Authors: Cd Hussey
"You could have given me the choice. Instead, you came running back to your ex-husband." He gestures toward Jim standing on the sidewalk behind me.
"No," I counter firmly. "I didn't come back to him. He's been trying to get back together, but I don't…" I shake my head. "I'm not interested."
"Then why would you leave? Why wouldn't you give me a chance?"
"After we returned from Site J, I overheard you talking with D and Two Bit about the…altercation. You sounded so happy. And then when I found out I was pregnant…I just didn't want to take you away from something you loved. I couldn't put you in the position to choose. I want this." I touch my stomach fondly. "I mean, I want you too, but not at the expense of your happiness. And I'll always have part of you. Assuming everything goes okay…"
His forehead falls against a clenched up fist pressed to the open truck door, his expression pained. I wish I knew what he's thinking. Is he happy, sad, apprehensive? And then abruptly he reaches for me, pulling me into his chest and wrapping his arms around me.
"I'm so sorry I didn't say anything," I murmur into his shirt. "I never dreamed…"
"That I would want to be with you? That I would be overjoyed to be blessed with such an amazing gift from such an amazing woman?"
"Something like that."
He pulls back enough to lift my chin and brings my gaze to his. "Then you'd be wrong." His lips cover mine in a soft, sensual kiss that leaves me with tears in my eyes. "And I hope, in the future, you'll trust me enough to talk to me instead of assuming you know what I want."
I nod, unable to help the tears spilling from my eyes. Future? We have a future? "What about your job? You said you were miserable in normal civilian life. I can't ask you to give up something you love…"
"Who says I'm giving up my love." He kisses me again. "I came here ready to be with you, and that was before." His kiss lingers. "Andrea, you make me happy. Happier than any job."
"Really?"
"Of course." Taking my hips, he lifts me into the truck cab. "Let's go somewhere more private to discuss."
"We can go inside," I offer.
Except Jim is now walking toward the truck. I'd say I'm surprised it took him this long, but I'm not. I'm actually surprised he's confronting the situation at all.
"I have a hotel room," Trey says, ignoring Jim as he climbs in beside me and closes the truck door. But to my surprise, he rolls down the window when Jim knocks on it. He doesn't turn, doesn't even acknowledge Jim's presence, casually putting his sunglasses on as Jim looks him over and then looks to me.
"Are you going to explain this?"
I consider it for about two seconds. "No," I say. "I'm not."
I see the corner of Trey's mouth lift into a small smile as he puts the truck in reverse.
"Go home to Courtney," I call through the open window as we begin to pull away. "Maybe she'll take you back."
~
Curled on my side on the most comfortable mattress I've ever laid on, Trey's body wrapped around mine, his bare skin warm and oh so firm, I can't remember being happier. There's an elephant in the room, though. We still haven't discussed, well, anything. On the drive here we talked about Kaihan and Site J and general topics—nothing heavy. And then once at the hotel… Well, here we are, naked and sated.
His fingers delicately trace the contours of my hip, thigh, and abdomen, settling of the soft curves of my stomach. "Andrea," he murmurs in my ear. "We're having a baby."
"Hopefully."
He rises on his elbow to look at me. "What do you mean,
hopefully
?"
I roll onto my back. The concerned furrow between his brows is deep and nothing short of sexy.
"Well, unfortunately, at my age, first pregnancy and all, a miscarriage isn't out of the question."
"Isn't going to happen," he says with complete conviction.
"I hope not. But I'm mentally prepared, just in case."
"Like I said, it isn't going to happen. But if it does, and it won't, but
if
, we'll just try again. It happened once, it can happen twice. My troops are strong. I have complete confidence in their ability to get the job done."
His expression and tone are so serious and he says the words so matter-of-factly that I can't help but be convinced. Or smile. While the idea of a miscarriage is terrifying, the notion of trying again is definitely not.
Still, I have my doubts. How can this be real? How can
any
of this be real? It's too good to be true. "I didn't think this was something you wanted," I say.
"I never said I didn't want it. I said I couldn't make it work."
"What makes this time different?"
He doesn't hesitate. "You."
As much as I love that answer, I'm too much of a realist to allow myself to get all warm and fuzzy about it. "Maybe that's true now, but we're still new. What happens when the newness wears off? You said civilian life was too boring for you."
"I did, but I think I have the answer for that. Assuming…" he levels his gaze on me, "you're willing to relocate."
"To Afghanistan? No."
"I was thinking more D.C."
It takes a minute for the letters to sink in. "Like District of Columbia? Washington D.C., D.C.?"
"Yeah. I have some connections and a security job waiting for me if I want it. I'm willing to do the long distance thing, but I'd rather you come with me. There's a Hughes & Ralston office in the city. And a job opening if you're willing to transfer…"
My eyebrows shove together. "You arranged this already? You didn't even know I was pregnant."
"I told you earlier, I came here to be with you. Not that any man wouldn't gladly travel half way around the world to make love to you, but that's certainly not all that brought me here. So what do you say? You wanna take a chance on this old soldier? Try out a new life with me?"
It's hard to believe my ears, but I can't deny the sincerity in his eyes. I refuse to stay afraid. My heart doesn't hesitate and neither should I.
"Yes. Absolutely, yes."
EPILOGUE
T
he creak of the iron gate leading to our small front yard always manages to drop my blood pressure at least fifty points. Like Pavlov's dog, I've been conditioned to associate that noise with the wonder just beyond the brightly painted brick of our two-story row home.
And once again I'm rewarded. Opening the door reveals Andrea curled up in the recliner, nursing tiny, perfect Jana. Though the baby is tightly swaddled, my wife is uncovered and the crest of her breast makes a beautiful backdrop to a scene that would make any man's heart swell with pride. Mine feels like it wants to burst.
Andrea was born to do this. A natural mother, she watches Jana with adoring eyes, her fingers gently stroking the child's face.
When I enter the room, her gaze lifts and a smile lights up her face. Her eyes sparkle with love and happiness—such a contrast to the dull sadness that filled them when I first met her. I saw the hint of the light that was within her first in the barn with Frank. Now I see it every day.
Any residual stress from the day is forgotten. Though the job I've taken here has been more than adequate, and certainly interesting, it wouldn't matter if I had to flip burgers. This…these girls…
my
girls, would make any job worthwhile. As long as I get to come home to them, I'd happily do anything.
I cross the room and kneel before the pair, placing a gentle kiss on Jana's head before threading my fingers in Andrea's silky brown hair and enclosing her perfect lips in mine.
"Mmm," she murmurs. "How was your day?"
I don't pull back, resting my forehead against hers. The smell of her skin, the soft suckling of the child between us… I would tear down mountains for these two.
"Better now," I say. "Everyone survived the day, so I call it a success."
"Was there ever any doubt?"
"There always is."
"Crazy…" she says. "Oh! Dinner's in the oven. Just got a little distracted." She gestures toward Jana. "Can you check…?" She makes a face.
Jana isn't one to wait quietly when she's hungry. She definitely has her daddy's appetite.
"Of course." I break away reluctantly and head toward the kitchen. Grabbing a pot holder off the counter, I pull lasagna from the oven. Cheese bubbling and glazed with a rich brown crust, I set it on the counter to cool.
I wish Andrea would just let me take care of the cooking. Not that I'm much of a cook, but it only requires me popping pre-made dishes in the oven since I insisted on ordering meals from a delivery service—much to her disapproval. But the last few months have been rough on her physically. Bed rest for the final six weeks of pregnancy, an emergency C-Section… She's lucky I didn't hire a full-time cook and cleaning lady. I'm still a little annoyed I let her talk me out of it.
I return to the living room as she's expertly switching Jana from one breast to the other. In a few short weeks, she has mastered the task beautifully, all the while dealing with healing sutures and a body struggling to recover. I haven't heard her utter a single complaint. She's pretty much my hero right now.
"So, I have news."
She frowns. "Oh?"
"
Good
news." I think. "D
is
coming to the reception—with his wife and kids in tow." Given their history, I'm not sure Andrea is excited to meet the woman D was so eager to step out on. Perhaps it's because she understands the role D assumed in our reconciliation, how he insisted I hear her out when I felt hurt and betrayed by her abrupt departure, but once again she surprises me.
"That's great news! I can't wait to meet the woman responsible for the Double D nickname."
"Perfect. You sure you're going to be up for all this? It's only four weeks away…"
She dismisses my concern with a wave of her hand. "I'll be fine. Stitches will be out by then. I just hope the doctor gives us the okay for a proper wedding consummation."
We were married in a small civil ceremony right before she went on bed rest and there was no chance on consummating anything at that time. The postponed wedding reception was her idea, but I'll gladly put it off longer if it means any amount of stress for her. Just like as much as I'd love to be inside her, that too can, and will, wait until she is properly healed.
"Are you sure you don't want me to arrange anything special with Jennifer?"
"She's a professional party planner. I trust her."
"No color/flower/food requests?"
She shrugs. "No."
I'm afraid she's simply trying to
not
be a burden. But I'm more than willing to accommodate any of her needs. I want her to be happy. Actually, I
need
her to be happy, almost as much as I need to breathe.
"Andrea, you know anything you want, anything you need…I'll get it for you. You don't have to deal with any of it. Tell me and I'll take care of everything."
"I think it'll be fun to be surprised."
"You're sure? There's nothing you want?"
"Everything I could ever want is right here in this room."
How does a man respond to that? There is nothing I can say that is worthy except, "I love you."
"See," she says, her smile brightening the entire planet. "Everything I could ever want."
DEDICATION
To my husband. Without your crazy sense of adventure this book could have never been imagined.
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
A huge THANK YOU to Leslie Fear, who is always there to cheer me on and give feedback when I need it most. I'd also like to thank my beta readers: Sarah Phelps, Laura Wilson, and Tami Fairley.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
When not writing, C.D. Hussey enjoys a career as a professional engineer. She currently resides in the Midwest with her husband, teenage son, and two cats