As he figured, they stopped talking the moment he got settled in the truck.
He was surprised when they continued talking when he pulled out of the parking lot. Raven was telling her friends how much Rachelle had meant to her and the business.
“I doubt I’ll be able to find anyone else like her,” she said with a sniffle. “We were beginning to really be close friends.”
“I’m so sorry,” Carrie said as he pulled into his driveway.
“I’m so thankful you guys were here with me this time,” Raven said, touching her friend’s hand.
The friends climbed out of the truck, and they all held onto one another for a moment.
“I’ve been wondering what this place looked like on the inside,” Darby said as they stepped inside.
“Take a look around,” he suggested, shifting the bags of groceries. “I’ll put this stuff in the kitchen.”
“I’ll show them around. We can put their bags up in the guest room,” Raven offered.
He guessed that the friends needed a few moments alone. He could hear them talking quietly as they moved about his house. Blue was on their heels as if it were a game.
After putting the ice cream in the freezer, he pulled out a few glasses for the wine and then took out a beer for himself. He’d only had one earlier and figured if he was going to play host for the remainder of the evening, he might as well have a drink.
When the three friends came back downstairs, he’d started a fire. Even though it was dead summer, the night had turned chilly. He had set out a bowl of crackers, some cheese, and some grapes he had as well as the junk food they’d requested. He figured they’d want some more healthy food, since for the past few hours, they’d only been drinking.
“I don’t think I could fall asleep for days. Every time I blink, I see Rachelle,” Darby said, sitting on the sofa and grabbing a handful of chips.
“For some reason, I’m starving,” Carrie added, grabbing some grapes.
“It’s called survivor’s syndrome,” Darby added with a shrug. “After losing Mom in the fire, Dad and I went to counseling. You’d think by now I’d be able to handle death,” she added through a mouthful of food.
“I doubt seeing death ever gets easy. Even for those who deal with it every day,” Raven said softly. She had chosen the chair closest to the fireplace and reached around to pull the throw blanket over herself.
“Does anyone need anything else? I have an early morning and am going he head up,” he said.
“No. Thanks for letting us crash here,” Darby said.
“Thanks,” Carrie added, reaching for some more grapes.
“Help yourself to whatever.” He motioned towards the kitchen as his eyes landed on Raven. “Are you okay?”
“Yes,” she said with a weak smile. “Thank you.”
Nodding, he glanced down at his dog, who was curled up next to Darby. “You can keep him,” he said with a smile. “Advanced warning. He farts at night.”
The three friends smiled, then chuckled after Blue let out a loud fart while remaining dead asleep.
He thought it would take him a while to fall asleep, but the moment his head hit the pillows, he was out.
It had been years since he’d had the dream, so when it started, it was as if it was the first time.
It was ten years ago. The charred ground was still smoking and there were still small flames crackling through some of the larger downed trees.
He was running, his eyes scanning the black ground, looking for Reggie. He had to be there somewhere. His burned-out car had been found parked just off the road less than half a mile from there.
Cade knew that the once-beautiful hillside had been a popular hiking spot, one that his little brother had always loved.
If his car was nearby, that meant Reggie was somewhere close.
He continued to call out his brother’s name until his voice grew hoarse. He coughed from all the smoke that had settled over the blackened land.
Instead of the true memory of him returning home empty-handed that day, in his dream, he came to a small clearing. There, kneeling over his brother’s charred remains, sat Raven. Her red hair floated wildly in the wind. Her crystal blue eyes pierced his as she laughed over Reggie’s body.
He woke with a start, swiping his hands over his face, and instantly realized he wasn’t alone in the bed.
“Are you okay?” Raven asked, shifting to sit up.
“Yeah.” He held her down and wrapped his arms around her, burying his face into the red hair he’d just dreamed about, knowing that what he’d dreamed hadn’t been real. “Bad dream.”
She sighed and laid her head against his shoulder.
“Did your friends get settled?” he asked.
“They fell asleep about an hour ago. I thought it would be okay to sneak in here,” she said against his bare chest.
He felt his body instantly react to her closeness. He ran his hand over her bare shoulder.
“Yeah,” he said, nudging her chin up until he could lay his lips over hers. “I’d understand if you don’t want—”
She stopped him by laying her lips over his.
“Cade, I need you,” she said softly.
It was all the encouragement he needed. He slid her tank top over her head, exposing her perfect breasts. Rolling slightly, he pinned her under him and bent his head down to lap at her milky skin.
Her fingers dug into his hair, holding, nudging him on while he explored, tasted, and enjoyed running his mouth and his hands over her.
In the darkness, with horrors echoing in both of their minds, they found one another. Clung together. The slow pace was needed by both of them at this time.
This wasn’t fast-paced, crazed, survivor’s syndrome sex. This was something beyond anything he’d ever experienced. Something deeper than he wanted to explore at the current moment. Instead, he focused on how wonderful her naked body felt against his. How perfect he fit inside her, around her. How her legs wrapped around his hips, holding him close to her heat.
“Cade, I can’t,” she said, biting her bottom lip.
He knew she was trying to keep quiet, since her friends were just down the hallway.
Leaning in, he placed his mouth over hers and swallowed her soft cries as he continued to pound into her until he felt her convulse around him. With his own release, he buried his face into her soft hair and moaned her name.
“That was the absolute best distraction from a bad dream that I’ve ever had,” he said once he’d shifted slightly so he wasn’t pinning her to the mattress with his weight.
She giggled softly as she ran her fingertips over his lower back.
“I needed this. I needed my friends earlier, but then I needed you,” she said with a slight sigh.
“Distractions.” He glanced over at her.
She was quiet for a moment. “I don’t know how I’m going to do it without Rachelle. She’s been carrying so much weight around the resort.”
“You know, my mother might be able to help you out. At least until you find someone else to take Rachelle’s place.”
“Your mother?” Raven leaned up and frowned down at him.
“She did work at the resort with your parents,” he reminded her.
Raven’s frown grew. “I’d forgotten.”