by KD Michaels
Everyone laughed at Caroline’s joke about Joe. “Are you sure?” Laura asked hesitantly. Dude growled, “I’m going to kick your ass, woman. Let’s go. We’ll come back later for your car. You’re not sneaking away.” Dude threw his arm around Laura and made her walk with him.
12
Laura walked into the house with Caroline and Fiona on each side of her. Caroline kissed Wolf as he walked past her to go check on the backyard. Cookie did the same thing with Fiona and followed Wolf.
Dude stayed back, “Are you going to be ok?”
“Yeah, thanks Dude. I’m just nervous. What if he’s changed his mind?” Laura asked quietly.
“Then we’ll kick his pansy ass and make it a party, SEAL style.” Dude smirked.
Laura laughed at Dude’s joke. She turned when she heard the back door opening and gasped when she saw Joe walk in. She squeezed Dude’s hand once and walked over to Joe. She looked up into his eyes and held his gaze.
“Hi, lass. Wolf said ye were here. I had te see that ye were ok myself.” Joe had his hands in his front pockets to keep from reaching out for her.
“Hi, Joe. Is there someplace we can talk?”
“Aye we can go inte the kitchen or down te the basement where I’ve been sleeping.”
Laura shrugged. “Either one’s fine, lead the way.”
Laura followed Joe down to the room in the basement. She put her hands in her front pockets mimicking Joe. She so badly wanted to reach out and touch him but she was so scared to do so. Instead she asked, “How are you?”
Joe looked at Laura like she’d grown an extra head. “How do ye think I am Laura? I am miserable without ye. I miss ye like crazy. I cannae sleep at night since ye are nae next to me. I keep worrying about ye at night, wondering if ye are sleeping, if ye are eating, wondering if ye are ok with the nightmares. I’ve been in hell the last week, damn it.”
“If it helps, I’ve been miserable, too. I miss you like crazy, too. I’ve missed having you hold me at night. I can’t sleep. Captain Irby put me off yesterday threatening to put me back on medical leave. Something about the walking dead weren’t allowed in the office or she’d find someone to shove an arrow up my ass.” Laura let out a small laugh.
Joe chuckled, “Sounds like ye Captain.”
Laura sighed, “I called yesterday and made an appointment with Dr. Hancock -the shrink Fiona and Caroline recommended to me. They had a last-minute cancellation so I had my first appointment yesterday. I’ll be seeing her twice a week for a couple of weeks.”
Joe smiled at Laura. “I’m glad, love. What has Wolf, Cookie, and Dude in a snit when they came back from seeing ye at the beach?”
“Ah, you saw the looks, huh?” At Joe’s nod Laura continued, “Apparently my mother and my stepsister Jennifer were at the beach walking and decided to make a scene. Dude lit into them both. He warned them that if they came near me they would regret it, something about twelve new brothers and eight new sisters.”
Joe laughed at the image. “Aye, that would have been nice te see. Dude has a soft spot for women. He hates te see someone being put down. Apparently his wife Cheyenne had the same kind of mother and sister. He cannae stand that shite. But he’s right, lass. Ye have my team, Doc’s wife, Speedy’s wife, Wolf’s team, and their wives as family now.”
“That’s just it, Joe. I don’t know why Wolf and his team are so overprotective of me like that. I ended things with you and yet they were still there helping you fix the chaos in the house. Technically I should be the most hated female in the SEAL community right now.”
Joe stepped forward and placed his hand on Laura’s arm. “Lass, when these men found ye, ye held a gun te them, willing te still fight even after they took out the men who were hurting ye. Ye put yourself in the line of fire when the arseholes came te harm those girls. Ye fought Mendoza with every breathe in ye body te keep the girls safe. Even injured ye walked four miles despite the pain ye were obviously in. Ye refused te allow the men te carry ye, afraid it would slow them down. When ye were shot, ye was nae the target, Wolf was. Ye stood up and turned at just the right time. Had ye just stood up, then ye would have been killed. But ye saved Wolf’s life when ye stood up. Te these men, ye earned their respect because ye fought Laura. These men will also tell ye they have made mistakes with their lasses as well when they were going through what they were dealing with. But make nae mistake Laura, these men consider ye family and will come running if I’m nae here and ye need them. All ye would have te do is call them.”
Laura could no longer hold in the tears. “I was so scared down there. I thought I would never see you again. Every time Mendoza would hit me, whip me, or whatever they would do, I kept thinking that was it. When Mendoza realized that he wasn’t harming me or Cortez that way, he decided to get more aggressive with his beatings. He would tie Cortez into a chair and make her watch and then do the same to me. He would taunt us with hateful things. While we didn’t give him what he wanted, I felt myself breaking. All I could think about was how you would look at me if you thought that Mendoza raped me. Would you still want me? Would you still love me? Could you still stomach to touch me, make love to me knowing that Mendoza had ruined me?” Laura broke down.
Joe pulled Laura into his arms. “Aye lass. I still want ye. I still love ye. I love ye more than I thought I could ever love someone. When ye are ready, yes I will make love te ye. I will do everything in my power te erase him from ye memory. Ye are not ruined, damaged, or vile. Ye fought for the lives of four young girls. Ye made sure that they can have a normal life again and nae know the horrors that so many others have gone through. I’m nae going anywhere, lass. When ye are ready, I will be there for ye. I ken Mendoza didn’t rape ye, but he still went through hell and back at that man’s hands.”
Laura laid her head on Joe’s chest. “I want you to come home with me now. I can’t take one more night without you next to me. I can’t fight these demons alone.” Laura looked up at Joe, wrapping her arms around his neck, sliding her fingers up into his hair.
Laura pulled Joe’s head down to hers. “Kiss me, Lt.”
Joe gently placed his lips on her mouth and slowly teased her lips with his tongue before he started kissing her. He teased her with soft nips while enticing her tongue into a battle for control. He kept the kiss gentle, holding himself back, keeping his hands on her waist.
Laura could tell that Joe was holding back, afraid to scare her. “Damn it, I said kiss me. Please Joe, I need to know you still want me. I need to know that you still find me attractive.”
“Fuck Laura, of course I still want ye. Aye lass, ye are the most attractive and most desirable woman on the planet. I don’t want te scare ye if I make the wrong move. I would just as soon shoot myself in the arse than cause ye harm or fear.”
Laura responded by pushing Joe and turned to walk away. “Just admit it, you look at me different now. I’ll leave so I don’t embarrass you with your friends.”
Joe grabbed Laura, spun her around by the arm, and slammed his lips down on hers, devouring her like a man starving for his last meal. He gripped her hair tight and backed her up against the wall. “I dinnae where ye think ye are going lass, but it sure as fuck is nae out that door. It’s damn near killing me te keep my hands and mouth off of ye. I want te be balls deep inte ye so fucking badly it hurts me much te hold back. But I ken ye need time.”
“No Joe, I need you. I’m tired of being afraid of my shadow, afraid of never feeling your touch, your heat. I’m so tired of wishing I could feel you inside me but afraid that you’ll think of Mendoza being there and get up and walk away and I’ll never see you again.”
Joe kissed Laura again, this time with more heat and hunger than she thought possible to feel in a kiss. His free hand went to her cheek to hold her in place as he ravished her lips. He fought her tongue for control, demanding control of the kiss, crushing her lips with his with each swipe.
Laura moved her hand from his neck down to his chest, undoing the bu
ttons of his shirt one by one, removing his shirt from his jeans where it was tucked in. Once she had his shirt unbuttoned, she placed her hands on his chest, feeling his heart beating out of control just as hard and fast as hers. She lowered her hands slowly, inch by small inch to his taut stomach, feeling his six pack. She could feel her insides turning to mush. This is what she missed.
“Touch me, Joe, I need to feel your touch. Please,” she whispered into his mouth, not wanting to break their kiss
Joe leaned back and looked into Laura’s eyes and saw her pleading look. He moved back slightly to let his shirt fall to the floor, noticing the hunger in Laura’s eyes as she looked at his chest and tattoos. She always did get hotter when she saw his tattoos. They were Laura’s aphrodisiac, and she knew he loved every minute of it. He waited until her eyes were on his as he reached down and removed her shirt and felt his breathe catch. She felt so beautiful when he looked at her.
Joe leaned down and ran his tongue from her neck to the crook of her shoulder and back up. He nipped her ear gently as he kissed his way back down to her shoulder, slow and deliberate. One hand held her at the waist while his other hand went to her voluptuous breast he could feast on for days and still never have enough. He pulled the cups of her bra down causing her breasts to pop out, lifting them up like an offering on the alter he gladly accepted.
Laura leaned her head back against the wall as he moved his mouth from her shoulder down to her breast, licking, sucking, teasing, nipping, and making a meal out of her. Laura moaned as he felt his mouth tasting her. She moved her hands from his waist down to the buttons of his jeans, working them open. Once she got his jeans open, she reached in and found him hard as steel and ready to blow.
She stroked him slowly, up and down as she moaned from his mouth on her nipple. She felt his hands move from her waist down to her jeans, opening the buttons, and then his hands sliding inside. Laura tensed at first, stopping her movement, removing her hand.
“It’s just me, lass. I’ll stop. I’m sorry I dinnae mean te go te fast.”
“No, it’s ok. Just talk to me. I need to hear your voice, Joe. Please don’t stop.”
“Aye lass, are ye sure? I dinnae want te scare ye.”
Laura reached for his hardness and started stroking him again, slowly as she looked into his eyes. “I want you inside me now, Lt.”
Joe stared at Laura to make sure she was serious. In that moment, Laura decided to take matters into her own hands. She removed her hands from his hardness and pushed him away from her. She grabbed the top of her jeans and shoved them down her legs, underwear and all. She walked toward him, grasping the top of his jeans shoving them down his legs, then going back up and grabbing the waist of his underwear and pulling them down, freeing his cock for her touch. She went down to her knees, taking him into her hands, teasing the tip with her tongue as she looked up into his eyes.
Laura took his cock into her mouth, as far as he would go, licking and sucking him. She teased the tip just a little with her mouth then took him fully in, never breaking eye contact.
Joe leaned down and pulled her up, “Ack lass, ye ken I cannae last when ye are doing that.”
Joe walked Laura’s back up against the wall, grabbing her leg to wrap around his waist. Reaching between them he tested to make sure she was ready for him. He found her soaking his fingers as he touched her clit, teasing the bundle of nerves.
“Ah my bonnie lass, ye are so fucking wet. I want ye taste on my tongue, but I cannae last much longer. I promise te make it up te ye tonight if ye will have me.”
“Yes, make it up to me later but for the love of God, please don’t make me wait any longer. I need you.” Laura gripped Joe’s hair and pulled him down for a heated kiss as she bucked her hips trying to find his hardness to impale her.
Joe gripped Laura’s waist, lifting her slightly, letting his cock seek her wetness as she leaned against the wall. Laura squeezed her legs against his waist pulling him into her then lowering herself onto his cock to the hilt. She gasped as she felt him fill her. She would never get over how he filled her so completely. It was always a tight fit when he took her and she loved the feeling, no matter how uncomfortable it felt at first, she could never get enough of him.
Joe froze, giving her a moment to adjust. She was sure he was worried about her reaction, too. When he realized she wasn’t going to panic and push away, he started moving in and out of her heat. Slowly, oh so annoyingly slow.
“Joe, if you don’t start fucking me within an inch of my life, I will cut you in your sleep.”
“Ah lass, ye are so violent. I love ye, either way. I want this to last, but ye have me on the edge, love.”
Laura used the heels of her feet to press into his ass to get him to move. Joe growled as he looked into her eyes and started moving faster. He gripped her waist in one hand, with the other hand holding braced against the wall, and set a harder and faster pace. Laura gasped as she felt him moving in and out of her, harder and faster, relishing the feel of him owning her. She growled as she felt her climax rising fast and hot.
“Don’t stop. Fuck, I love it when you’re inside me. Oh God, yes!” Laura reached between them and touched her clit and rubbed twice, sending her climax through the roof. Leaning forward, she bit Joe on the shoulder to hold the scream back.
As Laura’s teeth sank into his shoulder at the same time her heat gripped him tightly, Joe lost his control. Two more pushes and he roared his climax. He emptied himself inside her, holding himself deep inside. He leaned over and kissed her lips.
“Fuck, lass. I’ve missed ye so much. I love ye.”
Laura peppered Joe’s lips with small kisses. “I love you, too. I’ve missed you more than you realize. I’m sorry I was such a bitch and pushed you away. I was scared of embarrassing you. Fiona had just told me about her past and when Mendoza attacked, all I could think about was them hating me because I caused her to relapse. I didn’t want to cause you trouble. Can you forgive me?”
“Aye lass, there is nothing to forgive. I understand why you were upset and afraid. So do Fiona and Caroline. Cookie wanted to come and tell you himself along with Fiona, but Dom felt you needed more time. I can see he was right. If we’d come over the next day it would have pushed you further away. It has to be in your time.”
“Yeah well, you fuckers know how slow I am with this crap. Just don’t give up on me. I am sure I will have back slides. Dr. Hancock even said so. Just don’t give up on me Joe, that’s all I ask.”
“Never, lass. There’s twelve men who would have my arse and bury me in a desert if I ever did such a stupid thing. Ye couldn’t get rid of me if ye tried.”
There was a knock before they heard the door open. “Are you two alive down here?”
Joe and Laura laughed at Caroline’s question. “Yes Caroline, we’re alive. We’ll be up in just a few minutes.”
13
Joe and Laura rejoined the group upstairs after getting cleaned up. When they walked outside to the party, they were greeted by cheers and catcalls. Laura hung her head as Joe pulled her into his arms and flipped his teammates and friends off with a shit-eating grin on his face.
“Please for the love of all that is holy, tell us that you have put us out of our misery or am I going to have to curse your name for longer because he’s going to kick our ass in training?” Mac joked as he came up to hug Laura.
Laura laughed as she hugged Mac back. “Eh, I guess I can take his onery ass back. Fucker still owes me a Star Wars and Lethal Weapons marathon.”
Everyone around the group laughed. Cookie walked forward and pulled Laura into his arms and hugged her. “You’re one of ours, Laura. I know you blamed yourself for Mendoza showing up at the house while Fiona was there. But you did everything you could to protect her. You made sure she was safe no matter what happened to you. To me, that’s a huge plus in my book because you didn’t hesitate, you acted. Fiona is ok and was more worried about you than she was for herself this last week. We
all wanted to come to you and assure you that no one held any ill will or blamed you for what happened, but we also knew that had we done that, it would have pushed you further away. You have us in your corner, come hell or high water. You’re stuck with us. Don’t make me prove it Cookie style.” Cookie winked at Laura as he stepped away after giving her another hug.
Laura laughed at the description that Cookie painted. “Thank you.”
Each man came up and hugged her, leaving Dude for last with Wolf and Joe standing next to him. “By now you’ve heard what we’ve all had to say. You’re one of us. I meant every word I said to your mother and your sister. All you have to do is call and we are there, no questions or hesitations.”
Dude looked up at Dom who had walked up to stand behind his sister along with Cody while Cookie was giving his speech. “That goes for you, as well. We may not know you from Adam, but you’re one of us. Treat this gift with respect and love her like we all do, and you’ll always have us at your back.”
Dude got down on one knee so he was on Cody’s level. “Same goes for you, squirt. You ever need anything, you can come to us and we’ll be there. You have twelve new uncles and eight new aunts who will move heaven and earth to be there for you. Be there to cheer you on and help you with whatever you need. Except math, we give that to Benny since he’s the girl in the kitchen.”
“Hey, that’s not funny, asshole.” Benny laughed at Dude’s joke. “But he’s right, I can help you with math.”
“Sure about that, Benny? Well ye do know ye multiplications, apparently with the little ones running around,” Joe quipped.
Benny flipped Joe off and winked at Laura and Cody. Caroline came forward and handed Joe a box. Laura looked from the two quizzically and kind of scared. “That’s not going to explode, is it?”