Crush (Elemental Hearts, #3)

by Morgan, Jayelle

  CHAPTER TWENTY-EIGHT

  JADE DROVE TO HER HOUSE, Micah behind her in his SUV. She kept glancing back at him in her rear-view mirror, scarcely able to believe the day’s events. Excitement and joy and anxiety all taking turns in her heart.

  When they arrived, she opened her garage and helped Micah carry the crystal-laden boxes to a table in the back where she did all her off-season work. Cleaning the minerals, preparing them for jewelry or shows. The boxes they brought in covered the table, overflowed on to the floor.

  She stood there a minute when they were done, staring, her hand over her mouth.

  She unlocked the door to her house and opened it wide so he could follow her in. He stopped in the doorway and looked around. One half of his mouth tipped up in a small, sexy smile.

  “What?” she asked, looking around, trying to see her space as he would see it. Besides the usual living room stuff, she had rocks or crystals on every surface. Shelves of them hanging on the wall. Bowls and vases of them. Giant standing cathedrals of amethyst crystals.

  She looked back to him, curious.

  He just shrugged his massive shoulders. “It suits you.”

  She went into the kitchen and got a glass, leaving him to follow her more slowly. She filled it with water and turned to him, sipping. “Can I get you a drink or anything?” she asked him as he ducked under the kitchen door frame.

  Hands in his pockets, he shook his head no.

  Great. She was trying to be cordial, to converse, to take things slow, but he was making it hard to do anything but drag him straight to her bedroom.

  But then, why wait? She loved him, he loved her, and that was just the best thing ever. Mentally, her clothes were already off, anyway.

  She put her glass down on the counter with a clink and then took the long way looking up at him. He’d been busy looking around, or pretending too, but he was staring back at her now.

  “Catch,” she murmured, and then took a jogging step toward him.

  He caught her, lifted her up, and settled her against him with his arms around her in one muscle-y move.

  She grinned, and she kissed him, putting all her yearning, all her desire, all her love into it.

  He kissed her back just the same, backing through the door frame into the living room.

  “Bedroom?” he asked, and she pointed to the door. Would he even fit on her bed? Did she care?

  While they made love, Micah’s hands never stopped moving, never stopped stroking, as if he was drinking her in through his fingertips, through his palms. His fingers brushed over her hair, down the side of her face, across her lips, only moving on when his lips took their place. And then down her neck, across her collarbone, over her nipple. Caresses, alternating between featherlight and hard as he moved down her body, touching everything within his considerable reach.

  She could finally believe their reunion was real. She’d missed his touch, but she’d missed his comfort and his singing and his bashful smiles, too. She wouldn’t let Micah go again, didn’t want to go back to her life without him in it. He was her heart. And the way he held her, kissed her, stared into her eyes... she knew he was his too. Finally, she knew. He’d come after her, he wouldn’t let her go. Their reunion was complete and being with him soothed a raw place within her that had been hurting since the mountain. It was a relief of body and soul.

  Afterward, she was lying on her back, trying to catch her breath and calm her heartbeat. It was so strange how just a few hours could change things. She had gemstones to sell to pay for her mother to go to a good home. The crystals were so top-notch, that she might even have money left over for herself. And Micah was here, beside her, and he loved her, too. From completely crushed to whole heart again, all because her Big Man had come after her.

  She reached down and grabbed his hand, gave it a squeeze as she smiled at him. “You’re amazing.” And she meant it in every way possible.

  Her big strong guy with an ooey-gooey heart. The most down-to-earth person she’d met that still believed in mystical stuff. Who was mystical. He was her diamond in the rough. Her Elemental Warrior.

  He brushed the hair from her cheek, eyes glowing with gold. He didn’t say anything, but this time he didn’t have to. She knew he wanted her, cherished her. Loved her.

  She leaned over and gave his lips a kiss. Not a let’s-get-our-clothes-off kiss, but just a... my-heart-is-yours kiss. And he returned it.

  She smiled at him as she pulled away and sat up, but he grabbed her hand.

  “Jade...”

  She stopped, her smile slipping. His face was so serious.

  “Yes, Micah?”

  He dropped his eyes but kept her hand. “It would mean a lot to me if you could spend some time with me at the base. I’d like you to get to know the others, and maybe spend some time between my shifts with me.”

  Jade studied his face. His facial expressions were often impassive, but she was learning to read him better. He was excited, hopeful. Fearful. And that was just amazing.

  There was no other way she could reply.

  She squeezed his hand. “Of course. But I still have to care for my mother and work. So I hope you’ll spend some time here with me, too.”

  He was going to say yes, of course he was. But even confident of that fact, she wasn’t immune to the nerves low in her belly that he must’ve had to conquer too. It was a big step, to merge their two lives.

  He didn’t answer with words, but his smile was the only answer she needed. His smiles were more precious to her than all the gemstones in the world.

  She’d spread herself out over him, grabbed his face and was kissing it all over when his phone rang.

  She moved to the side so he could reach his pants and answer it.

  “Micah,” he answered.

  There was a low rumble of conversation on the other side, but nothing she could make out. She bit her lip.

  “Going good,” he said, and cleared his throat, a bit of red darkening the brown skin on his cheekbones. Was he blushing? Why?

  But then his eyes widened with alarm, and her heart dropped.

  “Is everything okay?”

  His relief was palpable at whatever was said on the other end of the line. “Okay,” he said, and then repeated. “Yes, sir.” He disconnected with a smile creeping across his face.

  “What is it?”

  “That was Walker. Levi’s new baby has just been born. He and Brooke would like us to come visit.”

  “Us?”

  “Us,” he said with another small grin. “They specifically requested you come.”

  She didn’t know Brooke, didn’t know Levi other than what she’d learned from her short visit to base before. Why did they want her there?

  “These people... they are the closest thing I have to family, but I’ve been shutting them all out for years. I want to get to know them, and I want them to get to know you.” Micah held out a hand. “Will you come?”

  He was utterly serious about her going, and about the people at base being his family. She’d already committed to blending their lives, she just didn’t realize it would happen so soon. But there really was only one answer.

  She smiled at him and saw the tension leech from his shoulders. “Absolutely.”

  CHAPTER TWENTY-NINE

  WHEN THEY GOT TO BASE, Micah made a stop at Walker’s office first. It had been Walker who called him to let him know about the birth, and he’d asked how it was going with Jade. It was time to let him know that Jade would be spending time with him at the base from then on. There were some other important things they needed to discuss, too.

  He buzzed in and grabbed Jade’s hand in his as the doors opened wide.

  Walker looked up from his desk and leaned back in his seat with a tiny smile. “Good to see you back here, Jade.”

  “Thank you, Walker.” Then her gaze slid over to him, and she smiled again. It was a smile just for him.

  He smiled back.

  Walker pressed a button on
his phone. “Ajax. Rowan. Office.” Then he looked back at them. “I can tell from the way you’re looking at each other that Jade will be spending time here with us at base.” Walker’s smile was gone, his expression back to business. “Jade, will you be moving in?”

  Jade’s eyes widened as she looked from Walker back to him. “I don’t know. We haven’t really talked about it all that much.”

  Micah wanted her to say yes, wanted her close to him, always. But she still had her own life, so he just shrugged. He’d be good either way, so long as she was in his life.

  “Hey!” Ajax’s voice came from behind them, and they turned around as he walked through the door, Rowan following. “Look who it is,” he said to Jade, “Welcome back.”

  Rowan simply nodded to them both.

  Then Ajax turned to him, smug. “Looks like my pep-talk worked.”

  Brows raised, Jade glanced at him. “Pep talk?”

  Ajax brushed some fake dust off his shoulder. “I just gave him some superb relationship advice.”

  “Passable advice,” Micah said, holding back a smile.

  Ajax made a wounded expression.

  “Teasing,” he said, and held out his hand. “Thank you.”

  He and Ajax grasped each other’s wrist, and he looked at her. “Do you know that’s the second time he’s ribbed me? Ever? And all since he met you. Ajax released his hand and turned to Jade, gave her a loose hug as she stood there looking stunned. “You’re good for him. Glad you guys worked things out. Emory will be over the moon.”

  Jade was speechless but smiling, and he pulled her close to his side and smiled at her. She was good for him.

  Just then, Levi appeared in Walker’s doorway, eyes ablaze, shoulders steaming, a huge smile on his face. He raised both fists in the air. “It’s a girl!”

  A round of congratulations went up. Micah held his hand out to Levi, and the other man shook it with both of his.

  Then he looked at her. “Glad to see you’re back, Jade. Brooke has been dying to meet you. She was really upset she didn’t get to when you were here last.” Levi shook his head, smile gone. “Really upset.”

  “She give you lots of crap for it?” Ajax asked, chuckling.

  Levi ran his hand back over his hair. “More than I anticipated,” he said with a half grin. “Anyway, Brooke is ready to see everyone now.” He motioned for them to follow him.

  Micah stayed at the back, letting the others leave the room before him, and then he followed them down the hall.

  They entered Brooke’s room, crowding around the bed. He walked a little past the group and leaned against the cool wall, Jade beside him. But then he stood straighter, trying to see past the wide shoulders of his fellow warriors. Levi was almost smoking with pride, standing at the bedside and gazing down at his woman and daughter.

  Micah moved a step closer, tuning out the quiet but high-pitched voices of the others, trying to get a closer look at the child.

  Even though he was taller than all of them, they were pressed in close and he craned his neck to catch more than a split-second glimpse.

  Emory moved from her spot by Brooke’s side, allowing Micah to peer past everyone.

  There Brooke was, smiling down at a bundle of blankets with a tiny pink face poking out.

  “What’s her name?” Ajax asked.

  “Seraphina,” Brooke, replied, stroking her cheek. “Do you want to hold her?”

  It took a second after the talking ceased and eyes turned his way to realize that Brooke was talking to him. His stomach clenched as he looked at the tiny child, so small compared to him, compared to his hands.

  He wasn’t sure why she’d asked him first, or what he’d done to deserve that, but he nodded before he could think it through.

  Someone grabbed a chair and pulled it up next to the bed, and he sat in it, the wood and nails creaking under his weight. What if it broke as he held the child?

  Micah wiped his hands on his thighs as Levi picked up the newborn from Brooke’s arms and transferred her to his. The weight of the blanket-wrapped bundle barely even registered.

  He stared down at the sleeping baby, both of her parents in her features. It was a weird feeling, to see two people he knew well combined in a face he was seeing for the first time. A tiny red face with tiny red lips, minuscule eyelashes.

  The feeling simultaneously tightened his abdomen and warmed his chest.

  “She’s beautiful,” he murmured to no one in particular.

  His throat squeezed as he gazed over her delicate features. She would have so much power in her little body. Power that the enemy would want, that they might kill to get.

  Micah’s arm tightened around her, and he tucked a corner of the blanket that had worked itself loose back in.

  Would she have Levi’s Fire powers, or Brooke’s Water? Would he need to sing to her to calm her down, the way he did for Emory and Ajax’s child? It was likely. He almost couldn’t wait.

  “Okay, Micah, quit hogging the baby. I wanna see her too, you know.”

  He looked up at Ajax, who was smiling and holding his arms out.

  Clearing his throat, he handed baby Seraphina over to Ajax, making sure she was settled completely in his arms before letting go.

  He put his hands in his pockets and retreated to the back of the room, beside Jade who was quietly talking with Emory. As he rested his shoulder against the wall again, he glanced up at met Brooke’s eyes. She smiled at him, a gentle smile. A loving smile, and he was humbled. He smiled back, tipping his head in thanks. It would be an honor he always remembered, to be the first to hold their child. He couldn’t wait until he got another chance.

  EMORY MOVED AWAY FROM Brooke’s bedside with a sleepy Jackson in her arms, and Jade watched her make her way around the room toward her and stop by her side.

  Jade gave her the side-eye, because there was obviously something she came over to say.

  Emory looked at her and then gave her a blushing smile. “Sorry,” she said, in an almost-whisper. “I thought I was being subtle, but I wasn’t, was I?”

  “No,” Jade said, tipping sideways closer to answer in the same tone.

  “I just wanted to say... Well, I just wanted to say how happy I am that Micah found you, and how glad I am that you’re here. How glad we all are.”

  “Thank you,” she replied, humbled.

  “It’s just... I don’t know what happened to Micah, but we could tell he’d been lonely and hurting for so long,” Emory continued.

  Jade met her gaze, and she saw the same sorrow she’d felt for him reflected in Emory’s eyes.

  “I’m so glad he finally met someone to make him happy. I’m so glad you both found someone to make you happy. And someone you both can share your pain with.” Emory put her hand on her arm.

  Could Emory see it? The sorrow and pain she’d been carrying for awhile? She must. Jade looked away and back to Micah so she didn’t have to meet Emory’s too-perceptive eyes. So she wouldn’t cry, right here and now.

  “I’m sorry,” Emory said. “I didn’t mean to—I could just see—”

  “It’s okay,” Jade said, and it was. It was nice having someone who cared. More than one someone. She swallowed around the familiar ball in her throat and leaned a bit closer to Emory. “My mom has Alzheimer's.”

  Emory was a nurse, so she likely wouldn’t need any further explanation. And she didn’t. “I’m so sorry. That’s tough.”

  “Thanks,” Jade said, nodding. Emory’s look said she understood everything she hadn’t said. She took a few deep breaths while blinking away the sting. She didn’t want to draw attention to herself by crying, and she certainly didn’t want to ruin this happy occasion.

  Emory cleared her throat. “You know, the Warriors shouldn’t be able to have babies.” She looked pointedly a Jackson and then at the newborn in Micah’s arms. “They were both a bit of a surprise.”

  “Really?” She casually wiped her eyes, intrigued and happy for the change in subject.
/>   “Really. They’re all supposed to be sterile, but something has changed, and we don’t know what. If you don’t want to get pregnant right now, be sure to use protection.” Then Emory winced. “I know it’s probably not my place to mention it, but if I don’t, Walker will at some point, which would probably be a lot more uncomfortable, and at least this way I can tell him you’re already aware.”

  The intimidating, intense commander grilling them about birth control? Oh god. “Yeah, that might have been a bit uncomfortable.” Understatement. She’d much rather have the discussion with a medical professional, and a woman, than him. “Thanks. But no one needs to worry, I’m already on birth control for other reasons.”

  “Good.” Emory’s smile was relieved, but also had something else to it that made Jade curious.

  Jade looked back at Micah, carefully tucking the corner of the blanket under the baby’s chin, a low humming song come from him that he probably didn’t even know he was making.

  “You can really see how much Micah loves babies.”

  Yes, she could. His face was softer, more relaxed, an almost smile at the corners while he stared at the little pink face. There was just something about seeing a huge tough warrior melt for a tiny baby that made her melt too.

  “Anyway, he’s probably not sterile. Just something to keep in mind.”

  Jade looked at Emory, who was red-faced and not meeting her eyes. What the—?

  “Well, Brooke needs me now. Nice talking to you,” and she was gone.

  But Jade caught the look her and Brooke shared in a split-second when she returned to Brooke’s side.

  Ah, they were purposefully dropping hints for some reason.

  After Micah returned to his spot beside her, she looped her arm with his and rested her head against his arm. Sure, seeing his face while he held the new baby had made her a bit wistful, but that was ridiculous. It was too soon to think about family, their entire relationship and situation were too new. They’d never even talked about it.

  But Micah’s face had said plenty, hadn’t it?

  The babies were the only ones Micah didn’t hold back from. One look, and he showed his ooey-gooey center under that quiet, stony exterior. He loved babies, and wasn’t that just adorable?