Author note:

A quick bit of spicy fluff for you. Enjoy!

CH 128-Shelter from the Storm

Emma looked at the calendar on her phone and sighed. Classes would start in two weeks and a week after that Bravo would be deploying again. She longed for some time alone with Clay. Time to forget everything and everyone except the two of them. She knew Clay was always under a lot of strain with his job. But now he had the added worry of his ominous conversation with Senator Dobson. He met with Harrington, Blackburn, and the team. While everything was out in the open, nothing was resolved. She longed to help him with his burden but could think of no answers. But she could help him relax and forget, at least for a brief respite.

Chewing her lip, she tried to think of anything they could do in the short window of opportunity they had. She hated to ask her dad to call in a favor, but this was worth it. After a short conversation, her dad agreed to help and promised to text her the details if he could work things out. Emma ended the call and began to think through what she needed to do to be ready. By the time her dad contacted her with the go-ahead, she had a long list of things she needed to do or to prepare. She wanted to surprise Clay as soon as he got home, and she had no time to waste.

Clay unlocked the door and pushed it open with his shoulder. He stepped inside and expected Koda to be there, wagging and begging for attention. But the dog was no where to be seen. He scanned the room and didn't find Emma either. Maybe they were on a walk. Then he heard a commotion behind him at the door he just closed. Turning, he saw Emma trying to make her way inside with their large cooler.

"Here Em, let me take that."

He removed the cooler from her grasp and waited for her to tell him where to set it down. She nodded toward the kitchen and followed him there.

"What do you need with the cooler?"

Before she answered she offered him her lips and he gave her a quick peck.

"It's for us."

"We need the cooler? Is the fridge broken?"

"No, it's to keep our groceries cold in the truck."

"Wha-I'm confused. And where is Koda?"

She laughed lightly and reached for his hand.

"You and I are going for a weekend at the beach. And Mike offered to take care of Koda at Dad's place."

"We're going to the beach? How? Where are we staying?"

"It's a surprise. Let me finish up here and you go check our bag. I packed some things for you. But I want to make sure I didn't forget anything of yours."

"Em, I can't leave. You know Bravo is on call."

"I know. But it's not that far. And luckily your team leader hates to see me upset. So, he approved it since it's within an hour of the base."

"It is? He did? Where…"

"Nope," she cut him off. "That's all you're getting out of me. Now go check the bag while I load up the truck. We're rolling out in fifteen Spenser."

She winked and slapped him on his butt before returning to her task.

Fifteen minutes later the truck was loaded, and Emma sat behind the wheel.

"Are you sure you don't want me to drive, Babe?"

"I'm sure. That would ruin the surprise. Just relax and we'll be there in about twenty minutes."

The suspense was driving him crazy. But he agreed and laid his head back, closing his eyes, and tried to rest. It helped when Emma turned on the radio and started to sing along. Her voice always soothed him.

True to her word, less than a half an hour later Emma turned off the main road and into a driveway. They pulled up to a gate and she opened her window and punched a code into the keypad. The gate swung open slowly and she drove through, maneuvering slowly down the private access road. Soon they pulled up in front of a large white cottage.

"What is this place?"

"It's a private cottage. They sometimes rent it out. But it's not generally available to the public."

"Then how did you hear about it?"

She turned off the engine and shifted in her seat to face him.

"The owner is an old friend of Dad's. He got out of the Navy and became a private security contractor working for the government. I guess he made a ton of money."

"I can see that. This place looks really fancy. And I know places on Sandbridge Beach are expensive. Can we afford this?"

"Don't worry about that. When Dad called him up and told him it was for an active Operator, he gave us a huge discount."

He nodded soundlessly. He was still taken aback by the house and Emma's surprise.

"Don't you want to go in?"

"Ah, yea. Sorry, Em. I just didn't expect anything like this."

"Good."

She leaned over and kissed him before jumping out of the truck and reaching in the back to start unloading. They didn't have much so they got it all in one trip. They climbed the stairs to the deck and walked along to the door. Again, there was a keypad and Emma punched in a code after confirming the number with her dad's text.

Once through the entry, the house opened up to a large great room. The kitchen was off in the far corner, while the dining area and living room were situated in front of a bank of windows and sliding glass doors. The view that met them was spectacular. Over the deck and down the stairs was the beach and then the ocean as far as the eye could see. They stood taking in the vista for a few moments before exploring the rest of the house. Emma went to the kitchen to put away the food she brought while Clay ventured down a hallway off the living room. The first couple rooms he found appeared to be small bedrooms, but at the end of the hallway was the Master. Just like the living room, one entire wall was made up of windows and another set of doors that opened onto the same deck. There was also an ensuite bath that gleamed at him through the doorway. The room held a huge bed, a dresser, and nightstands, as well as two comfortable chairs tucked in the corner by the window. All the furnishings in the house seemed new, but had a comfortable, beach vibe. It was light and airy, while still feeling cozy and lived in.

By the time he rejoined her in the main room, Emma was finished putting away the food. She joined him as he slid open the door and stepped out onto the deck. He pulled her into his arms as they stood, once again enjoying the view.

"This is perfect. Thank you, Baby."

"You're welcome. I wasn't ready to give up on a little time away with you."

"I'm glad you didn't. How long are we staying?"

"We leave Tuesday morning. It's just a long weekend."

"I'm happy for whatever time we have."

She felt his fingers lifting her chin gently and then his lips covered hers. She wrapped her arms around his neck and sifted her fingers through the curls at his nape. He broke off the kiss and rested his chin on her head.

"Wanna head down to the beach?"

"Sure. Let's change and we can go down. I believe my dad said they had some chairs and other stuff in a shed down under the deck."

After they changed Emma grabbed towels, sun block, and some drinks as Clay checked out the shed for the promised chairs. She met him at the base of the stairs. He had two lounge chairs and an umbrella in hand.

"Lead the way."

They found a spot easily and Clay setup their chairs and placed the umbrella where it would best block the harshest rays of the sun. They settled in and sat quietly, listening to the sound of the waves.

"You know. I never get tired of it. No matter how many times I come to the beach, the ocean still astounds me."

"I know what you mean. It's so vast, beautiful, and dangerous all at the same time."

The afternoon passed as they talked and dozed, lulled by the warmth of the sun. Emma coaxed him to tell her about the conversation he had about Ash and Senator Dobson. She could tell that the Senator's assumption still bothered him. And he told her how humiliated he felt admitting that his father fed classified intel to someone while he was on the teams. He didn't seem to be any more upset than he already was. But talking didn't seem to relax him at all either. She was trying to think of what she could do for him when a strong gust of cool wind blew across the sand. Then there was the rumble of thunder. They were so engrossed in conversation that they didn't notice the shift in the weather. Looking out to the horizon, a bank of angry clouds rushed toward them. Clay encouraged her to make a run for the cottage while he stayed and broke down the chairs and umbrella.

Emma hit the stairs up to the deck before any rain started. She could feel the enormous drops falling onto her head and splattering on the wooden boards as she rushed inside. Then the sky opened up soaking everyone and everything. Clay was caught in the deluge as he returned their items to the storage shed and climbed the stairs. Emma reached into her tote and pulled out one of the towels for him to dry himself when he entered. Then she went to rinse off and change out of her swimsuit.

Clay burst through the door and shut it securely behind him. He was grateful when he saw the towel Emma left for him laying over the back of a nearby chair. He made use of it immediately. He wasn't completely dry but was at least no longer dripping onto the hardwood floor. He mopped up the puddle he managed to make and joined Emma in the bedroom. She was already out of the shower and drying off as he entered.

"That was fast."

"I thought you might want to jump in there. So, I wanted to hurry."

"Yea. I probably should."

But instead of heading to the shower, he turned toward the window and reached his hands out to rest against each side of the sash. Emma could see the sky rolling and boiling over the waves. His head hung low, and he shoulders hunched under the weight of the load he was carrying. The storm outside their windows wasn't the only one raging.

She slipped up behind him and wrapped her arms around his waist, placing her lips just below the nautical star tattoo at the back of his neck. He took a deep breath. Looking outside again, she could see that the beach was empty and knew the windows were tinted. Wanting to make him forget and lose himself, even for a moment, she dropped her towel, leaving herself naked, and ducked under his outstretched arm, between him and the glass.

He started to grab for her, but she shook her head and began to kiss her way down his body. Nipping at his chest and placing sucking kisses on his abs. When she knelt in front of him and pulled down his board shorts, he let out a low moan. Then, when she took him in her hand and licked up the underside of his already hardened cock, he swore.

"Fuck, Em."

She could hear him gripping harder at the wooden trim around the window. She took her time, tracing the vein that pulsed from the base up to the head with her tongue. Then she kissed his tip slowly while fondling his heavy sac. He was trying not to rush her, not to take control. But it took all his will power not to thrust himself between her lips. Finally, she sucked him into the warmth of her mouth, taking him in until he brushed against the back of her throat. She held him there, swallowing around his length. When she felt her lungs would burst, she released him, wrapping her hand around the base while she slowly slid her lips up and down the rest of him.

God, what she was doing to him! He watched her swollen lips, and curling tongue work him over. He moved with her now. He couldn't help it. But she kept pace with him, sucking and releasing as his hips pressed himself into her waiting mouth. On the next stroke, she hollowed out her cheeks creating the most amazing sensation along his length. He could feel his orgasm building low in his belly. He knew he was going to explode and went to remove himself.

"Baby, God! I'm gonna…I have to…"

She shook her head and put her hands on his ass, keeping him in place. He couldn't hold on any longer. With a groan that was almost feral, he let go. As he spasmed, he could feel his knees buckle. Finally, he could draw a breath, as his head started to clear. Emma released him and placed gentle kisses to his softening length.

He reached for her, lifting her to her feet. Still panting he tried to tell her, to let her know how incredible she was.

"Shhh," she placed her finger to his lips and pressed a kiss on his chest, over his thundering heart.

Outside the wind whipped against the house driving the rain and a crack of thunder shook the glass pane behind her. Clay pulled her close. He could feel the tight buds of her nipples pressed against him and saw the desire in her eyes. He wanted her too, but his body wasn't ready so soon. He lifted her up and took her over to the bed. Laying her down, he settled beside her and stroked up and down her body. Her skin tingled with electricity as the sky lit up with flashes of lightning.

Clay kissed her neck, her shoulders, and between her breasts while his fingers traced a path between her legs. He took a nipple into his mouth as his hand met the soft, slick heat of her. The combination of him suckling at her breast and fondling her clit made her whine and writhe against him.

Her breathy moans rang in his ears. And he doubled his efforts. He switched breasts, licking and nibbling at the pebbled tip. At the same time, he slipped two fingers into her tight channel. Now her moans turned into passioned cries.

"Claaayyy. Mmmmm, yes!"

He drove her on, pumping in and out of her core with his thick digits. Her completely uninhibited response was so sexy. Urging her toward her climax, he reached deeper, massaging the seat of her pleasure. She rode his hand with abandon, her hands clutching at his forearm.

"That's it, Baby. I wanna see you Em."

His erotic words pushed her over the edge, and she cried out, digging into his flesh with her nails as she pulsed around his hand.

She tried to breath as the aftershocks still coursed through her. Clay slowly removed his hand and gathered her close. She lay limply on his chest, not quite recovered. Drawing his fingertips lightly across her body he still spoke his praises to her.

"You are so gorgeous like that, Babe. So beautiful when you come for me."

She pressed a kiss to his shoulder in response. She almost felt guilty. This was supposed to have been about him. But she knew that for Clay a big part of his pleasure came from giving her satisfaction as well.

She craned her neck to look out the window. The skies were still dark with storm clouds. It didn't look like the rain would be letting up anytime soon. She tucked herself back against his side. She could see his eyelids drooping and his breathing slowed. His large frame was still strong and solid, but the tension from earlier was gone. For the moment he seemed to be completely relaxed. He snuggled into her, burying his face in the crook of her neck. Then whispered to her as he drifted off.

"Love you, Em."

She was thankful that expressing her love for him had eased his troubles at least temporarily. He needed a clear head as he left on Bravo's deployment so he could focus and come home to her safely. Even though he was asleep now she answered him.

"I love you too."

They spent the rest of the weekend lazing on the beach, resting, and making love. It was exactly what he needed. Clay was so grateful that Emma knew what he needed without him having to say a word. His worries were still there, but he knew he didn't face them alone. And he knew that when they became overwhelming, she would be there beside him, helping to carry the load.