Page 11 of Undefeated Love
The nurse was back and drew several vials of blood. She smiled as she wrote on the labels. “You have the best doctor in this whole hospital. If anyone can figure out the problem, he can. I have to get these straight to the lab and wait for the results. It’ll be at least fifteen minutes so make yourself comfortable. Take a nap if you want.” She opened the drawer and handed Katlin a thin over-laundered blanket before she left.
Katlin decided a power nap sounded perfect. She was exhausted. She lay on the table and fell asleep immediately.
A knock on the door awoke her. Katlin immediately reached under the pillow for her weapon…and found nothing but the stiff paper used to cover the exam table. She let out a long slow breath when she realized it was just the nurse returning.
“Lieutenant Commander Malone, I need you to follow me. The doctors want an ultrasound on your abdomen and given the location they want examined, the best equipment for it is in our OB/GYN unit.”
An hour later, Katlin was in another exam room when a woman with kind blue eyes in a white jacket walked in and held out her hand. “Lieutenant Commander Malone, I’m Captain Chris Rustlin, the head of OB/GYN at this hospital. I have good news and bad news for you.” She straddled the round rolling chair and faced Katlin. “The good news is Dr. Rockford and I have determined why you’ve been so tired and sick. The bad news is that it won’t be operable for several months. This is in no way related to your traumatic brain injury.”
She smiled encouragingly. “There is more good news. You will leave this hospital and immediately start feeling better. We’re going to change your medicine and add a few more. Dr. Rockford has already cleared this with your neurologist at Walter Reed. Since you’re stationed in D.C., you can do your follow-up work there.”
Katlin wasn’t sure whether to be relieved or nervous. By the time Dr. Rustlin was finished, and had answered dozens of her questions, Katlin felt comforted to know and understand her situation. Most of all, she couldn’t wait to start feeling better. The doctor had assured her that her energy would return soon and had given her nausea medicine to take every day as well as some for quick response. To help in the recovery process, they gave her a shot before she left the hospital.
Armed with new medicine she’d picked up at the hospital pharmacy, she retrieved a much better smelling Damnit, then fought the never-ending traffic on her way to the Los Angeles Guardian Security office. She was anxious to tell Alex about her medical revelations. She thought he’d be happy, especially that they knew what was happening in her body and thrilled that she was already feeling better.
She’d covertly checked to see that Alex was in the L.A. office. She wanted to surprise him but the minute she’d opened the door from the parking garage into the building, Damnit darted away. Of course, he immediately found Alex who was in the operations center.
“How did you get here, boy?” Alex asked as he petted her hundred-pound mutt.
“I brought him,” Katlin announced as she followed her dog into the ops center. “Since you couldn’t come to Miami, I came to you.” She gave him a broad smile as she walked toward him. “I have about eight more days before I have to be back in D.C.”
She wrapped her arms around him and leaned up for a kiss. “I have some good news I can’t wait to tell you,” so only he could hear.
“Babe.” He leaned down and gave her a quick peck on the lips. That was not exactly the welcome homeI’m so happy to see youkiss she’d expected. It was probably because they were standing in the middle of the operations center surrounded by half a dozen of his men. He dropped his hands from her hips and ordered somebody to go to the car and get her bags then take them to the penthouse apartment.
“Could somebody also return my rental car, please?” Katlin threw the question out there knowing that someone would return it for her. That was one of the perks of owning the company. She handed the keys to Alex who passed them off.
He smiled down at her, but it didn’t reach his eyes. “Why don’t you go upstairs and rest? I’m sure you’re tired. I’ve got a few things to do down here and I’ll be up there in a little while.” His tone sounded as though he was excusing a wayward child, sending her to her room. Katlin glanced around the room filled with multiple flat screens and the men monitoring them. She was exhausted from the long drive.
“Come, Damnit.” The dog joined her side as they went to the elevator and up to the penthouse. She arrived at almost the same time as her bags. After taking them to the bedroom, her stomach gurgled. She was slightly hungry. It had been a long drive from San Diego. She went to the refrigerator, which was always stocked with their favorite fruits and cheeses. She scrounged around a little bit more and decided to prepare a charcuterie board. She and Alex could snack as she told him the news.
She laid the finishing touch of grapes in the middle of cheeses, nuts, sliced pepperoni, crackers, and a variety of fruit as the apartment door opened.
Alex swooped in and hugged her from behind. “I’m glad you’re here. I need you.” His hands wandered to her breasts, cupping them both as he kissed the back of her neck. “It’s been one hell of a week.” He spun her around and crashed his mouth on hers, kissing her with ferocity.
This wasn’t like Alex. Over the last several months he’d treated her as though she were made of fine porcelain. She kind of liked this side of him, though. When they were younger and hurried, they had been very aggressive lovers. But that had been over a decade ago. Since reuniting a few years ago, they had both developed much more finesse.
“Babe, I need to be inside you. Now!” He grabbed her butt and lifted her as she automatically wrapped her legs around his waist. He never stopped kissing her as he carried her into the bedroom. He laid her on the bed and followed her down. Grabbing the hem of her blouse, he pulled it over her head, holding her hands there with one of his. He pulled the cups of her bra down and feasted on each breast in turn.
“Christ, I’ve missed you.” Kissing his way down her abdomen, he released her hands so he could remove her slacks and panties in one swift movement. He stared at her for a long moment.
Katlin secretly hoped that he would then spread her legs and lick her to orgasm.
But he didn’t. He unbuckled his belt and quickly shoved his khaki trousers to his ankles. He didn’t bother taking off his boots before he knelt between her legs.
“This is going to be quick.” He ran his finger down her slit, slid it into her wet, warm sheath then smiled. He discovered what she already knew, she was ready for him. Lifting her knees, he slid in.
Maybe this rough lovemaking is what Alex needs.She had been gone for almost four weeks. Before that, they’d been together every day and every night for several months. She needed him to want her this way. Sometimes when she came back from a mission, before her TBI, she would practically attack Alex. Their lovemaking had been frantic. Desperate as their need for each other. At least the first time. After they’d taken the edge off, they’d slow down and thoroughly enjoy their lovemaking. Maybe this meant that they had returned to that point.
Few words were spoken as they found the familiar rhythm that built within each other. As soon as he reached between them and touched her clitoris, she flew over the edge. She felt him push deep twice more before he arched his back and groaned. He rolled off to the side and out of her. She automatically rolled to face him and cuddled into the curve of his body as she fell into an orgasmic sleep.
When she woke, he was running his hand over her long blonde hair. “Thanks, babe. I needed that. I missed you.” He kissed her forehead and looked at his watch. “I’m sorry, but I’ve got to run. I’ve got a…meeting. I won’t be home until late.” He rolled off the bed, took off his boots, then pulled off his pants. Using his underwear, he wiped off their combined wetness. He threw everything into the laundry basket just outside the bathroom.
Katlin was confused. “Alex, I didn’t see anything on your calendar for tonight.”
He stopped just before stepping into the bathroom and looked at her over his shoulder. “You checked my calendar?” There was a bite in his voice.
Katlin sat up in bed. “Of course. I wanted to make sure you were here and hadn’t moved on to one of the other Guardian centers. I would’ve gone there rather than come to Los Angeles.”
