Her Marine Next Door

by Burke, Aliyah

  …

  The raw emotion raking across Parker as Skylar answered what he’d asked was more than he’d expected.

  She continued, “It ripped my heart out when I’d climb in my truck and see Cullen’s car seat back there, where my son’s used to be. See the toys and Cheerios on the floor. All of it.”

  Her body shook, and he just realized the depths of the emotional toll this entire thing had been on her. Lord help him, he wanted to kiss her, offer his strength to her the only way he knew.

  “Then came the baby momma drama.” A heartless bark of laughter. “All the things she’d do. Trying to make me look like I didn’t have a clue what I was doing. And it worked. Even your mom sided with her.”

  Yes, he could feel lower than a piece of dog shit on the bottom of someone’s shoe.

  “I had to go. I just couldn’t anymore. I realized I deserved more than to be the one you came to for sex and when shit fell through with baby momma. I’d fallen too hard for the both of you, and it was killing me, slowly. So I ran. I hid, removing myself from everything, and decided that once again, what I needed was a new, fresh start. Away from you and Cullen, because it would have torn me apart to watch you across the fence as the failed fiancée. The woman he used to call ‘Mama.’ To see a new woman there, beside you, with him. It was best I leave.”

  He slid his hand around to her back, pressing her closer to him, pleased when she came willingly. Tears pricked his eyes as she snuggled her head beneath his chin, her hand still tangling his hair in her strong yet feminine fingers.

  “I crashed with my friend Ryliee. The one whose car I’m driving. She yelled, smacked me down for my excuses, and then asked me one very important question.”

  “And that was?”

  “She asked me if it was only sex or if you were worth facing my demons and fighting for.”

  He broke the lingering silence when he couldn’t take it any longer. “And?”

  “That’s what I would have told you tomorrow morning. That I love you and you’re worth fighting for. You and Cullen, regardless of anything. I don’t want to sit back—I won’t do it—and let that bitch get her claws into you or our son.”

  Parker gripped her face and kissed her, poured everything into it he wished he could verbalize. His love, his pride, his hope, his everything.

  “I love you, Skylar Radford. So fucking much. So motherfucking much. You are my always and forever.”

  The warm splash of her tears hit his hands, but he didn’t move to brush them away. She, in turn, slipped her hands along his jaw until her thumbs skimmed the underside of his earlobes.

  Time passed as he sat there, breathing her breath, slowing his world to accept it was the two of them. Now and forever. Him and her.

  Breaking the kiss, he tipped his head down. “Come with me.”

  “Where?”

  “Let’s go for a drive.”

  “You do know it’s the ass crack of dawn?”

  “I know, but I want to share something with you.”

  “And this ride, is it on your motorcycle? Your SUV?”

  “Hell no, we’re taking your friend’s car and going to break all kinds of speed limit laws.”

  Her faint laugh was music to his ears. “I suppose you’re going to expect to drive? Even though it’s not your car.”

  “You know I’ll always keep you safe, baby. Always.”

  “I know. I think I knew that even before you yelled at me across the yard when I first cut my hand. That’s why I didn’t argue when you made me slide over.”

  It was his turn to laugh. “Bullshit. You were just woozy over your blood loss. You’d have given me an earful otherwise.”

  That was probably true.

  Taking her hand, he swiped the house keys on the way out, then escorted her to the car. He held the door for her and got behind the wheel.

  Parker caressed the black-and-red shifter. “She’s got good taste.” He turned to Skylar, captured her chin in his hand, pressed his lips to hers until she sighed, and nipped her lower lip. “You fucking taste amazing.”

  As soon as they hit the interstate, he opened up the engine until they raced down the road.

  It took them about forty-five minutes to reach his destination. He pulled off the road onto the scenic overlook and stopped the engine. He went to her side and held the door, then tucked her close to him as he moved to the barrier.

  “Not planning on tossing me over and keeping the car, are you?”

  “Not today,” he whispered, nibbling on her ear. “But that is one sweet ride, so the potential is there.”

  She laughed. “Why are we here, Parker? It’s nighttime.” She yawned and settled against him.

  “Just wait.” He wrapped his arms around her, ensuring she wouldn’t be chilled.

  Silence owned the earth until the first golden stream of light peeked over the horizon and the ocean. Slowly, as if time had been cut in half just for them, the sun pushed up over the water, setting it aglow with gold and diamond dust.

  The spectacular hues were like watercolors, blending into each other and changing, but never losing the magnificent imagery. Parker kept his lips pressed to the top of her head the entire time.

  “This,” he whispered as life went back to normal speed. “This is what you being in my life is like for me. You are the light in my world, and I don’t want to go back to living in the darkness. I love you. Will you marry me?”

  She tensed, but didn’t look away from the stunning display before them. “Are you sure that’s what you want to know?” Closing her eyes when it got too bright, she allowed the warmth to hit her.

  “Without a doubt, baby. You’re my other half, and I’ll keep asking if you say no.”

  “So you’re proposing to me by standing behind me and no ring?”

  He kissed her neck. “Open your eyes and look down.”

  Her gasp rocked him as she saw the ring he held in his fingers before her.

  “This is the one… From the shop.”

  “Will you wear my ring, Skylar? Will you promise to be my lodestar? My rock? My wife?”

  His breath slowed as he waited. This was hard enough—he didn’t know how guys did it staring up at the woman who had the potential to rip out their hearts.

  She extended her left hand, widening her fingers. He took that as a sign and slid the ring on her finger.

  “Perfect.” He kissed her hand before angling his head to plant one on her lips. He couldn’t possibly love this woman any more, could he?

  Skylar pulled from him and turned until she looked up at him. Then she jumped at him, winding her arms around his neck, feet dangling. Parker gripped her, making sure she couldn’t fall.

  “I love you, Parker Jax.” She kissed him again, and he groaned as her tongue danced with his.

  “Are you up for one more thing?” His cock was hard, but he wasn’t thinking about sex right this second. Well, he was, but he wasn’t going to act on that here.

  “What is that?”

  Her eyes had that hazy, desire-filled look about them. He loved that he was the one who put that there. And would be the only one to do so for the rest of their lives.

  “We’re going to tell my parents and Cullen that we’re really getting married, then the two of us are taking the weekend away from every-fucking-body, because I’m not sharing you.”

  “Okay.” Her tone was a bit worried, and he swore no one was going to hurt her again.

  After arriving at his parents’ home, he parked the car and unlocked the door. Together they walked up the walk to the front door. It flew open before they got there and Cullen ran out, full bore, in nothing more than a cowboy hat, tool belt, and jeans.

  “Mama!” he screamed, arms reaching for the sky. And her.

  She dropped and held out her arms. Cullen jumped the last d
istance and she caught him, wrapping him tight and dragging him flush to her. His son’s hands wound into her hair, his face pressed against her neck. Skylar’s tears glistened on her lashes.

  He understood now the depth of her love for his son, how Cullen had been instrumental in her healing.

  “Son?”

  Parker glanced up and said to his father, “I figured it was time to come let the three of you know Skylar and I are getting married. For real this time.”

  His mother stood beside his dad. After relaxing her flattened lips, she nodded. “I’m happy for you, Parker. Cullen? Perhaps you’d like to come in and finish breakfast.”

  “No,” he hollered, voice muffled. “Stay with Mama.”

  “Leave them be. I have something else to say to the two of you.”

  They waited.

  “This woman lost her son when he was killed. I will no longer stand for you treating her like she’s the hired help. I never should have allowed it. This is the woman I want to marry, the woman I will marry. I love her, and I am not letting anything come between us again. You either support this, or you step aside and watch your grandson and any future grandbabies grow up through nothing more than photographs.”

  Mom nodded and stepped back. “I’ll go put on some coffee.” She walked off.

  “Give her time, son. She’s bound to come around. How can she not? It’s obvious how much that little man loves her. A lot like his father does, I reckon.”

  Dad slung an arm around him. For a few moments they stood together watching Cullen hold Skylar, who held him just as tight.

  His father had already walked back in the house when she looked him square in the eyes.

  I love you, Parker Jax.

  She might have mouthed it, but he could read it plain as day, like she’d spoken with her voice.

  He kissed the tips of two fingers and touched his heart, then held out his hand when she stood.

  She was his one, and he would move mountains for her. The person who completed him.

  If giving up the single life meant changing it for this, he was willing to accept it as his ultimate sacrifice.

  Epilogue

  Parker tossed his rucksack over his shoulder as he flat out ran across the parking lot toward his vehicle. They’d been on the way home from an unpleasant jaunt in some hot and sweltering jungle doing his job when news reached him his wife had gone into labor.

  A black SUV screeched to a halt before him and the back door flew open. “Get in!”

  He obeyed Ioan. They were moving toward the gate at speeds that weren’t to be hit on base. The vehicle shuddered and shook as he took a corner before straightening out. They blew past the gate guard, who didn’t look at all surprised that they’d used one of the exits that was typically closed off.

  “Who called ahead?”

  “I did,” Gibson said as he looked back and grinned. “She’s still in labor, so hopefully we get you there in time.”

  Fuck, he hoped so.

  His heart pounded harder than it did before he jumped from a plane or engaged in a firefight with the enemy. This was Skylar, his wife, and their baby. What if she needed him there and he wasn’t?

  “Focus, man, we’re pulling up. You’re hopping out at the ER. We’ll park and come up.”

  He dropped his bag and jumped even before Ioan came screeching to a complete stop. He ran inside, heavy boots squeaking on the floor.

  He found the signs for maternity and bolted for the elevator. On the floor, he slammed his hands on the desk, startling the nurse. He got it—he looked like he had just walked out of the jungle, his beard thick and full, and he quite probably still had black paint on his face. “Skylar Radford?”

  “I’m sorry sir, you can’t just—”

  “If you don’t want me pushing open every fucking door in this place, tell me where my wife is right now. She’s having my baby, and I’m not going to let her do this without me. Skylar!” he hollered. “Skylar! Where are you?”

  “Christ, you’re a pain in the ass.” Ryliee’s voice came from behind him, and he whipped around.

  Ioan and Gibson got off the elevator and looked between them.

  “What’s going on? Where is she?” Ioan questioned.

  “What he said.” Gibson.

  “Let’s go,” Ryliee said to Parker. “You two stay.”

  Thankfully, her best friend didn’t move slowly, and he followed her to a room.

  She paused him with a light touch on his arm. He cocked an eyebrow and looked down at her.

  “Congratulations.”

  “Thank you.” He knocked once on the door and stepped inside.

  “We’re going to move you now,” the doctor was saying.

  “No,” she said. “It’s too early. He’s not home. I promised him I’d wait.”

  “A noble sentiment, but the babies tell us when it’s time, not the other way around.” He lifted the side of the bed. “Let’s get moving.”

  “No.” Her protest was morphed into a whimper as another contraction rocked her.

  Parker stepped up, pushing through the nurses, and took her hand.

  “I’m right here, baby. Right here.”

  “Parker?”

  “Right here,” he rumbled, kissing her cheek. “I love you. Let’s go have a baby.”

  “Someone get him ready to go in to the delivery room and bring him. We need to go, now.”

  He was there the entire time, holding her, allowing her to rail at him, crush the fuck out of his hand, whatever she needed as she brought their child into the world. Six hours later, he sat beside her as she slept. He’d taken his daughter out to meet her aunt, uncles, and grandmother. Cullen was staying with his dad, but his mom had come in.

  They’d all left and it was him, Skylar, and their daughter, who snuggled against him wrapped in a soft pink-and-white blanket.

  “You came.” Her voice was so soft he almost missed it, except this woman was his soul and he always heard her.

  She turned toward him, the light glowing off her skin. “How is she?”

  “Absolutely fucking perfect. Just like her mama.” He inched closer so she could see her daughter. “Look what you did, baby. She’s perfect. She’s ours. Ours.” Holding the newborn, he used his free hand and sank it in Skylar’s hair, putting their heads together. “I love you so fucking much. So fucking much.” His voice broke.

  Her hand settled upon his cheek. “We did this, Parker. You were there for at least two minutes of the conception.”

  His chuckle couldn’t be contained. He loved her more and more with every breath he took.

  “Parker, I want Cullen in here tomorrow. He needs to know we’re not forgetting him. Are you staying?”

  “They’re not getting me out of here. Sleep, baby. I got this.”

  Skylar succumbed to exhaustion, and he remained holding his daughter. “I love you, too, my little girl. Welcome to the family, Silver Michelle.” He put her back in the bassinet that was in there and crawled into the bed with Skylar, wrapping her up in his arms. He stared at her wedding ring that bore the inscription You Are My Always & Forever, before lacing the fingers of their hands and tucking her closer still. She was his. He was hers. There was no other way for him to view this other than perfection.

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  About the Author

  Aliyah Burke is an avid reader and is never far from pen and paper (or the computer). She loves to hear from her readers and can be reached here, or feel free to apply to join her yahoo group at http://groups.yahoo.com/group/aliyah_burke. She is married to a career military man. They are owned by three Borzoi, and a DSH cat. She spends her days sharing time between work, writing, and dog training, showing, and racing.

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