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What Do You Fear? [randomname98766789 and Amaranthine]

When Bryce saw the look in Alicia's eyes after she agreed to his idea, his heart began fluttering again. To know that this perfect girl was so excited to go on this date with him caused Bryce an intense level of happiness. When she told him to close his eyes, Bryce decided to turn around completely. "I will do you even one better than that. I'll pick out my own outfit, too." Bryce knew his own wardrobe was not that extensive. Even though they were going to swim together, he had no access to a swimsuit of any kind, not even realizing that Alicia managed to hide one away to surprise him with today. Bryce managed to find a nice pair of jeans and a blue, button-up t-shirt. It looked like it would be good enough for such a casual thing.

Once he picked that out, he set the clothing beside him and closed his eyes, still staring away. "You've already got me excited for what's next." Bryce laughed, realizing how easily she could get him going. The way that she could arouse him and excite him by just teasing him with the thought of a surprise outfit was a phenomenal thing. Bryce was truly powerless around Alicia and she knew which buttons to press. He continued to wait until she told him to turn around and when to look at her again. "You're killing me with the anticipation, babe." He teased.

--

Wow. Nick did not even realize the way his words could be misinterpreted. To him, thanking Josh for looking out for Anna did not mean he was trying to minimize the way Anna felt or say anything bad about her. It was a simple choice of word mistake that he saw as logical. Then, Anna took it completely differently. She could be so stubborn sometimes, but that’s why he loved her, right. “Sorry, Anna,” Nick whispered quietly. If nothing else, it taught him to be very careful about what he said. He did not want to upset her again, that was for damn sure. “Yeah, I know everyone will be okay, and if anyone tries to get in here for Molly, well, they wouldn’t even make it past Anna,” Nick said with a gentle smile, trying to ease the tension back down.

Thinking back on Troy, Nick frowned as he thought about the situation he was involved in. “I’ll watch my back and take care of myself out there. I don’t know why but I feel like he wouldn’t kill me. He likes to play games. I think the hunting trip is legit. I’ll still be careful, though. I’ll have some weapon on me to make sure I’m ready, just in case something goes wrong.” It sounded like they had a plan. Nick didn’t exactly know what he was trying to find out, but he believed in keeping friends close and enemies closer.
 
"Ooh," Alicia returned as Bryce said that he had his own outfit in mind - now she was excited. Since he had something to do she was free to change, and even after he was done grabbing what he needed he waited patiently for her. He was such a good sport - and Alicia was thrilled to be able to surprise him. He wouldn't be able to tell at first, but there would be another surprise awaiting him underneath the clothing she wore over it. She didn't know how she'd gotten so lucky finding things that her husband would enjoy, but she wasn't about to argue with it - who would have a problem with being able to look attractive to their partner?

"It's worth it," Alicia said as she made some finishing touches - namely, looking in a small mirror to adjust her long brown locks in to perfection. Once she was sure she was ready she told him that he could turn around, at whicb point he would be greeted by the sight of her in a little flowy green sundress, a color that matched the hue of her eyes, and strappy sandals she was surprised that she could even find. Her hairstyle was loose and quickly done, but still maintained a cute and appealing look.

"What do you think?" Alicia asked, posing to show off her long legs and the way her ass looked.

- - - - -

"So... when was that supposed to happen?" Anna asked, still sidled up on the couch with Molly, who had one arm across the top of the couch and the other holding her son - in a small way it was just like almost any day back at the apartment. Anna may have been sexual and sometimes sweet with Nick, but she was straight up affectionate when it came to her best friend - back in the day it wouldn't have been surprising to go in to the bathroom and find the girls comfy on opposite sides of a bubble bath sharing a joint or singing along to music with shampoo bottle microphones. She couldn't help it right now either, she hadn't seen much of Molly in ages and had just found out that her life had been threatened. It was a fucked up situation.

Anna planned on walking out with Nick when he left, but she figured now that the tension had died down it was safe to hang out until then. Or... well, at this point it seemed like it was inevitable that Nick was going to head out, and she couldn't really blame him. She would want to sus the situation out herself, too. Fuck, she still did. Even if no one had said anything Anna would have came back here, too, so it wasn't like anyone needed to worry about her wandering around. At least that would be one less thing to distract Nick from his mission.
 
As soon as Bryce was told that he could turn around, he did not even hesitate. When his eyes landed on the sundress, Bryce’s jaw hit the floor. “Oh my God, Alicia. You look so hot in that dress. I mean, you look hot all the time, of course. You know what I mean.” Bryce was approaching her quickly. Sundresses, or dresses of any kind, were a weak spot for Bryce. Alicia had never been one to wear many in the first place. Dresses were even more uncommon and impractical now, so the fact that she grabbed one and waited for the perfect time to bust it out caused Bryce to smile even more. She really did keep him in mind at all times, didn’t she?

By the time he reached Alicia, all he could do was reach down and grab her ass with his right hand, using his left hand to pull her closer by the back of her neck. Their lips crashed together in a passionate kiss, his tongue freely poking around the outline of her lips. Besides, what good kiss didn’t have a nice ass grab, too? After the way she was showing off for him, he could not resist! “When he pulled back, Bryce continued smiling, gazing into her orbs. “Now, let’s get a move on. We’ll stop by the dining hall to get our food to go and we’ll be on our way.”

--


When Anna asked about the time it was supposed to happen, Nick glanced out the window. The sun was going to set soon. “Just a few hours left before we head out. Troy said he would wait until the sun had set. It was a nighttime hunting trip.” Nick explained, locking eyes with Anna while he was responding. When Nick looked at the scene before him, all he could think about was the old days, too. Even though so many things were different, they could at least block out the bad shit around them. If Nick tried hard enough, this felt like any other day where all four of them were at one of the girls’ places. The baby made an addition to the group, too. They had not seen each other in such a long time, though. Nick could only imagine how much time Anna would need to catch up with Molly, to see what she had been up to. Anna had been out of it ever since she arrived. Did the girls even have a real chance to talk?

“I know that things are different, but for what it is worth, I am glad that we all found each other again after everything that happened. It doesn’t sound like this place is going to be home for us, but maybe we’ll find something real. I have hope for that.” Nick admitted, getting just a tad sentimental, but it felt like the right time since the anger died down and now they were just playing the waiting game.
 
She was dressed to impress and it seemed like she had - Alicia grinned wide at Bryce's reaction, pleased with herself for making him seem so happy. "You're pretty stunning yourself," she returned - flattered by his praises. The best part was that she knew he was being genuine with her - he really did seem to think that she was all that. Alicia had spent most of her life thinking that she was rather plain, but Bryce was definitely singlehandedly giving her a self esteem boost with the way that he seemed to think she was truly wonderful. She could be in sweats and an oversized t-shirt and he would still find her beautiful - or so she believed, they'd never been in a situation where she'd had to wear those kinds of clothes before.

One kiss wasn't enough, though, especially after the way that Bryce had squeezed her ass. As he looked her in the eyes and said that they should probably go grab food and head out, Alicia agreed - she was thrilled at the idea of getting our by themselves. First, however, she needed to steal another passionate kiss from her beloved.

"Okay, now I'm ready," she said as she pulled away, her face still so close to Bryce's that their noses were touching. As soon as she pulled away she took her husband's hand in her own, ready to head out.

- - - - -

Conversation went on for a little while after that - Anna's little found family all in the same room as each other for the first time in years. The main difference, apocalypse aside, was that now everyone was sober. It wasn't long before Molly wandered off with the now sleeping kid and Anna followed after, only to return a few minutes later. Each of the girls had a joint in hand - a little bit of old fashioned pain relief that wasn't really going to make things much better but at least they'd be happier? The guys were offered go share and whether Nick chose to at least come outside or not, Anna slipped outside for a few moments. Afterwards she plopped down in the middle of the couch and patted each side of her. Two sides, two favourite people - she was stoned and happy and with only people she cared about and she would be cuddled up to. Josh had never been one for getting involved in group activities and had fucked off shortly after, using Noah starting to whimper from the other room as an excuse to walk away.

It was a nice time to catch up, and for a moment play house - return to the last real normalcy Anna had ever felt, as sad as that way. Conversation wasn't deep, any deeper than any given person was willing to delve, but nice nonetheless. Molly and Nick had the most to catch up on in terms of events since they'd last been around each other, but Anna wasn't quiet herself. All good things come to an end, though, and night began to fall upon them. "I don't want you to go," Anna mumbled with her head against Nick's shoulder. The apocalypse made for a great tolerance break and she hadn't been afraid to have her fair share of the marijuana offered, and she just genuinely did not want him to leave that moment.
 
Without a second of hesitation, Bryce accepted Alicia’s hand in his own. Their fingers linked together and they started waling forward, moving out of the cabin and into the ranch. After last night, he felt a little more comfortable here. He knew everyone wasn’t terrible, and like her mother said, the people who really did not want them here were a minority of the population. Most ranch members did not seem to be upset with the new members. There were just a handful that Madison must have upset somehow, causing them to accuse them of being freeloaders. Their time at the dining hall ended up being less dramatic than last night, so that was good.

Since it was close to the afternoon, lunch was being served. All they would receive would be a bottle of water, a sandwich, and an apple. It was pretty much gourmet for these days, though. Once they were given a small bag with the food, Bryce walked with Alicia right back out of the shelter. He knew exactly where to find the lake. It was near the outskirts of the ranch, meaning they would have it to themselves. Nobody was here before them and he did not see anyone out this way often. Perfect! “Here we are babe. I guess we can just pick a spot wherever we want and enjoy our meal.” Bryce suggested, giving her a nod of his head.

--


After Nick and Anna reunited when this shit first started, it had been a roller coaster. It had been one hell of a ride. There were high moments. There were low moments. This was one of the high moments. All four of them had a conversation together, although it seemed like conversation was dominated by Molly and Anna, which was to be expected. Nick just enjoyed haring the two friends. He enjoyed seeing the smile on his girl’s face. He admired her from afar until it was time to take a hit. He would join Anna and Molly outside, a join in his hand, too. He figured being stoned and having a way to relax before his big night with Troy would be helpful. Once that was over and they were back on the couch together, Nick continued to enjoy the conversation.

It was nice to get all caught up with Molly and vice versa. He thought about heading out soon after Josh walked away, but he was far too comfortable and figured the girls would have more than enough girl time when he was gone. He noticed that nightfall was going to begin soon and around that time, he heard Anna make the comment about not wanting him to go. “You don’t?” Nick asked in a soft voice. “Why not? This could be really helpful for us if I go.” Nick replied, leaning right back against her, his voice so gentle as well as he felt relaxed, just curious what was going on in her head. At first, he didn’t think she actually cared whether he went or not, but now he was interested in hearing her logic and why she wanted him to stay.
 
Alicia was still concerned about the people here and how welcome they were even after the time they’d spent in the bunker last night, but the longer they stayed the easier it became to feel like they were somewhat safe. They’d caught sight of Gretchen down grabbing food, who had asked if Alicia had enjoyed the gift that had been left behind - the brunette had smiled so wide her teeth hurt and assured that she was thrilled. The vast majority of people seemed to accept them, too. Madison got on the nerves of a few and the vocal minority were always the ones who seemed to get their opinions heard, but if they were going to stay here then they weren’t going to be freeloaders. They would give a helping hand, as soon as they found out how they would help best. Since no one was trying to pull them in to things, that kind of stuff could definitely wait until after the young couple had a chance to have their day together, though.

”This is beautiful, Bryce,” Alicia said as she took a spot by the water’s edge, far enough that gentle waves caused by a small breeze wouldn’t reach her until she was ready to be wet. The area was quiet, secluded - not a single soul out here. It seemed that the lake was old news to everyone else here, but that simply meant it could be truly special to Alicia and Bryce.

The young woman put her lunch down beside her, and gently patted the ground on the other side - she wanted to simply enjoy the view for a moment with her arm around her beloved’s back and her head on his shoulder. “This was a really good find - how’d you know I’d love it?”

- - - - -

Why didn't she want him to go? Because they could stay right there instead - Anna was stuck in that moment and not wanting it to end. The world around them was a lot to deal with and it was difficult to handle, but right then and there? Life was kind of peaceful, she had her people. Why would she want Nick to walk away from that when they could just stay like this instead? She didn’t give a damn about Troy or anyone else here anyways.

“Because you could just stay here with me instead.” It was a rather sappy little line in terms of how Anna acted, especially paired with that small serene smile on her lips as she looked at him. Really she wouldn’t mind having a chance to catch up with Molly one on one, and the girls were privy to parts of each other’s lives that no one else was and there really was a long chat to be had at some point, but for now? Why couldn’t they just have their own little reality back for just a bit longer?

Realistically, Anna knew that he was going to head out anyways. There was shit to be done and Nick was like her in the sense that if shit needed to be done, it was getting done. She wasn’t trying to keep him from going, just gently goad Nick in to wanting to stay cuddled up. Anna was just a happier person with Nick and Molly around, it had been the case in the past and it seemed to be more the case now that for so long she’d only had one or the other.
 
“I’m glad you think so, Alicia.” Bryce responded when Alicia said this place looked beautiful. As soon as the girl dropped down onto the ground, Bryce decided to join his wife. He sat close enough so they could easily touch. Thinking about Bryce’s reaction when he first saw the lake, it reminded him of a fond memory back before the world went to hell. “Last Summer, before everything happened. We went to that lake with some friends. It was such a great time and I found you by yourself, near the lake. You were drawing the lake and you looked so happy doing it. I sat beside you, listening to you talk about how the lake was one of your favorite places.”

Bryce always paid attention in those small moments. “I remembered seeing a page in your book, too. I saw you drawing us together, even then.” Bryce teased her with the memory. He was so blind to see it, how his best friend should have been his girlfriend all along. He lost count of how many times he saw pictures of himself in her book when she would try to quickly flip the page so he would not know.

“So, long story short, I know how much you love the lake and I think these moments are so important. Let’s have another great memory together at the lake.” Life was all about the memories. At the end of the day, they might have to find somewhere new to live or they might lose people. The memories would never die, though. “So, was I right? Do you like the spot?” Bryce asked and chuckled softly as he already knew the answer to the question, but he loved seeing the way her face lit up.

--

It was not difficult to understand where Anna was coming from. Staying here in that moment would have been wonderful. To never worry about the dead again, or bandits, or racist assholes with guns would have been wonderful. There was a world outside these walls, though. If they had a chance in this world, they would have to walk outside and face the threats around them. Even though this was true, it did not mean they could not enjoy this present moment. Nick was not rushing this moment, wanting it to end. He wished the sun would have stayed in the sky for another hour or two. He did not want to go, honestly. Although it was true, Nick needed to go.

Hearing Anna’s reasoning for wanting him to stay with her tugged at his heartstrings. Moments for Anna where she showed a sappy side were always few and far between. It felt even rarer after their reunion and it was often accompanied by being stoned. Nick held onto this moment tighter than he should.

“I’m going to remember the last couple of hours forever, you know? This has been nice. I’m not looking forward to leaving this house.” After the tension of the beginning of their conversation was over, Nick would say the last couple of hours ended up going much better than the first couple of hours went. “You know, if I didn’t know any better, I might think you were going to miss me when I leave for tonight.”
 
Alicia’s cheeks flushed red as Bryce brought up her old sketchbooks - she knew exactly what drawings he was talking about. It was all innocent enough and even though she had been head over heels for him back then, she had the plausibility of saying that she simply considered him her best friend. She hadn’t known that he had seen those pictures, she’d tried to keep them private, but if he had spoken up about it she would have claimed just that - of course he was in her drawings, he was her best friend, and she was hiding them because she was self conscious. Really, she had been worried that if he saw the pictures and thought anything of it, he wouldn’t like the idea and she could lose her best friend. How wrong she had been.

”It’s the best,” she said, cheeks still pink. Bryce was always looking out for her, finding the little moments in life that he knew she would enjoy - this was what marriage was supposed to be like. “I absolutely love it,” Alicia said, emphasizing her point. “After lunch is done we should go for a swim, I have another surprise that I was holding on to for the right moment... you just happened to make the right moment happen.”

Just to tease and give Bryce a speak peek of what awaited him, Alicia pulled the side of her dress up subtley - just enough for Bryce to see strings on her undergarments more typical of a little black bikini rather than panties,

- - - - -

“Gross,” Anna quipped back, scrunching her face up at Nick as she did so - she was playing around, there had always been an unspoken knowledge that she would miss him when he was gone. Sometimes in the past that hadn’t been so obvious, all the times they’d fought over some dumb little thing that she had probably over reacted to, but there were also a hundred times he’d opened the door to her and Molly’s shitty little apartment with a silly grin on her face, high as a kite but happy to have him back nonetheless. Heroin wasn’t a luxury that they had any more - something that was probably for the best - but the thought remained. She would be happy to have him back after all was said and done.

”Things will be better when you’re back, though,” she followed up with, glancing towards the windows to see just how dark it had gotten outside. Yeah, she probably should let him leave... She groaned as she tried to straighten up, using her good arm to support her weight until she was vertical.

“I’ll walk out with you?” She suggested, resting her hand on the middle of his thigh as she did so - it might have been a more intimate kind of touch but she wasn’t trying to evoke a response from him,
 
The flush on Alicia’s cheeks made Bryce smile brightly. He loved seeing her with flushed cheeks. The blush was so damn cute! “Well, I am glad you think so. I have a feeling this is going to be a great day.” Bryce could not have imagined what she was going to show him for her surprise, though. It was not until she lifted up her dress just a bit to show him the bottoms of her bikini. It caused his jaw to drop. It sounded like Bryce was not the only one to listen carefully. He mentioned to her in passing that he loved dresses and bikinis, but he had admitted that he knew the likelihood of her ever being able to wear either was low.

Today, however, Alicia managed to wear both. “Wow, is that a bikini that you have hidden underneath that dress?” Bryce asked with a soft chuckle. He reached out to place his right hand against her outer thigh. “I cannot wait to see the rest of it. I know you’re going to look so good in it.” It made him want to get this meal finished so they could get right to it.

With that thought in mind, he reached over to grab her sandwich from the bag, holding it up to her lips so she could take the first bite from his hand, as he always enjoyed feeding her like this. He knew they would get to the fun soon enough, but there was no need to rush the meal.

--

Nick quietly chuckled again when Anna quipped back at him, although the scrunching up of her face threatened to melt his heart. He knew she was just playing around, that she would actually miss him. He just liked to tease her right back right after she would tease him and vice versa. Nick once thought Anna might not actually care whether he was around or not, but he learned how untrue it was. Nick understood that Anna had a unique way of showing affection and expressing herself. He never could doubt her, though

“I agree with you. Things will be better when I’m back. I’ll get back to you as soon as I can.” Nick promised her, watching as she sat upright, looking into her eyes. He knew that it was getting close and he knew that he could not avoid it anymore. When she suggested that she would walk out with him, Nick nodded his head. He placed his hand over hers as well.

“Alright, then. Let’s get started. He will be waiting for me at the gates. I know he is expecting me, so we better get going.” Nick confirmed with a nod of his head, releasing her hand even though he did not really want to do that. Soon enough, he was standing and waiting for Anna to join him.
 
Alicia always liked to go above and beyond when it came to Bryce, so when she had the perfect opportunity to appeal to multiple things that he would enjoy? Fuck yeah, she was going to! As Bryce brought the sandwich to her lips she took a small bite, smiling towards him as she chewed and then swallowed. There she was - bikini beneath a soft dress, kicking her sandals to the side so that she was left barefoot. If they were getting in to the water later anyways, what were the point of shoes now? Of course, Alicia knew that was also something that Bryce was going to love and that added to just how special she wanted to make this little adventure of theirs.

”You spoil me,” Alicia said to him as soon as her mouth was clear, reaching towards Bryce’s own lunch bag. If he was going to feed her and spoil her, she sure as hell was going to do the same thing in return. Before offering him any of the food, however, first she wanted to steal a kiss - shallow but passionate, ending in her tongue swiping just slightly against his lower lip before pulling away.

“Open up,” she said with that sweet toothy smile of hers, offering the sandwich out to her husband like it was a five star meal.

- - - - -

"I'll be back soon," Anna said to Molly as she clambered to her feet, taking a spot at Nick’s side to wander out. She had a limited experience of the ranch and didn’t quite know what way to take to get anywhere besides the medical unit, the canteen and Molly’s place. Because of that Nick would have to take the lead, and since he hadn’t tried to dote on her - didn’t even have the chance to before they were out the door - Anna slunk her good arm around his waist. Part of her was just stoned and cuddly, part of her had felt a little wobbly when she’d stood up and despite what Nick thought she did try to look after herself.

As soon as she could see Troy, Anna didn’t look very happy though. She took her time saying goodbye, if only to inconvenience Troy for just a moment. Standing in front of Nick she met his eyes, her good hand holding on to one hip while the other rested gently on him. “I’m not allowed to die on you, you’re not allowed to die on me,” she said to him as she stretched up the couple inches distance to kiss him. Gently, her teeth grazed his lip as she pulled away. “And you’ll know where to find me when you get back.”
 
“I try,” Bryce replied to her comment about him spoiling her. It was the truth. Bryce tried everything in his power to spoil Alicia. He wanted the girl to truly, truly feel like a Princess, so that it wasn’t just a nickname for her. “I would be remiss if I didn’t say that you spoil me, too. You’re the one here with a dress and a bikini underneath. And I noticed your lack of footwear, too. You’re hitting three of my favorite spots.” Bryce pointed out with a grin of his own, enjoying the brief kiss they shared.

When the kiss was over, he did not resist Alicia’s attempt at feeding him, too. It was something he expected as she would often do this, just as he would. The food tasted so much better when it was coming from her hand, though. He took a bite and enjoyed it, swallowing it after he chewed it a few times. “Thank you, babe. I appreciate you, not just for what you’re doing today, but everything you do for me.” The list was long. Alicia did so many things for him and he wanted to try and repay her for all of that, but she deserved the world. Bryce would do his best to give it to her. “You know, I might have a surprise or two for us as well, but we’ll see after we get out of the water.” Bryce winked, showing that she was not the only one thinking ahead.

--

It was nice to have Anna's arm back around his waist. It meant Nick did not have to argue with her about supporting her since she was already accepting his support, even if she did mask it as stoned cuddliness. That was okay, though. As they walked out onto the ranch, he felt a sinking feeling in his stomach. It wasn't often that they were not around each other after their latest reunion? He felt like this was going to be about as long as they had been apart since then. True, Nick had a tendency to wander off alone at Colonia, but that was different. Nick was in control then and he knew what to expect. Troy was about as wild as a wildcard could get. When they spotted him, Nick could see he was no longer wearing that eyepatch. His mother left a permanent mark in and around his right eye back at the depot.



Turning away from Troy and focusing on Anna, a small smile spread across his lips. "Well, since you put it that way, I guess I don't have a choice but to not die, right?" Nick asked, but the teasing quickly went away when she kissed him. It made him nearly buckle and collapse onto the ground because of how good it felt. "You are serious about trying to change my mind, I see." Nick laughed softly, just looking into her eyes. "I'll find you when I get back. You head on back and try to get some rest. It's getting late." He pointed out, forcing himself to pull away from her, starting the slow walk toward Troy.
 
One would not think that the end of the world was playing out around the young couple with how lost in the moment they seemed to be. It seemed that even if anyone had tried to come down here, they at least noticed the space was already taken and left Alicia and Bryce to enjoy their sweet little moment of bliss. Just like the night before, getting stoned and tipsy with a bunch of other teenagers, there at the beach they were just kids - they could pretend they were in a normal world, graduated from high school and waiting to go off to college together. They probably wouldn’t be married, she would have wanted to finish college first so that they could have the best possible start to that stage of their life together and they would have had the chance to have an actual relationship with dates and highs and lows and apartment sharing and bills and all of the dumb domestic things that they never would actually see, but they still would have been this hopelessly in love with each other.

So of course Alicia was going to do everything she could to make the moment as special to her husband as possible, and a light giggle escaped her lips when he brought up that he had noticed she’d kicked her sandals aside. She really was pulling all of the stops for him today, and she had hoped to be able to do that at some point. Alicia had simply gotten lucky that he had chosen the perfect locations for them to have their lazy enamoured lunch.

“I like surprises,” Alicia said as she leaned in for a kiss - to Bryce that was true, but when it came to anyone else surprises weren’t her thing. She knew that with him there was never going to be a bad surprise, though. It wasn’t long before she’d finished her meal and she clung to her husband’s arm, her head resting against his shoulder. In the moment she found herself kind of thrilled by the idea of skinny dipping with him, but she knew just how much he was going to appreciate the swim suit she’d put aside for him. After a reasonable amount of time, she peppered kisses up his shoulders and neck to end on his cheek, and spoke again. “What do you say about really seeing what’s under this dress?”

- - - - -

“What can I say,. Apparently I’m not doing a good enough job though,” Anna returned as Nick started to pull away from her, and it was only once her arm fell naturally from his waist that she turned away herself. This wasn’t the end of the world and she knew Nick had a decent head on his shoulders, at least when it came to potentially dangerous people. At the end of the day everything was going to be just fine, and he would be able to spend his time out there focusing on what was going on rather than worrying about what was happening back here thanks to Anna having a place to stay.

The catch up with Molly was much needed, too. They’d covered the vague overview of things earlier on, back when Anna had been a little more out of it, but the girls still had a lot more to say to each other and as much as they didn’t mind chatting and hanging out with the guys, there was a lot that stayed between the two of them. With “her” head back on her shoulders, aka Molly talking reason to her, there was actually a decent chance that Anna was going to become a lot easier to work with than she had been in the past.

Things weren’t all sunshine and daisies, though. Back at the little cabin Molly had taken the baby from Josh, and after a while of the two girls catching up Molly had offered the baby to Anna - Anna, who had literally never held a baby in her entire life. It hadn’t gone very well and honestly, Anna was glad that no one other than Molly was around for that. The incident had led to a really serious conversation between the girls, though, and Molly was left seriously concerned. It was an open secret between the two that there was reason Anna had fell to addiction as easily as she had, and straight up ignoring the fact that she’d been traumatized for so many years... Strangely enough, that was not a good method of actually achieving any kind of recovery.

”You know that if you talked to Nick he’d listen, right?” Molly had asked, wanting Anna to see that she did have a bigger support system than just one person. “I tried that already and I fucked it up, Molly,” was all Anna had to say as she leaned against the far side of the couch with her arms pulled as tight to her chest as she could for some of the dirtier, crunchier details of the earlier days of their second journey came out.
 
When Alicia started resting her head on Bryce’s shoulder, everything felt right. Bryce felt truly at peace. He found that the only moments he ever truly felt this peace were the moments when Alicia was in his arms, or when they kissed or did something a little more intimate. It all revolved around being in close proximity to Alicia. When they were apart, it felt like there was a pain in his chest. When they were apart, he felt like his entire world was jumbled and nothing felt right. It felt like there was a huge piece of his heart missing without Alicia. After the kissing had ended and Alicia left him with the proposition of seeing what was underneath her dress, he could not hesitate any less before answering. “Oh, I think that sounds like a wonderful idea. I would love to see what exactly you have hidden under there.” Bryce replied, his neck, shoulder, and cheek still tingling from where her lips had touched him. It was going to be exciting to find out exactly what his surprise was going to be, even though he already had a little sneak peek earlier. It still left so much to his imagination.

Moving into a standing position, Bryce made quick work of his own clothing. Even though he was not sporting a sexy swimsuit underneath his clothes, he still wanted to make sure he undressed for the dip in the water. He pulled off his clothes, all the way down to his boxers, which were form-fitting around his rear and still showed his own assets off nicely. His muscles were as rippled as ever without appearing so bulging as a powerlifter might be. Bryce had a nice mix of athletic, fit, and muscular, but he always cared more about looking appealing to Alicia.

It was inevitable that they were going to make it into the water, so he figured he might end up skinny dipping anyways. It would be nice to show off for Alicia that way, at least. He hoped she would keep the swimsuit on for a while before joining him with skinny dipping, though. He wanted the experience of seeing her in that bikini before doing anything else. “Well, should I close my eyes for this as well or should I get to watch you strip down for me?” Bryce asked, winking at her while he waited, happy to do whatever she wanted.
--

Walking away from Anna was the most difficult thing Nick ever had to do. If he would have turned around to look at her one more time, he might have taken one look at that beautiful face and he would have turned right around. So, he kept his eyes forward on a much less appealing person - Troy Otto. Of course, Troy had a sly comment to make to Nick about his girl when he reached the gate. Nick just let it flow over him as he climbed into Troy's truck, which was waiting for them outside of the gate. Troy joined him just a moment later and the two were ready for this nighttime boar hunt. Nick did not know the first thing about hunting animals, so he wasn't sure how much he could help. Troy had to know this, so why did Troy want him to join?

The entire night felt tense from start to finish. Near the end, without even seeing an animal, Nick felt himself get tackled onto the ground suddenly. Troy held a gun to his face, but he did not shoot. He taunted him. It gave Nick the chance to turn the tables and climb back on top of Troy. The psychopath beneath him dared Nick to pull the trigger, suggesting it would take about 87 minutes for him to turn. Nick could not understand his infatuation with this and he was not about to kill Troy in cold-blood, so he just made sure that he was subdued before he stood up.

Troy made a few comments about his girlfriend, about how she could have turned, and other vile things. Troy was either drunk off his ass or just a damn psychopath - maybe both. After Nick had an argument about how fucked up his little experiments were, he grabbed the journal and ripped through every page he could get his hands on. He thought this would get Troy, to lose all of his work. Instead, Troy seemed tickled and declared they were now friends after this night. They decided to turn back after this, empty-handed.

Frankly, not even a bit of this entire interaction made much sense to Nick. He was left with more questions than answers. The ride back to the ranch was silent, too. They parked and were allowed back inside. Troy said he would see Nick around later and Nick warned him to stay away from his family - including Anna. Nick started on his way to Josh and Molly's place, standing outside in the dead of night as he knocked on the door. He thought it might be better to wait, not wanting to wake anyone, but Anna would probably knock him out for not coming back to her that night.
 
Bryce could have looked like anything and Alicia would have loved it - but that didn't mean his lean, muscular figure wasn't a perk. With Bryce stripped down to his boxers, it was hard to resist the urge to run her hands all over him. That could wait a minute, though. With a sly smile on her lips Alicia very obviously gave his body an approving once over before rolling the dress up to her waist to reveal the cheeky bikini bottoms she was wearing, and then she continued to raise her dress over her body painfully slowly - a flash of her bare, smooth abdomen raising higher to the base of her rib cage. All the while, she kept a mischievous gaze on her lover.

She wasn't answering his question with words, but the answer should be obvious nonetheless - she wanted to savour every moment of watching him admire her and the little clothing that would be left after the dress was off. As she reached her breasts she stilled for a moment, hoping to raise anticipation, before she finally took the plunge and pulled the whole dress from her body. She dropped it to the side of her where it landed with her sandals, and then she toed forward to clear the gap between her and her husband.

"What do you think?" She asked him, cocking her head to the side before leaning in for a kiss. The question could have multiple meanings - what did he think she wanted him to do? What did he think of the little show? Of the way her sun-tanned skin looked near bare, nothing but that little bikini covering her? Even though she knew just how much Bryce adored every inch of her body and everything she wore, part of her was a little nervous. She really hoped to impress.

- - - - -

Another joint later and Anna had calmed down, for the most part - in a sense she was more stressed out from having someone try to talk to her, but there really was no better company for her to have a hard time around. Anna noticed Nick's missing presence quite a bit, but in the way she always had back in the day - sure things had been better (sometimes) with him around, but her and Molly had a way of always keeping each other occupied. A couple hours later Anna had even tried to hold the baby again, and though it was an incredibly awkward experience and crystal clear that she knew nothing at all about handling children, it went better than the first time around. Noah had even fallen asleep there with her.

And then, shortly after, sleep seemed like the best idea in the world. It was hard work trying to heal, and it was late anyways - Molly had put the baby in the pack and play they used as a crib, and led Anna by the hand in to the bedroom. Molly climbed on the bed on all fours and disturbed a sleeping Josh, rolling him towards the edge of the bed. "What?" The man had groaned, looking at the latina in sheer confusion. "We're kicking you out."

And that was that... Josh was ousted to the couch, where he'd been just about to pass back out when there was a knock at the door. He was the one to answer it, and as soon as he saw Nick he shook his head. "Your girlfriend kicked me out of my own bed," he stated, stepping to the side. "They might still be awake." They weren't, though, or at least Anna wasn't - if Nick walked in to the room he'd see Anna passed the fuck out with her face down in a pillow, her good arm stretched out and the bad one tucked close to her chest flat in the center of the bed.
 
It would have been impossible to miss the way Alicia stared at him. She had never been shy about that, just as Bryce was never shy about staring back at her! Each inch of skin that she revealed became more tantalizing for Bryce than the last. It only encompassed a few seconds, but Bryce felt so impatient! He wanted to see this surprise in its entirety. Without her even touching him or speaking a word, Bryce felt his manhood beginning to grow. Even though there was nothing inherently sexual about wearing a bikini, he could not help himself since it was a weak spot.

When the dress was removed fully, Bryce felt the breath leave his lungs. It was almost unbelievable to think that a woman could be so perfect. Once again, he was convinced that Alicia must have been an angel or a goddess or something else. He still believed she would have been one hell of a model if she wanted to go down that route. To him, she was the sexiest girl to ever exist, and it wasn’t even close. As she started approaching him, Bryce walked right up to her and closed the distance.

“I think, no, I know that I am the luckiest man on Earth. I have the sexiest wife and she looks damn good in a bikini.” Bryce winked at her, now gripping her ass with both of his hands, squeezing the perky flesh with his palms, showing no signs of letting go soon. “Thank you for doing this. I love my surprise.” He decided to shove down his boxers, leaving him nude. “Maybe I’m crazy, but I’m thinking I can skinny dip for you, and you can keep that bikini on for me.” Obviously, that was not to say that he did not want her nude, but he really loved seeing Alicia in a bikini and he wanted that right now over her being nude.

--

When Josh answered the door, there was a slight letdown. No disrespect to Josh, but Nick really wanted to hold Anna right now. After having a gun stuck in his face again, he wanted a relaxing remainder of his night. Listening to Josh explain what happened, a small smile pulled at the corners of Nick’s lips. Yeah, that sounded like Anna and Molly alright. “Thanks, Josh.” The words were quiet and the words were laced with something more than just thanking him for opening the door, but also thanking him for letting Anna stay there as well. Nick decided he would check in the bedroom just to see if Anna was still up and kicking right now. When he entered, he saw that exact scene where Anna looked so peaceful. There was no chance he could wake her right now.

All he did was admire the sleeping state. Nick knew better than anyone how badly she needed some rest. Nick would be here when she woke in the morning. There was not really much to report right now anyways. Nick just walked back out of the bedroom and found Josh. “I’ll just find somewhere on the floor to crash.” Nick just curtly nodded and moved along, finding a different room where he could just slide down against the wall. Soon enough, Nick was leaning against the wall in a hallway, just nearby the front door. He leaned his head back against the wall and closed his eyes. It might not seem like the most comfortable sleeping position, but it really did not matter.

Nick would have been able to sleep in any position after the night he had. Nick’s eyes would stay closed all night long and he actually drifted into a somewhat peaceful sleep. It would have been better to sleep beside Anna, but this was not so bad since she was still just in the other room.
 
“I’m glad you’re enjoying the view, I was hoping you would. You helped make it happen, though - picking out the lake, and all.” Butterflies fluttered around Alicia’s stomach at Bryce’s praise, and she could tell from his genuine tone that it was heartfelt. After that, she wasn’t feeling that little bit of nervous any more. She grinned as he squeezed at her bum, and pressed her body tight against his - tight enough to feel that bit of an erection the mere sight of her had caused. Playfully, she stole a squeeze of his firm ass in return.

Then he surprised her, pulling his underwear off to leave him nude. Alicia didn’t even try to pretend that she wasn’t checking him out when that happened, glancing down between their bodies with a very approving smile on her face. “I think you should do a little spin for me,” she teased with a wide grin, twirling one finger between their faces as she did so. As much as it would be nice to be nude with Bryce, the bikini had been the surprise - and she was more than happy to oblige her wishes. Knowing them it would end up coming off at some point anyways.

”How am I supposed to say no to anything coming from such a handsome man?” She asked him, love in her eyes as she looked at his face.

- - - - -

The baby started crying before dawn and that woke Molly from her slumber, but not Anna - Anna would either be up at the crack of dawn or sometime around noon, depending on how worn out she had been the night before. She seemed comfy still, at least - she’d turned at some point in the night on to her back and thrown her arm over her eyes, pulled one foot up towards her crotch while the other leg hung out the side of the bed at the knee. Molly had to shake her head - at least Anna was comfortable though?

By the time that Molly was out of the room, Josh had already (mostly) soothed the crying infant, and before taking him to feed him Molly saw Nick passed out on the floor. ”He been there all night?”

“Since he came back, yeah. He missed you two by a few minutes.”

Molly frowned, knowing just how uncomfortable that had to be, and crouched down in front of Nick’s sleeping form. She poked his shoulder a couple times, hoping to rouse him just enough to tell him to get off of the floor. “Hey. That can’t be comfortable, hop in the bed.” As much as Molly wanted to have a brief chat with him after the night before, first thing in the morning before the sun was up with her son whining in hunger was not the best time. Sleeping on the floor was also about to get worse, with Noah awake and in the room.
 
It was just another item in a long list of things they shared in common. Bryce and Alicia both had trouble saying “no” to one another. That could be a bad thing if the relationship was toxic. It was not. Always obliging each other never ended in any adverse outcome. “I can make that happen for you.” As soon as Alicia requested him to spin, Bryce twirled around and allowed the brunette to get a good look at his body. “I hope you like what you see. It is all for you, after all.” Bryce beamed, stopping after three or four spins.

“Now, as much fun as it would be to just stand here on water and kiss you, I think we should jump into that water now. I have a feeling it’ll be even more fun in the water, too.” Smiling, he stole a quick kiss from her cheek and moved to the edge. There was a very small drop from the edge of the hill down to the water. It was not dangerous by any means and it would give them a little, fun splash. At the edge, Bryce winked and turned around, jumping into the water first. When was the last time he even went swimming? He could not remember. It felt so calming, though. “Come on in, the water is fine!” Bryce called out with a soft chuckle, just wading in the water.

--
Nick’s slumber was so deep that not even the crying of the baby could cause him to stir. On days where Anna would sleep until noon, the same could be said for Nick. He doubted that a tornado right outside the door would have caused him to wake, even. The position Nick slept in was mostly the same as where he started. His neck was slanted towards the right and his upper body slouched a bit more. It looked even more uncomfortable than the starting position, honestly. It would probably leave Nick with a sore neck when he did rise up, possibly even a sore back.

It wasn’t until there was a physical touch that he woke up. Nick jerked awake, used to being on high alert. When he saw a familiar face, his gaze softened and he rubbed his eyes. “Hmmm…” He hummed at first, yawning quietly before it dawned on him what Molly had said. “Oh, yeah. Okay, thanks, if it isn’t too much. I don’t want to force you out of the bed in your own house. That just wouldn’t be right. I can stay on the floor if needed.” Nick doubted that Molly would accept anything less. So, he stood upright and gave her a second to reconsider if she wanted. Nick just did not want to be a burden to anyone and this was her house. It felt wrong, but if he had the chance to sleep with Anna in his arms, he would take it. So, if Molly did not reconsider her offer, he would make his way into the bedroom and lay down beside Anna as silently as possible, curling up with her, letting his right arm lazily lay over her waist.
 
Alicia’s hand came up to her mouth, and her upper teeth rested against a knuckle as she admired Bryce. She loved everything about him, but one of the things that stood out for her was the way that he could go with the flow. He had no problem playing around with her, keeping the mood light and easy and entertaining anything that Alicia might ask of him. That was part of what kept things so interesting between them, she figured - they were never afraid to do anything for each other.

”I think that sounds amazing,” Alicia said to him, following just footsteps behind her husband towards the water’s edge. The water seemed to be shallow enough to not genuinely jump in to, so she pushed herself off of the edge with one hand and down in to the water besides her husband. She was slightly smaller than he was so the water level rested higher on her body than his, but that didn’t matter.

What did matter? The way Alicia’s hand dipped beneath the surface and she splashed the water towards Bryce before going in for a kiss, that was what.

- - - - -

"I'm awake now," Molly assured before Nick before he walked off - life didn't generally involve more than a few hours of sleep at once for her anyways, and with the baby awake now so was she. She also wasn't about to leave someone sleeping on the floor if she didn't have to, anyways. She was more happy than anything else to see Nick head off with little to no fuss. As soon as the bedroom door closed behind him Molly was already taking her son from Josh to feed him, and their day would begin.

Anna wasn’t roused by Nick entering the bed, at least not enough to wake up. She did squirm around a little bit - she pulled her leg back up on to the bed, moved her arm away from her eyes and over the top of her head. For a moment she was just like that, face turned towards Nick, and then she shifted again. Her head ended up on his chest and with her good arm under her, it was her bad arm that draped across him - she had more movement in her elbow than she did her shoulder which made it somewhat feasible. Her knee pulled up so high that it touched her elbow, and she’d essentially wrapped herself around him, hair in his face included.
 
Just look at the smile on Alicia’s face! That was Bryce’s entire world, right there. Every breath he took was an attempt to make sure that face never had a frown. He chuckled loudly when she splashed the water at him. When she leaned in for that kiss, he willingly gave it to her and smashed his lips right back against hers. He was close enough to place his hands around her hips, now using his location to playfully dunk her into the water for a moment, lifting her right back up.

Bryce placed her back onto the ground and ran his hands through her hair, noticing how different it would be styled now with the wetness. No matter what, though, she would always look gorgeous. “Oh, I love you so much, Princess. This is wonderful.” He wrapped his arms around her tightly and held her against his chest, just standing there with her in the water. “I could stay like this forever, you know? I never want to let you out of my arms. If it were up to me, we would never have to leave this lake or this part of the ranch. I feel like we have all we need right here at this moment.”

--


Hair in the face felt like one of those cheesy cliches he would always hear about in TV shows or movies. To him, however, it was not a big deal. In fact, he loved it because it reminded him of happy memories. It reminded him of the past where he would hold Anna all night long and wake up with her head pretty much buried in his chest and a mouthful of her hair. So, the way she wrapped around him made Nick feel so happy. He loved having her like this and he had no problem letting her stay this way. His only concern was her shoulder, so he was careful to not make a move.

Instead of going right back to sleep, he just watched her for a second. She looked so calm, just as she did a few minutes ago when he entered the room. Nick hoped he had not disturbed her, though. For now, he just double-checked that she was doing okay. Then, he closed his own eyes and slowly slipped away, allowing him to get right back to sleep. It felt much better than sleeping on the floor, that was for damn sure. Nick was back asleep within mere seconds. The bed was nice, but being with Anna made it even better. She would have made the floor comfortable, even, but he was glad they were somewhere a little softer than that!
 
Alicia let out a small shocked scream as she was dunked beneath the water, hopefully not loud enough that anyone else had heard. The last thing they needed was visitors, but even if someone had thought something was wrong the next thing they would have heard was her laughter as she was pulled back over the surface of the water and she fell against her husband’s body. As his hands ran through her hair she smiled at him, full of nothing but happiness in that moment, and in return her hands slipped around his waist.

She started low, dragging her fingertips from the top of his rear off of the hard muscles of his back, and by the end she stopped to hold on to him by his shoulders. She pressed her body against his, the fabric of her bikini being the only thing that separated them. She didn’t want to have to leave this moment either, and if it wasn’t for all of the chaos that they’d seen this place involved in already, and they hadn’t even really seen the half of it... it could feel like home. Quiet, safe - guarded, self sustaining. In an ideal world, it truly would be the kind of place that they could make their own forever.

”Then never leave this moment, stay here with me forever my love,” Alicia said before tightening her hold on Bryce’s shoulders to brace herself - and then she jumped. Whether he caught her in time or not her legs wrapped around his waist, and she pressed a kiss to his nose before moving in for something more intimate and passionate.

- - - - -

Anna slept through most of the morning - which was a good thing, because it seemed like she really needed it. When she did wake up she was almost immediately confused. There was a body under her, which was whatever, but her hand was on a chest and there was no boob on that chest which meant it was not a part of the person who had been in the bed with her when she passed out. Slowly, eyes half sealed shut from sleep still, she angled her head up until her nose bumped against Nick’s jawline.

Oh. When had he gotten back? When had he gotten in to bed with her? Anna didn’t remember either of those things and she was mildly confused. She didn’t think twice about being cuddled up to him, they’d shared a bed with each other more nights than not for the better part of two years, but her shoulder was feeling stiff and she tried to delicately stretch it out. She didn’t have much leeway before things started to really hurt, though, and she grumbled in defeat before resting her head back against him. She knew, in reality, that she was fucked - people with injuries like this could go through proper physical therapy and still not recover to 100%.

She didn’t want to think about that, though. Instead she grazed her teeth along the pulse point in Nick’s neck before dragging soft kisses up towards his jawline. She was awake, and now it was time for him to suffer through having to be awake as well. And maybe an erection... but that was his own fault if that was the case.
 
Without hesitation, Bryce’s hands caught Alicia at the back of her thighs, still giving her the chance to wrap her legs around his waist. A soft sigh left his lips when she kissed his nose. When she was ready to deepen the kiss, his mouth parted and accepted her tongue. His tongue would battle and dance against her tongue, pinning her tongue down underneath his own for a few seconds. He moaned against her mouth, the feeling of her lips on his combined with her tongue against his made him feel weak. Alicia was so damn sexy and there was not a single inch of her body that he found unattractive.

It was his job to make her feel that way. So, with his hands in a prime position, they moved upwards just a bit so he could give her rear a tight squeeze again, keeping her body right up against his. After some time, he did allow his tongue to release hers. It would allow Alicia to use her tongue freely instead of being pinned down, meaning Bryce showed less control right now. It was such a sweet and intimate moment. Bryce would not trade this for anything in the world, just as he admitted to his wife a few moments ago.

When they had a brief pause in the kiss to catch their breath, he looked into her eyes and smiled at her again. “Wow… you’re such a good kisser. I think we should do this more often.” Bryce teased as if they already did not kiss enough. Well, technically, it would never be enough and he would want more. Something told him Alicia would be willing to oblige to that wish.


--

Nick needed sleep as well, but for a much different reason than Anna. The hunt and his run-in with Troy left him tired. Even before that, it was mentally and physically exhausting constantly worrying about Anna and her health when she was close to death. Obviously, Nick would never say that because it was not about him. It was all about Anna. Nick took care of her, going above and beyond to take care of his girl. He needed to sleep and he needed to recharge. Nick would feel recharged after this, sleeping with Anna in a real bed instead of a hospital bed for once.

Even Anna’s morning grunts and movements were not enough to open his eyes. Only when he felt her teeth and her lips against his flesh did he begin to rise. His eyes fluttered open again. As usual, he was confused when he first opened his eyes, the world taking a second or two to come to him before he put everything together and noticed that Anna was being active in her affection for him. He could see the sun peeking through the blinds as well, which meant it must have been close to the afternoon, if it already wasn’t. Well, Nick hoped nobody was looking for him early.

“Anna…” His greeting was gruff because of the sleep still lacing his voice. Even though he was more than happy with how he slept, that did not mean he was up and ready to face the day yet. “Good morning… is it morning?” About that time, he shifted and realized, indeed, there was an erection between his legs and it was pressing right against Anna from this position.
 
He seemed to be innately in tune with her - and as they kissed, Alicia was happy to follow his lead. To start they were gentle with each other but it had been too long since they’d had something more than that - to her “last night” was still much too long ago. It was amazing, how much they both desperately needed each other. She knew when to fight back and when to let him win, when he ached to see her passion just as much as his own. Alicia, too, thought that they needed to do this much, much more frequently. Every day... every hour, every minute. The ideal like wasn’t practical, but it sure was a damn good thought!

”I think we should never stop,” she agreed with an enthusiastic grin, mildly bothered that he had dared to pull away from her in the first place. There was always time to start again, though - and Alicia considered Bryce’s latest request to essentially be permission. What else would the suggestion could have possibly meant anyways? As the young woman leaned in to take her partner’s lips against her own once more, one hand trailed slowly down his chest. She truly would never get enough of touching and/or kissing him.

- - - - -

"Haven't figured that out myself," Anna said in a quiet, sleepy voice as her lips trailed back down Nick's neck. When he shifted she became aware of what rested between her thighs and her own positioning shifted, pulling her leg down from where it was to a more natural position - closing the gap between her legs just enough to put a bit of pressure against him - a little bit of friction if he'd dared to move. It's barely even a conscious decision, more the way her body reacted to his innately.

In another life that would have been all she needed to push clothing aside, pull him in for soft lazy half-asleep sex. If clothing hadn't been in the way he could have been inside of her, if only partially- if he'd pulled her hips down, though... Anna was pretty damn sure that one more day wasn't enough to convince he could touch her after how reluctant he had been just yesterday, lazy morning sex be damned, but that didn't mean she couldn't have fun. Anna straightened her torso just enough to push against him while her lips searched for a sweet spot on his neck. He could say whatever he wanted about it, but they both knew damn well he liked the way she would touch him.
 
Bryce leaned into Alicia’s touch. The feeling of her hands trailing down his chest sent shockwaves down his spine. “I’m down to stay if you are.” Bryce chuckled, having learned his lesson to not pull away from her lips when he spoke. Bryce accepted her kiss again, allowing their tongues to tangle and dance once more. Even though his lungs were burning for air, his need and his desire to kiss Alicia was much stronger than his desire to breathe properly and fully. He just wanted to kiss Alicia until time faded away.

“I told you I had a surprise for after we get out the water. Well, I have a big mouth about surprises and I cannot keep it a secret any longer.” To be fair, he really doubted that it would shock Alicia to hear what he planned. It was just another fantasy in a long line of fantasies that she already made come true. “I brought some rope out here for us. You already know how much I wanted to see you in a bikini like this and now I would love nothing more than to have you tied up while you’re in said bikini.” No matter how many times she agreed to try something for him, he would bring it up to her before they started to make sure she was willing to try.

--

Anna’s voice made him smile slightly. Hearing her in this sleepy, calm voice reminded him of how it used to be, once more. He tilted his head the opposite way when her lips found his neck, opening up and giving her as much space as possible to work her magic. Nick could get used to this, as he knew she did not always wake up in such an affectionate mood, so it was nice to experience this. Nick felt a little more pressure being put against his length. Damn morning wood. This wasn’t all-natural, though. Most of it had to do with Anna being so close. What could Nick say? Combine intense attraction emotionally and physically, this would happen.

Even though it would have been fun to start with lazy morning sex, he knew that the idea was just as bad as it had been last night in the showers, so Nick made no attempt to do anything. Instead, Nick just rubbed against her a bit, deciding he could tease her as well. “Mmm…” He could not stop the moan when she kissed his neck. He would give her some payback for this at some point! “Wow… what did I do to earn this to begin my day?” Nick teased softly, deciding to play along and drop his hand down to give her rear a squeeze. He still thought about her comment yesterday, about how he didn’t even kiss her right. It was important to still show her affection, as usual, just making sure it was all controlled because of her injury.
 
Alicia, too, was left breathless - gasping for air with deep heavy breaths, starved from oxygen after deciding that she needed Bryce’s love more than the air she breathed. A whimper escaped her lips as she tried to lean in for more, but when Bryce seemed to have something to say she hovered not an inch from his face to listen. He had mentioned a surprise earlier - it seemed like he must be getting eager to get to his surprise now that all of her cards had been played for him.

Sometimes he could have the subtlety of a brick to the face, though - like when he thought she might consider it a shocker that he had brought rope with him down to the lake. It seemed to almost always be a fair assumption to think that he would want to tie her up any which way that he could. Here she was engaging in another thing that piqued his interest, of course he was going to have at least some interest in making things kinky.

“You know I will always make your dreams come true,” she said to him, a heartfelt answer. If he wanted to see her all tied up in this sweet little swim suit, she wanted to see the look of bliss on his face when he got to experience just that.

- - - - -

Nick’s little moan came as encouragement to Anna, who saw the fact that he didn’t try to pull away from her or push her away from him as an upgrade from how he had been acting the day before. Maybe it was making her just a little too hopeful, but whatever... in that moment, Anna was not awake enough for any kind of critical thinking skills and all she saw was a very pretty boy beneath her that she liked having around and had really good sex with. Fuck it, why think too hard about anything?

Her lips trailed down his neck, past his collarbone - as low as she could go without having to move too much, and then back up until she reached right below his ear. “I guess you’re just one lucky guy,” she whispered. Morning haziness and Nick seeming receptive to her might have given her a little too much confidence, though. One arm, the better one, pulled away from the side of his body to slide between them, fingertips pressing against the skin just on the inside of his bottoms. It was still innocent, considering her nature - lazy and light and lost in early morning hormones that didn’t quite care how much a single limb was or was not capable of. It wasn’t like she knew exactly where the line of ‘too much’ was for him, anyways.
 
“Thank you, Alicia. You are the best wife ever!” It was a genuine statement from him once more. Bryce truly believed no person had a better wife or better spouse, period, than Bryce had. “Well, let’s get to it, then. Besides, we’ll get all wrinkly if we stay in this water for too much longer.” Chuckling softly, he finally released Alicia and paddled toward the edge of the bank where it met the water at a level where it was easy to make the climb back onto land. As soon as Bryce was on land first, he turned around and helped Alicia up, too. There was a vivid bounce in his step again, excited to play with Alicia. He did not intend on outright fucking her here in the middle of the ranch, but he did want to tie her up and kiss her for a while.

It was his version of cuddling, basically. So, when they reached the lone bag he brought with them, the nude male crouched down and reached into the bag. He removed the rope – silk, bondage rope from last night. The only difference was he would tie the ropes a bit tighter since she wasn’t going to sleep with them. “Okay, now, let’s have you turn away from me and put your hands behind your back.” Bryce offered with a big grin on his face, knowing that this was going to be romantic and kinky at the same time.

--

If nothing else, Nick learned one thing from this ordeal. As soon as Anna reached 100 percent, or as close to 100 percent as she could possibly reach, Nick was going to make up for the lost time. Nick had a suspicion she might want to do the same thing. As far as he could tell, that moment was not happening anytime soon, though. Anna would still need much time to recover before she could safely engage in such an act with him. Nick was not going to rush the process. The time they had to spend without having sex would only make it that much more special when they finally gave in.

She happened to kiss all over the sensitive spots on his neck and his collarbone. He wondered if she had noticed along his right collarbone, there was a small bruise that wasn’t there yesterday. His little “fight” with Troy wasn’t violent by any means, but the tackle onto the ground did cause Nick to land awkwardly and cause just a bit of swelling. There was nothing serious to worry about, though. Nick hesitated when she touched his pants, but he knew that did not necessarily mean anything sexual from her, so he waited as there was no harm in this. “Yeah… I am lucky. But the real question is, do I get to shower you in kisses like this when you finish?” Nick whispered.
 
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