“Am I seeing this correctly? Goats?” asked Brandy.
“They keep the grass down, leaving behind nutrients. A lot of the wineries in the valley are doing the same. Pretty smart. Rent-A-Goat.” Tucker could see she was amused.
“No way. Really?” she asked.
“I don’t lie. This herd is special. They make artisan cheeses the owner sells for big bucks. Your dad might even carry some in his store.”
Once they approached the top of the swale, the jockeying for parking space began, with a couple of the big trucks nearly colliding. One by one everyone poured out, stretching and adjusting themselves after the long ride. In front of them was a quaint farmhouse with a large covered porch surrounding three quarters of the sides. It had been restored to perfect condition. An attractive woman in a smock apron, with two children hugging her legs stood at the entrance. Leaning against one of the porch posts next to her was a handsome man dressed in black, sporting an eye patch over one side. It had to be Zak. Tucker was looking forward to meeting him, finally.
Brandy shuffled over to Brawley and Dorie, striking up a conversation. Kyle’s wife, Christy, ran to the porch and gave Zak’s lady a big hug. A couple of the other wives did the same. Zak and Amy’s two kids scattered into the vineyard to go play with a group of workers kids.
Tucker took Brandy’s hand and they joined the small crowd that had gathered in front of the house, just as if Zak was going to make a speech to all of them.
Instead of Zak giving the speech, it was his wife.
“Welcome to Frog Haven. I’m Amy and this is my husband, Zak. I guess the kids are around here somewhere, so be careful pulling in or backing out of the driveway, please!”
The group chuckled.
“We’re so excited to have you with us for a couple or three nights. We can sort all that out later. I don’t think Zak has been able to sleep for a week, he’s been so looking forward to your visit.”
“Thanks you two,” directed Kyle, taking charge. “Let’s give them a big round of applause for making this one of the more frugal vacations we’ve been able to take.”
The group clapped and several whistled or cheered.
Amy thanked them with a big smile. “Now, we have two unoccupied bedrooms here in the main house, but the bunkhouse sleeps twenty-four. No queen or king beds, so you’ll have to put your singles together and negotiate the crack down the middle.”
“Notice she said two beds together? No threesomes!” yelled Kyle.
After the laughter died down, Amy continued. “I’ll let you sort all that out on your own. We eat in an hour, family style out back on the other side. I’ve got some heaters but there’s no way I can feed you all in my little dining room, so wear your sweatshirts and jackets. If it’s too cold for you, tomorrow we can arrange for supper to be served in the bunkhouse.”
“Dinner attire?” T.J. Talbot asked her.
“Something you wouldn’t mind getting stained with tomato sauce. We’re going Italian all the way.”
A cheer broke out, and as the crowd dispersed, Zak called them all back.
“Almost forgot. Short showers or only the first five of you will get one. My personal favorite is sharing, two-by-two. We have a nice hot tub you can take your time and soak in after dinner, if you like.” Zak checked his cell phone. “On my mark….Go!”
The group took on the atmosphere of a church camp. The men were in sync because they were used to working together that way without anyone having to bark instructions. Tucker noticed several of the newer wives and girlfriends were completely confused, and Christy was a big help with some timely advice, discretely placed here and there.
Tucker and Brandy selected a dark corner in the bunkhouse. Wire cables worked like stringers, attached with hooks to the walls in both directions so old sheets could slide into place, giving each couple some privacy like in a hospital room. Tucker moved their two mattresses together and then re-made the bedspread to stretch over both sides. He’d been told to bring some comforters, so he retrieved them from the truck, and added them as well.
At the opposite wall, there was an old Franklin pot-bellied stove and a generous pile of wood stacked halfway to the ceiling. Several rocking chairs made a semicircle around the stove for evening chats. Against one wall was a tiny kitchen with a sink, a refrigerator, a picnic table that could seat eight and a microwave toaster oven.
But the highlight of the entire bunkhouse was the bathroom, containing a two-stall unisex toilet and one shower. Tucker was looking forward to the hot tub after dinner to work out the kinks in his neck and shoulder. He doubted he could even fit in the shower, let alone share it with Brandy.
They washed up quickly and then joined the whole group outside on Zak and Amy’s patio. Zak placed both their kids at the head of the table on a loveseat with pillows so they could see everyone. They were bundled for the ski slopes, wearing matching bunny hats.
At this time of year, the vines were bare, so the trellis they sat under left gaping holes where Tucker could see the stars. Some of the magic rubbed off when it turned very cold, with a slight breeze. He excused himself and grabbed their comforter from the bunkhouse and wrapped the two of them together while they devoured their steaming hot lasagna, green salad and a little too much red wine. With the slight buzz relaxing him, soon even the nippy night air stopped bothering him. He’d forgotten how different Northern California was from San Diego, where no matter what time of year, the temperature never fluctuated more than ten degrees.
Brandy was laughing at Christy’s story of how she met Kyle, when she attempted to hold the wrong house open and found him naked and asleep—stretched out on the master bed.
Although the ladies were last to bond as a unit, as the wine continued to flow and the stories got louder and more daring, Tucker could tell they were already well on their way to coming together on their own team of sorts. It was important that the sisterhood of the wives and girlfriends stay strong and tight, since they would help hold each other up in case the unthinkable were to happen. Dr. Death stalked them all: men, women and children. And with the world exploding more and more every day, he was making house calls at home, in the good old US of A.
You son of a bitch.
Tucker had only had to hold one of his buddies as the young man’s life passed from him. He never wanted to repeat the experience.
By candlelight, he studied the faces of those men he’d served with, and served under. He felt so lucky to have had that opportunity to be a grown up Boy Scout, doing crazy dangerous things, all the while making the world a safer place. He’d been able to push himself to his limits, the adrenaline nearly exploding from the veins in his neck, but as a force for good. Never evil. It was hard to explain to someone who hadn’t experienced it for himself. It was probably the heavy wine, but right now he couldn’t explain why he’d ever left. There just wasn’t another job on the planet as good as being a Team Guy.
Amy put on some music and the ladies rushed to their feet to dance. It was fascinating to watch how women could just be so demonstrative, so ready to just throw their heads back, laugh and toss their cares over their shoulders.
Brawley scooted over next to him, and shared part of the blanket.
“You guys are getting along most excellently, my man. Brandy’s a good influence on you.”
“Nah. I still got the dirty thoughts, same as ever.”
The two men chuckled. Brawley’s eyes were sparkling in the candlelight as he watched his new bride dance with Brandy. Christy and several of the others became the girl group backup singers, line dancing in unison to the funky rhythm from an oldies satellite channel.
“We’ve missed you, Tuck.”
“Missed you too,” Tucker returned without looking at Brawley. “So you’re staying in for another turn?”
“For now. Honestly, I don’t know what I’d do if I didn’t have this community or these things to do with my friends.”
“I hear you.” Tucker was trying not to
dwell on it. He wanted Brawley to change the subject, but it was awkward sitting next to him, wrapped in the same blanket. He was sensitive about that sort of thing. As a youth, he’d probably spent more time with Brawley than he did his own parents.
“You’ll have to hang around more when we get back to San Diego,” Brawley said just before he finished his wine. Zak placed another opened bottle in front of the two men.
Tucker read the label out loud. “Frog Haven Winery. A little piece of Heaven. That’s about how I’d describe it up here.” He was hoping the change in focus would get the discussion off the Teams.
“First time I’ve seen it all built out. When they first bought it, I thought they were nuts.” Brawley scanned the patio, smiling at the girls. “Now look at it. Piece of Heaven, indeed.”
“Thought you invested like Kyle and Coop and everyone else,” remarked Tucker.
“Nope. I bought a house with my re-enlistment bonus instead. Maybe the next time.”
“So you’re going career, like your dad?”
“I’m thinking PA school, or maybe med school, if I can get some tutoring.”
“Geez, Brawley. You won’t have any time if you do that. And you’ll owe them another ten years at least.”
“Well, it’s a pipe dream.” Brawley casually glanced at the ladies again. “They’re getting smashed.”
Tucker found this funny. “I think living here and doing this would be a whole lot easier. And no schooling or the cost of it.”
“We’ll see. First, I have to get in.”
“By then, you’ll have chipmunks running all over the place,” Tucker reminded him. “Bills, gymnastics lessons and soccer practice. You ever spend any time with Kyle and his brood, or Coop? We can hardly get them to come out with us to the Scupper.”
Tucker was convinced Brawley had forgotten his earlier remark, until his friend cruelly drove the point home again.
“Hell, Tuck. What’s stopping you? I mean Kyle says you’re paying for a vacation chaperoning the Team all over Baja next month. Some vacation. Why don’t you just re-up? Come back to us.”
“Because I’m thirty nine, Brawley.”
“So am I, nearly.”
“But I’ve been doing other things. I’m just not sure I could get through BUD/S again.”
“They’d have to give you a pass on that,” Brawley barked.
“Nope. I already checked.”
The two of them sat in the few seconds of quiet while the ladies searched for another station. In San Diego, there would be crickets on a night like this, even in February. Tucker had heard an owl earlier, but no crickets.
Brawley turned, speaking to the side of his face. “Well, you just confirmed what I’ve been thinking for the better part of five years now. Don’t deny it, Tucker. You want back in.”
He wasn’t going to make a big objection to Brawley’s remarks because that would make him look guilty as charged. But his friend had nailed him fair and square. That little confidential talk with Collins about whether or not the Navy would consider a re-entry for him was kept under wraps. But he had to go open his big mouth tonight and tell Brawley he’d checked. He wondered if he’d done it on purpose.
Wouldn’t that be something if I could do it?
Brawley stood up and positioned the entire blanket around Tucker’s shoulders and gave him a gentle pat on the back. “I think I’m going to go out there and rescue Dorie before someone gets hurt.”
Tucker nodded. “Think I’ll do the same,” and stood to join him.
Brawley grinned like he’d been told a dirty joke.
“What’s so funny?” he asked the newlywed.
“I think everyone’s gonna get laid tonight.”
Chapter 10
“We should have taken a week off, Tucker. I had no idea there was so much I wanted to see.” Brandy was folding her clothes when Tucker made his way into their sheeted cubicle. He’d been stacking wood and making sure the fire was fully stoked so they didn’t have to wake up in the morning to a cold building.
“Next time. I promise.” He pulled her to him, fingering the red lace bra she’d bought for the trip. “Where on earth did you get this dangerous device?”
“You like it?”
“Turn around. Let me think about that for a couple of minutes.”
She loved taking direction from him. She peered over her shoulder. “Like this?”
“Keep going.”
Brandy slowly kept moving until she was facing him again. “Should I take my bra and panties off now?”
“I can’t make up my mind.”
His smile was bringing on a wave of hot, wet lust she could smell.
“Is it my imagination, or are these lovely lace things even more sexy looking when they’re so—so—ample?” He darted a worried look her way. “Did I just make a huge mistake?” he said as he winced. He bit his lower lip and, in spite of his enormous size and white beard, looked like a little boy about to be punished.
“I used to let things like that bother me.” She slowly slid her panties down her thighs. “But—”
“Don’t touch that!” he whispered.
Brandy had her hand on the front clasp of her bra, ready to peel it away and stand before him naked. Instead, she splayed her fingers over the satin and eyelet lace, squeezed her flesh and took two little steps until their bodies touched.
“How is it that I’m always the one who’s naked first?” she asked, her lips just barely touching his. She could hear his heart pounding in tandem to hers and took a gentle moan from him as they kissed.
“I guess it’s because I always like to watch, and I forget myself,” he whispered.
“I think it’s healthy to forget yourself now and then, don’t you?” They kissed again, but deeper. “You want me to leave it on or take it off?”
“I think you should leave it on for now. I’ll get to it in about an hour. I have other things I want you to do first. Is that okay with you, Brandy?”
She watched him remove his jeans and underwear, his erection bouncing with anticipation. She held him between her palms like she was praying.
“It’s perfect.”
It was past midnight when she awoke, grateful Tucker held her tight because the room was freezing. Someone in one of the other spaces was snoring up a storm and would have rattled the windows if there were any.
Her heart was still racing from their urgent lovemaking. He’d played her body like an instrument, hard, and incredibly deep, expressed both in body language as well as their frantic whispers. It had been so intense, at one point she broke down in tears and Tucker thought he’d hurt her somehow.
But in a way he had. She was forever altered as if she was a willing participant in her own destruction.
It was hard not to notice a man as tall and strong as he was. But now that she knew him better, had kissed every inch of his body and answered his need with her own, she understood that everything he did he was the master of, except sometimes finding words. But he loved with abandon, never holding back, pushing her to the edge, and then just a little further, until she’d collapse in his arms. The coiled, cloud-of-butterflies-feeling in her belly were physical manifestations of what she knew to be true in her heart. She was falling in love, as she never had before. She also knew this came with risks, since there would be no getting over that kind of intense love. In fact, it was delicious and painful at the same time, even with the absence of a breakup on the horizon.
She tried not to think about where it all was going. She’d been included in the community of brothers, felt herself blend in with the ladies who were lucky enough to also be loved by one of these warriors who turned their worlds upside down. Brandy just took the waves of emotion and passion as they engulfed her and tried not to focus on what it all meant. She knew that was a rabbit hole.
It hardly seemed possible they’d known each other for such a short period of time. He’d been the missing piece she didn’t even know she’d been missing. If she ever
had to be without him, life would never be the same.
She thought about Amy and Zak, who was nearly killed on his first deployment. Shannon had lost her first husband, T.J.’s best friend. She’d also heard stories about the women who couldn’t handle the lifestyle, the intensity of their play and their hearts. Still, it was a family, a community of brothers and the women they loved.
But one thing bothered her. Tucker had been talking with Kyle and Brawley, and she knew he missed being a SEAL. What would she do if he decided she wasn’t the right one? What if he tried to re-join his team and failed? How could she ever make up for that incredible loss he would feel.
Or, what if she never could keep him happy enough to stay? Could she meet him halfway, match his energy, and carefully tend to him if he ever fell apart? She wasn’t sure she was cut out for it, any of it.
Try to sleep. You have to rest. You’ll drive yourself crazy with all these thoughts.
“Everything okay, Brandy?” His words startled her.
“I’m sorry, did I wake you?”
He sifted his fingers through her hair. “Yes.”
“I can’t sleep.”
“That happens to me sometimes too when I drink too much. It’s like I’m over-drunk.”
She lay on her back and enjoyed the feel of his large callused hand caressing her breast. The plank beams on the ceiling were barely visible in the reflection of moonlight. Brandy waited, trying to notice some sign her eyelids were heavy and her mind was quieting, but that sign never came. She inhaled and tried to sigh very carefully so he wouldn’t detect her worry. But even that was unsuccessful.
“Talk to me, Brandy.”
“I don’t want to do it here.”
“Hot tub?”
They threw on some clothes and took their towels, discovering that they were able to be alone under the stars. The warm water helped Brandy put her thoughts into words.
She wrapped her legs around his waist and floated with her arms about his neck. The white in his hair and beard made him appear to glow in the dark.
New Years SEAL Dream: A Bone Frog Brotherhood Novella Page 7