Rediscovering Peace (Military Love Book 1)

by Rogers, Steffy

  “Does it ever get any better, Braden? The dreams? Dr. Ferguson tells me to be patient, but I want them to go away, I can’t stand it.” I asked him. He didn’t answer for a while but when he did I heard the pain in his voice.

  “I wish I could say they go away forever, but that’s something I can’t promise to hold. When everything had happened I woke up from the nightmares every night. It was like I was stuck in hell. I refused to see someone for the longest time but when we were on a field trip one time I attacked one of my guys in my sleep. My leadership strongly advised me to go see someone and I finally listened. I couldn’t put my boys at risk. The counseling has helped me tremendously, but as you know, some nights the dreams still come back to haunt me. It has become a lot better since I have you back in my life. However, even before that they had come a lot less than in the very beginning. I think Dr. Ferguson can help you get on the right path and hopefully one day in the future they will vanish forever. For now, we will deal with them one day at a time and I will be here to hold you when you need me. I am not leaving your side.”

  “How did I get so lucky? Thank you for your support, Braden. Not only through this but with everything. You never gave up on me.” He kissed the back of my head and we sat in silence both lost in our own thoughts.

  The next day after sleeping a few more hours I got ready for my first day back at work. I had taken two weeks of medical leave to rest and heal properly. I was ready to go back. I hated being stuck in the house all day. Of course, I couldn’t sit still for longer than ten minutes and I had looked around for houses for Braden and me. I had found a two story house with four bedrooms on the beach. Braden and I had gone to look at it and decided right then that it was perfect. We could easily raise a family there and it was in our budget. Caige, Faith and I had put our apartment on the market and would be getting a nice sum back for it. I was sad that this era was ending but I was also eager to start a new chapter with the love of my life.

  “Good morning, Skye. How are you?” Jake greeted me when I walked into the office. I looked around and had an uneasy feeling about being back at the crime scene. After talking with my therapist, she suggested that it would be best to face the issue head on. I couldn’t let what happened control every aspect of my life. I needed to just get over it.

  “I’m okay. It’s not easy being back in this office, but I will live.”

  “Look, Skye, I am so sorry about what happened. I should’ve listened to you about Dylan... err... Stephen. If there’s anything I can do to make being back at work easier for you, let me know.”

  “It’s not your fault, Jake. You couldn’t have known what kind of person he is. Anyways... I see the launch of the vodka campaign was a success. I hate that I missed it.”

  “Yeah it went great. Thanks to you.”

  “You mean thanks to the team. Everyone worked hard for this, and I can honestly say that I have never worked with a better team.”

  “I agree. Well, Mr. Logan called yesterday and said that he wanted to have us work on future projects as well. I want you to be solely responsible for that account. You have proved to me that you can do it.” He grinned at me.

  “Are you for real?” I was in shock. Sure I had been responsible for the last campaign but it was a whole different story being in charge of the whole account. That could mean more than one campaign at a time.

  “Yes I am. Of course, you will get compensated properly and get a bonus for each campaign that you work on.”

  “Thank you, Jake! This means so much to me,” I squealed and hugged him.

  “You’re welcome. You will be completely in charge and you don’t need to come to me anymore to sign off on things. The team reports to you and only you. I am here if you have questions.”

  “I don’t even know what to say right now.” I was rendered speechless. This was a huge chance for me to prove myself even more in the business.

  “You don’t have to say anything. Follow me, please.” I looked at him suspiciously but followed him down the hall. He led me into one of the vacated offices, with the difference that it was no longer vacated. In the time I had be gone it had been painted in a mint color and a new L-shaped mahogany desk had been added. I turned to Jake and looked at him confused.

  “What is this?”

  “What does it look like? This will be your new office. You can decorate it however you want it. Just order what you need.”

  “An account that I am solely responsible for and now a new office? I think this is the best work day in my life. Thanks.”

  Jake laughed at my over-excitement. I had taken over my old office from a former employee so I just left it the way it was. But this I would be able to decorate after my liking.

  “Well, I will let you get moved. Don’t worry about anything else today, just get settled in here. The team can catch you up on anything else later.”

  He walked out of my office and I looked around. I already had various ideas and couldn’t wait to start implementing them.

  The rest of the day I spent browsing the Internet for office furniture and decorations. I most certainly had the best boss ever, though in the back of my head I knew he had done this mostly because of what had happened. I wasn’t going to complain. This was my chance and I would be damned if I’d let it slip through my fingers.

  Today was the day we would be meeting with Braden’s dad for the first time since we took him to rehab. I really hoped that he was doing better than when we saw him last. But whatever happened I was going to make sure he knew that we supported him one hundred percent. I just stepped out of the office when Braden pulled up. He jumped out of my Mustang and came around to open the passenger door for me. He was ever the gentleman and I found myself falling more in love with him every day. He completed me.

  “How was your day, beautiful?” he asked while he pulled out of the parking lot.

  I went to tell him about my new responsibility and he was genuinely happy for me.

  “That’s awesome. You deserve it more than anyone.”

  We spent the two hour ride talking and holding hands. Every now and then he would look at me and give me his dazzling dimple smile that he reserved only for me. I saw the love in his eyes and knew that I couldn’t have made a better decision than giving us a chance. No man would ever make me feel like Braden did. He treated me like a princess and was incredibly patient with me.

  We were greeted by the same receptionist as before and were led into a small conference room. It overlooked the lake the rehab center was located on. The view was beautiful. After a few minutes, the counselor and Braden’s dad walked in. He looked much healthier than he had last time. He was clean shaven, had gained some weight and didn’t have bags under his eyes anymore. I was amazed how much of a difference two weeks had made.

  “You look great, Dad,” I said and hugged him. He returned the hug and didn’t let go for a few moments.

  “Thank you for coming today. As you can see Michael has already come a long way and I am confident that he will be able to go home after the thirty days are over. Of course, he will still have a long road ahead of him but with your support I am positive that he will make a full recovery,” the counselor explained to us.

  The next hour we talked about everything that had happened in the rehab and Michael assured us that he was done with alcohol. He agreed that his wife wouldn’t want him to live his life that way.

  “Dad, I think when you come back you should consider selling the house. I know it’s going to be hard, but I think the memories of Mom could drag you back down the path you had been on. I don’t want you to be self-destructive again.” Braden approached the subject of selling the house.

  “Son, I have already thought about that myself. Everywhere I look there is a piece of your mom. I don’t want to forget about her but the house is a reminder of her being gone. Joe here and I have already looked into places that I could rent or buy. Once I get back I will look at some places and make my final decision. I am no long
er afraid of change. I think it will be good for me.”

  I smiled at him. “I am so glad you’re on the right path. Braden and I will always support you. If you feel like picking up a bottle again you just call us and we will be there. We are moving to the beach soon, maybe you should find something there too so we are close to each other. I am sure once we have children they would love to have their Grandpa close.”

  “Son, I am telling you. If you ever let this girl go I will kill you with my own hands. You are a lucky son of a bitch.”

  Braden laughed at his dad. Soon we said our goodbyes and headed back home. We were both relieved with how well the meeting had gone. Only sixteen days and we would have Michael close to us again.

  A few days later, it was Braden’s birthday. I had gotten him tickets for the first football game of the season. His Georgia Bulldogs would be playing against the Clemson Tigers. It was supposed to be an interesting game and Braden all but jumped up and down when I gave him the tickets. We were at a nice restaurant in town just enjoying the night. After all the ups and downs of the last week it was just nice to relax. Spending time with Braden was my favorite thing to do and while we sat there talking the evening away, I couldn’t help but admire how sexy he was. He caught me staring at him and when he saw me biting my lip his eyes flooded with desire. I was still amazed at how easily the man in front of me was turned on by my simple movements. He waved the waitress over and once he settled the bill he grabbed me and quickly dragged me out of the restaurant. Someone was in a hurry.

  “Do you know what you do to me?” he said as he pressed me up against his truck.

  “No, maybe you should show me,” I challenged him.

  “You’re such a bad girl. Get in the car. Now.”

  Mhm... I liked domineering Braden. I had always had a hard time giving over control but I enjoyed submitting to him.

  We drove for a little while and all of a sudden he pulled over in a field.

  “Braden, what are you doing? This is someone’s property. What if we get caught?”

  “Don’t worry about it, princess. I need to be inside of you.” He walked over to the passenger door, opened it and unbuckled me. I got out of the car and he pushed me back up on the hood. He was hovering over me and holding my arms above my head with his hand. His free hand roamed all over my body and each touch set off tingles on my skin. He released my arms but only to pull my dress over my head. I was standing in front of him with nothing but a black lace thong and a matching bra. He was staring at me openly and I heard his sharp intake of breath. I was doing this to him. In the next moment, he was on me kissing me as if it was the last time he would ever kiss me. Our tongues were dancing with each other and I never wanted the kiss to end. “You taste like strawberries. You always do. You know what tastes even better? Your sweet cunt. I can’t wait to be inside of you, but first I want to bury my face in your pussy. It’s been too long.” Moisture flooded my panties at his words. “I am going to make you come so hard, harder than you ever have.”

  “Are you now?” I barely brought the words out. I was so turned on it was taking my breath away. I wanted him, I wanted him so bad.

  “You bet your sweet ass I am. Take off your bra and thong. I want you naked.” He demanded. I complied with his wishes and stripped. Once I was undressed he picked me up and carried me to the back of his truck. He let down the tailgate. What was he doing?

  “Bend over the tailgate and spread your legs, babe. If you feel uncomfortable you tell me and we will stop.”

  The hell we were. This was the first time since the incident with Dylan/Stephen that Braden wanted to have sex. I wasn’t going to stop him.

  When I was in the position he wanted me in, I heard the rustling of his pants and shirt and felt him at my back. He was beautifully naked.

  “Keep still. If you move I will punish you.” Oh my. He was kissing me from the crook of my neck and up, and then slowly made his way down my back. In between each kiss, he murmured compliments, telling me how beautiful I was and how much he loved me. He finally reached down and pushed two fingers inside of me, spreading me apart.

  “Your pussy is slippery with your juices, and I can feel your flesh pulsing around my fingers. Always so ready for me.” I felt him moving down farther and he was spreading my juices with his thumb and suddenly I felt his mouth on me. He licked around my nub purposely avoiding the most sensible spot. I was on the edge and wouldn’t be able to control myself much longer. Finally he gave in and licked my clit. His relentless tongue sent shivers through my whole body, and I was squirming.

  “Stop moving, Skye. Or I will punish you.” His voice was low and deep. One part of me wanted to defy him just so he would punish me but the other part of me wanted to submit to his wishes. I stayed as still as I possibly could as he continued his sensual attack on my vagina. He pushed two fingers inside of me again and hit that spot.

  “Let go, baby. I feel your walls clamping around my fingers. Come for me.” I shattered at his words. Wave after wave pulsed through me and just as I thought I couldn’t take it anymore he roughly pushed into me from behind. He was gripping my ass and I was sure I would have marks the next day. I didn’t care. I wanted him, needed him this rough.

  “You feel so fucking good, Skye. You’re so tight and wet. Fuck.” He slammed into me at a steady, fast pace. The sounds of our bodies slamming against each other surrounded us and I was so lost in the moment, lost in Braden. His dick hardened inside of me. He was close. He pushed into me even harder and faster and soon I found myself on the brink of orgasm again. The sensation was surging through my whole body as he pumped into me over and over. The waves took over my body and I cried out as I convulse around him and he finds his own release. The feeling of his hot semen spurting inside of me almost sent me over the edge again and Braden noticed. He brought his thumb to my clit and circled it until I am lost in my orgasm again. Holy shit.

  “Do you know what you do to me now? Did I show you?” he questioned turning me around. His eyes were still darkened with lust and he was still semi hard.

  “I think I do.” I smiled at him and kissed his lips tasting myself on him. Gathering up our clothes, we slowly head back to our apartment.

  “What if we would’ve gotten caught?” I asked him curiously.

  “The land belongs to a buddy of mine and he is currently on vacation. But be honest, the thought of getting caught thrilled you, didn’t it?”

  “Yes, yes it did,” I said falling back into my seat. This man would be the death of me.

  We got up early the next day and drove the four hour drive to Sanford Stadium in Athens. Caige and Faith had gotten tickets as well, so they joined us on our little road trip. We booked a hotel room and would stay for a night out on the town after the game.

  I was nervous as hell. I had something big planned for Braden and I really hoped he liked it. We had come a long way in our relationship and after all the shit happened with Dylan/Stephen, I was happy he never left my side and made me feel safe. Braden was it. I knew it from the bottom of my heart. It might have taken me a long time to stop pushing him away but all that mattered was the here and now. To me it was clear that I was going to marry this man. We had talked a lot about kids lately and the thought of carrying Braden’s child thrilled me. I wanted nothing more than to have a family with him.

  We finally made it to the stadium and hung out tailgating. To me that was the best part of the game. We met a group of guys that were playing beer pong and joined in on the fun. I made Braden drink my beer when the opponent team made a cup. For what I had planned I needed a clear head, if I was drunk I would just mess it up.

  Around 3:30 p.m., we searched for our seats. We got settled and waited for the game to start. Braden was giddy with excitement. He hadn’t seen a live game in a long time. I was glad I had had this idea. It was perfect and his excitement made me happy.

  The first half of the game was nerve racking and by half time both teams had tied. I hoped UGA would tu
rn this game around. I excused myself to go to the bathroom but secretly made my way down to the field. I called my friend Rob, whom I had met in college and let him know I was there. It had cost me a lot of favors to make this day happen, and I was more than relieved that it all worked out in the end. Five minutes later, he came out and led me into the locker rooms.

  Holy testosterone! All the guys were sitting there relaxing before they had to go back out on the field. Yup. Faith would forever hate me that she missed out on all this sexiness that was the players of the Georgia Bulldogs. I would make sure to rub it in her face later.

  “Hey, guys. This is Skye. We are about to get Braden down here. You should probably get out on the field now,” Rob explained to them.

  “Thank you guys so much for doing this! It means the world to me.” I shook the guys’ hands. This was huge. I played with my hair, which was my tell when I was nervous. I thought I might puke my nerves were so shot. I listened up and finally I heard the commentator through the speakers.

  “Ladies and Gentlemen, we have a very special guest here today. He has served two tours for the United States Army and we would like to take a minute to thank him for his service. Please come down to the field, Braden James Parker.”

  I hoped Faith was recording this moment like I had asked her to. I was sure Braden was shocked as hell. All part of my surprise.

  Braden

  What the hell? Why in the world were they calling me down to the field? Not that I didn’t want to, it just came as surprise. I looked at Caige and Faith but they just shrugged their shoulders like they didn’t know what was going on either. I knew Skye had to have been behind this. She had been nervous all day. I acted like I didn’t notice but I knew her too well. I made my way down to the field and was greeted by the commentator and all the players of UGA. Hell yeah, I was in heaven.

  “Braden, we just want to take this opportunity to thank you for your service. It is because of brave men like you that we can sleep safe at night. So please take these two VIP season passes from us to show our gratitude. They are good for two seasons,” my favorite player said and handed me the tickets. The fans applauded and a grin spread over my face. Best birthday ever.