Unbreak Me (Second Chances #1) (17 page)

She handed her a mug of hot cocoa, “Who was that?”

“New neighbors,” Katie grumbled.

“Did they seem nice?” Melanie smirked as she sipped her coffee.

“Don’t start, Mom. I know you saw him talking to me. I don’t know anything other than his name and that he plays hockey,” Katie sighed. “He’s so cocky too. Trust me, not going to happen.”

“I didn’t say anything. But it is nice to see you smile and laugh again,” Melanie smiled at her and patted her shoulder as she walked out of the room.

“Don’t get too comfortable,” she called over her shoulder. “Austin’s coming over in an hour and we’re going to get a tree to put up tonight.”

Katie sighed. Her mom was crazy when it came to the holidays. She was like a kid during this time of year. Katie shook her head and made her way back to her room. Yes, she needed a distraction and going to get a tree sounded great right about now. She closed her door and walked over to her window. She peered through the translucent curtains to see Patrick still bringing in boxes. Even though she knew it was wrong, she stared at him for a few minutes until he turned around and caught her.
Busted
she thought as she pulled back away from view. Conflicting emotions began to swirl in her head.
Who was Patrick? How old was he? What would Zach think if he knew she was thinking about another guy?
The more she beat herself up, the more she started telling herself
Who cares what Zach thinks, if he can hang out with other girls then I can hang out with other guys.

“Katie,” Melanie called. “Austin and Hannah are here, let’s go.”

Katie emerged from her room, grabbed her coat and hat, and made her way out to the door where everyone was waiting.

“Ready?” Austin grinned.

“Yep,” Katie smiled back. “Let’s go.”

They made their way down to Austin’s truck and headed out of town to find the perfect Christmas tree for the Andrews’ house.

Chapter 15

“So, what do you think? Is it big enough for you?” Austin chuckled as he straightened the tree in the stand.

They had been out for several hours looking at fir trees, trying to find the perfect one. Melanie was picky when it came to trees. She wanted one that was full and quite tall. When they finally found one to her liking, Austin had hoisted it into the back of the truck and tied it down for the ride back to her house.

“It’s perfect,” she squealed as she bounced on the balls of her feet. “ I love it.”

She moved around the tree, surveying it as Austin slid it to just the right spot in the room.

“I’ll get the lights and you can help me put them up,” she walked down the hall to the spare room that was currently being used for storage, and began dragging boxes out to the family room. Hannah and Katie were in the kitchen drinking cocoa, and trying to warm back up. Melanie had just about finished bringing out boxes when she felt two big arms wrap around her waist from behind.

“Austin! What are you doing?” she squealed.

He nuzzled his face into her neck, “I’m taking a break to kiss the woman I love.”

She relaxed in his arms and turned to face him. She rose up on her tiptoes and planted a soft kiss to his lips. Just as she was about to pull away, he deepened it. A soft moan escaped her lips as he pressed her flush against the wall. He used his hips to hold her still while his hands began to skim along her form. Melanie arched into him when she felt his arousal press into her thigh. Thoughts of decorating the tree became fleeting as he moved his mouth to her jaw and neck. “I’ve been waiting all day to do this,” he mumbled as his hand moved up her side to caress her breast. “Austin,” she panted “we have to stop. The girls,” she began to push on his chest. He backed up and ran a hand across the back of his neck as he tried in vain to control himself.

Melanie took a moment to collect herself before responding, “There will be more of that later, if you help me finish.” Then she turned and walked back in the direction of the family room with just a little more sway to her hips.

He groaned and grabbed the box that she had been carrying and placed it strategically in front him. “Fine, I’m helping,” he called after her.

She laughed as he sulked his way back out to the family room. After calling the girls from the kitchen, the four started opening boxes and decorating their perfect tree.

Katie came bouncing into the room with a stack of CDs in her hand, “Mom, let’s put on some music.”

“Sure sweetie, you pick,” Melanie looked back as Katie was opening the cabinet to the stereo.

They had a family tradition of listening to Christmas carols as they decorated the house every year. This was the first year they’d had a live tree though.

“It smells so good in here,” Katie inhaled deeply.

“It’s the tree,” Melanie answered distractedly. “You’ve never had a live tree in the house, at least not one that you remember.”

Melanie had bought an artificial tree when Katie was little. When they lived in New York, their apartment was small. Without Sean to help carry and set it up, she didn’t have anyone else to rely on. It was nice that Austin could help this year. Melanie felt like she was finally getting some of her old life back.

As Austin strung the lights, Melanie and the girls began unwrapping ornaments and placing them on the couch.

“Most of these look homemade,” Hannah stated.

“Most of them are,” Melanie sighed. “We didn’t have a lot of money when Sean and I were first married. As much as I wanted a tree that looked like something out of the Macy’s store window, we just couldn’t afford it. We spent several nights of our first holiday season making decorations. It was a Christmas that I’ll never forget. This one here,” she pointed at Katie, “was just starting to make her presence known.”

December 1997

“Babe, we can’t afford all this stuff right now,” Sean drug his hands across his face as he surveyed the bags and boxes that Melanie had spread all over the floor.

“I know, I just want this Christmas to be special,” Melanie sighed. “It’s our first Christmas together as a married couple and the only one we‘re going to get before the baby arrives.”

It looked as if she had bought out the store. All kinds of boxes littered the tiny apartment floor.

“I promise, once I’ve been at the hospital longer and have some seniority, I’ll buy you all kinds of fancy stuff to put up in here,” he waved his hand around in the air.

“Alright, I’ll take some of it back,” she dropped her shoulders in defeat and crossed her arms dejectedly.

The next afternoon, Sean had shown up with all kinds of things to make decorations with. It looked like he’d raided an Oriental Trading store. Melanie and he had spent the next several nights making ornaments and decorations for the apartment and tree. Over the years she and Katie had added to the collection. They did have several store bought items that they had collected from trips or from friends, but the hand made ones all told a story.

December 2012

Katie held up a small reindeer ornament made out of clothes pins, “Remember this one, Mom? I made this in preschool,” she smiled at the memory.

“I remember all of them, sweetheart. They all hold something special to my heart,” she smiled at Katie as she continued to unwrap and place them to the side.

Just then, she came across one that she couldn’t mistake. It was heart shaped and heavy. She slowly unwrapped it and a lone tear trickled down her face. She glanced up at Austin and quickly wiped it way. She thought she’d been quick enough for him not to notice, but she wasn’t. Austin had been hanging around her for long enough to be able to read her. He knew something was wrong.

He walked over and knelt down beside her, “Is something wrong?”

“No, I’m fine,” she lied.

He pulled the mass of tissue paper out of her hand and began unwrapping it. Once he got it open, he discovered a pewter heart shape frame with a picture of her and Sean. They were hugging each other as someone else had caught the moment on camera. At the bottom of the frame it read “Our First Christmas”. He placed the ornament on the coffee table and wrapped his arms around her. She knew by his silence, that he understood and would not push her to talk about it.

She leaned into him and whispered, “I’m ok”.

He kissed her temple and rose to go back to hanging the lights.

Once he had finished with the lights, Melanie and the girls began the process of putting all of the ornaments on the tree. Austin helped for awhile, but soon found himself sitting on the couch watching. He was tired and seeing Hannah with Melanie and Katie made him long for a family again.

After a few hours, they finally finished. Melanie stood back and admired their work, “I think it looks perfect.”

“Me too,” Austin glanced at their smiling faces.

“I know it’s late. You guys are more than welcome to stay tonight, if you want to that is,” Melanie looked over at Austin, who was yawning.

“Please Dad!!!” Hannah begged.

“That’s alright with me,” he shrugged.

“Alright then,” Melanie smiled as she glanced over at him sitting on the couch. “Katie, why don’t you and Hannah go get settled. It’s late and we’ve had a long day.”

Katie hugged her goodnight and made her way down the hall. Hannah soon followed after Austin had told her goodnight.

“You two behave yourselves,” shouted the girls as they moved down the hall out of sight. Austin and Melanie could soon hear them erupt into giggles.

Melanie shook her head as a blush crept over her neck and cheeks. Austin put his arm around her shoulders and pulled her over to lean into him. She could feel his chest and shoulders shaking from the laughter he was trying to hold inside.

“They aren’t subtle, are they?” Melanie mused.

“No, they’re teenagers,” Austin chuckled.

He swept his arm over the couch and gestured towards her, “Wanna sit?”

She nodded and sat down as Austin shifted beside her. Once he was comfortable, he grabbed her around the waist and pulled her closer to him. She snuggled into his side and sighed. He adjusted himself slightly so he was at more of an angle and toed his shoes off. Melanie glanced around this living room. It really was beautiful in there now that they had the decorations up. She had turned off the lights except for the tree, the Christmas music was still playing softly in the background, and if you looked out the window there were soft flakes of snow falling.

“This is my favorite time of year,” she mused. “I love the magical feeling you get around Christmas, like anything can happen.”

Austin glanced down at her face and smiled, “I know what you mean.”

He leaned in and brushed a soft kiss over her lips, “Is it later yet?”

She sighed ,“Yeah.”

She turned slightly and deepened the kiss. As the kiss continued grow, Austin sat up straighter and turned to face her fully. She sighed and began to move back as he leaned into her. The next thing she knew, Austin was lying beside her with her slightly under him. He continued to kiss her, but it wasn’t rushed or demanding. It was soft, innocent almost. She sighed and shifted to give him more room. His mouth soon left hers and moved along her jaw and onto her neck.

As he reached the area near her ear he mumbled, “I love you so much.”

“I love you too,” she gasped in return.

This spurred him on and he began trailing his hand up her side from her hip and headed towards her breast. Melanie was becoming more and more comfortable being like this around Austin. He never pushed her for more than she was ready for, and tonight she just wanted to enjoy this. She was so turned on at the moment that he could have asked her for anything and she would have given it willingly. He always respected her wishes though, and when she stopped him, he understood. Other than kissing and touching, this was not going to go any further. His body didn’t understand this, but his brain did.

She groaned and rocked her hips in an upward motion causing slight friction against his jeans. He was slowly caressing her breast through her sweater when she grabbed his hand and pulled it down towards the hem. At first he didn’t respond. She’d never been this forward before, but when she began to slide his hand underneath it he growled in understanding. Her heart was pounding with excitement as her center was throbbing with need. She had no intention of having sex with him, but she wanted to get as close as she could. Austin’s chest was rising and falling quickly as he tried to rein himself in. He was going to loose it right here. She trailed her hands slowly down his chest, tracing his pecks and abs with her fingers. The long sleeved t-shirt he’d worn today fit him like a glove. Stretching over his muscles and showing off every ridge in his body. As her fingers danced lower, he sucked in a breath. He had no idea how far she was going to take this. A groan bubbled up his throat when she skimmed across his erection. It was painfully pressed against his leg in the now uncomfortable jeans. He shifted and rolled his hips into her. “Oh god Mel, what are you trying to do to me?” he panted. She smiled against his lips as she cupped him and offered a light squeeze. “I want you so bad,” he ground out as he rolled his hips a second time. Knowing that this couldn’t go any further, Melanie released him and tried to pull back slightly. Austin was in such a fog of passion that he failed to realize that she was putting the breaks on.

She turned away panting, “Austin?”

“Mmmmmm,” he groaned.

“We need to stop. I don’t think I’m going to be able to if we wait any longer,” she panted.

He backed up slightly and placed a soft kiss to her forehead, “Ok.”

She started to sit up and move away from him, but his grip was too hard for her to break.

“Where are you going?” he smiled.

“I thought you might need some space,” she looked over tentatively and skimmed her eyes down his abs settling on his crotch. She couldn’t help but notice how turned on he still was. She felt bad that she had left him that way, but she just wasn’t ready yet. That was a big step for her, one that she hoped they could make in the future.

“No, I want you right here,” he patted his chest and smiled at her. He knew he was torturing himself, but he couldn’t help it. His body was screaming for release, and he knew the after effects of leaving himself this way. But if suffering through this meant being with her later, then it was so worth it.

Melanie offered a weak smile and laid back down beside him. She placed her head on his chest and could feel his rapid heartbeat as she snuggled into his embrace. Austin reached up and grabbed the afghan off the back of the couch and placed it over them as he took several calming breaths to relax himself. He rubbed small circles on her back as she slowly drifted off. He could sense her breathing evening out and could tell that she was slowly falling asleep. He released a yawn and closed his own eyes. The two fell into a peaceful sleep as the tree twinkled in the background.

As Silent Night played on the stereo, it set the scene for a Christmas memory Melanie would never forget.