Tempest's Paradise (Siren Publishing Allure)

by Amanda Kay

  She pulled into her garage and with Elaine’s help got Seth and Serenity back in bed. She walked Elaine to the door and waved as she walked just next door.

  Tempest had bought both houses and had given the other one to Elaine, who had been pissed beyond words about the extravagant gift. She had huffed and puffed, refusing to use the house, until Tempest finally caved in and allowed her to pay “rent.”

  She closed and locked the door. She went straight back to the nursery and watched her children sleep. They were such good babies and had been from the beginning. They ate well. They slept well. One of the first things Tempest did when she brought them home was to set up a routine for them. They went to sleep at about seven in the evening. Even at only two months old, they only woke up about once during the night. They had healthy appetites and were such happy babies.

  At that moment she decided that she deserved answers, not just for her own sake but for the sake of her kids. They deserved to know who their father was even if he was a despicable bastard. She gave them both a gentle kiss and went to get herself ready for bed. She was going to have a rough couple of days ahead of her, and she was going to need her rest.

  * * * *

  Devin stood in the line at the store wanting nothing more than to get back to his hotel. He turned around to see what else was going on, and his eyes landed on the most beautiful woman on God’s earth. It was Tempest. She was staring at him in utter shock and horror pointing at him with a trembling finger. Her eyes were big as saucers, and her face was beyond pale. He saw Elaine next to her, and when she saw him, her face darkened in anger.

  He dropped what was in his arms and went after them. Both women grabbed their purses and ran like scalded dogs for the door. He pushed his limit trying to catch them but didn’t make it. They jumped into a black Honda CRV and burned rubber out of the parking lot. He had called after her, desperation ringing in his voice as he yelled her name, but he was too late.

  He crumpled to his knees on the rough pavement and grabbed his head, moaning. He remembered at the last second and looked up. He quickly noted the license plate on the car. He had something! He got up, determined to find her. He pulled his cell phone out and sent a text to Wayne with the make and model of the car along with the license plate number with a simple message. Find her!

  He walked back into the store and found the cart they had been pushing. He rummaged through it trying to get an idea of how she was doing, and he found it odd when he saw the diapers and baby food. It wasn’t a lot, so he just figured she was buying it as a baby gift for a friend.

  His phone chirped at him thirty minutes later with an address. He couldn’t stop the euphoria as it coursed through his system. He found her! He rushed back out of the store and got into his SUV. He plugged the address into the GPS and headed out.

  Ten minutes later he pulled up in front of a cute little house in a nice suburb of Harker Heights, a small town not far from Fort Hood. He walked up to the door, and his stomach knotted. He reached out and rang the doorbell. He heard movement inside the house and watched as a shadow passed under the door. There were tense seconds when he thought she wasn’t going to open the door. His breath whooshed out when he heard the alarm beep off and the bolt release.

  The door opened and the world stood still. Tempest was standing there in a pair of lounging pants and a T-shirt. Her hair was wet from a recent shower, but her face truly broke his heart. He saw anger, fear, hurt, and apprehension all at once.

  “Devin, what do you want?” His voice was small but controlled.

  “I wanted to talk to you. Please, I just want to talk to you and explain,” he said, and his voice hitched with emotion. She looked more beautiful than he remembered. Her hair was still that amazing strawberry blonde. Her eyes were a shocking green that glittered with emotion. Her skin looked softer and her figure fuller. She stole his breath.

  “Come in but keep your voice down,” she said, her voice threatening.

  “Thank you,” he whispered and followed her into the house. It was a warm home that was tastefully decorated and had a loving feel to it. He liked it immediately, but he noticed odd things around like toys, photos of babies, fluffy blankets. He was just so excited that she had let him in that it didn’t click in his mind.

  She sat in a gliding rocker, and he sat in on the sofa as indicated. He sat tense as she studied him.

  “All right, explain,” she said, her voice tense and controlled.

  Devin took a deep breath and told his story.

  * * * *

  Another thirty minutes later

  Tempest sat in her gliding rocker stunned. She had to admit that she was happy he hadn’t left because he wanted to but because he was forced to. She was also angry as hell at him for not just telling her. They could’ve worked out something together. They could’ve found a way. She was so twisted inside that she couldn’t speak.

  “Please say something, Tempest,” Devin said, his voice a pleading whisper.

  “What do you want me to say, Devin?” she snapped, deciding that anger was a safer emotion. “You left me! You left me with no explanation and you left me broken,” she said heatedly and cursed the tears that formed. Damn her post-pregnancy hormones! Were they ever going to get back to normal? “You were cold and cruel. I was hurt beyond words, Devin,” “I didn’t have a choice, Tempest! They threatened to kill you!” he said. His voice rose as well.

  “If there is one thing I’ve learned since then, it’s that there is always a choice, Devin! It might not be the one you want or the ideal, but there is still a choice! You should’ve told me! You should’ve trusted me to help! If nothing else, you should’ve trusted in my training as a soldier, Devin! I’ve fought enemy insurgents for Christ’s sake. I could’ve helped you! We could’ve solved it together! I had already found the hack! If you had just trusted me, the mystery of who was trying to hurt you…us…could’ve been solved months ago! I wouldn’t have had to…” She stopped when she realized that she was yelling at him. She stood and left the room when she heard her children crying.

  She closed her eyes and wished everything would just go away. She had gotten angry. She had lost her temper, and now her secret was out. She walked into the nursery and turned on the little bedside lamp next to the crib. The room was ethereal with the glow of the soft light. She walked over and started shushing her cranky kids. She smiled when they immediately settled and cuddled close to each other.

  Most people criticized her for putting them in the same crib. She had tried when she first brought them home to have them in separate beds, but they had cried for nearly three nights solid before she figured it out. They had shared a womb for nine months. They needed that closeness. Seth had one of his hands wrapped around his ear, and Serenity was sucking happily on her thumb. Tempest smiled and gently pulled if free. Serenity fussed for a second until Tempest placed a pacifier in its place.

  Her smile dropped when she heard motion behind her. She turned slowly to find Devin standing in the nursery doorway. He had a strange look on his face and walked slowly into the room. He came to a stop next to her and looked over into the crib. She watched as a tear ran down his stubbly cheek. He reached one hand out and gently stroked a finger across Serenity’s chubby cheek. Their precious little girl squirmed and smiled at the gentle touch.

  He looked next at Seth and pushed a curly lock of hair out of his face. The little cherub grunted but otherwise didn’t move. More tears fell as he stared at the two small figures in the bed. Tempest’s heart broke all over again. She was sad, and she was angry. She was feeling murderous toward whoever was trying to keep them apart. They had better pray to God she never found them out.

  It was in that moment of watching Devin stare at their children that she realized that the blame couldn’t be entirely placed at his feet. She was to blame also. She never even tried to find out why Devin had dismissed her. She never thought to question that his behavior was odd. Yes, she had her own blame to shoulder and her own guil
t. She had denied Devin the right to his children out of anger and hurt. That was wrong on her part and selfish on behalf of her children.

  She normally didn’t allow anyone to pick up the kids when they were sleeping, but tonight was a very special occasion. They were about to meet their father for the first time. She reached into the crib and picked up their daughter. She couldn’t help but smile as she squirmed and whined in protest.

  “This is Serenity,” she whispered quietly as she laid the squirming bundle in Devin’s hesitant arms.

  “Serenity,” she heard him whisper weakly as he stared at their daughter in awe and wonder.

  Devin leaned down and placed a gentle kiss on her forehead. He gasped when she opened her eyes and smiled up at him. His heart squeezed when she reached up one of her tiny little hands and place it gently on his rough cheek. She giggled up at him when the whiskers tickled her little palm. Tempest took the small angel out of his arms and put her gently back in the crib. She reached for the other small bundle.

  “This is Seth,” she whispered.

  “Seth,” Devin whispered, too.

  Seth, as if he knew the importance of the moment, opened his eyes and smiled up at his father and cooed at him encouragingly. Devin couldn’t hold back his tears any longer. He hugged Seth to him and cried. It was all too much. He loosened his grip when Seth grunted in protest. He put him back in the crib next to his sister. He gently ran his fingers over their silky hair and kept right on crying.

  He gripped the side of the crib and took deep breaths to try and stop the surge of emotion. Once he was in better control, he turned and looked at Tempest. She had made him a father. He didn’t even have to question that they were his. He knew deep down in his soul that those were his children. He slowly drew her into his arms and sobbed as she came into his embrace willingly. He held her close as the enormity of the situation settled over him.

  He pulled back and ran a gentle hand over her soft hair and down her slightly rounded cheek. He took her hand and led her back into the living room. He felt he had won another small victory when she didn’t fight him when he pulled her down on the couch next to him.

  “How?” he asked, choking on his emotion.

  “Apparently the pill isn’t 100 percent,” she said with a sheepish grin.

  “How old are they?”

  “Two months old.”

  “Twins,” he said with delighted disbelief.

  “Yeah, I was a little shocked, too. The doctors didn’t even know I was pregnant with twins,” she said, smiling.

  “Is that why they’re still so small?”

  “Yeah but they’re healthy and don’t have any problems. They eat good and sleep good, too,” she said, unable to hide the pride in her voice. “Seth was first followed seconds later by Serenity. Seth weighed four and a half pounds and Serenity weighed four pounds even. They were both sixteen inches long. I had to have a C-section because Seth was breech.”

  Devin stared at Tempest like she was the most amazing creature to ever walk God’s earth. He gently ran his fingertips down her face and then rested his forehead against hers.

  “Thank you. They’re perfect. I’m so sorry,” he said in a broken whisper.

  “It isn’t all your fault. As much as I’d like it to be, it isn’t. I’m sorry, too. I should’ve told you about them sooner,” she said with a sad smile and a weak chuckle.

  “I will make this up to you. I swear I will spend the rest of my life making this right if that’s what it takes,” Devin croaked and closed his eyes. “P–p–please don’t ask me to leave,” he said in a broken whisper as another tear made its way down his cheek.

  “I won’t ask you to leave,” she said and traced the path of the tear.

  A sob escaped past his lips, and he pulled her into his arms and kissed her gently on the lips. It was the most amazing kiss she had ever received. She couldn’t help but cry. Devin broke the sweet, almost chaste kiss and pulled her into his arms and held her. She cried even harder at how wonderful it felt to have him hold her. After what felt like an amazing eternity, she pulled away from the hug and took his hand in hers. She led him down the hallway and into her bedroom.

  She took off her house shoes and crawled under the cover. She checked the baby monitor to make sure it was on and waited for Devin. He sat on the edge of the bed and removed his shoes and socks. He took off his shirt and pants but left on his boxer briefs. He climbed into the bed and pulled her into his arms.

  “I’ve missed having you here,” he whispered in her ear.

  “I’ve missed being here,” she sighed. She turned around in the comforting circle that was his arms and looked at him. “Please don’t leave me again. I don’t think I would survive it,” she said around a sob and wrapped her body around his.

  He held her tight against him. “I won’t leave you again. I promise.”

  “This time if something happens, please just tell me and we’ll work it out together. You’ve got two amazing reasons to stay,” she said and looked at him with beseeching green eyes.

  “I don’t have two reasons. I’ve got three reasons to stay.” He pulled her into his arms and took her scent into his lungs. She still had the same amazing scent, but this time it was more. Her scent was mingled with the smell of baby powder. He gave a contented sigh and slipped into the first peaceful night’s sleep he’d had in a year.

  * * * *

  The sounds of fussing babies coming through the monitor pulled Tempest out of a deep sleep. She opened her eyes and smiled when she saw Devin. It hadn’t been a dream. She wiggled out of his arms and got up off the bed.

  “Huh? Where are you going?” he asked, his voice thick with sleep and tinged with fear.

  “It’s okay. I’m just going to sort out the rug rats. Go back to sleep. It won’t take long,” she said with a smile.

  Devin immediately sat up on the edge of the bed, wide awake. “Can I help?” he asked, almost desperate to be with his children.

  Tempest’s heart melted. “Sure, come on, and I’ll show you what to do,” she said as she took his hand in hers and led him down the hallway. “Turn on the little lamp on the table and pull the other rocker from the guest room in here. I’ll be right back with the bottles.”

  Devin worked at the speed of light and sat down to wait on Tempest. He jumped to his feet when she came into the room carrying two bottles and some towels.

  “Who do you want to feed?” she asked.

  “C–can I feed Serenity?” he asked timidly.

  “Sure,” she said with a smile.

  She reached in and picked up their fussing daughter and handed her to Devin. She watched as Devin held her gently and smiled a megawatt smile when she started sucking on the bottle, her little hand reaching up and grasped his thumb. He watched in awe and wonder as their daughter ate. He sat back in the chair and slowly rocked Serenity. She grabbed her baby boy and set about getting him fed.

  Neither of them spoke, and as always Seth finished his milk first. She burped him and then laid him back in his bed. She sat back down and watched Devin feed Serenity. He spoke to her in soft soothing tones as she sucked on her bottle like a little lady would. When she finished, he burped her and kept rocking her until her small squirming form stilled and her breathing evened out. He rose carefully from the chair and put her gently back in the crib. He leaned over and kissed them both gently on the forehead. He took her hand in his and walked back to the bedroom.

  They climbed into bed and immediately went back into each other’s arms and fell once again into deep, peaceful sleep.

  * * * *

  Tempest woke up at 0530 on the dot, just like always. Sometimes she hated army conditioning. She wouldn’t mind sleeping at least until 0800 when her kids woke up. She gave a stretch and a yawn. At least waking up before her kids gave her a chance to do other things without having to worry about them.

  She went to her bathroom and took care of her morning routine. Once she had on a change of clothes, she looke
d at the bed and realized that Devin wasn’t there. Odd. She walked down the hall and looked in on the kids, but they weren’t in their crib. Panic! She ran down the hallway with her heart in her throat.

  She stopped dead in her tracks and gave a little hysterical laugh of relief when she saw Devin flat on his back on the couch. He was dead to the world. He had Seth in the crook of one arm and Serenity in the crook of the other arm. They were all asleep. She looked at the three of them and grabbed her camera. She crept over snapped a couple of photos. It was one she just couldn’t pass up. She reviewed the digital image and couldn’t wait to get it printed out. She gave the slumbering group one last smile and headed into the kitchen.

  She stared at the room and figured since she had company she should cook instead of going for her customary cereal or pop tarts. She got all the ingredients and started cooking. She was really getting into the groove and starting to relax. It had been a while since she had last cooked breakfast, and she forgot how much she enjoyed it. She let the bacon sizzle on medium heat and started the coffee. It was her one necessity in the mornings. She didn’t feel normal until she had at least two cups of coffee in her. People picked at her being so young and needing coffee for fuel but hell! She had been getting up at 0530 or earlier since she was seventeen, and to top it off now she had two rug rats she had to deal with. She needed her coffee or else she might go postal on the post command team.

  Devin woke to the most amazing smells. It had been over a year since he had any kind of real breakfast food. He looked down and just smiled. He nuzzled the fragrant heads of his children and carefully stood up. Seth didn’t wiggle, and Serenity only gave a small squeak of protest. He walked back to their room and laid them back in their crib. He kissed them both and headed back to the kitchen.