“I thought we could go for a walk on the beach.”
“It had to be this beach? You know we live next to a beach too, right?” Her face scrunches up in the adorable way.
“I thought this one would be better for tonight.” Give her a little, without giving too much away.
“Whatever.” This girl and the things she says. She never ceases to make me smile.
Grabbing her hand, I lace my fingers through her. Gently pat the front of my shorts, making sure the ring is still in there. Jesus, if I lost that this whole night will be fucked.
We start walking towards the ocean, I ask her if she wants to take her shoes off, and she does. So we leave them on the pier before walking into the sand. I pull her close to me and throw my arm around her shoulders. Tucking her in close, loving the way she fits next to me. We slowly start towards the water, so we can walk through the tide rolling in. Taking this as my opportunity, I start to tell her all the things I love about her.
“I love your legs. They’re the first thing I noticed about you in your pictures on Facebook.” She must realize I’m about to give her a speech because she just smiles at me.
“I love your smile, your heart, your hair and your eyes. I love the sounds you make when I shove my cock so deep inside you. I love the way you always find me in your sleep, wrapping yourself around me. I love that you wanted to find me in the beginning and give me a choice. I really love how that after just a short amount of time you have completely consumed me. You’ve stolen my heart right out of my chest. I need you to take care of it for me, okay?”
“You know I appreciate you telling me all this. I love everything about you. But, you’re not, like, about to get deployed are you?” she asks worriedly.
“No, sweetheart, no. That’s not it at all. It’s quite the opposite, actually.” With that I stop us, and walk in front of her to face her. Making sure I’m out of the water line. I reach into my pocket and pull the ring out. And that’s when she catches on to what’s going on. About time, sweetheart.
“Sweetheart, you’ve become my Thunder. You’re everything I didn’t know I needed. You’re the reason I breathe. You’re my reason to make sure I come home from a deployment. I know that this is very out of the blue, but I love you. That’s all that matters.” I get down on one knee, “Annie Brianne Reynolds, will you do me the honor of becoming my wife? Make me the happiest man alive?” I look up to her, and grab her left hand, anxiously awaiting for her to tell me yes. So I can slide her ring onto her finger.
Tears were forming when I got down on my knee, but by the time that I was done those tears were streaming down her face. She starts nodding her head so enthusiastically she almost looks like one of those bobble heads.
“Yes! YES! Yes! A million times yes! I will absolutely marry you!” Before she can have a chance to change her mind, I put the ring on her finger and stand up. I wrap my arms around her, planting a big kiss on her lips. Now we need to hurry up and get home so we can celebrate.
Annie
Christmas was such a dream. Everything turned out so great, and everyone loved their presents. I’m super excited that Jayden loved everything I got him. Although, mine don’t compare to what he bought for me. I’m still in shock a week later, I never would have guessed that’s what he was planning. He’s a sneaky little shit.
My ring is a one and a half carat princess cut, with tons of tiny little diamonds in a swirling design surrounding the big diamond. I fucking love it, I couldn’t have picked something better. He did such a great job. I look at it at least one hundred times a day. He jokes that I’m going to go blind if I keep looking at the shine. And in true form I always just tell him to shut up.
Today is a special day too. It’s my due date. I had an appointment yesterday, and I was two and a half centimeters dilated. Which is progress, but not enough progress for me! Have I mentioned I’m not patient?
I’ve taken a couple walks today already, trying to make this labor start on my own! Jayden told me that a couple of his buddies from base are going out for a drink tonight, and I can tell he wants to go but he doesn’t want to ask me if it’s ok. I know he’s worried I’ll go into labor the minute he leaves the house. But I don’t think that it’s going to happen today or tonight. I’m going to tell him he can go out. I hope he goes, he needs some time away from me and this is his last chance to do it.
I’m in my usual spot on the couch in the living room. Waiting for Jayden to come back in from mowing the grass. Perk number five why having a guy living with you is so beneficial. I no longer have to do the things I hate doing.
I pick up my Kindle and open up the store. Trying to search for a new book boyfriend. I saw a t-shirt going around Facebook that said “Husbands Against Book Boyfriends” and I wanted to buy it for Jayden. But I don’t think he’s wear it. I scroll for a good twenty minutes, and I hear the back door slam. So I sit up and wait for him to get in here.
“Hey, babe. Can you come here?”
“Sure, give me a second.” I hear him yell back.
A few more minutes goes by, and holy mother of God. Jayden comes into the living room in just in damn briefs. He must have took his clothes off and threw them in the laundry already. What the hell was I going to ask him because right now I think I should fuck him.
“Sweetheart?” Damnit.
“Right, so. Did you want to go out for a little bit with your buddies tonight?” I ask him.
“No, it’s okay. I’ll stay here with you, you never know what could happen.”
“Nope. That’s not acceptable. You will go out for an hour or two with your friends. I demand that you’re going!” I tell him.
“What if you go into labor? What if you can’t get ahold of anyone?”
“Babe, I’ll be fine. I have Jonah and Brandy on speed dial. If anything happens I’ll call you right away! I promise! Now go out, have some fun. Because Lord knows you won’t be able to in a week!” I laugh.
He looks hesitant, he’s giving me a torn look. I know he wants to go but I know he also wants to be here for me, just in case. But after a few minutes he finally gives in.
“Okay, if you’re sure. You’ll call me if anything happens, right? Even if it’s just mild cramping?”
“Yes, babe. I promise. Now go get ready, text your friends and tell them you’re coming.”
“Alright, alright. I get it, you just want to get rid of me for tonight don’t you?” He smiles at me.
“Yes, that’s totally it. I’m going to invite Brandy over and some strippers from the strip club.” I say sarcastically and roll my eyes at him. This guy, “Just go get ready, pretty boy.”
“Oh, so we’re back to pretty boy now are we?” I throw a pillow from the couch at it, and miss, but he jogs out of the room laughing.
I settle back on the couch again, and browse through more books. I come across something called Dom Wars by Lucian Bane. And one-click the whole series. It has all five stars so why not? This will keep me occupied for the night. Especially with Jayden gone I’ll have all the time in the world to just curl up here on the couch and read.
I think he has some sort of sixth sense about when I’m reading. He ALWAYS finds me and wants to do something. Hang out, have sex, or just cuddle. And it always interrupts me, I can’t read when he’s near me. He’s distracting. Especially naked.
I pull up Dom Wars Round One and begin to read. I get lost in this story of Lucian and Tara, and don’t even realize that Jayden has come back into the living room. I glance up, grudgingly, and take him in. He’s dressed in jeans and a tight fitted Henley shirt. Fuck, my soldier is sexy as hell.
“See something you like, sweetheart?”
“Seeing something I like was the issue that got us here remember?” I laugh at him.
“It wasn’t just you. I locked eyes with this beautiful brunette that stole my breath.” His smile can make your panties poof, just plain disappear.
“Okay, Casanova, I think it’s time for you to head out and
meet your friends.” He walks over to me on the couch and sits down next to me.
“Don’t forget to call me if you need anything, alright? I can be home within fifteen minutes. Just call me.” I turn my head towards him and he gives me a slow passionate kiss.
“Okay, baby. Now, go will ya? I want to get back to reading.”
“I see how it is, these books of yours are more important.”
“Maybe you should read Dom Wars; you could use a couple pointers. And why not learn from the best.” I grin at him.
“I’m not even going to dignify that with a response, sweetheart.” He gets up off the couch and walks towards the front door and looks back, “I love you, Thunder.”
“I love you too, babe. Have fun!” He gives me a final smile, and walks out the door.
Getting comfortable on the couch I lay back to enjoy the rest of Lucian and Tara’s story. I don’t really know how long Jayden is planning to stay out, I hope he comes home in time to watch the ball drop with me.
It’s only been a couple hours since Jayden left but I think I’m going to need him to come home. For the past hour I’ve been having contractions, they’re only ten minutes apart right now. So we have time, I planned on hanging out around the house for as long as possible.
I pick up my phone again to check the time as another contraction hits me. These suckers aren’t all that painful but shit they aren’t painless either. I open my text messages to send Jayden another text.
Me: Hey, so I think I need you to come home. Call me ASAP.
I sit my phone back down, I haven’t heard anything from him since he left. I hope he made it to the bar okay. I’m sure someone would have called me though if something happened. At least I would hope they would.
It’s been another hour without a response from Jayden. It’s getting close to ten thirty at night, so I decided to text Jonah to see what he’s doing.
Me: Hey have you talked to your brother at all?
His reply is almost instantaneous.
Jonah: No, why?
Me: Well, I think that I’m in labor. I can’t get ahold of him. He went out with his buddies to the bar tonight.
Jonah: Of all nights for you to tell him to go out, you pick your due date? Why?
Me: It’s New Year’s Eve!
Jonah: Whatever, do you need me to come get you to take you to the hospital?
Me: That would be great, thanks. Can you try to get ahold of Jayden?
Jonah: Yeah, do you know what bar he was going to?
Me: No, I just told him to go.
Jonah: Well you’re a lot of help. Get your shit around so we can leave when I get there.
Me: No need to be so rude, dick face. My stuff is already ready. The contractions are coming every five minutes.
Jonah: Shit, I’ll be there ASAP.
I don’t text him back after that. I do, however, try to text Jayden again for the tenth time. And still nothing. I swear to God if he misses the birth of his son, I will neuter him. He made me promise to let him know if something happened, and then he ignores me. He better be having a good time.
Before I know it, Jonah is barging into my house looking ready to murder anyone in his way. He spots me on the couch and rushes over.
“Are they coming closer?”
“Yeah, they are. I think we need to go now.” He helps me up off the couch, and grabs my bag for me.
“Has Jayden answered any texts or calls yet?” he asks me, eyebrow raised.
“No, I haven’t heard anything from him.” I sullenly tell him.
“Don’t worry, I’ll get ahold of him and get his ass to the hospital. I love you, but I don’t want to see your vagina today.”
I slap his arm and laugh. Leave it to him to make light of a situation to make me feel better. God, I love this guy.
We waddle rush to his Mustang, and he gets me in and throws my bag in the backseat. Running around to the other side, slides in, and starts the car peeling away from the curb. Jesus, I swear he can’t drive like a normal person ever.
Between every contraction I look at my phone. Willing it to ring. About the fifth time I look Jonah snatches the phone out of my hand.
“HEY!” I yell, as I try to grab his hand with the phone.
“No, you’re going to drive yourself crazy if you don’t knock it off.” He then shoves my phone in his pocket.
I finally give up when I realize I won’t be able to move his hand from his pocket. I slump back into the seat just as another contraction hits me. I grab onto the door handle and hold on for dear life. Grunting through the pain, I see Jonah keep giving me panicked looks.
“Are you going to make it until we get to the hospital?”
“He better stay in there!” I grunt out between spasms.
“Uh, yeah he better stay in there! I don’t want to clean that shit up!” he gets louder with every word.
He steps on the gas a little bit, trying to get us to the hospital faster. I don’t blame him, I don’t want to have baby Josh in his car. I need my doctor to play catch, not Jonah. I keep rubbing my belly, trying to ease my muscles from the last contraction before the next one starts. I thought I was going to try to do this without drugs but fuck all that nonsense.
I have four more contractions before we pull into the hospital and Jonah’s car screeches to a halt right in front of the emergency room doors. He gets out and runs around to my side and helps me out. Telling me he’ll bring my bag up once they get me settled.
Fuck Jayden for getting me in this situation, then getting deployed. Fuck him for making me fall in love with him. And fuck him for not picking up his God damned phone when he promised he would! If he misses this I’m going to fucking kill him.
Jayden
My whole world is numb right now, I can barely feel which way is up. I remember coming to the bar with the guys from my squad. We got here and the beers just started getting handed to us. Apparently people like buying service members alcohol in this bar.
And somewhere along the line, girls showed up. They all left me alone. Knowing my situation. Not that it’s a situation, but that I’m engaged. Well, maybe they don’t all know that yet. But they know I’m serious about her.
It’s getting closer to midnight, and all I can think about is somehow getting home to Annie. I’m sitting at the bar, the guys off dancing with some girls they met. Another beer is sat in front of me, I look up and see the hand attached to the bottle belongs to Brooke. I nod at her and take the beer, taking a huge gulp. The amber liquid not even burning anymore. That’s when you know you’ve had enough.
I stand up, and nod my thanks to Brooke. I don’t know if this is a peace offering or what, but I’m not about to stick around and find out. I start to walk away and she grabs my arm, so I stop and turn my gaze to her and raise a brow.
“Can you stay for a minute?” she asks.
“No, I need to get home to Annie. It’s almost midnight, and I want to kiss my fiancée goodnight.”
“I just need five minutes of your time, Jayden.” She looks worried, so I plop back down.
“Five minutes.”
I don’t think that I really catch any word that is coming out her mouth. I’m just staring at her, trying to understand the words. Trying to lift my hands to place them against the bar to stand up. But I feel like my arms weigh a thousand pounds.
“Whoa, Jayden are you okay?” She places a hand on my arm concern etched onto her face.
“I don’t know, I don’t feel so great.” My head feels like its swimming in peanut butter.
“You should lie down; do you want me to take you home?” I nod towards her, not really knowing what I’m agreeing to,
She tries to stand me up to lean my weight against her so we can walk somewhere. I try to walk, but my feet keep stumbling over the air. The air is so warm once we actually make it outside, that it doesn’t help sober me up. I try to remember if I drank anything other than beer, but I come up empty.
Suddenly I’m in
front of a car that I don’t recognize. But I don’t recognize much of anything right now. Everything seems really fuzzy. I feel myself being pushed down and into a car. Whose car am I in?
Then I feel a weight on top of me. Mmm… I must be home. Annie knows how much I like her to ride me. I feel her hands on my face, tipping it up. Then feeling her soft lips on mine, her tongue sliding across the seam of mine. Enticing me to open my mouth to her. And I do, I could never deny her anything. This girl is my reason for living.
I don’t know how long we sit there kissing. But I’m feeling lost to everything except her lips. Her lips are the only thing I can focus on. But my focus is ripped away when I hear someone screaming at me. Then the weight is gone. And then there is Jonah. Right in my face.
“JAYDEN! WHAT THE FUCK IS WRONG WITH YOU?!” he screams at me.
I grab my head. “Why are you screaming? And why did you just take Annie off me?” I know my words sounds slurred.
“Just how much did you have to drink tonight?”
“I just had beer. Nothing else. And not a ton.” I tell him.
“Open your eyes.” I shake my head at him. My face hurts and the lights are too bright.
“Jayden, open your fucking eyes. Right now!” I feel him grab my face and pry my eye lid open.
“God damnit! Where did she go?! JAYDEN! Stay with me man! I need you to focus! Can you do that?” I nod my head. Feeling somewhat lighter. I don’t feel like I weigh a thousand pounds anymore.
“Dude, you were drugged.” I hear his words. But, I must not be processing right. I think he said I was drugged.
“What are you talking about?”
“You were drugged. Did Brooke do this? Did you take anything from her?”
“Fuck! I drank a beer she gave me.” I slam my hand against the dash of the car I’m sitting in. Fuck! I jump out, still a little wobbly on my feet. Jonah grabs me though and starts leading me towards his car.
“I need you to sober up man, we need to go to the hospital.”
“No, I’m fine. I’m not going near the hospital.” I tell him.
Unexpected Series: Box Set Page 12