The New Normal ( in progress )

CHAPTER ONE


At first she wasn't certain about what had awakened her but whatever it was she heard a low moan escape her throat and she squirmed restlessly in her bed, burying her head further between the pillows she usually used as one hand slapped blindly for the cell phone she now realized was ringing relentlessly.

Several things occurred to Rae Welsh at the same time just a few seconds after she found her hand landing onto a rock solid and very bare chest instead of her phone and she released a low groan as she raised her head slowly, not caring when the pillow that had been covering it fell unchecked to the floor.

For one thing both she and the man that was sprawled out on the other side of her king sized bed like he belonged there were naked as the day they'd been born , the smell of stale sex and alcohol lingered in the artificially chilled air along with a smell she associated with the Snicker Doodle cookies her grandmother used to bake and this man, whose name she couldn't even call to mind, was holding her tiny cell phone in one of his large hands.

" Oh shit..." She muttered, running a hand over her face and taking a deep breath , her lashes popping back up when the phone began ringing again.

" Want me to answer it? " He asked in a voice that made her stomach quiver and a liquid heat to pool between her thighs because of the low raspy rough quality of it..he didn't even have to touch her to have her body begging him to take possession of it.

" No, I don't" She made a hasty lunge for the phone but landed ass up across his thighs, the blanket tangled down around her legs, reaching for the phone with one hand while her other was braced on his rock hard abs and his free hand came down in a stinging slap on one bare ass cheek as she answered the phone." Hell-OH ! "

The last part of the word was raised on a sharp yelp and she frowned at him over her shoulder, blushing when she saw the dark, sensual challenge lighting his murky grey green eyes.

Rubbing her smarting cheek Rae scowled at the man and slid from the bed, taking the thin faux fur comforter with her to wrap around herself burrito style to cover her nakedness.

" Am I interrupting something? " The voice on the other end of the phone demanded with a laugh .

" Of course not." Rae found herself fibbing to her caller even as the man in her bed called out a "yes" that she knew that Syn could hear because she chortled gleefully.

" Good, I don't care..come open this door because this isn't the safest area to live in." Syn Adams retorted easily." I had to go to four different 7-11's to find white chocolate caramel cappuccino and apple fritters, you know."

Rae's stomach growled at the mention of the sweet treats and she hurried through the living room as fast as the comforter burrito wrap would allow her, taking note that the whole living room looked like a porn had been filmed in it.

Her bra was draped over a blade of the ceiling fan yet her underwear were draped from the edge of the entertainment center..her jeans as well as a mans pair lay just inside the door, a pair of boxers peeked out from beneath the coffee table and their shoes had been kicked off to bang against walls...she saw his shirt closer to the hallway but hers was nowhere to be seen.

That proved true only until she opened the door to find her childhood bestie standing on the patio, a drink caddie and a bag of donuts in one hand and her purple camouflage t-shirt in the other.

" Wow..How'd that get out here? " Rae muttered, talking the shirt from her friend and stepping aside to let her sweep past her to enter the smallish house she'd bought with the life insurance money." And what are you doing here anyway?"

" You really don't remember shit from last night do you ? " Syn purred, guiding her over to sit on the sectional." You called me from a place called Wally Land...Winter Land..."Her face contorted comically as she tried to recall the name of the place she'd been called from.

" Wonderland. " Rae supplied softly, her face paling slightly as things began to return to her memory

" Yes..that's it..Wonderland!" Syn agreed with a smile and a snap of her fingers." Anywho..you invited me over to see the new place and meet your new...friend, he is still here isn't he? "

" No, He left right before you called..walked home naked as a jay bird." Rae responded calmly, reaching for her cup of cappuccino." Hope the sec officers downtown don't catch him."

" Hmm, Then that's another naked dude standing there in your hallway in your sheet?" Syn teased, her lips quirking up at the corners when Rae choked on her sip of hot liquid, her head twisting around so that she could see him standing there herself, her favorite lavender plaid sheet acting as a loose toga around his leanly muscled frame." Come on out, I got you regular coffee and cream and sugar if you want it." She pointed to the third cup in the carrier with one long melon painted nail." I'm Syn, By the way."

" Caden." He supplied his name as he doctored uo his steaming coffee then he keaned back against the cushions, draping one arm across Rae's shoulders." And the cops downtown are used to seeing me naked, well..almost naked..they've all seen my act at one time or another."

" Oh my god..you're the stripper from last night..."