“Oh yea?” Brawley smiled back at her and then looked to the side and made eye contact with Tucker.
“Fuckin’ A! It took you long enough!” Brawley crossed the room in one leap and grabbed Tucker in a big bear hug.
Dr. Saunders turned and headed for the doorway. “Hey, you don’t have to go. We could have a threesome,” yelled Brawley.
Tucker saw the pretty doctor blush, examining the two of them. “Back in the day, you two would have been exactly the kinds of bad boys I’d have been delighted to sit with. But that was then. This is now. This is about you getting well and going home, Brawley.” She looked down briefly and then whispered, wrinkling her nose, “But thanks.”
She left the room.
Tucker knew his brief discussion with Brawley was going to be all about the doctor.
Tucker agreed to meet Brawley again in a few days and asked him to get the doctor to expedite his appointment so he didn’t have to wait so long. Brawley was in near tears at the prospect Tucker had to leave.
“I don’t want to do anything to jeopardize your stay and treatment here. We want you out.”
“But we didn’t get to talk about the guys. What happened to everyone? I barely remember it.”
“Next time. Promise,” Tucker said as he left.
He reported in to Kyle who told him a few of the guys were getting together for beers at the Scupper. Tucker was all in for that one.
The two boat crew guys were there, which was a surprise. He hadn’t seen them since he got back. “Amigos!” he shouted as they greeted him. Several others sat at their favorite table next to the fire pit.
“Kinda feels like old times, right?” said T.J. Talbot. “Nice fire, stars out tonight.” He broke into a grin.
Several of the team clinked long-necked beer bottles, and Tucker shivered. “Not anxious to do another one of those campouts.”
“I agree. The rangers are fuckin’ mean,” quipped Fredo. “I’d have to say downright nasty.”
Kyle asked him about his visit with Brawley.
“Well, hey, not sure if this is the case, but I’d say he’s getting better because of his doctor. Kyle, have you been by yet?”
“Nope. Wanted to see how it went with you first. But she briefed me by phone.”
“Well, I don’t know if her phone voice is sexy, but man, she’s a looker. Very nice too. A little tough, but fun.” He winked and the guys cheered.
“Now, don’t get ideas, Tucker,” said Cooper. “Old married man means just that, my friend.”
“Hey. I was doing it for Brawley!” said Tucker.
One by one, he made eye contact with the team and one by one, he saw in their faces that in his first mission, he’d passed with flying colors.
“You knock up that pretty wife of yours yet, Tucker? Now would be a good time,” teased Jameson.
“Some are working on it harder than others, I hear, Jameson,” added DeWayne Huggles. “He’s got the finger piano action going on!”
Again, a chorus of cheers let out. Someone poured a beer on the Nashville SEAL.
But the comment had struck a nerve with Tucker and he’d lost his lightheartedness. He’d left Brandy in a state he wasn’t proud of. He’d have to watch that, he noted.
It felt good to be with the guys, in the warm night in San Diego, and it even felt good to get a bit of a buzz on. Tucker knew he’d have to order something or he’d have to take a cab home. The waitress was overloaded, and the wait would be extensive. So, while everyone was jabbering on about being back home, Tucker slipped into the bar to order a burger.
“We can bring it out to you,” the bartender told him.
“Thanks.”
Tucker was on his way back to the table with four new brews when he nearly ran into Shayla, his ex. Her eyes widened as she hungrily devoured the sight of him in front of her.
“Well, look who got out of the cage tonight. My favorite sailor.” She glanced over to her bevy of friends sitting in a dark corner.
Tucker wasn’t having any of it. “Not in the mood.”
“If you change your mind, call me.” She put her hands on his chest, sliding them down his jacket, yanking and tugging on his pockets. Tucker nudged her away.
“Shayla, why do you do this? It’s totally beneath you. I have absolutely no interest in having anything to do with you ever again, so do me a favor and butt out of my life.”
“Well, sailor, didn’t mean to get you all hot and bothered.” She leaned into him and whispered, “You do remember those days, don’t you?”
“I honestly don’t,” Tucker said and walked outside.
An hour later, the group had pared down to just Tucker, Kyle, Cooper and T.J. As he hoped, the burger had helped take the edge off.
“You hear anything from Sven?” Kyle asked him.
“Not yet. I will. I think you will too,” Tucker answered. “You hear from Jean?”
Kyle frowned. “Yea. The guy’s whole world has fallen apart. They seized all his property, and he barely got out with his life before the militia came through. Some of his men defected.”
“That surprises me,” said Coop.
“They had families they had to protect. It’s the story of Africa, Middle East too. They’ll fight for whomever will protect their family.”
Everyone agreed.
“So he’s back in France?” asked T.J.
“He is. For now. He’s still looking into what happened with the American nurse. But he doesn’t have much hope, and there’s not much he can do from Paris.”
The conversation got sober in a hurry. “Crying shame,” whispered Tucker.
“You think they’d ever send us back in to get her?” Coop asked.
“Maybe another team. Not sure I’ll get that chance,” Kyle said with resignation. “Although this is our deployment window. Depends on when they find her. Jean told me not to hold my breath.”
Tucker didn’t want to ask if Kyle was considering leaving the Teams or if he felt his career in the Navy was on hold. He wanted to have that private conversation with him about Brawley without other ears. He asked about the Belgium doctor.
“Understand she fully recovered, and has a prosthetic hand, Jean says. He was encouraging her to get a hook!”
“Serve anyone right if they tried to mess with her,” said Tucker.
Everyone laughed.
Tucker knew it was time to leave. Before he was tempted with another beer, excused himself and said his good-byes. “I like this. Let’s do it again, sooner,” he suggested.
“We were just talking about that when you arrived,” answered Cooper.
The drive home felt longer than the trip over. The house was dark, but Brandy had left the porch light on. He removed his jacket, tossing it on the chair, and kicked off his shoes. He sat on the couch and stared at the blank TV screen.
Normally, Brandy would have greeted him just as soon as he came through the door. But after their argument today, he figured he deserved what he got. So he sat in the dark and just thought about things. He thought about taking a shot of Jack, but lost interest.
So much was out of his control. He thought about the poor American nurse, about the misfortune Jean had gone through. Brawley, he wasn’t worried about any longer, or at least not for now. Getting the Navy to keep him in might be something Kyle could help him with. The guys were good. He knew Sven was probably enjoying Paris.
But that left Brandy. She was the glue that made everything hold together. He realized that loud and clear when he saw Shayla at the Scupper. The differences between these two women were like the two sides of the moon. He remembered what Kyle had told him at the bonfire before they left, ‘You got a good one there, Tucker.’
It was true.
But it also wasn’t fair to her if he couldn’t get as close to her as she needed. He’d been fine with long distance friendships and casual hookups. But Brandy wanted everything, wanted it intense. Believed in the happily ever after. She wanted every part of him, and
he wasn’t sure he could give it. Sometimes, he was all on. Sometimes he was just switched off. And it could happen quickly too. Maybe he’d been lying to himself. He never wanted to lie to her. She deserved so much more.
He knew it was time to go back and apologize. Maybe that would help him remove all the rough skin and the worry. Nothing was ever one hundred percent perfect, especially a homecoming.
Just like no mission was.
He opened the door to the bedroom a crack just to watch her sleep. Moonlight showered her arm and shoulder with silver. Her hair splayed all over the pillow. He vowed he’d try harder. If he couldn’t get to where she wanted him to be, like she said, she could go only halfway. If he couldn’t go the rest of it, well, he’d go as far as he could, out of honor for how hard she was working. How devoted she was.
He sat on the bed and removed his pants, trying not to make noise. He took off his SEAL Team 3 shirt and slipped into the sheets with just his stars and stripes boxers on. The warm mattress melted the kinks in his shoulder and thighs. He crept closer until he could spoon behind her, trying not to wake her up.
Her smell filled his nose as he lay his head down in the nest of her hair, his lips so close to her neck he could kiss her. And then his hand was on her hip as she slowly moved, pressing her backside into him and letting him feel the length of her body. His hand slipped down her thigh. She turned to her back, drawing up her nightgown so his fingers could feel her flesh. Her smooth inner thigh was magic to touch. She inhaled, arched back, covered his fingers with her hand and drew him up to her core.
She dropped her hand while he felt her wet heat, slipping through the petals of her labia. She moaned, and he lost all his control. He climbed on top, pulling her to him with one arm under her waist. Her beautiful breasts called to him in the moonlight. He didn’t take the time to remove his boxers, or her gown, but found himself inside her, thrusting deep, and desperate to be deeper.
She writhed beneath him, already feeling an orgasm blooming and sending rivulets of passion down where their thighs slid against each others’. She reached between them and felt their joining, tears streaming down her cheeks, dropping like diamonds into the pillow.
He was going to spill, and he felt awful it was so quick. That’s not the way he’d wanted it to be.
“Brandy,” he started to whisper.
She covered his mouth with her fingers. “Shhhh.”
“But Brandy—”
She stopped him again. As he started to come inside her, she held his face between her hands and whispered, “It’s all perfect, Tucker.”
Chapter 21
While last night’s lovemaking was a gift, Brandy also knew that it didn’t necessarily mean everything was back to normal. But it did encourage her that he sought her engagement, that he came to her, instead of the other way around.
She made coffee, leaving Tucker to sleep in as long as he wanted to. She sat on the sofa with her knees pulled to her chin. She stretched her nightgown over her legs, grasped the coffee mug to her chest and sipped the warm mixture.
She knew some of her friends would disapprove of her actions last night—just jumping right back in bed with him without getting things aired out first. Maybe that worked for most marriages. Maybe it was the healthiest way. But that might also be the way she’d lose him. She knew men of action were different and that she’d actually married two men, not one. Now that he had gotten re-acquainted with his other self, she’d have to accept the other side of him if she wanted their marriage to work.
Brandy always wanted to understand the why of it all, to feel things, figure out situations and people. Tucker was different. He was act now and think about the consequences later. Maybe he never doubted himself like she did. Or, maybe he just did a better job of either covering it up or charging ahead anyway.
Tucker cracked open the bedroom door and padded out to the kitchen for his coffee. His stars and stripes boxers were bunched up in his butt crack, but he was still a delicious package with his enormous shoulders, muscled back, and bundled thighs. He had more scars on him than she’d noticed before. He turned, his body facing her, but continued to look down at his coffee. She glanced away and waited for him to say something.
“I want to apologize, Brandy.”
That got her attention.
He took another sip and collapsed his enormous frame in the nearby arm chair, dwarfing it. She could tell he was thinking, choosing his words carefully. She decided to test his capacity for a little humor.
“Well, to be honest, I didn’t think the sex last night was all that bad.”
Tucker’s head whipped around, his expression one of shock.
She continued, “don’t apologize on my behalf. I had a good time.” She tried to keep a very straight face as she peered at him over her mug.
His grin was slow to develop, but when he finished, she enjoyed just looking at him sitting there with his knees spread, nearly bare, the enormous tent in his pants extremely prominent. Suddenly, she was dripping with desire.
“I can do better.”
She sipped her coffee quietly and ignored him, again working hard not to smile.
“Did you hear me?” he repeated.
“I’m ignoring you,” she said. She knew she had piqued his interest big time.
“Okay, so I deserve this. I’m sorry, Brandy, for the argument yesterday morning.”
It was a good start. “I’ll try not to ask so many questions. But will you do something for me?”
“Within reason,” he said as he finished off his coffee and set it on the coffee table.
“If you want to be left alone, just tell me. Don’t snap at me. Give me a heads-up, and I’ll learn to deal with it.” Her eyes teared up, but she fought to make sure they didn’t overflow. “Don’t push me out like that, and I promise to put away my butterfly wings.”
“Come here, Brandy,” he said softly.
She knew that he wanted sex, but as she sat in his lap and curled herself against his chest, she felt his careful, protective arms surrounded her. There were no strings. They sat together in the early morning space that was their life.
It wasn’t perfect, but it was what they had. And that was indeed quite enough.
That evening, Brandy and Tucker went out to dinner with her father and his new girlfriend, Jillian.
“I’ve heard so much about you,” Jillian said as they were seated. “What you do is incredible, Tucker. I have nothing but respect.”
Tucker was polite but dodged questions about what their last mission had been, except to say they were in Africa and there had been a hostage rescue operation. He stopped short of calling the mission successful.
Steven Cook held Jillian’s hand. “We’ve got some news to share with you.”
Brandy held her breath, having a good idea what it was about.
“Jillian’s agreed to marry me, Brandy.” He smiled as Jillian snuggled closer. “We’d like your—” He backed up to correct himself. “We’d like both of your blessings. It’s important to us.”
“Oh, Dad. I’m so happy.” Brandy stood, and danced over to hug her dad first, and then Jillian.
Tucker put his hand over theirs and said, “Way to go, guys. I think that’s a wonderful idea. Brandy and I are both on board.”
“And there’s more,” her dad began. “We’ve been giving a lot of thought to the store. And I think I want to sell it,” he added. “The way things stand, we’re awfully tied down. We could do more travel, and you know, Brandy, that’s what I’ve wanted to do for years.”
“Can you find a buyer?” Tucker asked.
“We think we have one,” said Jillian. “There’s a family from Mexico, second generation Americans, and they’d like to convert the store to something that caters to the Latino population. They can carry specialty foods, keep some of the deli items and the fruit, but add other ethnic things. They own two catering trucks already. It would be perfect for them.”
Brandy was delighted. “Soun
ds like the perfect plan.”
“One more thing. Jillian has the house by the ocean,” her dad began. “So why don’t you two move into the big house? I’d like to deed half of it, your mother’s half, to you, Brandy, before we get married. It’s something she’d want me to do. You can do whatever you want with it. Sell it, refinance it and pay off my half, buy something else—anything you want.”
“Dad, I don’t know what to say.” Brandy was overwhelmed with her father’s generosity. It was nothing she’d ever imagined would happen.
Steve Cook laughed. “I know it’s a lot to consider, so you guys think about it. You don’t have to let us know tonight. You might want to go get something of your own. In that case, I’ll sell the property and give you half.”
On the way home, Tucker asked her if she had any thoughts about her father’s proposal.
She watched his strong profile, lights from the highway splashing colors inside the cab of the truck. “What do you think?”
“I think it’s your decision.” He kissed her hand. His eyes briefly connected with hers. “Okay?”
She thought perhaps she’d need more time, but all of a sudden, it became clear. Because of her dad’s generosity, they were living in the bungalow behind the big house that her parents had lived in. That big house would always be her parent’s house long after they were both gone.
Tucker arrived home and sat in the driveway, turning off the engine. He put his arm around her and let her think.
“Tucker, this property was chosen and belonged to my parents. They’ve moved on with their lives.” She looked up to his face. “I think I’d like to move on with ours. I’d like to find our house. Together.”
“So be it,” he said, just before he kissed her.
In the weeks following, the store ownership papers were drawn up. Brandy’s father put the property on the market and it sold in one week for way more than they’d ever thought possible. During the escrow, Brandy and Tucker packed up their household, put some of their belongings in storage, and temporarily moved into a rental near Brawley and Dorie’s home until they could find their perfect place.
SEALed Forever Page 14