I scuffed my boots in the snow. I had to tell someone. It was tearing me up.
“Someone from the Pentagon. They found Satori in Kabatur. They need me to go run the ops mission.”
“What the fuck? Why aren’t you on a plane right now?”
My eyes landed on Grayson.
“Right. The kid. Sorry, man.”
“I talked to this colonel for a while. He’s insistent I go. They don’t have anyone else with the history I do. No one else fluent in Kabutese. There isn’t enough time to train another officer.”
He shook his head. “Then why don’t you do it? You know what it takes to run one of these missions. If they get the wrong guy in there it could be fucked before there are even boots on the ground. I’m sure Kaitlyn will watch Grayson. Go, man. You need to do this.”
He talked about his sister like she was my babysitter.
“It’s not that simple. I can’t pick up and leave like that.”
“You’ve been out of the Corps what? Two years? And a colonel in the Pentagon calls? You have to realize what that means. You know how serious this is. Those are our brothers out there fighting, risking their lives. They wouldn’t call you if it wasn’t a crisis. I can’t believe we’re even talking about it.”
I shook my head. “I know I have to do it.”
“Then what’s the problem? Kaitlyn?” He grinned. “Come on, my sister will be fine.”
“She needs me, man.”
Ryan huffed. “Don’t ask me to understand what’s going on between you two, and definitely don’t ask me to believe you’d choose her over this mission. She can handle it. I know my sister better than you do apparently.”
He might have been my best friend and future brother-in-law, but it didn’t mean he wasn’t a dick sometimes. No one in this family took our relationship seriously. I had to own that. I whored my way through college and the Marine Corps, and Ryan witnessed half of it. To know his sister was now the girl in my bed had to give him nightmares, but that was a different me. That was the me before I became a father.
“Ryan, I know I have to go. But I don’t know how I’m going to leave.”
He finished the rest of the beer. I knew I needed to get Grayson inside. His cheeks were bright red.
“Do what I do. Hugs. Promise to call. And you get on the fucking plane. And if this thing between you is going to last, you’ll figure that out.”
I faced him. “You think I’m worried about my relationship with her?”
“Well, what is it? You don’t think some space will give you two time to think about what you’re doing? Just take a breather.”
“Man, I have zero doubts about your sister. I could leave for a year and she’d be right here when I got back. That’s not what’s holding me back.” I could feel it building in my neck and shoulders. The temptation was there. I was so close to saying it.
“Then call the Pentagon and tell them you’ll do it.” His eyes pressed into mine.
I shook my head. “I can’t leave her. I promised I wouldn’t.”
Ryan huffed. “Fuck. You used to be the best Marine I knew. What has happened to you?”
“She’s pregnant, Ryan. Kaitlyn is pregnant.”
The wind whipped between us and Grayson started to cry. I tore my eyes away for a second. He had knocked over a bucket and was soaked in icy water.
“Shit. Hold on, buddy.” I stared at my best friend. “Don’t say a word. Not a word.” I held a finger up. “I’m going to marry her. First, I have to get my son inside.”
Ryan stood there motionless.
I collected Grayson. “Hey, you’re going to be ok. It’s just cold. Miss Moira has some warm clothes for you in the house.”
There was no reasoning with him, though. Once he had started crying, there was no stopping him. I carried him to the patio.
Ryan’s arms were crossed. “Who knows?” he asked as I walked past him.
“No one. Kaitlyn has it planned out. So don’t ruin it for her. And don’t mention the Pentagon. I just need to sort it out.”
Grayson squirmed in his heavy wet coat. I took him inside and down the hall to the bathroom across from Kaitlyn’s childhood bedroom.
I started warm water in the tub and peeled the wet clothes off Grayson and made a pile. They needed to be thrown in the dryer.
I didn’t expect to see Ryan in the doorway. He closed the door and I set Grayson in the warm bathtub with some cups to play with.
“I’m sorry.” He hung his head. He had a new beer in his hand. “I didn’t know it was that serious. You want to marry my sister?”
I grinned. “Hell yeah I do. I gave her the ring months ago.”
“Shit,” he whispered. I didn’t think Grayson heard him.
“She’s scared to death to tell your parents. She’s been keeping this secret and honestly, I can’t wait for everyone to know so we can stop pretending. We’re having a baby.”
“I’m going to be an uncle?”
“Yeah. You are.”
He shook his head. “My first instinct is to kill you.”
I nodded. “Understood.”
“Second instinct is to hug you and say congratulations.” He slapped me on the back. “When’s the wedding?”
“She wants to wait until the fall. Right now she just wants to focus on her pregnancy. And I’m fine with that. Whatever she wants.”
Ryan scratched the back of his head. “You know my dad is going to flip the eff out. Sure you don’t want to get married at the courthouse and then tell him? At least you’d have that.”
“You’re joking, right? Courthouse? Kaitlyn would never go for that. She has her heart set on a big wedding. I think she has been planning this for years.” I laughed.
“Yeah, well. Elope if you can. Otherwise, there’s not a lot I can do for you.” He smirked.
“But you get it? Why I can’t just accept the mission?”
I grabbed a towel and wrapped Grayson in it before draining the water from the tub. He giggled. He was feeling better out of the cold snow clothes.
“When do you leave?” he asked.
“The twenty-sixth. We fly out bright and early the day after Christmas.”
“It’s only one mission. How long are you gone?”
“Five days,” I answered.
Ryan followed me into the bedroom. Grayson’s suitcase was on a trunk at the end of the bed. I looked for a long sleeve shirt and a pair of pants for him.
“You’ve got to do it.”
“What?” I thought he’d support my decision. If nothing else, he’d want me to protect his sister.
“She can stay here with my parents. And Grayson. She’ll be fine. She has us, Cole. She always has. You’ll never forgive yourself if you don’t go to Kabatur. I know you. You’re still a Marine.”
He walked out of the room and left me with Grayson. Nothing was going the way I thought it would.
15
Kaitlyn
Cole and I were headed to Wonderland Lights.
Spending the evening with Aiden wasn’t at the top of his priority list, but at least he was giving it a try.
“And why is it we are going on a double date? I’d be fine hanging out at the house with your parents if you wanted girls’ night with Mary Ellen. Ryan wants to go watch the game downtown.”
Ok, maybe he wasn’t completely open to the experience.
I pointed to our exit. “Turn there.” I could see a line of cars from the highway. “Because it’s Christmas and Christmas is about friends and family. Mary Ellen’s my friend and Aiden is your—”
“Don’t say it. Don’t even try that, Kaitlyn. Aiden and I are business partners.” Cole slowed the car behind the lane in front of us.
“Sorry. I just want you to have family. I’m not trying to put you two together. If it wasn’t my only chance to see Mary Ellen while I’m home I wouldn’t have suggested it.”
His hand clutched mine against my leg. “I know you’re trying to help.” He turned
toward me. “But you’ve got to let Aiden and me figure this out. Right now we are business partners.”
“That’s something.” I smiled. I pulled out my phone to text Mary Ellen and let her know we were somewhere in this pack of cars.
“Have you ever been here before?” Cole asked.
“No, but I always wanted to go. They have hayrides that take you through the lights and there’s hot chocolate. I love hot chocolate.”
“Then I will make sure you get all the hot chocolate you want.” He leaned across the console and brushed his lips against mine.
I sighed as I felt the possessive kiss spread warmth throughout my limbs. I leaned into him, eager to taste more of his lips. A car honked behind us.
“I better watch the line.” Cole straightened his shoulders and focused on the steering wheel.
I giggled. I could tell the kiss had him breathing heavier too.
My phone buzzed. “It’s Mary Ellen. She said they are waiting for us outside the ticket booth.”
“Great,” Cole muttered.
“We’re going to have fun.” I curled my fingers against the inside of his thigh.
One of the parking lot ushers, dressed like an elf, flagged us into an open spot at the end of one of the fields. We pulled on our gloves and started the short walk to the ticket office.
I started to regret not bringing Grayson with us. He would have loved the lights, but it was late and I couldn’t exactly make this an adult date night with a two-year old. I wasn’t sure I had accepted how different things would be when we had a baby. It would be even more difficult to plan nights like tonight.
Mary Ellen ran toward me before we were inside the gate.
“Merry Christmas!” She squealed then hugged me.
“Merry Christmas. This place is crazy. It’s bigger than on the commercials.” I looked at the tractors lined up for the hayrides.
“I know. Isn’t it amazing?” She beamed. “Hey, Cole. Merry Christmas.”
“Merry Christmas, Mary Ellen.”
Aiden sauntered toward us holding four tickets. “I got all the tickets so we don’t have to wait in line any more. Maybe get ahead of the crowd.”
Cole opened his mouth, but I cut him off. “Aww, that was sweet of you, Aiden. Thanks.” I took our two tickets from him and handed one to Cole.
He grumbled under his breath but took the ticket and handed it to the elf at the gate.
“Hayride first?” Mary Ellen asked. “I want to see the lights.”
“Yes, let’s do it.” I followed her to the closest tractor and climbed up. Cole and I shuffled to the center bale of hay.
Mary Ellen sat next to me and Aiden planted himself on the other side of her, wrapping an arm over her shoulder. They looked happy. I wondered if the Christmas magic had gotten to them too.
The farmer, with his Santa hat, started the engine and it sputtered to life, throwing putt putt sounds into the air as we rambled into the woods. The only thing that would make this better was if it would start snowing right now. There was enough on the ground to cast everything in a white light, but there was something enchanting about falling snow.
Cole nuzzled against my neck.
“Are you even looking at the lights,” I whispered.
“Not really.” He hooked his hand around my hip and brought me close against his side.
“Lights, Cole. We’re here to see lights.” I teased.
I don’t know how the farmer came up with the display, but it was amazing—everything the advertisements promised it would be. We were on the hayride for thirty minutes, passing under waterfalls of lights, traveling over streams outlined with sparkling lights, and through a maze of red and green twinkle lights.
When the tractor came to a stop, everyone moaned. We weren’t ready for it to be over.
“Didn’t you want some hot chocolate?” Cole asked.
I nodded. “Definitely. I’m frozen.”
He helped me from the back of the trailer and we walked into the village. Mary Ellen and I waited at a barrel that had been converted into a table. A few minutes passed before Aiden and Cole appeared with four steeping cups of hot chocolate.
“I had them add extra marshmallows.” Cole handed me mine and I watched as the steam swirled over the lid.
“Thank you.”
“So, Aiden. How long are you staying in North Carolina?”
My eyes widened. What just happened? Cole started small talk with Aiden? This had to be a Christmas apocalypse.
“I told Mary Ellen I’d stay as long as she wants me to be here. She’s at her mom’s house now and I’ve got the guestroom.” He smiled at her over his cup.
Mary Ellen piped in. “You know I want you to stay until New Year’s.” Her lips puckered in a pout.
“Sweetheart, I don’t know if that’s possible, but we’ll figure something out.” He reached for her hand. “What about you two? When are you headed back to South Padre?”
“We’re going back the day after Christmas,” I answered.
Cole made a strange face.
I searched his eyes. “That was what we booked, wasn’t it?” I asked.
“Yeah, darlin’. He sipped his hot coco.
Mary Ellen pointed and I turned around to see what she was excited about. There was a band on stage warming up their instruments.
“Do you know them?” I asked.
“They were one of my favorite bands in high school. Obviously, they never made it big, but they are awesome.”
Aiden looked amused. “You want to dance?”
“Yes.” She jumped off her barstool and followed him to the dance floor that had been set up in the middle of the Christmas village. I watched as they started to sway to a rendition of Baby, Please Come Home for Christmas.
“They look cute together, don’t they?” I turned to Cole.
He placed his hot chocolate on the table. “I guess so.” He stood from the table. “Want to dance?”
“You want to dance?” I looked around. Cole seldom danced, even though he was very good at it.
“Pretty girl, are you going to dance with me?” His hand hovered near my hip.
“Yes.”
They weren’t Texas stars and it wasn’t a Texas band, but there under my Carolina stars Cole and I danced surrounded by elves, kids, snow, and the most potent Christmas magic I’d ever experienced.
16
Kaitlyn
Christmas Eve. The last day to buy gifts, get them wrapped, and placed under the tree. I awoke in complete panic. My parents’. Oh my God, how could I forget? The ultrasound pictures were back in Texas. I had it planned perfectly in my head. I was going to wrap them up and give them each a box to unwrap. How was I going to do that if the pictures were at home?
I threw the covers off my legs and hustled to the bathroom. I caught a glimpse of Cole from the corner of my eye. He was sitting in the living room with a cup of coffee and the paper.
I paused in the doorway. “Good morning.”
“Hey, darlin’. How’d you sleep?”
“Good.” I smiled. “Since when do you read the paper?”
“Oh, your dad brought it over for me.” He returned to the pages.
“Huh.” I closed the door behind me and turned on the shower. I needed to think of a way to get those pictures.
I dried off after the shower and started a google search on my phone.
“What’s going on?” Cole watched me.
“I left the ultrasound pictures at the beach house.”
“Ok?”
“Ok, so I don’t have them to wrap and give to my parents tonight at dinner.”
Cole wrapped an arm around me. “There are lots of way you could tell your parents we’re having a baby.”
He lifted the corner of the towel, pulling it away from my chest. He growled at the sight of my heaving breasts.
I shook my head. “No. I want it to be perfect. I have the boxes. The ribbons. I just left the damn pictures.”
He
kissed my neck and along my throat. “Grayson’s playing next door. The deadbolt is locked.” He pushed me back on the bed, taking the phone from my hand.
“Hey, I think I found a place. I need that.”
“Good.” He crushed my mouth with his. “Then you can call them after I’m finished with you because I need you.”
I smiled at him. “I have a lot to do today. It’s Christmas Eve. Busy day. So busy…” my words trailed off as a fire stared in my veins.
He ran a hand between my legs, until his fingers began to massage between my slick folds. He separated them, sliding a finger inside me.
“Ohh,” I mewed.
“Feel good?” he groaned.
I nodded, wanting more, needing more. My body was alive and alert for him. I looked down at my nipples. They were pointed straight at him. I knew Cole loved my pregnant body, but I had grown to love it too. I felt strong and powerful, growing his baby. And there was something sweet and seductive about how my curves called to him.
He kissed my navel. Then his tongue traveled to my breast, sucking my tits in his mouth, first one and then the other. He crawled on the bed, unbuckling his jeans and sliding them to the floor.
My skin was damp from the shower, but I was already warm under him. He stroked my body until I was quivering for his cock. My pussy ached.
“Please,” I started to beg.
“Please, what?” he taunted.
“Fuck me, Cole,” I whispered. “Hard.”
He dragged my ass to the edge of the bed. His massive body hovered over me. God, how I loved his shoulders and the cut of his abs. I loved every inch of him. His smoldering eyes and his solid biceps. The square cut of his jaw. One look at him and something in my heart melted. I was meant for this man. I always had been.
He growled as his erection found my entrance and I groaned as he pushed inside me, his cock filling me and stretching me until I was writhing beneath him. He pinned my wrists to the bed, kissing my neck and throat.
His cock seared inside me again and I moaned out his name.
“Is that how you like to be fucked?” he growled.
I shook my head. “No. I like it harder.”
Don’t Tell: The Series Page 36
