by Jaime Lewis
She vaguely recalled freezing then being warmed up. Potter must have found her. But how did he know where she was?
She looked at the clock and saw it was just after eleven in the morning. Jesus! It had been months since she had slept that many hours in a night. She needed to get up. She had to be at the hospital in a few hours for her shift.
She pulled herself out of bed and looked down at the soft grey t-shirt she wore and grinned. It had to be Potter’s since it came down to her knees. She giggled at how tiny she looked in it as she walked to the bathroom.
After taking care of her morning business, she looked around the bathroom and rummaged through his cabinets, looking for a spare toothbrush. Another giggle escaped when she saw how organized his medicine cabinet was. Everything had a place of its own. Not having any luck with the toothbrush, she shrugged her shoulders and picked up Potter’s and used his. At least she wouldn’t have butt breath. Walking back out to the bedroom, she was hit by the smell of bacon, and her mouth instantly watered. She loved bacon. Especially BLTs, but hold the T and add some mustard. Yum!
In her bare feet and only Potter’s shirt, she padded down the short hallway to the kitchen. She felt weird walking around and not having any underwear on.
When she got to the kitchen, the sight before her stopped her dead in her tracks. Potter stood facing the stove, cooking in just a pair of light blue jeans that hung low on his hips. His back muscles rippled with every movement he made as he flipped the bacon with the tongs in his hand. Her mouth watered for more than bacon. She could say forget the bacon and just have him for breakfast.
His deep resounding voice made her gasp. “Are you just going to stand there and stare at me, or are you going to sit down?” He turned to look at her and winked. Jesus, the front view of him, was an even better sight to behold. She knew her mouth was probably gaping open. What she would do again to be able to run her fingers down his taut chest and over every ridge and dip of his defined abs. From there, they’d travel to that impressive V muscle that led down to the land of no return.
She heard him clear his throat, and she blushed as she turned her head away from him after realizing she had been caught staring at his crotch as if she was going to have his cock for breakfast.
Chuckling, he walked over and kissed the top of her head. “If you keep staring at me like that and licking those luscious lips of yours, I won’t be held responsible for throwing you up on this island and having my way with you.”
Hot damn! She liked that idea. Groaning, she sat on one of the stools at the island until her bare ass landed on the cold wood. She squeaked, and Potter laughed before turning back to the stove.
He pointed to a bag on the couch, a bag that looked like one of hers. As if he could read her mind, he explained that he had spoken with Ace earlier in the morning, and Alex packed her a bag. There were enough clothes for a couple of days and if she needed anything to text Alex and let her know and she’d get it to her.
She went to see what Alex had packed for her while Potter finished up and set their plates of food on the island.
As she rummaged through the bag, she asked, “What do you mean a couple of days’ worth of clothes? I only see comfy clothes and some jeans. I have to work and get my car. That’s if it already hasn’t been towed.”
Potter took an intimidating step towards her as she stood up, and she took a step back only for her shoulder blades to hit the wall.
He put his hands flat against the wall, one on each side of Tenley’s head, caging her in. Her heart was beating erratically. He lowered his body, so he was eye level with her. She licked her dry lips and swallowed hard. Jesus, the man, was sinfully deadly.
“You are staying here with me for a couple of days.” She tried to protest, but he put a finger over her lips and shushed her.
Christ, she wanted to suck his finger right into her mouth and swirl her tongue around it. She wanted him so badly.
Dear God, did he expect her to stay here for a couple of days and not want him?
Potter was a lethal man. She could just imagine him on the battlefield in action. Anyone in their right mind would listen to him. He could probably make animals listen to him. Now that was a thought that made her grin—imagining Potter with a little kitten in his large hand and him whispering to it.
He smirked. “Okay now I’d love to know whatever just went through your mind and put that big ass smile on your face.”
She blushed and went to lower her head, but he lifted her chin.
“You’ve been running on fumes for quite some time. You’re exhausted. You need to take better care of yourself, starting now.” He paused for a moment and just stared into her eyes. “Here’s what’s going to happen. You are going to take your bag and go change into something comfortable because knowing you are completely naked under my shirt is wreaking havoc on my control right now,” She smirked at him. At least she wasn’t the only one this morning feeling frisky. His eyes held a gleam to them, and he continued, “Then you’re going to come back out here and have breakfast with me before we sit down and talk like civilized human beings.”
Tenley swallowed hard and nodded her head because she really for once was at a loss for words.
Potter leaned into her and gently brushed his lips over hers before pulling back. “Just as I remembered, so sweet.” He closed his eyes like he was savoring the taste of her. She blushed, and he gave her a boyish grin before backing away, releasing her.
◆◆◆
After breakfast, Potter left Tenley in the kitchen to clean up so he could take a quick shower. He offered to help with the clean-up, but she told him it was the least she could do since he had cooked.
After drying off, he pulled on a pair of black sweatpants and a white long sleeve t-shirt.
As he got ready, he thought about how comfortable it was having Tenley in his condo. Even though it was just a condo with the bare necessities, it was his to call home; a place to come back to and not have to worry about anything or anyone. But having Tenley here and sharing his private space with her felt right. Now he just needed to do some damage control and convince her that she was his. He also had a lot of other questions to ask along the way.
He sighed as he sat on the bed to put some socks on. It was going to be a long day and possibly a long night. He stood up and took a deep breath before he went to search for her.
When he got to the living room, he noted how quiet it was and his gut twisted. But movement on the balcony caught his eye, and he walked to the sliding glass door and saw Tenley curled up in one of the two Adirondack chairs. She was cuddled under the thick brown throw blanket he had laying on his couch.
When he opened the door and stepped onto the balcony, his heart sunk when she turned her head and looked up at him. Her eyes were red and glassy, matching her cheeks and nose. She’d been crying while sitting alone.
“Ten...” He closed the distance between them and lifted her, then sat down in the chair with her nestled on his lap. He pulled over the ottoman and propped his feet up. She laid her head against his chest and snuggled closer to him while he adjusted the blanket, so it was covering both of them. Once they were settled, he sighed. This was perfect. Exactly the way it should be.
◆◆◆
Tenley laid her head against Potter’s chest and burrowed her body into his. For the first time in months, she felt as if a safety net had been pulled over her.
“Comfortable?” He asked in a teasing voice, obviously amused with her snuggling, and she smiled, nodding her head. She rubbed her nose against his soft shirt. He smelled so good—that fresh, clean smell of soap and sandalwood.
Being in his arms like this started to bring back all of the good memories the two of them shared. Then as quickly as they appeared, the ugly thoughts began to make their way into her mind, pushing them away. She thought of Suzette and wondered if she was getting her hopes up of her and Potter mending their relationship. For all she knew, Potter could be seeing Suzette. Bu
t then she remembered the kiss he gave her at breakfast and how he held her last night in bed, the same way he was holding her as she sat curled up in his lap.
“What’s going through that beautiful mind of yours? I can hear the wheels turning.” His deep voice vibrated in his chest, where her head lay.
She swallowed the lump in her throat and tilted her head back to look up at him. She licked her lips. “Before we go any further, I have to know something.” She pulled her bottom lip between her teeth. She was nervous. Nervous of rejection.
“What do you want to know, Ten? We’re being honest here. Today is about opening up and getting everything off our chests.”
“What is the deal with Suzette? Because from the looks of things last night, it appeared you guys were…close. I don’t know if I can emotionally handle opening myself up right now to you and then for you to not be there for me after.” She started to tear up again and laid her cheek back against his chest. She hated crying. She wanted to be strong.
Potter sighed loudly, then cupped her chin with his hand making her look directly into his eyes.
“Ten, is that why you were out here alone crying before I came out?” She sniffled and shook her head.
“There is nothing between Suzette and me or any other woman for that matter. You are the woman I want. I’ve wanted you since the moment I saw you through the glass at Bayside. Believe me when I say that last night was completely out of my control.”
Tenley gave him a look and scrunched her eyebrows together. She wondered how him kissing someone could be out of his control. He must have heard the words in her mind because he quickly continued.
“I was up at the bar ordering a drink. I didn’t see you come in, but it turns out Suzette did. She told me that she had something important to tell me, and when I bent down so I could hear her over the music, she grabbed my face and started kissing me. Believe me, Tenley, I didn’t return the gesture, nor did I condone her behavior. Christ, Stitch and Frost were up out of their chairs so fast and in my face. Thank god Ace got to Frost before he laid into my ass.” He paused for a moment and stared at the ocean for a few seconds before peering back at her as she continued to look at him.
“You don’t understand, Ten. When I saw how sad you looked, it shattered me. You know I’ve never really seriously dated anyone. But you...” He gripped her chin and ran his thumb along her jawline. “I knew you were special. When I read your text after that deployment back in November saying you wanted to end things between us, I lost it. I’m a hard man, but I was so sick with sadness. Besides my family, you are the only person who has ever brought me to my knees.
“I love you, Tenley Cortez, and I am so fucking sorry for the way I treated you. I should’ve never walked away without giving you a chance to explain. I’ve been paying the price for it ever since. I have missed you so much. And I will spend every day for the rest of my life, making it up to you if you’ll give me that chance.”
His eyes were glassy, and Tenley’s heart felt like it was going to explode, as Potter’s words echoed in her mind. She had waited her entire life to have a man admit his love for her. She felt a tear roll down her cheek. “You really love me?” She whispered it so softly he probably couldn’t hear her over the sound of the waves crashing onto the shore.
He smiled, showing his perfectly straight white teeth and gently caressing her cheek. “Yeah, honey, I love you.”
She smiled all teary-eyed at him. “I love you too. So much that it’s been killing me not being able to tell you. I thought I had lost you.”
He wiped her tears from her face. “We would’ve found each other eventually.” He dipped his head and gently kissed her.
He released her lips and got serious. “Okay…now that we both know we’re in this together, let’s talk. Let’s start back at the beginning.”
She gulped.
◆◆◆
Potter could see Tenley was struggling. Was she afraid he would have more outbursts like before? He hoped not. He felt like such a dick for unloading on her the way he did. He sat patiently, watching her battle internally with herself. She started nibbling her lip, then her eyes welled with tears, and it broke his heart. He couldn’t take seeing the pain etched on her face any longer. His woman needed some assurance that she didn’t need to fight whatever demons were possessing her alone.
He gave her a little squeeze and nuzzled his nose in her hair. “Talk to me, Ten. We’re in this together, remember?” The corners of his mouth twitched upward.
She glanced up at him. “I know, Potter. The problem is, I don’t know where to start.” He heard the tremble in her voice.
“Okay, let’s start with the hardest conversation; the baby.” He felt her heart start to beat faster, and he rubbed her back. He’d start by asking her the questions he should’ve asked weeks ago instead of having his head up his ass.
“How far along were you?”
She sniffled. “About eight weeks, they estimated.”
He was trying to do the calculation in his head on when the baby was thought to be conceived. “I thought you were on the pill?”
“Yeah, but remember when I had that nasty sinus infection?” He nodded, remembering how much pain she was in. “Well, stupid me forgot that certain drugs could cause other drugs to become less effective. The amoxicillin I was prescribed was most likely the culprit of me getting pregnant. It has that effect on birth control pills. And well, you and I had sex while I was on the sinus medicine. A lot!” She smiled shyly, and he chuckled as her cheeks turned a nice shade of pink. He most definitely remembered the sex. The sexual chemistry between the two of them was out of this world. He could get lost in her sweet body every awakening minute.
“Were you happy?” He asked, holding his breath.
She nodded and smiled. “Well, as you could imagine, I was surprised, but after the initial shock wore off, I was so excited. I couldn’t wait for you to get back to tell you. I’ll admit deep down I was nervous because having children was something you and I never discussed. I mean, we had only been dating for about a month and a half.”
Her talking about the past made Potter think back to their first kiss. Hell, it was their first for everything that night. It was the night she and Alex went to a club, and both of them ended up so intoxicated that he and Ace had to go and pick them up. He chuckled to himself. Going to that place had been an experience in itself.
Ace had taken Alex to get something to eat, so Potter drove Tenley home. After Tenley and he had transformed Ace and Alex’s bedroom into some romantic fairytale room for when they got home, Tenley had invited him next door to her house for a beer. He was so intrigued by her that he couldn’t say no. He wanted to get to know her more. And boy did he get to know her quite well. All it took was one innocent kiss that quickly progressed into licking, groping, and when the clothes started flying, the next thing he knew, he was buried balls deep in her.
It had been the best sex of his life. And he’d had several bed partners, although each experience was meaningless. Just a warm body to find a release, in-between deployments. But the first time he and Tenley both exploded in bliss together, he knew she was his for the taking. Shit, he never cuddled after sex. That went against his rules. But when she plastered her sweet as sin body up against his, he held on with both hands and never wanted to let go.
Now, as he sat there listening to her talk about babies, he knew he wanted them with her. But the question was, would she still want kids after losing one, and after all of the turmoil she went through? Fuck! He needed to stop getting ahead of the conversation and let her finish. He gave his head a mental shake and focused his attention back to her.
“Like I said, I was so excited and was already thinking of ways I could surprise you when you got home,” She took a deep breath and let out a sob. “But I never got that chance. I lost our baby that night. I’m so sorry. I wasn’t strong enough to protect our baby.” She buried her face in his chest and cried.
Potter h
ad a few tears of his own he managed to keep at bay. He had to be strong for Tenley. She was broken and went through losing their child alone. What he didn’t understand was why she kept blaming herself.
“Do the doctors know why you lost the baby?” Her body began to shake, and she cried harder. He hugged her tighter as he rubbed her back. He buried his nose in her hair.
“Come on now, honey, this wasn’t your fault. Miscarriages happen all the time.”
She shook her head side to side and sniffled. “No, you don’t understand. He took our baby from us and threatened to kill you and all of our friends.”
Potter stilled at her words. “He took our baby.” Was she insinuating she lost the baby at the hands of another human being?
It might have been cold outside, but the blood coursing through his body was boiling. Some fucker hurt her and killed their baby! He was seething, but he needed to focus on Tenley right now. Jesus, what had she been dealing with alone for all of these months?
He rubbed her arms as he tried to calm her down. “Tenley, breathe. I got you.” Her cries became borderline hysterical, and his shirt was soaked with her tears.
“I- - I c-can’t,” She tried speaking, in between her sobs. “He has me followed, and he’ll hurt you. He’ll hurt anyone I talk to.”
He grabbed her cheeks between his hands, stilling her and making her look at him. “Baby, listen to me. Nobody is going to hurt me. If someone hurt and threatened you or anyone who you surround yourself with, they won’t like the consequences dealt to them. I need you to tell me who this asshole is and exactly what happened, and don’t leave any detail out. I expect the truth.” He felt himself starting to lose his temper. Not at her, but at the entire fucking situation.
He watched her wipe her eyes and try to put herself together. He knew his girl still had some fight in her. She had just been knocked down, but with his help, she’d be back on her feet in no time.
