Marine Brother

by M K Dwyer

  He heard a ding and the doors opened as they practically fell out of the car and stumbled to their door. With his lips still pressed to hers, it took a few tries to get the key card to work, and they both breathed a sigh of relief when the door opened, and their room came into view.

  Guiding her into the room, he didn’t stop until they were at the window. The curtains were open, but their room was dark, and they were ten stories in the air. They could look out at the beautiful city of San Diego, but someone would be hard pressed to see inside. It was perfect for what he had in mind.

  He turned her around to face the window and pressed her lightly against it.

  Cocooning her body between his body and the window, he whispered in her ear, “Is this all right, beautiful?” She’d reacted less and less to being trapped over the last few months, but he still made sure the things he did didn’t trigger anything for her.

  She nodded, and her words came out breathless. “I’m good. I’m really good. Thanks for checking.”

  He chucked as his hands resumed roaming her body. Refusing to stop until every inch of her creamy, white, lightly-freckled skin was bare, he nibbled on her neck as he slowly undressed her from behind.

  In a matter of minutes, she was completely nude while he was still fully clothed, but he couldn’t wait long enough to undress and join her. He undid his pants and pushed them to his knees with his boxers only stopping when he realized his wallet with the condom inside fell to the floor when he dropped his pants.

  Theresa groaned like she knew why he hesitated. “Just put it in me.”

  “Are you sure?”

  “We’ve done the tests, we’re engaged, and I’m still on the pill. I think we’re good. Dammit, put it in me before I explode.” She braced her hands on the window and pressed her ass against his cock for emphasis.

  He chuckled. He loved it when she got bossy. “Yes ma’am.”

  Lining himself up, he slid home as she moaned her pleasure. Damn. She really was ready for him. He held her hips as he pistoned in and out of her watching as her breasts pressed hard against the window each time. He imagined the cold glass felt amazing on her over-heated skin, but he also wished his hands were in between the glass and her hardened nipples.

  Instead, he reached around, and her breathing hitched when he found her swollen clit. Feeling his own orgasm bubbling to the surface, he wanted to make sure she was right there with him. He rubbed, pinched, tapped and teased until she was panting in his arms, and when her climax rocked through her, he finally let go too.

  He’d never felt so undone in his entire life. If he hadn’t already asked Theresa to marry him, he would have blurted it out right then after such a powerful experience.

  Chapter Twenty-one

  Theresa

  After a night of celebratory love-making on every available surface of their hotel room, they each inhaled a couple of cups of coffee as fast as the little hotel room coffee pot would brew it.

  They didn’t get much sleep, but that wouldn’t stop her from being at Will’s house in time to see Joe coming down the stairs on Christmas morning.

  She texted Will when they got there so he could let them in with as little noise as possible, and not five minutes later, Joe came bounding down the stairs. The smile on his face was everything she’d imagined and more.

  “Mom! You’re here!” Joe threw his arms around her and she squeezed him back.

  “Of course, I am, Jo-Jo. I wouldn’t be anywhere else.” It broke her heart that Joe hadn’t known whether to believe she would be there that morning, but she would prove to him over and over that she would always be there for him until he fully believed it.

  Joe rushed to the stack of presents surrounding the tree and they all oo’d and aa’d as he tore into his gifts. She’d always loved Christmas and had plenty of epic Christmas’s as a kid, but nothing was better than being a parent at Christmas and seeing the joy on Joe’s face. She hoped he never lost his exuberant love of Christmas.

  After a few minutes, the sea of wrapping paper surrounding Joe was so deep that Theresa didn’t catch which present he was opening until it was too late.

  He held up an ornament. “What’s this?”

  “Oh hun, sorry. That’s probably the only present under the tree that is not yours.” She laughed as he handed it to her and she brought it over to Nikki and Will. “Merry Christmas and Happy Housewarming, you two. Just a little something from Blake and me.”

  Nikki held up the ornament and smiled. While she and Blake had been at the mall shopping for Joe, they came across a kiosk that customized the Christmas ornaments they chose while they shopped. It was shaped like a front door with a wreath on it. The head jam over the top of the door said, “Our First Home,” a banner across the wreath said, “Will & Nikki,” and written on the bottom panel of the door was the year. What she loved most about the ornament was that the other side of the door wasn’t a blank slate. It looked like, well… it looked like the other side of the door. She’d paid a little extra to customize the back of the ornament as well. It said, “Our First Christmas too” across the middle of the door.

  “Oh, Theresa. I love it! Thank you so much.” Nikki jumped up and hugged her. She hadn’t expected that, but it felt good. Hugging the shorter, curvy woman back she teared up as she accepted her gratitude. Probably not for any reason specifically, except becoming a mother made her a sap. Well, when she let it show, at least.

  “Thank you, Theresa. It’s the perfect gift.” She looked at Will when he spoke and there was understanding there. It was an odd situation to be there, not only together on Christmas morning but with their significant others. In a few short years, they’d gone from together as a couple to splitting their time with Joe to possibly trying to co-parent. She was even going to put an offer on the house across the street. They would have to get used to spending time all together, so neither parent would have to miss any defining moment of Joe’s life.

  “You’re welcome. I’m so glad you both like it. I’ll admit, I was a little nervous.”

  “No. It’s perfect. I’m going to put it on the tree right now.” Nikki jumped up to place it on the tree and it looked great. If I do say so myself.

  “Hey Joe, why don’t you start taking your new presents to your room and we’ll gather up the trash.” She wanted a moment to speak to his dad.

  Nikki helped Joe clear his new toys out of the living room while Blake, Will and Theresa started on the mess.

  “Will, we’re thinking of heading back to Yuma tonight to surprise my grandmother, and then possibly going to Vegas to see Blake’s family and staying through the new year. I’d like to take Joe with us. Is that okay. I mean… do you have anything planned for Joe this coming week?”

  It was completely foreign to her to ask her ex for permission to spend time with her son, but a new dynamic had formed while she was away. After being the sole parent for the last few months, Will wanted more say in their son’s life, and she not only understood that, but she would respect that.

  “I think that’s a great idea, Theresa. He’d love that time with you.”

  “Great! I’ll go tell him to start packing. And could you tell your neighbor that I’d like to tour his house when we get back to San Diego? I don’t want to make any promises, but it looks like a great house for us.”

  Blake pulled her close and kissed the side of her head. She had no idea how he could always tell when she needed a little comfort, but he was right on time as always. She laid her left hand on his chest and closed her eyes as she soaked it all in.

  “So, he actually popped the question last night, huh?”

  She opened her eyes and turned her head towards Will. “What? You knew?”

  “He asked me if I thought you’d say ‘yes’. I gave him a few encouraging words.” Will smirked at her and she started to tear up.

  “He asked me too!” She was surprised to hear Joe yell from the hallway as he came running back into the living room. “He asked me for m
y blessing, and after he told me what that means, I gave it to him.”

  She let go of Blake to hug Joe as her tears fell into his mop of blonde hair that was so much like his father’s. She didn’t have words to express how blessed she felt in that moment to have such amazing people in her life, so she just held Joe a little tighter as she cried.

  Blake laid a hand on her shoulder. “I hope those are happy tears, beautiful.”

  She took a moment to find her voice, so she could assure him. “They are.”

  Taking Joe’s face in her hands, she looked into his light blue eyes. “Thank you, Jo-Jo. You are an amazing kid. Do you know that? Thank you for accepting Blake even though you’ve just met him. He’s a good man, and I know he’s going to be good for both of us and good to both of us.”

  “He makes you happy, mom. I like it when you’re happy.”

  She squeezed him again and cried harder.

  “Are you okay, mom?”

  “Yes, Jo-Jo. Never better.”

  “Okay. Can I go play now?”

  Her tears turned to laughter. “Of course. Go play, but you also need to pack. We’re going to go see Grandma tonight and then go meet Blake’s family tomorrow. How would you like to spend New Years Eve with me and Blake in Las Vegas?”

  “Cool! I’ll go pack now!”

  She turned back to her ex-husband. “Thank you, Will. We’ll be back after the new year, in time for school to start again.”

  “I know you will. I trust you. There’s no need to thank me, Theresa. He’s your son too, and I know you missed each other. We’ll work out a regular schedule for him when you get back to town.”

  She couldn’t help it. She thanked him again because she was so happy.

  They all had a quick brunch together that Nikki had prepared and then piled in the rental car for the trip back to Yuma.

  They had Christmas dinner with her grandmother who had even more presents for Joe and she screamed with joy when Theresa showed her the engagement ring. It was good to see her grandmother after so many months away, and she promised to visit more even after they moved to San Diego.

  The next day, they returned the rental car and drove Theresa’s car out to Las Vegas. After everything that had happened, she was nervous about meeting Blake’s family. It was Mark’s family too, after all. She was worried they would blame her for his death, or at least, not be able to accept her as Blake’s fiancé.

  During the drive, her and Blake talked to Joe about the fact that Blake was Mark’s brother and that Mark had passed away. She didn’t want to talk about it and wished they could just move on, but they wanted to warn him in case Blake’s family brought up Mark. There were also bound to be pictures of Mark around his parent’s house.

  Joe continued to amaze her. He took the news so well, but she shouldn’t have been surprised. He’d rolled with every punch life had thrown at him that year, but she still hoped that the next year was less eventful for all of them.

  Epilogue

  Blake

  Two months later

  Shaking Terry’s hand, he grinned at the man excited for the next chapter in his life. He’d just bought in as an equal partner in Terry’s private investigators and protection business in San Diego and knew he’d made the right decision leaving the police force.

  “Do you have a minute to go out and celebrate with a drink or do you want to get home to the little woman?”

  Blake laughed. “Don’t let her hear you call her that or she’ll have your balls.”

  “Like she has yours?” Terry grinned at him.

  “She doesn’t have my balls. I love riling her up, but I know what I’m getting into when I do it.” He winked at his friend. “Anyways, yes, I’m going home to Theresa and celebrating with her. Rain check?”

  “Yeah. Rain check. Just don’t celebrate too hard, all right? I need you starting Monday morning. We have to get started on a big account I just signed.”

  “Yeah, man. I’ll be here. See you then.”

  “See you.”

  Only stopping for flowers on the way, his truck practically had wings as he flew home.

  “Honey, I’m home!”

  Theresa met him in by the door and he handed her the flowers as he kissed her long and hard.

  She laughed, pulling away from the kiss an inch. “So, I guess everything went well with Terry?”

  “Yep. I think we’re both going to be very happy with the agreement we came up with.”

  “Good. Joe will be home in an hour. Want to celebrate while we have the house to ourselves?”

  “Damn, I love you.”

  She giggled. “I love you, too.”

  He dropped to one knee in front of her and kissed her still-flat belly. “And how is Baby Banner today? You’re not giving mommy too much trouble today, are you?”

  Theresa giggled again. “Not too bad. A little nauseous, but not enough to stop me from taking you to the bedroom.”

  “You’re amazing, beautiful. Do you know that?”

  “Yeah. I do.”

  She smiled at him and he laughed as he scooped her up and carried her to their bedroom.

  They’d called 778 Melrose Lane, the house across the street from Will, “home” for almost a month, but while they’d been in the process of buying the house, they’d both made a lot of changes. Some planned, but some not.

  He’d officially turned in his badge almost the minute he was back in Las Vegas. His captain had tried to change his mind, but his sergeant hadn’t been surprised in the least. He’d said he knew Blake was burnt out and was just waiting for Blake to realize it himself.

  Then, they decided to use the week between Christmas and New Years to fly back up to Montana and drive his truck and trailer back to Las Vegas. They’d only been able to spend a couple of days on the ranch but promised Joe there would be plenty of opportunities to visit in the future. Bryan and Rebecca were happy to hear that as well, and Blake wondered if they would still feel that way once Bryan’s siblings started moving home.

  Not long after that he turned in the keys to his apartment and put everything in storage until they closed on the house. With two households of furniture, they had to consolidate once they started moving in.

  Theresa had also made changes. She’d put all her things in storage as well while her house was on the market. It was just easier to rent a furnished apartment for a month while they were buying the house than packing and unpacking twice. Her house hadn’t sold yet, but they were confident it wouldn’t last long on the market.

  It only took her a few weeks to realize the biggest change of all was growing inside of her. They figured it most likely happened the night they got engaged. He’d thought her agreeing to marry him was the best present of all, but it turned out she would top that present with a couple of little pink lines on an unassuming white plastic stick.

  When they told Joe that he was going to be a big brother, their joy tripled with his response. Blake didn’t think they could get a bigger, happier reaction from him if they told him they were taking him to Disneyworld. He was such a great kid, and Blake knew he was going to make an amazing big brother.

  Once in their bedroom, he laid her down and quickly stripped down to his boxers before climbing on to the bed next to her. He wanted to take his time worshipping her body. He had a whole hour and he intended to use it.

  He started by lifting her shirt and kissed each new inch he uncovered as it went up. When he reached her bra, he slipped his hand behind her and flicked it open. As he pushed her shirt higher, he pushed the bra with it revealing her plump breasts and hardened nipples. Not that they weren’t perfect before, but the pregnancy was already making her breasts swell and he was enjoying the extra fullness. He was a man, after all.

  He took one in each hand and sucked on her nipples. One and then the other. She moaned.

  “Don’t stop. That feels so good. My nipples are so sensitive.”

  He smiled and sucked on them again, harder.

  S
he hissed. “I take it back. Too sensitive.”

  He chuckled but moved on pushing her shirt higher until he was ready to lift it over her head.

  She sat up to help him get it off, and when she was free, he finally kissed her lips. He took his time kneading her lips with his, licking and nipping, pressing bare chest to bare chest.

  With their lips still locked, his hand wandered down her stomach and slipped under the band of her shorts, then under the band of her underwear until he found her clit. It was already swollen like a beacon guiding him home. His middle finger slipped lower into her slit and brought the wetness up to her clit as he circled, pressed and pinched.

  He kept up the rhythm until she was panting and moaning beneath him. He knew she was close.

  “Come for me, beautiful. I want to hear you scream my name.”

  A few more ministrations and her grip on his arm tightened. He didn’t even remember her grabbing his arm, but the feel of her nails in his flesh as she orgasmed was enough to make him wish he was inside her coming with her.

  “Oh, Blake!”

  He smiled. He loved hearing his name on her lips. Sitting up, he removed his boxers and then pulled her shorts and underwear off of her while she enjoyed the afterglow of her orgasm.

  He laid down and went to pull her on top of him, but she stopped him.

  “No. I want you on top.”

  “Are you sure, beautiful.”

  “Yes, I want to feel your body on mine.”

  He smiled and obliged, covering her body with hers without pressing his weight on her too much. That was a big step for her, and he didn’t want her to regret it.

  He kissed her as he rubbed his cock along her slit, coating himself with her. She wrapped her arms around his neck, pulling him closer as she broke the kiss and just said, “Fuck me.”

  He chuckled as he lined himself up with her. “Yes, beautiful. Anything you wish.”

  Sliding in, he hooked his arms underneath her legs, pushed her knees to her chin and held them there as he pistoned in and out. Sounds of flesh against flesh, grunts and moans filled the room. Just watching her breasts bounce with each thrust wasn’t enough. He had to feel them.