by Grady, D. R.
His wife reappeared through the door from the kitchen. “Did I hear Ryan yelling about a puppy?”
“You did. I checked him over. I think he just needs a bath and something to eat,” Treeny answered.
KC joined her in examining the puppy again before they entered the downstairs bathroom together. Ryan bobbed along beside them.
“Ryan, where’s Spuds?” Treeny asked, not seeing his dog.
“He’s sleeping under a chaiw.”
“Which chair?” KC asked.
“The one in Macy’s bedwoom.” He peered over the top of the sink where his mom had run water.
“Oh, right. He does like to be near her, doesn’t he?”
“Yep. So she doesn’t get huwt.”
Treeny and KC exchanged smiles before KC turned back to her son. “Spuds does like Macy, but not as much as he likes you.” KC’s attention was on the puppy, but she still noticed her son’s scowl.
“He likes me best.” Ryan’s chest puffed out. Treeny hid her smile as his mother agreed with him.
They filled the basin with warm water then Treeny eased the puppy into the water. KC had some dog shampoo so they used that on the matted fur.
It took effort from both of them to clean the little guy.
“Where did you find him?”
“Along the trail. Someone obviously dumped him. Can you imagine doing something like that?” She heard the disgust in her own voice.
“No, I can’t. But it looks like you have yourself a new pet.”
She started. “I guess you’re right. I do. There’s plenty of room in my apartment and Rachel’s kids will love playing with him. She’ll enjoy looking after him while I’m at work.”
“I get visiting rights,” Ben said from the doorway and Treeny turned to smile at him.
“You may have all the visiting rights you want.” She heard the husky note in her voice and figured he must have, too, because he bent and kissed her.
KC cleared her throat and Ben laughed. “Excuse me, you’re married, kissing should not make you blush.”
“It doesn’t. But my son has no idea what you’re doing.”
“He’s never seen his mommy and daddy kiss?” Ben sounded dubious.
“Of course he’s seen us kiss. Max catches me all the time, so Ryan sees us. But he’s never seen Uncle Ben and Aunt Treeny kiss before.”
“Gotcha.” Treeny looked down at Ryan and saw his eyes were huge. “You didn’t know Uncle Ben and Aunt Treeny like each other, Ryan?”
He shook his head, his expression very solemn. Ben laughed and crouched down. “Well we do, so you might see us kiss sometimes. Is that okay?”
Ryan nodded. Then he looked at his mom. She grinned at him. “Your daddy kisses me all the time. And he’s male, just like Uncle Ben. Men like ladies, sweetie. But that doesn’t mean Uncle Ben will stop playing with you.”
“Will Uncle Ben make babies with Aunt Tweeny, too, Mommy?”
KC slapped a hand over her mouth, but the laugh still escaped.
“They haven’t reached that point in their relationship yet, Ryan,” Max answered from the doorway.
Treeny shot a quick glance at Ben and caught the expression in his eyes. They promised so much, and she could tell that he was amused by Ryan’s guilelessness.
“Why don’t you go with your dad while we finish washing the puppy, okay?” KC gave Ryan a little push toward Max.
Max took his son’s hand and exited the bathroom.
KC turned to them. “Should I apologize for that?” Her voice was nearly as guileless as her son’s.
“No.” Treeny laughed, and Ben shook his head.
“While we definitely like each other, we haven’t reached the point where we’re ready to talk about making babies,” he added.
Treeny grinned; secure in the fact that Ben appeared to be on the exact same page as her.
Chapter 9
After cleaning up the puppy, they fed the little creature. Then Ben called a veterinarian cousin. She came willingly and examined his and Treeny’s new dog.
“You’ve got a Mastiff and I think a Rottweiler breed here. Maybe some Labrador retriever too, or Newfoundland, but this puppy is going to be a big, gorgeous dog.”
Ben looked at Ryan. “So, Ryan what do you think we should call him?”
Ryan didn’t hesitate. “Pete.” He bobbed up and down as he played with the puppy.
“Pete it is then,” he and Treeny said together and he smiled at her. She grinned back at him and he felt her hand brush across his shoulder. Like she couldn’t bear to be parted from him.
“Pete is a fine name for such a fine dog.” He noticed laughter in his cousin’s voice.
“What’s so funny?” he asked once Ryan moved out of earshot.
“Pete isn’t a boy dog, I hope you don’t mind?”
“Pete’s a female?” He sent a you-could-have-told-me look at Treeny.
His cousin nodded. “Most definitely.”
“Oh my.” Treeny covered her mouth with her hand. She acted like this was news to her, but he doubted she missed Pete’s “equipment” or lack thereof. He hadn’t thought to look, and apparently Ryan had heard them all call the puppy “he”.
Her other hand curled around his nape and jerked him out of his thoughts. He decided he’d sit near her more often as that hand stroked over his shoulders and upper back. Treeny stood slightly behind him and to the right. Apparently with him seated she felt free to run her hands over him.
He wasn’t about to object.
“Since it’s raining, why don’t we watch a movie?” Max suggested, and everyone agreed.
Ben tugged Treeny onto his lap, and savored the feel of her there. He’d never held her this way, although he dreamed of doing so countless times. He especially liked the way she settled back against him as though she belonged there. When he really thought about such matters, he realized she did.
When the movie ended, he couldn’t remember what it’d been about, or who the main characters were. Instead he spent the time running an exploratory hand up Treeny’s thigh or down her arm. Playing with her hair proved to fascinate him for long bouts of time. Her hair was smooth and curled lovingly around his finger. He liked tugging a loose curl and watching the wave bounce back.
She began to yawn soon after the movie ended, and he realized she had to wake up early for work the next morning. Reluctantly, he accompanied her to her car. He liked that it was still raining. Then she had to cuddle with him under the oversized umbrella KC dug up.
Carrying their puppy, she moved with him in perfect sync. He liked that. He liked her. He wanted much more from and with her. But he’d remain content with what he had, for now.
Because of gazing into those fathomless blue-gray eyes, he realized he had what most men would kill for. A woman who wanted him just as much as he wanted her. She smiled a sad smile when he kissed her for the third time. Treeny seemed as reluctant as him to end the evening. He sensed her disinclination to crawl into her car and drive away. Instead, she snuggled closer.
He opened her door and tucked Pete into the passenger seat before helping her into the car. Bending down, Ben stole another kiss and liked how she responded. Her left hand cupped his cheek while her right one gripped his shoulder. Soon she slid both arms around his neck as she tried to press closer. A difficult endeavor, since she was seated and he wasn’t.
He helped her by crouching, before he circled her waist. They tilted their heads at the same time, and made the kiss more intimate. She groaned, or he did and they parted long enough for a quick heave of air before devouring each other again. The umbrella listed to the side.
Pete barked a shy puppy yip that broke their passionate kiss. Treeny leaned her forehead against his chest and he fought to regain his breath as he straightened the umbrella. This woman was dangerous. He’d just lost track of everything around them.
Not good for man with his skills and training. He slowly stood, stretching to his full height again.
/> “Goodnight,” she whispered and he heard the longing in her voice.
“Goodnight.” She gazed at his lips, and his heart lurched. He stepped back so he could shut the door. She smiled a sweet smile before she fastened her seat belt and fired up the engine.
He watched her tail lights until they disappeared into the night. Wishing for her to be with him again. Wanting to hold her. They didn’t even have to kiss. Just holding her would be enough. Then he could revel in her warm embrace and savor the pleasing, fresh feminine fragrance he associated only with her. But what if Treeny decided she didn’t want him? What if she realized he wasn’t the man she thought he was? They’d lived in fantasies about each other for years. What if their fantasies didn’t measure up?
Right now, his arms and heart were empty. What if they remained that way? While worrying about that, he wondered briefly if Treeny had just driven off with his heart.
***
The next morning when she arrived at work, Treeny finally thought to look at her phone. She’d slept well after the wonderful day spent with Ben. And felt like she floated through the morning. She hoped to see him tonight.
Dreaming about the evening she entertained the idea of cooking for him. That might be really nice. She could cook. Her mind slipped to various food ingredients as she sifted through some of the dishes she could prepare to wow him.
Noticing a voicemail, she frowned and listened to the message. She smiled when Ben’s voice came over the line.
“Baby, I’m so sorry about this. My team’s going wheels up. I’ve gotta go. I miss you already. Bye sweetheart, wait for me, okay? I’ll be back.” The remorse was right there in his voice for her to hear, but so was excitement. And since he was set on a course that would take him directly away from her, she doubted that excitement had anything to do with her.
She stared at her phone, the smile slipping off her face. Automatically she saved the message, but wanted to throw the device.
When would she hear from him again?
Would he be safe?
What was she going to do to pass the time while he was gone?
How could she pass the time and remain sane?
Tears welled and Treeny thought about her previous opinion on stupid women who couldn’t stand to be apart from their men. Obviously she hadn’t known then, when she formed her erroneous opinion, what she knew now.
Now she understood exactly how they felt.
Would he be safe? When would she see him again? Would she see him again?
And finally, how on earth could she get through today, much less the endless amount of time that stretched before her?
Chapter 10
“Hello, Treeny. I’ve been thinking about you, call me, will you?” Janine’s voice rang through her apartment, but Treeny didn’t much feel like talking to anyone. She stared despondently at her phone, set on speakerphone so she could listen to her voicemail. Still, Janine was Ben’s sister. She was a tenuous link to him and didn’t know many people here.
Somehow she had managed to work through the past two days, but it was only Tuesday evening. How in the world would she manage for the remainder of the time Ben would be gone? Pete scampered at her feet, a small reminder with puppy teeth that her glorious weekend truly had happened.
She had even been free to kiss Ben whenever she wanted. An option she utilized often and planned to do so with more frequency whenever he came home.
Now, now she looked at the endless time before her, finally understanding this endless stretch of days was typical. This was his life. He could get called up at any time. And she’d have to accept that, or say goodbye. A SEAL left whenever he was needed, for however long his assignment lasted.
Could she accept his non-routine schedule?
When she couldn’t figure out that answer, she instead picked up the phone to call Janine.
“Hello?” Janine’s beautiful, island flavored voice filtered over the line.
“Janine, it’s Treeny.”
“Hello, Treeny. How are you?” She heard sympathy and a touch of the same depression she felt in Janine’s voice.
“Depressed, lethargic, upset...” Treeny ended on a sigh.
“Yes, me too. I never thought I’d miss a man so much, especially not my brother, but I suppose because I haven’t known him for long I’m really missing Ben.” Treeny appreciated the touch of humor in Janine’s voice. Simply talking to Ben’s sister made her feel better.
“This can’t possibly be natural,” Treeny said, upset that she was so upset by his absence.
“Well, it’s apparently catching because KC and Lainy seem to be feeling the same way.”
“They’re missing Ben too?” Amazement threaded through her words. That was strange.
“No. Both their men are away on business. They’re both as blue as we are. So, this got me to thinking. I might as well utilize all this wonderful space I have, as well as all these amazing female relatives.”
“Oh?” Despite her overcast mood, she perked up.
“I propose we all run out the store and buy our favorite foods, meet at my house, in say, a half hour or so, and then we’ll do some girly things.”
Treeny had flopped into a chair, but now she sat up abruptly. “Janine you’re a genius.”
“Yes, I know,” Janine agreed with more than a hint of amusement.
She laughed, and it felt good. “I’ll be there as soon as I change out of my work clothes. I’m going to ransack my sister’s movie collection too. Anything even sort of resembling a chick flick will be added to my stash.”
“Perfect.”
“We’ll make it a total chick flick night,” she declared, a glimmer of happiness brightening her gloomy horizon. Having a girls-night-in seemed like a great way to pass this never-ending time.
“I’ll see you in an hour or less. Bring chocolate,” Janine intoned.
When she arrived, the other women were all assembled. She noticed neither KC nor Lainy had their offspring in tow. “Where are the kids?”
“Grandma,” Lainy answered with a grin. “That’s another reason why I’m so down in the dumps.”
“Me, too. It’s bad enough Max is gone, but we’d already arranged for all the kids to spend this week at the lake with Granme and Granpy.” KC’s expression was as hangdog as Lainy’s.
“Wow, things must be pretty interesting at the lake,” Treeny said.
“I’m sure, but I can’t leave the project I’m working on right now,” Lainy answered.
“And with Max gone, I can’t leave the company without one of us there. Especially since I don’t even have the kids. This trip was spur of the moment for him.”
“So was Mitch’s.”
“So was Ben’s,” Treeny added, and showed her own hangdog expression. The other women all laughed while Janine ushered them into her kitchen.
She removed their shopping bag items and the ladies all took a moment to ooh and aah over each other’s selections.
Treeny didn’t see a single thing she didn’t like among the offerings. “If I get fat, I’m blaming you all.”
Lainy laughed. “Don’t worry. We deserve tonight. Our men leaving us so abruptly deserve to return to fat women.”
“Absolutely,” KC agreed heartily and scooped up a nacho chip dripping with cheese.
Treeny helped herself too. “Like either of your men wouldn’t want you even if you did gain a lot of weight.”
“I was just about to make that same observation.” Janine managed to make eating a chip dripping in cheese look elegant.
Lainy opened a bag of hot deli chicken nuggets. “Mitch promised he’d love me if I gained a hundred pounds.” She grinned and a dimple popped out. The chicken piece disappeared.
KC snorted. “I already told Max he’d better love me even if I gained eighty pounds, because that’s how I felt while I was pregnant.”
“And?” Janine asked.
“And he took extra care in showing me he’d always love me.” KC’s smile wa
s feminine and secret. Treeny exchanged a faintly jealous glance with Janine.
“Should we poison them now or later?” Treeny asked her.
Janine laughed. Softly and musically. “I’d say now, but then we wouldn’t have their company for the chick flick segment of the evening.”
“Right.” Treeny grinned at the two happily unrepentant married ladies.
“I waited a long time for Mitch.” Lainy’s voice was quiet and somber.
“That’s true, you paid your dues,” Treeny agreed, thinking about how Lainy had suffered before Mitch.
“I did too. I had a son to raise. You know, I realized before Max and I married that I hadn’t kissed a man since college.” KC snagged a chicken nugget.
“I’ve kissed a man since college.” Treeny spoiled the somber mood when she started laughing. It was hollow sounding, but something.
KC laughed with her. “Did you tell them what Ryan asked you and Ben?”
Treeny laughed harder, and there was glee there now. “That was priceless!” She ended up giggling too much to tell Lainy and Janine.
“What did Ryan ask?” Lainy’s voice held trepidation.
Janine appeared all ears, too, as she ate another chip. Someone had opened a bag of chocolate, and Treeny helped herself to a bar. “You tell them, KC, since he’s your son.”
“Ryan tends to take the direct approach. He’s very scientific in his thinking. He gets that from his dad,” her face creased with pain, “Both of them,” and Janine reached out to cover KC’s hand with her own. Treeny had heard that Ryan was actually KC’s brother’s child, but he stayed away from his son. The fact was whispered, and never confirmed so the family kept Ryan’s parentage a secret. Treeny realized she didn’t know why. From what she’d heard, Max had adopted Ryan, so the little boy bore the name of Morrison, not Gilmore, KC’s maiden name.
KC squeezed Janine’s hand before the animation resumed in her face and she described the bathroom scene. Treeny’s heart clenched when she remembered kissing Ben.
“What happened?” Janine asked during the lull. Treeny heard amusement in her voice. Janine appeared to like her brother’s choice of female, which was good. Treeny didn’t know what she’d do otherwise.