by Denise Riley
Jessica remembered that Tyson had added a picture of her to his room at the Academy. He’d taken the picture of her one weekend. They’d been together for about six months, and he’d told her that he loved her and that he wanted a photo of her to keep with him. The picture had been directly across from his bed, so he could see her first thing in the morning and last thing at night, he’d said. So long ago.
Shaking that thought away, Jessica looked for a picture of a girlfriend, but didn’t readily see one.
Maybe he doesn’t have one.
No, probably wishful thinking on your part.
Well, so what if he does?
Exactly. He’s not yours.
She was having conversations in her head. Ridiculous. Clearly she needed a break.
“Hey, I’ve been out all day, and it was a rough one. I need to take a shower and unwind a little. I’ll be back to check on you, but let’s get you settled. Do you want the bed or the chair?”
“I can do this myself, Sergeant,” he said to her.
Her eyes went up to his with his pointed use of her rank. Obviously, he was still pissed because he’d had to argue his way out of the hospital bed. He hadn’t seemed all that thrilled that he wouldn’t be getting his way without her help. He didn’t seem all that thrilled to have her help.
“Bed or chair, sir?” she repeated in a firm, modulated tone that told him she had no patience for being the new target for his annoyance. She was drained and completely lacking that virtue. She wanted to get him settled and then get herself together. He clenched his jaw, but then released it with a sigh.
“Chair,” he said grudgingly.
“Fine,” she replied in a similar manner.
Jessica got him seated. She made sure he had access to everything he wanted for the time being, and then she left Tyson’s room.
The shower she took at her own barracks was long. Quite some time under the hot water was needed before she began to relax, before the scenes of the day started to wash away. She knew they were likely to return in the night, but it was good to let them go even if temporarily. They hadn’t lost any Soldiers, though there were several wounds to patch up. They had not been so lucky with the innocents. An older lady was killed and so was her adult daughter. Two marketplace workers were killed. One instantly it seemed; and the other succumbed to wounds later. One child had died. Jessica could see the small, limp body behind her closed lids. The families of the dead and wounded were, of course, devastated. She and the others had tried to help, but there was only so much that could be done. It was hard to watch such things, particularly when you knew that you’d see it happen again and again. The loss of the children was the worst. She never dealt well with that.
Putting it out of her mind, Jessica dressed. She didn’t know what they hell she was thinking taking responsibility for Tyson Kidd. Liar, liar, liar. She’d probably use any excuse to see the man. She was dog tired, needed to rest more than she needed to eat, and was still eager to get back to his room. Just to see him. Just to be able to look at his gorgeous face, to chance an opportunity to touch him and the hope he’d kiss her again. Ugh. She was pathetic.
Jessica put on her shoes and headed out. She stopped to get some supplies and meds in case he needed something and headed over to his barracks.
Back at his room, she knocked on the door, but didn’t get an answer. She checked the knob and the door wasn’t locked so she pushed through and stuck her head inside. She didn’t see him. Jessica walked inside and promptly heard a loud curse from the bath inside Tyson’s quarters.
“Hey! Are you ok in there?” Silence. “Tyson?”
Still no answer. She was just about to grab the doorknob when the door swung open to the inside. She found a half-naked Tyson Kidd standing on the other side. His foot was up on a stool; his injured thigh exposed.
Jessica failed in her attempt to not gape at him. Honestly, she didn’t try all that hard. Tyson stood before the sink. His dark hair was wet. She could tell that he’d just cut it back down, keeping the low military-accepted style that was preferred. He was clean-shaven. The strong angles of his face were prominent. His straight nose and square jaw line framed his curved, slightly parted lips. His chest was bare and he appeared to be wearing nothing more than the white towel that was wrapped around his trim waist. The muscles of his lean, tanned chest and abs were virtually screaming at her to reach out.
Her eyes traveled over him, retracing routes that Jessica remembered so well. Broad shoulders. Firm pectorals and a super-tight abdomen. Light sprinkling of dark hair that guided the eye toward what she knew was the most amazing prize. The generous bulge covered by the towel was hidden, but certainly not unnoticed. Her mouth was suddenly dry and Jessica swallowed the thick lump lodged in her throat. She slowly looked up to find Tyson watching her ogle him.
******
Tyson held his breath. Jessica had her hands on his naked thigh. She was inspecting the wound that he had feared he might have opened up while undressing and taking a shower. Plus, he had not been able to keep the bandage dry, which he knew he was supposed to do. He’d been in the bathroom trying to figure out how wet the damn thing was. He thought maybe he could take off the top layer and then leave the rest. But once he’d begun unwrapping it, the gauze had loosened considerably. Before long, the whole damn thing was unwound and Tyson couldn’t get it together properly. Jessica had found him fumbling over it in the bathroom and had opted to completely remove the old bandage, so she could check the wound and then re-wrap it. She’d brought stuff with her, ever ahead of the game.
Now, he was in his bed, his back resting against the wall behind him. Jessica’s soft hands were just below his junk, which was throbbing beneath the flimsy towel and the hand he was using to try to hide the traitorous thing. The more she touched and pressed his flesh to wrap the gauze, the more his cock twitched.
He watched her as she moved to walk over to the desk in his room to get some medical tape. The soft sway of her hips was eye-catching. She wore a simple, green branch t-shirt and black sweats that sat low on her hips. He focused on the Army that was printed across her ass. Tyson quickly adjusted himself while her back was turned gathering the supplies. Then, he watched her return to him. She did a couple wraps, working her nimble fingers and hands under his thigh as needed. On a couple of passes, the side of her hand grazed his balls and he damn near groaned. Shit, he really wanted to drag her down and kiss her.
“There. It’s fine.” Jessica smoothed her hands over her handiwork. “You didn’t get the wound wet. Just the outer wrapping.”
“Thanks,” he said. “Uh, do you think you could hand me a pair of shorts?”
Tyson had definitely not forgotten that he was naked beneath the towel. Her eyes shot to his poorly hidden, engorged penis, and he knew she hadn’t forgotten either. The way she’d looked at him with such open appreciation when he had opened the bathroom door was the initial cause of the hard-on he was currently fighting. Her eyes had run over his body, and it had felt to Tyson like she was physically touching him. The longer her eyes had lingered over his crotch, the thicker he’d gotten. That coupled with the proximity of her graceful fingers to his rigid shaft had resulted in a win for the erection and a control-shattering loss for Tyson’s willpower.
“Sure.”
“Top drawer.” Tyson cleared his suddenly clogged throat. “There should be some in there.”
He watched as she retrieved the garment and walked over to him. He held out a hand thinking she’d hand them over, but she didn’t. She bent over and the neck of her shirt gaped open, inadvertently giving him a brief glimpse of her firm globes inside a lacy black bra. She shook her head to flip the hair she was wearing loose over her left shoulder. The action made her breasts sway every so slightly. It was no help to his arousal that Tyson didn’t miss the little jiggle her breasts made.
Jessica gestured for him to pick up his legs so she could put his feet into the shorts before she started to pull them up his long bod
y. Lounged on the bed as he was, Tyson would have to give up the towel and raise up to get the shorts on. Apparently she assumed he’d do just that, but he hesitated. Jessica looked up at him.
“You’re gonna have to help me. Can you lift up so I can slip these on the rest of the way?”
The word “slip” threw him off. His mind wasn’t that far removed from having thoughts about slipping inside her wetness. When he didn’t say anything, she continued.
“Tyson. You do remember that I’ve seen you naked, right?” Jessica said. “Literally, hundreds of men, I have seen naked, Tyson.”
He supposed she thought he was trying to maintain some modesty. In reality, he was trying to save her from an eyeful of the swollen dick beneath his towel.
“Yeah, I’m sure. Were all of them sporting a hard-on that could break rocks?” He said and watched her brows rise.
“Well, not all of them,” she said deadpan and then they both chuckled. “Come on. Lift up,” she coaxed. “I’ll close my eyes if you want,” she teased.
She pulled the pants up over his hips as he braced on the bed to raise himself up. Though he really did try to keep the towel in place, it fell away and his erection made itself painfully obvious. He heard Jessica suck in a quick breath as she looked down at him. She had not closed her eyes, and instead her gaze lingered. His shaft twitched.
“Jessica, you cannot look at me like that and expect me to not do something about it,” he warned her.
She looked up at him.
“Sorry,” she mumbled and pulled the shorts up.
With the garment on, her hands had come to rest on his stomach. She was leaned over him, her head not far from his crotch. He had a quick vision from their past of her on her knees in a bed hovered over his hard, straining body. Tyson fisted his hands by his sides to keep from grabbing handfuls of her hair and guiding her to the heat in his loins. When she didn’t immediately move, he un-fisted his grip and put his hands on top of her hands.
Slowly and with deliberate effort, he moved Jessica’s hands up toward his chest. The action moved her upward, closer, and stretched her out so that when he tugged her arms, she lowered to the side of his body on the bed with him. Her face was scant inches from his and all he’d have to do was dip his head to taste her luscious lips. Taking his time, he moved a hand up her arm, over her shoulder, up the side of her slender neck, and finally to the side of her face. Using his thumb he traced the lips he wanted to devour.
“What are you doing?” she asked him. Her naturally husky voice sounded even more sensual. It caused a fluttering in his gut that travelled down to his already stiff cock.
“What I’ve been wanting to do all week,” he replied.
Then, he kissed her.
Tyson licked at the seam of her mouth and she parted for him, letting his tongue inside. Jessica tasted like the sweetest mint and the slick feel of the soft inside of her mouth made Tyson growl. On instinct, he pushed his left hand under the hem of her t-shirt and sought out her breasts. When he gripped one through the fabric of her skimpy bra, Jessica moaned. He thumbed her nipple, in time with his thrusting tongue. He could feel the bud tighten and pebble beneath his finger. Wanting more, Tyson grabbed the cup of the bra and yanked it down to free the rounded mound. Then, he tweaked the nipple to elicit a gasp from Jessica’s mouth.
Jessica’s hands gripped his shoulders. Her fingers dug into his flesh and he reveled in the feel of it. She adjusted so she could palm the back of his neck. The hand not on her breast, grabbed her butt in reward. She was pressed against the length of Tyson’s right side, half on and half off of him. Her center was just above his hip and he could swear he felt the heat coming off of her through the sweatpants she wore. He wanted her straddling his body so he could tear the shirt over her head and suckle at dark chocolate nipples he knew he’d find beneath the garment. He used his upper body strength to pull the rest of her on top of him. He wanted her legs on either side of his hips, her center pressed against his. But, Jessica resisted. What the hell is she doing?
“Stop. I don’t want to hurt you,” she said against his mouth.
“Then don’t,” he said as he started to move her again. Again she stopped him. He grunted in frustration.
“Tyson, the wound shouldn’t be reopened. You have to be careful.”
“Ok. But, I am going to get you where I can suck on these,” he said as he gently squeezed her breasts. When she groaned, he knew she wanted it, too. “So figure it out, Jess, and be quick about it,” he demanded.
She rolled her eyes at him and gingerly place herself over his body. She sat high up on his hips almost on his lower abs to make sure none of her weight fell onto his injured thigh. He gripped her hips and shifted her down a little and then ground into her. Her whimper was all the motivation he needed.
Tyson grabbed her shirt and pulled it up and over Jessica’s head. He reached long arms around her and unsnapped her bra completely freeing her bountiful breasts. They bounced before him and he wasted no time in filling his hands with them. Jessica’s head went back and he palmed the familiar flesh. So soft and smooth. Just like he remembered, except they seemed fuller, and he liked it. Moving his had to her upper arms, he pulled her forward until her beautiful breasts were close enough to nibble.
Tyson took one nipple in his mouth as he pinched the other. Jessica moaned for him and the sound seemed to vibrate through his body instead of hers. Her nipple beaded beneath his tongue and he suckled her, pulling the areola deep into his mouth. Jessica’s thighs squeezed him around his middle. She moaned each time his tongue laved over her sensitive flesh and the sound pushed him closer to the edge. Pulling back he let the nipple pop from his mouth before starting up with the other one.
Jessica was grinding down on him. He knew she could feel the hard length of him through the meager clothes separating them. The heat from her sex was seeping into him and making his body beg for flesh-on-flesh contact. His hand went for the waistband of her sweats and pushed into the back of her panties to cup her ass. Firm, round, perfect. He growled into the space between her twin mounds.
“Jess, I want you,” he told her. He needed her to know and he wanted her agreement. “Tell me. Say you want this, Jessica. Tell me,” he demanded.
“Yes,” she replied. “Please, I need you.”
That was what he needed. He pulled at her sweats. She rose up so Tyson could push them down, but suddenly stopped him from removing them. He was about to question her when there was a loud knock at his door. You got to be fucking kidding! If that was Marcus Jones, Tyson vowed his best friend would be dead within the next few moments.
“Captain, Kidd?” a voice called out. It wasn’t Marcus. “Sir?”
“Uh, yeah. Just a sec,” Tyson shouted back. Jessica had already scrambled off of him. She was grabbing up her bra and shirt and heading to his bathroom. Tyson adjusted the massive erection he was suffering beneath the gym shorts and hobbled to the door. He opened it and found a Soldier standing there with a bundle.
“What?” he asked her.
He knew he was being short, but with the degree of frustration he was experiencing after the interruption there was no help for it. She told him she had a package for him and that she was asked to deliver it. He took the thing from her and closed the door quickly. He set the package aside. Jessica hadn’t come out of the bathroom. He made his way back to his bed and sat on the edge. After waiting about five minutes, he went to the bathroom door and turned the knob. He found Jessica sitting on the stool he’d left in the room. She had dressed.
“Hey. You can come out. It was a package.”
“I should go,” she said.
He frowned at her, and asked, “Why?”
“Because we shouldn’t do this. There’s too much unresolved between us. I have too much to explain. This isn’t a good idea.”
She got up from the stool and moved toward him and the door. When he didn’t move out of her way, she looked up at him in question.
“I don’t care if it’s the worse idea we’ve ever had,” he said. His voice was still deep and rough with need. He stepped closer to her and moved his hand to tuck her hair behind an ear.
He leaned down to kiss her. He took her mouth in a slow, seductive way. When he released her, she sighed.
“We shouldn’t,” she said.
“So what,” he replied as he licked her lips. He sucked her bottom lip into his mouth before letting it slip between his teeth.
“Tyson,” she said. She sounded grieved, so he let up.
“Ok, listen. Just stay.” He pulled her to him and wrapped her in his arms. His chin rested atop her shoulder. “Stay and spend the night me. No sex, if you don’t want to, but, don’t go.”
“Are you sure?” Her arms had circled his middle. Her hands were pressed flat against his broad back, and he knew she was yielding. Tyson kissed the side of her neck and then moved to press a kiss to her mouth.
“Yes. Stay.”
******
Jessica lay beside Tyson, with her head on his shoulder and a hand under his shirt. It was hard to resist stroking the warm, taut skin beneath her fingertips, but he was asleep and she didn’t want to disturb him. The pain meds had made him drowsy, and Tyson had drifted into a peaceful rest several minutes earlier. After they had left his bathroom, he had turned out the light and led her to his bed. She’d been hesitant as he’d pulled her down next to him. But he’d only held her while they talked.
He had told her about his life since the academy. He had told her about when he’d earned his Captain’s bars. He had talked about his life in Fort Bragg and how he’d grown to like it there. It wasn’t as close to his family as he’d like to be, but they got to visit often when he wasn’t deployed.
They talked about their respective tours and some of the things they’d seen. Tyson caught her up on some of their friends from the Academy. He didn’t see many of them, but talked to her about his former roommate and his family. She told him she had kept in touch with her roommate. He’d been surprised, saying he’d asked the girl about Jessica a number of times in the first year after they had broken up. He let it go, though, without many more questions. She assumed he didn’t want to stir up any of the issues they seemed to have mutually decided to bury for the time being.
