Sacred Burial Grounds (An FBI Romance Thriller (book 2)) (44 page)

She bit his earlobe and slid all the way off his body
, whispering the promise he needed to hear, “There will only ever be you, Ethan,” as she slammed down again. “You’re my only.”

The words pushed him
closer, as she exploded and tightened around him. The feeling of her body milking his, promised him complete bliss. With no more fight in him to stay in control, he simply let her take him to the precipice. With his final thrust upward, the explosion filled him and blinded him with complete and total pleasure. She was his everything, and if possible so much more. 

Elizabeth relaxed against her husband, lying over his body and close to his ear. She could feel his heart pounding under her own, and she laid kisses on his throat. “I can’t believe I had sex with you in your grandfather’s home,” she whispered and tried not to giggle.

He laughed hoarsely. “I believe it. My wife is out of control.”

She rolled to the side of his body and laid her head on his chest
. “I think we were pretty quiet.” Elizabeth only hoped.

“Just so you know,
Lyzee. We’re married and I can have sex with you pretty much anywhere I want. It says so on the license. It’s in the fine print on the back, and the third line from the bottom.”

It was her turn to laugh. She was about to say something when his grandfather knocked on the door.

“Ethan Jackson Blackhawk, when you’re done mauling your wife, breakfast is ready.”

Elizabeth started giggling and couldn’t stop. “He so knows that you're the animal
, not me.” She kissed him again, just because she could and because she was the ‘good’ one.

When he pulled away he rolled over and pinned her again. “Keep it up and I’ll do it all over again.”

“Really Cowboy, I dare you to try,” she whispered, and ran her hands down the length of his body, until she cupped him again.

Blackhawk felt his body warm up again for her
, as he returned the kiss. Breakfast could wait.

Not only did
Ethan Blackhawk dare, he accomplished.

                                   *   *   *

Callen dressed, made coffee and listened to the silence of the house. The Denali that Elizabeth had driven to the reservation wasn’t outside, and there were no sounds emanating from the inside the house. Looks like his grandfather either beat Ethan within an inch of his life, or he was with his wife watching over her, still on the reservation.

Whitefox
scribbled a note to his brother and Elizabeth on a piece of paper, and he ran out the door. Duty called and there were obligations of the work kind that waiting on his ‘to do’ list. He needed to head into the office for a bit and it would just be easier to grab some breakfast along the way. No point in making a mess of Elizabeth’s kitchen for just himself.

He had a restful sleep and wanted to enjoy his day. Peaceful Sunday mornings were a treasure for him. They were generally quiet on the reservation and that was the highlight of his day. He would have peace as he tried to get his work completed. Whitefox didn’t want to spend too much time away from his family; he just had this feeling like he needed to stick close. It wasn’t like he could pinpoint why, it was just a feeling that nagged at him compulsively.

Call it his gut instinct.

                                  *   *   *

Timothy waited for his grandson and his granddaughter-in-law at the table.
As he was reading the paper and trying not to laugh, there was no doubt what his grandson was up to in his spare bedroom. Timothy remembered being young himself, kissing and making up with his wife after a big fight was always half the fun. It gave him peace to know his boy found happiness, and it was the kind that would last him a lifetime. When Elizabeth exited first all flushed, she kissed him on the cheek and gave him a hug, and he knew she was trying to not laugh. 

“Good morning,
Granddad,” she said, winking at the older man and had him chuckling.

“How did you sleep?” he asked, eyeing his grandson as he joined them at the table. “Before my boy woke you up.”

Elizabeth grinned and was about to make a comment when her husband pointed, warning her to behave as he tried to not laugh. “I slept great, thank you Granddad.”

“And you, Ethan?” he looked over at the
man; his eyebrow lifted, trying to give him a stern look in jest.

Elizabeth snickered into her coffee cup, as she stared over at her husband who was trying to look
innocent.

“I slept really well,” he
answered, grinning at his grandfather. Timothy was a man, and there was no doubt he knew exactly how he was feeling. There was always that telltale smugness after a man got lucky. If that man happened to get lucky twice, well then the smugness was even more noticeable.

“I didn’t know what you wanted to have for breakfast, since you weren’t up. I hope cereal is acceptable for you, Elizabeth.”

She watched her husband drinking his coffee and timed it just right. Elizabeth was going to wipe the smug right off his face. “Oh, Granddad, don’t worry. I’m easy.”

Blackhawk choked on the hot liquid and his grandfather laughed uproariously at her simple comment
, as he slapped his grandson on the back.

“Elizabeth!” Blackhawk stared at her and then started laughing.

She started eating her cereal, and her own smugness had settled in that she had won this round. That’d teach him to be cocky, like she was a conquest.

Timothy definitely loved everything about this woman. She made his grandson loosen up completely and live a free life. It was the best thing he c
ould hope for in a wife for him. Now all they needed was a house full of children, and he’d be completely satisfied. “What will you two do today?”

“Work,” she answered, the happiness leaving her face. What she wouldn’t do for a day off with her husband. Although he apologized
to her, she was wary that the hostility would be back once they were focused on the assignment.

“Later we will, but this morning I want to head to the burial grounds. I think I need to properly
introduce my wife to my mother.” He looked over at his grandfather. It wasn’t right that he’d made her go alone. When they married, all the difficult things were theirs to carry together and not her alone. It was his mother after all, and he remembered how she stood above her own parent’s graves. It was time he did the same. “Will you go with me, baby?” he asked softly and opened his arms to her.

“Absolutely
.” Elizabeth went to him and sat in his lap, kissing his cheek and wrapping her arms around his shoulders.

“I’m proud of you my boy,” he patted his knee. He was more than proud
. He knew how hard coming home had been for his grandson.

“I was also thinking,” he
said, looking up into his wife’s eyes and running his thumb across her cheek. “You mentioned you’d be open to have a naming ceremony on the reservation once we have this baby. Are you still willing to do that?”

“I want our children to know their heritage, Ethan. I’m proud that they
’ll be born Blackhawks. I was attracted to you because of your Native heritage, so why would I want to pretend our children aren’t part of that?”

Blackhawk was completely in love with his wife.
“I think before we have that ceremony for our child, we need to have a ceremony first, you and I.”

“What are you asking Ethan?”
Elizabeth felt her heart pound in her chest.

Ethan Blackhawk was going to start embracing the man he was, and stop running from the demons that chased him. “We
didn’t get a wedding. We eloped, so I guess I’m asking you to marry me here on the reservation, and if my grandfather would do the ceremony. It’ll be extra special.”

“The answer is and always will be yes, Cowboy. I’ll marry you all over again.”

“Granddad? Will you officiate for us?” He looked over at his grandfather, whose eyes were filled with tears. It was time he atoned for abandoning his family and his heritage. If his wife could easily accept that he was Native American, Blackhawk was willing to do the same and return to his roots.

His grandson was home and he was finally finished hiding from his past,
and it would be a wedding to celebrate. “I would be honored to do it.”

“One condition,” he said
, grinning at his wife. “I want it over the top, and I want Elizabeth to have a wedding that she’ll never forget. Invite the entire tribe for all I care. I’m coming back and bringing my beautiful bride with me.”

“Yee haw, Cowboy
!” Elizabeth couldn’t help but kiss her husband again. Ethan Blackhawk was out of his shell and back. The wayward son was willing to come home and stay.

“I want this to be a day to remember for the rest of your life.”

Elizabeth grinned at her husband. “Ethan, it’s going to involve half naked Natives wearing feathers, how can it not be?”

“On second thought- I’m planning this wedding.”

Elizabeth laughed at the serious look on his face and kissed him. There was no other man like Ethan Blackhawk.

Elizabeth covertly observed her husband as he pulled up to the burial grounds, and she was beginning to wonder if he had taken too big of steps to get to this point. He looked like he was going to drive away, which she would completely accept if he did. She understood how hard this was going to be for him. After all, she didn’t go back north for over a year when her father died.

“We can drive right home and not look back,” she offered, taking his hand and
giving him her complete support.

Blackhawk thought about it, and then shook his head. “No, let’s just do it. I’ll be okay. I just feel awkward about it. I stayed away so long, longer than I should have.”

He got out of the Denali and Elizabeth met him in the grass, taking his hand and offering him strength, as he once did for her. “Come on, baby. It’s going to be okay,” she said softly, leading him to where she knew his mother lay.

“I haven’t been here i
n so long. I don’t remember where she was laid to rest.”

“I do. Co
me with me.” Elizabeth kissed his cheek and wrapped her arms around his waist. “I’ll get you through this, I promise.”

Blackhawk nodded
and let his wife lead him to his mother’s grave.

“Your mom and my
mom had the same first name.” She tried to give him some comfort and put him more at ease.

“I was so young. I didn’t know her name
. She was just mom to me then. How horrible is it that I didn’t know her first name?”

Elizabeth stopped in front the stone, with his mother’s name carved into it, and patiently waited for him to decide what he wanted to do.
“Ethan, you were just a boy. Your mom wouldn’t be upset that her son didn’t know her name. She was
‘mom’
, and that’s all that really matters.

Blackhawk just stared at the stone blankly. This wasn’t how he remembered her and maybe that was a good thing. All the thoughts of her were good times, like her laughter, making cookies and the moments they
shared together. It gave him peace.

“Tell me about her,” she asked, wanting to know what he was thinking.

“We used to get up really early on Saturdays and watch cartoons on the couch under a blanket. Then she’d make me breakfast every day, just like you do.”

Elizabeth hugged him. “Sounds like a great way to spend the day.”

“Then we’d ride our bikes around the reservation, and up to the quarry. She’d help me find the rocks that I wanted to keep. I found almost all the rocks you saw at granddad’s house.”
              “He gave me one,” she offered, pulling it from her pocket and opening her hand and showing him. Elizabeth saw the flash of recognition right before he buried it deep. “Now that I know its significance, I’ll treasure it even more.”

“My mom held that stone in her hand a lot.”

Elizabeth Blackhawk clutched it tight in her pocket. It was a treasure to her now, and like the wilted daisy it would be cherished.

Blackhawk
stared at the tombstone, and his body was as stiff as a board.

Elizabeth knew he couldn’t do it, so she did what she promised. She carried him when he couldn’t handle it on his own, much like he did for h
er when they were at her parent’s grave. “Mrs. Blackhawk,” she released him and moved closer to the stone. “It’s Elizabeth again. I came back with Ethan. I just wanted to tell you that you have an amazing son. He’s loyal, smart, and a kind man with a big heart. Thank you for loving him while you were here, and making him the man he is today. I love him with all I have in me,” she paused as her husband moved to her side, and they both sat on the grass holding hands. “We’re having a baby. Granddad tells me it’s going to be a boy, and I wish you were here to see him born. Your son is going to be an amazing father. I can already tell.” Elizabeth glanced over at him, a single tear breaking free and rolling down her cheek. “He kisses my belly and makes me eat salads, because he’s already worried. You did a really good job. I promise I’ll keep him safe for the rest of his life. Granddad passed the job off to me, and I won’t let either of you down.” She kissed her fingers and touched the stone lightly. “He gave me your ring, and I love it. It’s beautiful and I promise to take care of it, and cherish it until the end of my days. Thank you for the gift of an amazing son.”