Muscling In (15 page)

Coben opened the door before
Ed had even pressed the bell. “What is it?”

Ed hooked the helmet through
his arm and stepped into the hallway.

Coben shut the door.

“I can’t stay,” Ed said.

“Your leave has been cut
short, hasn’t it.” Coben hadn’t spoken as if it were a question.

“Yeah.” He half shrugged. “I’m
sorry, there’ll be no meal out tonight.”

“What do you mean cut short?”
I asked, winding my hands together.

“I’m back on duty at eighteen
hundred hours.”

“Today?”

“Yes, ma’am.” He managed a
small smile.

“But can they do that? I
thought you had more time off?”

“I have, I do, but yes, they
can do that.” He stepped up to me and stroked the back of his index finger down
my cheek. “It’s the nature of the game.”

“But…”

“Can’t argue with the Crown
and I serve my country every day, whether it’s a holiday or not. I’ve been sent
orders, I’m needed, so I go.”

“Go? Go where?”

He pressed his lips together
and tilted his head.

He wasn’t going to tell me.
“Will we see you when you get back?”

“That depends.”

“On what?” I asked.

“If you still want to.”

“Yes, of course.”

He half smiled and smoothed
his finger down my cheek again. He stepped up to Coben. “I’m sorry, this kind
of shit always fucks plans up.”

“Can’t be helped.”

“No, it can’t.”

“Just be really fucking
careful, okay. I’ve just got used to the fact you’re alive and well.”

“Can’t promise I won’t pick up
a few scars and stuff but I’ll do my best.”

“Do more than your best. Come
the hell back to us, soon.” Coben reached out and grabbed Ed’s face. He pulled
him close for a hard, fast kiss, then set his forehead on Ed’s. “No risks.”

“There’s always risks.”

Coben chuckled but it held no
humor. “Well okay, can we just agree calculated ones, then.”

“I’ve promised you that
before.” Ed reached for Coben’s wrists and pulled them away. “I have to go. I
didn’t have time to call in here but I wanted to tell you both face-to-face.”

“Thank you,” I said.

“And don’t worry.” He looked
between us. “I’ll be fine. Not as if I haven’t done this crazy shit a hundred
times over.”

“Saying don’t worry doesn’t
help.” Coben folded his arms and shifted from one foot to the other.

“Look after this one for me,
Sian,” Ed said, jerking his thumb in Coben’s direction. “He always did worry
too much.”

“I will.” I stepped up to
Coben and wrapped my arm around his waist. “I always do. And we’ll be waiting
for you when you come back.”

“Thanks for everything.” He
shoved on his helmet. “Memories of last night will keep me going for months.”

“You’ll be months?” I asked,
alarmed at the suggestion.

“No idea.” He opened the door.
“I’ll be back when the work is done.” He stepped out and stomped down the three
steps to the pavement.

Coben stood stiff and silent
at my side. I kept my arm wrapped around him, my body pressed against his.

Ed didn’t look at us again. He
climbed onto his bike, revved the engine, then burned to the end of the street
and turned the corner.

We waited until the sound of
the engine had faded completely before stepping into the house and shutting the
door.

“Fuck,” Coben said, leaning
his back on the wall and clenching his fists at his sides.

“It’s okay.” I smoothed my
hands down his shoulders. “Really, it will be fine.”

“It’s not okay and how do we
know it will be fine?”

“He’s good at his job,
trained. He’s done it before.”

“But it’s so fucking dangerous
out there with those bastards. Those scumbags that just want to blow up good
men, chop them up, treat them like shit.”

“We don’t know he’s going
somewhere like that.”

“Not for definite but it’s a
pretty good guess.”

I reached for his right hand
and uncurled his fingers. “Guessing won’t get you anywhere, and remember what
Ed said about imagination being worse than the reality.”

“Yeah, well I’ve been in those
real situations, remember. I know how fucking dicey it gets.”

“That was years ago. Things
have changed. You don’t know for sure what he’s doing. He might be in the camp
just giving orders.”

He huffed. “I really don’t
think so.”

I reached for his other hand
and uncurled that too. “Relax. He’s still in bloody London.”

“But not for long.”

“And what are you going to do?
Be a ball of tension for the next few weeks, month, however long it is? You’ll
give yourself an ulcer.” I pressed against him, drawing him into a soothing
hug. “And that won’t be good.”

He sighed and some of the
tension left his body. “I could do without an ulcer.”

“You certainly could.” I
kissed his cheek. “I need you well. Ed will want you well too, when he comes
back. Which he will, soon. He’s just gone to work, that’s all.”

“But—”

“And someone has to be out
there fighting on the front line for Queen and Country. Might as well be the
best of the best.”

Coben managed a weak smile.

“And when he comes back, when
he has leave, we’ll be able to make sure it’s extra special for him, like we
did last night. A soldier fighting for the freedom of our country, risking his
life, shouldn’t have boring leave. His time off should be packed with
awesomeness.” I giggled, the emotions in my chest—the worry, the disappointment
that he’d gone, the anxiety of seeing Coben so distraught—burst up and out in an
over-loud laugh. It was almost hysterical, though I wasn’t prone to that.

“Shh…you’re right,” Coben
said, stroking my hair and cupping my face. “We’ll just have to make sure he
knows how appreciated his efforts for his country are.” He kissed me, settling
my nerves and calming my thoughts.

It would all be all right. It
had to be.

Chapter Ten

The next week went by in a
daze for both Coben and I. There were times I wondered if I’d imagined Ed, that
his presence in our lives had been a dream. But then I’d spoken to Coben about
him, or saw Coben frowning as he stared into space and I knew he’d been very
real—so real his presence was still here even though he wasn’t.

I went into work and created
some wonderful designs, one a portrait that Drake photographed to frame and
hang on the wall. He was really impressed with the intensity in the eyes and I
wondered if it was because my own emotions were spinning. I cooked in the
evenings because I knew I needed to, not because myself or Coben were
particularly hungry but eating was essential. I spoke to my mother about the
fete but didn’t really listen to the response and felt so bad about my
distraction I sent her a bunch of flowers the next day.

My mind was on the other side
of the world. The normality of routine no longer normal because I knew it
wasn’t the case for Ed.

Coben was quiet but not moody
or short-tempered. He was just worried. I found myself repeating things to him,
ordinary things—I’m sure he did the same to me.

But we were very much together
despite that distraction and we lingered over kisses and cuddles and spent the
evenings wrapped around each other on the sofa as we watched TV. It was as if
our joint worry had drawn us even closer, brought us together in our thoughts.
We found comfort in each other’s embrace and I understood how Helen would have
turned herself inside out with worry, being on her own multiplying the fear.
With no one to talk to, bounce that anxiety onto, someone who “got” it, then I
too would have been on the edge. Not being able to tell people why she’d been
distracted and worried must have just doubled the intensity of Helen’s terror.
She’d had to keep it all locked up inside and act as if everything was
perfectly okay in her world.

On the eighth night of Ed’s
tour of duty a segment near the end of the ten o’clock news caught my
attention.

“In Syria today a British
hostage was freed from the clutches of armed militia claiming allegiance to
IS.”

An aerial picture of a dusty
street showed shadowy figures rushing from a square building. Just as they
turned a corner the building exploded in a puff of sandy clouds.

“Brenda Doll had been working
with the Red Cross and taken hostage three months ago when handing out food to
refugees. A statement of intent to murder her by the end of this month was
issued last week on YouTube if three senior militants weren’t released from a
French prison. The official statement is that British Special Forces were sent
in when the situation became volatile and negotiations collapsed. One injury to
a UK serviceman has been reported. Ms. Doll’s family have expressed their
gratitude to the British Foreign Minister and all those involved in her
release.”

The screen panned to an
elderly couple sat in their flowery living room, the woman clutching a tissue.
The names Ethel and Derek Doll slid over the bottom of the picture. “We just
want her home,” the man said. “Home with us and safe.”

“Bloody hell.” I sat up from
where I’d been leaning on Coben. “Do you think that’s Ed’s regiment?”

He frowned and pushed to the
edge of the sofa. “Probably.”

“Wow, I mean…success, then.”

“One injury.” He shook his
head.

“Injury not fatality, that’s
good, and this Brenda Doll is free, so it was a success.” I shuddered as a
tingle went up my spine. “Poor woman must have been terrified for the last
three months.” Instinctively I rubbed my throat, thinking of the awful things
that had been on the news in the past.

“Yes.” He pushed his fingers
through his hair that he still hadn’t gotten around to getting trimmed and shut
his eyes.

“What?” I asked.

“A unit of six, one injured,
no details if it’s critical—”

“They would have said. One
serviceman critically injured. That’s what they always say on things like this.
One injury might be a broken arm or leg, cuts and bruises, nothing life
threatening.”

“Mmm…”

“I’m right.” I glanced at the
screen. The weather was on now. Brenda Doll had only been a small mention at
the end of news that was full of politics and election campaigns—her freedom
wasn’t as exciting as NHS cuts and the promise of a referendum on Europe
despite those who’d risked their lives for her. “He’ll be fine. I can feel it.”

“Can you?” Coben half smiled.

“Yeah.” I wriggled against
him. “And if that’s mission accomplished he’ll be back in London to finish his
leave soon, won’t he?”

“I suppose so.”

“And we can go out for that
meal.” I smiled too. It felt good. My cheeks balled and my lips stretched in a
way they hadn’t for a while. Worry had made my smiles few and far between, if
there’d been any.

The corners of Coben’s mouth
twitched.

“He hated that Helen worried
herself silly about him,” I said. “I know we’ve been worried too, desperately
worried, but we have each other. We can be strong together. There’s no secret
about what’s on our mind and no reason to try and hide it.”

“We can support one another.”

“Yes.” I wrapped my arms
around his neck. “We can, and when he comes back we’ll be here for him, solid
and strong and not be wrecked with worry.”

“He’s good at his job.” Coben
nodded at the screen.

“Yes, so we need to have
faith.”

He looked at me intently.
“You’re right,” he said. “As usual.” He grinned, a gorgeous full-wattage grin.
“He’ll be back after a debrief. A few days maybe.”

“Good.” I kissed him and
pressed my breasts against his chest.

“Is it bed time?” he asked.

“Well I’m not especially
tired.” I felt light and floaty and also in the mood for sex.

“Me neither.” Coben stood and
held out his hand. “Come on, Mrs. Wright, I want you naked and under me.”

I giggled. “So romantic.”

“Yep, that’s what the military
taught me about romance.”

“Not much, then.”

He swatted my ass as I stepped
past him. “Bloody cheek, I took you to Paris six months ago.”

“So when is my trip to Venice,
soldier?”

“I’m taking you to Heaven
first.” He flicked off the light, then wrapped his arms around my waist as we
climbed the stairs. He kissed my neck, his lips hot on my skin.

We had to do this, have our
connection. If we didn’t we couldn’t be a solid landing ground for Ed when he
came back.

“Come here,” Coben said,
tugging me to the bed. “Let’s get rid of these pesky clothes.” He pulled off my
t-shirt, revealing my bare breasts. I’d done away with a bra when I’d come home
from work.

“Mmm…” he said, ducking to
swipe his tongue over both my nipples one after the other.

I reached for my sweats and
shoved at them. They slipped down my legs and I kicked them aside.

Coben deftly removed my
knickers and they were added to my discarded sweats.

“I’ll never get enough of
you,” he said, reaching for the base of his t-shirt and pulling it off.

“I know the feeling.” I
smoothed my hands over his flat belly, delighting in the trail of hair that led
down from his navel. I tugged at the buttons on his denims. “I want you more
each day.”

“And Edward?”

“You know I want him too, but
I’m not the only one, am I?”

“No, but…”

“But?” I asked.

“But if you want him too then
we need to get you ready.” His eyes glinted with something I hadn’t seen
before.

“What do you mean?”

He took off his trousers,
removing his boxer briefs with them.

“Coben?” I asked, watching as
he gripped his erection and smoothed his thumb over the slit. “What do you mean
get me ready for him?”

“Well,” he said, stepping up
close to me and placing the thumb of his free hand beneath my chin. “Remember
your fantasy?”

“Yes.”

“One cock in your pussy, one
in your ass…”

“Yes.”

“So how long is it since I
fucked your ass, babe? And I don’t mean my fingers, I mean my cock.”

“I…I don’t know.” I couldn’t
be sure but I thought it might have been on my birthday back in March.

“Months.” He swept his lips
over mine. “Which means you’re out of practice. We need to make sure you’re
ready for both of us. Edward and me fucking you.”

“Yes, you’re right.” A tremble
of anticipation went over my ass cheeks and my anus quivered at the thought of
what was to come. I adored it when Coben and I indulged in anal sex and it
seemed it was on the menu for tonight and would be even more in the future.

He smiled. There was something
a bit predatory about his expression but I liked that. It made me excited, like
I was really and truly his and always would be.

“Come on.” He led me to the
bed. “Lie down.”

I did as he’d asked and
watched as he retrieved lube from the drawer in the bedside cabinet. He placed
it on the side of the bed, then lay next to me, drawing me into his arms.
“Edward and I have both got big dicks,” he murmured against my ear. “It won’t
be easy, you’re little and tight, but we’ll make it good for you.
I’ll
make it good for you. I promise.”

“I know.” A rush of adrenaline
released inside of me and my skin felt hypersensitive.

“Are you wet just thinking
about us both buried deep?” He slid his fingers between my thighs and stroked
over my pussy.

“Yes…” I gasped as he pushed
into me and the heel of his hand caught on my clit.

He kind of chuckled against my
cheek. “Oh yeah, you are.”

For a few minutes he fucked me
with his hand, arousing my clit and getting my juices flowing even more. I
clung to his big, hard body and breathed in the warm scent of his skin. I
bucked upward, rocking against his palm and seating my pussy on his fingers.

“God, I want to come,” I said,
my face buried in his neck.

“And you will, but not like
this. Turn over.” He withdrew and nudged my hip. “Onto your side.”

I did as he’d instructed and
rolled over, drawing my upper leg up to my chest.

“Good girl,” he said, his lips
moving on the shell of my ear. “Now just relax, you know you love this.”

“Yes…I…ahh…” I let out a long,
low sigh as his lubed finger slid over my anus. “Yes.”

He applied pressure to the
center and I shut my eyes as he probed through my sphincter. The coolness of
the lube spread and the unique sensation of being entered there, in my darkest
hole, sent a ripple of erotic pleasure up my spine. I pushed against him, my
back pressing to his hot chest.

“Fuck you feel amazing in
here,” he said, adding another finger, then wriggling them both.

“Mmm…yes…more.” I was greedy
for his cock. My clit was still buzzing.

“All in good time.” He pushed
deeper, until his palm was cupping my lower ass cheeks. “I need you to open up,
much more.”

“I will. I will.”

“I know.” He scissored his fingers,
stretching my opening wider.

A groan rumbled through my
chest as the slight stitch of discomfort mixed with the undeniable craving for
a bigger, thicker invasion.

“That’s it, babe, perfect.”

I blew out a breath as he
pushed in deeper, three fingers now by the feel of it.

“You’re ready,” he said,
pulling out, “for me to fuck your sexy little ass.”

“Coben, please…” I squirmed on
the bed and arched my back, jutting my ass out for his cock. I needed filling.
I needed him inside me.

“Here it is…”

The thick head of his cock
slipped down the crease of my cheeks and settled over my hole. He reached over
me and gripped my lower leg, the one that was folded up against my chest, and
pulled me closer.

I felt so vulnerable, so open,
so held by him. I loved it, that feeling of being his.

He exerted a heavy pressure
against my opening.

I squeezed my eyes shut and
held my breath. At this point I always wondered if it was possible for him to
fit inside me there.

“Relax,” he murmured against
my hair. “Relax and let me in.”

I tried my best to let the
tension go. It wasn’t easy.

“Breathe out,” he said.

“Yes.” I did as he’d
instructed.

He pushed forward, parting me
so, so wide as he slipped the head of his cock into me.

“Oh, God…”

“Fuck yeah, oh God…yeah…”

His dick was thicker than his
fingers had been and I jerked, tensing as he eased in some more.

“Fucking awesome,” he
murmured. “Take me, all of me.”