She cried out, her climax cresting as he found his release inside her, their shared pleasure making the moment all the sweeter.
She had her man. She had joy.
She had all she needed.
Afterwards, they lay side by side, Brutus cradling her in his arms. He never crushed her underneath his weight, never hurt her. Instead his strength was all for her, for making her feel safe and secure. Sweat glistened on Linda's chest as she lay in the moonlight that poured through the filmy curtain, her chest still shaking with the aftershocks of her climax. For the first time since getting shot, her chest didn't hurt, that was for sure.
Sex endorphins were a hell of a thing.
"Can I tell you something?" Linda caught her breath. "When you walked out tonight, it scared the hell out of me. I nearly got out of the bath to chase after you."
"Why?" Brutus asked, his own body bathed in sweat. "Like I said, I just needed to calm down. There's no need for you ever to chase after me, Linda. I'm here for you. I just don't want to show you the ugly side of me that often."
"I know but... I was worried that we'd come to a point where you couldn't handle who I am any longer," Linda said. "And I was scared that it'd happen at the same time I realized something. Because Brutus, I didn't just shrug off getting shot. Sure, in the second I did. I reacted, I fought, and I did what I've been trained to do. But as we left the zone and got on the plane, I remember sitting in my seat, trembling with fear, not just from the mission but from the thought that I might not make it back to you."
"Trembling?" Brutus asked.
Linda nodded.
"Why? Fear?"
"I was shaking because all I could think of was you. And yes, fear. Because the realization hit me that I nearly didn't come home. Before it wouldn't have really mattered to me, not beyond a pure instinctual level. I was so scared afterwards though because I wouldn't get to see you again. And it hit me. Now, you don't have to say anything. But I need to say it, to get this out of me."
She took a deep breath, her eyes finding his in the dim light.
"I love you, Brutus. I'm in love with you, and that scares the hell out of me as much as it does thrill me. Because for the first time since I joined the Army, I'm scared of not being able to come back."
Brutus nodded, and turned onto his side.
"I don't want to sound trite or forced, but Linda... I love you too. I've spent the past few days sick because you not being in my life would be more pain than all my years in football lumped together and more. So here's what we'll do."
"What's that?" she asked, turning to look at him and his smile, her heart blooming in her chest.
He said it so naturally, so easily, that she knew it was true. The way his eyes were lit up with joy told her that it was true.
Brutus Townsend was in love with her.
"More sex?" she asked, seeing the light dance in his eyes at her soft joke.
"Oh for sure," he said with a chuckle. "But also, I'm going to tell you I love you again, and again, and again. I'll say it as many times as you want to hear it. Not just when we're in bed, but when we're eating breakfast, when we're walking together, when we're relaxing... whenever I feel like you want to hear it. And for the rest of the weekend, I'm going to celebrate you for the beautiful woman you are."
Linda purred happily, and leaned in to kiss him. He was so many things... but the man was a full romantic.
"But more sex too?"
Brutus laughed, and pulled her on top of him. "And more sex too."
18
BRUTUS
Brutus leaned back in the leather seat of the black town car, taking in the familiar sights of New York City through tinted windows. The driver, a middle-aged man with salt-and-pepper hair who had introduced himself as Tony, glanced at him in the rearview mirror.
"Hey, aren't you Brutus Townsend?” Tony asked, recognition lighting his eyes.
"That's me," Brutus replied with a practiced smile.
"Man, it's an honor driving you today. Been following your career since college." Tony's enthusiasm was genuine. "Heard there's some talk about the offseason. You handling it okay?"
