Rescued: A Festive Novella Read online

  “I wouldn’t normally ask— but could you… stay closer?” she asked, pulling the covers back on the other side of the bed.

  Chapter Seven

  She woke as the first rays of sunshine made their way through the flimsy motel curtains, Jack’s arm resting lightly across her waist. Turning to rest on her back, he instinctively pulled her closer tucking her head beneath his chin.

  Slowly, the events of the night before returned and she recalled his gentle and calm approach as he woke with her throughout the night, nightmare after startled nightmare until he’d finally captured her in his arms and soothed her to sleep sometime after 1am.

  He’d taken his shirt off at some stage during the night, and without thinking she reached for him, her fingertips gliding slowly and purposefully across his chest, tracing each muscle from start to finish. The sensation slowly roused him from sleep and he reached down and took her hand in his, lifting it up gently to his mouth before he kissed each fingertip. “Oh, this is a nice way to wake up” he finally spoke.

  “Mmm, I agree” Anya sighed, rolling onto her side pressing her body firmly against his; her fingers continuing to trace his muscular shoulders and neck resting finally on his stubbled cheek. Looking up, she fell into his deep brown eyes, eyes that were filled with kindness, eyes that were filled with promise, “My god, you’re gorgeous.”

  “Hmm… you’re too kind” he smiled, before rolling her over and nestling between her legs, stopping momentarily to remove off the singlet she’d slept in. His warm hands grazing over her skin as he slid it gently over her head, “You, Anya, are the gorgeous one” he whispered in her ear. The jolt of his hot breath and the tantalizing way the words rolled off his tongue sending shockwaves of pleasure through her body.

  His mouth worked from her earlobe to her neck, stopping briefly to breathe her in before moving down to her collarbone with a fluttering of kisses that had her entire body buzzing. Running her hands across his back, his mouth moved slowly, teasingly to her breast, his mouth finally nestling over her nipple, his tongue flicking at its peak. Her hands immediately went to his head and she ran her fingers through his hair, coaxing his mouth to stay focused on her breast.

  “Jack, please—I need you, now” she whispered, her traitorous body succumbing to Jack’s seduction far too quickly.

  “Mmm” he smiled, his mouth moving only to capture her other nipple and continuing his seductive routine again. As she writhed beneath him, desperate for release, his hand slid slowly and purposefully to the apex of her legs. “You want this, Anya?” he whispered gently, pressing his finger against her clit, gently rolling the nub from side to side.

  “Yes, Jack, please” she murmured, her need hanging heavily between them as she reached for Jack’s shorts and pulled them out of the way. His hands moved swiftly between them and he finished undressing himself, setting his impressive erection free before discretely sliding a condom along his length.

  “Jack” she whispered as he slowly slid into her heat, his eyes trained on hers as he commanded a steady pace, giving Anya time to accommodate him before gradually thrusting deeper and picking up a faster, and more innate rhythm that brought them both to the brink of orgasm within minutes. He felt her body tense, tightening and gripping him as she came fast and hard around his pulsing cock. He knew he wouldn’t last much longer, and with one last thrust he exploded deep within her, her fingernails holding him firmly against him as he bent and placed a soft kiss on her forehead.

  “I’m going to get used to waking up like this” he murmured breathlessly, before rolling onto his back, pulling Anya on top of him as he manoeuvred them both with ease.

  “You’d want that?” she asked meekly as she pushed herself upright to make eye contact with him.

  “Of course that’s what I want Anya, I thought you’d realized that when I arrived here last night. I want this, with you—isn’t that what you want too?”

  “I’ve got a lot of ‘stuff’ to get through, Jack—my life has been on hold for the past two years, I sleep on a couch, I have no friends—“

  “You have friends, Anya. You have Sophie, she was worried out of her mind last night and you have me—two loyal friends is more than most people could wish for. I get that you’ve got hurdles to jump and I have no doubt you could do it yourself, but I’m offering to be there with you as you face these challenges, to support you and help if you’ll let me?”

  His sincerity was more than she could take; tears began rolling down her cheeks yet again.

  “Sshh… Anya, its ok” he soothed, pulling her down into his arms, “All you have to say is yes—everything else will take care of itself. Just tell me yes, Anya”

  “Yes, Jack. Yes.”

  Chapter Eight

  Anya had been around Sophie’s high-maintenance persona long enough to know that smoothing things over with her would require a great deal of effort. What she hadn’t counted on was Sophie’s uncharacteristic and apologetic reaction to her arriving home.

  “Anya! I’ve been so worried. I know I upset you—but honestly, I am sorry”

  “I know, and I’m sorry—“

  “No, Anya” Sophie interrupted, “I’ve done some thinking and I really have been a bitch lately. We’ve never fought like this, ever, and though I hate fighting, it’s kinda made me think that we’re both moving in a new direction… you know, settling down and looking outside of just the two of us… I don’t know, maybe I’m not explaining myself well—“ she trailed.

  “No, you’re making perfect sense, Soph; you’ve been my rock for so long and I appreciate that more than you realize. But the last couple of days between us made me stop and really think about what I want and what I need. I know that I’m always going to want you in my life, but what I really need is to start living again” she paused, “I told Jack everything.”

  “Whoa… that’s a huge deal—what’d he say?”

  “Well, he wasn’t freaked out, he didn’t start the whole pity parade, he just held me tight and told me that he’d be there to help me through it all if I let him…”

  “Please, Anya, please tell me you said yes to him?” she replied, eyes as wide as saucers in anticipation.

  “I did” Anya smiled, “and it felt nice to finally share that part of my life with someone and feel supported and cared for. Well, not that you haven’t given me that, but well it was nice to just be held by him”

  “Ok, since we’re talking about epiphanies, I had one of my own while you were off hiding from me” she countered, playfully.

  “Oh, now this I have to hear” Anya joked.

  “I realized that I have absolutely no idea how to start a relationship” she said simply.

  “Gee, Sophie, when you said epiphany you weren’t kidding!!”

  “I know…. And, that’s not even my biggest breakthrough” she smiled, “I think I lived with my parents and their dysfunctional marriage for so long that I’ve just never quite understood how a relationship works. I mean, they’ve just co-existed for as long as I remember, dad jetting off to his mistresses, mum having it off with the gardener, the pool cleaner, the—well you get the picture. You know it’s hardly a normal relationship, but to me that was normal.”

  “Wow, I didn’t realize!” Anya replied, finding it difficult to keep her tone even. She’d never have guessed that the Anders were so… open.

  “So, you’ve nabbed yourself an awesome man—tell me what do I need to do to get Finn to stick around?” Sophie asked seriously.

  “Ah, so this is all to do with Finn, huh?”

  “Yes! Oh, Anya, I do really like him—he’s fun but he’s got a real serious side too, he’s really smart—he’s studying marine biology at university, and well obviously you’ve seen how hot he is” she sighed contently.

  “I’d be lying if I didn’t agree with you there; he is certainly an amazing specimen of man!” Anya laughed, “Have you told him you feel like this?”

  “Am I meant to?” Sophie asked seriously, sh
owing a new side that Anya hadn’t known existed behind her cool exterior.

  “I missed you at the beach today” he whispered in her ear as the waitress guided them to their table.

  “I figured you’d be busy—we walked down to the shops and could barely see the sand for the people. I heard there was a near-drowning there today?” she replied.

  “Yeah, yeah there was…” he trailed, quickly becoming lost in his thoughts, “You know, honestly, I get that it’s the silly season but really, people just do some crazy stupid things at this time of the year as though they think there’ll be no repercussions”

  “I know” she replied, barely a whisper. Her own past would always haunt her, her father had made certain of that.

  “Oh Anya, shit I’m sorry… I didn’t think—“

  “No, you’re absolutely right. Anyway” she declared, determined to change the subject and keep the night light-hearted, “what else did my brave lifesaving boyfriend do today?”

  “Boyfriend” he replied, rolling the word around his mouth, “I like hearing you say that… Brave, I’m not so sure about that title though”

  “Well, I think you are—I couldn’t imagine what’s it’s like to put yourself in danger to save someone else”.

  “It’s really not like that,” he replied modestly, “its instinct really, you just respond without thinking. But anyway, enough shop talk. I’ve been meaning to ask, what are you doing for Christmas?”

  “Mmm, don’t know really” she replied, Christmas was such a pain in the arse, she wished she could just sleep through it rather than deal with it.

  “It’s Christmas Eve tomorrow, Anya—are you seriously telling me you have no plans?”

  “I seriously have no plans” she laughed, hoping she was coming across carefree.

  “Great, neither do I” he replied, almost triumphantly, “well I have to work from open til 3pm, but after that, you’re mine”.

  “You, Mr Hot Lifeguard, have no plans for Christmas? I’ve heard it all now!” she exclaimed, “Aren’t your family coming down for Christmas”.

  “Ok, keep talking like that and I’ll throw you over my shoulder and straight back to my bed” he smiled cheekily. “And, no. No family this year—they’re all busy with their own stuff, so it’s you and me, my place, barbeque on the deck…”

  “What can I bring?”

  “You. Just you” he answered, before leaning across the table and kissing her deeply.

  Chapter Nine

  The squeals of excited children and families making their way to the beach woke Anya early. Christmas morning and all its festivity had arrived yet for Anya the fog of what the day represented hung heavily in the air.

  As Anya stretched and readied herself for the day, Sophie bounded into the lounge room presenting Anya with a beautifully wrapped gift, solid black paper with a gorgeous gold bow. As she opened it, Sophie was visibly excited, obviously proud of her shopping choice and to see Anya’s reaction to it. Inside was an exquisitely boxed bottle of Bvlgari Jasmin Noir—Anya’s new favourite scent and one that was well and truly beyond her price reach.

  “Oh god, Sophie, you shouldn’t have—but I’m so glad you did!” she squealed, throwing her arms around Sophie’s neck and pulling her into a tight hug. “Thank you! Here is yours, though my wrapping is nowhere near as perfect as yours!” she laughed.

  Unlike her, Sophie tore through the wrapping paper with little regard for the paper, caring only for what was inside. “Aaahhh!! I love it, Anya!” she screamed holding up the 1938 Oroton Barrel Bag that Anya knew she’d been eying for months and that Anya had saved hard to buy her. “It’s perfect!” she squealed, with the delight of a child who’d just unwrapped their favourite toy from Santa.

  “I’ll make breakfast” Anya offered, jumping up from the couch and heading to the kitchen. “Pancakes and ice-cream or bacon and eggs?” she called to Sophie who was still checking out her new handbag, totally smitten with its perfection.

  “Both!” she cried, “It’s Christmas!”

  “Seriously, Soph? We’ll be beached whales if we do that”

  “Ok, pancakes today, bacon tomorrow” she negotiated, “after all, I have a little surprise for Finn today…” she laughed.

  “So…” Sophie purred as she made her way into the lounge room clad in a gorgeous turquoise bikini that left very little to the imagination, “beach?”

  “Whoa, Soph… Finn is in for a surprise!” Anya whistled.

  “You think he’ll notice?!” Sophie laughed conspiratorially.

  “Swim first, sun after?” Sophie advised, rather than asked Anya as they dropped their bags on the beach and started the walk down through the droves of people to the water.

  “Are you asking or telling” Anya joked.

  “Bit of both, I guess” Sophie laughed. “Have you seen them yet? They’re both working so they’ve got to be here somewhere”

  “Yeah, well there’s only about 30,000 people here, Soph… it could take a while to find them” she offered though she knew her own eyes were busily scanning the crowds looking for Jack.

  “Oh, Anya, you have such little faith—and on Christmas of all days—“ Sophie joked, “Here they are now, they can’t keep away from us”

  “Merry Christmas ladies” Finn shouted, as he walked bare-chested toward them, clearly enjoying both the beautiful Christmas sunshine and the adoration from the nearby female beach-goers.

  “Geez Sophie, you’re killing me here” Finn smiled, taking in Sophie’s barely there bikini before showering her with kisses and whispering something in her ear that made Sophie gasp and blush at once.

  Anya looked on contently—maybe Sophie would get her Christmas wish with Finn.

  “Merry Christmas, Anya” Jack whispered in her ear, “I can’t wait to take you home and keep you all to myself”.

  “Merry Christmas, Jack. I’ve been thinking the same thing myself. I missed you yesterday”

  “I know, I’m sorry it was a rough day here and we had a debrief and planning for today well into the last night. I’ll make it up to you, I promise” he replied, kissing her deeply before pulling back, “I have to keep going Anya, I’ve got to keep my eyes and focus on the water, and, well you are quite a distraction for me” he whispered.

  “A good distraction, I hope?” she replied, playfully.

  “The very best”

  Chapter Ten

  “Jack! Finn! Someone, help. Please, someone help!” came Sophie’s shrill scream. In a second, all the noises of the beach, the kids playing, parents shouting, drunks laughing—it all faded to silence, as his eyes strategically scanned the water where he’d last seen Anya and Sophie swimming, his body instinctively moving, already headed toward the water. He could see Sophie, standing on the shore, frantically scanning the water.

  Anya, where is Anya? he asked himself repeatedly, his feet carrying him faster than he thought possible, he looked to his left and saw Finn running with him, keeping up pace by pace. Behind him were two other surf lifeguards trying desperately to keep up.

  “Soph, where is she?” Jack shouted, stripping his shirt off and throwing it behind him as he made his way into the surf.

  “She’s was hit by a surfboard, she hasn’t come back up yet. Please, I’m coming to help” Sophie yelled, making her way into the water alongside him and Finn.

  “Finn, get her out of here. Calm her down, we don’t need to be pulling them both out” Jack shouted, hearing Finn’s stern voice commanding Sophie to stay on the shore before feeling his presence as they both dove under an incoming wave.

  Coming up, he saw a distressed surfer shouting to him, “over here, over here” he called urgently, “my board flew out and hit her in the head, I’ve been under a few times, and I can’t see her”

  Jack swam to him, duck diving beneath the surface, his eyes searching the water, stinging from the salty water but instinctively staying focused and open, adrenaline taking over. He made eye contact with Finn as they both c
ame up for breath, the concern etched onto his friend’s face both deflating Jack’s hopes and spurring him on to keep going. Jack watched Finn dive back under and immediately began to follow him as he saw Anya’s body bob up above the surface a few metres away. Then he heard it: her desperate gasp for breath, her pained and scared moan for help before she dropped back below the surface, at least she’s breathing he thought to himself as her threw himself toward her, every muscle overstretching and overworking in his desperate attempt to get to her. Reaching her, he dove down just below the surface and dragged her to the surface, pushing her hair out of her face and holding her up above the water, “I’ve got you Anya, just breathe. Breathe. You’re safe, I’ve got you” he gasped, his own body struggling for breath, as Finn joined him and took her weight so Jack could check her over.

  “Jetski is on the way, Jack” she heard Finn shout, “Anya, babe, you ok. You’ve taken a fair knock to the head—you hurt anywhere else?” Finn asked, checking her over as best he could.

  She tried turning to answer him, but Jack’s eyes were clasped firmly on hers and though she tried, she couldn’t drag herself away from the concern and fear etched on his face.

  “I’m… I’m ok. Jack, I’m ok?” she spluttered questioningly, thoroughly unconvinced about her own safety.

  “You’re ok, I’ve got you” he repeated as he and Finn loaded her onto the jetski mat, repeated it all the way into shore, and repeated it as he settled her onto the stretcher in the lifeguard tower.

  “You’re ok, Anya. I’ve got you” were the last words she heard as everything blacked out.

  Chapter Eleven

  “I’ll take her home” she heard Jack say.

  “No, she needs to come home with me” Sophie argued.

  “What, so she can sleep on a couch Sophie? Seriously, she has a shocking concussion—what she needs is a proper sleep, in a bed, and someone who is qualified to look after her properly. And, unless you’re hiding some kind of medical knowledge that I don’t know about, then she’s coming with me”