Yay! I'm back in business. I'm so sorry for anyone who has been waiting for an update but I've finally moved in and gotten internet. So here's the latest chapter and the next one should be up within a few days. Enjoy, and let me know what you think.
Howell stood by the alter doing his best to keep from laughing as he watched his C.O. fiddle with his dress uniform nervously. Not that he could really blame the man. It wasn't every day you got to marry the love of your life, especially on who you think you don't deserve. It had been over a month since the rebar incident and thinking about it still made him wince. He had to consciously keep himself from rubbing the still tender spot, especially when he was standing at the end of the aisle waiting for the bridal party to start their march. He surprisingly hadn't spoken to Katie much over the past month, since he'd been on medical leave, but she had come to see him once a few days after he'd been released from the hospital.
The ringing of the doorbell had him groaning at the prospect of getting up from his comfortable position on the couch, but he figured it would be important. He actually did groan in pain when he stood to yell at whoever was at the door. The dressing down died in his throat when he opened the door to admit a fire haired pixie into his home. Katie glanced up at him quickly, before biting her lip and looking at the ground. He hadn't realized just how sexy she looked when she did that and he stepped aside to let her in before he thought better of it. Katie seemed to hesitate for a moment before accepting his silent invitation. Howell took advantage of her silence to look her over. She was wearing a sundress like the one she'd warn of her first day off work, but this time she had a light sweater over it to ward off the chill. She looked amazing, and all Howell could think about was her kissing him. The silence stretched on until he couldn't take it anymore.
"Are you alright?" he asked. Katie looked at him in what looked like surprise before she giggled.
"What?"
"Shouldn't I be asking you that?" she said through her laughter. Howell took a step forward pinning her against the couch he hadn't even realized was there. Katie stopped laughing and sucked in a shaky breath.
"You got hurt to," he said gently touching the ace bandage wrapped tightly against her wrist and placing a hand softly on her ribs.
"Bruised ribs and a sprained wrist are nothing," she said sounding a little breathless.
"You being hurt is not nothing," he said quietly, his gaze drifting over her.
"It is compared to what happened to you," she said sharply. Howell could tell she wasn't happy that he'd left the hospital a few days earlier than the doctors had recommended, but he'd been going crazy there. He started to speak, but she wasn't done talking yet.
"You were incredibly lucky it didn't hit anything vital when you fell. Then you had to go and move which nicked an artery and nearly killed you." At this point she was poking him in the chest as she spoke, which he would have found funny if it didn't actually hurt.
"Why'd you kiss me?" he asked trying to catch her off guard, and get her away from the topic that still made his shiver when he thought about how close he'd come to dying.
"What?" Her voice was shaking enough that Howell guessed he'd hit his mark.
"You kissed me. Why?"
"Just in case." She said, her voice not sounding any more firm than a moment ago. Howell had been doing his best to keep from kissing her since she'd walked in, but when her gaze dropped to his lips he gave up. She kissed him back almost instantly, her hands drifting up his chest and neck to bury themselves in his hair. He ignored the jolt of pain to his side and grabbed the back of her thighs to lift her onto the back of the couch. Her legs started to wrap around his waist before he'd taken the step forward, so he was pulled to her. He groaned, in pleasure rather than pain as their bodies crushed together from shoulders to hips, and he rocked forward so that he was pressed against her intimately. She gasped against his lips at the contact and her head fell back when he moved to trail kisses down her neck. His hands trailed down her sides, just brushing her breasts, and grasped at the hem of her dress to begin inching it upwards. Suddenly she was pushing his away and hoping off the couch, her eyes wide as she picked up the purse he hadn't even noticed she'd dropped.
"Katieā¦' he started as he realized she was getting ready to run.
"I've gotta go," she said without looking at him. Within seconds she was out the door and there was nothing Howell could do to stop her. He turned away from the door and headed into the kitchen, not wanting to face the couch yet and slammed a fist against the counter.
"Damn it," he growled. He dropped his head to the counter, wondering how he'd managed to screw up so badly.
"How do I look?" Captain Becker asked, breaking Howell out of his daydream. The question was so out of left field that Howell couldn't keep the laughter in anymore.
"Scared shitless," he said when he stopped to breathe, and it was true. Becker skin had lost all color and he was actually swaying a bit as he stood waiting for the ceremony to start.
"You sound like a girl mate," Connor Temple, the best man, said doing his best not to laugh as well. Howell was surprised Connor would actually say that, though it didn't make it any less amusing. It was pretty well known that the young computer geek was terrified of the SAS Captain when he was in a bad mood, but loved to tease him anyway. Becker started to glare at him, but quickly stopped when the bridal march started. The three men standing at the end of the aisle looked to the door where the wedding party waited to start their procession. Howell knew the other two men were waiting for their significant others with bated breath, but that didn't explain the sudden pounding in his own chest. He heard Connor's soft gasp at the sight of his girlfriend, Abby Maitland, in her bridesmaid's dress, but he was too busy staring at the girl behind her to actually acknowledge it. Katie was floating, not walking, down the aisle towards him in a flowing dress was a teal color that made him think of the Tahitian ocean. The dress hit just above her knees in the front and at mid-calf in the back. Her deep red hair was cascading down her back in a waterfall of curls and Howell couldn't believe how long it was. She made her way up to the end of the aisle and took her place across from the men, his eyes following her the entire time. Howell didn't realize just how long he was staring at her, but it must have been a little too long because the next thing he knew Jess was already standing across from Becker. She looked amazing in a figure hugging lace gown, which surprised Howell, he'd always figured her for the big fluffy dress type, but his eyes were glued to Katie. He stood there, just watching her as the officiator spoke. It wasn't until the newly married couple kissed amid cheers and whistles that he even realized the ceremony was over.
"Damn," he muttered to himself, hoping no one asked him later how the ceremony had gone. He glanced back at the woman who had so distracted him and for a moment he thought he saw the same worry reflected in her eyes.
This could have gone better, Katie thought to herself as Becker and Jess turned to the seated guests while the officiator introduced them as Mr. and Mrs. Becker for the first time. She'd been so distracted by how gorgeous Howell looked and how she was going to manage to avoid him during the reception. It didn't help that they were paired together for the walk back down the aisle. Her palms were already a little clammy from the nervous energy flowing through her. Jess and Becker smiled at each other and started walking out, making the pit of Katie's stomach drop. Connor and Abby were next, thought this time Katie had to stifle a giggle at the look of awe on Connor's face, before turning to meet Howell for their walk. His arm was solid muscle as she rested her hand on it. For tradition's sake, she told herself, when in all reality she wanted to cling to him and not let go for at least a few hours. Having him this close to her was doing strange things to her libido. At least, judging from the look on his face, he wasn't doing any better. The muscles of his jaw were so tense Katie could see them popping up under the smooth skin of his cheek, and his eyes kept flicking in her direction. She wasn't going to deny that there was some intense attraction between the two of them, but there was no way in hell that it was going to blossom into anything. Not even the orgasmic, mind abolishing sex she knew it would be. Images of them rolling around in sweat drenched sheets flashed through her head causing a shiver of desire to race up her spine.
"You cold?" Katie did her best to hold back another shiver as his breath fanned across her neck. She nodded her head as discreetly as she could, well aware that they were still in sight of the guests.
"A little," she lied smoothly. She just hoped he bought it.
"Want my jacket?" he asked in a tone that said he didn't believe her at all. She could feel the heat of her blush trailing up her neck and quickly shook her head, dropping his arm as if it was made of fire.
"It'll be warm enough at the reception." She started to walk away, but was stopped when Howell latched onto her arm.
"Are we ever going to talk about what happened?" he asked obviously expecting her to know what he was talking about. And know she did, but she still decided to play dumb.
"Talk about what?" she asked doing her best to not give away her lie.
"You know damn well what I'm talking about." He growled, his grip tightening a fraction.
"It must not have been memorable," the moment she said it Katie knew she'd pushed her luck as far as it would go. Howell's eye blazed with hunger and his gaze went to her slightly parted lips.
"Do you need a reminder," he said. His voice dropped low with desire and Katie's pulse started to race. She felt the wall hit her back before she even realized she was moving and her hands went to the muscled planes of his chest automatically, though she wasn't sure if it was to stop him or encourage him. His hands were on either side of her head, trapping her in a cage of flesh and muscle. Katie's courage disappeared quickly as the situation swiftly spun in his favor.
"I remember," she breathed as she ducked under his arms before he could catch her and stepped out of reach. "But nothing like that can ever happen again." She spun around and her heels sounded a quick tattoo on the marble floor as she put as much distance between her and temptation as she could.
