So soft, Casey thought and smiled to himself as he brushed his thumb over Lottie’s areole, making the skin pucker in the wake of his light touch.
She was amazing.
Her body was amazing.
And she’d shared it with him.
Him.
Peace, contentment, love, those were just a few of the emotions vying for his attention. Casey blinked rapidly and swallowed hard past the lump in his throat. He felt too much, too intensely.
Letting his hand drift away from her breast, he pressed his palm against her heart for several beats before trailing down her sternum to her stomach where he stopped.
No firm bulge greeted him — no soft kicks. Tears of sadness pricked the back of his eyes. He’d looked forward to meeting the new son she’d carried when she fled Gates. But it was not to be. She’d lost it nearly two months ago, and Casey felt the familiar twinge of guilt knowing he hadn’t been there for her in her moment of need.
Maybe sensing his pensive mood, Lottie turned her head to look up at him, but he couldn’t look at her. Not yet. He didn’t want her to see the tears in his eyes. She’d already suffered so much, and he didn’t want to add to her pain.
His fingers tightened on her belly. Her hands left her side and curled around his. Their fingers intertwined.
A new thought teased at him, drying his eyes, until, finally, he felt in control enough to look at her.
When their gazes met, Lottie gave him a tight smile, searching his expression for… something. He didn’t know if she found it, but she opened her mouth to speak. “It’s okay,” she whispered. “If it happens, I wouldn’t mind it since it would be yours.”
His gaze left hers and traveled down her naked body to his hand.
If it happens…
The nebulous thought grew stronger, dancing on the edge of his consciousness, teasing him by flitting about just out of reach.
“Casey?”
The base of his spine tingled. It was only the second time she’d ever used his name, and hearing it from her lips made his skin tight and his heart light. He would never tire of hearing her say it. “Yes?”
“Are you okay?” He looked up and caught her worried expression. Okay? Before he could ask, she hurried on, “I mean… Is it all right? If it happens… There are herbs I can take if it isn’t. I’d rather not, though.” Her fingers tightened around his, conveying her anxiety.
“What?” No sooner had he asked, than her statement made sense. Casey’s cheeks flushed. They had made love. He’d been so caught up in her body and his reaction to it that he’d done nothing to prevent a pregnancy. Chagrin dampened his euphoria, and he squeezed her belly again. A baby. One of his blood and hers. He grinned. His mental censure rapidly faded as the elation of possible fatherhood overwhelming him once more. “Another son? Nothing would make me happier.”
A relieved smile tugged at her lips. “Good. But what about a daughter?”
A daughter? He could do that.
“It’s a possibility…” she said, hesitating when he didn’t reply immediately.
He leaned down and kissed her nose before saying, “That would be good too.”
Lottie chuckled, releasing his hand to run her fingers over the stubble on his jaw. He fell silent, studying her as she touched him.
“Casey?” she started after they’d been quiet for several minutes.
“Yes.”
“I thought a lot about what you said.”
Her words sounded rather ominous, and he wasn’t sure he wanted to hear what she had to say. “Oh?”
“While at the facility,” she started and then stopped. Her thumb brushed over his lip. “I realized that I love you and I promised myself that when I got out that I would tell you.” His eyes widened in surprise. He wasn’t sure what he’d expected, but that admission hadn’t been it. Lottie bit her lip before adding, “I love you, Casey.”
His heart throbbed in his chest, and he dragged her into a hug, his arms crushed her tight in his grasp. Eventually, he released her. His hand traveled up her side and tangled in her hair. Bringing her lips to his, he kissed her carefully as if he was afraid she’d break.
She loved him!
Casey deepened his kiss. When they finally broke apart, they were panting.
She loved him!
Her eyes sparkled with… Was that mischief he saw lurking in their depths? “What,” he said, wary all over again.
She didn’t leave him in suspense for long. “Wife huh?”
Groaning, he flopped backward onto his back and covered his eyes with his forearm. “It sounded good in my head.” Lottie snickered, and Casey peeked at her from under his arm. “Are you mad?” She didn’t sound it, but he wanted to be sure.
She shook her head and leaned in to give him a peck on the lips. “No. I’m flattered.” Did that mean…? “Did you want Noah to hold a ceremony? Make it official?”
“Can he do that?” Casey asked with trepidation. The thought of Noah being involved made sweat bead on his skin. He could imagine several ways that man could ruin his happiness with just a well-timed word.
“He’s higher ranked than you, right?” When Casey nodded, Lottie said, “Then technically he could.”
“Does he have to?” he asked with a groan. He knew he sounded a bit childish, but Noah seriously annoyed him.
“No.”
“Good,” he said, relieved at her answer.
“Are you sure,” she asked, humor coloring her tone. “Because, he’s in the clearing right now watching Grey, and I’m sure he’d be willing.”
Casey rolled to his side, bracing his head on his arm, and scowled at her, making her break into loud guffaws at his expression. A grin tugged at the corner of his lips. He tried to hold it back, not willing to give a clear reaction to her teasing now that he knew it for what it was. “Do you want something more official?” he asked in all seriousness. He didn’t need it. She was his. He didn’t require a ceremony to prove it, but she wanted one, he would do it for her.
After a few beats, Lottie sobered. “I don’t know what they do in St. Louis, and, well, out here, it’s a bit of a moot point, but did you want to do something else… I don’t know… to distinguish the bond?”
So she did want something. “I don’t need anything. I know here—” he tapped his chest “—that there isn’t anyone else for me, but if you want something…” he trailed off, curious at what she might say.
Lottie brushed her thumb along his cheekbone. Sliding her fingers into his hair, she pulled him to her and kissed him lightly on the lips. “Then, I don’t need anything either.” Letting go, she lay back, resting her hands on her stomach. “It’s official… We’re married. …Husband,” she giggled a bit on the last word, and Casey frowned good-naturedly. “So… Husband,” Lottie began, her tone light. “Why are you here? We didn’t expect you for a few more weeks.”
“The sex,” he said, earning a snort from Lottie.
“You didn’t know you’d get that.”
“True,” Casey said and propped himself up on his elbow. “But a guy always hopes.” He brushed her hair from her cheek, enjoying the feel of the strands between his fingers as he tucked it behind her ear.
She smiled up at him. “So?”
Sitting up, he rubbed a hand through his hair, the already hot tent now stifling. He needed to pace. Getting up on his knees, he crawled to their discarded clothes by the door and rooted around for a second until he found his pants. Pulling them on, he turned. “Let’s talk out there,” he said, indicating their fire pit with his thumb and handed her the clothes she’d shed earlier. She nodded and took them from him. He watched as she dressed and smiled with warm contentment.
As her head cleared the neck hole of her shirt, her gaze caught him. Her eyebrow quirked up in amusement at catching him staring.
“What,” he said with a shrug. “You’re beautiful, and I like looking.”
Lottie just shook her head in bemusement, a blush coloring her cheeks.
Once dressed, she shuffled forward, unzipped the tent and left. Casey followed after her, grabbing his canteen as he exited. Standing, he took a swig, and handing it to her, he stretched. The cramped quarters of his travel tent didn’t lend itself to proper mobility.
“So?” Lottie asked after finishing her drink.
Casey popped the button on the pocket holding his orders, pulled them out and handed them to her. Lottie unfolded the document. Her gaze scanned down it. “A mission? Why? I thought you didn’t do those.”
“I don’t.”
“Do you think it is about our escape?”
Running a hand through his hair, he turned, staring off into the woods. “Na.”
“But—”
“There’s no reason for them to think I had anything to do with it,” he said, cutting her off. “I followed protocol.”
“Okay.” Lottie didn’t sound convinced. He heard her step forward and a moment later, she rested her head against his back, her arms wrapping around his stomach. He clasped her hands in his, holding her tight. “When do you leave?”
“Tomorrow.”
He felt her nod. “And you’ll come back to me?”
“Of course,” he vowed.
Nothing would keep him away.
*****If you like Acquisition and Preservation, please add it to your library!
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