wanted this feeling to go on for as long as he could make it go. I grinded against his face, the leg around his shoulder pulling him closer, as if somehow, I could force his tongue deeper inside me.

I came hard, stiffening as the orgasm shot through me and made my head spin. I felt my body begin to shake uncontrollably, and I began to slide, my knees buckling beneath me. Andy caught me gracefully, holding me up as I wrapped my arms around his neck and waited for my heartbeat to slow down. The hot water began to go cold, and I shivered in his arms.

“I think we need to move this to the bed,” Andy whispered against my ear.

All I could do was nod.

He carried me out of the bathroom and lay me down gently on the bed, climbing on top of me and showering me with kisses. His lips explored every inch of me, moving up and down, kissing down my sides and making goose bumps break out all over my skin. I stretched my arms over my head, the droplets of water that still stuck to my skin mixing with the cold crispness of the sheets and the heat radiating from his every touch.

He kissed my breasts, his tongue flicking gently against my nipples before he sucked them into his mouth. I arched my back, wanting his lips everywhere, his tongue tracing every inch of me. It felt like heaven. I loved his hands all over me, the weight of him on top of me, his chest pressed against mine as our lips locked.

“You always look gorgeous after a shower, you know that?” Andy smiled at me.

“I look gorgeous all the time,” I raised an eyebrow at him.

Andy kissed me, softly at first, then more hungrily. I ran my nails softly down his back, holding him tight, my legs opening slightly as he nestled himself between them. He was hard, and I gently rocked my hips against him, closing my eyes as my pussy lips wrapped around him and his cock rubbed against my clit.

He quickened the pace, sending shivers through me. I wanted him, badly, and if my moans weren’t enough to let him know that, then the way I was moving against him did. He adjusted himself, pushing my legs further apart, and slid inside me easily. I let out a gasp as he filled me, pushing inside as deep as he could go, stretching me with his cock. I squeezed down on him, knowing how much he loved that, and pulled him down nibbling on his ear.

It drove him crazy, and he began to move in and out, slowly at first and picking up the momentum. I squeezed down harder, and it only made him move faster until he was ramming his cock inside me, hitting me in all the right places, making me scream in pleasure.

“Harder,” I gasped in between moans, and he readily complied. His thrusts made my breasts bounce, and my eyes rolled back as the ecstasy raced through every inch of me. I wanted more, and I wrapped my legs around his waist, pressing down on him with the heels of me feet, forcing him in deeper. The bed screamed with how he fucked me. His lips found my nipples, and I couldn’t tell which drove me crazy; the way he nibbled on the soft flesh, or the rhythmic thrusts of his cock.

I arched my back, and he sat up on his knees, his hands holding my hips as he quickened the pace. I stretched my arms over my head, giving him full view of my bouncing breasts. My toes curled with every thrust, and when the orgasm hit me, my legs shook uncontrollably, and I had to push him out and away from me.

He grabbed my legs, pulled me back to him, and turned me onto my stomach. I felt the weight of him on top of me, his hands squeezing my ass before he slid back into me. I crossed my legs, tightening myself as he fucked me harder. I felt like he would tear me apart, fucking me the way he was, his stamina impressive as he slid in and out effortlessly, keeping up the pace. He collapsed on top of me, kissing the nape of my neck and tracing lines down my spine with his lips and tongue. I grabbed a pillow and muffled my screams.

I looked at him over my shoulder, our eyes meeting as he moved. Without warning, I turned around, pushing him back and straddling him in one quick motion. I was on fire, and the longer we fucked, the more I wanted. I grinded against his cock, loving the feel of it against my clit, humping him until I was shaking with another orgasm.

I collapsed onto his chest, breathing heavily, my heart pounding in my chest. “You’re going to kill me,” I gasped.

He laughed and ran his hand through my hair. “The way I’m laying here, you’re the one in control. I could go forever.”

I looked up at him and gave him a mischievous smile. “Really?”

“Try me,” he whispered.

“You’re asking for it, mister,” I smiled, sliding down his body, kissing his chest, moving lower until I had his cock in my hand and my tongue tracing circles around the head.

“That’s not fair,” he gasped, watching me tease him through glazed over eyes.

“I never said I’d play fair,” I said, and before he could reply, wrapped my lips around his cock and swallowed him in.

His hands immediately grabbed my head, “Oh God, Andrea.”

I let his cock slip out of my mouth, pumping it with my hand as my tongue flicked across the head. I watched his head fall back as he groaned in pleasure. I slid my tongue up and down his shaft before taking him into my mouth again. He began to slowly buck against me, and I swirled my tongue around his shaft, my head bobbing as I sucked hard. I felt him pulse inside my mouth, and I knew that if I kept this up for just a little longer, he’d come hard.

I let his cock slide out again, much to his displeasure, kissed it, and straddled him. With my hand, I slid him inside me again, moaning along with his groans of satisfaction. I began to grind, letting his hands explore my body and grabbed my breasts, squeezing with force, the lust on his face making me hornier. He brought one hand down, found my clit with his thumb, and began to rub it vigorously. I had to press my hands against his chest just to keep myself from falling off from how hard my body shook when another orgasm rocked through me.

“Oh, I am so going to make you pay for that,” I cried, completely out of breath.

“I told you, I can go for as long as you want.”

I grinded against him, staring hard into his eyes, a devilish grin on my face. I picked up the pace, and when he closed his eyes, I began to ride him. His cock slid in and out easily, his hands grabbing my waists as I bounced on top of him. I squeezed down hard and quickened my pace.

When his hands tightened around my waist, I knew he was close. I leaned down, nibbling on his ear and moving my hips faster. His arms wrapped around me, and he bucked up against me, pushing his cock deeper inside me, meeting my movements with his thrusts.

“You’re close, aren’t you?” I whispered into his ear, my lips vibrating against him with every moan. “Come, baby. Give me all you got.”

He fucked harder, his groans louder now.

“Now, baby,” I begged. “Come, now, come on!”

His hands grabbed my ass and pressed me down against his final thrust, and his body stiffened. He exploded deep inside me, so hard that I could feel his body shudder against me. I collapsed on top of him, and he held me tight, keeping me in place as we both tried to catch our breath. I closed my eyes, the beating of his heart hypnotizing me, and I felt my lids grow heavy.

“I should join you in the shower more often,” he said.

I giggled. “You should.”

I fell asleep in his arms a few minutes later, listening to his heart and his hand stroking my hair.

***

I sat on the new porch swing, my legs curled underneath me, and a coffee mug cradled in my hands. Down the front lawn and across the street lay the expanse of Eagleville Lake, and in the distance, Eagleville Manor. I gazed at it, remembering the first time Andy had taken me there and smiling to myself. I had never thought for once that my life would turn out like this.

Andy came out a few minutes later, holding his own coffee and wearing his sweatpants and a shirt. He sat down beside me and wrapped an arm around my shoulders. “it looks beautiful from here, doesn’t it?”

“The lake or the Manor?”

“Both,” he said, kissing my head and rubbing my arm softly.

I couldn’t agree more. The sun had begun to set, and the hues of orange, purple and dark blue painted the skies. The colors reflected off the surface of the lake, making it seem surreal, if not more beautiful than it already was. I could imagine myself growing old here, with a couple of kids playing in the front yard while Andy and I sat in the same swing, watching them and gazing out at the lake.

“Do you think we can make this work?” I asked.

“That’s a strange question to ask,” Andy replied with a chuckle.

“I’m serious, though,” I said. “I love our life together, and I love you. I love this house. But sometimes I get this feeling that it’s all just a dream. That I’d wake up and realize that none of this is real.”

“Then we’ll just have to make sure that you don’t wake up,” Andy joked.

“Andy.”

He kissed my head again and squeezed me closer. “I think we’ll do the best we can. I know I will. I love our life together, too, and I definitely love you. Whatever happens, I’m going to make sure we keep this up for as long as possible.”

“I want to grow old with you.”

“I don’t age very well,” Andy teased.

“Then I’m pretty much screwed, aren’t I?”

He laughed at that. “Maybe a face lift or something?” he suggested. “I know I’ll probably go bald somewhere around fifty.”

I laughed along with him, and we sat there until the sun set and the cold forced us back inside.

***

By the weekend, we were fully unpacked and having dinner on a real table instead of on a board balanced on four boxes. Bobby had come by, helping us with the final few touches and graciously accepting to be my second pair of hands in the kitchen. Especially when I told him that he really didn’t want Andy helping me out.

“So, California? Really?”

Bobby looked up from his steak and shrugged. “Hey, they want me there, I’m not one to say no. The Chief says it’s a step up for me.”

Bobby had received a call a few months before, a job offer to join a fire department in Los Angeles, station no. 4 or 9, or some other number I couldn’t remember. I didn’t like it, but at the end of the day, I supported his decision to take the offer. Still, I couldn’t wrap my head around Bobby fighting fires in a big city. Not to mention the constant California wildfires I kept hearing about in the news.

“Finally joining the big leagues,” Andy smiled.

“Don’t encourage this,” I said, shooting him a look.

“Hey, come on, you said you were on board with this,” Bobby pointed at me with his fork.

“I am,” I sighed. “Doesn’t mean I like it. I mean, what’s wrong with Mansfield?”

“Absolutely nothing,” Bobby said. “Especially now that you’re here.”

“Yet you want to move across the country.”

“Damn right,” Bobby smiled. “You don’t need me here anymore. Andy’s taking good care of you, aren’t you, Andy?”

Andy glanced at me, trying to read my face and figure out just how excited he was supposed to be for my brother. I kept a poker face.

“Besides, it’s not like I won’t come visit,” Bobby continued. “I know you two will be in need of a few exciting stories to spice up your otherwise mundane life.”

“I like mundane,” Andy said. “Mundane is good. Mundane is good for me.”

“Mundane is safe,” I added, more to myself than the rest of the table.

I could feel Andy’s eyes on me, and we ate in awkward silence for a few minutes before he asked, “So when are you heading out?”

“A week,” Bobby said. “I have a few things to handle here first, and I need to make sure the house won’t fall apart while I’m gone.”

“We’ll keep an eye on it,” Andy said.

“I’m counting on it,” Bobby replied. “Oh, and I’m going to need to sign over my stuff to you at the station. The Chief’s been on my ass about it for the past week, and I don’t want to wait last minute to get it done.”

“Sure,” Andy said. “Whatever you need.”

“Are you going to at least pretend you’re supporting this?” Bobby asked me.

“I do support it, you know that,” I said. “Do I have to like it?”

“A little.”

“Tough.”

Bobby laughed and nodded. He looked at me, saw the worry on my face and reached out to grab my hand.

“I’m going to be okay,” he said. “Don’t worry.”

“I’ll try not to,” I said. “Just promise that you don’t get yourself killed, okay? I’m actually getting used to having you around. You’re not annoying me as much anymore.”

“That’s good to know, thanks,” Bobby teased. “Now pass me the potatoes.”

We switched topics and spent the rest of the evening trying to avoid the subject of California and fires.

***

“So, the house is done.”

Andy came up behind me as I stood at the entrance to the living room, taking everything in. He wrapped his arms around me, kissed my neck and rested his chin on my shoulder, rocking me gently from side to side.

“It is,” I smiled. “It looks great, doesn’t it?”

“You did a wonderful job,” Andy agreed, kissing me again, softer this time. It made goose bumps break out across my skin, and I shivered.

“Our own home,” I said.

“Yup.” He pressed me closer to him. “How long do we wait before we start thinking about kids?”

I looked at him, an eyebrow raised. “You? Kids? Really?”

Andy shrugged. “Why not? Did you think we’d have all this space and fill it up with cats and dogs?”

I rested my head back against his chest and smiled. “No,” I admitted. “I’ve actually been thinking about kids, too.”

“Good,” Andy whispered, kissing my ear, then my neck, then my shoulder.

“We’re going to be good, right?” I asked.

“We’re going to be just fine,” Andy assured me.

We stood there for a while longer, looking at what we had achieved, at how far we had come since that night I had run away from Manchester and a toxic marriage. I still expected to wake up at any minute, but for now, I was going to enjoy this. For as long as I possibly could.

“So,” Andy whispered. “About those kids.”

I giggled. “What about them?”

His hands slid under my shirt, one snaking mischievously into my pants. “How about we get to work on that as soon as possible.”

I let out a long sigh when his fingers found their way into my panties. “How soon?” I teased.

“Like, now soon,” he replied, growling against my neck, tickling me. I laughed and pushed away from him. He quickly grabbed my arm, pulled me back, and swept me up into his arms. “Not so fast,” he said.

“Put me down,” I laughed. “You’ll sprain your back.”

“Right,” he said, rushing towards the stairs and carrying me up. “You just want an excuse to run.”

“Seriously, Andy, put me down.” I didn’t sound too convincing, though, laughing as he carried me into the bedroom.

I was lying naked in his arms an hour later, spent and exhausted, with a satisfied smile on my face. He held me close, his hand gently rubbing my back.

“You know what?” he whispered. “If this really is a dream, you gotta admit, it’s a pretty damn good one.”

I sighed and pressed closer to him.

I couldn’t agree more.