"I'm gonna need your help," I say, lightly grabbing Rosa's wrist as she arranged my clothing in the bag, her eyes meeting mine, "I'm gonna need you, cuz I don't know if I can do this." She gripped my hand, squeezing my fingers with a teary smile on her face.
"I'm gonna need your help too," she whispers, her fingers swiping at her cheek.
The rest of the afternoon was a flurry of packing and cleaning, the dogs going crazy around us as we all milled around. Passing through the kitchen, making sure we weren't leaving any food and that the fridge was un-plugged and propped open to thaw, I double checked all the windows, picking up a stray sweatshirt as I headed for the front door. "Who's is this," I yelled as I pulled the door shut, pushing the pad lock through the latch, the key sticking out of the bottom of it, the sweatshirt held high in the air.
"Mine," Timmons yelled, releasing Kendall and jogging over to me, a sly smile on his face as he said thank you, quickly returning to my best friend's side. It wasn't as cold today as it had been and I shed my sweatshirt, tossing it in the backseat of Chad's truck as he snapped his bed cover down, shoving his tailgate up. Hugging everyone, I issue my 'see ya laters', watching the silver Jeep Wrangler depart with Rosa and Reno and the three other trucks bob and rumble down the single land road, past the tree line and out of sight.
I sighed heavily, leaning my head back against the passenger seat, Chad's hand finding mine as his Chevy roared to life. I met his eyes, a weak smile crossing my lips as Chad kissed my palm, pressing it against his cheek letting his beard tickle my flesh. "I love you," I whispered, my eyes on the verge of watering, causing me to have to look away, out the windshield at the highway before us.
"I love you too," he whispered against my wrist, kissing it one more time before moving our joined hands to his leg, squeezing my fingers tight. I fell asleep during our drive, enjoying Chad's body heat as I snuggled up against his side as he drove, waking only as he put his truck in park out in front of my double wide. "I think you should move into my house," he said as I stretched, my face snapping around to look at his as my shoulders popped. I gave him a questioning look and he just smiled that crooked smile, "I think you should move in with me," he shrugged his shoulders.
I was at a loss for words. This was something I had only dreamed of up until now, moving in with the man of my dreams. Was this for real? I pinched myself on the thigh through my jeans, and feeling it, I knew it was reality. "Are you sure," I ask, my face probably still displaying a disbelieving look.
"Of course I am," he laughed, pulling my forehead to his lips, his fingers tangled in my hair, "I don't want you to be alone, and if you move in with me, my mom will be only feet away if you need her." He kissed my lips tenderly, "Plus, I want you in my house, putting your finger prints on my things since your hand already holds my heart."
Seriously? I looked around me as if to spy a man with a microphone ready to pop from the bushes and yell, "Haha, you're on Candid Camera!" I gave Chad a confused look, my mouth opening and closing as if I couldn't form the words. His expression going from happy to sad in a second, but I couldn't let him think my speechlessness was a refusal, so I grabbed his face, bringing his mouth to mine. I kissed him with everything I had, pushing him back to straddle his lap in the driver’s seat, a smile breaking my lips. I wove my fingers into his grey streaked dirty blonde hair, pulling it so that he couldn't move his face from mine. I kissed him, moving my lips and tongue with his till his breathing was fast and shallow, his hands gripping the waist of my jeans.
"Of course I will," I whisper against his swollen lips, nipping lightly at the bottom one before swinging his door open and hopping out. "I'm gonna go grab some more of my clothes," I wink at him, jogging up the porch steps, unlocking the door in a flash. I stuffed random clothing into an old suitcase, not caring if they got wrinkled, throwing shoes and boots on top of them and zipping it shut. Throwing some of the food that was in my cupboards and fridge into plastic bags, I fling open the front door, waving for Chad to come get them as I went back in for more. Emptying my fridge of all the food that was un-opened or only half gone, we pack Chad's truck to the brim, promising to come back over the next week to get everything else.
On the way to his house across town I dialed my work, my manager Jenna answering on the second ring. "Hey," I say, twirling Chad's Navy ring around his middle finger as his hand rested on the center console, "I'm gonna cash in some of my vacation." Telling her the story in short detail, I relayed my need to stay with Chad, to be there to make every moment count and Jenna understood. She made it so that I was off for the next week and a half, using some of the three months of vacation and paid sick days I had accumulated. I smiled at Chad as I hung up the phone, pulling into his drive to see his mom out raking some leaves in the yard, her warm wave making my heart lift.
His mom threw her arms wide as we got out of the truck, coming up and wrapping her arms around me, "I've missed you guys," she said, kissing my cheek. I had to stifle a laugh as Chad made faces over her shoulder as she hugged and kissed him, her smiling face returning to me. "There's an awful lot of stuff in this truck," her raised eyebrow inspected me, it only growing in suspicion as I could feel the blush filling my face.
"Mom," Chad said sternly bringing her attention to him and I release a breath I had no idea that I was holding, "I asked Rhea to move in with me and she said yes." His smile was contagious and as Dana turned her open mouthed look to me I couldn't help but grin ear to ear. The squeal that came from her made me cringe as she ran at me, wrapping her arms around me squeezing me tight, the joy running through her to me as happy tears came to my eyes.
"Oh my God, I thought this would never happen," she said into my ear, kissing my cheek and placing a hand on each, pulling my face so that she could look at me. She kissed me on each cheek again before running back over to her son and hugging him tight, Chad picking her up and spinning her around making me laugh. We unloaded the truck with her help making plans to go out to dinner around six as she left us to put our things away.
Lugging two of my duffel bags up the stairs, I ran my fingers along the plain white wall, Chad's voice coming from the landing above me, "You can paint if you want," his crooked smile went to my fingers that were on the wall and I let my arm fall to my side, shaking my head. He took one of the bags, interlacing his fingers into my freed hand, pulling me to him for a sweet kiss. "While I'm out of the country, make this your home," he whispered against my forehead and I cringed at the thought of him leaving, closing my eyes as his hand came up to cup my cheek.
"Please," I whisper, dropping the bag and wrapping my arms around his waist as he ran both of his hands across my cheeks, interlacing his fingers in my hair and tilting my face up to his, "let's not talk about that now. Let's just focus on this week, this moment, right here and now." On my tip toes I kiss him, my nose rubbing against his in a slight Eskimo kiss. "When you're gone I'll have all the time in the world to occupy myself with things that will keep my mind from missing you, if that's even possible, but for right now, I just want to be us." His smile makes those happy tears edge my lashes as he picks up the bags, literally throwing them in the bedroom, swinging me up in his arms and kicking the door shut as he tosses me on the bed, my sharp laughs bouncing off of the walls like I did on the mattress.
We climbed out of bed around five-thirty Chad helping me rummage through my scattered things trying to find my black sweater dress to wear to dinner. He threw on a pair of black slacks and a red dress shirt with a silver tie, jogging down the stairs when we heard Dana enter, yelling her 'hello' loud enough to wake the dead. I laughed, pulling on my leggings because Dana probably yelled like that in case we were 'busy', to give us a little warning. Pinning my bangs up, curling a few strands with my finger and some hairspray, I lined my eyes with silver, black mascara and for the first time in years, I put on red lipstick. Brushing my cheeks with some powder, I pulled my black leather, kitten heel, knee high boots from my plastic tote, hopping to the landing, smiling
at Dana down in the living room as she looked up at me.
She was in a purple satin dress and it blew my mind that she wasn't re-married, being a catch that any guy would be lucky to have. "You look hot," I smile at her as she blushes, kissing my cheek. We all climbed into Chad's truck, me in the backseat as a courtesy to Dana, chatting the entire hour long drive to 'Le Yaca', a French restaurant that was famous for their truffle and Chateaubriand stuffed crepes. Chad telling the maitre 'd his name and that we had reservations we only had to wait about thirty seconds, which was new to me, before we were seated. Chad held out both of our chairs as Dana and I sat. I had never been in here and it was magnificent, the colors and the atmosphere.
I couldn't help but let a dumb-founded look cross my face as I looked around taking in the darkened, large space, the candles, the violin and piano music. I smoothed my hands over the sweater material of my dress, my eyes meeting Chad's as he smiled at me, a slight laugh coming off his lips. "Don't laugh at me," I swat him on the thigh under the table while with the other hand I tug at his little ponytail. Dana laughs slightly at us, looks coming our way from the tables around ours.
"Geez, I can't take you ladies anywhere," Chad says loud enough for everyone to hear, Dana breaking one of the thin, crunchy breadsticks in half and throwing it at him, getting some laughs from the people around us. The three of us talked about the menu, Dana settling on the Brandied roasted duck as I saw that those famous crepes were fifty-five dollars, for one, and I let out a heavy sigh.
"Get whatever you want," Chad whispered into my ear, his lips lightly brushing the lobe and making me shiver, goose bumps raising all over my skin. I himmed and hawed over the menu till the waiter came, Dana ordering her duck, Chad ordering the Chateaubriand dish that came with roasted vegetables and a red wine sauce. Then it was my turn and I still hadn't decided.
Feeling their eyes on me, I handed the waiter my menu, smiling at him and saying, "May I just have the sea bass please," he nodded, turned to leave when Chad grabbed his arm. "Can we have a bottle each of your best Boudreaux and champagne?" The waiter issued an 'of course sir', leaving us with a smile, my eyes were wide as I looked at Chad.
"You shouldn't be wasting your money on me," I say, passing a look to Dana who acted like she was intently fixing the napkin in her lap, totally leaving me out to dry with her son.
"My money will never be wasted on you," he smiled, taking my hand to his lips and kissing my knuckles, "it's good to splurge every once in a while." My eyes were on my empty plate when Dana's hand found my knee, shaking it, her smile warming my heart. I didn't want Chad to spend his money on me like this, not when he was facing the unknown in a week. I would much rather be at his house, in our pajama's curled up on the couch with Chinese takeout containers dotting the coffee table. Maybe that could be tomorrow as I smile at him, squeezing his fingers in mine, knowing that I have an entire week with this man to show him how he made me feel.
My palate was bombarded with soup, salad, before my wonderful sea bass and then a splendid chocolate soufflé, my spoon falling into the tiny dish as I wipe at my lips, a content sigh passing through them as I leaned back in my chair. Dana had consumed three quarters of the bottle of Boudreaux, her cheeks rosy as she takes another sip, a happy smile on her face and I spare Chad a look, his raised eyebrow bringing a slight laugh out. Leaning in Chad says, "I think my mom is drunk," his laugh and beard tickling my ear, my giggle trailing away as I spy two approaching figures, the man wearing a worn Dale Earnhardt hat.
"Hey boy," Duke issues, his bottom lip full of chew, the brown residue stuck all over his bottom teeth. Chad rolls his eyes, turning to face him and his companion, Wakefield town whore, Holly Unger. I looked her up and down as she did the same to me, her heavy makeup laden eyes rolling as they met mine. She was wearing a very short, very tight, lycra fabric hot pink dress, the top of it barely covering her enormous breasts. She had bleached hair with her brown roots showing, the underside dyed neon blue. It was down and messed, looking like the two of them had just stepped out of a backseat, which considering the people, might not be far from the truth. Her fake nails were long and adorned with outrageous designs, her fingers filled with rings and both of her wrists covered with fake diamond bracelets. Her shoes were 'stripper' heels, the platform bottom accentuated by the seven-inch heel. They were clear and they lit up each time she stepped, the tops being silver glitter. "Hey boy, I'm talkin' to you," Duke issued again, his arms crossing over his chest.
"I hear ya," Chad said, turning his back to Duke and giving his mom a raised eyebrow as she reached under the table, gripping my hand, "but I'm tryin' to enjoy my quiet dinner here with my lady and my mama. So if you would," Chad waved his hand over his shoulder in a 'shoo' motion, Duke's face turning beet red in anger. The maitre 'd came over, asking if anything was wrong, Duke putting his arm across the man's chest.
"Nothin's' wrong here," he said, the skinny, tuxedoed man backing away from our table. "You," Duke tapped Chad on the shoulder, hard, the sound echoing through the room. Chad's jaw clenched in anger, "You and I need to have a lil' chat outside."
"Duke, you need to go away," I say, my hand being squeezed by Chad as his anger boiled.
"Shut up skank," Holly's high pitched squeak chimed in, flaring my anger. Her eyes looked me up and down again, her hand on her curvy hip as it jutted my way. I had a short fuse and Duke knew that, a smile crossing his lips as I jolted to my feet, getting in that little whore's face, Chad standing up at my side. The maitre 'd came back into my peripheral vision, asking again if anything was wrong.
"Nothin's' wrong," I say, a wicked grin on my lips, "these two were just sayin' hello, now they are sayin' goodbye," I hold up my hand in Holly's face, folding my fingers in a 'bye-bye' wave, her eyes squinting at me. Duke grabbed her by the arm, mumbling some swear words as they turned to leave, Chad's grip loosening a little as they retreated.
I never saw it coming. At the last second Holly grabbed a glass of water from the table next to ours, tossing it in my face then turning and running on Duke's heels as they disappeared. Chad not having the time to react as I put my hands to my face, a gasp of shock filling my chest.
I'd never had someone do that. It shocked me. The action as well as the cold of the water, the ice cubes sliding down between my breasts, melting and soaking my clothes and I could feel it running down my stomach. I stood there in shock as Dana and the maitre 'd wiped at my face with napkins, and I wasn't saying anything as they chatted around me. Dana wiped under my eyes and I guessed she was cleaning up my mascara because the napkin came away with the familiar black residue, and I just looked at her, my mouth still not able to form words. Looking around the room, I didn't see Chad, my mind filling with a load of horrible situations. Grabbing her shoulders I almost scream, "Where's Chad?"
My heart raced, my eyes darting around the room. All I could think of was that he went after Duke and was beating him up in the parking lot right now, no doubt attracting attention which would be bad for him. "He just went out to his truck hun," she cupped my face, bringing my eyes to hers, "he went to grab you one of his sweatshirts."
At that second he came around the corner, a black hoodie over his arm, his brow furrowed as he found my eyes. He handed me the sweatshirt, pulling me to my feet and kissing my lips, his forehead to mine he whispered, "I'm gonna kick that son-of-a bitch's ass," a rye laugh filling my chest.
"I'm gonna rip that whore's bleached hair from her head," I say, Chad's smile warming my heart as we laugh it off, him kissing my forehead once more and then reaching in his pocket, taking his wallet out. He issued his apologies to the maître 'd and the guests at the tables around us, leaving a large tip on the table and even giving one to the maître 'd, thanking him for trying to step in. We all climbed into the front seat of the truck, the center console up and me snuggled up to Chad's side, Dana's hand on my knee. The heat was cranked up, our conversation light, turning towards our plans for tomorrow, Dana planning to make a turkey dinner.
We said our goodnights in the driveway, Dana kissing our cheeks and I watched her walk to her house, waving to her as she closed her front door, turning off the porch light. I was still in a minor state of shock, walking into the living room, shedding my boots and tossing them to the side, ripping the hoodie off of my body and throwing it across the back of the couch, my foot hovering above the bottom step as Chad's hands grabbed my waist, pulling me up and swinging me into his arms, nestling my head into his neck. He ascended the stairs slowly, kicking his shoes off just inside the bedroom door, setting me down on the cool tile floor of the attached bathroom as he flicks on the light.
The only words we spoke the rest of the night were 'I love you's', saying it repeatedly as we made love in the shower, my sighs and moans of delight hitting the steam as it rose above us; and 'goodnight' as we lay in bed the comforter pulled up around us after we made love again. Our arms and legs were wrapped around each other, my face snuggled under his chin, my nose and lips against his neck, my fingers tangled in his wet hair.
I wasn't going to let some small town loser and his dirty whore ruin the time I had left with this man. Smiling to myself that this man was 'my man', I kiss his Adam's apple, hearing his mumble of contentment I close my eyes, intent on making the next week the first in many years of happiness to come.
Two Weeks With a SEAL (The Wakefield Romance Series) Page 8