A Soldier's Roots

by Tessa Elaine

  I try to relax in my seat and eat my dinner. Wyatt and I watch the game, only talking about our favorite teams. His is the Denver Broncos, and he thinks it’s funny the only reason I like the Green Bay Packers is because their QB is hot.

  The game hits halftime and I offer to get us another drink. When I come back, I sit a little closer to Wyatt, just enjoying his company. When I think we might get through the night without the talk, he turns to me with that look in his eyes. The one he had when we were on my parents back porch.

  I start to shake my head needing to stop him before he starts, but that is not going to happen.

  “Sarah, I won’t leave here until you talk to me.” I wouldn’t mind not having this talk if it meant him never leaving.

  I groan at the thought that just went through my head and Wyatt thinks it's about him.

  “Is it really that bad to talk to me?” He looks a little hurt, his brows furrowed, lips pinched.

  “No, it’s not that,” I tell him.

  “Maybe I should just go first?” I don't answer I just nod my head.

  “I should probably start with I'm sorry. I'm sorry I have been such an ass, I'm sorry I hurt you when you came to my house. I'm not sorry I hurt Brad.” He looks me dead in the eyes, and I can only huff and smile. I’m not sorry about that either.

  “I'm sorry too, I shouldn't have shown up at your house like that and I shouldn't have kissed you.”

  “No, you won't apologize for that. I'm not sorry about the kiss, never.” He runs his hand down his beard and smirks at me. “And as I remember it, I was the one that kissed you.” That half smile has my full attention, and he knows it.

  His tongue peeks out, and he licks his bottom lip. My eyes follow the move, and a small whimper slips past my lips.

  “I'm going to kiss you again, Sarah. Then you and I are going to see what this is and where it's going. I'm tired of holding back, and I'm tired of not having you in my life. If that's not something we can agree on, speak now or... fuck it, don't speak.”

  His mouth comes crashing down on mine, and he's dragging me on to his lap. Every inch of my body is heightened, screaming for me to give into him.

  His fingers are digging into my hips, and I'm praying he leaves his mark on me. My heart beats all through me, pulsing between my legs, aching for something that's leaving me dangling on the edge.

  Kissing him feels like swallowing a shot of whiskey, and I can feel the burn run all through my body.

  “Wyatt,” I moan into his mouth.

  A rumble leaves his chest, a noise that sounds a lot like a growl. His grip on me grows firmer as tension rises in his body. He wants something, but I don’t know what it is. My insecurity raises its ugly head, and I freeze, not knowing what to do next.

  “Princess, tell me what you need.” He whispers as he trails open mouth kisses down my neck, pulling my shirt to the side, and over my shoulder.

  “I don't know. Everything aches. My whole-body hurts, Wyatt.” I can't tell him what I need because I have no clue. My body feels like it's on fire, tingling everywhere, the pressure in my stomach and between my legs building.

  “You are too sweet, Sarah,” he whispers as he lays me on my back on the couch. My legs open on instinct making room for him.

  Wyatt has his right knee on the cushion and his left leg out to the side kneeling over me. One swift move and he has my shirt up over my head and on the floor. I'm not wearing a bra, and this is the first time Wyatt has seen me like this. What am I thinking, this is the first time any man has seen me like this.

  I start to feel self-conscious about my small breasts and raise my hands to cover them. Before I get the chance, Wyatt is lowering himself taking almost all of me into his mouth. My back bows off the couch, pushing toward him, needing more.

  I'm panting and clawing at the cushions, trying to ground myself before I float away. When Wyatt latches on to my other nipple his hand comes up and pinches the one he left behind. Violent shudders are tearing through me, and I feel my body locked tight with tension.

  My hips lift needing the release that I can feel coming. I just need a little more.

  “Please,” I moan to the ceiling, needing it to stop or maybe never stop. My mind is a muddy haze of hurt and pleasure I have never felt before.

  Leaning up slightly I feel his fingers trail down my stomach, and lower. His hand is shoving my tights down around my thighs. Wyatt pulls my panties to the side and slides one of his thick digits through my sex.

  “Fuck, princess, you're soaked.” Wyatt doesn't stop his torment on my nipples. Biting and sucking hard with each pass of his fingers over my swollen clit.

  My hands fly to his back, nails biting through his shirt. I think I might die. Then it happens, all at once, my mind fizzles, my body locks up, a rush of heat flows through me, and I think I could scream the house down.

  I scream his name over, and over, as uncontrollable spasms wreck my body.

  My body finally gives from the intensity of my orgasm, and I feel myself being pulled into a deep slumber. Everything after that happened so fast. I'm being lifted into a set of strong arms; I just nuzzle his neck and hold on tight while he walks me to my room. Wyatt pulls back the blankets and lays me down pressing a kiss to my head.

  “Sleep,” he whispers, tucking my hair behind my ear.

  “Lay with me,” I ask grabbing his hand when he leans back.

  The hesitation that crosses his face has me thinking he is regretting what just happened.

  “You don't have to…” I start to say, but he cuts me off.

  “Make room, Princess.” Wyatt smiles down at me.

  I scoot over and pull the blanket back letting him slide in. Wyatt pulls me close wrapping his arms around me, and I snuggle into his wide chest letting the beat of his heart lull me to sleep.

  Waking up with the sun on my face, I feel refreshingly relaxed. I can't say the last time I slept this good. Yesterday comes back to me, and I smile at the warm tingle rushing over me. I turn over to see if Wyatt's awake and find the bed empty. The only thing left that even tells me yesterday really happened is a note.

  So many thoughts run through my head as I read the note. Does he regret what happened? He hesitated when I asked him to stay last night. Was he mad because we didn’t go all the way? I was so tired after the long drive home and then the mind-blowing orgasm he gave me. Sleep was pulling me under fast.

  I read the note over again, trying to read between the lines.

  Morning princess, coffee, and breakfast are on the table. I will call you later. Have a good day at work.

  W.

  Chapter 13

  Wyatt

  I have to be the dumbest son of a bitch on this earth. Who in the hell leaves that beautiful woman in bed to wake up alone? Me, that’s who. Leaving her was the hardest thing, and still, right before the sun is up, I walk away from her.

  I made her breakfast and coffee then left a note on her pillow. A fucking note. Stupid.

  I didn’t sleep at all, but I never sleep. I just laid there holding her, begging the gods not to take her away from me. I finally have my light and losing her would kill me. But staying there and risking falling asleep was something I couldn’t do to her.

  I want to say I would never hurt her, but I can’t guarantee that. When I do get sleep I sometimes wake up with my bed tore apart and shit that I left on the nightstand broken. I know what it is, and Sarah doesn’t deserve any of it.

  I fight my demons in my sleep, and they always win. There have been a few times I wake up, and I don’t even know where I am. So, falling asleep with her was not an option.

  Then I wonder if I will ever be able to sleep with her in my arms, or is this how it will always be?

  After I went home and let Mutt out, I went through my normal day to day stuff. I cut some wood to stack on the side of the cabin. Finished that last of Lucas and Elena’s table. By that afternoon I was feeling restless, so I figured I would go check on the work at the ranch.
I assumed Lucas would be busy for the next twenty-four hours.

  That's why I'm surprised when I pull up to the ranch and see Lucas’s truck there. Shit, I wasn’t prepared to see him after everything that happened yesterday. Sarah and I didn’t get a chance to talk about what this is between us or where it was going. And we definitely didn’t talk about when we would tell everyone.

  I want to scream to the world that she is mine, but she never said she was mine. I kind of just lost control and couldn’t keep my hands off of her, so there wasn’t much talking.

  Do I tell Lucas that I’m in love with his sister? I haven't even told Sarah how I feel. Lucas has been my friend since we were kids, but I still don’t know how he will react to Sarah and I being together. We are more like brothers than friends. I would like to think he would be happy. But this is his little sister I'm talking about.

  Deciding against telling Lucas anything until Sarah and I talk more, I brace myself and walk up to the ranch door. As I reach the top step, the door opens, and Lucas is standing there, phone to his ear and a scowl on his face.

  “Everything okay, man?” I ask as he shuts the door behind him.

  “Yeah, I was just fixing to call you. That kid that saved Lexington is at the office and wants to talk to us.”

  I told Lex I would help him out and I got so distracted that I left it up to Lucas’s lawyer. I never even asked if everything worked out.

  “Shit, didn’t your lawyer take care of that?”

  “Yeah, the kid was out the next day. No charges are being pressed against him, but they are pressing them on the kid that assaulted Lexington.”

  I would love to get my hands on that little fucker that tried to hurt Lex. I nod my head and follow Lucas to his truck, and we make the drive back to town in silence.

  Walking into Wayne Construction, Dean is sitting in one of the chairs across from Beth, Lucas’s secretary. I wave at her and walk over to Dean, who stands immediately and holds out his hand.

  “Mr. Wayne, Mr. Cruz, thank you for seeing me,” he says shaking our hands.

  “Let’s talk in my office,” Lucas tells him leading the way.

  Lucas takes his seat at his desk, and I lean a hip on the edge. Dean stands in front of us arms crossed with a look of determination on his face. What is this kid up to?

  “Have a seat, Dean.” Lucas point to the chairs in front of his desk.

  “I think I’ll stand,” he says.

  “Okay, what can I do for you?” Lucas leans back in his chair.

  Dean clears his throat, “I want to start by saying thank you for sending the lawyer to help me.” Lucas nods, and Dean continues. “But I don’t like being in anyone’s debt. I asked the lawyer how much it was going to cost me, and he said it was covered by Wayne Construction. That just doesn’t sit well with me, sir.”

  “Dean, the lawyer, works for my company, and he is on retainer, so he does what I need him to do with a set fee I pay no matter how much work he does.” Lucas tries to explain to him.

  “I understand that, Mr. Wayne...” Lucas stops him.

  “Call me Lucas, my father is Mr. Wayne.”

  Dean nods and starts again. “Lucas I would like to pay you back for the lawyer. I don’t have the money right now, but if you could just tell me how much it cost you, I can work on paying you back.”

  I have been standing there just listening, trying to figure this guy out.

  “How old are you?” I interrupt. I’m guessing close to Lex’s age, but his size and his personality say he's older.

  “Nineteen, sir.”

  “Cut the sir shit out,” I tell him.

  “Yes si--..” He stops himself.

  “We didn’t do it for you. We did it because Lex asked us to. She said you saved her and she didn’t want you to get in trouble for it. Thanks, by the way, for helping my kid sister. I’m glad someone gave that asshole what he deserves.”

  Dean’s face goes hard. “He deserved a lot worse than that. If those damn teachers hadn’t stopped me.”

  “Watch it boy, one of those people that stopped you was my sister,” Lucas tells him.

  “How do you plan on paying Lucas back for the lawyer if you don’t have the money? Shouldn’t you be in school?”

  Lucas looks up at me to say something about him paying the company back, and I hold my hand up to stop him. I want to hear what the kid has to say.

  “They kicked me out of school. But your sister said she would help me get my GED,” he says that last part to Lucas. “I had a job, but after they heard about the arrest, they let me go. Small towns.” He sighs. “As soon as I find another job I will start paying you back.” He looks Lucas in the eyes.

  I look over at Lucas, and he knows exactly what I’m thinking without having to say it.

  “Where did you work,” Lucas asked him.

  “The feed store,” Dean says, a little confused.

  “How about this? You can start work with Wyatt, but right now we don’t have any jobs under contract. His crew is currently helping me rebuild my fiancés ranch. What do you say to a job instead of paying me back?”

  Dean looks from me to Lucas like he's waiting for a catch.

  “I didn’t come here for a job, sir.”

  “What did Wyatt say? Stop with that sir shit,” Lucas laughs. “You didn’t come here looking for a job, but that's what I’m offering. My sister is good on her word, if she says she will help you, she will. Now let me help you with a job. Lexington is family, and when you saved someone in my family, we are the ones indebted to you.”

  Dean shakes his head. “I didn’t do it for you, I did it because she deserves better.” I raise a brow at him, and he just stares me dead in the eyes.

  He has that same look in his eye that Lucas does when it comes to Elena and the same look that I’m sure I have when it comes to Sarah. I have to say, Lex could do worse.

  “What do you say, kid?”

  “Okay, I'll take the job. And don’t call me kid.” He shakes mine and Lucas’s hand after Lucas tells him to come in tomorrow to start the paperwork.

  After all that's cleared up, Lucas and I head back to the ranch.

  “I thought you would be locked in your house for the next few days,” I say to Lucas.

  “Elena had to get back to work today, but it wasn’t for lack of trying on my part,” he tells me.

  We don't say much more on the drive, and as soon as we get to the ranch, we both get to work. I finish up the kitchen while he finishes their bathroom.

  The entire time I work my mind keeps playing last night over and over in my head. I can still taste her on my lips, feel her under my body. Her mouth is soft and sweet, her body is small and smooth. I wanted to watch her come undone under me all night.

  As soon as she came on my hand, I was in heaven. I have never seen anything as beautiful as Sarah cumming for me. Hearing her call my name over and over, mouth open, moaning. Her legs clenched at my waist like she was holding me there, afraid I would pull away.

  Her eyes had glazed over with pleasure, and my head was swimming with thoughts of all the things I wanted to do to her. The ways I wanted to wring her body out until I was the only thought left. I want to consume her every waking moment. I want to embed myself under her skin. I want her to need me as much as I need her.

  I sound like a madman, selfish, and needy.

  Lucas calls my name, and I shake those thoughts from my head. Walking down the hall, I find him leaning against the door on the phone.

  “What's up?” I ask.

  “Mom wants to know if you are coming to Thanksgiving dinner?” Lucas holds the phone out.

  “Wouldn't miss it,” I tell Eva.

  “Oh, good. Your mom and sister are invited as well.”

  “Thanks, Eva, we will see you then.” I smile and hand the phone back to Lucas.

  Every holiday I have dinner with the Waynes. They are my family just as much as Lex and mom are. This year it's going to be a little different. Elena is back
, and this will be her and Lucas’s first holiday together. Then there is the little thing with Sarah and me.

  I really need to talk to her and keep my hands to myself this time. Thanksgiving is still two weeks away, so we have time to work things out.

  Unable to think of anything other than Sarah I decide to message her and see how her day was.

  Me: Hey princess, how is your day going?

  I stand there looking down at my phone for a while and get nothing back. Maybe she’s busy and can’t answer her phone right now. Putting my phone back in my pocket I get back to work on the kitchen.

  The long day is finally over, and I feel like Lucas, and I are getting shit done. The ranch is coming together pretty fast, and hopefully, they will be moved in soon. After Lucas and I make plans for this weekend and say bye, I head home. On the drive there I can’t help but wonder why I haven’t heard from Sarah. Did I push things to fast last night?

  I really need to get shit lined out. I don’t like us being in two different places. I want to stop playing games and give us a try. I need to tell her how I feel and find out if she feels the same way. I know she used too, but a lot has changed in that time. Plus, I have not been the most welcoming person since I returned home, especially to Sarah.

  I fucked up big time, and I don’t know if I will be able to fix it.

  Running into the house, I take a quick shower and throw on some clean clothes. I call for Mutt and decide to take him with me today. Sarah loved him when she was over, maybe he can help me win some brownie points. On the way to her house I grab a pizza, hoping like hell she will let me in to have dinner with her.

  As I pull into her drive, a thought crosses my mind. What if Lucas or someone else in Sarah’s family sees my truck parked out front? What will they think? The last thing we need right now is other people's opinions about what might be going on. Sarah is so skittish right now the smallest thing could have her running for the hills. But where else is there to park. Finally saying fuck it, I climb out with pizza in hand and Mutt on my heels.