Love on a Battlefield

by Posy Roberts

  “Yeah, right. A bit fast, no? Plus, it’s not that easy. What about when he realizes I have a list of prescriptions longer than my arm, or he sees I can’t keep up with him physically? I wasn’t working on my tan over there.” I gestured toward the deck chair. “I was exhausted.”

  “So?”

  I rolled my eyes and planted my feet on the pool floor. “It’s not nearly as simple as you make it out to be.”

  Carlos rolled his eyes right back at me and swam toward the ladder. “Keep telling yourself crap like that and you’ll end up like my uncle Pedro.” He climbed out of the pool and reached for his towel, taking a few seconds to dry off his hair and face before looking my way again. “Lonely and miserable. Is that what you want?”

  I heard my patio door close but couldn’t take my eyes off Carlos’s challenging eyes.

  He was right.

  “I grabbed a beer,” Shep said, but I didn’t look at him. “One for you too, Andrew.”

  “None for me?” Carlos asked, finally breaking eye contact and his spell on me.

  Shep laughed. “Not yet, hotshot.”

  I glanced over to Shep just as he tore into an airplane-sized bag of peanuts.

  “Shit, no! No, Shep. Get ’em away.” Shep looked at me in utter confusion, and I saw Carlos backing up. “The peanuts. Get ’em out of here. He’s allergic!”

  Without knowing how, I was out of the pool. I picked Carlos up and carried him toward his apartment. Thankfully his backpack was sitting in the middle of the living room, and I tore into the side pocket and grabbed his Epi-Pen, opening it, and jamming it into his leg.

  “Oh my god!” Shep said from behind me.

  I sat back and assessed the situation. Carlos looked terrified but he was moving air, even if I could see he was jittery.

  “Should I call 911? Or do we drive him to the ER?” Shep asked.

  I looked to Carlos for the answer. “My doc says 911,” he said between wheezed breaths.

  Shep walked to the landline and dialed. I relayed the address to the apartment complex. “We’ll meet ’em in the parking lot,” I said as I stood and hefted Carlos into a fireman’s carry. It seemed I was having an adrenaline rush of my own.

  I walked outside with Carlos over my shoulder and Shep following behind, apologizing all the way. I set Carlos on a bench and sat beside him, keeping an eye on him, making sure he was still breathing.

  Sirens blared in the distance and came closer and closer. It paid to live just off the interstate, even if I hated the constant noise of traffic.

  “They’re almost here,” I told Carlos, urging him to keep looking at me. “You know the day we met?” I didn’t wait for him to answer. “I didn’t tell you this then, but the fact that you seemed to hate one of my favorite books made me determined to help you.”

  The sirens were getting closer. Maybe only a block or two away.

  “I’m glad I met you that day.” I gestured over my shoulder to Shep, who was standing out of the way, clearly feeling guilty. “I don’t think I would’ve called him if it hadn’t been for your persistence over that damn letter.”

  Carlos gave me a weak smile. “You’re welcome.”

  I nodded. “Yeah. Thanks, kid.”

  The ambulance rolled up and everything happened so fast. The paramedics took charge and shoved me out of the way so they had room to work.

  I stepped back and called Carlos’s mother. Rosa was already at the hospital since she worked there as a nurse. I let her know what happened and that Carlos was wheezing but able to breathe. She asked a few questions about his vitals that I answered as best I could.

  “It sounds like he’s stable. I’ll meet him in the ER. The paramedics have this under control.” She sounded far calmer than I felt. “Come when you can, but don’t rush. He’ll be under observation for a few hours.”

  “Okay. Will do,” I said as I ended the call. I looked down at my swim trunks and was glad Rosa would be there to meet Carlos right away.

  “I’ll see you there,” I promised Carlos just before the ambulance doors were slammed shut, the sirens blared, and the bus took off out of the parking lot.

  “Shit,” Shep said as he wilted on the bench. “If I had known, I never would’ve⁠—⁠” His words choked off as tears welled in his eyes.

  I pulled him to me and pressed a kiss to his forehead. “I know. I know. You didn’t have any clue, but it’s my fault. I should’ve asked or said something to you, knowing he comes into my apartment. I quit buying any food with peanuts in it when I started tutoring him.”

  “God.” He gripped his hair, and rather than watch him beat himself up, I took matters into my own hands.

  “Come on. You’re going to stew until you know he’s okay. Let’s get dressed and head to the hospital.”

  He nodded and stood, wordlessly following me back to my apartment.

  *

  Three hours later, we got to see Carlos for all of five minutes. Rosa was in the room and she gave us a smile. Carlos was resting, breathing easily now. He was hooked up to IVs and I saw his vitals on a computer monitor. Everything looked stable from what I could tell.

  Shep and I stared at him. It was a relief to see his chest rise and fall so easily, to hear silent breaths.

  “He’s exhausted now that he’s come down from the high,” Rosa whispered, drawing our focus.

  “I bet,” I said.

  “Is everything going to be okay?” Shep asked her.

  “Yes.”

  “Hey,” came a weak voice from the bed. We moved closer.

  “I’m so sorry,” Shep blurted, tearing up yet again.

  Carlos reached for his hand. “Hey. Don’t do that, man. We’re bros.” He then bumped his fist against Shep’s knuckles, which made him laugh.

  A nurse cleared her throat behind us, informing us our time was up.

  “No more peanuts, I promise,” Shep said. “But I challenge you to another torpedo diving championship as soon as you’re up to it. And this time I’ll win.”

  “You’re on, man.” Carlos winked but didn’t fully open his left eye again.

  “Rest,” I told him. “We’ll see you at home.”

  “I’ll be right back, mi hijo,” Rosa told Carlos. Then she gestured for us to follow her. Out in the waiting room, she said, “He’s fine, but they’re going to keep him here for a few more hours for observation.”

  Shep apologized to her again.

  She squeezed his hand and said, “Honey, he’s a strong boy and he’s doing fine. The good in this is that the specialist is including Carlos in a study. I’ve known there’s a treatment for his allergy, especially since it’s so severe, but my insurance doesn’t cover it because it’s considered experimental. Now he gets the help for free.”

  “Oh, well, that’s good,” Shep said as he nodded and looked to the linoleum.

  Rosa pulled him in for a hug, then kissed his cheek. “You’re a good boy.” Then she pulled me in for the same treatment, followed up with a thank you. “For everything you’ve done for my Carlos. Now get out of here. I’ll knock on your door when we get home so you can see he’s still alive and kicking. Cocky as ever, I’m sure.” She winked.

  “That’d be great,” I said. Then I took Shep’s hand in my own, lacing our fingers together, unwilling to be disconnected.

  Rosa followed the movement and smiled at us. “Go, now.”

  We headed out to my car and I drove home. Shep was quiet at first, but as I exited the highway, he spoke.

  “You were like this … super soldier or something. Just lifting him like you’d never been hurt. A superhero.” His voice drifted to wistful at the end.

  “It was just fight or flight,” I dismissed.

  He shook his head. “No. It was something more. You’re so brave. I’ve known that for a long time, though.”

  I snorted a laugh and pulled into my lot. I parked and turned to face him. “I’m not brave. I act on instincts that were drilled into me. Remember, toe-dipper.”


  The corner of his mouth curled into a crooked smile. “You dove into the pool today. No toes-first easing.”

  “I did, didn’t I?”

  He raised an eyebrow and nodded.

  “Okay. O…kay.” I took a deep breath and tried to beat back into submission the butterflies that had suddenly taken flight in my belly. “Why dip my toe in the water when I already know what I want?”

  “Yeah? What’s that?”

  “Move in with me. You can take my spare room if you want, but I’d love it if we shared a room.”

  His eyes went wide. “Are you sure you’re ready for that?”

  I chuckled, nervous but hearty. “No. Yes. I want to be. I really, really want to be.”

  “Yeah?”

  I leaned forward and traced the line of his nose with the tip of mine, then I whispered. “That letter you wrote, the beat-up one where you talked about always being pulled toward me … Well, it always made me think of something.”

  “What’s that?”

  “Not every compass points north.”

  He quirked a smile and his breath caught.

  I palmed his strong jaw. “You’re my north, Shep. You’re where I’ve always been heading.”

  “Same,” he said on his way in for a filthy kiss. “And yes, I’d love to move in with you.”

  Epilogue

  Six years later

  My camera hung around my neck, a heavy, comforting weight. I scanned the landscape, allowing the tall grass to brush my palms as I easily turned in a circle. My new hip made every movement easier now.

  I held my arms out at my sides and allowed the breeze and freedom to surround me. The air was fresh, invigorating, and it made me feel fully alive. The beauty of the rolling hills, the warmth from the sun, the scent of flowers carried on the air, the sound of birds singing in the distance … it was inspiring.

  I could feel a story coming to life right there.

  It almost felt as if I could reach out and touch it, like I could talk to my characters and hear their tales.

  I turned all the way around so I faced Shep and realized his exuberance for life had rubbed off on me after all this time. He was the reason I was able to breathe so deeply today, filling myself all the way down to my toes with swirling energy that lingered.

  Shep stood tall, gazing out over an ancient Greek battlefield, dressed the part of warrior. Wind whipped the fabric of his chiton around his lean thighs, and the sun made his hair look as if it were on fire.

  His broad shoulders displayed his confidence. His eased stance showed how he took life as it came, never worrying about the future, sure he’d be able to roll and adjust to whatever was thrown his way.

  “You’re stunning,” I whispered as I sat on the ground.

  He turned to look at me and smiled. “Did you get enough shots?”

  “Yes. I got what I need and then some.” I’d taken at least a hundred photos of the land where my latest novel was to be set, but then I ended up taking another hundred of Shep, the final few from an angle that made him dominate the frame. He’d probably end up on the cover, if I could convince my publisher to use my photo.

  My publisher … I was a published author five times over. It wasn’t a meteoric rise or anything, considering my genre was smaller. But after my last novel won an award, my sales had picked up dramatically. I’d even ended up on a few bestseller lists. Not just on Amazon, but lists where I was on there long enough to warrant printing my name and book title in the newspaper.

  But I tried to ignore all that and focus instead on what was important. New stories. Getting back in shape now that my pain had nearly subsided. Writing letters to Carlos, who was now in college, hoping to major in creative writing, which blew my mind.

  And Shep. He was at the center of everything.

  “This is amazing.” Shep strode toward me on long legs and sat with grace beside me. He glanced at my journal where I’d jotted hasty notes and made a quick sketch of him before I’d picked up my camera. “Imagine going to battle in this.” He gestured down to the fabric, the breastplate, greaves, and sandals.

  “That’s exactly what I’m going to have to do as I write this story.” I tucked a longer strand of hair behind his ear.

  “Can you believe this?”

  I kissed his temple and nuzzled his neck. “That we’re here on a battlefield from ancient times, plotting a romance rather than re-created battles?”

  He laughed and I smiled against his warm skin.

  “Never in my life did I expect this. Me a writer, a traveler. You? Everything about this fits you, Shep.” I looked into his blue eyes and saw warm affection.

  Shep still led the life of someone always following his wanderlust, which I was glad he’d never given up. That had been one of my greatest fears. I’d worried if he stuck with me, I’d end up dousing the fire that had always burned so bright in him. The fire that initially drew me to him, that made me fall for him.

  But he still wandered. And I eventually got over my fear of leaving home and ended up a seasoned traveler, thanks to Shep’s guidance and patience.

  And now we had a life few dreamed of. We both could work anywhere in the world, and we often did. Him, a highly sought-after curator for hire. Me, a novelist.

  Shep would get notified of a newly discovered antiquity or hear about a painting someone wanted to offload, and we’d pack up, leave our high-rise condo in Austin behind, and be in Brazil or Oslo or Bavaria the next day.

  This summer, we were renting a villa just a stone’s throw from the battlefield. It was beautiful, an idyllic retreat in the Greek countryside with the sea less than a mile away. Perfect for me since I still needed some peace and solitude. The full kitchen where I could cook was a bonus for those nights we didn’t want to eat the local cuisine. But then we could travel to Athens or Crete or Santorini, where Shep could be surrounded by art treasures.

  I was just lucky he let me tag along. While he was off negotiating, I often visited war memorials, writing down names of fallen soldiers in my journal or allowing myself to be completely overtaken by the pain and energy of an old battlefield.

  At this rate, I’d never run out of stories to write about. I had novels planned for twenty years out, and the ideas kept on coming with each new trip.

  “What are you thinking about?” Shep asked as he bumped up against my shoulder.

  The sun lit him from behind, casting him in an ethereal glow. “How lucky I am.” I reached for his hand and brushed my thumb over the platinum band on his finger. He returned the gesture, so I smiled at him. This still felt new despite us being married for nearly a year.

  “Without you, I never would’ve even thought about this life or been able to muster the strength to leave Texas. But the day you helped me get water at that pump on a hot battlefield, something changed in me. Fundamentally.”

  He pressed his lips to my forehead, a whisper of his damp kiss strengthening when touched by the breeze.

  “We were meant to be together from that moment on.”

  “I know. I’m glad we’re here together.”

  I kissed him and he easily leaned back, silently inviting me to deepen it. Kissing him was so easy. So natural.

  “I’m not wearing any underwear,” Shep whispered. “And I brought lube.”

  “Seriously?” I skimmed my hand up his thigh, over the swell of his ass, and trailed fingers over his furl. It relaxed under my touch before tightening again. I groaned.

  “Thought I’d be authentic.” He winked at me. “Now make love to me.”

  I shook my head and chuckled, slowly stroking over his hole. “Tempting. Very tempting, actually. But I’ve had enough sex in the dirt. I’d rather lay you out on a pristine bed and take my time with you. Bring you off slowly. Multiple times.”

  He panted, mouth dropping open. He licked his lips. “Okay.” He quirked a brow and glanced in the direction of town. “Can we go do that now?”

  “You’re incorrigible.”

  �
��You wouldn’t want me any other way.”

  “You’re right.”

  Shep stood and held his hand out to help me up. “Come on, let’s head back.”

  I got to my feet and tugged him back toward our villa.

  “Thanks,” I said out of the blue.

  “For what?”

  “Everything. Dressing up. Letting me take photos of you. Not wearing underwear.” I winked.

  He chuckled. “You’re thinking about it right now, aren’t you? What you’re gonna do to me … How you’re going to take me apart …”

  I pulled him into a sideways hug and laughed into his hair. “That and more. Mostly, I’m grateful you’ve had the patience to walk with me on this battlefield of life.”

  He stopped and pressed his palm to my solar plexus and looked at me with intense, blue eyes. “Always.”

  I grabbed his hand and pressed a kiss to his knuckles. “Thanks for being my home.”

  *

  The End

  AFTERWORD

  Thank you so much for reading Love on a Battlefield.

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  I hope enjoyed it. I’d be grateful if you would take a few moments to leave a review where you bought this or at a book review site. Just a few sentences can help other readers discover this book.

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  Thank you.

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