Sweetest Obsessions - Anthology

by Anthony, Jane

  Today’s not my usual pickup day, but it’s for something extra special.

  “I’m glad you made it because I was about to close up shop for the holiday.”

  I hurry to the counter, keeping my eye on Tara and Jasper outside. “Thanks. She was walking super slow. Everything turn out okay?”

  Sarah nods. “She’s going to love it.”

  She slips the box into my waiting hands, these cupcakes paid for, and I head back out into the cold with my woman and our dog. There’s a bench at the end of the street before we turn to go back to our home and I consider bringing out my surprise, but it doesn’t feel right as we walk past.

  “How many cupcakes did you get today? Will they get us through Christmas?” Tara asks turning toward home.

  I hold the box in one hand, taking her fingers in the other. “I’ve got you covered, babe.” It would be a crime to miss a double chocolate cupcake with chocolate frosting.

  Time is running out and my nerves have ratcheted up. Tara’s cheeks are red and it’s time to go inside, but the night isn’t going as planned. The words get caught in my throat. I push the key in the front door of our small two-bedroom home set up in an offshoot of Sausalito and let Tara put Jasper in the house before I pull her back out.

  “What are you doing?” She laughs as I kiss her quickly.

  Under the lights I get down on one knee as Tara’s mouth slowly falls open, hands reaching up to cover it.

  “Tara, last year on this night you give me the best Christmas gift by agreeing to move here with me. Now I want you to give me another amazing gift and agree to be my wife.”

  Light sparkles in her eyes. “Are you for real?”

  “I didn’t know what I was searching for until I met you. Then almost as if you lit a match it happened so quickly, everything in my life came into alignment and I realized I was waiting for you. I’ve traveled the countryside looking for you.”

  I pull back the lid of the cupcake box and Tara gasps. The ring, a three-carat diamond emerald cut, sparkles. One of Tara’s new friends helped to pick it out and promised she’d be in love.

  “It’s gorgeous.”

  “You still haven’t said yes.” Until this very moment I hadn’t questioned what her answer would be, but I need to hear the word. I stand holding the box with shaking hands waiting for her to reveal my future.

  Tara laughs. “Of course, yes. I love you, Graham.”

  “You have no idea, Tara.” The cupcakes grow heavier, full of expectations. I remove the ring from the chocolate swirl and lick the frosting from the band before placing it on her ring finger.

  I spent years alone, but now I’ll always have her by my side and life couldn’t look better.

  The End

  Read more stories from Pelican Bay in Security Risk.

  http://authormeganmatthews.com/security-risk-pelican-bay-1/

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  About the Author

  Megan Matthews writes smutty romance by day and hides behind her secret identity as a responsible Pinterest mom when other parents are around. She believes morning shouldn’t start until noon and chocolate should be calorie free. Living in Michigan she prefers sun over snow, hot chocolate over coffee, and wine over beer.

  * * *

  She’ll pick a book over nature every day. Megan once displayed the entire Goosebumps series on her bookshelf. Her taste in reading has matured. She now prefers her heroes with rippling muscles over brace-faced nerds running from murderous dummies.

  Read More from Megan Matthews

  http://authormeganmatthews.com

  Torn

  Shannon Nemechek

  TORN © 2019 Shannon Nemechek

  * * *

  All rights reserved under the International and Pan-American Copyright Conventions. No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or by any information storage and retrieval system, without permission in writing from the publisher.

  This is a work of fiction. Names, places, characters and incidents are either the product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously, and any resemblance to any actual persons, living or dead, organizations, events or locales is entirely coincidental.

  Warning: the unauthorized reproduction or distribution of this copyrighted work is illegal. Criminal copyright infringement, including infringement without monetary gain, is investigated by the FBI and is punishable by up to 5 years in prison and a fine of $250,000.

  Created with Vellum

  TORN

  SURVIVING WAS ONLY THE BEGINNING.

  * * *

  Riley Andrews is a feisty Apache pilot with a stalker, and he wanted me out of the picture. I’m Tuck Frazier, a retired Apache Pilot and one of Riley’s old flames, to be honest, we went out on a blind date before I deployed but we never well, you know.

  * * *

  One thing you gotta know about Apache Pilots, is we have one thing in common…. WE NEED EXCITEMENT. And this Woman has EXCITEMENT written all over her. What I didn’t expect was A fight for SURVIVAL.

  * * *

  Now all I had to do was keep her alive long enough to show her how EXCITING I can be.

  * * *

  SURVIVING WAS ONLY THE BEGINNING!

  WARNING

  TORN is a love story but does contain some graphic language and graphic violence, that can be considered sexual, mental and physical in nature. In order to tell the story in a manner that fully represents military life, PTSD and the like the Author has told the story as it should be told. It is recommended that if you have issues with violence, PTSD etc. that you read at your own risk.

  * * *

  If you need to seek help, please contact someone. If you have no one please call a NSPL 1-800-273-8255 or your nearest Behavioral Health Clinic.

  Prologue

  October 31st, 2012

  FOB Anaconda

  Afghanistan

  * * *

  “Hey Jameson, what are you wearing tonight?” Tuck Anderson said peeking around the blanket they had hung from the ceiling between their AOs.

  “Don’t know, maybe I’ll dress up like a soldier.” Jameson shrugged his shoulders in a show of indecisiveness. “Hadn’t really thought about it.”

  “Well you play one every day, how about actually acting like one.” Tuck replied as a wet towel flung past his head.

  “Har har har asshole.” Jameson finished lacing his boots, checking his leg holster, slipping the M-9 in, then slinging his other weapon over his shoulder. “You almost ready?”

  “Hell, brother I am always ready.” Tuck picked up his M-9 placing it into the leg holster, then grabbed his M-4 and wrapped the sling around his shoulder and flopped his helmet on his head. “What time is first call?”

  “0600 hrs. We got three minutes to make it to command tent before top blows his shit.” Jameson answered grabbing his helmet, wrapping the chin strap over the canteen on his hip.

  “Hell, we got plenty of time, we can swing by the mess tent and grab a cup a Joe. Top can’t start without the commander and the XO.”

  Jameson laughed “Well we both know Top and he could give a rats ass if either of us were at the meeting as long as he gets the info out to the guys, we officers are just window dressing.”

  “True, well at least one of us is window dressing the other, well…...” Tuck smiled as he exited the structure of wood, sandbags and earth, Jameson following closely behind, catching up with Tuck as they headed towards the mess tent.

  “You heard anything from the chick back home at Rucker?” Jameson began to grill Tuck.

  “Nope not a word! Everything was cool, hell I thought we connected.”

  “That’s fucking weird. You don’t think somethin’ happened to her?” Jameson replied.

  “I checked. She’s still on duty, still reading my emails, she’s just not responding. Hell, sh
e went from burning hot emails to frigid as a fuckin’ fish.” Tuck answered as he pulled the door handle.

  “Well maybe she discovered you’re an asshole.” Jameson stood waiting for Tuck to swing something at his head instead Tuck wrapped his arms over Jameson’s’ shoulder and pushed him into the tent.

  “Ladies First!” Tuck teased as Jameson passed him, he patted Jameson on the shoulder “Don’t worry brother, I may be an asshole but at least I get actually pussy and not five finger Rosie.”

  “Alright! You win.” Jameson laughed finally relenting.

  “So, what did the BC say at the meeting last night?” Tuck asked as he followed Jameson into the tent.

  “Well you know Colonel Johnson, he’s always ready to volunteer the Battalion for every mission that comes up, then throws our company to the wolves.”

  Tuck grimaced as he filled his cup “Well, I did tell you not to get into it with him when you got here. Now you’re on his shit list.”

  “Ya, ya I know. Don’t remind me.” Jameson finished filling his cup then headed towards the door.

  “Well, you know it’s my job as a warrant to guide you in the right direction, I guided, and you took the U-turn.” Tuck laughed. “Can’t be too bad a mission, I wouldn’t think; we are four days and a wake up from leaving this shithole behind.”

  Jameson turned to Tuck and whispered “Nope not bad at all actually, we’ve been ordered to party tonight and pack in the morning. We are going home two days early. We leave Wednesday 0530 hrs.”

  “What! and you didn’t wake me up last night and tell me?” Tuck said admonishing him.

  “Nope, sure didn’t! Figured I’d let ya find out with the rest of them. Top is the only one besides the other commanders and the BC.”

  “Well fuck an A, Hell Yes! That’s what I’m talking about. I am ready to leave this mountain shithole and bust a nut in the hottest chick I can find.”

  “Well, keep it quiet for now, Top wants to tell the company. I figured he earned it. So shhhh.” Jameson replied opening the door of the command tent. A loud “ATTENTION” resonated throughout the tent as the soldiers rose up from their seats and stood at attention.

  “AT EASE, SOLDIERS. It’s a fine fucking day to be a soldier.” Jameson replied.

  “HOORAH” the company of one hundred and twenty-three men answered almost shaking the tent.

  Jameson and Tuck took a couple seats in the right corner of the tent and observed as First Sergeant Howard Mills briefed the company. He covered the daily duty roster, assignments and then finally he would reveal the good news.

  As Tuck sat and watched Top briefed the soldiers his thoughts drifted back to the girl he left behind. The girl he had spent the last several months chatting with online- Riley Andrews. She was everything Tuck had ever imagined a woman could be and the kicker was he hadn’t even gotten the chance to sleep with her before he deployed.

  They had chatted at the same time every day then one day out of the blue he received a Dear John message “I’m sorry Tuck I can’t do this anymore!” Then nothing.

  It was more than confusing, especially, when for months they had chatted about everything from their everyday lives, to what socks were better with combat boots, and even what their plans were for the future. He had hoped, that once he had gotten back from Afghanistan that they could pursue the possibility of a relationship. They had discussed it on more than one occasion, then with one message it was over. No explanation, no talk just silence. It hurt and he wanted to know why- why she ended their chats. His thoughts broke when Top’s voice arched, and he knew that this was Top’s way of announcing the Big News.

  “Outlaws, tonight we party and tomorrow we pack up, we are flying home Wednesday.”

  As the last word fell from his mouth the entire tent erupted in cheers.

  Tuck smiled as he watched the men high-five each other, some tossed their equipment as silly string flew thru the air, while others sat in utter shock that the Army was ahead of the game instead of draggin’ ass and telling them they would be in country another month. Because after all, that was how it usually worked.

  Top raised his hands attempting to regain the company’s attention, but nothing seemed to work until he grabbed a chair that sat just behind him to the left and placed it squarely on the ground and stood on top. This time he pulled out his drill sergeant voice and yelled “AT EASE”

  The jubilance of the room went from loud frat party to complete utter silence, so quiet that you could hear a pin drop.

  “Alright, Alright, settle down Outlaws, we have a busy couple of days ahead of us. So y’all head back to your rooms start doing some packing and we will have a cluster formation back here after lunch.” “DISMISSED!”

  The tent quickly emptied until all that was left was Jameson, Tuck and Top.

  Top stepped down from his chair and walked over to the two officers. “If you don’t need me, I’m gonna head on over to my tent and see if I can’t do some of my own packing. I got a ton of stuff I gotta knock out before next formation.”

  “Oh, go ahead Top, I think myself, and the XO will do the same.” Jameson replied then nudged Tuck “Come on lover boy, you got pussy to prepare for.” Jameson laughed as Tuck replied with a somber half grin.

  Tuck stood just inside the door frame watching the soldiers as they milled around the FOB. Some packing their trucks while others stood outside “smokin n’ jokin.” The smiles on their faces, that knowing home was just a few days away made him smile. You could always tell by a soldiers’ smile if they are short

  Tuck, on the other hand, didn’t have much to come home to, but he did have his parents, his lab Chief and his truck- all in the care of his parents in Alabama. He was ready to get back, although he loved flying combat missions, but he was ready to head back to Fort Rucker and teach. He had more than earned his time in combat zones and was ready to sit back and teach the newbies. Maybe even try to talk to Riley in person and see what it was he did to make her leave. That was by far, what ate at his soul. How could something so good go so bad so quick. Continued to echo in the back of his mind. If he didn’t talk to her, he would regret it for the rest of his life.

  Tuck’s attention wavered for a moment when he heard his buddy Taylor yell across the compound, dragging a cart behind him “Hey Chief, could I get some help here?”

  Tuck laughed but turned and reached just inside and grabbed his ACH and flopped it on his head as he ran towards Taylor.

  “INCOMING!!” Those were the last words he heard before the lights went out. When he came to, it was the screams of his fellow soldiers and gunfire that snapped him out of his daze enough to look around, FOB was destroyed and the bodies of three of my buddies lay where they had once stood.

  At first, he thought was a dream, but when he tried to get up, but he couldn’t move, he felt a burning in his torso, in his legs and an excruciating pain that encompassed his entire body. Am I dying? Was his last thought before passing out again, when he woke again it was only for a moment, he was strapped into a helicopter and his thoughts were this is a dream as he passes out again.

  One Year Later

  Fort Rucker, Alabama

  Tuck pulled into the Aviation Center, parked his truck, got out and grabbed his cane. As he headed for the door of the training center an apache flew over and he stopped, looking up he watched as the chopper flew away. Every time he stopped by the training center, he got the same feeling, an aching desperate feeling of emptiness. He needed to fly; it was all he really had. And this was now his sixth trip back to the aviation center since leaving Walter Reed and coming back home to Rucker.

  Hopefully number Six is the charm and Riley would come out and speak to him. He hadn’t dared to hope too much, but he was still willing to give it a try. If it didn’t work this time then he would leave her alone, he didn’t have much longer left in uniform- the Army didn’t need broken pilots and he was too broken to serve, so he would soon be moving the Atlanta to take a job as an executive hel
icopter pilot. A job his father had called in a few favors and had gotten in interviews. It was Handsen Technologies that had finally taken the chance and hired him. He had 5 days and a wake up left in uniform then he would be Mr. Tuck Frazier, no longer Chief Frazier. That would be the hardest.

  When Tuck reached the door, he opened it and was met by a Military Police Officer.

  “Can I help you Chief?” the MP asked standing between Tuck and his entrance to the Training Center.

  “Don’t think so Sergeant unless you can point me to where Chief Andrews is.”

  “I’m sorry Chief but Chief Andrews is not seeing anyone at this time.”

  “Can you tell me why?”

  “I’m not sure Chief. Besides, I have been ordered not to allow any personnel into the building that request to see Chief Andrews.”

  Tuck could feel a mix of emotions begin to overtake him. He wasn’t sure if it was anger or sadness or a little of both. “Alright, Sergeant Thank you.”

  “Roger, Chief. I do apologize.”

  “It’s alright Sergeant you are just doing your job. Have a good day.”