Hurricane (21 page)

Julianne stopped, wiping tears from her eyes, then spoke again, “For weeks, late at night, we would be in the nursery, me talking with Rissa and him just sitting there. He started to be a comfort to me. On one day, a particularly bad day when Rissa stopped breathing but they brought her back, I was a wreck. Still weak from my being ill. Crying like crazy. This touch, and then a voice, caught my attention. It was that voice. The one who brought me back when I was sick. I looked up and saw the chair. It was the man who was always in the corner. He had some sort of contraption on his leg. But that didn’t stop him. He pulled me into his lap and held me as I cried. Told me that my baby Rissa was a fighter. That she would survive and weather this hurricane. He held me, and I went to sleep.”

She smiled, tears flowing down her face, then said softly, “I woke in my hospital bed. I don’t even know when or how I got there. I went back to the nursery with dread filling me. When I got there, the man was standing at Rissa’s incubator, talking to her, telling her about all the things we would do together. That she would be a wonderful child, and a successful woman. A strong one like her mother. He humbled me with his words. I felt weak, not strong at all. He went to sit and fell. I called for the nurse and went to him. They rushed him out so fast. I was worried, but they wouldn’t tell me anything. When I didn’t see him the next day and the next, I begged my sister to tell me who he was and what was going on. She did something that, to this day, we do not talk about. She took me to his room.”

She wiped her nose, stopping again. Keenan had no idea why she was telling him about this man, but he listened.

“When I entered, he was hooked up to these tubes. It was then my sister told me who he was. He was the firefighter who had saved me, and thus Rissa. He had thrown himself over my body, shielding my lower half so that I would not be crushed or bleed out. We were pinned under the concrete barrier for hours. I don’t remember the details but, when she said that, I realised why his voice was so familiar. He talked to me when we were pinned. His voice assuring me we would be okay was what I held onto. Because of him, I had minor injuries instead of being dead. He risked his life to save ours.”

She blew out a breath, then spoke in a hoarse voice, “He had been doing too much, coming to be with Rissa and me. He’d had a set-back. His lungs were weak, and they had to put him on a ventilator. When I heard that, I split my time between him and Rissa, talking to them both. I don’t know if he heard me, but I wanted to be there for him. Eventually, they did take him off the ventilator, and we talked. When I asked him why he had risked himself, you know what he said?” She smiled wryly. “It was his job. That was more than his job. He wouldn’t accept my thanks. He said all he wanted was for me and Rissa to be happy, to live a full life. For the rest of our stay, we checked on Rissa together—celebrated, cried, and held each other up for her. The first time I could hold Rissa was such a precious thing. Although he baulked at it, I gave her to him to hold. Imagine this big man, scared of a little baby. He was so gentle with her.”

Julianne cleared her throat, then said, “When they sent me home, Rissa couldn’t come with me. I didn’t like it. But he assured me he would keep watch at night over her. That gave me some comfort. When I visited, I took Rissa and we spent the time in his room. Talked about everything and anything. I remember, one day, I went to his room and, seeing he had a visitor, I didn’t want to interrupt. But what the visitor said made me so sad. I went in. The man who was visiting was so kind to me. He seemed to know who I was, seems my saviour had told him all about me. When the visitor left, I told him I was sorry he couldn’t be a firefighter anymore. He shrugged it off and said he would be an investigator instead.”

Keenan sat up. Realisation dawned.

Julianne nodded. “Morgan was the man who saved me and Rissa. He was the first man who held Rissa that she bonded with. And the visitor was Tommy. Until the barbeque, I didn’t know those were the same men who I met eight years ago. The next day, after Morgan said he was going to be an investigator, I went to his hospital room with Rissa and he was gone. The nurse gave me a note he’d left. All it said was, ‘You all will weather any hurricane.’ I asked, but they wouldn’t give me his full name. Hospital policy. Even my sister said she couldn’t, because of the policy and at Morgan’s request. That day at the barbecue, I was shocked to see him. I confronted him about it. He tried to brush it off but I was having none of it. His explanation again humbled me. He didn’t want me to have any bad memories of what happened. And that was what him being around was.” Julianne made a rude noise. “I cleared him up about that notion. Took a bit for me to get him to have dinner and to agree to meet Rissa. I told her who he was. When they met, it was as if she knew him. The two of them are a handful together.” She laughed softly, then sobered. “I should have told you.”

“No. I understand.” He did.

It was shocking, the story she told. The fear, loss and pain she’d experienced during that time was so painful to hear. Now, hearing it, he understood why she had introduced Morgan to Rissa. And what she said had happened with Morgan in the hospital…it sounded just like Morgan. It cleared up why Morgan and Tommy had been so close-lipped when he had asked them about Julianne. He made a mental note to thank Morgan for saving Julianne and Rissa. Keenan chuckled silently. Morgan would be rude about it, but he was going to do it. Julianne’s words caught his attention

“No. I should have let you get to know Rissa. At first, I convinced myself it was me protecting her. But I was afraid to let you in.” Julianne rubbed her braid and bit her lip, lowering her head. “I know what I did hurt you. I’m sorry. And I hope you can forgive me.”

“Tell me the words again,” Keenan demanded.

He slid closer to her. Julianne’s head rose, her golden eyes brimming with emotion.

“I love you, Keenan,” she said, her musical lilt filling his senses.

He pulled her into his arms, settling her in his lap. Keenan smiled. Julianne pursed her lips, then narrowed her eyes.

“Tell me,” she demanded.

“I love you, Julianne.” Keenan ran a finger down her nose.

She held his finger and kissed it. Keenan pulled her in, kissing her tenderly. She moaned, pressing against him. Keenan rubbed her back but Julianne pulled away.

“Wait. I want you to get to know Rissa.”

“That’s okay. I can wait until you feel ready,” Keenan assured.

“I’m ready. Way past ready. The two most important people in my life need to get together. Tomorrow night,” she said firmly.

“Okay,” Keenan replied.

Julianne moved to get up. He held her in place.

“Where are you going? I need you right here.” Keenan kissed her.

“Umm…in a minute. I need to show you something first.” She pulled out of his arms and stood.

She picked up a small box from by the chair he hadn’t noticed before. Keenan glanced between her and the box. Julianne sat beside him. He put his arm over her shoulder. She placed the box on his lap.

“I went through some of the things I have about Charles. I want to share my memories…of him…what we had…with you.” Julianne’s voice was soft.

“You don’t have to do that,” Keenan said, running his hand along her shoulder.

“I know. I want to. He’s part of what makes me who I am. And Rissa. My future needs to meet my past,” Julianne said.

Keenan kissed the side of her face. “Okay. Tell me about Charles.”

Julianne lifted the lid of the box and took out a picture. Keenan studied the two young kids.

“I met Charles and Regina when I moved to Singleton. Regina and I were twelve. Charles was thirteen.”

Keenan was startled. When she said childhood sweetheart, she had meant it. He knew she and Regina were close, but not that they had been friends for so long.

“Regina and I became instant friends. Charles, on the other hand… Boy, did I hate his guts. He was an icky boy and loved to torment me. Eventually, Charles and I became friends. You know how they say girls mature faster than boys? Well, it’s true. By the time we became friends, I knew I was going to marry him some day. Told him, too. He scoffed, of course, and ran. I ran him down and jumped on him and sat on him.” She laughed.

Keenan chuckled. “Even then you were a woman who knew what she wanted. And how to get it.”

“I did. Charles, of course, didn’t like it one bit. Hell, I told my parents, too. They just humoured me, not believing me. No one did, except Regina. She and I used to plan how my and Charles’ wedding would be. And when Regina got married, how hers would take place. We spent hours playing weddings. Even though he denied we would ever wed, Charles would always be the groom to my bride in our games. He might have refused to face it, but I knew Charles was going to be my husband. Meeting him changed my life.” Julianne looked at Keenan, cocking her head to the side. “Just like I knew when I met you that you would change my life, too. And you have. I love you, Honey Boyfriend.” She winked.

“You can get away with that when you say those words. I love you.” He kissed her.

Julianne smiled. “Now, more about Charles and me. He…”

Keenan listened and laughed at the pictures she showed him of Charles, Regina and herself. The pictures spanned their teenage years.

“Who’s that?” Keenan pointed to the tall, gangly looking teenager who was in the current picture.

“Spencer. That was the year he moved to Singleton. Boy, Reggie knew when she saw him that he was her husband. Poor Spencer didn’t know what to make of her. But I could see he liked her too. After this, we became the four musketeers. All for one and one for all.” She smiled, tracing the picture with her finger.

“What’s going on with them?” Keenan asked.

He remembered the hospital and Spencer’s stumble over saying wife. And from how closely the friends and Locke family interacted he hadn’t once seen Spencer, which he thought strange.

“They’re having problems. I hope they work it out. It would be good to have them as part of our lives,” Julianne said.

Keenan glanced at her, startled. She might have said she loved him, but he wasn’t expecting her to be thinking long term. At least not yet.

“That’s enough for now.” He put the pictures back in the box, closing the lid. Keenan placed it on the side table. He stood, pulling her up with him. Nuzzling the side of her face, he whispered, “I’ve missed making you blush.”

Julianne shuddered. “I’ve missed you.”

Keenan lifted her into his arms. Julianne wrapped her legs around him. He kissed her, walking up the steps and to his bedroom. Laying her on the bed, he undressed her, then himself. Sheathing his erection, Keenan blanketed her body. In one thrust, they joined. The hitch of her breath and welcome of her body was like coming home. He stroked into her clenching pussy.

“Keenan.” Her voice had deepened with her desire.

With slow, measured thrusts, he moved inside her. Keenan watched as the colour of her eyes deepened to that smoky gold. She clenched her teeth, arching under him. Her pussy tightened around him as she moved. Julianne’s breath feathered over his lips and he stroked into her body. Her frame had become as familiar to him as his own. He rolled his hips and she gave that sound—the one that signalled she was overcome with need.

“Keenan,” she moaned.

The breathlessness of her tone made him snap his hips to go deeper, but he didn’t move faster, keeping easy and lazy thrusts. Julianne slid her hands along his back moving them in an up and down motion. Goosebumps raised on his skin at the touch. In that moment, Keenan knew that even decades from now he’d never tire of her touch on his skin. Just like he loved to taste her skin, Julianne enjoyed touching and he’d come to anticipate her hands on his body as she explored him, driving him into a frenzy of passion.

Julianne raised her legs to cradle his body. Keenan moved—each slide of them together resonated in his body and settled in his soul. This was their first time after admitting their love and Keenan wanted to make sure to claim her as his. Julianne’s eyes were filled with her love for him. Keenan’s throat clogged as he watched them.

“Blush for me, Honey Love,” she whispered.

The flush rose on his face and Keenan smiled at this woman who made him feel so much. The one who returned it and made him a much better man for it.

Julianne, as if reading his mind, said, “I’m a better woman with you, Keenan. With you I am alive once again.”

The tears he felt in his throat flowed from his eyes. Through a vision filled with water he watched her. Julianne’s own eyes were damp as tears slid out, wetting her cheek. Keenan lowered his lips and licked her tears. Julianne did the same on his face, her gentle swipes of her tongue making him feel strong yet cherished. He was humbled by this phenomenal woman who loved him enough to finally let him in. He thrust, slow and easy. Julianne countered his motions with the same slow rhythm. The intensity of their joining was on a deeper level. He kissed her, tasting the sounds she was making. Her familiar scent of honeysuckle and peaches enveloped him. Keenan groaned, rocking against her. She clenched around him, arching as she came, coating his cock. He shuddered, joining her in release before slumping over her. Julianne kissed the top of his head and Keenan sighed, resting against her.

“Love you,” Julianne said sleepily.

“Love you,” he said, slipping into sleep.

Keenan wiped his hand on the side of his jeans. He took a deep breath and pressed the doorbell. Julianne opened the door.

“Hey, Keenan.” She kissed him.

“Julianne.” Keenan hugged her briefly.

“No need to be nervous.”

“What if she doesn’t like me?” He was nervous, and didn’t even try to hide it.

“Rissa is like her mama. Impeccable taste. She’ll love you, and, if not, there’s always bribery. She’s fond of books.” Julianne smirked.

“I’ll remember that.” Keenan couldn’t help but chuckle at her look. She was enjoying his unease and he didn’t mind one bit.

“Go with her to the bookstore, and she’ll be your lifelong friend. We’ll take her to my sister’s bookstore sometime. She’s liking Christina Rossetti at the moment.”