by Kaci Rose
I run my hand up her sides to her breasts and pinch her already hard nipples, causing her to gasp. When she starts grinding on me, I think I might lose it.
“Maybe, we should move to the bedroom,” I whisper against her lips.
When she reaches into her back pocket, the last thing I expect her to pull out is a condom.
“I may have come prepared.” She says with a smile and continues to kiss me.
“I think we still have way too many clothes on,” I mumble between kisses.
She stands up and takes her clothes off and is frozen in front of me. This beautiful girl is naked, offering herself to me, and even from here, I see how wet she is. How wet she is for me.
I reach out and take the condom from her. Ripping it open and rolling it on, I don’t take my eyes off of her. When I’m done, she straddles my lap again and starts rubbing her pussy on my cock, driving me crazy.
My heart is racing a million miles a minute, but I want this, I want her, and I want us. I stroke her smooth skin and run my thumbs over her breasts.
“You’re so beautiful,” I say, enjoying her soft skin and the contrast to my scarred body.
This time, when she slides up my cock, just the tip slides into her, causing us both to moan, before she slides back down my shaft. Her eyes meet mine, and then the tip is inside her, and slowly, she takes more and more of me, until I’m fully seated inside of her. I grab her hips and pull her towards me, grinding her clit against me, as she falls forward and buries her face in my neck.
She braces her hand on my shoulders and starts moving herself up and down my cock slowly. Already my lower back is starting to tingle, and every nerve I have is being pulled towards my cock, waiting for the tension to snap.
My heart is hammering against my chest so hard that I’m afraid it’s going to burst through. My balls are drawn up and begging for release, but I don’t give in until she does. I need her to climax almost more than I need to cum.
She shifts angling her legs around the back of the chair, and I sink impossibly deep inside her, and with one more stroke, she’s throwing her head back, screaming my name and clenching my cock, like a vice. Her fingernails dig into my shoulders, and the pain mixed with her pussy soaking my dick, makes me cum harder than I can ever remember.
I cup the back of her neck and rest her forehead on mine.
“I love you, angel,” I tell her, but is so inadequate for what I feel for her, and I’m not sure I’ll ever have the right words.
Every sensation is overwhelming, when she starts tracing my scars again, a move that I think is as comforting to her, as it is becoming to me. Resting my hands on her hips, I hold her tight.
“I love you too, Noah. So much.”
“I got you, angel. I got you,” I tell her, as the grip on my shoulder increases.
Her head rests on my shoulder, and I hold her to me like if I let her go, she will float away. We’re both breathing hard, trying to catch our breath. I can feel her heart racing just as fast as mine is.
When she lets out a content sigh, I smile.
“Normally, I’d carry you to bed and cuddle with you, angel, but that’s not happening,” I say, hating that I can’t just yet.
“Mmm, it’s okay. Just need a few minutes, because my legs are jello.” She mumbles against me, and since I don’t want to move either, I hold her tighter. We will get to bed eventually.
Chapter 34
Lexi
What a whirlwind month it’s been. We got our charity approval back faster than we expected, and now, the paperwork is with the VA, and we have already had a few people call asking questions. Judy and Keith said that’s a good sign.
We closed on the house and property next door, and my dad has started renovations. He’s determined to have the house ready before any work is started on Oakside, so Noah and I have a place to relax.
Johnny’s been helping with the house too, and he’s really happy. I took them some lunch the other day, and he was laughing and joking with the workers. He told me later they don’t treat him like he’s injured; they expect him to do his share of the work, missing leg or not, and that’s exactly what he needs. I know construction was never his dream, but I think he’s found where he fits in.
Now, we’re on our way to the hospital to talk to Brooke and Easton. We’re hoping we can convince them both to join us.
“First stop, Brooke?” Noah asks.
“Yeah, I think she’ll be the easier one of the two.”
We find her at the nurse’s station. “Lexi!” She jumps up and hugs me.
“Noah! Looking great! Up and walking, look at you!” She says, taking a full survey of him.
“Would you be willing to take a walk with us?” I ask her.
“Yeah, I need some coffee anyway.” She walks with us down the hall.
I decide to jump right into it.
“So, long story short. The big, old house finally showed its purpose. It’s going to be a rehabilitation home for military men and women. There’s one like it in Texas, and they’ve been helping me. We’re already just waiting on final VA approval.” I tell her.
“That’s awesome, Lexi! Oh, there are so many guys here that I know would heal so much faster, if they weren’t actually here.” Her face lights up.
“Noah said that, too. He healed faster, because he had, too.”
“Exactly! Oh, I’m so excited for you guys.”
“Well, we want you to join us. Run the nursing staff, once we’re up and running.” I tell her.
Noah squeezes my hand, as I continue, “We don’t need an answer now. Just think about it. If you’re even slightly interested, get with me on what you would need salary wise. You’d have patients, and you’d be in charge of the small nursing staff. Hiring, training, and also, we’d want you to help in the renovations setting up things that will work best for you. All that.”
“I’ll talk to my family about it.” She nods. “I like the idea, help get the place off the ground. Tell me what you have so far.” I go on and tell her about Mandy and her fundraising ideas, and how so many people are ready to start the moment we have the okay from the military and the VA.
Once she agrees again to think about it, we head to see Easton. Noah knocks on his door, and Easton, who like always, is sitting at the window slightly turns his head.
“Hey, it’s Noah, and I brought Lexi. We were hoping we could talk to you about something.”
Easton turns his head a bit more to us, and Noah takes it as a yes.
“We have been working on starting up a military rehabilitation home for guys like us, who don’t need to be in the hospital anymore but aren’t quite ready to go home. We want you to be one of the first patients there.” Noah says.
I add in softly. “It’s being set up in an old plantation home, and it will be like a bed-and-breakfast. You’ll have your own room, and there will be things to do, gardens, and all your treatment would be on the property. And we’ll make sure your room has a great view.”
“Would you be willing to move there, once we open?” Noah asks.
Easton doesn’t say anything for so long that I worry he might not answer us.
“Yes, if there’s a good view.” He says, his deep voice scratchy.
“I promise, it will be better than the parking lot of the hospital,” I say.
Easton nods and then turns back to the window.
“I’ll be back next week,” Noah says before we turn to leave.
With a big smile on his face, Noah says, “I don’t know if we can help him, but I’m sure as hell going to try.”
We get to the lobby, and I hear a familiar voice.
“Oh, Molly, don’t do that!” Paisley squeals, and the next thing I know the giant golden retriever is at my feet.
I just laugh and lean down to pet her.
“Sorry, I guess she likes you two,” Paisley says.
Just like that, an idea sparks, and I look at Noah, and I know he has the same thought.
> “Paisley, do you take Molly to places other than the hospital?” I ask.
“No, I like working with military guys. Molly has a bond with them.”
I give her the same run down on Oakside that we gave Brooke and watch her eyes light up.
“Would you be willing to come in with Molly, once we are up and going?”
“Oh, yes! You know, I work with therapy dogs and train them, so if there is a soldier that needs one, I’m always happy to work with them. The military will pay for the dog’s training, and even help the solder with their upkeep.” Paisley says, writing her cell phone number on a business card and handing it to me.
“That’s good to know. We’ll keep in touch.” I say, taking her card and putting it in my wallet.
As we walk back to my car, Noah pulls me into his side, and I wrap my arm around his waist.
“Want to go check out the house?” He asks.
“Yeah, want to drive?” I hold out the keys.
His physical therapist said he could start driving shorter distances, since his muscles are stronger now, but no highway driving or long drives.
He takes the keys and helps me into the car, and we head home.
“I don’t like driving as much, because I still need both hands, which means I can’t hold your hand.” He pouts.
“Well, I’m happy to drive, so we can hold hands, but you need to practice some too and get used to it,” I tell him.
We pull into the driveway of what will be our new home, and I smile. The white colonial house in front of us is already feeling like home and will do even more once the construction debris is gone.
Walking into the entryway, the staircase is right in front of you, and to the right is a sliding barn door, opening to the formal dining room. Walking down the short hallway, we find my dad and my brother in the living room.
“Perfect timing, we just finished the fireplace. What do you think?” Johnny asks.
The fireplace is flanked by two floor-to-ceiling windows. The mantle is now larger and white to match the soft gray on the walls, and the entire room is so much brighter.
“I love it,” I tell them.
“Kitchen is done as well. We did want to talk to you about the basement.” My dad says.
“What about it?”
“Well, it’s set up as a two-bedroom apartment, and it opens up to the backyard. But you don’t really need a two bedroom apartment. When you come down the stairs, there’s a laundry room and storage, before entry into the apartment. Any ideas what you want to do with space?” Dad asks.
“I was thinking of keeping it as it is. We won’t have a place at Oakside for families to stay when they visit. Well, at least not right away, and I don’t ever want a family to not be able to visit, because of a place to stay. Can we put a better door and lock on the storage, and a security door at the top of the steps? And a keypad for the entry to the basement from the outside?”
Noah wraps his arm around my waist and kisses the top of my head. “That sounds perfect, angel.”
My dad smiles and makes a note. “Okay, let’s look at the kitchen. Any changes, before we move on upstairs?”
The kitchen is done in white cabinets with a gray granite countertop, and the kitchen sink overlooking the backyard. There’s a breakfast nook for less formal meals that could easily seat eight. It’s against a window and has a long, bench window seat at one end of the table.
“Looks great. Noah?” I ask him.
“It’s perfect.”
“Okay, just a few things upstairs.” My dad says as we follow him.
The upstairs landing has two more window seats, and a full wall of built in bookshelves.
“We aren’t touching this other than a little touch up paint, right?” My dad asks.
“Right. This is one of my favorite places in the house.”
“Just need you to confirm paint colors in the bedrooms,” Dad says. There are three bedrooms, plus the master up here, and they all only need touch ups. The bathrooms have recently been redone, so we aren’t touching them.
“One more thing downstairs,” I say.
There’s a door between the living room and the formal dining room that leads to a beautiful, sun porch on the side of the property that faces Oakside, only there are so many trees you can’t see Oakside.
“I’d like to make a path from here to Oakside. It needs to be as flat as possible, and I don’t want it messing with Oakside’s tree lined driveway, but it can lead towards where the master bedroom is now on that side of the house. It should be wide enough for a golf cart to pass a person or two. Maybe, a few benches along the way.” I say. “I want patients and even staff to feel like they can come to talk to us when they need anything. So, I want it as easy as possible to get to us, if we aren’t there.”
“Will do. I’ll see about doing some landscaping, making it a nice walk, and adding some solar lights.” Dad says.
“Perfect.”
Standing here in the sunroom, I start to see this place like home, and my new dream unfolding. Here’s to hoping the roadblocks are few.
Chapter 35
Noah
Today, we’re driving to Arlington Cemetery for Tyler’s birthday tomorrow. Johnny and Becky are with us, and the car is full of talking and laughter, while Johnny drives, and I sit in the back seat and get to hold my girl.
The girls are singing to the radio, and Becky is talking about having some more of the pizza they had the last time they were here.
“So, where are you with Oakside?” Becky asks.
“Well, construction has started, and the first floor is ready. They’re fixing up the basement with the kitchen and offices next. While we’re gone, the elevator will go in. They’re expanding the second floor and all. Construction should be completed in just a few weeks, and then it’s decoration time. While we work on that, we can bring patients in to the first floor rooms that are almost finished. Mom is having a ball decorating them. We have some fundraising events set up, too.” Lexi says.
“Which I am not looking forward, too,” I grumble.
Lexi asked me to tell my story, as the inspiration for Oakside. Just because I agreed I’d do anything for her, doesn’t mean I’m looking forward to it.
“I know, but you’re the whole reason Oakside was conceived. Your story needs to be part of this.” Lexi says.
“Sorry man, but I agree there,” Johnny says.
“Did you know Brooke agreed to join us? She’s been sorting through the applications, while still working at the hospital. We’ll start interviewing staff in a week or two. We figure people will need time to give notice at their other jobs, so we want to account for that.” Lexi says.
“Well, you know I’m ready. My last day was a week ago, and plan to take it easy until the baby comes and help you as needed.” Becky says.
“I’m sure Mom would love help with decorating if you’re up for it.”
The girls launch into decorating talk until we get to the hotel. We check in and order in pizza. Johnny and Becky join us in our room, and we just talk and hang out. Everything is light and fun.
The next morning there’s a change in the mood. Everyone is more serious, as we make our way to the graveyard.
Watching the Changing of the Guard at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier is unlike anything I’ve ever seen. Not one person speaks during the ceremony. Once complete everyone goes their separate ways, but Lexi doesn’t move.
I look over and Becky and Johnny are not sure what to do. Becky steps beside her and holds her hand. Following her lead, I take her other hand, and then pull her back to us. She offers me a small smile before we turn and start heading past rows and rows of headstones that all look exactly the same, but with different names.
When we turn down a row, and my heart starts to race, this is the man who gave everything he could. Then, from beyond the grave, he brought me my angel and gave me a reason to fight. I owe him everything.
When we stop in front of the graveston
e, it reads:
Tyler Bates
Staff Sargent, US Marine Corps
Afghanistan. Iraq.
July 16, 1991
April 23, 2017
Husband. Son. Brother.
No one says anything, and I think we are all in our own way giving respect to the memory of the man in front of us until Lexi starts laughing.
“He’d have hated this.” She says grinning.
Becky laughs next, “Yeah, he would have said the only good thing about a birthday is the cake.”
“He was deployed for the first time on his birthday, and I tried to find a way to send him a cake. I couldn’t bake one, because it would go bad and get smushed, plus I don’t think it would have made it to him. It would have either gotten lost, or someone would steal it. So, I made these cake batter truffles and sent them. He said they were good, but by the time they got to him, it was one big truffle, but he still ate them all.” Lexi says.
“Well, it’s so good to hear you laugh, darling.” An older woman walks up with a man I assume is her husband beside her.
“Kim! What are you doing here?” Lexi rushes over and hugs her.
“I had a feeling you would be here, and I wanted to check on you.” She says.
“Kim, this is my brother, Johnny, his wife, and my best friend, Becky, and this is Noah. Everyone, this is Kim and her husband, Brett.” Lexi introduces us.
“So, this is Noah. I can see the appeal. If I was younger, baby watch out,” Kim playfully growls, and I know my cheeks have to be turning pink.
“But I got the best man of all right here; the one my Greg picked out for me.” Kim smiles and wraps her arm around Brett’s waist.
“Well, you have to stay, and then join us for dinner.” Lexi says.
Kim looks at Brett, who smiles and says, “We’d love, too.”
