Chapter 16
16
TROPHY
Lance hung up the phone and looked at the other guys in berthing, giving them a slow nod. He’d spent the last hour putting together a plan and didn’t want to tell Stephanie yet. He called in front of them, not bothering to hide how he felt anymore. He thought she was amazing and couldn’t bear to be without her.
“Thanks for staying quiet.”
“You bet,” Pasteur said simply. “You know we will have your back.”
“I need to talk to Orion and Memphis tomorrow morning when they show up for the meeting in the morning before we go through drills.”
“Speaking for those two twerps, I think you are probably good. They’ll be in on this, too.”
“Does anyone have any questions? ”
Five sets of hands went up.
“Seriously?”
“When did you get so disgustingly romantic?”
“Shut up, Tic-Tak…”
“Who knew that ‘ Trophy-the-panty-killer’ would fall…”
“Oh my gosh,” Lance exclaimed nervously in a panic. “First off, that’s a cool nickname but makes me sound like a real sleazeball. Secondly, nobody says that… right?” and he looked at them. “They don’t – do they?”
“You do have a reputation with the ladies – or at least you used to.”
“Well, I’m happily committed to my lady… so please do not call me that or even hint at it around her.”
“ Commitment and Trophy – in the same sentence?”
“End of the world, yo.”
“I’m gonna buy a lotto ticket…”
“No kidding.”
“Guys? A little confidence – please?”
“Dude, we’ve all seen you in action. Heck, I walked in on you once at a party with two girls.”
“That was one time, and I’ll admit it. I was once a terrible person!” Lance exclaimed in a panic. “That’s the old me – the new me cannot wait to meet my child and hug my wife.”
“Hehe… he said ‘hug,’” Ohio teased, making air quotes with his fingers and rolling his eyes. Lance just glared at him hotly.
“Say what you want around me – but do not repeat it in front of my Stephanie.”
“Why?” Pasteur said softly, meeting his gaze. “Does she mean that much to you that you’ve become a changed man? People go on diets all the time, but they all fail unless it become s a change in your entire mantra, a lifestyle change. Are you in for the long haul, my friend?”
“I am,” Lance said without hesitating… and smiled, closing his eyes. “Y’all just don’t understand. I mean, how do you even explain it? I walk into the room and look for her immediately. Holding her hand calms something in my soul. I could talk to her for hours about nothing, and her laugh brings a spark of joy that I’ve never felt before,” he opened his eyes, not bothering to hide any of this from his friends, his brothers-in-arms. They were practically his extended family, and he couldn’t wait to update his real one. Maybe they could all visit when the baby comes several months from now. “There is something that is so thrilling knowing her body is going to swell with my child, something we made together, and she’s going to be the sweetest mother I could imagine. I’m really in deep, fellas, and I don’t want help out.”
“You love her, don’t you?” Pasteur smiled, and Lance chuckled nervously.
“I really do – and I never thought I would find someone who just fits me, but man, she takes my breath away.”
“We’ve got you, bro,” Tic-Tak said simply, grinning and standing up. He clapped Lance on the shoulder. “Now, pick up your tissues and your ‘ man-gina ’ off the floor because we’re gonna go have a beer to celebrate.”
“How about a Coke?” Lance said sheepishly. “I’m really done.”
“Coke for you,” Ohio chuckled and pointed his finger in his face before looking at the other guys. “Jack and Coke for us.”
“Fair enough – and I’m buying.”
“Woooohooo! Top shelf, baaaabeeee! I just called the Uber. Let’s goooo! ”
“Oh mercy,” Lance laughed, following his friends down the hallway and off the carrier.
A little over a week later, Lance was landing in Louisville. There was such a sense of happiness, joy, and awareness that this was the second and last time he would be disembarking from an airplane here. He was taking his wife to their new home, and he couldn’t wait to see Stephanie. He was dressed for some serious work, wearing jeans and a T-shirt, ready to pack up her apartment so they could leave by Saturday morning. It was going to be a lot of hard, menial work, loading and unloading the truck, but the guys said they would help when he got back to Mayport, and his princess wasn’t touching a thing. He didn’t want her doing any of the lifting or moving stuff.
Rounding the corner to head toward baggage claim and the exit, he saw Stephanie immediately. She was standing there, looking nervous and in a baggy dress. A part of him wondered if it was because her stomach was starting to grow slightly, and just the thought of it made his heart pound as he met her dazzling smile. He jogged over, scooped her up into his arms, and swung her around, hugging her tightly. Tears stung his eyes because he could feel her close to him, breathe in her scent, and just missed her more than he could ever have imagined.
“Hey, Beautiful,” he whispered against her hair, meaning it with every ounce of his body and treasured her soft laugh. “Are you ready to do this?”
“I am,” she said excitedly and then leaned back from him before putting her hand on the back of his head, pulling him to her for a kiss .
Gosh, he loved how bold she was now that she was getting comfortable with him. There was nothing sexier than when your woman showed you that she wanted you – and for him, he knew it was more than just ‘desire.’ They actually had something so priceless and special that he would give up everything to make either of them happy – Stephanie or his precious Peanut. He pulled away slightly, touching her cheek tenderly as he pressed his forehead to hers.
“I missed you so much…”
“Same,” he chuckled softly. “I know it hasn’t been very long, but am I crazy to think that it felt like forever?”
“No, because I felt the same.”
“How’s our little Peanut?”
“Ready for you to get here,” she admitted, chuckling tearfully. “She’s really swishing right now, and it’s a strange feeling.”
Regardless of where they were, Lance dropped to his knees in a heartbeat and pressed his cheek to Stephanie’s stomach. He could feel the small gentle swell slightly and needed a second, or else he was gonna start bawling. This moment, this feeling of being accepted for who he was deep down inside was more wonderful and overwhelming than anything he had ever experienced. He hoped to feel the baby moving; he knew people were probably staring, but he didn’t care. His wife’s fingers touched his hair as he waited, whispering to the baby.
“Hey, my sweet Peanut… Daddy’s home,” he breathed tearfully, pressing a kiss against the fabric of her dress. “Can you hear me in there? Princess, is our boy still moving around right now?”
“Our girl is, yes,” she chuckled easily. “You are making me paranoid with all this he/she stuff. I hope y ou know that I really don’t care what sex the baby is, as long as it’s healthy and happy.”
“Same,” he admitted, pressing another kiss to her dress before standing up, avoiding her eyes. He was afraid she would think less of him by being such an emotional twerp when it came to them, but he couldn’t help it. “Are you happy?”
“To see you? Yes.”
“All of it,” he asked tentatively, looking at her, swallowing. “With me, the baby, the moving, all of it. I know it’s a lot, and I want you to be happy about these changes, but I don’t want to pressure…”
“Shhh,” she whispered, putting two fingers over his mouth and cutting him off, looking him directly in the eyes. Her dark eyes were sparkling with an inner fire that made his heart flutter wildly in his chest. “I’m happy – happier than I’ve ever been, and I’m ready. This isn’t the end, but we are turning the page to a new chapter— together.”
“Let’s get out of here,” he urged, wanting to be alone.
“Stephanie! What did you do?”
Thirty minutes later, Lance stood in the doorway of the apartment… stunned. He turned and glared at her impish expression just as she scooted past him, walking around the stacks of boxes and totes full of her things. She had obviously packed up almost – if not – the entire apartment by herself. There was a trash bag on the floor nearby that had a few fast food containers and paper plates inside, a telltale sign that the kitchen had been packed away already.
“I told you not to lift anything or strain yourself.”
“I’m pregnant, not incapable. ”
“You need to rest.”
“I need to get home so I can unpack our things,” she countered deftly. “Now, while you can get away with so much more than any other person because I think you are incredibly hot and amazing, that doesn’t give you any leeway to start bossing me around. Got it, Mister?”
“Can you repeat that – I stopped listening as soon as you admitted that I was hot and amazing,” Lance smiled and pulled her into his arms, dropping a tender kiss on her brow. “Feel free to elaborate on that… okay?”
Stephanie laughed softly and smiled up at him. He loved how soft and pliable she was when they held each other. It was like coming home in a way he didn’t know he needed nor could he explain. Instead, he gazed at her, locking his fingers together at the small of her back, and sighed happily.
“You know this means that I have all this time available,” he began huskily, looking at her. “Whatever shall we do?”
“Well, we could talk…”
“True.”
“We could clean the apartment for the inspection tomorrow.”
“Again, true,” he smiled, brushing his lips softly against hers. “So many ideas - keep going, princess.”
“Hmm,” she said playfully. “Maybe you could – oh, I don’t know – rub my feet again. That was so nice last time.”
“I would love to,” he whispered, reaching back to make sure the deadbolt was set on the apartment and flipping off the light switch near the door. The dining room and hallway lights immediately turned off, leaving them standing together in the glow coming from the ba throom in the distance. “But you know that the foot is connected to the ankle.”
“Oh, I do know,” she smiled. “Does that mean you are going to rub my ankles?”
“I probably should,” he said dramatically. “For posterity, of course. I wouldn’t want to be accused of mistreating my wife someday. I mean, you don’t avoid certain locations because that would be lazy on my part. I’m a very dedicated man, you know.”
“Then you should rub my calves, too.”
“Good idea. Thank you for the suggestion…” he chuckled softly as he started to walk her slowly back to her bedroom. “What else is attached to the calves?”
“I think you know,” she chuckled intimately, and he nearly melted. “Then, of course, there’s the belly. You know a man should rub lotion on his wife’s pregnant belly.”
“Well, it’s our lucky day – isn’t it?” he whispered tenderly, leaning down to kiss her as they passed the doorway to her bedroom. “I’m a man, and you are pregnant.”
“I am,” she breathed, untucking his shirt. “I’ve missed you, Lance… I know it’s been months since New York City, but I really want to touch you.”
“I’m glad, because I’m dying to touch you, my love.”
Stephanie hesitated, her eyes shooting to his.
“I love you, Stephanie,” he murmured softly against her lips, the words pouring straight from his soul. “I never dreamed I would meet someone as perfect as you or that I would fall so hard… but here I am, at your feet, helpless to fight this. I love you, our Peanut, and what you bring to my world.”
“Do you mean it?” she chuckled tearfully, her eyes gliste ning with emotion. “I mean, we’re still going to fool around, husband. Trust me – I’m a sure thing.”
And Lance laughed with her, delighted beyond belief at his wife’s words, picking her up and setting her on the edge of the bed as he removed his T-shirt. Her eyes raked over him and he could see the desire in those inky depths as she drank him in, touching his belt buckle.
“I mean it with everything in me, Steph… I truly love you.”
“I love you too,” she whispered. “I think I loved you from the first moment I saw your smile when you sipped on that espresso martini. The way you treat me, how you look at me, everything you do around me, for me… all of it speaks of love. I feel so blessed to have been in the right spot at the right time to meet you, Lance. Now, can you get that belt off or what? I cannot figure out that clasp – and toss it in the trash. No roadblocks in our marriage bed, mister.”
“Yes, ma’am,” he grinned, yanking off his belt in one quick move that created a loud pop. That move had impressed more than one lady in the past – and he was grateful it worked on his wife. Her eyes widened and shot up to his as her mouth dropped open right before her smile widened in sublime, carnal approval.
“Oh, that’s a very nice trick… husband,” she purred seductively, and he nearly wept in gratitude and awareness. Oh man, he sure liked girls hitting on him in the past, but having his wife do it?
That was the stuff of legends.
“Wait until you see my next one… wife,” he promised huskily, climbing onto the bed with her.