CHAPTER ELEVEN
Derek waited until thirteen hundred before ascending the stairs to Tessa’s bedroom. He’d held her until she’d finally fallen asleep, which she’d fought against with every fiber of her being. Fortunately, exhaustion had taken over, and her body had eventually succumbed to slumber. He would check on her before going back to the list he’d been cross-referencing—their graduating class versus the hospital staff.
It hadn’t been easy to find the employee directory. He ended up calling in a favor from another Marine who had gone through advanced training at Dam Neck, Virginia. In his capacity as an 0291 Intelligence Chief, he had access to virtually every business server inside the United States without leaving a trace of his passing. The relationship between most businesses and the military had started decades before with ARPAet—the infancy of the Internet. Hospitals, along with other businesses, had been eager to have their information computerized and networked in a secure manner.
Access was key, and Derek had people in position to look at virtually every digitized word on every server in the country. The information they needed wasn’t technically classified, but it was proprietary to the hospital and protected by access.
Once his friend had a copy of the directory, Derek simply copied the file across and emailed it to his own Gmail account. Now came the hard work of deciphering what information might benefit them.
Derek quietly made his way into Tessa’s bedroom by silently pushing open the cracked door. She was in the exact same position he’d left her at zero seven hundred. Her brow was still creased in worry, though she had a flush to her cheeks that signified her color was finally returning. He resisted the urge to reach out to her, not wanting to wake her. She’d already informed her supervisor that she wouldn’t be on shift this afternoon, so there was no reason for Tessa not to catch up on her sleep. He turned to head back downstairs when her fingers wrapped around his wrist.
“Have you heard anything?” Tessa inquired softly, her blue eyes searching his for any sign of information. He had nothing to give her and regrettably shook his head in response. “Do they know where the blood came from?”
“No, but that much blood didn’t come from a simple cut. The police are checking access logs and video surveillance for the blood bank and morgue.” Derek laced his fingers with hers. He would have sat on the edge of the bed, but she scooted over and drew him down until he was lying next to her. “Sweetheart, why don’t you try to get some more sleep? I’m going over a list of hospital employees against those from our graduating class. It shouldn’t take too long to compile a list of people for the police to question.”
Tessa had lifted his arm so that she could lie against his chest, wrapping her arm around his waist. She snuggled against him, her body warm from being cocooned in the sheets. Derek understood about needing a timeout every now and then, and this moment was hers for the taking. He held her close, offering her comfort and security.
What would happen come Sunday when his flight departed for the first leg of his flight back to the UAE for briefing and then into country?
It wasn’t something Derek could look forward to, knowing her life was in danger. The police would have to figure out who was responsible and succeed on their own in putting the culprit away for a very long time.
“Make love to me,” Tessa whispered, sliding her hand up the front of his shirt until her soft fingertips met his neck. He closed his eyes and prayed for strength, not wanting to take advantage of her while she was in this state. “Please.”
“You had a really bad scare today, Tessa,” Derek consoled, pressing his hand tenderly against hers. He leaned up on his elbow, causing her to roll on her back and look up at him with those blue eyes full of earnest. She was going to be the death of him. “Let’s try to figure out who—”
“Whoever he is, he’s proven that he’s not going away,” Tessa said with a bite of anger. She apparently didn’t want to talk about what had taken place this morning, for she leaned into him so quickly he had no choice but to use her momentum for both their sakes. Her hair fell around the two of them, isolating them from the afternoon sunshine coming in through the blinds. “I need you inside of me, Derek. Please don’t make me beg.”
He didn’t hesitate. How could he? He rolled her back so that he had room to undress, which also gave her access to the nightstand. She had ripped the foil and had the condom ready before he even got his pants off his legs. Her sweet voice professing her need made him hard as a rock, but he wasn’t the type to fuck without properly working both of them up to the point where nothing would satisfy them except each other. She had other plans and it was all he could do to remain leveraged above her while she rolled on the latex.
“What you do to me…”
Derek didn’t even bother finishing that sentence. Tessa had already wrapped her long legs around him, ready and waiting for him to take her. He thrust forward and stopped, needing a moment to adjust to the overwhelming pleasure. Damn, but she took his breath away.
“Don’t stop, Derek,” Tessa murmured in his ear before she nipped at his lobe. She had no idea what she was asking. He could literally lose himself in her, and it was all he could do to hang on to some semblance of sanity. “Fuck me hard like you want me.”
Whether it was the plea that fell from her lips or the fact that she’d sunk her fingernails into his back, he didn’t know. But he gave her what she wanted.
Derek pulled back and lunged forward hard enough that the bedframe slammed against the wall. There would be one hell of an indention in the drywall, because he didn’t stop. Her warm sheath was wet with her cream, and his cock couldn’t have fit better if they’d been made for one another. He drove into her over and over, hearing his name fall from her lips before her pussy contracted around his shaft.
He wasn’t even close to being done. He used his knees as leverage as he continued to thrust inside of her, leaning down to take her nipple in between his lips. She arched her back to make it easier, exposing her neck in the process. He eventually bit her shoulder lightly after he’d had his fill, once again feeling her legs tighten around his waist indicating she was starting to come.
Tessa’s reaction reminded him of when he’d bring her to pleasure with his mouth, and she couldn’t help but close her thighs around him until she could relax her muscles. It was an endearing trait and one that was specific enough to her. Just thinking about her uninhabited reaction to his touch had him driving his cock into her and holding still, finally savoring his explosive release.
“What you do to me…” Derek trailed off, repeating what he’d said before. It was the truth. He gradually pulled out of her, disregarding her attempt at keeping him on top of her. His weight would eventually become too much. “Come here.”
Tessa didn’t argue, but instead went willingly into his arms. She nestled against him and no more than five minutes passed before he sensed her muscles relaxing. Eventually, her breathing evened out, and she fell into a deep sleep. This time, it wasn’t so restless.
Derek stared at the ceiling in futility. All his carefully laid out plans had vanished like a puff of smoke. He’d warned himself early on that this brief relationship had to come to an end before his emergency leave ended. It had to. Only he couldn’t bring himself to disengage in a manner that would be in both their best interests. The truth of the matter was that he didn’t want to end things here.
There was still so much more between them to be explored. Tessa had come to mean so much to him in such a short amount of time. But how could they sustain any semblance of what they’d managed to create this past week? He accepted the blame, and he would have to deal with the consequences come Sunday. The military didn’t give a pass just because he’d let his guard down and fallen for a woman who lived thousands of miles away from where he would be stationed.
Derek held her for close to twenty minutes before he reluctantly untangled himself from her arms, tucking her in nice and tight so she didn’t lose that secure feeling. He quickly snatched his clothes up off the floor and then cleaned himself up in the bathroom. He checked on her one more time before forcing himself to return downstairs to finish going over the list of names he’d been given.
It was time to end this reign of terror that had descended upon Tessa. He didn’t have a choice but to be on that flight out to New Bern and then a short drive down to MCAS Cherry Point, where he would catch a resupply transport out to Dubai, but he did have the ability to put this scumbag out of business and make sure he was apprehended and put behind bars.
* * * *
“Your husband is just fine, Mrs. Spencer,” Tessa reassured Helen, covering the older woman’s hand. Derek’s mother had called them at nine o’clock this evening to say that she was taking his father to the emergency room. It had turned out to be nothing more than gas pains from the amount of greens she’d introduced into Ben’s diet, but it had been a scare nonetheless. “They’re getting his release papers ready now.”
“Oh, please call me Helen,” she murmured, leaning into Tessa. “I can’t thank you enough for how kind you’ve been this evening.”
Tessa gave the older woman a hug while looking over to where Derek was standing next to his father’s stationary gurney. It was as if he’d known her eyes were on him, for he immediately glanced up and met her gaze. His expression was unreadable. Was he regretting bringing her with him to the hospital? He’d mentioned that it wasn’t safe to leave her at home, but that wasn’t the reason she wanted to be here. She just hadn’t had the courage to tell him that little tidbit.
“I heard that multiple victims were brought in from a car accident, so it could be a while before those release papers are signed. Why don’t I go and get us some tea? I happen to know a nurse’s lounge who has the best Earl Grey Tea this side of Abilene.” Tessa loved the soothing drink herself and always made sure she had some on hand during her shift on the cardiac floor. “Do you take cream?”
“Oh, that sounds lovely,” Helen exclaimed, patting Tessa’s hand in appreciation. Derek’s mother seemed more stressed by tonight’s events than she had upon her husband’s surgery. That was to be expected, especially considering she’d had time to think about what her life would be like without Ben. They’d been married over thirty years. Losing that type of love was unthinkable. “Thank you, Tessa.”
She quietly slipped out of the room, leaving her purse behind. There was no need for it where she was going—her home away from home. She spent more hours here at the hospital than she did at home, and she figured it would become even more so given the fact that Derek would be leaving soon.
All of a sudden, it was as if Tessa couldn’t get enough oxygen. She stopped in the long hallway and leaned against the wall to catch her breath. Derek was leaving, and she most likely wouldn’t see him again for a very long time, if ever. He was going back into combat. The physical ache was unexpected, and she was glad she hadn’t been in the room when it hit.
Derek had been nothing if not honest about where he stood in regards to what he’d wanted out of this week, and she more than agreed to his terms. It had been what she’d wanted as well. Now? He’d come to mean more to her than any casual fling.
The sound of the elevator chiming grabbed her attention, forcing her to finally move from where she’d been frozen. She pressed a hand against her chest, hoping it would ease the tightness that had coiled inside of her. Numerous ways of how Sunday could go flashed in her mind, each one with the same ending.
She would be left alone.
Tessa forced her legs to move and carry her forward until she eventually stood in front of the elevator doors. She pressed the button that would take her up to the cardiac wing, grateful she had some time to herself. She had no choice but to accept the fact that Derek was heading back to his deployment overseas, and it was up to her to ensure that their friendship stayed intact. She wouldn’t cry, she wouldn’t break down, and she certainly wouldn’t ask for more than Derek could give her. She would somehow find the courage to say goodbye.