Freeing Lost Souls (The Family Tree Series Book 1) Read online

  “Well, all right then. Are you all hungry? I’m starving.” Benny is not a big guy, but boy can he eat. He’s a good-looking guy with shoulder length dirty blond hair. He reminds me of one of the boys from Dukes of Hazard. Looks like he enjoys getting himself into trouble.

  “I’m hungry. How about you, Bruce?”

  “I could eat,” he comments.

  Benny and Bruce lead me to what looks like a huge beer garden surrounded by a circle of different types of food booths. We grab a table in the middle of a crowd of hungry people. “What would you like to eat?” Bruce questions me.

  “I could go for a burger and some fries,” I answer.

  “A woman after my own heart. Save our table. Benny and I will get the food and some drinks.”

  “Sounds good.” I look around the area we are in. There must be ten different food stalls and several bar trucks offering different beers, wines, and mixed drinks. Everyone looks as if they are having a great time. Off in the far corner is a stage where a group of guys are setting up for a band to play.

  After a few minutes Bruce and Benny return with food and drinks. They spread it out on our table and sit down. “I wasn’t sure what you wanted to drink, so I got you a beer. Is that all right?” Bruce asks.

  “That’s fine. It looks like they’re setting up for a band. I didn’t know we’d get live music, too,” I say excitedly.

  “Yeah, it’s a big party. Off on the other side are rides for the kids, but most of the time we hang out in here. The bands they get are pretty good, if you like country music,” Bruce adds while Benny makes a face before taking a huge bite of his burger.

  “It’s not my favorite, but it will be nice on a night like this,” I explain.

  “Have you ever line danced before?” Bruce inquires.

  “No. Have you?”

  “I have. If the band is good, I can teach you. It’s actually fun,” he expresses. We finish eating our food, and Benny runs off to get us another round of beers.

  “Sorry about Benny. He said he wasn’t coming tonight.”

  “It’s not a big deal, really. We are all having fun.” I lean over and kiss his cheek. “So, you really want to teach me line dancing, huh?”

  “I’ll teach you anything, baby,” he teases as he leans in and really kisses me.

  “What the hell, dude?” Benny says as he puts the beers on the table for us.

  “What?” Bruce and I say at the same time.

  “When did this start happening? Am I the last to know, again?” Benny sounds like his feelings are hurt.

  “This was our first date, Benny, so relax. I was going to tell you later, but then you showed up,” Bruce answered.

  “Shit, this is a date, and I’m the third wheel. Why didn’t you guys tell me to take a hike?” Benny cries.

  “Benny, stop. It’s all right. I was a bit surprised when I didn’t see you at first. Please, let’s just have a good time. No reason to stress over something silly,” I reassure him.

  “Yeah, Benny. It’s no big deal, buddy. Let’s show this lovely lady a good time tonight. Show her how we live it up out here in the sticks.” We all laugh at Bruce’s attempt at talking like a country boy.

  After a few more beers, I’m feeling very relaxed. The band has started up, and Benny has gone for even more beers. “I’m not sure how much more I should drink tonight. I’m close to my threshold.” I lean into Bruce as we sway to the music. I have my head on his shoulder while we sit on a bench, watching the band play.

  The song changes. “Dance with me.” He holds his hand up for me to take. It’s a slow song that I haven’t heard before.

  I take his hand and we walk out onto the dance floor. “Benny will drink anyone under the table if he’s given the chance. I’ll tell him this is our last round. Are you having a good time?”

  “I am. I couldn’t ask for better company, and the food was really good.”

  “Thank you for coming out with me tonight. I’ve wanted to ask for a while and wasn’t sure how you would take it.”

  I blush at his sweet words. It’s been so long since I’ve felt this happy. I rest my head on his shoulder as we begin to dance to the music. I could dance like this with him all night; it feels so good being in his strong arms. The song changes to a more upbeat one, and people come to the dance floor to fill in the space around us.

  “Well, looks like this will be your first lesson in line dancing. Just watch what everyone else is doing. They do a few steps then do them again. You’ll see,” he suggests as we get lined up with everyone else, and I follow along. It’s not as hard as I thought it would be. It’s a lot of sliding and kicking and walking sideways. By the end of the second song, I’m laughing so hard. “Do you want to sit this one out?” he asks as the next song begins. I nod, and we wander over to where Benny is talking to a girl.

  Benny has turned on his charm for her. She looks to be college age. “Hey, guys. This is Jenny Wicks. She’s here visiting with a group of friends. I think I’ll show her around a bit.” He winks.

  “Hi, I’m Bruce, and this is Sarah. Nice to meet you. Where are you visiting from?”

  “We are here from Mississippi. A lot of us have never been here and wanted to come explore. We hear they have good ghost tours, so we came to check them out,” she replies.

  “Well, you’ve come to the right place. Our Benny here has had a run-in with quite a few ghosts himself. He will be the perfect tour guide for you.” Bruce sounds proud of his friend.

  “Shall we?” Benny winks at us as he guides Jenny off to meet up with her group of girlfriends, leaving Bruce and me alone at last.

  “That took longer than I thought it would,” Bruce explains as he watches his friend walk away.

  “What did?”

  “Him picking up a girl.” He laughs. “He usually has his eyes on someone as soon as he gets here. He loves this time of year, new people to meet and charm.”

  I laugh because although Benny is an all-around good guy, he seems to be a bit of a player. “I’m glad he found someone to entertain him. Now I have you all to myself.” I smile and put my arm through his.

  “Is there anything else you would like to see? We kind of missed the sunset. Sorry, I’ll bring you back to see it another time.”

  “I think we have seen everything, haven’t we?”

  “Except for the rides on the other side. If you want, we could go on the Ferris Wheel or something. It’s up to you.”

  “I had a bad experience on one of those a few years back. I avoid them like the plague.” I shrug. “I wouldn’t mind going back to the spot you took me to earlier. We could sit and talk.”

  “That sounds nice.” We wander back to the place where we started the night and sit on the bench we vacated a few hours ago. I mainly want to sit and sober up a bit, so on our way over we grabbed a few bottles of water.

  “What a gorgeous night this turned out to be. It’s so warm. I love watching the fireflies play,” I comment as I snuggle into Bruce’s arm that is wrapped around my shoulder.

  “It’s a nice night.”

  “So what made you decide to finally ask me out?”

  “Like I said, I’ve wanted to ask you out for a while. I wasn’t sure if I could open my heart to you, knowing that you would most likely not stay here.”

  “What made you change your mind?”

  “I’m not sure, really. It just feels right when I’m with you. It feels like a missing piece that I didn’t realize was missing, was put in place. And the more time I spent with you, the more I thought why not.” He shrugs.

  I turn and look at him. “I feel the same way about you. It feels right being with you. I didn’t think I would ever feel like this again,” I confess before I kiss him. He turns toward me and pulls me to him. I have no idea how long we kiss but when we finally pull apart, we are both breathless. “Wow,” I say, a bit dizzy from the lack of oxygen and the lingering booze.

  “What do you say we get out of here and go back to my pl
ace for a night cap?” Bruce whispers as we lean forehead to forehead, still coming down from our kissing high.

  I nod my head, not sure I have the breath to say anything. I’ve never been kissed like that. It was unexpected. We walk hand in hand to his truck, where he holds the door open for me.

  Chapter 13

  We drive off as the fireworks start behind us. I don’t think either of us is thinking about those kinds of fireworks. It has been so long for me to be with a man and from what it sounds like it has been a while for him as well.

  We make it back to the lofts. His loft looks just like mine with the exception that everything is in the opposite place. “Have a seat,” he says.

  I sit while he heads off into the kitchen to grab us a drink. He hands me my drink before sitting on the couch with me. “So…”

  “Would you like to watch a movie? Have you ever seen ‘Titanic’? We could pop some corn and just relax,” he suggests.

  “I have, but I don’t mind seeing it again. It’s one of my favorites. What can I help with?” I take another sip of my drink.

  “I’ll get the movie. Do you mind grabbing the popcorn? It’s in the cupboard to the right of the sink. Bowls are in the same cupboard.”

  “Sure.” I hop up and we both go about our chores. Once done, I take the popcorn and land back on the couch. He puts the movie in and turns the lights down before he joins me.

  I’ve seen this movie several times, but there is something about watching it with a guy that you are interested in. Yes, it sinks in the end, but it truly is a love story. By the time we make it to the part where Jack is showing Rose how it feels to fly, Bruce and I are cuddling, and when they move into the love scene, we are making out. Our kissing and make-out session quickly turns into something much more, as now I’m lying under him. It feels incredible to be with him like this.

  “Should we move this onto the bed?” I nod, and as I sit up, he scoops me up over his shoulder like a fireman.

  “Hey!” I giggle as he carries me over to his bed and gently tosses me onto it before crawling up my body, kissing what skin I have exposed before he finds my lips. I spread my legs to accommodate him, and as he settles between them I can feel how turned on he is.

  I rake my nails up and down his back until I find my way to the front of his shirt and begin to unbutton it. He realizes what I’m doing, stops kissing me, and kneels to pull it over his shoulders. Oh my God! What a stunning chest, with just a small dusting of hair here and there and abs to die for. He comes back to continue our heated kiss. I run my hand up and down his back again. God, he feels so good under my hands, strong, hot, hard muscles everywhere I touch. He starts to kiss down my neck as he begins to inch my dress up my thighs very slowly, dragging his fingers on my skin, giving me goosebumps.

  He pulls me up into a sitting position, to pull my dress off over my head. Thank God I thought about wearing a sexy blue bra and G-string panty set. Once he gets my dress off, he looks at me before running his hands through my hair. “You’re so beautiful,” he expresses as he kisses me again. He slowly lowers me back down onto the bed.

  We are all touch, exploring each other’s bodies. I feel an unexpected bond with him. It’s such a strange feeling, but it’s making this experience even better than I thought it could be. I feel drawn to him.

  He kisses his way down my body again, stopping only to remove my bra. While sucking one nipple, he fondles my other breast. I arch my back and moan in response to his talented mouth. I grab the sheets in my fists the more he plays with me. When I get close to ecstasy, he abandons my breast and continues his journey south, peeling off my panties as he kisses his way down. I moan again. I’ve never been made love to like this. No one has ever taken the time like this with me. It feels oh so good, as if he’s worshipping me.

  Having reached the end of the bed with my panties, he stands to remove the rest of his clothes and boots, watching me the whole time. He looks so sexy naked. You can’t tell when he wears clothes just how well built he is, not body builder built, but hard-working, country boy built.

  He slides up my body inch by glorious inch, kissing and sucking as he goes. I tug at his hair with my fingers. When our eyes meet, I pull his lips to mine and kiss him with everything I’ve got. I break away just long enough to murmur breathlessly, “I need you.”

  He holds my gaze as he reaches over to his nightstand for a condom. “Are you sure about this?”

  “I’ve never been so sure about anything in my life.” He sits up and rolls the condom on, then comes back for another kiss. I wrap my legs around his hips, opening myself to him. And when he finally hits home, I moan incoherently. He kisses me as he begins to move rhythmically.

  I think I’ve died and gone to Heaven. I’ve had good sex before, but this is outstanding. I feel every inch of him, as he hits spots that have never been hit before. It doesn’t take long until I climax, screaming his name as I do.

  “I’m not done with you yet,” he growls as he pulls out and rolls me over, pushing me up onto my knees but leaving my top half lying on the bed as he takes me from behind. He clutches onto my hips as he begins to pump again, slapping my ass every now and then as he goes. I’ve never had it this good. As my body starts to take over for another climax, he moans and breathes faster. This is a major turn on as I climax yet again, and he follows suit. We collapse on the bed, coming down from our sexual high.

  “Wow,” I say when I finally catch my breath.

  “Yeah, come here.” He pulls me over to him so I can lay my head on his chest.

  “So, I guess this was a good first date.” I laugh.

  “I guess so.” He chuckles. “I know this sounds odd, but this just felt right. The whole night, I mean. It feels as if we should be together. I feel something pushing me to you.”

  “That doesn’t sound crazy at all. I was actually just thinking that same thing. And if it makes me feel this happy then so be it.” I’m drawing figure eights on his chest.

  “How do you feel?” He’s stroking my hair, and it feels so satisfying.

  “It’s hard to explain. I feel so many things, happy being the overpowering. I feel as if I belong. I’m still trying to get my head around it all. Does that make sense?”

  “You have traveled so much in your life. Maybe you’ll be willing to stay, for a change.”

  “Only time will tell.” We lie quietly for a while, until I fall asleep in his arms. I feel as if a weight has been lifted off my shoulders. I feel relaxed. I’m starting to wonder if I may be able to call this place home, permanently. I just don’t know. I’ll take things one day at a time.

  * * *

  I awake to the smell of bacon. Looking around the room, at first it doesn’t look familiar, but then everything about last night comes flooding back. Bruce is no longer in bed but standing in the kitchen cooking. That has got to be the hottest thing I’ve ever seen: a man cooking, naked from the waist up. I get up, pull on his discarded shirt from last night, and join him at the stove.

  What a sight to wake up to in the morning. “Good morning,” I announce as I kiss his cheek. He turns, pulls me to him, and gives me a proper kiss. “Why didn’t you wake me?” I inquire when we pull apart.

  “You looked so peaceful I couldn’t bring myself to wake you. How did you sleep?”

  “Really well, better than I have in a long time. How about you?”

  “Great, I hope I’m not moving too fast for you. I really had no intention to take our date beyond that last night. One thing just led to the other, I guess.”

  “If I hadn’t wanted to, I would have stopped you. Trust me, I needed it. I feel so much better now. I feel comfortable with you and have since the day I met you. Don’t stress about it.” I kiss his cheek again. “So what’s for breakfast?”

  He gives me a sexy look. “Well, I’d prefer to have you for breakfast, but we’ll need to get ready for the reenactment soon, so I guess just a good old-fashioned country breakfast: biscuits, gravy, bacon, and eggs. Is
that all right with you?”

  “I guess I’ll have to take a rain check on the other, then,” I say as he sets our plates and we sit to eat. “So what will I be doing at this reenactment? I assume someone will tell me when I get there.”

  “You’ll be on Sickles Ave, at the tent hospital. I’ll end up there by the end of the day. They’ll tell you what is going on when you get to the tent. I know from the past, you mainly pretend to work on the soldiers while people walk around and watch. Beware. They do have fake amputated body parts that they fling around.” I make a grossed-out face. “It’s creepy, I know, but it adds to the effect. You’ll see.”

  “So what do you do during this event?” I take a sip of my coffee. What a really tasty breakfast.

  “I’ll start off at the Wheatfield. We reenact the battle there, then some of us get transported to the different hospitals in the area,” he explains. “It’s just all part of the scene. Are you all set with your costume?” I nod. “We can drive over together if you want. Parking can be a bitch during this time, so most of us park in a special area for the actors then get bussed to where we need to be. I could drop you off where you need to be first. That way you won’t stress about getting on the wrong bus.”

  “I’m a bit nervous.” I’ve never done anything like this before, so I’m freaking out a bit. I do feel better knowing that Bruce will end up with me later. “How long does this thing go?”

  “Don’t be. It will be fun, you’ll see. And time will fly once you get into it. It does run all day. When we finish, a group of us usually goes to the local dive for beer and pizza. You can be my date, if you’d like.”

  “Sounds like fun.” I get up, clear the table, then wash the dishes while he dries. It’s so domestic of us. It amazes me how easy we are together already. I like it. “I should run home and jump in the shower before we need to leave. I should check on Buc, too. I’m having Sally take him all day today. Just easier than having him with me.”