by Amy Brent
Chapter 61
Blake
I released Blake from my care shortly after that but by that time we were already secretly together. It went against every grain of my fiber, but I was crazy about him. I couldn’t be without him in my life ever again.
That weekend we went to an ice cream parlor over in the next town with Emma and all of the kids. It was so bittersweet to see how they crawled all over me and how much they loved me so deeply. I knew they would always miss their dad just like I could see that Emma was, but even she was smiling and tearing up over the sight as I was. We ate huge sundaes and talked about Roger as we settled into the afternoon.
There were so many good memories to share, and I could feel Aspen’s support pouring from her eyes as she watched me focus on that instead of the horrible decision that I had been forced to make. I didn’t have a choice on that day, but I could make it up in ways like this, by honoring my promise to both Roger and Emma.
We shared a lot of long looks, and Aspen giggled when we saw the kids pointing and whispering. I had touched her or held her hand every chance that I got and loved it. “Uncle Blake, is Pen your girlfriend?” Brent asked me in his adorable four-year-old voice as she beautifully blushed. I knew that Aspen was watching me, and it made me laugh as Emma smiled at the sight of the two of us.
“She is my everything right along with all of you,” I promised all of them with a long look at each of them.
Barry knew that Aspen and I were involved now, and he was all right with it since she was no longer my therapist. I had another one that I was going to see as needed but for now, I was cleared to work again. I was surprised to hear how well he knew her, and I saw the support in his eyes when I confessed my love for her. There was no reason to hide it anymore, and she beamed as I slipped my arm around her and kissed her hair.
I watched as Emma and Aspen got to know each other over the chatter of the kids, and I knew that they would be firm friends. The kids adored her as much as I did and I realized that there was another person to help them through the rest of their days as they healed. We were all healing, and Aspen looked at me with a sweet smile.
The girls made plans for a movie night the following weekend as they hugged each other tightly before we walked to our individual cars to leave. Everybody was feeling a lot better, and the kids hugged both of us for several minutes as they forced us into pinkie promises for the following weekend.
I led Aspen to my bike and kissed her long and hard as she leaned into me. The world disappeared around us, and I only tasted the fudge of the sundae that she consumed as our tongues met slowly. I murmured against her lips how much I loved her, and she responded by pulling my mouth over hers with her hands as she moaned into my lips.
We hurried to her place much like any night, and I followed her to her room as she stripped off the black cashmere sweater that she was wearing. It was not going to me riding season soon, and I stared at the pale skin as she reached back to unhook her red lace bra. I knew what was waiting for me, and I hurried forward to pull her into my arms and memorize the way she said my name. She pulled me into the door and slid her hands down to shimmy the fitted jeans down her thighs as I greedily took in the body that was all mine.
Aspen dropped to her knees as she unbuckled my jeans and drew my hard cock into her mouth. It was a sin the way she worked my body so well, and I stared down as she met my gaze. My hands went into her hair and pulled the ponytail out as Aspen moaned and took me even deeper into her throat. I came with a deep thrust that she welcomed into her mouth and throat, coming hard with a guttural cry of her name.
After I had recovered, it was her turn, and I feasted on her pussy as Aspen tried to jerk against the hard hold I had on her thighs. Aspen was a sensitive girl this way, but I loved torturing her large clit and made me tremble in my grasp as she let herself go completely. It was a beautiful sight, and I was always hard and ready after to bury myself inside of her.
Tonight I raised back and looked down at her. “You’re mine. I want you bare, Aspen.”
She was on birth control and she nodded as she reached out for me. We were both clean, and we had no intentions of ever sleeping around again. I drove myself into her as I lifted her legs to my shoulders and held them there. She rocked against me thrust for thrust, and I knew that I was going to come soon as I looked into her eyes. She was panting and moaning as her eyes rolled back into her head and she shook as she let out a keening sound and I felt myself let go inside of her.
Someday, though not soon, she would be carrying my baby. I knew that she was my forever, and Aspen opened her eyes and looked at me with love in her eyes as I let go of her feet slowly. We moved to face each other quickly, and she kissed my lips as I watched her with warm eyes. “I love you, baby,” I whispered as she smiled and kissed me again.
“I love you. I love you forever.” Emotion rose in her voice, and I pulled her close. “I am so proud of you, Blake.”
“I am who I am because of yuo Aspen. I owe you everything.” I told her as she hugged me tightly and closed her eyes.
This place was where I wanted to be when I wasn’t off defending my country, something we were both dealing with. I would spend every moment here proving how much I loved her and would take care of her, but when I couldn’t help I knew that Aspen could handle things.
I knew that were going to make it through anything.
THE END
THE SEAL’S SECRET BABY
Chapter 62
Deacon Cameron left the range with his best friend Trevor James, walking back to his Range Rover to head out to lunch. They did this on Wednesday mornings when Trevor was home in Washington D.C. and enjoyed the time together since Deacon was no longer a Seal due to a knee injury received on the job three years ago. He missed the job more than he cared to admit, hiding that behind the interest he showed in Trevor’s stories as he pushed down his pain.
One thing that hadn’t changed in his life was a schedule. Deacon had been smart enough to invest what he’d earned well along with the inheritance from his grandfather so that he could live well now without worry. He helped out with his brother’s security company part time just to keep busy, working long days whenever James needed the assistance as well as Thursdays and Fridays on a regular basis. He still woke early, something that would never change, using that time to hit the gym and keep himself fit and healthy with a regular trainer. After the gym, he’d run a short distance if he was still feeling restless near his house where there was a nice nature trail.
Today, he’d done all of that early and his knee was hurting a bit as he started the engine of his car. He drove into the city, automatically heading to the diner that they always had lunch at as Trevor pulled a ball cap over his cropped blonde hair and laughed at him.
“What’s your problem?” Deacon asked him, slipping on his sunglasses as the bright spring sunshine nearly blinded him.
“We don’t always have to go to this place, D. I love it and everything but anytime you want to change up, it’s fine with me.” Trevor teased him, knowing how rigid his best friend was to his habits. “Shit, this place has been around for thirty years already.”
“It has, and we’ve been eating here since high school.” Deacon replied, feeling a little contemplative as he pulled into the lot and parked the car. It was one thing that he could still hold onto since losing his job, his memories going back to friends and family as he ran a hand through his own cropped hair. Some of the guys he knew had let theirs grow out as well as growing beards, but Deacon still kept himself clean-shaven at all times. It was what he knew and what he’d seen the men in the family do before him. “I don’t know, Trev. It just means something to me to go here.”
“I hear that. We have a lot of memories here.” The guys left the truck and went inside, sitting at their regular table and ordering the burgers before Deacon sat back and looked around. “How’s Tina doing?”
“She started seeing her ex last week. I started seeing this gir
l Lorna now. Man, dating is fucking crazy.” Trevor shook his head as Deacon smirked. “When are you going to give it a go? You’re retired now, buddy.
“Like I want a part of that crazy.” Deacon responded, shaking his head. “Ever since James got a divorce, I’ve watched him go through it. It’s insane.”
“Don’t you want to settle down and have a family? I mean, now that things have calmed down a bit?” Trevor watched a stubborn look cross Deacon’s face as he shook his head, longing for it himself as he dated girl after girl to see if she’d be a good fit. Being a Seal made it difficult to work for his friends that were married with kids, but they were all happy and made it work.
Something was holding his best friend back. Trevor looked up as their lunch was brought over, taking a bite of the ultimate comfort food as he smiled to himself. Someday Deacon would meet a woman that turned his whole world upside down.
They parted ways after that, since Trevor had to meet up with his parents and Deacon headed to the large house that he’d bought himself five years ago. It was in one of the best areas of the city, offering a quick drive to most anywhere that he went and it was secure. The house was a two story brick structure that offered everything he wanted despite living in it alone. Deacon parked his car in the five car garage next to his red McLaren 650s and the Harley that he’d bought the first year he’d left the Navy to take a long road trip on. He glanced at both of them with a yearning in his eyes to take off again as he headed through the garage door into his kitchen. Deacon grinned as he heard his husky barking in his crate, going to unlock it as Tasha jumped up to greet him. “Down, girl!” Deacon told her, looking down at the pup that he’d brought home from Kuwait when he’d gotten hurt. “Want to go out for a while?”
Deacon let her out into the yard and walked out to look over the large expanse of grass as he crossed his arms, considering building a pool now that he was home more. The summers got hot in D.C. and it would make things more bearable, though his mind wandered to other places in his job that had been much more intense as he stared forward blankly. He glanced at Tasha to see that she was playing with one of her toys on the lawn, wandering back inside for some water from the fridge.
Once he’d let her back in, Deacon wandered to the office to check on CM Security using his laptop as Tasha came in to lay down on the floor with him. James had worked hard on building the company, using his part of the inheritance to start it and keep it strong and now his soon to be ex-wife Susan was going after him for part of the company. Deacon shook his head angrily, remembering the look on his little brother’s face when he’d confessed that she was cheating on him with a lawyer from her own job. Nobody was perfect and he knew that James had his issues, but he worked hard to make their life enjoyable and Susan had ripped his heart open.
They’d hired a lawyer to protect him in court and Deacon watched as he started to date girls that were younger than his age of thirty. Finding someone to warm the sheets was understandable but James was taking it further than that, getting emotionally involved despite Deacon’s warnings.
He sent a message to his brother via the messenger app they used, seeing how things were as he sipped his water again. James replied with the news that they would be hooking up a new business with their top package the next day, making Deacon grin. He also asked Deacon if he’d like to hit the local BBQ joint up for some dinner since a date had fallen through and neither brother cooked too much.
Chapter 63
Deacon pulled on a button up shirt that matched the gray in his eyes, tucking it into worn jeans before he left his large bedroom. He slipped his feet into some chucks by the door and decided to take the sports car tonight for a change, heading into the garage to start it with a grin as he slid the garage door open. The two brothers were close since their parents were both gone following a robbery in their home town of Denver. Wrong place at the completely wrong time. The boys were only twenty-five and twenty at that time and Deacon was already in the military with the Seals, so James stayed with their Grandpa and went to the local community college. Once he died a couple of years later, James joined his brother on the east coast and they were both doing well, apart from the divorce issues and Deacon’s current state of unemployment from what he loved.
Deacon pulled out onto the quiet street, keeping the speed safe as he headed towards the main road. The sun was setting and he looked ahead of him intently as he noticed the red light, hitting his brakes carefully. It was a gorgeous night out and he lowered the windows as he drove, paying no mind to the stares that he received as he passed the other cars.
He and James were both good-looking guys with dark hair and the same eyes that could be bluer or grayer, depending on a few factors. They’d had their fair share of women over the years until James had gotten married and Deacon got involved in his military service, always keeping things casual and very short lived at that point. His job was his life and he didn’t want to settle down with the instability of where he’d be at any given time.
Even since he’d stepped away from his career three years’ prior, Deacon still hadn’t really dated. He focused on getting his knee as healthy as possible so he could stay in the shape that he was accustomed to. That had turned into working out several hours a day until he started working with James and soon Deacon found himself with little free time to even consider a relationship. Once James started dealing with his marital issues - that turned into more working hours so that Deacon could support his brother emotionally as well as helping him run his increasingly successful business.
Deacon pulled into the parking lot of the restaurant, seeing James standing beside his black Tahoe dressed for work and very similar to himself. They’d always leaned toward the same style and Deacon parked before getting out of the car and ribbing his brother good-natured as they headed inside. Deacon noticed a crowd by the hostess station and stepped forward to look over everyone to see a woman passed out on the floor. “Call 9-1-1.” He told the hostess, who looked terrified as she dialed on the phone. He made his way down to the floor carefully, feeling for a pulse as he took in her dark skin and caramel highlighted curls that framed her face, trying to figure out what was wrong. “What happened?”
“She was picking up a to- go order and just fainted. It just happened,” a customer babbled in his ear as he nodded and realized that she was stable and breathing, still needing to get to a hospital. “She teaches my Art Literature class at the college…I just saw her today. She seemed fine.”
Deacon glanced up to see that his brother was thinning out the curious crowd as sirens sounded over the loud music in the foyer of the restaurant. Flashing red lights filled the room as the door was pushed open and two guys rushed inside with a stretched. “Deacon...what did you do here?” Steven greeted him, taking in the situation. He’d worked with Deacon on a few volunteer shifts after he ended his career with the Navy.
“This woman fainted getting her order. She’s stable but needs to be checked out.” Deacon told the paramedics as they loaded her carefully onto the stretcher and towards the bus as Steven glanced at him with curious brown eyes. Deacon looked at James who stepped forward and clapped his brother on the back.
“You know that you like to see things through as much as I do. We’ll grab some grub after. Got room for two?” James asked Steven, who nodded as the men headed out with them. They knew James as well just from town and Steven moved next to the woman once she was secured inside as they brothers sat beside each other.
“Any idea of what her name is?” Steven asked, checking her over quickly as they both shrugged.
“Someone said she’s a teacher at the school. Maybe American? Art something.” Deacon replied, looking at her as they sped through the streets.
The woman appeared to be in her late twenties or so and was curvy, wearing a loose plum dress that seemed to hide her body from what Deacon could tell. He didn’t mind a little meat on a woman and he looked at her face to see her full lips moving before he took in her t
ight curls that were spread out onto the canvas. “How is she?”
“Stable, like you said. The docs will have a look at the ER.” Steven replied, letting out a breath as he looked at the brothers. “The call before this was a head on out by the monuments. A family was killed by a drunk driver, so this is a welcome change.”
“Asshole,” James muttered under his breath, both of them hating people that took the lives of others so carelessly. It had started with their parents, who had just been stopping for some milk on the way home. They’d both seen some awful things since then, particularly Deacon.
Little did they know the situation that was right in front of them!
They arrived at the hospital and she was rushed into a small room as James and Deacon stood back by the nurse’s station to observe from a distance. She was moved onto a bed and the staff surrounded her as Deacon watched closely. There would always be a part of him that wanted to save people, beginning from when he was a kid and saving every animal that he could. His mom had always told him that he had too big of a heart even as she adopted every domestic pet that they could handle as he gave her his wide gaze. Deacon glanced up as he heard someone greeting him, half-smiling at one of the nurses that he’d gotten to know when he was helping out on the bus. “What are you doing here? I thought you chilled out on the volunteer work.”
“Came in with her. We were going to eat but she fainted by the hostess stand and you know me.” Deacon nodded in the direction of the room as Lisa smiled and shook her head. She told them that she would check on the woman and stepped over to look in and talk to the doctor that was looking her over.
“They’re going to take some blood and run some tests. If you guys want to grab something in the cafeteria, I’ll text you when I know something.” Lisa told them, smirking as James rolled his eyes.
