by Jo Chambliss
It takes several minutes, but we make it to the top. To get us over the edge, Bandaid passes us, and he and Devil take Willa from me. After pulling myself over the edge, I remain on my hands and knees to rest my quivering muscles.
Yes, we made it safely up, but we have a new problem now. None of these horses can handle two of us, and we can’t put Willa on a horse by herself. “I’ll stay here with her,” I tell them. “You two go to the camp and make a litter out of the tent fabric. Get back here as fast as you can.”
“We’ll hurry,” Devil yells as they ride off to the campsite.
Crawling on my hands and knees, I go over to where Willa is lying on the ground, wrapped in mylar blankets. I reach under the shiny material and take her hand. She’s unconscious again, but at least I know she’s not in any immediate danger.
Twenty minutes later, the SEALs are back with a rescue team. “Looks like you guys beat us to the punch.” The medical crew rolls over a basket litter attached to a single-axle, all-terrain wheel. “Since you guys did the hard work, we’ll get her down.”
“Where’s the dick that tried to kill her?”
“On his way to a cell as we speak,” says a cowboy with a badge clipped to his belt.
I nod in thanks, and one of the crew reaches for the saline bags resting on the top of my pack. Another produces a backboard and positions Willa on it. Once she’s strapped down, the medics lift and place the board in the basket. Then, a pole on the litter is raised to hold the saline bags, and the team starts the long and difficult trip down the trail.
Shortly after we start off, Willa looks up at me and reaches out her hand for mine. “Where’s Ari?”
“She’s at the bottom of the hill, waiting for you under a warm blanket.” Her eyes close again, and she releases her grip on my fingers.
I walk by her side for a few more minutes, then jog up to the officer that accompanied the rescue team. “How’s Ari, the little girl?” I ask him.
“She’s just fine. She has a full belly and is wrapped up like a burrito in front of a fire with some of your men. Her only complaint is losing her stuffed fish.”
I hear Devil snicker from where he’s walked up beside me. “She doesn’t need it anymore now that she’s got the real thing.”
The policeman stares back with a confused look on his face, but no one elaborates.
Chapter 18
Willa
The steady beeping in my ear tells me that I’m waking up in another hospital. This time is much better than the last. Yes, I may hurt a lot more than last time, but this time, I know my daughter is safe, I know the threat to my family is over, and I know that Chris is close by.
Opening my eyes, I first notice a very thick stack of blankets covering me. The next thing I see is Chris asleep in another uncomfortable-looking chair with my daughter asleep in his lap.
Unexpectedly, a sob escapes me at the sight of them. The sound startles Chris awake. He quickly, but carefully, stands and lays Ari down on the sofa in the room before rushing to my bedside. He palms my cheek and asks, “Are you hurting? Do you need anything?”
Words won’t come; I can’t speak. He’s filthy, covered in dirt from head to toe with smears of blood on him, and yet, he’s the most wonderful sight I could wish to see.
Using my good arm, I reach up and pull him close. He responds by wrapping his strong arms around me, being careful to avoid the arm in a sling. Holding him tightly, I tell him, “I thought I was never going to see you again, either of you.”
He answers, “There was no way I was going to let that happen. I just found you; I couldn’t give you up yet.”
“Mama? Mama!” Ari jumps from the stiff-looking sofa and runs toward me. Chris catches and lifts her, carefully placing her in the bed beside me just as he did the first time we met. “Daddy said you were sick and that I had to find help or you wouldn’t get better. I couldn’t find anybody, but Fish found me again.”
“He sure did, baby. He saved us both.”
Chris lifts the covers, and Ari snuggles into me. She’s just as dirty as Chris, but I don’t care. Having her by my side so close helps me relax, and I yawn. I don’t know what time it is, but since it’s dark outside, I don’t fight it when my eyes close again.
The next time they open, sunlight is streaming into the room from the large window on my right. I’m alone, but the realization doesn’t scare me. Wherever my daughter is, she’s with Chris, and that means she’s safe.
After a gentle knock at the door, Bandaid and another doctor walk in. “How’s my second favorite patient?”
“Second favorite?”
“Sorry, but Ari wins. You made me work too hard. How’s your pain?”
“As long as I’m not moving, things seem to be ok.”
“Well, the good news is that nothing needed surgery, and there was no permanent damage from exposure. You did have a hairline fracture in your left collarbone, a dislocated shoulder, and a sprained hip from supporting the weight of the horse for so long.”
“Oh… that all?”
Bandaid chuckles. “Now I know where Ari gets it. To answer your question, no, that isn’t all. You also had a splinter. Dr. Springer here, who is the real man in charge, agrees with me that you’ll do just as well recovering at home with some physical therapy.”
The mention of my home wipes away the smile Bandaid brought to my face and serves as a stark reminder that I’ve lost everything.
He moves to sit on the side of the bed and takes my hand. “Willa, it’s just a house. They’re just things. You haven’t lost anything that can’t be replaced. And, after what I’ve seen, you’ve gained a man that would give his life for you and your daughter. Not to mention, Ari has gained seven over-protective uncles.”
The other doctor laughs. “God help her when she starts dating.”
I don’t join in on the joke. There’s something they need to know. My grip on Bandaid’s hand tightens. “Bowie, Jonathan did this to me. He set out to kill us both. Since we made it out, he’s going to come for us again.”
The machines behind me start beeping like mad. “Calm down, Willa. Jonathan Westbrook isn’t going to be doing anything from prison. Judge and Fish caught him and even got him on video taunting Fish about you being dead.”
The door opens behind the two doctors, and Chris walks in, carrying two bags in his hands and Ari on his shoulders. “Bandaid, incoming.”
Chris bends slightly, and Bandaid walks over and plucks Ari off his shoulders. “On your feet, Tadpole,” he says while Chris unloads bags of go-plates.
“Tadpole?” the resident doctor asks with a scrunched-up face. “Why in the world would you call her that?”
“Yeah, why did you start calling her that?” Bandaid teases his team leader.
Chris stammers, “I… um… It just sort of came out.” His gaze darts to me and is glued there as Bandaid snickers and starts to explain. “You see, Doc, in our line of work, we’re sometimes referred to as Frogmen.”
“Oh… Tadpole… Frogman’s kid. I get it.”
Chris doesn’t correct the man and doesn’t break eye contact with me. He was calling her Tadpole when I woke up in the hospital after the first attack. He was referring to her as his that first day. I think I just realized I love this man.
The door opens yet again, breaking the spell, and Devil walks in. Bandaid stops him before he even makes it three steps. “Devil, why don’t you take Ari to the gift shop?”
“Ooh. Can we get me a new stuffed fish?”
Devil reaches out his hand to her. “How about we get you a stuffed Devil instead?”
I glance at my daughter just in time to see her nose wrinkle up at his suggestion as if it’s the worst idea in history.
He laughs, and she takes his hand. “I guess you’re right. We’ll just see what they’ve got.” After that, the room clears of everyone except for Chris and me.
When I turn to look at him again, his eyes are still on me. He clears his throat and finishes
setting out what looks to be the breakfast he picked up. “I hope that didn’t creep you out.”
“It might have if I hadn’t seen with my own eyes how much you care for her.”
“Then I hope it doesn’t creep you out when I say that I already see you both as mine. I know there’s a lot of uncertainty in your life right now, but I hope I’m not part of it.”
He moves closer and takes my hand. “You and Ari have become such an important part of my life, that I can’t imagine not seeing your faces every single day. I want you to know that if you want it, you have a place to stay with me.”
Five weeks later
Willa
Chris is putting Ari to bed while I wash up the last of the serving dishes from her birthday party. I can’t believe she’s five years old already.
A smile lights my face as I think of all those big, tough men waiting impatiently for her to open their presents. Ever since Devil got her the stuffed cartoon devil character, it became sort of a challenge for the rest of the group. Today, she got a stuffed wrench, bandaid, hawk, ink pen, one of the Muppet judge characters, and a stuffed person with only a heart appliqued over his crotch and butt.
I have to admit that in the hospital, when all the guys saw the stuffed devil and the challenge was issued, I was a little nervous about what Skin would come up with. It turned out all right.
The funny thing was that the SEALs enjoyed the reveal of each one’s stuffed character even more than Ari did. Not to be left out, Chris got her a new stuffed fish, which she loved as much as the first. She loved all the stuffed characters, but her favorite thing was the little motorcycle helmet and riding suit that Chris got her.
She insisted that she be able to dress in it and wore the suit and helmet for the rest of the party.
After Ari was hyped up on cake and ice cream, the guys started teaching her SEAL hand signals. Sitting there in her motorcycle helmet, she was so serious and determined to learn the signals that I had to laugh, to myself, of course.
As the evening wound down, I got up to start cleaning, and the team jumped up to help. “Guys, it’s been over a month. I’m finished with physical therapy. I’m almost completely healed and can handle a few dishes.”
That last part had been as much for Chris as the other men.
The man has been so careful of my injuries that he hasn’t done any more than kiss me since leaving the hospital. It’s about to drive me insane.
Ari zonks out on the couch, and the team decides it’s time to go. Since I’m finishing up the dishes, Chris puts the birthday girl to bed, and finally, Chris’s house goes quiet again.
As I’m scrubbing sauce off a large tray, I hear Chris enter the kitchen. “A letter came from the prosecutor’s office today,” I inform him.
“Oh?”
“Even though Jonathan hung himself in his cell, they continued their investigation into the explosions, Webber’s murder, and well, everything.”
Chris walks up behind me and just stands there. “He said that Jonathan had been planning this since the divorce and was so convinced that it would work that he didn’t remove me from any of his financial accounts.”
“Uh huh.” Strong hands lift to my shoulders, kneading my back muscles with his thumbs.
“His entire estate goes to… Ari… and…”
Hot breath and lips caress my neck, and I forget what I was going to say. I lean back against him, the prosecutor’s letter forgotten.
“I got your message earlier,” he whispers into my ear. “Loud and clear.”
He nuzzles my neck, and I think I’m about to burst into flames. “I’m not sure you’re ready for the bedroom, but I can’t hold off any longer.”
Thank god.
My hands are still in the hot, soapy water when a muscular arm snakes its way around my waist and under my white, cotton shirt. His other hand moves my hair to one side so his lips can scorch a path up and down my neck.
The hand under my shirt pushes my bralette up and out of the way and begins a sensual massage of my breasts as his other hand reaches down to tease between my legs. My hands fly from the sink to grab onto his arm causing the water to splash all over my exposed skin. The water soaking my shirt and my skin quickly cools, sending a chill racing over my whole body.
Chris tweaks a nipple before pinching and rolling it between his fingers. His movements between my legs increase in intensity, and I lie my head back against his shoulder. Both breasts receive ample attention before he leans back just enough to pull my shirt over my head.
As his mouth moves to my shoulder, his hands slide downward to the hem of my gray, cotton skirt. He drags all ten fingers upward again, bringing with them the soft fabric of my skirt.
With the material out of his way, he shoves my panties to the side and touches my bare lips for the first time in weeks. “God, you’re wet for me already.”
His words stoke the fire building within, and I start to press against him. In a strangled voice, be begs, “You need to stop that, or I won’t last a minute. It’s been too long since I’ve been inside you, and I’m about to lose it.”
At this point, I don’t care how long he lasts. I need this. I need him right now. I resume pressing against him, adding some sway to my hips as I do it.
It must work as Chris backs away from me just a few inches, and I hear the hiss of a zipper. He bends me slightly forward and presses his hard length into me.
When he’s all the way inside, one of his arms lifts back to my chest while the other hand continues to tease my clit.
I lean my head back against his shoulder again, and he thrusts into me over and over again, all the while planting toe-curling kisses all over my neck and shoulder.
Moving slowly, he continues to thrust until one last swirl of his fingers sends me flying off the precipice. The pleasure keeps rolling on, even as he removes his hand to brace it against the adjacent wall.
As I’m coming down from my powerful release, he begins to thrust faster. Pulling us more upright, his arm moves to brace against my sternum, stretching from my chest to my neck.
His mouth is at my ear again when he comes. His body jerks and he stills with my name rolling off his tongue in a whisper. Then, Chris leans back against the wall, pulling me with him.
Chris
As soon as I catch my breath, I slip out of Willa’s body and turn her around to face me. I search her eyes for a moment, then decide I’m through waiting. “I’m in love with you, Willa.”
Then, to keep her from feeling pressure to respond right away, I take her lips as passionately as I took her body moments ago. She takes over the kiss, eagerly taking what she wants from me.
When we’re both breathless again, she pulls back. “Chris, I’ve been bound to many things in my life. Some binds were barely a thread and some a strong chain. Some of the chains have bound me to good things, and some have been to things that hurt me. Of These Chains, I hope this one remains. I love you, Christopher Hill.”
Her words fill the last empty space in my heart, and I pull her to me to take her lips once more. Picking her up carefully, I carry her to our bed, all the while wondering to myself how soon I can ask her to marry me.
The next morning, and for the rest of the week, I get up and join my team for PT. Some days, that’s our only function on base. Other days, we stick around to assist in the various support roles assigned to us for the work-up teams.
Even though we’re back in rotation, we’ve not yet been assigned a mission to work up for. Until we’re assigned or called up, we’ll continue our support/admin roles.
On the days we don’t have any support assignments, I’m back home at seven and climb back in the bed with Willa for a little while. Those are the days I help Willa with the lawyers, insurance adjusters, investigators, and the occasional nosy reporter.
On the following Friday morning, my team is notified that our status is now changed to working up. It’s been reported that an American citizen fighting with al-Shabaab has evad
ed capture by disappearing from Somalia. He’s just been spotted way off his range in the mountains of Iran. Our job is to go in and take him out.
Until we get the go, we’ll spend every day studying the area and every possible scenario and obstacle we might encounter that would impede the completion of our objective. Due to the nature of the mission and our target’s location being in the icy mountains, our entire platoon of sixteen will go instead of just my eight-man squad.
After our initial meeting, Devil and I get together with the lieutenant and master chief of the other squad to discuss joint training missions ahead of our deployment.
It’s after six when I walk in the door that evening. As soon as the door closes, I see a blur racing in my direction just before Ari jumps at me. She squeezes her little arms around my neck, and I carry her toward the kitchen where Willa is watching us with a smile on her face. I don’t know how I ever lived without them.
Right after dinner, Willa’s phone rings. She rushes to answer it, and Ari and I clear the table.
After Westbrook was captured, Willa’s car and phone were returned to her, and she was able to contact clients and conduct business as usual again. Her phone was vitally important as it is her business phone and the number that her father’s nursing home has always used to contact her.
Willa comes back in the room a couple of minutes later with a smile on her face. “What?”
“That was my father’s facility. He’s had two good days in a row and is asking to see me. He hasn’t done that in months.”
“That’s great. You should go in the morning. We all should.”
“I’d love that. I miss my dad. I miss having a two-sided conversation with him.”
She reaches up and wipes the moisture from her eyes. “Hey, Ari, it’s bath time. Why don’t you go and get started? I’ll be there in a few minutes.”
“Ok, mama.”
When Ari’s out of earshot, Willa explains, “The stroke affected dad’s memory. The saddest part was that he lost the time that he spent with Ari. He didn’t know who she was anymore. The one time I took her with me to see him, he became agitated. I hate it, but I can’t risk upsetting him again.”
