Resilient Love (Navy Love Series Book 3) (12 page)

But never,
never
, would an abortion be a feasible possibility for me. And definitely not in the nature that Maggie did it to J.C.

With a deep sigh, J.C. wraps an arm around my shoulder and places a kiss to my temple.

“She definitely was. And yeah, it would have given me peace of mind to know what you were going through and to have been allowed to be there with you, but I can understand that you were scared because we were so up in the air with our relationship. And that was my fault. I should have manned up a lot time ago and confessed my feelings for you not only to you, but to all of our friends. I’ve taken the chicken shit way out for a long time now, hiding you and us and our relationship.”

I look up at him, surprised with where this conversation is going. And with how well it’s going.

“Both of us should have spoken up about the relationship. I’ve cared about you for a long time, I hate that we’ve had to go through all of this hell to realize it.” He nods his agreement.

“You’d think one of our nosy friends would’ve put us in our place and made us admit to it...Tess, Marshall...someone. You know Marsh usually can’t help but to snoop in everyone else’s relationships,” J.C. says on a laugh.

“Actually,” time for a confession, “He’s the one who convinced me to take a date to T’s wedding. He was all for making you jealous to get you to admit we were more than just sex.”

I was really hesitant to go through with Marsh’s wildly constructed plan, but in the end I knew I would feel bad to cancel on Hernandez. He was excited about being invited to Tessa’s wedding.

“Why am I not surprised?
Asshole
. Well, I think we’ve had enough heavy talk for the night. What do you say we get comfortable and rent some movies on Miguel’s tab?”

I mischievously smile and without a word, grab my suitcase and head to the en suite bathroom to change.

Before I know it, I’m comfortably snuggled up on the large king size bed with J.C.’s strong arms securely around me and his slight snoring in the crook of my neck.

For the first time in what feels like forever, I feel happiness as I fall asleep.

J.C.

This place is something else. There’s so much to take in, it’s like sensory overload. The lights, the music, the people, the Elvis impersonators...for a small town country boy, it’s a whole different world.

Granted, I’ve been in quite a few places thanks to the Navy, but none compare to Las Vegas.

I don’t know which is more appealing to look at, all the amazing lights on the strip or witnessing one of the first genuine smiles on Jo’s face in what must be months. I haven’t let go of her hand since we exited the elevator of our hotel, and to be dead honest, I don’t plan to for a while.

Waking up with her in my arms was a dream come true. It’s something that I have prayed to God for just the opportunity to allow it to happen again.

We both seemed to have a huge weight lifted off of us this morning, our talk must have done some good. A lot of good.

We spent the morning in our hotel room, talking through things some more and then went out for lunch before returning to relax by the pool. The day has been filled with subtle touches and caresses, light kisses and looks of longing and desire.

Jo and I always have sexual tension, but since our huge fight all those months ago, it has simmered down a lot...that is until now. It’s like someone flipped the switch back to ‘On’ and there’s only one way to cool the steam between us.

One way that isn’t an option just yet
.

Jo hasn’t pulled away from me once today and her tense posture is long gone. Even though I’m trying to hold back too much enthusiasm, I feel like this is my old Jo coming back to me.

After an overall great day together, she insisted on taking me out on the town. When asked what I wanted to do, my only response was ‘something fun.’

“So, you wanna have some fun?” Jo asks with that famous mischievous smile firmly intact.

“What kind of fun are you thinkin’?”

She shrugs her shoulder and pulls me along to wherever her plan intends for us to be. I silently pray that she doesn’t lead us right to that Stratosphere rollercoaster, or hell, anything involving the stratosphere. I don’t want to go in it and I damn sure don’t want to ride the rides on the top of it.

I breathe a sigh of relief when we arrive on Freemont Street. I’ve heard this street is the second most popular in Vegas. It’s filled with more casinos and other attractions, including the mall we're walking through.

“You ready?” Jo asks looking up at me.

“Ready for what?”

I follow her line of sight, which seems to go over my head, to the ceiling. In that moment, I catch sight of a bunch of cables lined across the length of the long mall corridor we’re standing in. Just as I go to move my eyes back to her to question all of this, realization dawns on me when I see some teenagers go sailing by.

A zip line.

This is so much better than I had anticipated where she’d be taking us. A few minutes later, after some convincing from Jo, we agreed to do the higher line, a whopping 114 feet above the pedestrians down below. Jo and I are side by side, strapped in and flying our way down the Freemont Street Experience. It’s unreal and exhilarating; and over before I know it.

We walk around the mall for a bit, each indulging in food and the occasional drink, taking in this entirely amazing atmosphere, including the LED canopy show above.

Our demeanor has easily fallen right back to what it used to be since the heavy talk in our room. Although the talk was challenging, especially discussing Maggie again after all this time, I am glad we had it. We needed it.

As insane as it sounds, Jo seems like she’s dealing with her guilt over the miscarriage a lot better and I believe she’s forgiven me for my behavior and abandonment in her time of need. All I can do is continue to tell her that I will be there for her from now on and continue to prove that to her every day.

Before long, we agree to head over to the strip for a late dinner. Our cab passes by the the fountains at the Bellagio and the rows of overly extravagant hotels and casinos. In the distance I can see the terrifying stratosphere, lines of other casinos and what I’m sure is plenty of other things to do in this crazy city.

While I’m mesmerized by all the sights around me, I keep replaying conversations with Jo’s mom right before we left. Now that I’m aware we were set up on this little vacation, her odd line of questioning yesterday makes sense.

Sitting at dinner at the Border Grill inside the Mandalay Bay Hotel and Casino, I carefully broach the topic.

“So, you’ve been to Vegas a lot?”

Jo shrugs her shoulders, “Eh, a few times, four, maybe five. Why?”

“Just curious. What’s uh, what’s the craziest thing you’ve done here?”

“Uhh, nothing too crazy.” She thinks for a few seconds before finishing, “There was that one time my friend Stacey and I went to a Chippendale’s show, we were both selected to go on stage for lap dances and then got invited to go hang out with the strippers after the show. I’d say that was probably the wildest night in Vegas for me.”

She acts unimpressed by this, while I, on the other hand, can feel my jealousy rising at the thought of other men having their hands on her body, even if it was for a show.

I stab at my beautiful plate fish, silently stewing over something that happened long ago. My anger is interrupted by Jo’s unprompted laughter.

“Wow, J.C., jealousy doesn’t suit you. Will you relax? It was a joke.” The humor in her voice instantly makes me regret my jump to anger.

“You’re joking?”

“About after the show and the lap dances, yes. We did go to the show, but didn’t get to touch the male strippers.” She winks and fake pouts.

I place my hand on the back of her neck and pull her to me, my lips ghosting over hers.

“Darlin’, I don’t wanna think about you touchin’ any other man. Your hands are to be on my body only, no one else’s,” with that I gently place my lips to hers just for a second before pulling away altogether and going back to my dinner. “And if you need a lap dance, I’d be glad to make that happen for you, just say the words,” I toss in with a wink.

It takes her a few seconds to get her bearings back to return to her food. The flush of her cheeks and the shuddering breath she releases tells me she’s more affected than she’s wants to let on.

“So, what’s up with the weird questions about Vegas?” she asks, keeping her eyes on her plate.

“Well, I got an idea, but it’s definitely going to be the craziest thing you’ve ever done before. You up for it?”

Jo loves a good challenge, and that’s exactly how she’s taking this. The determination in her face when she answers tells me that much.

“Absolutely.”

Jo

Something is going on, I don’t know what, but I can tell J.C. has something up his sleeve.

We finish up dinner and hail another cab, destination unknown to me. J.C. gave an actual address and not the name of a place, and frankly, I’m too lazy to look it up in my phone. The actuality is it won’t take long to get wherever it is we’re going, so I may as well enjoy the ride.

The cab parks and we exit after J.C. pays. I turn around to see that we’re at The Little White Chapel...what the hell?

Confused, I look to J.C. who grasps my hand.

“What’re we doing here?”

“Something crazy,” he says by way of explanation.

“Are you shitting me? You want to get married?!”

“Abso-fucking-lutely.”

“J.C. we just got back on good terms…”

“So?”

“So I don’t know, I thought we’d date or something for a while, not rush into getting married.”

“Jo, let’s look at reality. We’ve been together for a while now, just as long as Tess and Hunter. They’re already married and have kids. We just haven’t been as vocal or open about our relationship as them, but you yourself said that Marsh has known about us from the beginning. Reed knows. I’m sure everyone else in our group does too. Hell, half the squadron knows I’ve been off the market forever and that you’re the reason why.”

“I don’t know, J.C…it’s a lot and fast. What’re people gonna say?”

“People are gonna talk regardless of what we do in any situation, Jo. Might as well give them something good to talk about. And you apparently missed it in our room yesterday when I said that I’m in love with you, darlin’. If that deployment and our not speaking for six months taught me anything, it’s that I don’t ever want to be without you again. I know we have so much to work on still, but we’ll get through it all. So long as we’re together.”

My mind races. Marriage? It’s something I’ve never considered up to this point in my life; but there is only one man I could see myself happily married to. And that is Jared Collins.

We’ve had our ups and our downs, and I’m sure there will be more of each, but I can’t imagine going through life without him. Nor do I want to.

It’s that thought that has me nodding my head up and down.

Forty-five minutes later, we walk out of the quaint chapel as Mr. and Mrs. Collins.

The ceremony was quick and to the point. Just the way both of us wanted. It’s not the ceremony or big elaborate venue that’s important, it’s whose eyes you're looking into while delivering those words.

“What do we do now, wifey?” J.C. beams.

“I’m up for whatever, husband.”

With a sly smile, J.C. hails a cab and directs him to our hotel. His slight touches and his lips ghosting along my collarbone, neck, and ear are enough to send my hormones into overdrive. Making this twenty-minute drive seem more like a four-hour car trip.

The sexual desire has been off the charts all day between us, I honestly didn’t think it could get any higher, but marriage seems to have kicked it up a few more notches.

I rub my thighs together in a lousy attempt to cause some friction where I need it most, but of course it doesn’t bring the relief I want, only amps up my desire even more.

J.C. chuckles beside me.

“Darlin’,” his warm breath cascades across my neck as he speaks, “You keep that up and we’ll consummate this marriage right here in the back of this shitty cab.” I arch an eyebrow but he quickly shuts down any argument I may have. “Not happenin’, Jo. Don’t you worry, I’ll take good care of you as soon as we get to our hotel room. I’m desperate to feel that beautiful body of yours again...against my mouth, my tongue. Under my hands and wrapped around my cock.”

Fuck. Me. This has got to be the longest fucking cab ride of my life.

The moment our hotel room door clicks shut, J.C. is on me.

It’s been over six months since I’ve felt this man’s hands touched me, but my body instantly responds to his touch without missing a beat.

My purse and the room key are carelessly tossed; our only focus being making it to the bed before we completely ravage each other.

I pull J.C.’s shirt over his head as he pushes my jeans down my thighs. He lightly pushes me back, causing me to fall onto the bed, and fully removes them from my legs. Next he unbuttons his jeans and discards them into the growing pile on the floor.