Operation: Endurance (When the Mission Ends) (22 page)

“I don’t think any bloodshed will be necessary. I haven’t been by since I’ve been back. It does sound good, doesn’t it? Marty makes the best pastrami on rye in Texas, I swear.”

As they pulled through the drive-through an older woman worked the cash register at the window. She was talking to the workers inside when she turned to take Chris’s money. As she glanced at him, she took a double take and then squealed. “Christopher Robertson, is that you?”

“Hi,
Babs. How are you doing?”

“Why are you in my drive-through rather than inside where I can give you a proper hug?” She raised an eyebrow at him and scolded, “You’ve lost weight. You need to come by and let me feed you more often.”

He smiled at her lovingly. “I’m sorry, Babs. My friend here,” he gestured toward Julie and she waved and smiled at the grandmotherly-type lady, “just got out of the hospital. I knew your food was the best chance she has at a full recovery, so we came by on the way home.”

“You always were a flatterer, Christopher.” She waved her hand at the money he still held toward her. “Put that away. You know it’s no good here.” She passed the food across the gap between the window and the truck and took the moment to caress his cheek. “You take care of your pretty friend, but I expect to see both of you back here in the next few days—inside—where I can give you a proper hug.”

“Yes, ma’am. Is Marty here?”

“Not right now,
hon, but you call before you come back and we’ll both be here to take care of you properly.”

“Thanks,
Babs.”

Julie smirked at him as they left the drive through. “I had no idea you were such a sandwich fan.”

His eyes were warm as he said, “I worked for Marty and Babs through high school. They’re great. They gave me a job and fed me on a regular basis.”

Julie inhaled the delicious aromas coming from the bag as what he said sunk in. She swung her excited gaze toward him. “No way, you worked there. Tell me that means you know what Marty’s secret ingredient is in his coleslaw. I’ve been after him for years to tell me and he refuses to budge.”

He cocked an eyebrow at her. “Hmm, I just might have that information, but it sounds like it may be worth something. I think we need to negotiate for this. What’s it worth to you?”

“Seriously, as sick as I’ve been,” she did a little fake cough, “you’re going to make me pay for it?”

He shook his head as he smirked. “Oh, you are just pathetic.”

She gave him a saucy look. “But you love me anyway.”

He spoke a quiet, “Yeah, I do.”

Julie’s eyes widened and panic zinged through her system. Did he just say what she thought he did? What did that mean? He’d never acted like he had deep feelings for her since he’d come back. What had changed?

The truck got really quiet and Julie peeked at Chris surreptitiously through her lashes. He’d gotten very still, with a tight grip on the steering wheel.

Aaron had said that everything happened for a reason. The last year had been hell for both of them, but had there been a higher reason for that? It boggled her mind. She’d almost given up on ever having a chance at a future with Chris.

He had to have just been joking around, but what if he wasn’t?

Anticipation swept through her. Maybe, just maybe. She looked out the window and started a mental list of things that she needed to do once she got home.

* * *

Things remained stilted between the two of them all through lunch and Chris breathed a small sigh of relief when Julie went to her bedroom shortly afterward to take a nap. Damn, he really hadn’t meant to let that slip out. She was just barely out of the hospital. It wasn’t right to saddle her with him and all his issues, no matter how tempted he was to go there with her right now. He needed to be patient.

He wandered around her apartment for a couple of hours before he finally slid out the sliding glass doors to call Colton to let them know Julie was home.

It had barely rung before Colton growled, “Penelope this better be you telling me you’re on your way home.”

“Uh oh, is there trouble in paradise?”

Chris could hear the heavy sigh across the phone lines. “Uh, hi, Chris. No just a difference of opinion. Damn woman is too stubborn for her own good, but it’s not just her she’s taking care of anymore.”

Chris chuckled at the frustration in his big brother’s voice. It was no secret that Colton knew what was best for everyone around him. He had a hard time understanding that sometimes those people didn’t agree with his analysis of the situation. “So what did you do to tick off your beautiful and very patient fiancé this time?”

“She wanted to go out to ride horses on the Martin ranch. I just don’t think that’s the best idea in her condition.”

“In other words, you forbade her to go out to the ranch.”

“Yeah, maybe,” Colton mumbled.

“Bro, someday you’re going to learn your lesson about telling Penelope what to do. You can’t run roughshod over her. She has her own very strong opinions about her life. Remember, that’s one of the reasons you love her.”

“I know.” Another heavy sigh floated across the phone line. “I’m just scared to death something bad is going to happen to her or the baby.”

“That’s what you need to tell her, Colt, instead of bossing her around. I promise you, she will respond much better to why you’re worried about her. She loves you and doesn’t want to do anything to hurt you either. Tell her your opinion, but tell her why. You may just be able to coerce her to your way of thinking.”

“Damn, you’re right. When did you get so smart?”

“Big guy, I’ve been finding ways to work around you for years. A person tends to pick up techniques.”

Colton chuckled. “Touché. Hey, that reminds me. Jake and Cassie are supposed to come home from their honeymoon tomorrow. We haven’t told Cassie about the pregnancy yet and wanted to do so as soon as possible. Do you and Julie want to come over for dinner tomorrow night? She’s home from the hospital, right? She can bring Rachel, too.”

“She is home, but Rachel took off. I’m kind of taking care of Julie right now.”

“Really?” There was a wealth of meaning in that one-word question as he drew the word out.

“Yes, really, but don’t write more into it than it is. We’re just friends… for now. But back to your original question, we should be able to be there if Julie’s feeling up to it. What time?”

“Does 6:30 work for you?”

“Sure, hopefully by then, your girlfriend is talking to you again.”

Chris chuckled as he heard Colton’s low groan as he hung up the phone.

He’d missed having Cassie to talk to for the last week while she’d been on her honeymoon, but he had to admit that he was happy to have Colton around. It was nice to touch base with his brother simply because he wanted to.

Trying to open the sliding glass door quietly, he re-entered the townhouse. He tiptoed back to Julie’s room to check on her. He planned to just peek in, but the vision standing there wiped all thought or action from his mind.

Julie had her back to him as she whipped off her t-shirt. In the middle of her back was a huge tattoo of a purple butterfly. That hadn’t been there the last time he’d seen her naked. Everything within him stilled as he looked at the butterfly. What did it mean that she’d gotten it after their weekend together? He called her Butterfly. But as she turned slightly he could see the curve of her naked breast and all other thought fled.

He must have made some sort of sound because Julie suddenly swung around with the t-shirt clutched to her bare breasts. Her eyes widened when she spotted him riveted in the doorway. It was up to him to explain why he stood there watching dumbfounded while she undressed, but he couldn’t think. All blood flow to his brain had apparently stopped.

Oh my God. All blood flow stopped going to his brain because it had surged to his cock. His mouth dropped open as he inspected the bulge in the front of his jeans. Hot damn. He had an erection. He grinned back up to Julie, forgetting that she was standing there glaring at him.

“Chris, get out. I’ll be out in a moment.”

He couldn’t help it. He laughed as he said, “Sorry, I’ll be in the living room.” He pulled the door shut behind him and then leaned up against the hall wall. He pressed his hand to his erection. It was really there. It hadn’t been a dream. Nothing in his life had felt as good as this single moment in time. Relief surged through him as he enjoyed the tingles running up his spine from arousal. He’d forgotten how damn good this felt.

But what was he supposed to do now? He couldn’t stay out here in Julie’s hallway rubbing himself like some sort of pervert, but after thinking a hard-on would never happen for him again, he wasn’t really ready to let go of the feeling. Would it be better to go take a shower and see if he could orgasm, or should he just relax naturally and let the feeling build up or dissipate?
Damn, why hadn’t he asked the doctor any questions about what to do if the impossible happened?

He grinned again as he looked down at his bulging jeans. This was good. Suddenly a horrible hacking cough came from Julie’s closed doorway and all consideration about his cock fled. He rushed back over to it and knocked. “Julie, are you okay?”

She continued to cough so she probably couldn’t even hear him through the closed door, but he knocked once more before opening it. Thankfully, she’d put on a robe so he rushed over to her side to help support her trembling shoulders as the harsh coughs racked her slender form. He slowly rubbed along her arm and murmured in soothing tones, hoping maybe she’d be able to focus on his voice rather than the need to cough. Slowly, she began to stop. She’d sunk into his embrace as they sat on the edge of the bed and now her head hung limply on his shoulder.

He kissed her softly on her forehead. “Are you okay?”

She just nodded her head and he continued to rub her arm and back. Instantly, he became aware that his arms were full of sexy, soft woman as she began to finger at the t-shirt across his chest. His erection had flagged with the concern over her coughing, but suddenly it was back again and pulsing against the zipper of his jeans. Hell, yeah.

She moved slightly away from him and peered up into his eyes. Desire lit up her face and he couldn’t resist. He was just too happy to be here and the opportunity was too perfect to pass up. He dipped his head and brushed a light kiss across her lips. Her fists clenched the front of his t-shirt, tugging him toward her as he sank further into the kiss and the soft, lush press of her lips. His breathing ratcheted as did hers, and she ripped her mouth from his, coughing again. What was he doing? She’d just been checked out of the hospital with pneumonia a few hours ago. This was neither the time nor the place for this.

When she was breathing normally again—at least as normally as she could right now—he drew her away from his chest. “I know your throat has to be killing you. I’m gonna go make you some hot tea. Come into the kitchen when you’re ready.”

“Thanks, Chris that sounds good.” She watched him with wary eyes and he wondered what exactly was going through her head.

* * *

Julie ducked into the kitchen, feeling more than a little embarrassed for practically mauling Chris in her bedroom. What had she been thinking? He was here to help. She couldn’t push anything more on him, especially now when she knew she wasn’t at her most attractive.
Gah, so humiliating.

As she slid into the barstool at the breakfast counter, he pushed a teacup across to her with the teabag steeping. “I added a bit of honey to it, too. It might help to soothe your throat.”

“Thanks.” She glanced up at him and was confused by the extremely focused look he gave her. “What?” She checked to make sure her robe was still closed and that she wasn’t flashing him, but couldn’t see any reason for that stare.

His voice was low when he said, “I’m sorry about earlier. I thought you were still asleep and was just surprised that you weren’t and then I saw the tattoo.”

The blood drained from her face. He’d seen her tattoo. Panic swirled through her and she pulled her robe tighter. She’d just been so flustered to have him in her room when she was pretty much naked. But he couldn’t have seen all the detail on it from the doorway, right? She tried to brush it off. “Don’t worry about it. No harm done.”

He continued to stare at her. “A purple butterfly? That just seems like maybe it might mean something.”

It meant everything. Everything she’d found and then lost. That butterfly was the symbol of all her shattered dreams. She shook her head mutely. “No, I just thought it was pretty.”

He lifted a single eyebrow at her. It was obvious he didn’t believe her, but he didn’t push it.

Instead, he said, “I talked to Colton earlier. They’d like us all to come over for dinner tomorrow night when Jake and Cassie get home from their honeymoon. Do you think you’ll feel up for it?”

She pulled at her greasy hair. Maybe by tomorrow, she’d have the energy to take a full shower and wash it herself. “That should be fine. Dr. Shelby told me to take off all this week, so I don’t have anything on the agenda except to sleep, read books, and catch up on movies. A couple of hours over at our friend’s place sitting on the couch should be do-able.” She gave a self-deprecating chuckle.