by Jaime Lewis
He grabbed her hands and linked his fingers with hers. “Killing another person even in self-defense can be difficult for someone to handle. Trust me, been there, done it. But, think about what you just said. You said that you ‘had to’ kill them. You had no choice, Alex. Consider what the outcome would’ve been if you hadn’t handled the situation as you did.”
He could tell she was processing what he was telling her and knew the moment she understood.
“You’re right, I never thought about it like that. I just looked at the negativity that came from it. I’m still not proud of the way I handled myself once I got home. Ignoring my family and friends was not cool.”
He tucked a strand of hair behind her ear. “They all understand, and now you understand your days of being alone are long gone. Remember what you said the one night we were up talking?”
She chuckled, “We were up every night talking.”
He smiled at the memory of all the nights they spent cuddled in bed talking. “You and I are a team now. So, as I see it, we’re in this together. But you have to promise me that when I can’t physically be here for you, and you’re having a bad day, you’ll pick up the phone and call someone. I’ve seen too many people keep shit bottled up and end up doing something stupid.”
She hugged him. “I promise as long as you promise to do the same.” He nodded. “Now, I have an important question for you.”
“What’s that, baby?”
“Will you stay with me tonight?” She asked shyly. She was too adorable for her own good.
He grinned, “I planned on staying whether you wanted me to or not.” She arched an eyebrow, “Confident, are you?” She teased.
He tickled her side, making her laugh until she cringed, bringing the seriousness of her injuries to the forefront.
“Shit. I’m sorry. That answers my next question. You’re still in a lot of pain, huh?”
“It’s manageable now, but my ribs are still sore.” She pulled the top of her shirt down, showing him the pink puckered scar just above her breast, and he swallowed hard. A few inches lower, and she wouldn’t be sitting here right now.
“How about your back?”
“I got the last of the stitches out this morning. Dr. Matthews said I’d have some scarring.” She slid off his lap and lifted her shirt so he could see.
Scooting forward on the sofa, he ran his fingers over the angry looking pink lines gracing her back. “Do they still hurt?” He asked as he placed a kiss to each one, causing her to shiver and break out in goosebumps. He smiled, knowing he had that effect on her.
She turned in his arms and placed her hands on his shoulders. Looking down, she scrunched up her nose.
“Sometimes, although I think it is more in my head, if that makes sense.” And it did to Ace. She was experiencing what they call phantom pains.
With his hands on her hips, his fingers caressed her sides. “We all have scars. Some have them on the inside, some on the outside. Just remember that scars on the outside don’t determine who a person is.” She nodded her head.
Giving her hips one last squeeze, he stood up. “Here’s the plan for tonight. Why don’t you go and take a nice relaxing shower or bath, while I order something for us to eat.”
“Oh, I think Tenley was going to bring something from Bayside. At least that is what her text said.”
Ace snorted a laugh. “I wouldn’t count on it.”
Alex gave him a sideways look. “Why not?”
“When I left to come and meet you, she had been detained.”
“Detained?”
“Yeah, she and Potter seemed very comfortable and engrossed in conversation.”
He laughed again when Alex’s mouth formed an “O.”
“Well then, what do you like?”
“Tenley gave me the name of the Chinese restaurant you like to order from. I’ll place the order, then grab a quick shower myself. Then you and I have a date to sit and relax together on the couch with a movie.”
Before she could respond, he bent down and gave her a quick kiss on the lips before turning her toward the stairs and giving her ass a light tap to get her moving.
◆◆◆
Ace watched as she slowly climbed the stairs. Once he saw she’d safely made it to the top, he grabbed his phone and dialed the number for the Chinese restaurant and placed their order.
After a quick shower, Ace walked around the lower level of her house. Going room to room, he couldn’t fathom why one woman needed something so big for just herself. But then again, by the number of boxes stacked around the house, not to mention her full garage, he was beginning to understand. He noticed there were a lot of boxes that were half-unpacked as if she had started to unpack one but then decided to move onto a different one. Along the walls, in different rooms, pictures and wall décor were propped up against them, obviously waiting to be hung.
He walked over to the French doors in the kitchen and flipped on the outside light. She had an in-ground pool in the backyard. As he moved along, he noticed several small picture frames on top of the breakfast bar, but it was the top one that snagged his attention. The picture was taken was of Alex and the team during one of the impromptu soccer games on the base. Whoever took the picture managed to capture a rare but memorable moment, as all nine of them were gathered together and laughing as if they didn’t seem to care they were smack dab in the middle of a war where shit could hit the fan at any given moment.
“That’s one of my favorite pictures.”
Jerking his head up, Alex stood by the entrance to the kitchen, leaning against the wall, watching him. She smiled. “Sorry, I didn’t mean to startle you.”
He was so in-tuned to looking at the photo he never heard her enter the room. A mistake like that in the field could cost him or his team their lives. At least she was smart enough to know not to sneak up behind him.
He ran his eyes from her toes up to her head. Her royal blue pajama shorts showed off her toned legs. She paired it with a matching blue and white striped tank top. Her long brown hair was piled up on top of her head in some sort of messy but sexy up-do. He was mesmerized by her beauty.
She joined him and wrapped her arms around his waist.
“Who took this?” He asked, looking back at the picture.
“Colonel Johnson. He emailed it to me about a week ago, along with some others. I had them printed right before I left for my trip.” She smiled and ran her hand over the frame in his hands. “But this one stood out. I don’t even remember what we were all laughing at. I’ve seen many pictures that my uncles took when they were deployed, and I don’t ever remember seeing one like this. Look how happy we all were. You’d never be able to tell by this picture the shit storm we were going through.”
“No, you can’t. Can you get me a few more copies made?” He asked as he set the picture back in its original place while Alex went to the refrigerator to grab some drinks.
“Sure. How many do you want?”
“Eight. If that is okay.” He wanted to give one to each guy on the team. They would appreciate it as much as he did.
She grinned. “You got it.” She handed him a bottle of water. “Do you want me to show you around the house?”
“Sure, and maybe you can explain why you have so much stuff?”
She chuckled and raised one of her eyebrows. “So, you’ve already snooped, I see.” Taking his hand, she led him through the house, showing him what still needed to be unpacked and where it goes, along with all the furniture in the garage that needed to be moved.
When they stepped down into a sunken room at the far end of the house, the one that Ace hadn’t gotten a chance to check out, his jaw hit the floor when she flicked the lights on. Talk about a media room, or whatever people called them nowadays. It was a fantasy. There was something for everyone in the room to enjoy.
The two sets of French doors led out to the patio and pool area. Hanging on the wall in-between the two doors was the autographed Jaguars jersey
that he had given to her for her birthday. On the far side of the room was a fully stocked bar that could seat eight people. Next to the bar and just behind the massive chocolate brown sectional sofa was a pool table and an air hockey table. Ottomans matching the sofa were scattered around to use as added seating if needed. Custom-built shelving and display cases adorned the walls that held sports mementos she had picked up over the years. All that was really nice and pretty cool, but the main focal point was the massive flat-screen TV mounted on the wall straight ahead.
“I don’t think I’ll leave this room. What size TV is that?” He asked, still trying to take everything in.
“Eighty-five inch. I had it professionally installed along with the audio.” She pointed to the speakers hidden throughout the room.
They spent the rest of the evening eating dinner, catching up, and snuggling together on the couch. The action movie they were watching had just ended, and Ace looked at his watch; it was just after one in the morning. Alex had dozed off about twenty minutes ago and was stretched across him. He looked down at her and brushed his thumb along the dark smudges under her eyes. Hopefully, he could help ease her anxiety, and she could rest easier.
He got up, trying not to wake her as he lifted her in his arms. Once he got her into bed, he went back downstairs to clean up and made another trip around the house to check the windows and doors.
As he walked around the house, he realized how perfect this house was for a family. With the open floor plan, he could picture kids running around chasing each other. His chest tightened at the image he drew in his head. It was crazy, but he wanted a family with Alex.
He walked back into the bedroom and stripped down to his boxer briefs and climbed in the king bed. When he snuggled up behind Alex, she surprised him when she rolled over.
“You okay?” He asked, brushing her hair from her face.
“I am now,” she said, rubbing her nose along his chest. “I thought you might have changed your mind and left.”
Ace rolled her carefully to her back and used his elbow to prop himself up as he leaned over her. “Alex, I’m not going anywhere.” He flashed his sexy smile and kissed her. It was a gentle kiss, but the passion between the two of them made his heart beat faster.
When their lips parted, he looked into her eyes. They were glistening with tears. “Why the tears?” He asked, wiping them before they could spill over.
She put her left hand on his chest and the palm of her right hand against his cheek. “You,” she whispered.
“Me?”
She smiled up at him. “Yes, you.” She moved her hands up to his hair and ran her fingers through it, reminding him he needed to get a trim tomorrow.
He shifted his body over hers, using his forearms to brace himself up, making sure to keep most of his weight off her as he settled between her thighs. “I don’t understand. Explain.”
Alex closed her eyes and took a deep breath, and he placed a hand on her cheek. She opened her eyes and locked gazes with him.
“You see, there’s this amazing guy I met about a month ago who took my breath away the moment I literally fell into his arms. He’s a Navy SEAL, but that is a secret.” Ace smiled as she continued her story. “I got to know him during the weeks we spent together on a secret mission, and to be truthful, he managed to wiggle his way into my heart. When I was taken and held captive, I kept thinking about how I never got the chance to tell him that I loved him. But then God gave me a second chance.”
Ace stared down into her glistening eyes and stroked her cheek with his thumb. “What are you saying, Alex?” He knew damn well what she was going to say, but he was holding his breath until he heard the words he was longing for since the moment she stepped into his life.
“I love you, Ace. I know it seems crazy since we’ve only known each other for a month, but it’s the truth. I love -…”
She couldn’t even get the rest of her words out before he kissed her. Releasing her lips, he laid his head in the crook of her neck.
◆◆◆
Alex felt the warm puffs of air against her neck every time he exhaled. Moments later, she felt something wet hit her skin. Ace took a couple of deep breaths, and it was then she realized her man was shedding a tear. She wrapped her arms around him and ran her fingers up and down his back. His muscles jumped with each pass. He shifted some of his weight against her, causing some discomfort to her ribs, but she didn’t dare say a word as they both needed this connection.
After a few minutes of silence, he raised his head, and what she saw made her love for him grow even more. She wiped the remnants of tears from under his eyes. When he continued to stare into her eyes, she asked, “Are you okay?”
He smiled, and the wetness in his eyes made them sparkle, turning them a brighter blue.
“Sweetheart, I’m better than okay. You’ve just made me the happiest man.” He took a deep breath. “The moment you walked into my life, and I looked into those green eyes of yours; I knew you were mine and then to think that I could have lost you.” He took another deep breath and wiped his eyes again. “Fuck, Alex, I love you so much.”
She felt the tear slide slip out of the corner of her eye and drop onto the pillow. He took his thumb and wiped the wetness from her face. “I want to make love to you right now.”
Okay, now he was talking. “I have no objections.”
He smirked. “Tenley told me your doctor said no strenuous activities until he gave the all-clear.”
On a sigh, she said, “Leave it to Tenley to cock block me.”
Ace barked out a laugh, and oh what a joyous sound that was. He was still smiling. “No, she’s just being a good, concerned friend and making sure that you heal because she knows how you like to push boundaries. Am I right?” He arched one of his eyebrows, making himself appear more in charge.
She rolled her eyes. “Yes, but can you at least hold me? I’ve missed sleeping with you, and I feel safe and content in your arms.”
“Absolutely.”
He rolled off her onto his back and got situated, then pulled her down onto his chest. She snuggled closer and smiled when she heard him take a deep breath. While soaking in the bathtub earlier, she had done some thinking. Her family and friends might think they were jumping the gun, but she knew deep down this is the man she was meant to spend the rest of her life with. She wanted to ask Ace to move in with her.
She tilted her head slightly, so she could see his face. “You said you live on base, right?”
“Yeah, I was going to look for a place after this last deployment. Why?”
“Well, I was thinking about what if you were to move in here. With me?”
His lips curled, and his hand slid from her hip up to her ribs, stopping just under her breast. “If this is how I can fall asleep every night, with your sweet body pressed up against mine. Then absolutely. How about we talk about it more tomorrow morning. Right now, you need to sleep, and I need to hold you.”
“I love you, Ace.”
“I love you too.”
Chapter Twenty
“I think I went into the wrong profession. All of you guys are running around, going on secret missions and shit. I need an adventure. Well, not like the one that you went on. Just something to get my adrenaline going.”
Alex sat in the passenger seat of Tenley’s car, staring at her best friend. They were on their way to Alex’s doctor’s appointment. She was seeing Dr. Kaminski, and the look on Ace’s face this morning when she told him, should have given her a warning of what was to come.
“What on earth are you talking about? You are a head nurse in the ER department at the hospital. I’ve seen you in action before, and I’m quite sure that you get enough adrenaline from working there.”
Tenley sighed and rolled her eyes again. It was starting to make Alex a little nervous. Tenley’s eyes seemed to roll up in her head more than they were on the road. She gave her seatbelt an extra tug just to be sure she was secured.
“That�
��s not what I’m talking about. I’m talking about doing something exciting, adventurous. You know, being somewhere or doing something that gets your heart pumping. Like zip-lining through the jungle, rock climbing or skydiving.”
Alex sat back and thought about what Tenley was saying, and she was right. For the past twenty-five years that they’d been friends; she’d never seen her friend do anything like she was describing.
“Have you talked to Chaz about going on a vacation and doing some of the things you just mentioned? I mean from what you’ve told me, the man has more money than he knows what to do with. Surely you could go somewhere and do something adventurous.”
Tenley scrunched up her face and gripped the steering wheel. “Yeah, about Chaz. I’m not so sure that he’s the one for me. I think that ship has sailed its course.”
Alex wasn’t surprised at Tenley’s confession, considering what Ace had told her about how cozy her and Potter had been together at Bayside. Alex wasn’t a fan of Chaz. He was cocky, and Alex didn’t like the vibe she got from him when she had met him. But at the time, her friend was happy, so she wasn’t going to rock the boat with her opinion.
“A certain SEAL wouldn’t have anything to do with this, would it?” She questioned her friend. Tenley could try and deny the attraction to Potter all she could, but Alex could see the tinge of pink that dusted Tenley’s cheeks.
“It’s your life, Ten, and you have to make choices that are going to make you happy. I’ll support you whatever you decide. However, I will not stand back if I see that you’re unhappy and not being treated with respect. That’s not a way to live.”
Tenley pulled into the parking lot of the doctor’s office on base and put the car in park. “Thanks for always being there for me, friend. I don’t know how I would have survived all these years without you by my side.”
Alex turned toward Tenley. “Listen, Ten, if you’re interested in Potter, I can vouch for him. He may look like a hard man on the outside, not to mention he’s scary quiet, but I can honestly say he is one of the most caring guys I’ve met. And from what Ace says, you should feel special.”