by Kells, India
Sully chuckled and Lance laughed good-naturally. “Yeah, that’s making me a people person.”
Everyone burst into laughter. Luke stood up. “You should rest. You’ve been through a lot.”
Gabrielle shook her head. “No way, I’ve been asleep for too long. I need to know what happened. I need to clear my mind.”
Luke frowned. “Not a time to overdo it.”
Gabrielle smiled at the young doctor. “No, Doctor. Apart from a nagging headache, I seem to be in functioning order.”
James came closer to Bea, putting a hand on her shoulder. “We can bring you up to speed. What’s the last thing you remember?”
Gabrielle turned to look at Sully sitting by her side. “Him, Sully, lying in a bed, wounded. Angry at me, cursing at me.”
Sully closed his eyes an instant and nodded. “Yeah, you had drugged me to prevent me from following you. I was beyond pissed, all right.” When he opened them again, Gabrielle didn’t see any resentment as she feared. He caressed her cheek. “Not the memory of me I want you to keep, for sure.”
And he leaned to kiss her. She was back, otherwise, how could her body catch fire so fast, so easily? He pulled back as she only wanted to keep kissing him, holding him close, although her body was not up to the task yet. On the other hand, there were too many people in the room.
Her stomach grumbled and she grinned. “I guess I’m hungry. But I would like to go to the bathroom first, and maybe take a shower.”
“Good, I’ll go make some breakfast for everybody. It’s early, but I don’t think anyone would mind a cup of coffee.” Bea smiled and hooked her arm in James’ before leaving the room. Lance winked at her and pushed Luke out of the room. As she moved to get out of bed, she noticed she was naked underneath the blanket.
“I sleep in the nude now?”
Sully’s smile faded a little. “It’s a long story. I will tell you everything, and the reason why we had to cut your pajamas off your body. I’ll go start the shower, wait here.”
Before Sully got out of bed, she took his hand, pulling him back down. “I don’t know everything that has happened since I lost my memory. I can’t even wrap my mind around the six months that have gone by. And there you are. Still here. I don’t know what to say.”
Sully’s expression was guarded, like maybe he feared what she was about to say. He nodded and lowered his gaze.
“I knew that deep inside of you, through the haze, you were still there. The blonde woman who rescued me from my cell in Pretoria, who played rebels in Namibia. The woman I fell in love with along the way. It has been an excruciating six months, I cannot lie. But I’m stubborn, as you know, and I kept on hoping for you to find your way back to me.”
Gabrielle’s throat closed painfully and she put her other hand on top of his. “Sully, I cannot begin to comprehend what you went through. For me, it was only yesterday I left you at the priory. If your intentions have changed, I would understand. I—” Her words stopped at her lips as she saw the intensity of his gaze, before he kissed her.
There was nothing sweet or comforting about this kiss; it was fire and desperation laced with anger. It was undeniable and at the moment, she couldn’t refuse him anything. Her mind may have been sleeping for six months, but her body recognized what was real between them. What they hadn’t lost.
Sully’s lips trailed along her jaw to her ear. “Nothing has changed, not a single minute have I loved you less or not wanted you back. I’m still pissed at the way you forced me to stay behind. I’m not over it yet. Not after six months, maybe never. You have to know that, Gabrielle. Never do that again. I don’t think I would be able to forgive you. I don’t think I would be able to live with it.”
She closed her eyes and wrapped her arms around him, holding him tight. “I know, and I understand. But know this … I was ready to have you never forgive me for this, to have you angry with me, because the notion of losing you, of you dying was something I couldn’t live with. Not then, and not now. And know, Mr. Thorne, I would do the same to save your life, over and over again.”
Sully buried his face in the crook of her neck. “Well, Mrs. Thorne, this is something we will have to work out. But, now that you’re back, I’m sure we will find a way.”
Gabrielle’s arms ached, but she couldn’t let him go yet. “You stayed. I can’t believe you stayed.”
Her sailor squeezed her a little more before letting her go. “There is only one thing that would have made me stay all this time.”
She angled her head. “Love?”
Frowning, Sully wrinkled his nose. “I was about to say your breasts or ass …” She laughed and his smile warmed her all the way through. “But love is the main reason, I’d say.”
She smiled back and cupped his cheek when she noticed something missing. “Where is my ring?” She remembered her wedding ring on her finger, a burnished gold band, but not taking it off.
Grasping her hand, Sully kissed it. “Bea removed it from your fingers at the hospital. When I got here, she gave it back to me.” After looking around, he got up to grab his pants, searched his pockets, and found his wallet. And there it was. Her wedding band. Sully put a knee down and took her hand. He slid her wedding band on her finger. It was so loose now.
“I have lost quite a lot of weight it seems. I can’t wear it now, I’ll lose it.”
She didn’t give Sully time to answer her when she got up, swayed a few steps to go to a drawer. The world tilted and dipped, and Sully picked her up as her knees buckled.
“You have to take it slow, remember? You had the roughest night of all and it’s been six months since you’ve been yourself. What did you want?”
Taking a deep breath, she let her head fall on his shoulder. “I have a small jewelry box in the first drawer there.”
Sully sat her on the bed and went to retrieve a small wooden box from the first drawer. She didn’t want him to peek, but knowing Sully, he opened the lid.
“What? No ballerina or fairy music?”
“Don’t be silly, give me that.” She extended her hand, but he ignored her, now exploring the small box. She knew what he would find—many small seashells, polished glass pieces, and one long golden chain.
“I see that you are low in diamonds, rubies, and sapphires in there.”
“I … when I jumped through the looking glass, so to speak, jewelry felt foolish. Then, there was Purgatory, and when would I ever be able to put on bling? When I constructed this house, I walked the beach every day, collecting colorful shells and whatnots. I keep them in this box, with this chain. A gift from Bea.”
Sully set the box on the bed and handed her the chain. Rapidly, she looped her ring and put the chain around her neck.
“I feel better now.” Gabrielle exhaled. Until she gained more weight, the ring would stay on the chain.
Sully grinned. “Good, now, have your shower. Bea makes a mean omelet. You’ll see.”
Gabrielle smiled when he scooped her back up in his arms, and carried her to the bathroom.
***
The road to recovery was a frustrating one for sure—one paved with hurdles and a body that didn’t work as she remembered.
Gabrielle had taken it slow when Bea, James, Lance, and Luke were around. Especially Luke, who guarded her like a watchdog. Sully, on the other hand, was a sneakier kind of watchdog. He waited until she had pushed herself too hard, stayed on her feet too long, or was about to collapse from exhaustion before taking her in his arms and putting her to bed with his ‘I told you so’ look on his face.
Her body was getting better every passing day, but her mind had quite a lot to deal with. They’d told her everything that had happened since the explosion, how they tracked Simon, the serum. But still her mind refused to lift the veil about what took place when she left the convent. Slowly, she could remember everything else, all of her life and most of the mission, except one small piece of the puzzle, hiding in the dark recesses of her healing mind.
A
lthough Luke had told her it may take her memory more time to heal, it was also a possibility she would never regain what she had lost. So she focused on what she could for now, which meant getting back into shape.
Everyone left to continue their search for Simon, and until she was deemed fit, she wouldn’t reintegrate the mission. Surprisingly, Sully didn’t say a thing when she told him she wanted to track Simon down. He was a bright man and knew she would soon realize she wasn’t ready to do anything of that sort. Not yet.
Gabrielle started to train at a snail’s pace … well, what she thought at first was slow, but she realized she needed to start at an even slower speed. It was a miracle she hadn’t been permanently maimed by the building collapsing over her. She had fractured bones and crushed muscles, and although everything was healed and allowed her to walk and move, they were not happy to be pushed harder than a slow stroll.
Day after day, she reached for her breaking point, the exact intensity and length that made her sweat and ache but didn’t bring her unbearable pain or dizziness. It was a dialog she had never had with her body before. She proposed, but it decided what she could do in the end.
A stroll became a brisk walk and then a lazy jog. Sully also trained, and tried to do so apart from her. He much preferred keeping an eye on her from afar. However, early in the morning, when he thought she was still asleep, he went running on the beach, in the cold winter air. As soon as she heard the door shut, she took a quick shower, made coffee, and brought her steaming mug in the living room to watch her husband run. Calling him her husband, even in her head, made her smile. It sounded so possessive.
So she watched, as he pushed himself hard. She’d noticed how much weight he had lost, not that he had a lot to lose to begin with. The last six months must have been difficult for him. She couldn’t imagine how it had been for him to see her in that state. Bea had confided to her how he took care of her, and the military regimen he had imposed on himself, day and night. His own way of coping with grief and worry, she imagined, his carefree spirit had been chipped away, too.
It was his face that had changed the most, in her opinion. The planes of his cheeks and his jaw were more defined, and there were small lines around his eyes, that weren’t there the last time she had seen him. And some gray hairs sprinkled his temples and beard. All subtle signs. She had noticed how he behaved around her, too. Since his desperate kiss that morning when she woke up, he didn’t touch her again. Well, he helped, guided, and lifted her, but his hands never lingered. He held back. And as she was getting better, the less she wanted him to do so.
The only thing that refrained her was her own appearance. Not only had she had lost significant weight, but there were more scars on her than before. Much more, caused by surgery and wounds. Her curves were a little more abrupt, let’s say, less appealing to her eyes. She had spent long moments in front of the mirror in the bathroom, the door locked, detailing what was left of her. It was the image she kept in mind when she trained and she ate. And when she thought about Sully.
Temperature shifted, snow started to fall down, scarce at first, but incredibly charming. When was the last time she saw it that way? And Christmas was around the corner. Gabrielle hadn’t been in town yet, but Sully told her everything was decorated. He even spoke about bringing a Christmas tree here. She had never decked her home for Christmas, in fact, she didn’t remember celebrating the holidays here ever, not since she had closed the door of her parents’ house.
When she saw Sully running again in front of the house, increasing his speed and pushing himself a little more each time, Gabrielle knew it was time to switch gears and maybe let the jolly in a bit.
She went back into the kitchen when she saw Sully heading for the house, and poured herself another cup as he came in. Breathing hard, he opened the refrigerator door and took a water bottle, gulping it down.
“Starting to get colder, isn’t it?”
Smiling, he nodded. “Yeah, but I like it. In fact, I prefer running in the cold and wet over our training base in San Diego. Virginia is a little better though. Less extreme temperatures.”
Gabrielle leaned against the counter. “The forecast is to get some more snow in the next couple of days. It’s beginning now, it seems.”
“Just in time for Christmas. Good timing.”
Glancing at the calendar, Gabrielle realized he was right. Christmas was in less than a week away.
“I was thinking about going into town today. Do you need anything?”
Sully swallowed the last of his water and looked at her. “In town? You haven’t gone out of the house since you regained your memory. Are you sure you’re up to it? If you need anything, I can get it for you. No trouble.”
She smiled; of course he would try to take care of her again. “Nope, I’m fine. I did a very slow one-mile jog yesterday and I feel good. Better. I want to go into town. I was planning to get a small tree, and ornaments. And maybe a turkey. I don’t have a clue on how to cook a bird, but I can google it. You’re welcome if you want to tag along. Although, I was told men hate shopping.”
“If you feel like it, I think it’s a good idea. Wait here a sec.”
Gabrielle watched as he jogged upstairs, quickly coming back with a box. He handed it to her.
“I was going to wrap it up for Christmas, but I think you will need it sooner than I thought.”
Smiling, she opened the box. She froze when she saw the deep blue beret and scarf he had bought her in Prague, before Simon’s men abducted them.
“You kept them.” She didn’t know what to think, she was deeply moved by his gesture.
“I did. You had left it in my room at the priory. I always kept it. I knew you would need it again.”
Her eyes filled when she looked up at him. Setting the box on the counter, she gave him a tight hug.
“You’re incredible, you know that?”
Sully kissed her brow before pulling back. A little too quickly for Gabrielle’s taste. “I’m an incredible man, and for the record, I also know how to cook a turkey.”
“All the better.” Gabrielle wiped her eyes and put her mug in the sink.
“Why this sudden desire for a tree and a turkey, honey?”
Good question. “I think we need to be a little festive and focus on the positive. It would do us both good.” She circled the island and grabbed his head before kissing him soundly on the mouth. When he was dazed and breathless, she pulled back. “And I need you to see I’m doing lots better. My body and my mind are getting stronger, even if there are still holes in what I remember. So no need to worry so much about me.”
“I’m not worrying. I—” Before he could say another word, she kissed him again, but this time, there was nothing light about it. Pushing him against the counter, she plastered her body against him. When his lips opened, she licked his lower lip. His hands went to her hips and pressed her harder against him. He was aroused and she moaned in relief. Reluctantly, she stepped back.
“So, in short, I don’t need a nurse or a watchdog, but I’m desperate for my husband. You. Are we on the same page?”
Sully breathed hard, but it wasn’t from running anymore. He nodded.
“Good, now go take a shower and I will dress for—”
Gabrielle didn’t have the time to finish her sentence. Sully backed her into the counter, his mouth taking hers for a short instant before roaming down her neck. His hands were on her ass, grabbing and lifting her up. Then they slid to her thighs and made her spread her legs, circling his hips. Grabbing her T-shirt, he pulled it up and his heated breath was over her skin and breasts. Her hands fisted in his hair to bring his mouth back up, but he growled in protest. He straightened for an instant and removed his sweatshirt. Hooking her hands in his hair, she pulled him to her, wanting his lips like crazy.
While he kissed her senseless, he tugged at her pajama bottoms, awkwardly pushing them down, trailing his hand and cupping her sex on his way up. Her head fell back as his fingers teased
her clit, before circling her slit. She tilted her hips, encouraging him to go farther, but he held back, continuing to caress her at a maddening rhythm. As hungry for him as he was for her, she slipped her hand into his sweatpants, taking him in her hand. For an instant, his eyes closed in rapture and he swallowed hard, whispering her name. His hands didn’t miss a beat and increased speed and pressure. She did the same, stroking him, mirroring his actions as his hips started moving faster, too.
That was when Gabrielle realized they were getting back in sync again. They were wrapped up in pleasure, but they mostly pushed the other more, following their signs, their moans, their shivers. They focused on each other, as they got reacquainted through pleasure.
“Sully, please.” She wanted to say more, but the words wouldn’t come out. Yet somehow, he understood as he let go of her for a second and pushed his pants down. His movements were hurried when he grabbed her thighs again to lift her up and trap her against the fridge door. She didn’t mind the cold on her back; her only focus was on the heat between her legs. Sully didn’t let her wait for long as he opened up her thighs more and pushed forward. The stretching sensation when his cock started entering her was exquisite. His forehead fell on the door behind her and she circled his shoulders until he was fully in her, skin to skin, heartbeat to heartbeat. His breath caught when she locked her legs around his waist and bit his shoulder. She soothed the sting by licking his skin, reveling in his salty taste. It was like a bottomless hunger; she couldn’t help herself. The six months without each other’s touch showed plainly. When Sully started to move, she lost any sanity she had left. Each time he pushed inside of her, the friction made her tingly and restless, yet she couldn’t do anything but wait for him. As he increased the speed, he bumped into her sensitive nub, making her shiver uncontrollably.
