Page 40

Rebecca

M itch had a nightmare right at dawn, when light was starting to stream in through the windows. He was thrashing, and it had awakened Rebecca from her tentative slumber. She was curled against him, but he fought with the sheets as if they were shackles.

Rebecca wasn’t sure if she should wake him or let him ride it out. But when he sat bolt upright in bed, pushing her to the side, and cried, “Rebecca!” in the most tormented and painful voice she’d ever heard, she sat up and pulled him to her.

“I’m here. You’re safe,” she said, cradling his face in her hands, feeling the warm tears that had leaked down his cheeks as his body immediately started to relax.

They were both nude, having tossed off their clothes after Emily’s last feeding.

If Rebecca had any say in the matter, they would always sleep in the buff.

She couldn’t get enough of the feel of Mitch’s body warming her own.

Once Mitch realized where he was and that Rebecca was beside him, he pulled her to him and found her mouth.

The kiss was ravenous and demanding as his hands traveled over her skin as if he’d never really touched her before.

It fed his need and her own. Reaching between them, she grabbed his penis and squeezed it.

And by how hard it grew so quickly, he wanted her too.

They had made polite love to each other several times that night.

Now, it was time to remember who they were and their passion. She wanted him to claim her.

Before long, he was inside her, having gotten there none too gently.

Rebecca didn’t mind. She was tired of being handled gently.

She wanted her lover to take her. She panted with need and pulled him to her, wrapping her legs around him, and loved the way it felt to have him inside her.

She had missed this man so much. This passion, this heat, was the kind of sex they had when they were in her little apartment with the red sheets in New York.

Her actions caused a reaction in him. They rolled on the bed and got tangled in the sheets as pillows flew to the floor.

They made the mattress squeak as he drove into her, and she raised her hips, encouraging every thrust he could deliver as their eyes met and held.

“Mitch… oh Mitch, harder,” she said, crying his name over and over as he rode her. “Don’t ever stop…”

“I love you, Bex,” he managed as he paused to kiss her.

“I love you, too…” she said as one of the fiercest orgasms she’d ever had prevented her from speaking as she gave over to its power, her body jumping and thrashing underneath him as he pounded into her.

And just when she thought she might be coming back to Earth, coming back into her body, she felt his body contort with his own release that came with a scream he managed to contain.

Her second orgasm came out of nowhere, a reaction to her lover’s climax.

They moved together to let the moment extend.

When at last they had both finished, he lowered his body to hers, half-falling, half-collapsing onto her as he kissed any part of her flesh he could find.

Her body felt heavy and relaxed, so loose, she wasn’t sure she could move.

She was wrapped around Mitch, her ankles crossed behind his back as he feasted on her mouth and neck, whispering words of endearment as they cuddled after their frenzied coupling, their breath coming out in ragged exhalations.

“That is the way I like you to be with me,” she said. “Not to say the first few rounds weren’t nice.”

“Nice was nice, but this was rocket fuel next to water,” he said, “That reminded me of who we are.” He looked at her, and she smiled. Then he moved down her body, kissing her neck, her breasts, and her nipples, which were particularly sensitive.

“Your breasts are larger,” he said, pausing in the attention he was giving to her breasts.

“I just had your baby,” she said as she threw back her head and enjoyed his touch.

“Isn’t that something?” he asked with a smile.

“It amazes me each time I look at her,” Rebecca said.

Mitch stayed where he was, Rebecca’s arm and legs holding him to her when, eventually, the baby started to cry.

They sat up, Rebecca donning her robe, and Mitch slipping into the robe she had found in her father’s closet.

Rebecca leaned against him as she nursed Emily. When she finished and Mitch had burped her, he asked, “Now what?”

“She has her morning nap.”

“She sleeps a lot,” he said.

“She’s just a little baby,” Rebecca said and kissed Mitch. “You have a lot to learn, and I can’t wait to teach you.”

Later, after the baby had gone down for her morning nap, they stepped into the shower. Mitch let the water gently spray his chest as he smiled with his eyes shut.

“You missed showers, didn’t you?” she asked.

Eyes opening at the sound of her voice, he smiled and held out a hand to her. She didn’t wait for him. She pulled his face to hers and kissed him.

“Yes,” he said, “and having them with you makes them phenomenal.”

After they’d finished their shower, they ended up back in bed and made love again, only this time, they were a little slower, smiling at each other as they gave and took pleasure from each other.

And when at last they had both been sated, she said, “Go back to bed, darling. I’ve got to check on the baby, and I’ll make breakfast.”

“You’re going to leave me alone?” he asked.

“I’m trying to believe it,” she said.

“Believe it,” he said and kissed her.

She wore Mitch’s t-shirt, which almost hung to her thighs, her nursing bra, and panties.

Mitch was asleep, as was the baby. She stood on the deck in the warm morning, her hair pulled up in a bun and her hands wrapped around a cup of coffee.

What a wonderful day! There might have been a day when she was happier.

She just didn’t know when. The day she married was pretty great, but this was bliss.

The baby would want to be fed in another hour and a half.

Maybe she should crawl back in bed with Mitch.

Their hunger for each other was insatiable.

It actually seemed stronger than it had been.

The separation had made their hearts grow fonder.

And when they were making love, it was as if the separation had never happened.

She thought of sliding between the sheets and kissing him awake, just enough for his body to recognize hers and take over.

It was then that she saw a black Mercedes with the license plate of STARK 7 pull into her driveway, followed by Alex’s Porsche Panamera.

Damn it, she had all but forgotten her family was coming today.

She needed a few more weeks with Mitch before such an interruption would be welcome.

Maybe what they needed was a honeymoon, a chance to get out all their feelings or at least try to get their needs a little more under control.

Well, she was glad she hadn’t been in the middle of something with Mitch. She had just enough time to grab a floral robe and pull it on before her parents were softly knocking on her door.

She pulled it open and smiled. Quick hugs with each parent were exchanged.

“You look wonderful, darling,” her mother exclaimed.

“Thanks. Hey, hi,” she said softly. “Everyone is asleep.”

Her brother, Alex, was leaning against his car door and smiling.

“Who is everyone?” her mother asked, confused.

“You really didn’t tell them?” she asked Alex.

“Nope,” he said.

“Rebecca, do you have a guest?” her father asked.

“Is it a man?” her mother asked, slightly horrified.

Rebecca smiled broadly and said, “It is a man.”

“We should go,” her father said.

Her mother didn’t move and said, “Who is it?”

“Mitch,” Rebecca said with a smile as a tear traveled down her cheek. Then she whispered, “He got out. They were holding him…He’s here…He’s really here. He didn’t die.”

“It’s true. I don’t know if I’ve ever been happier or more surprised,” Alex said, stepping forward with a smile of his own. “I’m so happy for you and Emily, Becca. You’ll have to fatten him up. He looks kind of thin. I’m just happy to have my best friend back.”

Her father turned back toward her. Her mother put her hand to her face and gasped.

“Alex, what the hell is she talking about?” her father asked. “Is she okay?”

“Becca, honey, are you okay?” her mother asked, concerned.

Alex smiled and said, “Mitch called me from some military hospital in Germany a couple of days ago. I sent the plane over to get him and drove him down here yesterday.”

“What? He’s here?” Garrison asked. “And you didn’t tell us?”

“Is he okay?” Victoria asked. “Where is he?”

Before Rebecca could answer, Alex did.

Alex nodded. “He is alive, but he is really thin. He’s been in captivity for almost eleven months.

He has a bullet wound in his leg from escaping, but it seems to be healing well.

I’ve wanted to tell you since last night, but it was such a shock to me.

I wanted to make sure that he was real. Lucien Donovan is an asshole. ”

“What did you say?” Rebecca asked. “I hadn’t heard anything about Lucien Donovan. I don’t think I understood what you said. What did you say?”

“Donovan is a piece of shit,” Alex said. “He has known Mitch was alive for several months. He just refused to pay any ransom. Mitch told the Marines who rescued him. Donovan is looking at some serious charges.”

“We could have paid,” Rebecca said, frustration and anger coloring her words. “I could have had him back earlier. Oh, my god…I didn’t know. That is why the State Department called me a few days ago and asked me about Lucien.”

“Well, the State Department needs to handle it now, and it sounds like they are,” Alex said.

“Bullshit. I’ll kill him,” Rebecca said menacingly. “Donovan’s a dead man.”

But another voice from behind her said, “Oh no, you won’t. Bex, darling…Just because you can doesn’t mean you should. Alex wasn’t supposed to mention that.”

Mitch, dressed in his borrowed robe, his hair rumpled, wrapped his arms around Rebecca’s waist, and pulled her back so that she was leaning against him. Turning, she buried her face against his shoulder as her arms wrapped around him.

“Oh my god… Mitch…Mitch,” Victoria said as she stepped forward and gave him a hug. “Oh, Mitch, sweet boy. I feel like I’m looking at a ghost.”

Mitch leaned toward Victoria and kissed her on the cheek, never letting go of Rebecca.

“Holy shit, Mitch, holy crap. He really is here. He’s alive,” Garrison said and stepped forward to pull Mitch close for a hug.

Alex was the last to cross the threshold.

He smiled at Mitch, pulled him close in more of a brother hug, and said, “I’m sorry.

I thought you’d told her about Donovan. Nice dramatic entrance.

I forgot to mention this yesterday. Stay out of hostile countries.

We can’t lose you again. This family can’t take it. ”

***Mitch***

He was glad to see the family, but he could see that Rebecca was upset with the latest revelation that Lucien Donovan hadn’t paid his ransom. He had wanted to be alone with her for a few days, to make sure she was okay before he dropped that particular bomb on her.

A little before noon, Victoria volunteered to start making lunch as Rebecca sat next to Mitch, holding Emily and looking shell-shocked.

“It is okay,” Mitch said in a soft tone as he cradled Rebecca and pulled her close.

“It is not okay,” she whispered. “I’ll kill him.”

“No, you won’t,” he said.

“What is stopping me from jumping in my car, driving to Portland, and taking a plane to London?”

“Many things,” he said. “First, you are breastfeeding our child. You can’t leave her.

Second, I need to rest, and that means staying here for a bit, and I don’t want to be anywhere without you.

Third, if you did kill him, which I have no doubt you could do, you would be arrested, and then we would be apart again.

Fourth, I’ve had a lot of time to think of this and the State Department will handle part of it, I will handle the rest.”

“How?” she asked.

“Legally, just wait a few more days. You need to trust me on this.”

“Like I trusted you that this little helicopter delivery was no big deal?” she asked, then started crying again.

He looked pointedly at Alex, who quickly stood and said, “Let me hold my niece for a bit.”

Mitch encircled Rebecca with his arms, and she sank against him as she cried. Garrison stood and walked into the kitchen, where he hugged his wife and tried to act busy, helping her with lunch.

Over lunch at the large, whitewashed kitchen table, they ate several different casseroles and salads that Victoria brought with her from Portland. Garrison asked a few questions that thankfully had nothing to do with his kidnap.

“The security positions are still available for both you and Rebecca. I didn’t have the heart to fill them, but mostly, I was hoping eventually Rebecca might have a change of heart. Would you two, after a little R&R, consider them?”

Mitch looked to Rebecca, then said, “I’d still be interested. Bex?”

She nodded and said, “As long as I can travel with him and be his partner. And I need to stress this: no danger.”

“No danger ever again. You are my partner,” he said. “Where should we R&R?”

“London,” she said, smiling innocently.