Embattled Ever After (Lost and Found Series Book 5)

by J. M. Madden

  He did as he said and at the end of the call promised to see them in a few days.

  “You’re a good son.”

  He snorted. “Well, I guess as I’ve gotten older, I’ve realized how important it is that I still have both my parents.”

  “Very true.” She glanced over at him, but couldn’t see much in the illumination from the dash. “You did well with Hank. I don’t think it could have turned out any better.”

  Duncan sighed, leaning forward in the seat. “Yeah, I guess. I hope he follows up. I’ve learned not to get my hopes up about it though.”

  “You don’t think he’ll go to the doctor?”

  “I hope he does. He seems like he will, and the wife was shaken up enough tonight that I think if he doesn’t follow up, she will. I’ve just learned not to bet on unsure things.”

  Alex hummed in agreement. Aiden had probably been part of that learning process. He’d definitely been part of hers.

  They drove through the silent streets back toward his house. There were a few more cars out now, even though it was Christmas night. The roads had been cleared of snow and the lights were on in full force.

  It seemed very surreal driving through the night with him like this. For months she’d wondered about him, and his life. “Is this typical in your world? This being called out at any time of the night or day?”

  He tossed her a sad smile. “Yes. The holidays are usually bad, but you will never hear me complain about it. If I can save a veteran’s life just by being there and listening to him talk? Hell, yes. Hell, I’d post my phone number on a billboard if I thought it would save a life. It seems like after the fact you hear they had no one to talk to about what was going on. I’ll talk to anyone, anytime, if it will save them.”

  Alex admired the sentiment, and after seeing the good he did it was no wonder he felt that way. “But how many of these calls have you gone on and it totally turned things around?”

  Glancing at her, he gave her an amazing smile. “Several. Enough that it totally makes it worth while.”

  She’d had a feeling he had a good success rate. Duncan Wilde was a man people looked up to. There was a quiet authority to him that wasn’t diminished in any way by the cane or his disabilities. If anything, those gave him legitimacy—visible, physical reminders that he was one of them, those who’d been forever changed by war.

  The return trip to his house was quiet for the rest of the drive. When he pulled into the garage and turned off the truck, he seemed to gird himself for what was to come. Alex’s heart ached at the obvious pain she could see him suffering. She followed him slowly into the house. “Is there anything I can do for you? Is this normal pain for you?”

  Duncan moved to the sink and ran a glass of water, then tossed back a couple of pills he had ready. “No. I shouldn’t have overreacted to that shotgun blast. I’m paying for it now. I may hop into the hot tub for a while and try to relax some of it away.”

  “Hm. That sounds lovely. May I join you?”

  The thought of soaking off the chill of the day sounded fabulous.

  He stared at her for a long moment, but then told her quite firmly that she would be welcome to join him. Alex headed to her bedroom excited, then halted in the hallway. She didn’t have a damn bathing suit.

  In the end she settled for a modest pink cotton sports bra and a pair of boy shorts that she usually slept in. Everything else was lace and would be incredibly see-through when wet. She just hadn’t planned on swimming on Christmas night.

  Damn. She sat down on the edge of the bed. What an incredible day it had been. If she had had any idea what she would have gotten herself into, would it have changed her plans? No. It wouldn’t have. Yesterday she had teased him about being in a time warp, but tonight she felt like the one losing time. In one day she felt like she’d lived through lifetimes with Duncan. She’d gained insight into his personality she’d never expected. Now her emotions for the man were changing faster than she’d ever expected.

  Alex grabbed a towel from the bathroom and padded out to the outdoor room. It was surprisingly balmy, from the heat of the tub she was sure. Duncan had already settled into the water, the tops of his strong shoulders, neck and head the only parts of him out of the water. She’d hoped she could have seen him before he got in. Though he moved pretty rough, she had a feeling he had a banging body.

  Then he looked up, his dark eyes in shadow, and Alex remembered how much she wasn’t wearing. Though she worked out fairly regularly, she still tended to be a little leaner than was perhaps good for her. With her hours and not so great eating schedule, it was hard for her to gain weight. Her boobs had always been a nice C though, which men seemed to appreciate.

  She dropped the towel beside the tub and used the steps to climb in, aware his eyes were on her the entire time. Gasping, she sank down, loving the feel of the heat. “Oh, damn this feels good.”

  He smiled in agreement and rested his head back against the rim. “As soon as I get in, I can feel the tension in my tendons easing. It’s one of the few things that actually helps with my pain.”

  Heat had wonderful recuperative properties, so she wasn’t surprised he enjoyed it so much. They used baths much the same way at the hospital where she worked.

  Their legs bumped under the water and she felt him shift away, but they were still in close proximity to each other. Alex wanted to slide over and lean her head against his shoulder, but even that might be too much, too fast. It was a very strange phenomenon, but she felt like she belonged with him. They matched somehow. She wasn’t sure how exactly, but it was enough to keep her looking for ways to get in.

  “I wanted to thank you for going with me tonight,” he told her quietly. “You kind of got sucked into the drama.”

  Alex chuckled. “Well, I don’t mind drama. And I was with you, so it was all good.”

  He gave her a narrow-eyed look. “I’m not a catch, Alex.”

  She shrugged, knowing he was trying to warn her off. “I’m not after a catch. I’d be happy with a guy who knew how to show a girl a good time.”

  Grinning, she allowed herself to slip under the water, then lifted back up, slicking her hair back. Duncan continued to stare at her, as if he still couldn’t believe her words. Well, if he wouldn’t believe her words, maybe he would believe her actions.

  In spite of her feeling that they should move slowly, she pushed across the suddenly small tub. Making sure to keep her hips angled out so that there was no chance she would bump into him, she rested her hands on his strong shoulders. His hands came up to hold her ribs and he gave her the perfect support she needed to lean in for a soft kiss. For a moment she feared he would push her away, but he didn’t.

  He tasted of…she wasn’t sure what. But it was minty and spicy and exciting and intriguing. In spite of her plans to keep it short, Alex lingered. With one hand she reached up, cupping his lean cheek. It bristled with beard hairs, but she smoothed down, with the lay of the grain. Feeling a little daring she reached out with the tip of her tongue, tasting his lower lip.

  For most of this Duncan held completely still and let her do what she wanted, not responding to her kiss. But when she tasted him, licking along his lips, he seemed to give in to some inner struggle. One of his hands moved down to cup her hip, pulling her deeper into the water, and the other hand reached up to cup the back of her head. Then, using his grip on her hair, he took control of the kiss.

  Alex thought she had an idea what he would be like, taste like, but every preconceived notion flew out of her head the moment he finally made his move. Goosebumps erupted all over her body and her heart began to race. As he tilted her into the crook of his arm, she lost all sense of time and space. Every molecule of her being focused on the movement of Duncan’s lips on hers and the sudden free-fall of her stomach.

  Alex had been kissed many times before. She’d had several boyfriends, all of whom had been awesome, at the time. But they all settled into the ‘merely pleasant’ category compared
to Duncan’s kiss. It was shocking to her how much she enjoyed it. She never wanted to leave.

  He also seemed to be enjoying the touch. He lingered over the lower bow of her lip, then gently nipped the plumpness. Alex gasped, more aroused than she could remember being just from the touch of a man’s mouth. Her breasts felt full and needy, and she wished there was an easier way to brush against him. Yes, he held her, but he also made sure to keep some distance between them. She didn’t want to sink her bottom half and hurt him in any way. That would be a total mood killer.

  So she had to wait for him to make the next move.

  Or not.

  Rather than losing this opportunity, she would be happy sitting here kissing him for the foreseeable future.

  Duncan started to pull back, then seemed to change his mind because he pressed his mouth to hers again. Reaching her free hand up, she cupped the back of his neck much like he had her and pulled them tight. All of the worry and anxiety about traveling out to meet a guy she barely knew faded as the rightness of the kiss sank into her.

  Duncan rumbled in his throat then gave her a couple of short pecks, as if he were trying to pull away but couldn’t seem to force himself. The hand that had been holding her hair drifted down her neck, ran along her clavicle then traced a path down her chest. Alex could feel him getting closer to her left nipple and her breath caught in her throat, wondering if he’d actually touch her.

  He seemed to pause as well, as if debating in his mind whether or not to go further. Alex didn’t do anything more aggressive, because she wanted him to choose to take it further. In her heart she already knew there was nowhere he would lead that she wouldn’t go.

  All of these little thoughts and feelings took moments for her to digest. Alex tried to be patient and not move as she waited for Duncan to make up his mind about what he was going to do.

  Then, achingly slowly, his hand drifted down to brush against her turgid nipple.

  Alex jerked at the touch and moaned, sinking her chest into his hand. Duncan turned his hand palm up and cupped her completely, the sports bra little protection from his broad hand. If she could have banished the thing into the ether she would have, but she had to settle for him shaping her from the outside. But that felt so shiveringly good…

  Then the hand holding her hip pulled her closer to him and they were skin to skin from hip to chest. Alex shuddered at the feel of him against her, his skin even hotter than the surrounding water.

  A steady throb set up a rhythm between her legs. The arousal was sharp and demanding, and stronger than she’d ever felt before. Arching her hips, she tried to show him what she wanted.

  He continued to kiss her, dragging her as tight as he could against his chest. Then, as if in answer to her plea, he dropped his hands to her hips and urged her to spread her thighs over top of him. Doing her best to move slowly, Alex moved over top of him and settled her groin to his.

  Time slowed to a crawl and their gazes connected when their bodies touched. Now they were getting serious.

  Alex felt the brush of his length at her core. She had no idea what he was wearing, but it wasn’t restraining him very well. Did she dare reach down and touch?

  Yes. Yes, she did. But while she was here she might as well enjoy the entire landscape.

  Alex let her lower half drift back until it felt like she was on his thighs, then she allowed her hands to brace against his broad shoulders. Duncan Wilde had mobility issues, but you couldn’t tell that by his physique. Or maybe you could. Her eyes drifted down over the cobbled contours of his stomach. Is this what a disability could do to a body? She had a feeling he’d always been especially fit.

  Broad shoulders flexed beneath her hands, as if he wanted to reach up and pull her down, but he didn’t do that. He merely cupped her swaying breasts, his thumbs playing over her nipples. Alex sighed at the feeling, wishing she’d met Duncan years ago. The man knew how to bring pleasure. She hadn’t even undressed yet.

  There was a mat of dark hair flecked with silver, which spread across his delineated pectoral muscles. And there were several curious scars, as well. When she ran her hands over them he looked down. “Old burns. When that helicopter crash-landed on top of us. I had extensive burns to my body. Several of my vertebrae were cracked. I was in a couple hospitals for several months, then physical therapy after that. There are significantly more on my back, just FYI.”

  She shook her head, momentarily distracted. He had been through so much. “You’ve been through a lot.”

  He gave her a sardonic smile. “And in spite of the saying, I don’t think it made me stronger.”

  She frowned, amazed that he would say that. “You’re joking, right? You have to be one of the strongest, most self-contained, disciplined men I know.”

  Duncan blinked, as if taking her words cautiously.

  “Physically you’re changed, I’m sure, but don’t you feel like it made you a stronger man mentally? I mean, you’re providing jobs for veterans and fighting for them still. Would you have done that if you hadn’t been injured and forced onto a different path?”

  He crooked a silver-frosted brow. “Not sure,” he admitted.

  Alex grinned at him, her eyes turning pensive. “I wouldn’t have ever met you if you weren’t an advocate for other vets.”

  With a quick head dip, he acknowledged her point. “True.”

  “And we wouldn’t be where we are now,” she continued, rocking her hips just a bit.

  His dark eyes flared with heat and he reached up to pinch her nipple through the almost-transparent fabric of her bra. “Again, true.”

  Then a shadow crossed his lean face and he sat back from her. “You still have time to change your mind. We haven’t gone past the point of no return. And I have to admit I can’t move the way I used to.”

  She frowned, wondering if it was personal male vanity making him pull back. “I’m all in, Wilde.”

  And to affirm her words she crossed her arms and pulled the sodden sports bra over her head, flinging it over the side of the tub.

  Duncan’s dark eyes turned even darker, his burning gaze focused on her breasts. With gentle fingers he reached out and brushed against the beaded tips, making Alex gasp. Then, he cupped both breasts in his hands, weighing them and exploring their texture.

  Alex huffed out a breath, letting him know she loved what he was doing.

  Chapter Seven

  Duncan knew things were moving too fast, but he truly couldn’t help himself. Alexandra Hartfield was too good to be true. Everything he’d done today she’d rolled with, showing unflappable grace under pressure. And she was still here, offering more.

  As he looked at the breasts mere inches from his watering mouth, he had to wonder if he would be enough for her. It had been a very long time since he’d had sex, and his body had not gotten better with time. His dick was certainly willing, but what about the rest of him?

  The heat of the tub had eased some of his aches but he knew as soon as he got out just the gravity of walking would make him ache again. Luckily, he could tell the pain pills had begun to take effect because the biting edge to the pain was gone.

  As he looked at the bounty before him, Duncan was truly torn. Alexandra was too good for him. If she had any idea how deficient he was, physically as well as mentally and emotionally, she would be running for the hills.

  There was a part of him though, that wanted to take advantage of this night, before she realized how messed up he was. It was a totally mercenary feeling. He very rarely did things only for himself.

  Maybe if he made sure she was as satisfied as he could ensure, she wouldn’t be too hard on him later.

  Cupping her head he drew her into another kiss. A long time ago he’d gotten hooked on cherry pie. He could remember the feel of the cherries giving way to his tongue and the biting, sweet aftertaste. Alex reminded him of that cherry pie. Filling and scrumptious, satisfying a need he hadn’t even been aware of.

  Slicking his hands down her
sides, he cupped her lean hips in his fingers. She was such a perfect size. It looked like she wore tight cotton boy shorts. Those needed to go. He still wore his briefs as well. Taking a heavy breath he urged her to move. “We can’t do anything in here.”

  She grinned at him, her broad smile glinting in the light. “Oh, I don’t know. I might surprise you with what I can do in here.”

  Duncan grinned with her, appreciating her enthusiasm. “Let’s make it easier on both of us this time.”

  She stepped out of the tub as graceful as a cat, grabbing the towel from the floor. While she was distracted, Duncan pushed himself vertical, almost groaning as his bones settled back into their painful positions. It was always a little tricky getting out of the hot tub. He needed to sit on the edge, then swivel his legs out. This time, when he did, Alex waited for him, towel outstretched. She’d belted her own towel low around her hips, leaving her bare breasts to sway in the air. In the chilly air. Her bright pink nipples were beaded hard. “Aren’t you cold?”

  She shook her head, backing toward the door. “No way. I’m burning up right now. And there’s only one thing that will put out this fire. You.”

  Duncan liked her candor, but he had to bark out a laugh at the cheesy line. “Let’s go then, and I’ll put out your fire.”

  She beat him to his bedroom, but he had a feeling she did it deliberately so she wouldn’t have to see him struggle. Or maybe she was trying to save him some embarrassment. He tried to do without the cane when he was at home. He’d placed heavy items strategically throughout the house so they could be used as handholds, and he’d had a handrail placed in the hallway because it was such a long expanse with nothing to hold onto. When he walked into his room she was bent over at the waist, in the process of rolling her sodden bottoms down over her hips.

  His erection had started to fade a little on the way here, but when he saw the delectable curve of her ass he went ramrod hard again. Alex glanced up at him, saw his look and blushed a little. Then her gaze drifted down his body.