by Ariel Bonin
Chapter 11
Andrew and Charlie made sure every exit was sealed tight, and then took a few minutes to wrap up Wendy and Brian's bodies in a navy blue sheet set, securing each one with bungee cords. Their plan was to stay away from the front entrance in hopes that the turners would forget they were there and wander off by morning. Meanwhile, they'd spend the night hours gathering more supplies.
By now the boats would have returned to the island, and Andrew couldn't even begin to think about how distraught Lindsey and Zoey would be. Their little family had been through the mill. He hated to bring more stress upon them, but in this case, he'd followed the system. He hadn't volunteered his services—he'd been chosen. Although it probably made no difference to his wife as she occupied an empty bed. She wouldn't be mad at him, just out of her mind with worry. If...when they made it out of here, he would waste no time. They would finally talk about their argument weeks before. He would fix everything between them—to hell with his pride.
Sighing, he clutched the handle on his lantern from the camping aisle and picked up two forest green sleeping bags. He heard Charlie moving around in the grocery section and walked in that direction. He found the other man in front of a wide array of canned goods, mostly containing fruits and vegetables. Charlie selected one with peaches and another with pears, while Andrew searched the shelves for his own dinner. A large container of fruit cocktail stared him down—yet another reminder of his wife.
After Charlie was finished with the can opener, he handed it to Andrew. A box of plastic forks lay nearby, so he tore those open and offered one to the man beside him. In exchange, Andrew held out the spare sleeping bag, which Charlie promptly unrolled. They each sat on their poor excuses for a bed and leaned against the shelving. Everything was silent except for the clicking of their forks on aluminum.
"What'd Brian say to you?" Charlie asked, surprising Andrew.
"He, uh, wanted me to tell his son some things…" They were for Tommy's ears only and, well, honestly, he just didn't feel like repeating them.
Charlie shook his head after a few seconds. "It's easy to imagine a turner out there with your name on it, but to go down by friendly fire… Someone up there's got a sick sense of humor."
"I think that can be said for everything else, too."
The rancher set down an empty can and cleared his throat. "How've things been with Lindsey?"
Andrew lifted his shoulder in a tiny shrug. His tired gaze remained on a price tag across the aisle, but his thoughts were elsewhere. "They've been better."
"Not that it's any of my business, but the past couple'a weeks didn't look like a honeymoon to me."
The newlywed released a short laugh. "I've been gettin' more sleep than I thought I would," he said, trying to make light of it, but Charlie saw right through him.
"I heard you two…at the clinic. With only one wall between us…wasn't hard."
Andrew's chest rose and fell with a heavy breath. "I was an ass. I stand by what I said about my children, but probably could have gone about it in a different way. Ya know, without all the yelling."
"Sometimes it's good for ya. Y'all are so in love, it makes me a little sick." Andrew cracked a smile. "Besides, then ya can rip that frilly pink thing off'a her when you two make up," Charlie said, referring to the lingerie in the other man's bag.
If Andrew could blush, he was doing it, so instead of justifying Charlie with a response, he simply rolled his tongue in his cheek. In a gesture that said everything, the man reached over and patted his shoulder.
_____
Seeing as how the next day was Monday, Lindsey forced herself to go to school. Zoey had no problem voicing her opinion on how it was stupid to go when her dad could be back any minute, but gave up when she saw the defeated look in Lindsey's eyes. The woman was putting on a brave face, but her hormones toyed with her emotions. One minute she was fine, or as close as she could be to it, and then the next she was on the verge of crying. She remembered feeling that way the last time she'd been pregnant, but it hadn't involved the unknown fate of her husband, which made everything that much worse.
Caren stopped in before class to tell Lindsey that Robert and Phil had left for the mainland at dawn and would stay there all day if they had to. Lindsey really hoped it wouldn't be necessary. After giving her friend a comforting hug, Caren left for the clinic.
Lindsey fumbled her way through the first two classes, dropping her book, breaking three pieces of chalk, and tripping over too many words to count. Just before noon, raised voices drifted up from Elizabeth's classroom and Lindsey wondered if they'd been dismissed early. She brushed a limp strand of hair out of her dismal eyes, stepped into the hallway, and froze.
Andrew stood from where he was hugging Zoey and gave his stunned wife a wide smile. Trembling, she cupped her hands over her mouth. No longer could she hold back the tears as he walked toward her quickly. Engulfing his arms around her, he lifted her against him and she clutched his shoulders with every ounce of strength in her weary body.
"I love you," he whispered hoarsely into her neck. "I'm so sorry, for everything."
"I love you, baby," she wept against his taut shoulder. "I'm sorry, too! I was so stupid—"
He silenced her with a hard kiss, angling his mouth over hers desperately. Lindsey kissed him back, matching the intensity of his longing. She didn't care if her students or Zoey were watching—she'd waited too damn long for this moment. Her fingers wove into his unruly hair as her other hand grasped the cotton t-shirt covering his muscular back.
When they came up for air, she hugged him once more, never wanting to let go, and his lips tugged into a soft smile at her outpouring of affection. Eventually she slipped out of his embrace and stepped back to look into his beautiful eyes. No longer were they cold or depressed. The love in his gaze almost made her blurt out the words she ached to tell him.
I'm pregnant.
Completely deciding against it right now, she chose to say, "I was so worried, Andrew. What happened?"
The light in his eyes dimmed and he swallowed hard. Shooting a glance over his shoulder, he said quietly, "I'm gonna need a minute with Tommy."
Lindsey's heart sank. It was all too obvious what that meant. She watched him turn around and approach the confused teenage boy standing next to Zoey. He tried to pull Tommy aside, but got shrugged off.
"Where is he?"
"I'm sorry," Andrew said, his voice strained, "there was an accident."
"What do you mean ‘accident'?" Tommy snapped.
The man rested a casual hand on his gun belt but looked like he was bracing for the worst—his strong shoulders were rigid and tense. "Wendy and your dad were searching for supplies on the other side of the store. She got attacked by a small group of turners and…accidentally fired her gun, hitting your dad." Andrew hesitated. "I'm sorry, Tommy. He didn't make it."
The boy's lips tightened as his face twisted with anguish. He was all alone, and Lindsey couldn't stand it—first Hannah, now him. She rushed toward Tommy and pulled him into her arms, holding his head to her shoulder as he softly cried for the loss of his father. Brian had been a good man—why was it always the good ones?
Lindsey continued to hug him as Elizabeth dismissed both classes, and when the hallway was empty, Tommy lifted his head.
"I wanna see him. Tell me you brought him back…"
Andrew, who'd been looking on with a slack expression, nodded. "We did. Charlie, Phil and some of the others took your dad and Wendy to the cemetery. We're gonna have a funeral later today, but I'll take you up there right now."
"Okay, let's go."
Lindsey could see that Andrew wasn't ready to leave them so soon after returning, but this was something he had to do. Tommy needed to see his own family, and the thought broke her heart.
"Andrew, I'll pick up Jake and get everyone ready. Do you want us to meet you there after?" Lindsey asked, resting an affectionate hand on her husband's chest.
Andrew agreed
and covered her hand with his own, bringing her palm to his lips. They exchanged one last woeful smile, and then he turned to walk toward the exit with Tommy.
_____
Late in the evening, the Flynn family returned home after a lovely service for Brian and Wendy. Everyone had dinner at the pavilion in an attempt to celebrate the lives of their fallen comrades. Andrew took a moment to speak with Tommy about his father's last words and was sad to finally learn about the boy's mother; her fate had eluded them since they'd stepped foot on the island.
Mrs. Tasker had been attacked by a turner while swimming in the ocean with her son, alerting them all to the fact that, while turners couldn't swim, they stayed reanimated as they drifted with the tide. The unfortunate event transpired before the cure, so Tommy was left to hold his bleeding mother as she died in his arms. Her death was the reason for New Canaan's 'no swim policy,' and the boy still blamed himself. Andrew assured Tommy that it wasn't his fault and Brian wanted him to know that, too. Guilt was a terrible thing—far too heavy for a teenage boy to carry for the rest of his life.
After making sure Tommy was settled in with his neighbors—his new guardians until he turned seventeen—Andrew put Jacob to bed with a loving kiss. The little boy was getting bigger and bigger every day. Andrew felt like he could barely keep up with all of his advances. He was so close to walking; such a scary thought for his father. Pretty soon he would be talking his ear off. Andrew was suddenly hit with the realization that it was Christmas Eve. He remembered Lindsey saying something a while back about making sugar cookies with her mom every year. He wondered if Jacob would do the same with her someday.
He went to check on Zoey and discovered that the teenager was already asleep. It had been a long day for all of them, and Andrew's filthy appearance didn't hide that fact. He decided to take a shower, allowing the warm water to wash away his stress and frustration from the past two weeks. For the first time in a while, his head felt clear. He was more than ready to talk to Lindsey. They would get everything out in the open and emerge a better couple, or at least, that was what he hoped.
Andrew's good intentions flew the coop when he stepped foot in their bedroom. Lounging on top of the white comforter was Lindsey, her toned body clad in the pink lingerie. Being a typical male, the first things he noticed were her breasts. The material over them was thin, but he wondered if there was some kind of extra padding because she was looking exceptionally chesty—not that he was complaining. He tightened his grip on the towel around his waist and experienced a sensation of light-headedness as all the blood rushed to his groin.
"I thought I'd be nice and unpack your bag," she said with a sexy smile. "Is this my Christmas present—or yours?"
"I was thinkin' both," he said, his voice sounding surprisingly abrasive. His pulse raced as she crawled across the bed and slid off to stand before him. Her glittering gaze took in his full appearance—naked, apart from the towel, with wet, curling hair at the nape of his neck. Lindsey's slender fingers reached out to stroke his bare chest, her lingering touch driving him mad. He was strongly aware of his own heartbeat as it thundered against her hand. He copied her movements, lifting one masculine hand to trail his thumb across the thin fabric over her pebbled nipple. She let out a shuddering breath and he lowered his head. The sensual swipe of his tongue against Lindsey's caused her to lightly dig her nails into his shoulders. Skimming his hands down her supple figure, he enjoyed the round shape of her backside under his palms.
Abruptly, she pulled away from him and grinned. She linked her hand in his and drew him toward the bed. "Sit here," she said, pushing him down to sit on the edge of the mattress.
Andrew's blue eyes explored her face with deep curiosity, all the while enjoying the sudden role reversal. He watched her chew on her bottom lip as she descended to her knees. Then, as if she were opening her own present, Lindsey peeled the towel away from his lower half. She held his shadowy gaze and rubbed her hands up his strong thighs. When she dragged her tongue along his thick arousal, he hissed out a breath and bucked his hips.
Finally, she gathered the strands of her long blonde hair to one side and covered his full length with her mouth. She licked and sucked, sending jolts of pleasure throughout his entire body. He cradled her head between his hands, watching until the pleasure got to be too great, and he was forced to close his eyes and bite back a groan.
After a few minutes, when he thought he was about to lose it, Lindsey raised her head. Her tongue darted out to lightly lick her lips and he felt himself snap.
"Up," he ordered, "on the bed."
She responded right away, climbing onto the cushioned surface. Breathlessly, she asked, "Like this?" with her back against the pillow.
Andrew shook his head. "No, this…" He pulled Lindsey forward by grasping her arm and turned her so that she was positioned on her hands and knees. Her spine arched in anticipation as he pressed a kiss onto the dimples at her lower back. He allowed his warm breath to waft across her skin as his fingers hooked into the sheer thong and pushed it down her quivering legs, leaving it around her knees.
He only teased her for a quick second before holding her hips steady and thrusting to the hilt. Lindsey cried out into the pillow beneath her as the relentless motion caused the straps of her top to slide off her shoulders, exposing her breasts even further. He took her hard and forcefully, thinking only of the release she could give him. He didn't just want her, he needed her—the same way he needed air to breathe.
With all control lost, he wrapped her blonde locks around his fist and tugged her upright, all the while still buried deep inside her. Leaving open-mouthed kisses and love bites along the soft column of her neck, he helped the left strap of her tank-top find its way down her arm. With her pale breast uncovered, he fondled it in his hand and coaxed her rosy nipple to a tantalizing peak.
At the mercy of her husband, Lindsey let out suppressed whimpers, trying to stay as quiet as she possibly could.
Andrew thrust up into her roughly and whispered, "God, I love how you sound when I'm inside you."
Lindsey gasped, her body beginning to quake in his arms. He felt his own looming release and bent her over once more. Her frantic noises told him she was coming undone, so he followed quickly behind. He held his breath and experienced the euphoric rush he'd craved as he pumped in and out of her one final time.
Afterward, he slumped against her, smoothing his hands over her bruised hips and silky back. He kissed her hot skin as she continued to pant softly beneath him. "I'm sorry," he murmured, "I was too rough with you."
Lindsey smiled over her shoulder. "I like when you lose your cool, Captain Flynn," she said in a playful tone.
_____
Andrew "losing his cool" was a very modest way to put what had just happened. At that point Lindsey wasn't even sure she'd be able to walk the next day. She could have stopped him at any time but, if she was being honest, had loved every second of it. Once she told him about the baby, there was no way in hell he would act like that with her again. He'd be gentle and sweet as he made love to her, which was great, but sometimes she liked rough sex just as much he did.
Andrew slowly pulled out of her and fell back onto his pillow with a satisfied sigh. Lindsey moved into his open arms, dropping tender kisses on his damp shoulder. When she rested her head upon his chest, she could hear every beat of his pounding heart. She caressed the coarse hair beneath her hand while he traced a finger along the outside of her delicate wrist.
"When we were stuck in that store last night, I promised myself that if I got out of there, I would come back and fix everything between us," Andrew said, pressing his lips to her brow.
Lindsey closed her eyes and smiled. "I understand why you were upset with me. I need to take my parental responsibilities just as serious as I do being your wife. I love those children, Andrew. I just want them to grow up with a mother and a father."
"And I absolutely agree. I didn't handle it the way I should have. I'm sorry I hurt
you," he said on a husky whisper.
"Same here, baby." She brought his head down for a quick kiss, but he kept his lips on hers, drawing it out slightly longer. When he pulled back, she said, "I guess those are things we'll have to work on."
He nodded and threaded their fingers together. "Besides, if we plan to have more children, we'll need to be on the same page," he retorted, smiling. Lindsey bit down on her confession yet again and he must have perceived her silence as negative, because he quickly followed his statement with: "And if it's just the four of us, that's okay, too. Whatever happens, we'll make the best of it."
_____
The next morning, Andrew woke before everyone else and got together all the gifts he'd managed to scrounge up. They didn't have any wrapping paper, so he tucked everything inside a cardboard box and placed it on the coffee table. After moving Hannah, they'd acquired the table and two wicker easy chairs from her bungalow—a welcome addition to their sad-looking living room.
While waiting for the others to get up, he made himself a cup of coffee, and a cup of tea for Lindsey. Jacob began to fuss in his crib, so Andrew scooped up the little boy and carried him out to the kitchen. He continued to make breakfast, the rich smells eventually luring Zoey from her room. The teenage girl was acting somewhat hyper, which Andrew was happy to blame on that particular day. They'd missed last Christmas, mostly by choice. Today would be special—a gift in and of itself—if only Lindsey would be present for it.
Andrew glanced at his silver wristwatch and wondered why she was still in bed. Sure, they'd stayed up a little bit late the night before, but it was unlike her to sleep in. Clutching her hot tea in one hand, he moved down the short hall to their bedroom.
Chapter 12
Andrew pushed open the bedroom door to find his wife in bed. Puzzled, he tilted his head to the side. He'd expected to walk in on her getting dressed or reading, but no, she was still fast asleep. He crossed the room and sat down next to her, the soft mattress giving under his weight.