Latched (Coronado Series Book 1) (20 page)

She put her hand on his heart and felt the steady beat, “You’re a good man to come back to.” She leaned forward and kissed his heart. “Your heart is your biggest muscle and that’s saying something, because you have some very impressive muscles.” He grabbed the shampoo and started washing her hair and she melted into him. She leaned her forehead into his massive chest and felt her heart fall into him. As he finished her hair she felt herself come out of her reverie. Pulling his hand, he sat down on the bench, “Let me wash your hair.”
 

He grunted his approval as she started massaging the shampoo in. He let his head fall forward as he kissed her chest, “Thank you Birdie, it feels good. It’s been a long couple of days, I’m so grateful to be here with you.”
 

She kissed the top of his head and kept washing his hair and massaged his shoulders and ran her hands down his chest. “Thank you for sticking around, I have no words for what you did for me. Maybe it’s my imagination, but I swear I felt you with me.”
 

He pulled her down on his lap and looked into her beautiful eyes, “I know it’s crazy, but I love you. This is it for me. I know it doesn’t make any sense and I’m sure that I am freaking you out. But I want you to start to get used to the idea, this is it.” She pulled his face forward and kissed him and let the tears fall. She understood and was just going to have to get her mind wrapped around it.

They pulled themselves together and finished their shower, then they got out and dried off. He helped with her night gown and brushed her hair. They brushed their teeth and he smiled when he put his toothbrush back and winked at her.
 

Birdie started laughing, “I’m going to buy a big package of toothbrushes and put them under your side of the sink. That should make you super happy.” She opened the cabinet under the right side of the sink and there was a box of condoms and some toilet paper. “All yours babe, have at it.”
 

He looked at her with a big grin, “I have a side! This might be better than the toothbrush, but I’m not sure.”
 

Birdie sat in bed with the remote and was looking at her list of shows. She noticed Mark was pulling on a pair of shorts, “Where are you going?”
 

He pulled on a T- shirt, “I want to go downstairs and make sure everything is locked up. I didn’t do it before I came up.”
 

“I think my Dad will do it - he always checks everything before he goes to bed. Even if I have closed everything, he goes behind me and checks. They’re probably watching TV and snuggling on the couch that’s their nightly routine.”

“Are you sure? I feel funny letting your Dad do it.”
 

“I think its ok but go down if you want, they might be kissing though.”
 

He put his hands up, “I do not want to interrupt them. What we are going to watch tonight?” They went through the list and chose The Blacklist. She settled back and tried to get comfortable, “Do you want me to tape up your ribs? It might help?”
 

“It’s just itchy, I will find a comfy spot in a minute.” Mark slid down in the bed and she leaned into him and sighed, “Found it.” She kissed his chest, “Love you.”

He laid back with a big smile on his face,
I’m never going to get tired of hearing that. This is our beginning.

CHAPTER FIFETEEN

TUESDAY

Birdie was laying on her side, she must have rolled over during the night. Her ribs didn’t hurt very much. She could breathe easily and was recovering faster than she thought she would. Mark was laying against her with his hand against her stomach. She looked down at his muscled forearm and thought,
I want to wake up every day with this man wrapped around me. I know it is crazy, it has only been two weeks.
Mark kissed her neck and she could feel him against the small of her back, maybe tomorrow they could get back to it, she hoped so.

She tried to roll on her back, but he was keeping a tight hold of her. He finally let her go and she rolled into him and kissed his chest right over his heart, “Good morning.”

He kissed the top of her head and rubbed her back, “Morning baby. You must be feeling better, you were sleeping on your side. That’s a good sign and you’re breathing normally. I’m going to make coffee and then I have to head into the base. I have to meet with the people who designed the new equipment we were trying out and give them my full evaluation.” He dropped his lips to hers and kissed her thoroughly. “Maybe we can do more than kissing tomorrow if you feel like you’re up to it. I miss making love to you.”
 

“I was thinking the same thing. Now that I have had you, I want you. This has never happened to me before.”
 

“Shit Birdie, you can’t say something like that to me without warning. I’m going to be thinking about it all day. I always feel like I’m the one out of control with you and to hear that you want me too…that is good news.” He kept his hand on her face and lowered his lips to hers and kissed her as gently as he could, “Love you.”

“You go get ready, I’m going to go and make coffee and get you something for breakfast.” She got out of bed, put her robe on and went into the bathroom to brush her teeth. Mark joined her and stared at her the whole time. She could tell that his mind was working away at something. Well he would probably tell her when he was ready. She finished up, kissed his arm and made her way downstairs.

Her parents were still sleeping, so she tried to be quiet in the kitchen. Her parents had kept her fridge full so she was able to make Mark a breakfast burrito to take with him. She figured he had to be out early and didn’t have time to sit down. She heard his boots on the stairs, looked up and her heart skipped a beat. She handed him a cup of coffee in a mug and a bag with his breakfast in it. “I don’t know how much time you have, so I packed everything to go. You have a breakfast burrito, fruit and some yoghurt in the bag.”
 

He took the mug and kissed her, “I have a few minutes. Come sit and have coffee with me. I want to know what you’re doing today.” She grabbed her coffee and sat next to him.

“Mom and I are going to the shop today. I’m thinking of looking for a person who can work part time.” She took his hand, “I also need to shop for a new delivery car for the store, maybe I’ll let my Dad do that. I guess I should take the Volvo in and see what’s wrong with it.”

“Don’t worry, Frisco took it to the dealership and had it checked out and then checked it himself. The light in the back got switched on and that’s what drained your battery. Since you don’t drive it every day, it killed the battery. I had Frisco put a new one in, just to be sure.”

“Mark, you didn’t have to do that, let me pay you back for everything.” She started to get up and he took her hand and made sure she sat down and looked at him.

“Birdie don’t insult me. I’m supposed to take care of you, it’s my job.” He finished his coffee and got up, “Don’t stage a rebellion because you’re not used to someone helping you. This is how it’s going to be and you don’t get to be in charge of this.” He stood at his full height and crossed his big arms over his big chest and waited for her to come up with an argument.

She noticed that Commander Mark had returned and she contemplated pushing back. But he wanted to do this and it was very generous of him. She pulled on his crossed arms and he leaned down with a very stern look on his face. Kissing his cheek she whispered in his ear, “Thank you for helping me and wanting to take care of me.”

He wrapped her gently in his arms and kissed her head, “Love you. Have a good day, I’ll call you when I’m on my way home. I can pick up dinner for everyone if you want?”

She took his hand and handed him his breakfast bag and started walking to the door, “My Mom is going to want to cook while she is here. It’s her way of taking care of me. So we just have to sit at the table and enjoy it.”
 

She opened the door and he walked down the steps and turned around, “We have to get you in the car again today. We can do it tonight after dinner.” He could see her shake her head and this time she was going to stage a rebellion. He jumped in his truck before she could get started. One battle at a time, he was glad she didn’t push back about the car. He waved to her and headed to the base. She stood on her front porch and watched him drive away. He could think what he wanted but it didn’t make it true, and he would soon understand that. She walked back into the house and started making breakfast for her parents.

Mark walked into his office and stared at the stack of paperwork that waited for him. This was his least favorite part of the job. He booted the computer, looked at the emails that arrived overnight and opened up the one that told him that the team was being moved up on the rotation. They had been in stand down for about a month. It was their turn next to be up for deployment. He was going to have to get Birdie to marry him before they got called for the next long one. The thought didn’t scare him, in fact it gave him a very calm feeling. The hard part was going to get Birdie to go along with his plan.
 

Birdie sat at the table with her parents eating breakfast, while her mother was writing down her menu for dinner and her Dad was reading the paper. Tom looked up and studied his daughter, “So is this young man the one for you?” Her Dad, though a trained diplomat, liked to cut to the chase with his daughter; no lead in - just the facts.
 

“I told Mom that I love him, which is crazy because it has only been two weeks. I don’t know if it’s puppy love or the real thing or something in between. We haven’t had the chance to get on each other’s nerves yet. We still have to figure out if we get along.” She took a sip of her coffee, “I know he’s a good man and very honorable, I definitely want to find out where this goes. I even told him I’m a democrat and he doesn’t care. He is very clear about where he is and how he feels. He told me that this is it for him and I know he believes it.” She stood up and started collecting the plates, “He’s a little overbearing and bossy and I have to learn how to manage that before I’m going to be totally comfortable.”

Joy studied her daughter, “I think he’s a good match for you. He will stand up to you and yet he allows you to be the boss and vice versa. I think you two will be good for each other. You’ll each have to find your balance.”

“He gave me all of his files and wants me to be his accountant. I told him I couldn’t because we’re involved and he just ignored me. The thing is, he actually has quite a bit of money. His Dad invented a widget for the super computers and he and his mom and sisters all receive quarterly checks from the companies that use them. He has a lot more money than your average Navy SEAL Lieutenant. I can pay his bills when he is on deployment, but I think I should recommend someone else for the rest.”

Tom sat up in his chair, “I think that’s a good idea. You don’t want to be in an awkward situation. Does he know how much money you have?”
 

“Of course not Dad, I’m sure he can figure it out though. He gave me a key to his condo and left a credit card on the table the other day. When I handed it back to him, he told me to keep it. He wants me to use it if I need anything when he is wheels up. He had my car checked out and put in a new battery and wouldn’t let me pay him back. He got sort of insulted and made a big deal about how it was his job to take care of me and protect me. It’s only been two weeks and he is trying to take over. He is a pushy man, but in the nicest way.”

Her Mom and Dad laughed, “It sounds like he is miles ahead of you and just wants to bring you along. Make sure this is something you want though, otherwise you will be swept up in the tide.”
 

“I think that’s the key, I just need time. I don’t want to be rushed. Dad can you look into some options for me for a new delivery car for the shop?”
 

Tom folded the newspaper, “You have given me a great job. You know how I like to do research. Why don’t you let your mother and I buy the car for the shop?”

“Daddy, I have to buy it as an expense for the business. Haven’t I taught you anything?”
 

Her Dad laughed, “That’s why I have my brilliant daughter handling our finances. I’m just a dusty old academic.”

Joy laughed, “Tom you are the very opposite of that. Go find Birdie a safe car while we go to the shop. You can come take us to lunch later on.” She stood up kissed her husband and helped Birdie do the dishes.

********

Birdie sat at the farm table in her shop going over her calendar, she was trying to come up with a schedule for a part time person. She heard the front door open and turned around, James walked in with a big pink box from her favorite bakery. He opened his arms and she stood up and went to him, “I do not appreciate all of the stress that you have put me through. I love you and you scared the shit out of me.” He looked down at her, “I want to be the maid of honor in your wedding.”

Birdie laughed and held her middle, her ribs were still a little sore. “You have to fight Ana and Rory for the honor. Maybe I can have three? Mom, James is here. Can you make some coffee? He brought the big pink box.”

 
Her Mom popped her head around the corner and smiled, “Hello James, lovely to see you. I’ll make a fresh pot and then be right out.” She blew him a kiss and went back to the little kitchen.

“Mark let me have a couple of minutes with you on Saturday afternoon before you went in for your MRI. The man was very worried, but he kept up a brave front. He wasn’t going to give you a choice, he was willing you into getting better. The power of his focus and intention was overwhelming. Do they teach you that in SEAL School?”