Into the Storm (62 page)
Authors: Melanie Moreland
“
I bought you some things as well.”
“
Thank you. I love them,” I whispered into her ear huskily, earning me another shiver.
“
You haven’t seen them yet.”
“
Doesn’t matter. You picked them. I’ll love them.” My lips moved down her neck again.
I felt her hands tighten on mine and I pulled back. “Rabbit?”
“
Was it awful, Joshua? You look so drawn,” she whispered.
I sighed and shook my head, resting it back on her shoulder. “No. It was fine. Great even.”
“
Something happened. Tell me.”
I shifted and pushed her forward, only to spin her and pull her back against me so I could see her face.
“
Nice move, Joshua.” She winked at me as her legs wrapped around my waist, drawing her closer.
“
I still have one or two tricks up my sleeve, Rabbit.”
She smiled. “I love your tricks.” Then her face became serious. “Tell me, please.”
Quietly, I told her about the walk I took with Adam. How it felt to be standing in that alley again. What Adam had said to me, and finally, how desperately I needed to get back to the hotel and be with her.
Tears gathered in her eyes and fell slowly down her face as I spoke. After I was silent, her arms wrapped around me, drawing my head down to her neck as she rubbed loving, gentle caresses over my head and back. I pulled her tightly against me, needing to feel her loving warmth.
“
Joshua
, Adam is right. That is amazing. I am so proud of you, sweetheart. So proud,” Her sweet voice praised me. She pulled back slightly and looked down at me. “That wasn’t even on your list of goals.”
I shook my head. “It just happened.”
She smiled. “You are the bravest man I have ever met, Joshua Bennett. I’m so proud you’re mine.”
“
I didn’t feel so brave standing there, shaking.”
“
But you did it, Joshua. Even terrified, you did it. Not because you had to; you did this for you. Trina is going to be so thrilled!”
Her hands cupped my face. “I told you, sweetheart. One day you would overcome what those bastards did to you. You ended it today
. You
did.”
I pulled her to me, crashing my lips against hers, dominating her mouth. I needed to taste her, to fill my head with thoughts of her, of now. “I need a new memory, Rabbit,” I pleaded quietly. “Please.”
Her arms wound around my head, pulling me closer as she drew my lips back to hers. “I’m here, Joshua. I’m always here.”
Her sweetness burned into my brain as she kissed me, her velvet tongue stroking mine. Her hands gently stroked my back, touching me with so much love; I could feel it sinking into my skin, warming me from the inside. All other thoughts ceased to exist as I lost myself to her tender comfort. Wrapped in her embrace, I felt myself centre and loosen, everything else fell away. All that mattered was right now, this moment, this need, and my Rabbit. I groaned as I felt her ease herself up, wrapping herself around me, as I slipped into her warmth. Slowly, she built a rhythm for us, undulating over me. The warm water crashed around us and rained over the edge of the tub, but neither of us cared. My lips could not leave hers, my hands could not move away from her skin as we moved and rocked and loved. Rabbit’s body tensed and stilled and she threw her head back with a low, sexy moan. Watching her, I felt her pulse around me, which triggered my own release. I sighed out her name like a prayer as I held her tightly, arching up as I spilled deep within her.
She collapsed against my chest and I held her closely, leaning back in the tub, sinking below the water, warming us both. After a few quiet moments, she glanced up, smiling shyly at me from under her hair which had come loose and fell in waves around her face. She peeked over the edge of the tub and giggled. “Nice job.”
I leaned over to take a look and grinned. “Told you I had a couple tricks up my sleeve, Rabbit.”
She chuckled. “And one of them was creating Lake Joshua in the bathroom?”
I laughed. “Lake Joshua. I like the sound of that.” Leaning up, I grabbed one of the large towels hanging over my head and threw it on the floor. “That can start soaking it up.”
She smiled gently at me. “Better now?”
I stroked her cheek. “You always make it better, Rabbit.”
“
Good to know.” She looked around. “I don’t know what time it is. Do we have time to add some more water and just cuddle before we go to dinner?”
I reached over and turned the taps on. “We’ll make time.” I wrapped her tightly against me. “Stay right here, Rabbit.”
We could be late for dinner.
Right now this was where we needed to be.
I watched Lizzy’s mood change slowly during dinner. She remained smiling and seemingly interested, answering questions and chatting with the group, but I could sense her distress growing. Cecilia sent us both pictures of the twins settled down for the night and I noticed that both times they arrived, Lizzy had excused herself. When she returned from the restroom, I saw her eyes were overly bright and her manner slightly different. No one else seemed to notice, but I knew what was wrong. She was homesick and missing her children. Tonight was
her
biggest challenge.
Internally, I shook my head. My brave wife was doing exactly what she thought she should be doing and acting accordingly, but I knew I could help. Quietly, I excused myself and went to make two important phone calls. When I returned, the group was discussing moving on to a local nightclub, but I knew that wasn’t what Lizzy wanted. “If you don’t mind, I think Lizzy and I will pass. I am rather weary from the day and I need to call it a night soon,” I informed them as Lizzy shot me a grateful glance.
Outside, goodbyes were exchanged and the others departed. Lizzy and I were both silent on the way back to the hotel, content to simply hold hands in the cab. Once we were in the room, she moved into the bathroom and I changed into my sleep pants and sat waiting for her. When she came out, I held my hand out and pulled her into my arms. “Tell me,” I said quietly.
“
It’s silly.”
“
Tell me anyway.”
Her eyes were filled with tears when she looked at me. “I’ve never failed to be there to tuck them in. I miss them so much, Joshua.”
I smiled lovingly at her. “Why is that silly, Lizzy?”
“
Because its only one night. It’s one of my goals to be away from them for one night … but I hate it!” And then she burst into tears.
I pulled her down onto my lap and held her.
“
You’ve been so brave and accomplished so much and I can’t even do this without getting all emotional,” she sobbed.
“
Hey,” I lifted her chin. “Rabbit, you’ve been just as brave as I have. You are doing it. You may not like it but you are still doing it. What you are feeling is perfectly natural, Rabbit. You’re their mother; of course you miss them. I miss them as well.”
“
I want to go home,” she whispered, her voice shaking.
I soothed the hair away from her face and wiped the tears from her cheeks. “I do as well. So I made a call and I changed my interviews to eight o’clock. I also called John. He is making the arrangements and we’ll be in the chopper by eleven. Home after lunch. We’ll be there when the babies wake up from their nap instead of after they’ve gone to bed. You can tuck them in tomorrow night. We both will. How does that sound?”
Her arms flung around my neck, her sobs muffled as she buried her head in my shoulder. I rocked her for a minute and then pulled back.
“
We both accomplished something today, Lizzy. We have both faced a fear from our past. We both got some closure. But our life, our future, is waiting for us at home. As far as I’m concerned, the trip was a success, but I am done with the goals. We’ll come back, whenever you want. We’ll bring the babies with us. Stay longer. But for now, we go home. It’s what we both need and that is way more important than checking off another item from a list. You are more important than that.”
Her hand cupped my cheek.
“
I love you, Joshua. Thank you.”
I kissed her gently. “Anything you need, Rabbit.”
“
You take such good care of me and our family,” she whispered as she snuggled against my chest.
I smiled down at my sweet wife, my lips grazing her head. “Good to know, Rabbit. Good to know.”
THE END
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Melanie Moreland lives a happy and content life in a quiet area of Ontario with her husband and fur children. Nothing means more to her than her friends and family, and she cherishes every moment spent with them.
Known as the quiet one with the big laugh, Melanie works at a local university and for its football team. Her (box) office job, while demanding, is rewarding as she cheers on her team to victory.
While seriously addicted to coffee, and somewhat challenged with all things computer-related and technical, she relishes baking, cooking, and trying new recipes for people to sample. She loves to throw dinner parties and socialize, and also enjoys traveling, here and abroad, but finds coming home is always the best part of any trip.
Melanie delights in a good romance story with some bumps along the way, but is a true believer in happily ever after. When her head isn’t buried in a book, it is bent over a keyboard, furiously typing away as her characters dictate their creative storylines, to let her share them with her readers.
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