Chapter 28
Chapter Twenty-Eight
ROD
At six o’clock, I sped up Sterling Ranch Road.
A caliche dust cloud engulfed my truck as I skidded to a halt in front of the house.
A late-model sedan was parked near the gate into the yard; the driver’s door was standing wide open.
Given the timing of events, Wyl must have arrived over half an hour earlier.
I hopped out to the purr of an idling car engine.
Wyl’s rental car. I reached in the open door, turned off the ignition, shoved the door closed, and raced up the walk to the house.
The front door stood ajar. I hesitated to rush inside, unsure of Wyl’s state of mind. Alarming him may make things worse.
I nudged the door open and whispered, “Wyl?” The eerie silence made me uneasy until I heard a muffled cough from somewhere. Walt wasn’t in his usual place in the den. I crept through the house and down the hallway. Muffled sobs came from Wyl’s room. I paused at the open doorway.
Wyl lay face down on the bed, his shoulders heaving. An occasional snuffle and gasp for breath came from the distraught man. I crept in and stood by the bed. He didn’t know I came to rescue him from himself. I sat and tugged Wyl onto his back and into my arms. “I’m here, Wyl. I have you.”
A gasp escaped as he buried his face against my chest and wrapped his arms around my waist. Loud, soulful sobs escaped his trembling body.
“Let it out, babe.”
As his sobs eased, he coughed and said, “I’m so glad you came.” Another gasp. “I figured I fucked up again. Ruined our chances. Made you mad.” My shirt muffled Wyl’s words. “I’m so sorry I fled. I need you so much it hurts.”
Tension drained from me. Wyl hadn't pushed me away. I tightened my arms around him and kissed his head, breathing in his scent. “I need you too, babe. I came after you, didn’t I? It sent me into a panic when you disappeared. What happened?”
“Dusty. Seeing him dredged up a lot of horrible memories.” Wyl coughed and sniffed his runny nose.
“He pressured us both about having a wife and slammed gays. The son-of-a-bitch held my dick in his hand, and I held his. He had no business talking to us like that. I couldn’t take it anymore.
When I got up to go to the men's room, it was almost like an out-of-body experience. Escape became my only option, so I kept going. I needed to get away from Dusty and his hatred.”
I tugged at Wyl’s chin, gazing into his watery eyes. “I wondered what upset you so much.”
“I’m sorry I left you by yourself. Did Dusty say anything?”
“He did say one curious thing. He said he thought Italy would take care of you. Do you know what he meant?”
Wyl shook his head. “I have no idea. The Corps transferred me to Italy after he claimed I came on to him. I doubt he did anything to cause the Italian situation, but how they learned about my skills remains a mystery.”
“I found his comment odd. I did claim you as my boyfriend, which royally pissed him off. He accused me of corrupting the country with the gay agenda and gay recruiting. I told him his brain was as small as his cock.”
Wyl chuckled and sniffed. “You didn’t.”
I planted a quick kiss on Wyl’s wet lips. “Yes, I did, and he grabbed my shirt and pulled a fist back, ready to slug me. He didn’t, but he told me to be careful because bad things happen. The entire patio witnessed his tirade. I told him to fuck off.”
“Oh my God, are you okay?” Wyl wiped at each eye with the back of his hand.
“I’m fine. Dusty can go fuck himself.” I stroked an errant tear from Wyl’s chin.
“I worried about you." Wyl's past relationship, if you can call it that, didn't bother me.
After all, my past included a husband. What bothered me was how badly Dusty treated Wyl.
It made me want to find Dusty and beat the shit out of him.
Wyl looked down and toyed with a button on my shirt.
“It hurt me when Dusty turned on me after we were close.” He looked into my eyes.
“Then you fucking walked into my first class at the college. Not only did I find you handsome and smart, but you liked me. I fell for you despite my oath to avoid close relations with another man.” Wyl looked back down at the shirt button. “Kinda crazy, huh?”
Was Wyl telling me he loved me? I already knew I loved him, but it was too early for those words, wasn’t it? “What are you trying to say?”
Wyl shrugged. “I shouldn’t say. I need you and don’t want to chase you away.”
I wrapped my arms tighter and slammed my lips against his in a passionate, toe-curling kiss. I pulled back, tugged Wyl’s braid, and said, “Let me say it.” Here goes nothing. I gazed into his grey-green eyes. “I’m falling in love with you.”
Wyl pulled me into another passionate kiss.
I like this method of communication. He pulled back and gazed at me.
“I love you, too.” He stroked my cheek. “Walt helped me understand my feelings and encouraged me to be myself. I didn’t tell him I thought of you as more than a friend, but he knew.
And that’s part of why I came after you when you stayed upset with me.
My heart needed the comfort you bring to me. ”
My face stretched into a huge smile. “You have a funny way of showing it…leaving me and running away from Dusty.” I tugged at Wyl’s chin and drew our lips together for another soft kiss.
“With Dusty, I ended up hurt,” Wyl said. “I carried the pain with me for years. But when Walt told me to go get my man, I knew you were like a soulmate.”
“Like a soulmate? I thought we decided we were soulmates.”
Wyl leaned up for a quick kiss. “Yeah. We did. And now we’re soulmates who love each other.” His expression showed utter relief.
I brushed my face with the soft end of Wyl’s braid. I loved the feel of his hair against my skin. “I’m glad you didn’t give up on me.”
“Me too, babe. I’m sorry for running away.
On the drive back to Blackfield, I thought about what made me run and how unfair it was for me to let others control how I view myself.
And after Walt helped me see what I wanted, I figured if I can’t be who I want to be, what’s the use in being anyone at all.
” He sighed. “Then Dusty walked up to our table.”
I loved Wyl's recognition of how those past fears needed to be harnessed. “Let me help you deal with your memories of Dusty.” I let the braid fall and brushed my thumb across Wyl’s lower lip. “Soulmates depend on each other, which means always being there for support.”
Wyl sighed. “I never thought I would see Dusty again. His sudden appearance at the restaurant shocked me. His words today shouldn’t have hurt as they did. But his attitude reminded me of when he ended things with me. I couldn’t go through the devastation again, so I ran.”
“You did look like a tree was about to fall on you. And here I thought it was because you didn’t want to admit I was your boyfriend.”
“‘Boyfriend’ sounds adolescent. You’re much more than a boyfriend.” Wyl ran a finger across my eyebrow. “While I don’t think I’m ready for He’s With Me t-shirts, if anyone asks, I’ll tell them we are a couple.” Wyl sighed. “We are, aren’t we?”
I kissed his forehead. “Yeah, we are.”
“Good. And Dusty is in the past, so I can move on.” He sighed. “After Dusty treated me like shit in Germany, I figured he was out of my life for good.”
“We should follow up on the Italy thing. I found it odd when he brought it up.”
“I think so, too.” Wyl gazed at me. “I'll contact my old commander and share what Dusty said. He’ll do the investigating.”
“Sounds good.” I was relieved Wyl knew someone to call.
Wyl toyed with one of my shirt buttons again. “You tugging me into your arms made me feel needed. Can you always hold me when I fall? Your arms protected me and calmed me.”
I nuzzled Wyl’s ear. “You’re my big, strong, brave Marine. And I love holding you.” I gave Wyl a gentle kiss, then rubbed noses. “We could have done this in Kerrville, you know.”
“I’m sorry.” Wyl sighed. “I fucked up again.”
“Stop apologizing. I came for you, didn’t I?”
Wyl leaned up for a quick kiss. “We’re making a habit of going after each other.”
“I don’t go after things I don’t want.” I kissed Wyl’s forehead again.
Wyl leaned back. “I don’t either, which should tell you something.”
“More than you realize.” I tugged at Wyl’s chin and gave him a peck on the lips. “So, are you up to going back to Kerrville? We still have time to ravish each other for a couple of days.”
Wyl ran his fingers through my short, soft hair. “I want to go back to your place and be with you. How about we mess up your bed again?” Wyl pulled me into a deeper kiss.
I broke the kiss, panting. “Our place and our bed…”