Crystal blue water snaked around in the prettiest creek he had ever seen. It had trees overhanging like a tunnel shielding it, giving the whole place a mythical feel and look. To the left sat a huge weeping willow tree. Clasping her hand in his, she walked them both over to sit under it and gaze out at their panoramic view. “So, what do you think? This tree and I wept together on many occasions. I think it holds therapeutic magic.”
“I think this is the best spot in the world. I have a beautiful woman at my side, and a gorgeous view in front of me. A man couldn’t ask for more.” He wrapped his arm around her shoulders and pulled her closer to keep the chill from getting through her jacket.
They sat in silence for a long time, letting nature be their guide to both love and life. Finally, Bella spoke, “I went to see Jared today. I haven’t been out to the gravesite since the funeral, and I knew it was time. I needed to say a few things and get some things off my chest, and I think he did too.”
Her confession both scared and saddened him. The memory of his best friend was a haunting reminder of mortality. The ‘what ifs’ barreled into his conscious. What if Jared didn’t want him with Bella? What if he died, and left her the same way? Could she ever recover from losing both of them? “So that’s why the tears. I thought it might be something like that.”
“Yes, but these tears weren’t from the same devastated place as they were before. These were for the closing of one chapter, and beginning the next. I truly believe Jared sent you to me, knowing we needed each other. And, there is no one else he would rather me be with than you, Drake. I know that now. He will always be a part of us both, but we can work on ‘now’ together.” Before she lost her nerve, she confessed the rest. “I love you.”
Her words hit him like a ton of bricks. Instead of continuing the conversation, he turned her in his arms and pressed his lips to hers, kissing her as if for the very first, very last, and every time in between. Instead of a hot and heavy display, he gave her his heart. “I love you too, Bella.” Figuring there was no better time than now, he reached into his jacket pocket and pulled out the little box he had bought, hoping that someday he would get this opportunity. When he pulled it out, her hands flew over her mouth. This time, it was he who had tears welled up and pool in the rims of his eyes. “Bella, I know there is no woman in the world who could ever compare to you. You helped me through a time I didn’t think I would ever get over. If it wasn’t for you and the kids, there would have been no reason for me to try. Not only are you the only woman who has ever held my heart, but you are the one who was meant for me. As twisted as fate may be, it brought us together to tackle life as one. Will you marry me?” He flipped open the lid, giving her the first glimpse of the enormous diamond ring he had bought.
Bella squealed. “Yes! Of course I will! Oh my gosh it is beautiful!” Before he could slip it on her finger, he had to remove her other one. Instead of keeping it off and getting rid of the symbolism of Jared, he placed it on her right hand. Slowly, he eased his on her ring finger and smiled.
“There.” Her excited expression soon turned to something more...enthralling him instantly. “Come here.” Her command sent his cock to dance against the seam of his jeans once again. He usually was the one giving the orders, but in this case he would gladly take whatever she gave. Reaching under his shirt she felt her way around, teasing and taunting each of his tiny nipples with the pad of her thumb. At an excruciatingly slow pace, she worked her way down, following his happy trail to the button of his jeans and let her fingers ride down the zipper. Her hands slipped under, stroking his cock tenderly. With the initial need out of the way, they could both take their time and explore each other.
Even with the cool wind, Bella was sweating. The sight of his gorgeous dick made her mouth water and her pussy clench. Little by little she moved, tugging his jeans to his ankles in the process. With one hand she cupped his balls, massaging them in a circle as she stroked up and down his length. She worked him up until he thrusted against her hand, glaring with a primal, animalistic hunger. When she released him he growled.
“Bella.” With one word, he said so much. She shimmied out of her pants and pulled them off with her shoes and socks in one move. He all but choked at the sight before him. Not only was she not wearing panties, but she had the prettiest shaved pussy he had ever seen. With the elements not right, he made a mental note to taste and lick every inch of it when they got home.
The air bit her flesh, adding to the sensations that coursed through her veins. Without warning, she straddled him and took him all the way to the hilt in one motion. “Fuck! You are so damn hot, woman! That’s it, take my cock!” he roared.
“You like it when I do this?” Moved from side to side, clenching her muscles with every sway.
A deep, throaty groan was her only answer. Unable to continue her tease she began to move, lifting up and down in a steady pace. Joker slid his hands under her clothing and cupped the fullness of her tits, tweaking both nipples at the same time. She felt a gush of cream coat over his rod, adding friction to each bounce. That was her breaking point. In an unrestrained passion, she rode him hard, taking what she needed, and giving him more than her body with each plunge.
When they reached orgasm, they exploded together. The earth seemed to bounce out of orbit. Bella could hear her own screams that mingled with his. She rode out every wave of pure bliss, slowing only when the shakes and spasms subsided. When she rolled off, he gathered up her pants and put them back on her before pulling his own up.
“Damn, sugar. That was amazing.”
Bella snickered. “Yeah, it was.”
“So, I am thinking this tree now has a new use. This is no longer the ‘weeping’ willow. It is the lovin’ willow.” He pulled her into his arms and slid his arms under her head for a pillow. Looking up through the branches and leaves was pretty, and perfect, for the moment they were sharing. Each leaf and limb was delicate, but together it made up a big and strong tree—just like their relationship.
“I like that idea. I may have to come out here more often to visit it.”
“I think I like the way you think,” he joked, tickling her sides playfully.
****
As they headed home, they rode happy and refreshed. In a sense, they had both been baptized, rid of the past and haunting pain that had once consumed them both. Michael was outside waiting to get the horses when they rode into the barn.
“I wanted to be the first to congratulate you two. I know you both have been through a lot. I am proud of you guys.” Michael shook Joker’s hand and hugged Bella’s neck.
“How did you know?” Bella asked.
“There isn’t much I don’t know around here, girly. But this time it was Kodiak who spilled the beans. That’s why I came out here. They are all waiting inside for you to get back, and I wanted to be the first.” He grinned.
“Aw, well thank you, Michael. I guess we better go face the crowd.” Joker took her by the hand and led her inside with Michael not far behind.
The second the door opened, everyone was catcalling and thundering with excitement. The girls all fawned over Bella, going bonkers once they caught sight of the ring. When the kids came around the corner they all froze. She hadn’t realized they were home from school yet, and now there was no waiting to tell them. Thankfully, she didn’t. Heather and Skyler ran up and hugged them both.
“Daddy would be happy you are gonna take care of us, Unk Joker,” Heather said in such an adult voice the whole group was touched.
Skyler was next, and Bella worried if he was old enough to understand, or if he would be upset. “Now you can watch movies with us every night, and you can’t steal our bed ‘cus you have to sleep with mommy!”
The whole house busted out in laughter. Only from the words of a child.
Epilogue
Dom was busy packing up the weapons and gear to head off to their next mission when Vice walked in. The past few months had been a living hell for him. Somehow, for
some reason, his SFC had come to his attention in a new light. Before, and to all of the others, she was just another one of the guys. Now, he was infatuated with her. Besides the fraternization issues, he was a full blown Dom who had to have a total submissive. Vice was the exact opposite. She was a hot tempered, independent, strong woman who took charge and had an intense personality—and he couldn't stop thinking about her. Working hand-in-hand with her every day had been painful, as was the blue balls he went to bed with every night. The only problem was, it would never happen. He tossed the packed footlocker into the back of the Humvee a little harder than necessary, slamming it against the metal side.
“Hey, Dom. Is something bothering you, or did that trunk do something to deserve getting the shit beat out of it?” She eyeballed the back of the truck first then him, propping her hand on her hip.
“Don't start, Vice. Since you seem to have free time, go layout the weapons cache and do an inventory before it all gets loaded up,” he gruffed at her.
“What crawled up your ass and died?” she huffed and stomped off, royally pissed at the extra shitty mood Dom had been in lately. He always was a big bad wolf, but recently he had become impossible to live with. Whatever was eating at him was doing a damn good job.
As she walked off, he couldn't help but watch. Vice was built like a brick shit house. From her toned small waist to the biceps that put most men to shame, her athletic build was unbelievable. Her tight little ass swayed slightly with each step, drawing his dick up to grind against the teeth of his zipper. The sharp pain dug in and all but made him cuss aloud. He reached down and readjusted, inconspicuously trying to keep his meat from turning into ground round. His thoughts wandered to what that ass would look like bright pink, peppered with pretty stripes from the tail of his whip. Kodiak's voice jerked him out of his little imaginary fantasy, making him cover the irritating embarrassing anger that heated his face. “What?” he snapped.
“What's up with you lately, man?” Kodiak fell into work beside him, picking up one end of the tent that was laid out on the ground. He started folding, meeting Dom in the middle.
Dom's normal calm, in control persona had been unraveled for the past month. Everyone was starting to question his change in character, which pissed him off even more. Nothing rattled his cage—ever. Now, he was acting a fool over a woman. Not just any woman, his soldier for shit’s sake. Tonight at the party, he would find a little local sub to wear out and get the hell over this ridiculous sudden infatuation of the tough-as-nails Vice. The dream of coaxing her, watching her give over her submission, letting go of the in command, strong will of hers was a fantasy, and nothing more. Never would she let a man dominate her. It was the simple case of wanting what he couldn't ever have.
“Nothing. This mission has to go down perfect. There is no room for error, and I want to make sure all of you are trained and ready for whatever we face.” He flipped straight to soldier mode, turning all emotions off, which Kodiak seemed to buy, or was too afraid to press the issue.
“I know we are focusing in on the mission, but that doesn't mean we can't have a little fun tonight... There are going to be a lot of local chicks here tonight. Who knows, maybe you will find your next little horny pup to lead around on a leash,” Kodiak poked, attempting to ease the tension from their stone clad leader.
“I have no doubt that I will find someone who will take the edge off. You, on the other hand, are under strict orders to only one. We have too much going on to have three pissy chicks banging on the door tomorrow morning after you ride 'em and leave 'em.”
“One! You can't be serious boss. Give me at least two... Hell, one doesn't even take the edge off. I am a whole lot of man who needs a whole lot of pussy to get satisfied. You can't put a limit on all of this...” He swirled his hips around provocatively, laughing at the eye roll and snarl Dom had.
“Fine. Two. No more, Kodiak. I mean it. Now get this shit on the truck. The guests will be arriving anytime, and I want everything ready to go and parked on the backside of the property out of sight.”
“Roger. I'll make sure it gets done.” Kodiak took over the loading, watching curiously as Dom walked off toward the main house.
****
That night, the farm was lined with car after car. Everyone had come out to celebrate before the team left on their next deployment. From locals, to other military, the huge horse barn was packed to mass capacity. The entire inside had been decorated and transformed into a magical dance hall, complete with stage and live band. Tables had been setup in the field, where hot steaks and trimmings were served straight off the grill. Twinkling lights were strung, giving the entire area a soft glow. Vice had given in to Bella, Vince, and Alaina and allowed them to give her a makeover for the party, and now she stood, scared to walk in. Never in her life had Vice backed down from anything, and yet here she stood feeling the unfamiliar queasiness that cramped her stomach. Stepping back into the appearance of a woman felt amazing, but also gave her a vulnerability she didn't like. With a determined sigh, she squared her shoulders and waltzed in, concentrating on the little sway of her hips Vince had taught her. It seemed like the room all stopped and stared. Every direction she looked, all eyes were on her. Her face flushed a deep red, being yet another emotion she wasn't used to dealing with. She bit down on the inside of her mouth to prevent spurting something off that would be less than lady-like and kept her chin tilted high as she moved to the bar that had been built just for the party, where the others were all gathered. Vince, Alaina, and Bella were grinning from ear to ear at her, obviously proud of their beauty techniques. A few catcalls came from the guys.
“Dayum, girl! What did you do with Vice?” Romeo called out flirtatiously.
She rolled her eyes at him, smiling inwardly that they all noticed her for the woman she was for the first time, and not just a soldier in a baggy uniform and boots they all knew her as. Even on down days and functions, her civi clothes were jeans and t-shirts. It had been years since she had hung up her combat boots for a pair of pumps.
“Look at you! You are the hottest chick in here! Come on, let's get you a drink.” Bella grabbed her by the arm and led her away from the penetrating stares of the others. Even now, they all whispered and gawked at her every move. Her apprehension soon gave her a little ego boost. When she caught sight of Dom standing in the shadows of the corner with Hulk talking at his side, her stomach flip-flopped. He was dressed in a black on black suit looking hotter than the devil himself. Tall, dark, and handsome would wilt compared to the deliciously sinfulness of Dom. Her mouth watered, and her palms grew clammy. From the pitch black silky hair that had grown out from the normal military cut to the piercing, huge eyes that looked into her soul, he took her breath. Each sharp line of his masculine features were sexy as hell. Through the black silk shirt she could make out the muscles that lay beneath. He was ripped from head to toe. He was all mystery and seduction, and totally off limits, which only added to the appeal. Dom kept his eyes glued to her every move, heating something deep in the pit of her stomach that had went docile for a very long time. Bella was going on and on chattering endlessly in her ear, but she couldn't concentrate. She was stuck in a spell, unable to break eye contact.
“Vice?” The repeated question snapped her back to reality.
“Humm? Sorry, I didn't hear you.”
“I asked what you wanted to drink.” Bella glanced around, looking for what held her friend's attention. With a shrug, she turned back to the bartender.
“Oh, I’ll have a rum and coke please. Extra rum.” She grinned, looking back to Bella. “I need all of the liquid courage I can get. I never knew dressing like a woman would make me feel so damn vulnerable. I don't like it.”
Bella giggled, loving the new softer side of Vice that none of them had met. “You, my dear, are not vulnerable. You are the strongest woman I know, and now you have this entire room at your mercy. With the way you look, anyone in here will be putty in your hands. Work what the good Lord
gave you, honey.” The bartender handed them their drinks just as Joker came up beside Bella, planting a lip lock on her hot enough it would melt rock.
“Ahemmm.” She cleared her throat as the two went into a full make-out section, oblivious to their surroundings. She had to admire the passion and heat that sparked between the new couple, and was almost envious. Never had she been with a man who flat set her on fire. Everyone fell short, disappointing and being a total waste of time. Now, with the upcoming mission approaching, she knew she needed to drink enough to settle for some poor sap and try to get some satisfaction out of the evening. The only problem was, there wasn't a single guy in the room that caught her attention...except Dom.
Joker pulled back with a grin, loving the flush he brought to Bella's cheeks every time he laid one on her. “Vice, I am afraid I need to steal Bella for a few minutes. There is a matter that needs attended to immediately outside.” He kept his eyes locked on Bella's, leaving the two lost in their own little world where none existed but them.
“Sure. You two have fun. I am going to go see if I can drink Kodiak's big ass under the table and win some cash. He is such an easy target, and can't hold his liquor.”
Bella hugged her and grinned. “Thank you, Vice. I will be back in a few. Have fun, and remember, work it girl. Work it hard.” Joker had his hands sneaking up and down her body, making it hard for Bella to concentrate. One thing was for sure, Joker didn't give a shit who was watching or what other people thought. He let his intentions be perfectly clear to anyone around when it came to Bella.
Vice laughed at the ridiculous notion. “Okay, get out of here you two. You are making me nauseous.” She said good-bye and turned to walk over to the group. Halfway there, she caught sight of Dom out of the corner of her eye. He leaned up against the wall casually, with both arms folded across his chest and a lethal stare aimed straight at her. When he cocked his head slightly and one corner of his mouth tilted up in a dangerous smirk, she made a detour and started toward him. This time, she did put that extra sway in each step, walking with a slow intensity.
Broken Battlefield, Mended Hearts (Breaking Protocol Series Book 2) Page 17