“That’s so sad,” her voice had become quiet, almost a whisper.
“Thank you for tonight,” he looked at her again, with those darn blue pools. They changed hues so often that she felt she had no clue what their real shade was. In those moments, when their eyes would meet, she’d feel a tingle in the center of her belly, which would crawl up her stomach and result in warmth spreading over her neck and face.
“You’re welcome,” her voice was barely a whisper.
He was looking at her so intensely that she could not tear her gaze away. Then, his hand came up and a closed finger touched her cheek. It grazed her, leaving a tingle in its wake. His head moved slowly as if waiting for her to stop him. He slowly lowered it and brought his lips to within inches of hers. His hot breath fanned her face and she closed her eyes, anticipating his lips on hers.
A loud bang pulled them apart. It wasn’t the thunder, but rather a door slamming shut. Matthew moved away to go check, and Leah let out a breath she didn’t realize she was holding. Her cheeks were burning and her pulse was racing out of control. She was also a little disappointed that the kiss didn’t happen.
“Oh God,” she whispered, looking in the direction he’d gone.
He was back in a few minutes and she decided to retire to bed. It would be light out in a couple of hours and the leak had slowed to just a drip. That meant the rain had also slowed immensely.
“The wind seemed to have bothered the back door,” he chuckled, entering the living room.
Leah moved towards the stairs, “I’m turning in. I’ll see you later.”
“Sleep well,” he smiled up at her as she took the stairs one at a time.
Chapter Five
“Boom!” The sound vibrated the earth and water.
The submarine scattered on the ocean floor with pieces of metal and wood rising to the water surface. His men were already at work cleaning up the evidence. This mission was top secret, carried out in the middle of the Pacific.
The underwater vessel was supposed to be empty, according to intelligence. His mission was to destroy it. But, as he moved towards what used to be the engine room, something started rising from the debris. It was a half of a human wearing a Russian uniform.
He awoke with a start, sitting up abruptly in the middle of the bed. His naked chest gleaming with perspiration, soft brown hair curled from the sweat on his head. His breathing was also labored as he tried to remember the dream. It was happening more often. Dr. Krueger told him that it would eventually fade now that he was home in a familiar place, but that was far from the truth. It was getting worse.
Matthew remembered the day before, with Leah on the roof. He had no idea what happened exactly, but he knew something happened. The last thing he wanted was for her to get hurt during one of his episodes.
There was a knock at the door and he jumped off the bed without thinking, pulling the door open, “Yes?”
Leah’s eyes widened and she stared at him with her mouth agape. That’s when he realized he was wearing only a pair of shorts. He quickly picked up a T-shirt and pulled it over his head.
“You shouted,” she sounded hoarse. “I was just seeing if you were okay.”
“I’m fine,” he replied. “Thanks.”
She turned and walked towards the stairs and Matthew watched her hips sway in her tight jeans. She stopped once to turn and look at him and he averted his eyes. After she went down, he sat on the bed and tried to recall the dream but in vain. This was getting ridiculous. It was frustrating enough that he could not control his actions, but not remembering when they happened was getting to him. Not remembering his dreams weren’t so bad. It was the episodes that happened when he was awake that scared him most of all.
Matthew knew that if this continued, Leah would not want to be around him. He wouldn’t blame her if she returned home at the end of the two weeks. He got dressed in his usual flannel shirt with jeans and his work boots. Through the window, he could see the sky had cleared and the promise of a fair day.
The smell of bacon and coffee wafted up the stairs and tickled his nose. That Leah was certainly one special woman, he thought. She never complained about the conditions, and the way she helped the previous night with the leak was nothing short of amazing. He wondered what would have happened had he kissed her.
Yes, that moment when their eyes locked and everything faded around them. Her eyes had looked at him so tenderly. Her lips had parted, pink and inviting. It almost happened. They almost kissed, but that could have been the result of the rain, and the notion that storms brought romance. Today was a new day.
When he entered the kitchen, her back was to him and he sensed a change in her. Her shoulders were square and when she turned, her eyes never met his. She was avoiding him and he knew why. It was too soon. He’d come on too strong.
“Good morning,” he smiled, watching her.
“Morning,” was her quiet reply. “Breakfast is ready.”
He pulled up a chair at the kitchen table and continued to watch her. Was she thinking of the incident the night before, or did he scare her this morning? He wasn’t sure how to ask her, so he remained silent and observed the slight tremor in her hand as she poured his coffee. He decided that she was afraid of him, two episodes in a row was enough to scare her.
“Smells great,” he exclaimed cheerily, digging into a slab of bacon.
“Thanks,” she replied, keeping her eyes on her own plate as she took her seat.
“I’m going to fix that leaky roof today, and then ride out to the pasture to see if I can gather a few heads of what remain of the cattle.”
“Okay,” she still hadn’t looked at him once since he entered the kitchen. He decided that, whatever was on her mind, she probably needed time to adjust to it. He also made a mental note to talk to her about what happened on the roof when he got back.
Finished eating, he took his mug and plate to the sink, then gathered the plastic containers to take back to the barn. After that, he found the weak spot in the roof and fixed it. He searched for other loose shingles that may cause a problem later on and secured them.
Leah could not get Matthew’s naked torso from her mind. He’d opened the door and stood there, sweat gleaming off his skin. His pectoral muscles chiseled to perfection, melding into his abdominals. There were dips and curves and she drank them in, during the few seconds she stared at him before he pulled on his shirt. Even then, the way his muscles rippled when he pulled the white stretchy fabric over his head was mesmerizing.
But the reality was, Matthew was not well, and perhaps a danger to himself and others. She seriously had to consider her options, whether or not to risk staying with a man she barely knew, one who could perhaps cause her harm, or leave and return to her parents. He’d come down for breakfast and she tried to avoid eye contact. A part of her was scared and the other part wanted to tell him he’d be fine. She wanted to take him into her arms and make him all better.
A soft spot had entered her heart for Matthew. There was something about the man that made her weak, both at the knees and in the center of her stomach. She was attracted to him and at times, wondered what it would be like to touch those plains she’d seen earlier that morning.
He’d fixed the roof after breakfast, keeping his word and then he took the chestnut out, saddling it and changing into riding boots. He also plucked the rifle from its glass case in the living room. This did not make her feel good. What if he had one of his little flashbacks while he was out and about? He could hurt someone if he thought he was on a ‘mission’. He could hurt himself.
Leah found herself being worried for Matthew as she watched him ride out. He’d looked in the direction of the kitchen and nodded, as if he knew she was watching, and then he was off. This was not good. He needed help in the form of psychiatric attention. This place was a remote location in the hills, so there was no way she could call an ambulance in the case of an emergency. What would have happened to her the day before had she fallen
from the roof? No, she had to think about her safety first, no matter how much she knew deep down that Matthew needed her.
She was of two minds, not knowing which route to take. On one hand, she was completely smitten with him. However, on the other hand, she was scared to be around him. She wanted to return to California, but she knew what the result of that would be. Though, perhaps she would be safer at her parents. The thought of leaving Matthew made her feel weird, like she was abandoning him, so she pushed it from her thoughts and tried to figure out another solution.
Not long after he rode out, she heard what sounded like the skidding of tires and the revving of an engine. Leah rushed to the front door and pushed the mesh open. There was a mud covered pickup close to the gate and a thin fellow in a gray suit was kicking at the front left tire. She stepped out on the porch to have a closer look when the man looked up and saw her.
He started moving forward, stopping once to shake the mud from his shoes. When he was a few feet into the yard, he stopped and looked around rather nervously, then he rested his eyes on her and smiled.
“Can I help you?” She asked, raising her voice so he could hear.
She didn’t like the way his eyes shifted easily from one thing to the other. “Howdy ma’am, I’m looking for Matthew McCrery,” she said, showing his white uneven teeth, before his eyes rested on her breasts.
“Perhaps I can help, Matthew is unavailable,” she was curious. “What did you say your name was?” She looked into his titanium colored eyes, willing him to hold her gaze, but he looked away.
“Myles Connor, ma’am,” he reached his hand out, but she didn’t take it. She hated touching strangers and this one gave her the creeps. “And you are?” He asked.
“Leah Ha… Leah McCrery…, Matthew’s wife,” the words felt natural rolling off her tongue.
His eyes darted to her face and widened. “Oh, I didn’t know he had a wife.”
“Can I help you Mr. Connor?”
“May I come in so we can talk?” He looked expectantly towards the door.
“I’m sorry, my husband would not appreciate me inviting in a strange man I just met. You can talk to me here,” she replied with a smile.
“We’ve been trying to purchase this ranch for a while now,” she told her.
“Oh?”
“We offered a million dollars,” he grinned. “Maybe you can persuade him to sell the ranch to us. He could purchase a nice apartment in the city, and have quite a sum left,” he fidgeted with a button on the front of his suit. “You could perhaps make him see that it would benefit both of you in the long run.”
“And why would I do that?”
He looked at her and opened his mouth as if to speak.
“Didn’t he tell you he wasn’t selling?”
“Yes, but… his father was about to form a deal with us. The ranch would have been ours if he hadn’t passed away a few weeks ago.”
“I think you’d better leave before Matthew gets back. He won’t like it if you’re here,” she remembered the day she came, how Matthew thought she was sent by these people. “My husband isn’t selling and that is final. You’d better find yourself another ranch to buy, Mister Connor.”
“Please take my card, in case you change your mind. It’s a lot of money,” he walked up to her and shoved the card in her hand. “You might change your mind.”
“I don’t think so,” she had the urge to throw the card back at him but restrained herself and walked into the living room, closing the door. She placed the card on the coffee table so Matthew could see it when he returned.
She watched Myles Connor through the mesh door as his thin frame returned to his truck and picked up what appeared to be a cell phone, holding it up above his head, perhaps trying to get a signal. Leah chuckled, knowing that no matter how high he held it, there was no cell signal in these parts. He then pulled a briefcase from the front passenger seat and started walking.
“Serves you right, Myles Connor, you almost got me killed,” she laughed, watching as his right foot sank into a mud hole. She stood by the door until Myles disappeared down the dirt road. It was about two hours later that another truck, similar to that one came and pulled it out. She was glad he was gone before Matthew returned.
She spent the day cleaning the kitchen and living room, scrubbing the floor until it sparkled. Matthew hadn’t taken lunch with him so she made an early dinner of chili. It was hearty and the right thing to fill him right up.
While she waited, she pondered the situation with the ranch, wondering why Matthew was not selling if he could get good money for it. The guy, Connor, seemed anxious to buy it, and said that Matthew’s father was willing to sell. She picked up the card from the coffee table and ran a finger across the name and a cell number.
There was a faint sound in the distance which made her raise her head and listened. It sounded like thunder to her. Matthew hadn’t returned yet and it was getting late. She took a glance at the sky through the living room window and noticed some dark gray clouds slowly rolling in, covering the beautiful blue like a shroud.
If he didn’t return soon, he’d surely be caught in the thunderstorm. She shuddered as she remembered how the sound of the thunder had scared her. Matthew’s arms had acted like a protective shield around her, and for the first time since childhood, someone was able to calm her during a storm.
The next time she glanced at the sky, it was all covered, like dark blankets hovering over the ranch and nearby hills. The sun was totally obscured and the thunder was getting louder each time it crackled. Now, he was not there to make her feel secure.
* * * *
Matthew heard the grumbling afar off, and immediately thought of Leah. She was afraid of the thunder, but he could not leave the cattle he’d mustered behind. There were over a half a dozen bulls, five heifers, and three calves. He spotted a few more near the canyon, but those would have to wait for another day. The tags were securely in place so he was sure they belonged to his father.
By the time he started heading back in, the sun was completely hidden behind a large lump of charcoal color clouds. His watch told him it was 1500 hours and twelve minutes; however, it seemed more like 1800 hours.
When he entered the yard, she was standing by the back door, her eyes fixed on the path leading to the outer pastures that he’d taken that morning. He slid from the horse and ushered all fourteen animals into the barn, hoping the building would hold them up, at least for the night. He patted the horse, which trotted inside behind the cattle, and then he closed the door and latched it.
Her hair hung loosely around her shoulders and her eyes were etched with worry. She smiled when she saw him and his heart warmed. He waved to her and headed towards the shower stall to wash up, peeling off his shirt as he went along. He was clad only in his shorts when he entered the stall and it hit him that Leah must have seen him undress.
“Shucks,” it wasn’t intentional, but he didn’t want to scare her like before. He hoped she hadn’t seen the entire strip show.
It was dark outside when he completed his shower and headed through the backdoor in only his jeans, just as the rain started. He took the stairs two at a time to try and get to his room before she could see him, but as he reached the top, he bumped into her.
* * * *
“Sorry,” he said.
He was moving at lightning speed and Leah had just left her room to go fetch something in the kitchen before he completed his shower. Bummer. Now, she was seeing all of him as he stood there, perhaps as startled as she was. His chest and arms wet from the water from his shower. Her eyes did a little travelling against her will, slowly trailing over his chest and counting each muscle in his abdomen. The jeans he was holding up with one hand, looked like it was slipping and her pulse started racing.
Gosh, she felt like a starving woman who’d never seen a plate of food. She hungered to know what the hell he was holding up in those pants. The scent from his mild soap on his skin was overpowering her,
making her knees go weak. What the hell’s the matter with me? She wondered.
Standing there like an idiot would only get her in trouble; however, she couldn’t move because her legs wouldn’t let her. Or, perhaps it was the adrenaline rush she got because his maleness was so pungent. His nearness titillated her senses, giving her a heady sensation. This was new to Leah.
When her eyes rested on his crotch, she felt feverish and knew she was flushed all over, not just her neck and face, but her entire body. Her nipples strained against her bra and there wasn’t a darn thing she could do. She wanted to flee, but she also wanted…
She raised her head and their eyes locked. The mood in his eyes changed, like it had done a million times since she met him.
“Leah,” he growled.
That did it. Their bodies crushed together and he was seeking her lips. She wound her arms around his neck and pressed her breast into the chest she was dying to caress. His hair was still wet from his shower, but she didn’t care, her fingers ran through it and cupped his head urging the kiss to intensify.
He broke away briefly to look into her eyes questioningly. She knew he wasn’t a man of many words, but in the week or so that she’d known him, she learned to read him well. He was asking if she was sure, that meant he wanted her. In answer to his silent question, she tipped and kissed him lightly on the lips and then she reached her hand up and ran her soft smooth fingers over his tight chest muscles. She stopped for a second on the left side of his chest to feel his heartbeat, which was galloping like the stallion he rode that day.
She followed her hands by lowering her head to trace his trunk with her warm, silky lips. Then, she retraced her steps and came back to his neck, and back to his lips, which he captured as his own. They stumbled towards her bedroom and he kicked the door open. Luckily, it was only ajar and not locked, or he would have more repairs on his hands.
They tumbled towards the bed and fell on it with Matthew atop her. He grabbed the hem of her top and yanked it over her head, then pulled her bra straps down over shoulders, allowing her breasts to pop out of the cups.
Reminding The SEAL (Navy SEAL Military Romance) Page 10
