35. Dane
Chapter 35
Dane
After returning from Arizona, Lennox went home to pack a bag, then came to my townhouse. The minute he hit the door, he pushed me back against the wall and devoured my mouth.
I’d never tire of the way he made me feel. And last night he was feeling extra loving. He wasn’t dealing with separation well, especially when, in his eyes, it was unnecessary.
So after we’d taken care of each other in the shower, we climbed into bed and tangled ourselves together.
His eyes were heavy as we faced one another. I could hear the exhaustion in his voice until he dropped more information about his conversation with my father.
“I told him I want you to move in with me. You and I could build Daniel a massive playground on the side lot and give him the bedroom of his dreams.”
I snorted. “I like the way you dropped that moving-in thing, then shifted and made it all about Daniel. And just so you know, Camile would kill you. We’ve tried very hard not to spoil him since our jobs take us away from him. It’s hard not to give the kid everything he wants, especially when I’m deployed. You give him a jacked-up room and he might not want to go home.”
“Sounds to me like the two of you need another co-parent.”
I smiled. “Are you applying?”
“Are you accepting applications? Because I’m available.”
“Spoiling my kid will get your application denied,” I teased.
Lennox looked at me like I’d stolen his candy. “Building a playground is not spoiling him. What’s wrong with giving a good kid like him a tree fort and a place to play? Kids don’t get enough time outside as it is. And we had one in your backyard. I’ve got the space that’s just sitting there.”
He ran a finger over my lips and slipped into sexy Lennox mode. “If he doesn’t want to go home, he can just live with us. Simple.”
I was grinning like a loon. “Simple, huh? You’ve got it all figured out.”
“You know me so well, Calloway. I usually find a way to get what I want. Although we might need to have the bedroom walls soundproofed, so he doesn’t hear us fucking.”
My face heated. “That will never happen.”
“Which part?” he asked.
“The fucking. Because that’s not what we’re doing.”
Lennox gave me that love-sick, lazy grin and moved closer. “Then what are we doing, Calloway?”
The smell of my body wash on his skin made me hard. “Making love.”
“Uh-huh,” he said, kissing my nose, then my forehead.
“Wouldn’t you agree…”
Kiss, kiss.
“… that people who love each other…”
More kisses.
“…should live together?”
He continued kissing me until I was drunk on him. He didn’t give me a chance to respond but slipped his tongue into my mouth.
Lennox had a wicked tongue and had no objections to using it. And when he gave me a chance to breathe, I gave him my answer.
“Maybe one day we can do that.”
He looked disappointed and pulled away. But I didn’t let him go.
“I’m not saying I don’t want to, because I do. I’d fucking love that.”
I ran my hand over his face. “But it’s too soon. We’re just getting started.”
I could see him losing the battle against sleep.
“Let’s go to sleep and talk more tomorrow after I get back from the base.”
He yawned. “But we can still have adult sleepovers, right?”
I smiled as he pulled me into his arms. “I’m counting on it.”
Lennox settled his head on my chest, then looked up at me. “Our bye week is coming up. Think we could get away for a few days?”
I hated to burst his bubble, but that was going to be impossible. “I can’t take any more time off right now. Sorry, babe.”
He nuzzled his head against my chest. “It’s okay. We’ll hang out here and I’ll practice my house-husband skills. I’ll make you dinner every night, then fuck you until you pass out.”
I grinned. “Will you be naked under your apron?”
“No,” he yawned. “I don’t wear an apron.”
I pulled in at the base at 7 AM after leaving Lennox in my bed. When he hadn’t woken up when I got up to shower, I left him sleeping.
It was probably a good thing he didn’t wake up. I was finding it increasingly difficult to keep my hands off him. I had remarkable self-control until it came to him. It had always been that way, and if he had touched me or given me that look, I would have been late.
It was astounding to me he could fathom me not wanting to live with him. It’s all I’d ever wanted, and it was increasingly difficult to keep putting him off. I wanted to give in, and when he started with all the plans to make Daniel feel at home, I’d almost caved. To Lennox, it was simple. But I had more to consider, and I guess I would have to sit him down and explain it.
When I pulled up to the base, Javy was waiting for me in the gym. Just like my quarterback, I had to maintain peak physical fitness to fly. The pressure was hard on the body and the only way to overcome that was to be in prime condition. And Mondays were our information day when we received our briefings for the week.
After a 5-mile run on the treadmill, we hit the weights, then showered, and changed into our flight gear for the morning briefing. If our day went as usual, I’d be back home with Lennox by 4 PM.
“Good morning, gentlemen.”
Our CO, Captain Martin Lemay, came in with his coffee and laptop. He sat it down and looked over the squadron. He’d called me into his office after Daniel’s announcement following the pre-season game. He’d been surprised considering the way I’d reacted to Lennox on the Fourth of July.
“As long as you do your job, it’s a non-issue,” he’d said. And I made sure to give him no reason to doubt my commitment.
The captain took us through the day’s schedule and the objectives of the training exercises. When he ended the meeting, he informed us of an addition to the calendar.
“We’ve been tapped for two runs of combat exercises up at Lemoore. One run tomorrow, the other in two weeks. West Coast Command wants some practice runs. The best versus the best. Should be fun.”
“Hell yeah,” Javy crowed. “I love it when we do that.”
Captain smiled and shook his head. “That’s why we let Calloway do the flying and you play with the guns.”
He was kidding, but we laughed at Javy, anyway. Captain Lemay loved to give him shit.
“Let’s get in the air.”
He stood and picked up his computer and cup, ending the meeting.