Page 34 of The Flame of Carson
“You miss him.Krista said you and Jerry grew up together.”
Stacey nodded.“We did.Jerry and I were only six months apart.Jillian was two years older than us.She was so sweet, protective and encouraging to me and Jerry and our friends.When she died, we were devastated.Then losing Jerry...”
Stacey sighed when Grant pulled her into a brotherly embrace.Krista had told her that Grant was the big brother type, and she hadn’t been wrong.In the October night, Grant just held her as she gathered herself.When she pulled away a little, he produced a handkerchief from somewhere in his costume and handed it to her.She had to laugh a little as she took it and dabbed her eyes again.
“You guys really are southern gentlemen.”Stacey smiled giving him back the handkerchief.
“My mama always said to keep one handy.For emergencies.”Grant grinned.“Feeling better?”
“Yeah, yeah, I am.It still hurts losing Jerry and it creeps up on me from time to time.”
“I know the feeling.Me and my best friend, Sean, both joined the Marines together.We were in the same unit at first.I was his best man when he married his girl, Evelyn.About six months before MARSOC came knocking on my door, he was killed in Afghanistan.He and I were like brothers.Yes, I met my boys here in MARSOC, but even after all these years later, I still have those moments thinking about Sean.”
“I’m sorry for your loss Grant.Do Gage and the others...”she started.
“Oh yeah, they know.They also know how to cheer me up when those moments hit.The trick is to remember all the good times.It doesn’t take the pain away, but it sure as hell helps.”He nodded.
“There you are.”
Stacey and Grant looked up to see Gage walking toward them.“Hey.Sorry, I just needed a moment.”
Grant patted her shoulder, stood up and nodded to Gage.While Stacey didn’t see it, Gage caught the look Grant sent him.Gage figured it had to do with Jerry.He had seen similar cases over the past two years when she would visit Austin and being around Krista and her girls.He had even seen it a few times in New York.Gage walked over and sat next to her.“Missing Jerry?”
“Yeah, a little.I’m alright now though.”Stacey answered.
“Grant is good with that sort of thing.I know he’s helped Krista over the last two years.I’m sure if you need an ear he’d be there.”Gage said.
“I get that feeling.He told me about his friend that was killed before he joined MARSOC.Krista told me he was like a big brother, and I saw that tonight.”Stacey sighed, laying her head on his shoulder.
He kissed her forehead softly, “So, you want to rejoin the party, or you want to head on home?”
“Let’s go back in for at least another hour then we can go home.Okay?”
“You got it babe.”
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Stacey sighed blissfullyas she snuggled closer to the strong warm body that held her.After they came home from Blackout’s Halloween party, Gage had all but carried her inside and upstairs to her master bathroom.She smiled as she recalled the night before.He had sat her on the counter before starting the shower.As the water heated up, Gage had started on heating her up.Without a word, he had begun stripping her.His hands were so gentle on her skin as he removed her costume, taking care with the dress as he hung it back on the hanger on one of the hooks on the back of the door.By the time Gage had her naked, and himself too, Stacey felt like she could barely stand.
Gage had moved them into the steaming shower and proceeded to make love to her.No, not just making love.It was deeper than that.Stacey lay there in his arms, her mind replaying the sheer tenderness of the night before.First in the shower and then again in bed.Both times, Gage had been so tender, loving, attentive.It was a side of him she had never seen until last night.Yet, she loved every moment of it.
Knowing she was not going to fall back asleep, Stacey managed to extract herself from his arms and slipped out of bed.Standing naked at the foot of the bed, she studied Gage in the early dawn light.He looked like some mythical warrior in her eyes.Not an ounce of spare flesh on his body and all hers.Smiling, she scooped up the robe from the chest at the end of her bed and quietly walked into her closet to get dressed for the day.
Dressed now in jeans, a t-shirt she had found atHot Topicwith Freddy Kruger on it and her favorite tennis shoes, Stacey walked into the kitchen.She started a pot of coffee and set about fixing herself a bowl of cereal.Standing at the counter, she ate her Frosted Flakes as she flipped through Facebook on her phone.Polishing off her cereal, she moved to the sink to rinse out the bowl.As she did, she looked out the window into her backyard.It was a beautiful day and according to the forecast it would be in the mid 70’s during the day and dropping to the mid 60’s in the evening.A perfect day and night for Halloween.
‘It’s so nice to actually, at least for a day, to forget everything.For me and Gage to just be us.A normal couple celebrating Halloween.A day of horror films, pigging out on junk food and giving out candy later.’ She thought as she set the now clean cereal bowl in the dish drainer.
Fixing herself a cup of coffee, Stacey slipped out her sliding back door and stepped onto her back deck.Taking that first sip of caffeine, she breathed in the crisp fall air of East Texas.A few moments later, she heard the back door opening and sensed Gage walking up behind her.When his arms slid around her waist, she just sighed in contentment and leaned back into him.His bare chest pressed up against her back.
“Good morning, babe.”
“Good morning big boy.How did you sleep?”
“Like a rock.Course, I always sleep good with you in my arms,” he said, dropping a kiss along her neck.
She shivered in delight, giggling, “I’m the same way.Before you, I couldn’t really sleep comfortably with anyone.Not that I had many lovers mind you, but the few I did that stayed over, I found it...”she paused, choosing her words carefully.“Not uncomfortable exactly, but unusual.I guess that’s a good way to describe the feeling.Does that make sense?”
