by ANDREA SMITH
I had transferred to online classes through U of V so it worked out well, I didn’t have to leave home to attend. My degree program was back on track.
It was now mid-April, and I had recently undergone reversal of the colonoscopy. It was relatively minor surgery, but for the next few months, I had to monitor my diet and introduce different foods very gradually.
Taz was attending classes on campus this quarter, so he was gone a couple of nights during the week at school from 6:00 p.m. until 10:00 p.m.
I finished up on-line, submitting the unit quiz and composition for the week. I powered off my laptop, standing up and stretching. The clock over the mantle in the living room read 9:16 p.m. Taz would be home in a little over an hour. I could handle that.
I was uneasy on the nights he was gone. I knew it was something I needed to come to terms with, in particular, due to his career. Having been back with the bureau for a few weeks now, he could be going out on assignment any time and be gone for days or weeks.
I went to the kitchen and poured myself a glass of wine. I returned to the living room and powered on the television to kill time.
I heard the crack of thunder outside. A spring thunderstorm was brewing; the wind had kicked up significantly. I could hear branches scraping against the roof on the front porch.
As it turned out, Taz owned his duplex. He had renters upstairs who were never home it seemed. I almost wished they were home right now. The occasional sound of their footsteps above or muted sounds of their television or stereo would be a comfort to me at the moment.
I pulled the throw from the back of the sofa up over me as I tried to focus on the program I was watching. It was just 9:30 p.m.
The blare of that horrible sound of the emergency broadcast system came over the television causing me to jump. My heart thudded. Jesus Christ! The sound of that alert was enough to cause a person to have a coronary.
I heard the female “computer” voice come across the speakers:
“The national weather bureau in Fairfax, Virginia has issued a severe thunderstorm warning for the following counties: Montgomery County, Maryland, Prince George County, Maryland, Fairfax County, Virginia, and Arlington County, Virginia until 11:30 p.m. tonight. Heavy rain, with hail, high winds with gusts up to forty miles per hour and possible power outages could take place. The elements are present for producing tornado or tornado-like conditions. Please stay tuned for further weather monitoring.”
Beep, beep, beep.
Well, this was great. Now I was going to worry about Taz being out in this shit.
I went to the kitchen and refilled my wine glass, scurrying back to the comfort of the sofa, wrapping myself up tightly and staying glued to the television.
I channel surfed and found a rerun of “Criminal Minds” on the ID station.
Great - fucking great…I kept surfing.
I could now hear the heavy rain droplets pounding against the living room window. It got louder and louder and I figured it had turned to hail. I got up, twisting the wand to open the blinds and saw the tiny balls of ice hitting the glass and bouncing off.
I went over and switched the porch light on. The night was so dark, shrouded in pure blackness. A flash of lightening crossed the dark sky, seconds later the clap of thunder followed. The lights inside flickered off and then came back within a few seconds.
I went back to the sofa and snuggled against the pillows. Another flash and the lights went out. I heard the splintering of the tree out front just before the loud clap of thunder sounded.
Shit!
I sat in the darkness and contemplated my next move. I could sit in the dark and wait for Taz, or try and feel my way into the kitchen for a flashlight. I didn’t relish sitting in the dark by myself. It was reminiscent of my ordeal with Kyzer.
I shivered, opting to get up and feel my way into the kitchen drawer where we kept the flashlight.
Several flashes of lightening outside coming through the windows actually helped guide me through the hallway to the kitchen. I felt along the countertop until I got to the microwave. The drawer was right below that.
My hand groped for the below the counter for the drawer handle. I pulled it open, my fingers feeling around inside until I located the flashlight.
I switched it on and breathed a sigh of relief when it illuminated. I made my way back into the living room where the sound of the rain and hail still pelting against the glass was even louder.
I heard a tapping sound now. It was coming from the front door. I lifted the blinds on the window beside the massive oak door to peer out onto the porch. There was no one there.
I scurried back to the sofa, and dove over the arm wrapping the blanket around me. I hated being alone here in the semi-darkness without Taz. Why in the hell couldn’t he take online classes like I was? Then we wouldn’t need to be apart at night.
I realized how pathetic that sounded even to me. Taz had been nagging me to see a therapist since the ordeal. I had told him I was fine. I usually was fine; not tonight though.
I huddled on the couch gazing over to the window, waiting to see the lights of his truck coming down the street, pulling up the driveway into the garage.
As the next flash of lightening illuminated the sky outside, I saw him. It was first a shadowy figure, then as the sky lit up; I could see his features as he peered into our living room window.
It was Kyzer Stanfield!
I screamed, leaping from the sofa, the flashlight fell to the floor. I ran to the bedroom, pulling the door shut behind me and cowered in the corner of the room.
My arms were wrapped around my legs, my chin resting on my knees. I rocked back and forth with the spring thunderstorm raging outside until Taz found me there what seemed like an eternity later.
I felt him lift me from the corner, wrapping me in his strong arms, and trying to make sense of my hysterical blubbering.
He finally convinced me that Kyzer Stanfield was nowhere near our home; he was incarcerated waiting to stand trial. Taz assured me that I was safe. I was beginning to think that I would never feel totally safe.
“Lindsey,” Taz said gently, “I want you to see someone, baby. I know that you think you are fine, but you’re not. You rarely want to leave the house even with me. I come home tonight and find you cowering in the corner. It’s time you faced what happened, baby girl.”
I was on his lap, my arms wrapped around his neck, my face buried in his strong chest. I knew he was right. I nodded against him.
“Alright, then,” he said, kissing my hair. “We’ll find someone tomorrow, okay?”
“Okay,” I replied.
Taz lit some of the aromatherapy candles in our room. The power had not come back on but it didn’t matter. I felt safe and comforted now.
We crawled beneath the sheets of the bed, the storm still crashing down around us, flashes of lightening coming through the stained glass window over the bed.
We were both naked, wrapped around each other like every other night. I moved on top of him, straddling his mid-section with my legs. I lowered my face to his and we kissed.
“I need you to be rough with me,” I whispered against his lips. “I need you to ravage me.”
I watched as one hand clasped his cock that was already erect. His other arm lifted me up, and turned me so that my back was to him. His fingers plied the folds of my sex, fingering me roughly as I quickly grew wet for him.
I felt his hands clasp each of my hips, lifting me up and settling me down onto his shaft. He was fully inside of me now, as his hips bucked up and down and my legs were folded up on each side of him.
I swiveled my hips, riding him up and down, fast and rough, crying out with pleasure.
“Lean forward,” he instructed, and I did.
His hands roughly clasped the cheeks of my ass as he moved me up and down, back and forth. I felt the palm of his hand as he slapped my ass, the sting of his skin against mine, again and again.
“More?” he asked.
“Oh, yes,” I said. And he delivered more stinging slaps to my sensitive skin that was warm and flushed pink now.
Taz raised me up and off of him, I whined.
“I want to see your face when you come,” he said, turning me to face him, and lowering me once again onto his hardened cock. “I love watching you come, baby.”
I rocked up and down on his shaft, bending over so my breasts were brushing against him. His hands clasped them roughly, massaging the nipples with his fingertips, pinching them until I moaned with the painful pleasure.
I was whimpering now, ready to come and he knew it. He bucked me up and down until we both screamed out in pleasure as our orgasms unraveled together.
Afterwards, I cuddled up under his arm, my fingertips lightly tracing his bellybutton.
“I love you forever, Taz.”
“I love you longer, Linds.”
CHAPTER 51
I was lying on my back on one of the deck chairs by the side of the swimming pool at Darcy’s house. She had given me an early birthday gift; a string bikini that she told me I totally rocked.
It was July 4th weekend and I was hanging with Darcy.
We had been hanging with each other quite a bit as of late. That was because both Darin and Taz were working on a case, together. They had been in Detroit for the past three weeks. I had heard from Taz last night. The assignment was wrapping up and he thought they’d be home this evening.
Having Darin gone for three weeks totally flipped Darcy out. I told her she needed to get used to it.
She said Darin had been as excited as a kid at Christmas with getting a real assignment with Special Agent Matthews. According to Darcy, Taz was a legend for what had gone down in Marietta, Georgia nearly six months ago.
“Your tummy looks as flat and sexy as before,” Darcy commented, taking her place on the chaise lounge next to me. “You’d never know you had that colonoscopy. There is no scar or anything.”
“Colostomy,” I corrected, looking at her from beneath my sunglasses.
“Whatever, the point is, you are good as new.”
“I’ve been blessed,” I admitted. “Most of the scars have vanished.”
“What do you mean most of the scars? I don’t see a one.”
“I’m not talking the physical scars, Darce. The psychological ones run much deeper. Taz was right about that.”
“So, have you finished up with the counseling?”
“Yep,” I said. “Dr. Beatty thinks we have dealt with the demons and I’m good to go.”
“Speaking of demons, when is Kyzer and Susanne’s trial?”
“It’s not scheduled until this fall. I’m not worried about it. Dr. Beatty thinks I’m strong enough to face the trial.”
“And what does Dr. Matthews say?” she smirked.
“He concurs. He’s been my best medicine all through this, anyway.”
“So, did you break down and spoil the surprises you have for him?” she asked, eying my new belly-button ring.
“Nope, I wanted it to be a surprise, remember? You’re the one that can’t stand surprises.”
“Let me see if you’re all healed up back there.”
I rolled onto my side, presenting my butt to Darcy as I lowered the small piece of material that was covering it.
“That looks so good,” she said. “Taz is going to love it.”
“He better, because if he doesn’t, I’m letting him know it was your idea.”
Darcy had convinced me to get a tat on my right butt cheek. It was the Tasmanian devil cartoon, with the name “Taz” scrolled underneath. I knew he would love it. I kissed two fingers and touched the tattoo, giving my Taz a kiss.
Darcy moaned, rolling her eyes.
“You guys are so freaking in love,” she said, smiling.
“So, what’s wrong with that?”
“Nothing at all. I’m kind of jealous, actually.”
“Jealous? Why would you be jealous? You and Darin love each other.”
“We do,” she admitted, leaning back and pulling her sunglasses down from the top of her head where they had been perched. “But you guys are so intense with your love. I mean really intense.”
“We’ve been through a lot together,” I said with a shrug. “That’s probably the reason. We’re about to go through some new stuff, actually.”
“Oh, really? Anything you want to share with your BFF.”
“I really shouldn’t before I share it with Taz, but I could use your opinion, I suppose.”
“Okay, spill.”
“I have one more surprise for Taz when he gets home. I’m pregnant.”
“What?” she shrieked, ripping her sunglasses off to stare at me. “How did that happen?”
“How do you think, Darcy?” I laughed.
“I mean you guys weren’t being careful, using something?”
“Most of the time,” I replied. “Sometimes we just kind of got carried away. I guess we thought the odds were on our side.”
“You don’t seem very flipped-out about it.”
“I’m not,” I replied, rubbing some sunscreen on my face.
“So, you’re not worried that Taz will be upset?”
“I guess it’s like this, Darcy. If Taz is upset then he’s not the Taz that I know and love. I may not always be the best at judging people, case in point: Kyzer Shitfield, but I feel pretty good about knowing Taz’s character.”
“So, tell me, how are you going to give him the good news?”
“Well, I’ve been thinking about that. I’m thinking about making a nice, romantic dinner for us. Then saying something about how much we love one another.”
“Yeah, yeah,” Darcy said, literally on the edge of her chaise hanging on my every word.
“And then asking what he thought about our love plus one.”
“Love plus one, hmm, I like that, Linds. I think it’s perfect. So, when are you going to tell him?”
“Well, now that you know, I suppose tonight when he gets home. I know you can’t keep a damn thing from Darin. So, do me a favor?”
“Of course, what?”
“Keep your pie-hole shut until at least tomorrow, okay?”
“You got it.”
“And if Taz chooses to tell Darin in the next day or two, tell him to please act surprised?”
“Absolutely,” she said, grinning.
“Thank you.”
“So, when is your due date?”
“December 18th.”
“I’m so excited,” she said, giggling. “Can I tell Jill?”
“Have you even talked to Jill?”
“Yeah, we keep in touch. You know she’s engaged to Gabe, right?”
“Yeah, have they set a date yet?”
“Next summer. She’s moved in with him. You’re taking the rest of your schooling on-line. Sure is lonely around the old place.”
“For crying out loud, Darcy, why don’t you finish your degree on line? I mean, really, you’d be closer to Darin.”
“I’m thinking about it,” she replied. “It’s just a little harder to bribe male professors when you’re not smack, dab in front of them with a push-up bra and low cut sweater on.”
“Or you could just opt to do your assignments on time and study for your tests.”
“Yeah, I guess that is an option as well.”
“So, when do you think you and Taz will get married?”
“Marriage?” Now it was my turn to whip my sunglasses off and gape at her. “Who said anything about marriage?”
“Well, gee,” she replied, rolling her eyes. “With the baby coming and all, I just assumed that would be the natural progression of things.”
“Marriage has not been discussed between Taz and me up to this point and I don’t see why that should change.”
“I don’t know,” Darcy replied, “Taz may feel differently about that. He is supporting you and all.”
Now Darcy had clearly hit a nerve.
“Hey, I hav
e my own funds. I have the money Mom put away for my college once she sold the house in Indy. My tuition is cheaper taking these on-line classes, so I contribute. He’s not paying my way.”
“Okay, maybe not right now, but what about after you graduate or the money runs out?”
“My grandmother wants me to take a position at Banion.”
“I see, so you’ll be in Indianapolis, and Taz will be here. May I ask where the baby will be?”
“Darcy,” I said, plainly irritated, “we have plenty of time to work out the kinks.”
The truth was I hadn’t given a thought to those “kinks” myself, other than to brush them from my mind whenever they popped in.
“Hey,” she said, interrupting my thoughts, “what about Taz’s family? Are they close by?”
Taz was fairly closed-mouthed about his family. I hadn’t seen or heard him talk to them on the phone. It seemed as if they simply didn’t keep in touch.
I had questioned him a few times on the subject. He claimed they simply weren’t close. There was no estrangement. He had one older brother and a younger sister. His parents ran a business of some sort in Napa Valley, California.
“His family lives in Northern California. I gather they are not close.”
“Well, that’s good. At least you won’t have any in-laws interfering in the mix.”
“Hey, how is your mom doing?”
“I talked to her this morning. Other than feeling like a beached whale, all is good.”
“So, like you haven’t shared the news with her?”
“No, Darce, just you up to this point. Remember your promise.”
“Yeah, yeah. Not to worry, Linds.”
My cell phone sounded. I picked it up glancing at the screen and smiled. Darcy’s phone was now ringing too. Our G-men were coming home.
“Hey,” I said into the phone, my butterflies fluttering.
“Hey, baby girl, I’m on my way home and I’m horny.”
“Oh, Taz,” I gushed, “You are so romantic.”
I winked at Darcy. There was no need for her to know what he said. Darcy was giggling at her end with Darin. He had probably told her the exact same thing.
