Free Falling

 Felicia shuts off the engine of her car smiles happily loving the image of Clay sitting on the porch his hat pulled low on his brow and feet propped up on the rail waiting for her.  She reaches for her bag snapping a picture on her phone before climbing out of the car walking up to the porch.
"Hey gorgeous how was your day?" He smiles broadly coming down the steps.
"Terrific I couldn't wait to get home." She drops the bag in her hand and throws her arms around him kissing  him passionately, content with the fact he was home at last.
""Me either coming home was all I thought about all day. Hey come here!" He grasps her hand pulling her up the steps giving her barely enough time to grab her bag and through the door into the kitchen.
"I made dinner" Felicia's smiles eyes open wide with surprise as he open the oven door showing her the succulent smelling chicken roasting inside,
"Wow!" A girl could really get used to this." She says nodding her head in approval
Why shouldn't you? I mean I can't promise every day but if I get home before you. I will" He says smiling proudly. She leans over and kisses his cheek wrapping her arms around his waist.
"Where'd you learn to cook?" She looks up at him surprised.
"You forgot my Grandparents own a restaurant!" He reaches over and stirs a pot with his other hand then brings the spoon to her lips to taste it.
"Mmm yeah!" She nods in agreement
"You've met my grandmother!" He laughs aloud at the memories. "Me and Preston peeled and washed more potatoes, snapped more green beans and shelled more peas than Green Giant!" They laugh. "You bet I know how to cook! Better than Lesley or Jake" She laugh then wags her finger at him.
"That's because you and Preston spent more time on punishment doing KP duty than everyone else!" They both laugh.
"But it was fun and look how impressed you are! And...." He laughs tugging her arm and pulling her into the bedroom.
"Ta-da! Check it out!" He says pulling open the closet door fists on his hips smiling like a cheshire cat looking from the closet to her proudly.
"Huh?" Showing her his clothes and shoes lined up neatly inside.
"What do you think?" Felicia smiles overwhelmed with happiness.
"It's perfect!" She says leaping into his arms knocking them both back on the bed leaving them both in a giggling heap.
"When did you do all this?" She smiles up at him he smiles back brushing a tendril of hair from her cheek.
 " I parked down the street waited for the two of them to leave then went back, loaded my truck with my stuff and left my key on the front table. Anything I missed Lesley will pick up for me."
"So this is official you're really here for good." She reaches up stroking his cheek.
"Yep, maybe you should be more careful what you wish for huh?" A devilish grin playing on his lips as he begins to tickle her making her laugh till she lose breath.  
 "Stop!" She laughs and shouts at the same time.
"I'm so happy that you're here." Her voice trails office.
"You're just worried about my father aren't you?"
"No," She says sitting up.
"Why would I worry about Jay he'll be fine, he always is. I'm worried about you. All you told me was you left. What happened?"
"I finally got fed up with him trying to control my life." He shrugs.
"But what did he says that finally made you leave?" Her voice tentative not sure she really wanted to hear his response.
"He was insisting I work in the office with him and Jake more. Get more involved with the  The whole business thing I hate!" He says rising from the bed and standing.
"Part time? Full time?" She says swing her legs off the side of the bed.
"Anytime for me would be too much time! I don't want any part of whatever he and Jake are up to and I told him so." Felicia reaches out for Clay's hand and squeezes it.
"I don't blame you infact I'm really proud of you. I know how hard it was for you to do that."
"Believe me it wasn't that hard. Jay made it real easy." His mouth twisting into a scowl at the memory of what Jay had said.
"You were with that Van Dorn girl" He snarls scrutinizing him closely.
"Of course Dad! Clay shouts watching Jay face go white with rage too flustered to speak.
"Don't look so surprised!  I'm a grown man you can't control me!  I don't have to answer to you I can be with whomever I want, do whatever I want and there's not a damm thing you can do about it."
"She's turning you!" Jay sneers. Clays eyes open wide then narrow at the utter ridiculousness of his statement
"She not doing anything! She doesn't care about your feud and neither do I! The only thing she has ever cared about is me! I love her Dad! I've always loved her!" Jay shakes his head his laugh mocking.
"Oh, she cares! You better believe she cares! She's nothing more than the Van Dorns Delilah!"
"I told you leave her out of this! It's between you and me!" His fist clenching and unclenching as Jay bellows back.
"She's in this up to her pretty little neck!" Clay laughs bitterly shaking his head and finally lets go of all his pent up frustrations.
"It has nothing to do with Felicia, Chase or anyone else! I've never wanted this "Business" crap! ! Ever! Get it through your thick skull I don't want any part of your "business!" I'm leaving, I'm not coming back and you had better understand this." He says stepping closer to him filling the space between them his emotions at the break point he growls.
"You go anywhere near Felicia you hurt her in anyway and you won't have to worry about the Van Dorns you're going to deal with me!" He turns and walks toward the door. Jay lets out a bitter laugh calling after him.
"What the hell do you think you can do to me boy?" Clay spins back to face him. His lips curled back into a snarl the cold look in his eyes silencing whatever Jay had been about to say. When he spoke his words were succinct his tone deadly.
"I'm your worst nightmare, because you know deep down I'm not lying and if you keep pushing me or hurt her, I'll be just as much of a cold, cruel, heartless, bastard as you. Felicia is the best thing that ever happened to me and I'm not going to let you or anyone else come between us understand? If I see you anywhere near us or you get it into your head to screw with us with one of your schemes, I'll be coming for you."  
 He'd meant every word and it had felt good when he'd said it and it still did. When he'd walked out that door and drove down the driveway he realized he was finally free! He and Felicia were finally able to live their lives. Clay smiles down at her reaching out and pulling her to her feet.
"You don't have to worry Jay's not going to bother us I promise you." He says holding both of her hands in his. She looks back at him biting her lip worried about his future and the job he loved.
"What about work? I mean you really love what you do. He's not going to fire you now that you moved out? I would never want you to have to choose." Clay reaches out running his finger along the curve of her jaw his smile reassuring.
 "Jay, not going to fire me he won't admit it but he needs me. Who else is going to get the wood from the mountain to the mill?" He laughs.
"He and Jake have no clue what do. Jake never worked the mountain and my father been gone so long he wouldn't know where to start. Besides work is the only contact we'll have so if he fires me he'll have nothing. Ol' Jay would never let that happen so no he won't fire me." He steps closer taking her into his arms and holding her close.
"Baby don't even worry about I'm not. I've never been happier." He say tipping her face up to his and kissing her gently.
"I'm with the woman I love and finally where I want to be." He says kissing her again.
"I love you Felicia Van Dorn and I'm finally home" Kissing her deeply feeling the fire burn through and consume him as soon as their lips touched. He walks her back towards the bed unzipping the back of her dress as they move.
"What about the dinner you made?" She whispers stepping out of her dress as she walks.
"It's just as good cold" He wriggles his eyebrows pushing her back on the bed.
"Good to know." She whispers pulling him to her the yearning she always felt for him intensified by the knowledge he wouldn't be slipping out in the wee hours of the morning. She pulls at the buttons on his shirt and runs her hand along the corded muscles of his back.
"CLAY!" Comes the wailing from the front door followed by pounding on the frame startling them both upright.
"What the hell! Jake" Clay jumps up from the bed buttoning his pants as he walks then punches his arms through the sleeves of his shirt. Felicia stares up at him nodding her head towards the door she grabs for her sweats and tee-shirt sliding them on quickly as Clay opens the bedroom door slamming it closed behind him as he bolts for the front door.
 "CLAY! Open the door I know you're here!" He pounds on the door again his frustration mounting as the door flies open.
"What hell do you want Jake?" He glares at him.
"You and I are going to talk NOW!" He says pushing past him and walking into the cabin. Clay eyes follow him as he walk.
"Well come on in," He says slamming the door behind him.



Harbinger Falls Copyright 2014