From the Beginning_A Prescott Family Story Read online

  Noah didn’t seem to be buying it, though. “Yeah, I don’t know.”

  “Someday, my friend, you will,” Joe told him, leaning forward to reach for his water bottle.

  The easy banter between the family members fully eased me into comfort and my eyes began to grow heavy. I listened with one ear as the subject changed yet again.

  Promptly at nine, without a word being said, everyone began to disperse to their rooms, just as Noah had told me.

  “Wake up, Sleeping Beauty.” Noah stood slowly, allowing me to gather my bearings.

  “I’m not sleeping,” I insisted.

  “Right,” he said around a grin. He took my hand and we headed for the stairs and his room. At the top, Natalie and Joe wished us a goodnight before going to check on the kids. Noah walked slightly behind me as we made our own way to his room. He reached around me to push the door open and before walking in behind me, wished his parents goodnight over his shoulder.

  He shut the door with a soft click and I moved to the dresser. I hadn’t noticed earlier, but his room held so many different memories of his growing up years. He had different trophies and championship hats on display and it appeared that his parents kept up with the memorabilia. I stood in front of a framed newspaper article from earlier in January.

  The picture was of Noah’s pump in the air after scoring the winning goal during the game that the Enforcers’ luck turned around.

  That day marked a bigger change than just in hockey, I thought, looking over my shoulder at Noah as he moved to stand behind me. “That was a good game.”

  He nodded once, slowly. “It was.”

  “I was annoyed with you and Jason for the fighting at the beginning,” I admitted with a grin.

  “Yeah, well. That was only the first period.” He reached to hit the light switch then folded me in his arms in the dark. With his arms around me waist and my back to his front, I tilted my head back and to the side. I wound an arm back so I could pull his face to my own.

  Our kiss was slow.

  He turned me so I faced him, then walked us back toward his bed, his lips never leaving mine. Just as the backs of my knees hit the bed, he lifted me and moved us into the middle of the bed.

  Noah groaned quietly against my lips. His hand slipped under my shirt and made its way to my bra. When he slid his hand under the cup, I pulled my lips from his. “Noah!” I whisper yelled in the dark. “We can’t…”

  “We can,” he disputed. He moved his lips to my neck, gently sucking and nipping, as he moved his thumb over my hardening nipple.

  “We can’t have sex in your parent’s house. They’re right next door.” The end of my argument was softened by my moan.

  Noah, the ass, chuckled against my neck. Between the vibration and his goatee, he hit that magical spot I only recently learned about, and both nipples hardened quickly while I could feel myself get increasingly wet. “I can guarantee you that that has never stopped Nat and Joe. They’ve had three kids in two and a half years. Besides, we’re adults.”

  I bit my lower lip, my eyes crossing as he continued to play over that sensitive spot. “I don’t know… I’m afraid I’ll… Oh, Noah.” I closed my eyes and took a breath, trying to collect myself. “I just don’t think I could do it with your parents right there.”

  After one last lick, Noah collapsed to the bed beside me, moving his hand to rest safely over my belly button. “Fine… You’re no fun, Ryles,” he said with teasing in his tone.

  I rolled onto my side now and gave him a faux pout. I slid my hand over his chest just as my pout turned to a grin. When my hand moved to reach his chin, I brushed my thumb over it and leaned in to lay a soft kiss on his lips.

  I was playing with fire I knew, but it did something to Noah when I would break into a big grin while kissing him. Timing it just right, allowing him to move the small soft kisses to something longer and more sensual, I allowed my smile to come through. It was actually work for me to not smile while kissing him.

  With a groan and a smile of his own, Noah pulled back but not before I could lean in to give him one more quick peck to his lips. Against his lips, I whispered, “Goodnight, Noah.” I moved back to settle myself into the pillows, facing him.

  As I closed my eyes, I heard Noah chuckle. “You kill me, woman.”

  “You’ll survive,” I whispered in response.

  Chapter Sixteen

  When I emerged from the bathroom the next morning, fresh from a shower and dressed, I saw Ryleigh sitting cross-legged on the already made bed. Her hair was damp and finger combed, pulled over one shoulder. When her eyes met mine, a faint blush danced over her cheeks.

  I couldn’t help but tease her. “I told you we could.”

  And we had.

  I loved on her once in the middle of the night and once again this morning in the shower.

  “Hey, now, I initiated one of those. Don’t take credit,” she said, pointing to herself.

  She did. She woke me at two this morning, her tongue running up the underside of my swelling cock. It was a fucking fabulous way to wake up.

  Never again would I take spending the night with her for granted.

  “Well I get credit for this morning,” I claimed. She was up before me and in the shower when I woke up. I may have snuck in on her. Try as hard as she did to keep quiet, I made her scream out at least once. The acoustics of the bathroom were the reason she was sitting on my bed blushing, if I had to guess.

  “Nearly gave me a heart attack, sneaking in on me like that.” She lifted her smiling lips to mine when I reached her.

  I chuckled then leaned down to give her the kiss she wanted. “You survived,” I said, purposely echoing the words she stated last night.

  When I extended a hand to her, Ryleigh took it and I pulled her to stand in front of me. She was wearing jeans and a hooded sweatshirt today.

  “That looks like it could be mine,” I teased.

  She shook her head. “It’s mine, I swear. I’ve had it for two years.”

  I nodded upward once. “Sure you have.”

  “I have!” Her eyes and smile were bright. “Don’t make me start putting my initials on everything.”

  “You might have to start,” I told her, pulling her toward the door.

  I stayed a step behind her as we descended the stairs. I loved having my hands on her, so the moment we both reached the bottom, I put my hand back on her hip.

  “It smells so good,” Ryleigh said, taking a deep breath through her nose.

  “It’s bound to taste better.”

  When we reached the kitchen, mom was at the stove and Natalie’s kids were coloring while she fed Nick in a highchair.

  “Good morning!” mom told us.

  Natalie looked up at us and smiled just before Nick spit out the bananas she had just spooned into his mouth. “Aw, Nicholas.” Her face was pulled into an amused grin though. “I think we’re done. Where is your father?” Natalie pushed away from the chair and dabbed at the spit-out baby bananas decorating her shoulder before wiping Nick’s face.

  “Where is Joe?” I asked. I stepped away from Ryleigh to say good morning to my niece and nephew. I lifted Ben from his seat but didn’t notice the marker in his hand until Ryleigh moved to us and intercepted it before I had green decorating my face.

  She moved quickly, recapping it before grinning at me then moved to help Natalie.

  Knowing how shy Ryleigh could be, I loved that she seemed to just fall in with my family.

  “He and your father went to top off both Natalie’s and your tanks,” mom answered as she took pancakes off the griddle and put them in the oven to keep them warm. When she stood, she continued, saying, “As long as you guys don’t drive around, you’ll have enough gas to get you most of the way home.”

  “We don’t have any plans for today,” I told her. “We do need to hit the road before six in the morning, though.”

  “Say your goodbye’s tonight then, Noah. I would like to get up no sooner th
an six tomorrow.”

  I looked over my shoulder to see that Natalie had left with Nick and Ryleigh stood by the porch door, her arms crossed over her stomach as she gazed out the window. I walked over to her and stood behind her, a hand on the small of her back.

  I leaned into her and whispered in her ear, “You can sit down, Ryles.” I followed it with a small, discreet nibble on her ear, enjoying the goosebumps that erupted on her neck.

  “It’s so pretty,” she said quietly instead. With my arms now around her and my chin resting just on the top of her head, I tried to see the yard through her eyes. I followed her gaze to the still-snow covered pines and the trail that led between them. I had loved growing up here and loved sharing it with Ryleigh.

  While I didn’t imagine I’d ever live up here full-time again, I did want a vacation home somewhere in the north, whether it was here or in Wisconsin.

  “It is.”

  “Breakfast is ready,” mom said, interrupting anything Ryleigh was going to say next.

  “Can I help with anything?” Ryleigh asked, still in my arms.

  “No, honey, it’s fine.”

  Just as she and I moved to the table, Natalie came back in with a dressed Nick and the front door could be heard opening, signaling Joe and dad’s arrival.

  “Perfect timing,” mom said, a proud lift to her tone. She was always good with timing.

  As breakfast started, I looked over at Ryleigh and couldn’t stop the smile on my face.

  I liked this, I decided.

  I could definitely get used to it.

  Later that afternoon, the sun was shining and it was starting to feel warm for late March. Kendall and Ben were upstairs napping and the adults, along with Nick, were sitting in the family room.

  From my spot on the couch, I could see the small, lopsided snowman made by the kids. The head had been placed on top courtesy of Uncle Noah. He was really good with them, I thought with a small smile, turning my attention back to the conversation being had by the adults.

  When Noah’s mom rose to move the now empty plate of snacks, I caught Noah looking toward me, a smile growing on his face.

  “…what?” I asked, semi-self-conscious.

  “You look comfortable.” I knew by his eyes that he meant more than just the way I was seated on the couch beside him, my legs folded to my side as I leaned back into the couch arm.

  My smile widened a fraction. “I am. Your family is really nice.”

  “Usually,” he teased. I liked this side of him. “They’re just on their best behavior because you walked in the other day, looking like you were headed to your last meal.”

  My smile widened. “Shut it,” I said, pushing at his shoulder. “I did not.”

  He nodded a couple times before glances at the giant clock over the fireplace mantel. When his mom came back into the room, he announced, “I’m taking Ryleigh out back.”

  Curious as to what he wanted to do, I stood to stand beside him.

  “We might not be back for dinner,” he said, moving to his mom to kiss her cheek.

  I glanced at Natalie who raised her brows. I shrugged in response.

  Noah took my hand, which I gave him willingly, and lead me to the back of the house. There, he opened up a closet and pulled out two skates before finding two more.

  “Yeah, that’s not a good idea,” I told him.

  He grinned over his shoulder before rising to his full height. “Yeah, it is. You can skate. I know you can.”

  “Not well!”

  He chuckled at me. “You’ll be fine.” He reached for the first pair of skate he had pulled out before handing them to me. “If I recall, you like hockey skates.”

  My eyes must have widened. As many times as he said he had noticed me before the note and holiday party, I didn’t really believe him. Apparently he hadn’t been kidding.

  “They used to be Nat’s. They should fit you.” He turned back to the closet to pull out a pair of boots. “You can wear these while we walk out.”

  He pulled out another pair of boots and pulled them on without sitting, not bothering to lace them either. He grabbed the second pair of skates for himself.

  “Where exactly are we going?” I asked, not yet pulling on the boots he gave me.

  “Back to the pond.”

  “A pond? I don’t skate on water.” The thought actually terrified me.

  “You just skate on icy surfaces where there’s concrete under it?” God, I loved his crooked grin and dimple.

  “As a matter of fact, yes.”

  “Well, that changes today. C’mon. Put your boots on,” he said, clapping his hands, the ass.

  I frowned at then spoke my biggest fear. “What if I fall through?”

  “You will not fall through.”

  “I don’t know, Noah. The snow’s melting. Wouldn’t the pond be, too?”

  He shook his head. “It was a long winter. It’s solid still. Put on your boots, babe.”

  When I started chewing on my cheek, Noah grabbed my skates, throwing the laced together pair over his shoulder with his own. Not expecting it, he next moved to me and before I knew it, the air whooshed out of my lips as he lifted me up and over his shoulder in a fireman carry.

  “Noah Prescott!” My eyes were wide. “Put me down,” I whispered into his back.

  He chuckled as he opened the door and walked through with me. After shutting the door behind us, he marched us through the snow. “You’ll be fine.”

  “But now what the hell am I going to do? You’re going to make me stand in the snow?” My voice was back to its normal level now.

  “Should’ve thought of that and put on your boots.”

  I could hear the grin in his voice. “I’m glad you’re getting a kick out of this.”

  “Oh, I am,” he confirmed.

  The rest of the small trek through snow and trees was done in silence. Not sure what I could do, I just closed my eyes and held on to his sweatshirt at his hips. When our walk was finished, Noah leaned down enough to brush snow off a bench before lowering me to stand on it.

  “You can sit now.”

  I did so, my knees drawn to my chest. “You’re a jerk, Noah. Class A.” My voice broke around a laugh though.

  “Been called worse,” he said with a shrug. After wiping off a spot next to me, he sat next to me and handed the smaller pair of skates over. I pulled them on and looked to the pond. It had been shoveled at some point. “Who takes care of it?” I put one skate-clad foot on the ground before pulling on the other.

  “One of the neighbors, usually. Their kid plays hockey and his girlfriend skates for the hell of it.”

  I looked behind us. His family house was barely visible through the snow and dense trees, let alone any other homes. “You have neighbors?”

  Noah pointed across the other side of the pond. “Out that way.”

  Still, all I could see were tree.

  Snow and trees.

  “Oh,” I said, nodding. “Totally see that now.”

  Noah grinned wide and stood. “Smartass.” He reached for my hand, tugging me up to stand. “Now, c’mon.”

  He let go of my hand to move to the pond and I watched as he nearly ran onto the ice as if there wasn’t a significant difference in the surface textures.

  Not nearly as agile, I walked carefully to the edge and stepped onto the icy surface just as carefully. With a small grumble, I said to myself, “It’s easier with a wall to hold onto…”

  “What was that?” Noah came up behind me quickly, startling me. He put his hands on my hips from behind and my arms helicoptered out to my sides.

  “Dammit, Noah!”

  His laugh was clear as it bounced from the trees. He squeezed my hips and let go. “Wanna race?”

  That didn’t deserve an answer. Instead, I threw him my best ‘hell-to-the-no’ look.

  He moved around me to stand in front of me, taking my hands and pulling me forward while he moved backward.

  “I can’t skate as we
ll as you.”

  “You can learn.”

  “Says the professional athlete.”

  He shrugged, that crooked grin on his face again. “You win some, you lose some.”

  After he skated away, I got ahold of my bearings and quickly started to have fun. The minutes turned to hours, and before I knew it, dusk was starting to set.

  I wished on the first star that this would happen again someday.

  I wasn’t ready to let him go yet.

  Please don’t make me let go.

  Chapter Seventeen

  I was seconds away from a panic attack.

  The closer I got to my apartment, the more it felt like the walls were closing in on me.

  I focused on the road all while counting my breaths.

  In, two, three, four. Out, two, three, four.

  So focused on my breathing, I nearly missed the turn into the apartment complex.

  Hell, who was I kidding.

  I wasn’t focused on the scenery or my breathing. It was the doctor’s words on repeat in my head. It had been a week since the weekend up north and while everything with Noah had been fine, I had needed to go to the doctor for something and found myself scared.

  My cell rang as I hit the opener for my building’s garage.

  Stalled, waiting for the door to open, I reached for my cell. It was Noah. “Hello.”

  “Where’re you at?” he asked.

  “Just pulling into the garage,” I said quietly, nearly devoid of emotion. He didn’t need to know.

  There wasn’t a momentary pause before he followed up with, “Where were you?”

  “Nevermind. It doesn’t really matter,” I said. The panic was moving into bitch mode.

  “Ryleigh…”

  “Look, Noah. Just leave it alone.” I pulled into the garage and swung into my spot, hitting the ‘end call’ button.

  I couldn’t handle him on top of the doctor’s words. Dammit, why did I schedule this appointment for a day Noah would be home? I should have scheduled it during an away game. That would have given me time to sort things out, figure out how serious everything was, and decide whether or not to tell him.