Two Weeks With a SEAL (The Wakefield Romance Series) (20 page)

Her arm shot out and her
French manicured nails wrapped around my forearm, pulling my face within inches
of hers. "Just wait, bitch," she hissed in my face, her breath
smelling of cigarette smoke and whiskey. I yank my arm from her grasp, watching
her teeter from the force of it as Chad pulls me into the next aisle. I shake
with anger towards her and go on with the task of grabbing groceries, laughing
and joking with Chad throughout the rest of the store, getting stares and
whispers from the shoppers around us. Borrowing one of the fold-up carts from
the store manager, Jerry Holiday, Chad promises to return it tomorrow as he
waves back at him, leaving the store with our six bags of food and heading for
the hardware store.

Leaving the cart with
our groceries behind the counter with the clerk, my high school 'boyfriend'
[using the term loosely because we did nothing but make out a few times over
the six months of being together] Gary Jinger, Chad and I stroll through the
hardware store hand-in-hand. He leaves me at the paint counter and tells me to
pick out some colors for the bedrooms and the living room as he looks at some
doors in the back and I watch him walk away with the owner, Ken Remmings. I
stand back and look at all the colors, trying to see if one catches my eye as I
scan over them.

Picking up a selection
of light blue colors I strain my ears, trying to see if I can hear what Chad
and Ken are talking about, but I can't hear anything but the country music
playing softly in the background.
Hmmmm
, I think because the selection of
doors isn't that far away, I should be able to hear something, but I shake it
off and turn my attention back to the paint colors. I pick out a medium light
blue color for our bedroom and a lightly darker blue for the spare bedrooms,
having the clerk Gary mix them for me as I hym and haw over one for the living
room. I strain my ears one more time to see if I can hear Chad's voice and this
time I do, but it seems a little farther off than just the door section, but
whatever. I go with a golden orange color for the living room to match the
kitchen and go with Chad's dark brown couches. Gary is mixing it just as Chad
appears with Ken, walking towards me from the front of the store.

"Took ya long
enough," I say with a smile as Gary sets the five gallons of paint up on
the counter and I see his eyes go from me to Chad, a sly smile on his lips and
I cock my head at him. Gary just ignores it and takes the paint to the front
counter with Chad, Ken and I on his heels.

"I ordered some new
doors and locks," Chad says over his shoulder as I look over the small
candy selection Ken kept well stocked at the register, "Ken and a couple
of his guys are gonna deliver and install them later next week." I nod
without looking at him, my fingers running over the bag of Sour Patch kids.
"Is that okay?"

"That's fine,"
I say quietly, but just the mention of next week casts a shadow over my mood.
Next week I'll be without Chad. I'll be in that big house, in that big bed all
by myself and he'll be somewhere in danger.

Chad's hand comes to my
cheek, snapping me out of my little reverie and he smiles at me, pulling our
cart with groceries out from behind the counter with our cans of paint stuffed
on the bottom. I'm silent as Chad says goodbye to Ken and Gary, thanking them
for their help and saying he knows the doors will look great and we're out on
the street again, the breeze still chilly.

I'm still pretty quiet,
still mulling over what next week will bring, when Chad and I snuggle into the
couch with our delivered pizza and cups of Pepsi on the coffee table. He pulls
me into his shoulder, his fingers on my chin forcing my eyes to meet his.
"Talk to me," he says, his blue eyes searching my face while his
fingers caress my cheek, the warmth causing me to lean into his touch, placing
my hand over his and holding it to my cheek.

"I'm just... just
scared," I say quietly, leaning my forehead to his and running my fingers
along his chin, igniting my nerves with the scratch of his beard. I sigh
heavily, "Scared for you," I say, meeting his eyes, seeing the
concern buried deep within the blue color. He pulls me onto his lap so that I'm
straddling him, his hands caressing my cheeks, pushing stray hairs back from my
face and rubbing into the back of my neck, getting my eyes to close in a second
of ecstasy.

"Listen to
me," he whispers, pulling my face to his and his hot breath tickles my
ear, "I will not,
I will not
, have you worrying about me. I will be
just fine. I'm going to do my job and come home to you so that we can start our
family." His hands move down my neck, over my shoulders, and down my back,
pulling me into him so that my cheek rested on his. His lips found my ear
sending a shock of excitement through my limbs, my legs trembling slightly as
his lips traced my jaw, meeting mine in a sweet kiss. He pulled me in tighter,
turning up the heat of our embrace with one hand on the back of my head while
the other spread out on the small of my back.

"I love you
Chad," I say, breaking our kiss for a split second before kissing my way
down his neck, his body pressing into mine, his hands on my hips bringing me to
him. His hands slipped under my shirt, tugging it over my head in one swift
movement, his hot touch setting my bared skin on fire as his fingers trailed
along my sides and back.

"I love you
Rhea," he smiled, pulling me to him again in a feverish display. "I
always have and always will." I can feel his smile against my neck as I
run my fingers through his hair, tugging it loose from the small rubber-band
that held it back.

The pizza was cold by
the time we got to eat it, but it was worth it. WELL worth it.

January 27, 2012

I have three more days.

Three more days to be
with my Chad. To be with the man of my dreams before he goes only God knows
where to do his country's bidding. That thought has kept me awake since about
five and it's now eight as I sit here at the kitchen table, a steaming cup of
coffee underneath my chin as I support my head with my hands. I know he told me
not to worry, but who wouldn't be worrying right about now?

Thoughts of Rosa keep
creeping in my mind as well, and thoughts about her unborn baby. I was worried
that her weekend with us at the cabin where she drank, a lot, would harm her
baby in the long run and if it did that would make me feel horrible. I had text
her about an hour ago, asking her how she was doing but she hadn't replied, but
it was still early. I had begun to think of Rosa and Reno as good friends and I
would hate to think that the first time we met had a permanent mark on their
child because of our drinking and Rosa being unaware that she was pregnant. I
sigh loudly, rubbing my hands back and forth over my face and turn to see that
the sun is still casting a rosy glow through the sky, the frost on the grass
making the yard look like an icy wonderland.

According to the weather
man on the twenty-four hour news TV station it was going to be a bit warmer
today, the high being around 52 degrees, so I didn't mind the chilly start.
Last time I was up stairs, Chad was sprawled out on the bed snoring. I just
didn't have the heart to wake him up, but I know the smell of the freshly made
coffee will reach him and bring him down, eventually. A smile reaches my lips
as I hear his footsteps on the stairs while I'm reaching in the fridge to take
out the cinnamon buns I had made when I first woke up.

Chad's hair is all over
the place as he shuffles into the kitchen, his slippers making a scratching
sound as he bellies up to the counter in front of the coffee pot. He yawns and
scratches his beard as he stirs his coffee, giving me a wink as he disappears
into the living room and I put the rolls in the oven. Only seconds later I can
hear his XBox start up and it makes me giggle thinking that he's going to play
Halo this early in the morning. Searching through the fridge I find a half full
container of cream cheese frosting and I throw it on top of the hot stove to
warm up so that I can pour it over the cinnamon buns when the first few
gunshots on the television ring out. Peeking around the corner I see Chad on
the floor, leaning up against the couch with a headset on. I can hear him
joking around with someone who I can only guess is Reno, since he's a video
game addict like Chad.

He is so cute sitting
there, his hair almost down to his shoulders in the gentle waves of light brown
and grey. He has on a black tank with his blue plaid pajama pants, his brown
moccasin slippers shaking back and forth as his legs are outstretched under the
coffee table. The oven timer dings bringing me from my day dream and Chad notices
me staring at him, giving me a wink as I retreat into the kitchen, a blush
reaching my cheeks. Flipping the buns out of the pie pan and onto a plate, I
pour the perfectly liquefied cream cheese frosting over them, bringing the
container with me as I take the plate and set it in front of Chad, seeing his
eyes go wide and his tongue dart out to lick his lips.

"See, something you
like," I joke, turning my back to get my coffee, feeling his hands dart
around my waist and I squeal as he pulls me down on top of his lap.
"Stop," I giggle, pushing my hands on his chest as his arms tighten
around me. "Play your game," I kiss him quickly but am pulled in for
a long, passionate one and I can hear Reno through the ear piece on Chad's
head. "Hi Reno," I say into the mic as I get to my feet, scuffling
away as Chad swipes at my feet.

"Get back here, “
he yells after me, following it with a hearty laugh, "I'm not done with
you woman," he jokingly adds. Grabbing my coffee and refilling it, I bring
my cup along with the pot into the living room, approaching quietly as Chad
chats away, his eyes locked on the TV screen. Setting my cup down I stand off
to the side, giving Chad a raised eyebrow with my hand on my hip, the hot
coffee pot in my hand. Looking up to me, he gives me a weird look saying,
"What?"

"Are you just gonna
play games all mornin'?" I refill his cup and set the pot on a coaster.
Chad's face flashes with desire and I can't help but giggle at him as he jumps
up to his knees, saying into his headset that he'll be back in a minute and
crawling over to me on his hands and knees as I sit in the recliner. I pull my
legs up with my knees to my chest to get out of his grasp, laughing at the
sinister look on Chad's face.

"Do you wanna play
some games," he asks with a sly smile, a fire lit behind his blue eyes.
His large, warm hands grab behind my knees, pulling them apart so he can wiggle
his chest between my legs. His hands run over my thighs to my hips, gripping
into my butt and pulling me to him and we fall back onto the floor with me on
top of him as I laugh quietly into his chest.

Bracing myself with my
hands on his chest I say in my best sultry voice, "Well of course I wanna
play games with you," and I can't help but blush at the desire that I see
rush through his face. The sounds of our laughter and love-making fill the
better part of our morning. Chad uses the left over frosting as inventive body
paint and is licking it off my bared stomach as the doorbell rings.

I jump to my feet and
run into the spare bedroom as Chad pulls his pajama pants back on, winking to
me as he walks past to get the door and I lean behind the bedroom door, pulling
my bra and tank back on. I can still feel the lingering touch of his lips on my
skin and it fills my body with heat as I pull my tank back on. He drove me
insane.

"Hey Har," I
hear Chad issue and Harlan's voice reply issuing a good morning. I pull my hair
up into a messy bun, fixing my appearance in the mirror above the dresser that
I had used in my old double wide trailer. I can hear the two men talking about
something so I head out into the hallway, waving at Harlan when he smiles at
me, not breaking his conversation with Chad.

"So I was thinkin'
you guys would wanna go with us," I heard him say as I grabbed the
cinnamon buns and headed for the door. He took one right off the plate, biting
into it with a huge smile on his face, "Mmmm-mmm Ray," he mumbled,
shoving the last bit in his mouth and licking his thumb and index finger,
"you make the best cinnamon buns."

"Thanks Har,"
I blush a little, because my baking is nowhere as good as my mom’s was. I lean
my head on Chad's shoulder as his arm snakes around my waist. "Where did
you want us to go with you," I ask, looking between the two men, a sly
smile on Chad's face as he looks down at his slippers.

"Oh, I was just
askin' Chad if ya guys wanna go to Muncy's tonight with me and Kendall,"
Harlan's big, dark blue eyes dart from me to Chad as his large hand reaches out
and takes another cinnamon bun with a smile. I nod my head in agreement and
look to Chad, seeing the apprehension in his deliberation.

"As a......double
date?" I smile, raising an eyebrow as I run my gaze over Harlan one more
time, taking in his towering farm boy stature. He gave me that shy smile that
every country boy does to get himself out of trouble and I can't help but
giggle quietly. "Well 'bout God damn time," I say, punching him
lightly in the shoulder.

"Said the same bout
you two," he tossed back, slapping Chad on the shoulder with his massive
palm. Yeah, I was pretty sure everybody who knew us in the whole damn county
said the same, but that's beside the point. I look again at Chad. I know he's
going over what going with Harlan and Kendall could mean. Duke was most
certainly going to be there, with his little
skank
, Holly, and they
no-dubitably would try and start something with us.