Brett rubbed her back as he looked at his house. “It’s good to be home.” He looked down into her hazel eyes. “You kept the place real nice, baby.” His southern Texas drawl seemed to come out most when he was emotional. And today he was a basket case, though he tried desperately to keep it together.
“I do what I can,” she said with a wink. “Now come inside. I’m going to fix a big dinner for you; run you a bath and we’re going to relax.”
“Actually, I had hoped to go in and get settled, and then see what Judy and the kids need. Word got to her, right?” Brett asked, looking over at Jeffery.
“Yes, she’s been notified.” Jeffery popped the back of the SUV open, grabbed their bags, and carried them up to the porch before Brett could protest.
“Do you think now is a good…” Courtney was cut off right before she asked the most obvious question of the day.
“Well, I’ll be damned,” a female voice said from the house next door.
Brett looked over to see their neighbor, Allison, as she stepped out of the front door of her home and made her way over to them. “Is that really you?” she asked, throwing her checkered hand towel over her shoulder.
“It’s me,” Brett said with a painted on grin. Although he wanted to rush right into the house, Allison was a friend and considering how scarce those were getting for him; he needed to be as amicable as possible.
Allison and Terry were the neighbors who moved into the rental home beside them. They were a military family, where Allison took on the role as the stay at home wife who took care of all things domestic and Terry took on all things foreign as a Naval Intelligence Officer.
However, don’t ask-don’t tell didn’t stop them from keeping their marriage as quiet as possible. Being a lesbian still wasn’t widely accepted on or off military installations in North Carolina. But the way that Brett saw it, neither was being an interracial couple. They both got dirty looks and quiet whispers, so he was in good company.
With a bright smile, Allison quickly skipped through the wet grass with bare feet exposing hot pink, freshly painted toenails and rolled up Ralph Lauren khaki pants, looking like a Stepford wife. Chipper and grinning, she wrapped her arms around him and gave him a big hug. “Mmm. Good to have you back, Marine.”
“Good to be back,” he answered, wondering when she was going to ask what happened to him. “You’re in a great mood.”
Allison rose on up her tiptoes. “It’s the Xanax,” she confessed.
“Hey, girl,” Courtney said, kissing her cheek.
“Hey yourself,” Allison said, kissing her back. She adjusted her turquoise Tiffany eyeglasses and smoothed her blonde bob. “I told Diane that I’d keep an eye on the house. She stopped by and told me what happened.” Making an ouch noise, she glanced down at Brett’s leg. “I’ve just been going in and watering the plants, changing the lights from room to room each night, picking up your mail and watching porn on your computer. You know nothing big. I’ll bill you later for my services.”
Brett chuckled under his breath.
“You’re a lifesaver,” Courtney said gratefully.
“No worries. We have to look out for each other.” Glancing over at Mr. Lawless as he stepped inside with the bags, she whispered. “Some guy and an old lady came looking for you. They seemed really…” She searched her mind for the right words. “Really right wing conservative nut bags.”
That got Brett’s attention. “Who was it?” he asked.
Allison bucked her eyes as she tried to accurately recall. “Said that she was your late wife’s mother, the guy didn’t say who he was. He looked suspect.”
Brett couldn’t take any worse or big news. He’d figure it all out later. Plus, the mention of the Riley’s made his blood boil with anger. Both of those old Bible-thumping racists were shit starters and always looking for a way to insert themselves into Cameron’s life. So if they were showing up here, then it wasn’t good.
He scratched the back of his neck and debated if he should ask Allison for one of her happy pills. Naw, better not. “You girls can gab if you want. I know that’s what you do, and I don’t want to stop you. But I need to get in here off this foot for a minute. Allison,” Brett said, leaning over and kissing her cheek, “it’s good to see your face, darling. I’ll buy some beer and we can catch up soon with you and Terry.”
“We’d both like that,” Allison said, rubbing Courtney’s shoulder. “We’ll do our normal coffee in a couple days. I’ll give you a minute to settle down first. Then, I want to know everything.”
“It’s a lot worse than the leg,” Courtney said, as Brett walked off.
Allison frowned. “What happened?”
“Joe and the whole team…” Courtney tried to say the words, but they just brought tears to her eyes. Even she couldn’t quite process yet what had happened to their friends. “No one made it.”
Allison’s mood suddenly perked out. Dropping her shoulders, she looked at Brett as he made his way up the porch and shook her head. “Damn, girl. How is he handling it?”
Courtney looked back at her husband and shrugged her shoulders. “I honestly don’t know.”
***
As soon as Jeffery set the bags down in the den, he turned and headed straight for the front door. He had been home from deployment before, so he knew that the two of them just wanted to be alone, but more than that, he understood that Brett needed time to decompress. Right now, Brett was still trying to process all that had happened around him and to him, but eventually, he was going to have to let the anger out, and that would require or should require utter privacy.
Courtney came through the front door shortly after Brett. Wiping a tear before Brett could turn around and see, she cleared her throat and smiled. “Dad, I’ll be on my way in a little bit to pick up the kids.”
Jeffery raised a hand in protest. “The kids are fine. They are keeping Diane entertained. Leave them there tonight and just be with your husband.”
“I don’t mind, sir,” Brett interjected quickly.
Jeffery wasn’t hearing it. “You kids can pick them up in the morning, if you like.” His voice boomed with the kind of authority that dared to be questioned.
And that was that.
Courtney kissed her father’s cheek and Brett shook his hand before he made a very neat and quick exit out the front door.
Alone at last, Brett looked around the house at the updates. New hardwood dark cedar floors had been put in the entryway foyer. New drapes for the living and dining room. New paintings. Fresh paint of a neutral but very warming color connected the front rooms with a splash of bright yellow in the hall leading upstairs.
“Impressive,” he said as she circled in front of him.
“You like?” she asked, voice slightly flat.
“Yeah, it looks like something out of Southern Living,” he noticed her mood change. “Did I say something?”
Courtney was used to being alone after eight months. It caught her off guard that he was actually physically there and recognized the slightest of her emotions. She tried to look up with a smile, but it was lost on him. Why bother? Be honest, she thought to herself. “I don’t think you should go to Judy’s tonight.”
“I’m sure that they need me. This isn’t the kind of news that you need to hear alone.”
“I need you,” she insisted. “And I’m not being selfish.” Her inner-voice laughed at her. Of course, she was being selfish. “Plus, maybe what she needs is a moment to be alone.” She stammered over herself. “I know how I would feel.”
Brett smacked his lips and looked off but didn’t argue. He didn’t want to be difficult with her. But that was just the point…she didn’t have to know how it felt to have her husband dead, because he was right in front of her. No one could say the same for Judy.
Unable to read his face, she sucked in a slightly irritated breath. “So are you going to go?” Courtney followed up after a long silence.
Brett ducked his head. “Yes.”
He braced himself for a barrage of reasons why he shouldn’t.
But Courtney didn’t give him the response he was expecting.
“Okay,” she said, moving her hair out of her face and taking a deep breath. “Well, we should pick up some food to go with.”
“Sounds good. I’ll call her now and see what she’d like.”
Before he could reach for his phone, Courtney had already pulled out hers. She passed it to him without showing the attitude hiding behind her eyes. “Here, use mine.”
He took it and smiled gratefully. “Thank you.”
“No problem,” Courtney said, walking off. “I’m going to put away our things. You make your call.” That last part had two meanings.
Brett knew that she was upset. In fact, he knew that she was right. He needed to be home with her right now, but he couldn’t deny the push inside of him to keep going. Joe was gone. His best friend was dead, and now he had to be there not only for his family but also for Judy and the kids. He just hoped that Courtney would eventually understand and work with him on it, instead of fight him.
Dialing Judy’s number, he went to the dining room and sat at the tall table. Getting the weight off his foot felt good.
On the second ring, Judy answered, voice slightly nasally from crying. “Hello.”
“Judy, its Brett.”
“Brett,” Judy paused. “I’m sorry that I didn’t call you up at the hospital. Joe told me about a week ago what happened.” She sniffled.
“No worries,” he said, running his finger down the table to make a streak. “I just got home and was just told what happened. Damn, Judy. I’m so sorry.” He wanted to tell her how he really felt; that it was his fault. If he hadn’t been injured, none of this might have ever happened. But he decided not to make this about him.
“Nothing you could have done, Brett. Don’t apologize.” She looked at the picture of her husband she was holding as she sat alone in the dark den. “I’m just glad one of you made it.”
Brett sucked his teeth and hunkered down on the words that wanted to badly to sneak from his tongue. “I was going to come over and bring you and the kids something to eat.”
“No, Brett. Thank you, but I just want to be alone.”
Brett nodded and pushed back in the seat.
“How about tomorrow or the next day even? I need some time,” Judy tried to explain.
“Whenever you want, Judy,” Brett said, hearing Courtney dragging the luggage from the den toward the foyer. “I just want you to know that I’m here for you.”
“I appreciate you,” Judy said, sobbing a little. “I just…I need to be alone for now.”
“Well, you just say the word and I’ll be there.” He looked up to see Courtney pass by the doorway.
“I will. Thanks, Brett,” Judy said, hanging up the phone.
Brett hung up and stood quickly. “Is there any way at all that I can help you?” He felt like a piece of shit with her having to do the work.
“I’m fine,” Courtney said voice lighter than her mood. “Just give me a minute and we can head out.”
“We don’t have to.” He scratched his ear. “She wants to be alone.”
Courtney lifted a brow but refused to say, “I told you so.” With a nod, she threw the bags over her shoulder and hiked upstairs.
Chapter 9
“Rain, rain go away. Come again another day.”
The sun had not even broken the horizon and Courtney was already awake. Unable to sleep a second longer, her eyes flashed open, and she realized that her husband - after eight months of being away - was lying right beside her in their marital bed.
She had grown used to the bed being cold and lonely on his side, but his body heat radiated over to her now. She prayed a grateful and heartfelt prayer to God for that blessing considering how differently things could have played out for their family. Brett could have never been injured on that fateful day, and then he would have been dead too, never to return home to her, never to have met Bella.
Turning slowly over on her side to face him, she studied the mysterious Brett Black as he lay in peaceful slumber. It was funny. He had been her husband for over a year, but she was still smitten with him like she was the first day that they met in the Swansboro library.
She remembered thinking that day how he looked like the poster boy for the Marine Corps, even before she knew what he did for a living – well dressed, well groomed, well spoken. Yet, he was human, clinging to his son, looking for answers and scared to death of an impending divorce. Even then, he was honorable and gentle with her.
Now that she knew him better than she knew anyone else, she knew that he was so much more than a poster boy – he was a hero.
Sometime during the night, Brett had kicked the covers off, like he always did. Despite Courtney dropping the air down to a crisp 65 degrees, he was still sweating and probably in pain even in his dreams.
Completely naked, he rested flat on his back with his hands curled under his head and his bad leg propped up on pillows.
She scooted a little closer to smell his masculine musk, a fragrance of sandalwood, soap and deodorant. Mmm, she had missed that smell. The pinkness of his lush, sweet lips teased her with memories of their first kiss and their last. She inhaled him, madly wanting to reach over and kiss his heart shaped, and wide-set mouth.
Hungrily, her eyes cascaded down his long tanned body assessing his every asset. His six-foot, two inches Michelangelo-like wide, muscular frame. Veiny, brawny tattooed arms. His beautiful marble-like face. The long thick column of his neck with that teasing mole near his Adam’s apple. A mountainous wide chest. Carved, sinewy muscles rippling down his elongated torso. A rock-hard eight pack. Sleeved colorful tattoos that ran down the length of both forearms to his large hands. Scars from multiple tours of duty. The cut of lean muscle between his legs and thighs that curved down into a perfect V-shape. Curly blonde hair that started at his wide upper thighs and ran down his legs past his bulging deltoids to his huge tattooed calves. The deep dip of his innie belly button. Lastly, another trail of blonde hair nestled around his thick penis, lying lazily over on his leg.
The sight of it all made her want him inside of her.
How she longed for him to take her the way he once did when he used to command her body as soon as he laid eyes on her. How he tasted her, kissed her, licked her into an oblivion of ecstasy. Did he even desire her anymore? Recent events clouded the truth from fiction. He could potentially be overwhelmed with all that had happened to him, but she still couldn’t fight the tiny voice in the back of her head that brought marital doubt.
“It’s you,” It whispered like a cunning snake to Eve in the Garden. “He doesn’t want you.”
They couldn’t make love at the hospital, and to make thing worse, they hadn’t made love last night. It had been their first night alone, and he had fallen asleep on the sofa in the den looking at photos of his team members. She had so much planned, but none of that mattered. The sight of him lost in agony had hurt her to her heart, but when she had told him to come to bed – so that she could try to make the pain go away – he had turned her down.
Somewhere in the night, he had finally come to bed, but only after she was asleep. Had that been intentional? A way to avoid her and her desperate advances.
Courtney was starting to think that the extra baby fat she still carried had ruined things between them. When he met her, she had been fit from swimming and unscarred from carrying a nine-pound baby. Now she was 15 pounds heavier and a lot less toned.
Another thought bothered her even more. Maybe, just maybe, life married to her wasn’t what he had expected. Was she different to him now as a wife instead of a girlfriend? Was she not as much fun? Had her mystery disappeared? The thought made her even sadder.
She loved him so much, and yet she felt like she was losing him, as if she was being ejected from his life by life. The idea of such a thing troubled her immensely, because she had always been sure of herself both e
motionally and physically. However, motherhood was a different concept all together. It had caused her to second-guess everything that she had once believed about life.
Without thought, her little fingers found their way to his meaty chest. She laid her small hand over his heart and listened to the beat. Strong and fast, it boomed.
“I love you,” she whispered, fighting back tears.
Brett’s crystal blue eyes flashed open and stared at her, although his stoic face did not change. “I love you too,” he said, moving his left hand over hers.
She looked over at his wedding ring and fought back sobs.
Nestling his head down in his pillow, he blinked slowly. In a deep southern Texas baritone soft as silk, he asked, “Why are you crying, baby?”
Courtney sniffled and wiped her nose. “I don’t want to say.” She really didn’t. It was one thing to be quiet, and unsure of yourself. It was a total different thing to admit it to someone else.
He shifted a little to the side without moving his leg. Muscles flexed in his wide chest with every movement. “Say anyway.” He swallowed hard. Had he done something? Had he not done something? His face finally lit up with concern as he became more coherent.
Courtney bit her lip in nervousness. “I miss you,” she confessed innocently.
He frowned, blonde eyebrows furrowing. Suddenly, he was confused. “I miss you too, but I’m right here.”
“No,” Courtney said, moving her wild hair from her face. She looked up at the ceiling to avoid his eyes. How did she say this without sounding ridiculous? “I miss you…intimately,” she said, blowing out a breath. Okay. There it was. Out in the open.
Without a word, Brett trailed an intense sensual gaze from her angelic brown face ripe with expression down her long swan neck to her large breasts. Her nipples were hardened under her soft cotton USMC t-shirt. His mouth parted involuntarily as his groin began to swell. Just looking at her turned him on. He finally spoke, “And that made you cry? Not being intimate?” His gaze continued down to her long, muscular thighs and the tight little spot hidden by hot pink lace panties.
The Lonely Hearts 06 The Grunt 2 Page 9
