“Do me a favor, please?” I ask Bridger.
“Sure.” He nods.
“Take him where he intends to go while you take Kellie home. I don’t need a frogman going off half-cocked before he’s due back on base tomorrow.” I shake my head in disbelief.
“Not a problem. I’ll walk with you back upstairs and grab Kellie, then go find the dumb ass. He knew you liked Taylor a long time ago. I think shit is getting to him. He’s ready to finish his tour out. At least, that’s what I got from what he said before you walked into the office today.” He shrugs his shoulders.
Maybe there’s more going on with Travis than Taylor and I know about. “Let’s hope he gets a handle on things then. If not, I’ll man up and talk to him,” I admit. If Taylor finds out something is wrong, she’ll want to go off and find him, but I can’t have that. Not tonight at least.
Twenty
Taylor
“I can’t believe that jerk wouldn’t even answer my phone call. Who does he think he is? He comes home for what, twenty-four hours and then just disappears? If that were me, he’d have the fucking National Guard out looking for me.” I’m exasperated. My hands are waving in the air and this time it’s me that’s pacing when it’s usually Slade.
“Calm down, baby. Bridger picked him up and took him to the hotel. Let him cool off, and we’ll go see him tomorrow before he heads back to base. He got it out. Shit my stomach is feeling the brunt of it.” Slade didn’t mention that Travis got him in the stomach, I only saw the bruise forming on his jawline.
“What do you mean your stomach? I’m going to throat punch my brother.” I stop my pacing, go to Slade, and lift up his shirt until he helps me peel it off of him. What I see mortifies me.
“I’m okay, Taylor.” He’s the one reassuring me, when really, I should be doing that to him. His stomach is already turning different shades of blue and purple, marring his beautiful skin.
“I’m really going to hurt my brother. All of this because we found each other when my world was imploding. Selfish jerk,” I grumble while lightly touching his skin.
“Taylor, he’s fine. He got it out. He’s safe and probably passed out asleep in his hotel room. Travis will be hurting tomorrow though, he’ll probably be knocking on our door bright and early, so let’s get a shower and call it a night. I know you’re tired because I’m fucking whooped, Trouble.” He kicks off his shoes, unbuckles his belt and drops his pants, giving me the surprise of my life. My man went commando today.
“You left the house like that?” I question.
“As if you don’t have anything underneath your clothes that isn’t sinful as hell. I see the packages that come to the door, Taylor. You’re not fooling me. What I want to know though, is what exactly is wrapped around your sinful body today?” He stands before me naked, stroking his length while I’m stuck in a daze.
“What do you mean I’m not fooling you? How many packages do you know about?”
“Babe, our home has security cameras in every corner of the house on the outside. How haven’t you seen them?” I guess that answers my question. I’m shocked I’ve been so oblivious.
“I’ve been busy, okay.” I cock my hip out, placing my hand on it.
“Get undressed. I want to see what you’re wearing for me tonight,” he groans. I carefully take my hair down, shaking it out of its bun from earlier today, slowly unbutton each button on my blouse before untucking it from my skirt. Our eyes collide, and he licks that lower lip of his. When my shirt falls to the floor, I kick off my heels, groaning in happiness as my feet clench in the soft carpet beneath me.
“Keep going.”
My nipples pucker underneath the pink lace bra. This set leaves little to the imagination. I do as he commands, unzipping the side of my skirt. It falls to my feet in a swoosh around my ankles, causing me to step out. I’m standing before him in nothing but the finest of lingerie, which I wear for only Slade. Even before him, I always wore it to make me feel sexy, confident, and in the back of my mind, I wore it on the off-chance Slade would come along. Little did I know all of my dreams would come true.
Slade crushes his body to mine, the slide of our bodies together as he presses kisses from my lips down to the hollow of my throat. His fingers find the latch of my bra, unhooking the clasp before tossing it somewhere across the room. I need to feel his skin skating across mine.