A sense of peace and calmness settled in her chest, bringing her hope for the first time in too many weeks. With a newfound determination, Sara allowed her muscles to relax as she closed her eyes. For the first time in a very long time, she wasn’t concerned that bad dreams would cause another sleepless night. Taking a nap with her husband would become a welcome treat again.
When Steve woke from his nap, his heart filled with love when he looked down at his wife. She was curled up at his side, her arm draped across his body, and she was actually sleeping instead of staring at him. Since Dr. Patel delivered the news that the treatments weren’t working as well as they’d hoped, his whole family seemed to stare at him, waiting for him to keel over in front of their eyes.
It was unnerving to Steve, to say the least. He’d always been the strong, domineering patriarch, and now he was quickly becoming a frail, pitiful shell of a man. This was one turn in his life he’d never seen coming. He mused to himself how the cancer that was killing him was the very thing that had brought his family back together. His family was his life, and he’d let them slip away from him once before.
“Never again,” he muttered. “Dying to live.”
Sara stirred in his arms before her eyes fluttered open. “Steve, are you okay?”
He gently stroked her cheek with his thumb. “That’s the first thing you ask me every day when we wake up. Do you realize that?”
“I guess you’re right,” she chuckled. “I can’t help it.”
“Sara, I haven’t done enough to deserve the love you’ve always given me. But I promise you, that’s changing right now. For the rest of our lives, you’ll never doubt how deep my love for you is,” he murmured. “No more worrying about me, baby. I’m too mean to die.”
“We’ve been together nearly forty years, Steve. You can’t expect me to stop worrying about you now.” Sara smiled warmly through the tears that glistened in her eyes.
“That is asking a lot, huh?” Steve winked. “I’ll make a deal with you. I’ll tell you if I’m feeling especially bad as long as you stop asking me how I feel every day. Unless I tell you otherwise, just assume I’m as good as I can be.”
“Deal,” she agreed. “But only because you asked nicely. Don’t hide anything from me, though, Steve. I mean it. If you actually feel worse but don’t tell me because you’re trying to power through it, you could end up worse off.”
“Yes, ma’am,” he replied contritely. “I promise—no secrets.”
“It’s a deal then.” Sara leaned up and placed a lingering kiss on his lips. “Sealed with a kiss.”
“I’m going to shower and then we’re going out for dinner,” Steve decided. “I haven’t taken my wife on a date in a long time.”
He slowly quirked his eyebrow up at the dubious expression on her face, silently daring her to question him. Her features softened and she nodded her concession. “Where are we going?”
“Somewhere nice. Get all dressed up for me.”
An hour later, Steve and Sara entered the upscale restaurant hand in hand. The music played softly in the background as the maître d’ showed them to their table. Steve pulled out Sara’s chair for her before taking his own. The normally welcome aroma of the various dinners quickly became a source of discomfort. As Sara looked over her menu, Steve held his breath, swallowed hard, and slowly exhaled. He inwardly vowed that he’d finish this meal with his wife or die trying.
When Sara glanced up at him, she immediately knew that the scents had intensified his nausea. Her resolve to keep her word to him was all that kept her from blurting out that they should leave. After she waited a couple of minutes, watched as he sipped on his ice water and pretended to stare at the menu longer, she was relieved when his color improved and his tense muscles relaxed.
“Have you decided what you want?” Steve asked.
“Yes. I’m ready when you are.” She smiled through her worry.
Signaling for the waiter, Steve and Sara placed their orders and settled into comfortable conversation. Neither brought up the cancer, the chemotherapy drugs, the radiation treatment, or the prognosis they didn’t want to face. That night was all about the couple who’d been in love for more years than not. Steve managed to consume his bland meal without incident. Even though food didn’t taste the same as it had before, he felt like he was regaining some of his old strength with his body properly nourished.
“Thank you for dinner out tonight,” Sara said as they walked toward the car.
“My pleasure,” Steve replied. “I know you’re thanking me because you’re worried about me, but I appreciate that you haven’t mentioned it.”
“Are you going to leave me hanging here?”
Steve laughed out loud at her forwardness. “No, I know it’s pure torture for you. Dinner was hard at first, but I controlled my breathing, sipped a lot of water, and chose bland foods. I actually feel better since I made myself eat.”
“You know I plan to take advantage of this information.” Sara grinned.
“I have no doubt of that, my love.” Steve stopped walking. “In fact, I’m counting on it.”
* * *
“Chaise, you’re a dirty, dirty girl,” Bull chided her softly.
“I don’t know why you’re blaming me. It’s your fault,” she retorted playfully.
“How can you say such a thing about me?” Bull feigned hurt and offense at her declaration.
“Colton Lanier, are you honestly going to stand there and deny it to my face?” Chaise’s hand rested on her hip, she cocked her head to the side, and she narrowed her eyes at Bull. Her foot tapped lightly as she waited for his reply.
“I guess I need to get you out of those clothes.” His voice dropped an octave as his eyes darkened with desire.
“If you think you’re getting lucky while I’m standing here drenched to the bone and covered in mud, you’re crazy,” Chaise replied dryly. “Don’t even try your moves on me, mister.”
“You love my moves, though,” Bull replied, emphasizing the double meaning his words held. “Let me remind you.”
“Bull.” She pointed at him, emphasizing the double meaning her reply held. “You are the cause of this mess. I’m trying to stay mad at you right now, so you have to let me.”
The corner of his mouth lifted involuntarily as he fought to hold back his laughter. Chaise could never stay mad at him for very long. and they both knew it. Bull often used it to his advantage. “The timer on the sprinklers in Mrs. Stanton’s flower beds is not my fault. It’s also not my fault that you happened to be standing directly over the top of one of the sprinklers when it went off.”
“Remind me again, Colton. Who was it that ran while the sprinklers soaked me?”
“Now, wait a minute—”
“Then who was it who didn’t come to help me when my heels sank into the ground and I couldn’t move? Then continued to stand on the sidelines when one of my heels broke off in the ground? Then laughed his ass off when I’d finally dug my heel out of the ground and slipped in the mud when I tried to run? Who was that, Colton?” she demanded.
“Reaper. And Rebel. And Shadow. Oh, and Brianna,” Bull replied, his naughty grin fully in place. “Let’s not forget Mrs. Stanton, the sly little lady who knew how to turn them off but didn’t.”
“Let’s not forget Bull, my fiancé, my personal bodyguard, my big, tough soldier, who ran from the water,” Chaise emphasized.
“I don’t like wearing wet clothes,” Bull explained with a single shoulder shrug.
Chaise’s mouth dropped open and her eyes widened. “Are you freaking kidding me right now?”
“Not at all. I had to wear wet clothes in the Army sometimes, but I didn’t have a choice,” Bull started to explain.
“I’m not talking about your clothes!” Chaise yelled before stomping off to the bathroom.
Once the door was shut, Bull doubled over in laughter as the sight of Chaise angrily marching toward the bathroom replayed in his mind. One high-heeled sho
e on, one off, but she still held her head high and her shoulders back. All while she tried to portray an air of authority and indignation at his insult.
When he heard the water start, he immediately stopped laughing. On the other side of that door stood a naked Chaise, whose skin begged to be lathered in soap, thoroughly washed, and meticulously worshiped. There was only one man who was up for the job. Bull shed his clothes on his way to join her. When he twisted the doorknob, he shook his head before leaning against the door.
“Chaise, unlock the door,” he called.
“Nope.”
“Baby, please let me in.”
“Nope.”
“Chaise, let me in or the hotel will have to replace the door and we’ll have to go stay in the room with Noah and Brianna after they kick us out of here.”
“You wouldn’t dare.”
“You know damn well I will,” Bull replied.
He heard Chaise’s huff of contempt as she unlocked the door but didn’t open it for him to enter. Bull slowly turned the knob and walked into the room just as Chaise stepped into the shower. He shed his clothes and quickly followed her inside the generous shower stall. She stood under the stream of hot water with her eyes closed, soaking in the warmth and washing away the remnants of her mishap.
His eyes followed the small rivers of water that flowed over her body. His hands ached to feel the silky smoothness of her skin. His lips were drawn to the fullness of her breasts and the tautness of her nipples. His tongue longed to taste her, to lap up her essence, and bring her exquisite pleasure.
But first, he knew he had to make amends.
“I’m sorry if I hurt your feelings, baby,” he said softly.
She opened her eyes and met his gaze but remained silent.
“I’m sorry I didn’t help you when you were obviously having a hard time,” he continued.
She still waited.
“I’m sorry I laughed at your misfortune.”
Chaise picked up the shampoo and began lathering her hair but still didn’t speak.
“And I’m sorry I said you looked like a frog when you were flailing around in the mud.”
Bull dropped his chin to his chest, his outward display that he’d been appropriately chastised. Actually, he was attempting to hide the smile that threatened to cover his face as he envisioned the scene yet again. After a couple of seconds, the memory of the sight of Chaise sprawled out on Mrs. Stanton’s front lawn, soaked to the core from the sprinklers and covered from head to toe in mud as she screamed obscenities at Bull was more than he could keep in. The repeated slips and slides from the slick mud ensured that every part of her body was thoroughly covered in dirt and flower bed mulch.
When his shoulders began to jump from his laughter, Chaise picked up the handheld showerhead, quickly turned the hot water off, and covered Bull with ice-cold water. He yelped and reached for the sprayer, but Chaise had already anticipated his moves. She ducked to the side and kept the spray of cold water centered on him.
“Chaise…” Bull’s tone threatened. “When I get to you…”
“What? Think I’m scared of you?” she goaded as she continued to spray him.
Charging through the cold water, Bull wrapped his thick arms around her and pulled her to him. He smiled when she screamed because the handheld sprayer was trapped between them with the cold water still flowing strong. “You never have to be scared of me,” he said softly as he adjusted the water temperature with one hand. “I’m sorry, baby. I shouldn’t have laughed. I should’ve helped you.”
Chaise shook her head and began to laugh herself. The more she laughed, the more hilarious it became. “Okay, maybe I overreacted. I’m sure it was a pretty funny sight.”
“It was, but I left you when I should’ve helped you instead. That’ll never happen again,” he promised. “Now we need to finish cleaning you up, my dirty girl.”
After he replaced the showerhead, Bull massaged his fingers in her hair to wash away the grime and gave her extra special attention. He gently pushed her under the spray of water, and she leaned her head back to rinse out the shampoo. After he’d repeated the process with the conditioner, he lathered her mesh travel sponge with shower gel and took his time washing every inch of her body.
“Colton?” Chaise huskily breathed his name as he gave her foot extra attention.
“Yeah, babe.”
“I’ve waited long enough.”
Bull lifted his eyes to meet hers and instantly recognized the hunger in her eyes. With a smirk, he moved deliberately slowly to increase her anticipation. “Well, if my lady is impatient, I guess I’d better do something about that.”
“Colton, don’t make me—aaahhh!”
Before she could issue her threat, the leg that had been in Bull’s hand was thrown over his shoulder and his lips were wrapped around her clit. Chaise stumbled back against the shower wall while her hands searched for something hold on to. Finding nothing but the slick tile walls, she clenched her fingers on Bull’s shoulders, her fingernails digging into his skin. With every flick of his tongue, graze of his teeth, and pull of his lips, Chaise saw brilliant flashes of light and stars. His wet, warm tongue voraciously lapped up her essence. He pushed his fingers inside her, filled her, and continued to increase the pressure until she screamed out his name.
“Damn, I love hearing that,” Bull said as he stood.
“I’ll never get tired of yelling at you for that.” She smiled alluringly.
“Let’s test that theory.”
He turned the water off, threw Chaise over his shoulder, and sprinted toward the bed. After he deposited her in the center, he resumed feasting on her body. He pulled one taut nipple into his mouth and her back arched in response. While his tongue circled the tightened peak, he rolled the other nipple between his finger and thumb, lightly tugging on it, and silently claiming each whimper as his own. The multiple sensations his ministrations elicited in Chaise’s body increased her sensitivity. Every scrape of his five-o’clock shadow pushed her closer to the edge again. Each time his teeth lightly grazed her nipple she became even more hyper-responsive.
Without forewarning, he pushed deep inside her and had to immediately still his movements when the tightness surrounding him clamped down even more. His guttural growl of appreciation echoed through the bedroom as he surged forward into her again. “I’m so fucking glad you’re mine,” he told her. “Always. You’ll always be mine.”
Chaise knew Bull well enough to read between the lines of his outward bravado. At times like this when he expressed his feelings, he showed his vulnerability. “I’ll always be yours,” she whispered in reply. “And you’ll always be mine.”
“Always,” he confirmed.
5
CHAPTER FIVE
“They’ve been in and out of her townhouse for the past week. I’m positive it’s them,” Lee stressed into the phone. His Middle Eastern accent slipped back into the tone and inflection of his voice unconsciously when he was especially upset. “Just send me the package like I said and don’t second-guess me again.”
Lee hung up the phone and settled back in his chair. As he absently rubbed his chin, his mind strayed back to the moment he’d laid eyes on the four men. There was no mistaking them for anyone else. Their builds aside, the fierceness they projected, along with the carriage and confidence from their military days, was hard to hide. The way they quickly sized him up and assessed his threat level impressed Lee, but the hatred he harbored ran much deeper than any respect he could’ve had for them.
He pushed up from his reclining position and paced the floor, walking quickly from one end of the small room to the other. After several minutes of it, he realized he’d reverted back to his old training. He’d been twisting quickly on his heel as he prepared to turn around. “Old habits die hard,” he mused to himself.
“They’ve visited the old lady every day this week.” He abruptly changed his thoughts, going back to his original topic. “She’s obviously
very special to Brianna. I heard her tell Liz that they’d come back to see her soon.”
His mind was on overdrive as he contemplated all the possibilities of revenge. That train of thought was dangerous, he knew, because it reduced his ability to focus on the task in front of him. But he couldn’t pass up the opportunity when it presented itself so beautifully and effortlessly. It would be a sin not to take advantage of the opportunity that was so obviously a divine sign. Before he realized it, his hand had curled into a fist and he was knocking on Mrs. Stanton’s door.
“Why, hello, Lee. I’m surprised to see you today,” Liz greeted him.
“Hi, Mrs. Stanton.” He smiled, hoping his expression didn’t betray his thoughts. “How are you?”
“I’m good. Would you like to come in?” Liz stepped out of the doorway to give him room to enter. “And if I’ve told you once, I’ve told you a hundred times. Call me Liz,” she laughed.
“Okay, Liz,” he conceded. “It’s a sign of disrespect in my family to call a lady by her first name, so it’s purely out of habit.”
“I can understand that.” Liz nodded. “But it’s also a sign of disrespect if a lady asks you to call her by her name and you don’t.”
“Touché,” Lee laughed.
It really is unfortunate that the old lady has to die, Lee thought. I was actually just starting to like her.
“Would you care for some coffee or hot tea?” Liz asked.
“Hot tea would be great. Thank you.”
Liz smiled and nodded. “I’ll train you right eventually.”
“You keep trying.” He flirted playfully.
“Honey?”
“What?” Lee asked, confusion marring his attempt to be suave.
“Do you want honey in your tea?” Liz clarified.
“Yes, please,” Lee replied.
After making their drinks, Liz sat at the table with Lee and they chatted amiably for a while before he brought up her recent visitors.
Wicked Nights Page 4
