CHAPTER TWELVE

The week was calm. There hadn't been any issues as the Nathan James steamed towards home. They were making decent time and they figured to be home in another week's time. Mike was dreading it.

He and Andrea had been spending most of their down time together. He was amazed that there wasn't any scuttlebutt about them, but no one seemed to have noticed yet. It helped that Andrea had her own bunk, so no one was missing her when she wasn't there at night. She had been spending her nights in Mike's stateroom.

The sex was good, the cuddling was even better. They were laying together on his couch this evening simply enjoying the other's presence. She was draped over his chest, her legs tangled with his. She was wearing the sweatshirt she had stolen the first night they had sex. He hadn't made her give it back.

Mike had been quiet. He was in a darker mood. It had been a few days since he had sunk like this. He thought maybe it was they were getting closer to Norfolk, closer to the memories, closer to the ghosts. He closed his eyes and tried to clear his head, but he just couldn't bring the light tonight.

"You, okay," Andrea asked as her hand skimmed his chest. She rubbed her nose against his neck. He opened his eyes.

"I'm sorry," he whispered. "I'm not very good company tonight."

"Tell me why," she breathed out. He figured she knew why, but sometimes it helped to just voice it. He also knew she understood. She had had a mini meltdown the other night over missing Bill and Lilly.

"I miss them," he croaked out, his throat tightening. He swallowed hard as tears stung his eyes.

"It's okay to cry," Andrea whispered as her fingers feathered through the hair over his ear. He sighed heavily and felt the first tear slip from the corner of his eye and trail towards his ear. Andrea kissed the tear just before it rolled over his ear. It opened the door, and he felt a sob catch in his chest.

His kids. They weren't going to be at the dock when they arrived. His kids. They were never going to say I love you daddy again. His kids. They were never going to fight with each other again. His kids. They were gone. Forever.

More tears burned as he closed his eyes and let the storm out. His breath came in short hard gasps as he shuddered. He cried. He cried hard. He draped his arm over his face, hiding from Andrea. She let him. She wrapped her arms around his chest and pressed herself to him. Her ear over his heart. She held him while he grieved heavily for his kids. When it slowed and he felt he might be able to trust his voice he spoke.

"They won't be there when we get back," Mike whispered. Andrea nodded against him.

"I know," she said, her voice tight.

"We'll never see them again."

"No. We won't. But we have each other now."

"I miss them so much," Mike said as he broke again.

"I do too," Andrea replied.

He cried again and he was sure Andrea cried with him this time. He felt better when the tears stopped. He tightened his arms around her and kissed the top of her head. She shifted on him and brought her face over his, then claimed his mouth with her own. The kiss was full of life and fever. Hot and needy. He felt her body form to his.

Her hands were roaming his body, stirring feelings in him. He kissed her back as his hands skimmed her back. As they reached the bottom of her sweatshirt he pulled at the hem. She broke the kiss and rolled so she could throw it off, then returned to his chest, pulling at his own shirt. He helped her remove it and the kissing continued as they laid bare chests touching.

Mike's mind went on autopilot, shoving the grief and pain of the day down and away. He focused on the feelings that Andrea was invoking inside him. Her hands were at his waist, tugging. His hands slipped down working on the fasteners. Their hands tangled as they shoved his pants down.

Mike left her to finish the job as his hands went to her own pants, working them open and shoving them down her hips. She wiggled and they pulled apart just long enough to toss their pants to the floor. Mike wrapped his hands around her hips and yanked her back into position as he crushed his mouth to hers again.

Her hands skimmed his chest, sending butterflies through his stomach, as his hands shifted to cup her ass, pulling her tighter against him, applying pressure. He was rock hard, and the friction of her wiggling was sending electricity through him. Her hands were on his boxers now, pulling them down. He felt his erection spring out and then her hand was on it.

He groaned and thrust his hips, his mouth ducking down and kissing at her neck. He yanked at her panties and then lifted her hips up, as he brought her down, he pushed up and slid into her. It was her turn to moan and Mike started pumping up into her.

Mike sat up as Andrea swung her legs around his hips, her head tucking just under his jaw and he worked in and out of her, his hands secure at her hips helping to keep her steady. He felt her start to flutter around him, as her mouth laid claim to the skin on his neck. He pushed faster, feeling his own release building.

As he felt her insides clamp around him, he felt her bite the soft spot where his neck met his shoulder. Her clamping around him and the pain from the bite made him thrust harder and faster until he fell over the edge.

A few more random thrusts and then collapsed back against the couch, Andrea coming down on his chest, both panting hard, covered in a thin layer of sweat. She wrapped her arms around his chest, her head tucked under his jaw, her lips tickling his neck, their legs tangled in a mess. He felt the calm she brought him, the peace. He knew she was his center now, home. He didn't know when it had happened over the last couple of months, but it had.

His fingers threaded through her hair, feeling the silkiness of it. He felt her suck at his neck and then bite him again before her tongue smoothed over it. He couldn't stop the moan that escaped, and he felt her smile against his skin.

"Shit," he mumbled as his heart was still hammering. She shifted on him and brought her head up so they could be eye to eye. He was captivated by her beauty, and he simply stared into her eyes, soaking in the warm feelings that were blossoming inside him. He thought she was going to say something, but she didn't, and he wasn't sure what she was thinking.

"I love you," he said without thinking, his hand coming to the side of her face, his fingers skimming her soft delicate skin.

He watched her eyes grow wide and she froze, and he feared he made a mistake. Maybe he had read this wrong, but he couldn't take it back now, nor did he want to. He did in fact love her and he wanted her to know. He waited. Still, she didn't react. Her eyes were still wide, and he closed his and turned his head. He wasn't expecting her non reaction to hurt, but it did. Suddenly her hands were on either side of his face, forcing him back to look at her. He kept his eyes shut, willing the tears forming to hold.

"Mike," she said, and he felt the tumbles in his stomach, his heart speed up a notch. Her just saying his name was enough for him. He didn't open his eyes though, because he couldn't take a rejection. He thought about her behavior lately though and knew he was being paranoid; hell, she had even told him she was trying to take Tom's spot as his best friend. "Mike, open your eyes," she said in a quiet voice. He did. It wasn't a conscious choice; his eyes just obeyed her command.

He opened them and looked right into her blue ones, so close to his that their noses were almost touching. Her fingers traced over his mouth, as she smiled at him. He tilted his head slightly to the side and sighed.

"I love you, too," she whispered and then she was kissing him. His skin was chilling as their body temperatures returned to normal, the sweat drying. He wrapped his arms around her middle and held her tightly as she broke the kiss from him. He felt her shift a little and then the blanket was coming over them.

"This is nice," he whispered as he closed his eyes. The blanket settled on top of them, Andrea draped over him, her ear over his heart.

To Be Continued…