Class of Love (Letters From Home Series Book 1) Read online

  “At me?”

  “No, no, never at you. It has only been the last week or so that I was even able to consider checking my emails and all I could think about was how I couldn’t be what I wanted to be for you.”

  She cocked her head to the side. Stroking my hand with her fingers, she waited for me to continue.

  “I had this whole thing planned in my head,” I confessed, “and it involved sweeping you off your feet.” Giving a rueful chuckle, I said, “I guess I’ve spent too much time feeling sorry for myself.” Leaning forward, my hand caressing her cheek. “But seeing you here today has only solidified my resolve to get back to walking as soon as I can.”

  I leaned the rest of the way in and sealed her lips with mine. Warm and silky, tasting like strawberries, I closed my eyes and breathed her in as my lips continued to explore her mouth. Finally pulling back, breathless, we shared a smile.

  “How long do you have to stay here?” Brooke asked, glancing back down to his leg.

  “Probably another week or so,” I replied. “From what they tell me, I just have to get steady on my feet and then can transition to another facility. The military calls them WTUs for Warrior Transition Units. That’s where I’ll finish my rehabilitation and transfer to veteran status since I’ll be discharged in about three weeks.”

  “Oh…” she said, disappointment in her voice. “Where will you go?”

  Shrugging, I admitted. “I haven’t told them where I should be sent, since there’s nothing for me where my old man is.” I hesitated before admitting, “I did check…there’s one at Ft. Eustis in Newport News.”

  Brooke’s green eyes lit as she beamed her smile at me. “That’s not far from Chesapeake!”

  “Even when I hated what happened, I couldn’t get you out of my mind,” I grinned. “So, you wouldn’t mind me being closer for my rehab?”

  “Are you kidding?” she shrieked, leaning forward to cup my cheeks with both hands. “All I want is for you to get better and be as close to me as possible!”

  Kissing me again, she gave a slight moan and I took advantage, slipping my tongue inside her mouth. I cursed not being able to take her into my arms, owning the kiss and her body the way I wanted, but with her sweet mouth, she tamed my frustration.

  Finally pulling back, she sucked in her lips, blushing. “I didn’t mean to come here and do…um…this.”

  “Doing this,” I grinned, “is all I’ve thought about.” With both of our hands cupping each other’s cheeks, I pulled her forward and kissed her nose. Seeing her wide-eyed surprise, I chuckled. “I’ve wanted to kiss your nose since I first saw your freckles.”

  Laughing, Brooke admitted, “I’ve always hated them but right now, I think maybe I’ll stop trying to cover them up!”

  The afternoon sun had slid behind the tall buildings and evening shadows were creeping across the lawn. We looked around, noticing most families had made their way inside. Standing, she said reluctantly, “I suppose I should go.”

  My heart beat against my ribcage as I held on to her hand tightly. “Will you come back?”

  Her smile beamed down upon me, chasing away my fear. “Yes, of course. I’ll come back as often as I can.” Her brow crinkled in thought as she said, “I…could stay in a hotel tonight and come back to see you tomorr—”

  “Yes, yes!”

  Nodding, she said, “Can I push you in now…or um…do you want to do it yourself?” Appearing nervous, I knew she had no idea how to assist me without pain or insult.

  “I like doing it myself, but I’ve got no problem having you help me get over the grass until we get to the sidewalk.”

  Moving behind me, she took the brakes off and pushed me toward the building as I noticed the sunset painting the sky for the first time since being back in the States. A smile split my face, the muscles straining in the unfamiliar pose, and I caught a glimpse of the two of us in a window’s reflection. It didn’t matter that I was in a wheelchair and she was pushing me…it only mattered that the reflection showed us together.

  Chapter 11

  (June – Brooke)

  The last day of school—a time of great celebration for all children…and even more so for teachers.

  I plopped down in my chair, the children’s exuberance on the last day of school overflowing and it was only nine o’clock in the morning. I had spent every weekend with Ethan, first traveling back and forth to Bethesda and then assisting him with getting settled in his WTU. He had made so much progress and had managed to Skype with the children on several occasions.

  As soon as they discovered he had been injured, the cards, letters, and gifts flowed in. Every weekend, I took an armload to Ethan and together we distributed the baked goodies to the other recuperating soldiers.

  The students were disappointed he would not be able to come see them, but he promised to visit them next school year. A secret smile slid across my face…next school year. We had not talked about our future, other than taking one day at a time, until he made that promise while Skyping with the class.

  “What are you going to do this summer, Ms. Thompson?” Chloe asked, tugging on my arm to get my attention.

  Startling, I smiled and said, “Well, I hope to take some time to enjoy the beach and maybe take a few trips.”

  “Are you going to see Specialist Miller?”

  A commotion at the door interrupted my answer and before I turned around to see what was happening, the children began shouting. Whirling around, my gaze landed on Ethan, standing with the aid of crutches, wearing a light blue polo shirt and jeans with one leg cut off to accommodate his brace. My breath left my lungs in a rush as they locked gazes.

  Tears sprang to my eyes, knowing the lengths he must have gone to to make this visit. Rushing to his side, I resisted the urge to throw my arms around him and managed to greet him properly.

  His blue eyes locked on my green ones as he greeted me. Leaning in, he whispered, “Hey, babe. You’re beautiful.”

  Beaming, I ushered him to a seat, making sure to see to his comfort. His progress had been incredible and his new physical therapist had pulled me aside one day to let me know that I had a lot to do with Ethan’s renewed enthusiasm.

  “How did you get here?”

  “Old fashioned way…I took a cab. That’ll have to do until I can drive again.”

  I gathered the children around his chair, but he interrupted them just as they were beginning to introduce themselves.

  “No, no, let me,” he insisted. Looking carefully at the expectant faces gazing up at him, he pointed to each one, calling out their correct name. The students cheered as he named the last one and I battled back the tears of joy.

  The questions began to fly and soon Ethan was telling them everything they wanted to know. He shied away from exactly what happened in the explosion, simply letting them know that sometimes soldiers got hurt during war. I watched as they accepted his answers and breathed a sigh of relief that they had not upset him.

  The hour flew by and it was time for the students to go to lunch. Lining them up at the door, they each said goodbye to Ethan as they walked out with their lunchboxes, heading to the cafeteria.

  Nicole, the last to leave, looked up into Ethan’s smiling face as she said goodbye. Then to my surprise, she turned back and asked, “Are you going to marry Ms. Thompson?”

  “Nicole!” I gasped, my face burning.

  Chuckling, Ethan leaned forward as much as he was able, and asked, “Do you think I should?”

  “Oh, yes!” the little girl enthused. “She smiles whenever we talked about you and was so sad when you stopped writing.”

  Grinning, he stood up straight and winked at Nicole as she hurried to catch up with her class.

  Turning back to me now that we were the only two left in the room, he set one crutch against the doorframe as he balanced on the other one. Lifting his free hand, he ordered gently, “Come here, babe.”

  Stepping closer, I slid my hand to his chest, staring up into
his face as he took my lips. Aware of our surroundings, he kept the kiss light, but licked my lips as he pulled back.

  “I’m almost ready to transition out of WTU,” he said, “and should be ready to interview with the naval base nearby for a civilian job.”

  Beaming ear to ear, I asked, “So, you’re going to need a place to stay.”

  Nodding, his smile slipped as he said, “Yeah, but I’m going to need to find one that’s handicapped accessible…or has an elevator.”

  “You’ve never been to my apartment,” I said, my eyes twinkling.

  Tilting his head to the side, he said, “Your apartment?”

  “Well, you know I never got a roommate. But what I didn’t tell you is that it’s a first-floor apartment that was built handicapped accessible. The second bedroom has a large, walk-in shower stall with bars on the wall.”

  Pulling me closer until I was once more plastered against his front, he asked, “Any particular reason you’re telling me this?”

  Lifting my shoulders in a little shrug, I grinned. “I thought maybe you’d like to check it out…see if you wanted to move in with me.”

  With a whoop, he kissed me once more leaving me glad we were alone in the room.

  (Ethan)

  After dismissing the cab, I stayed in the school until the end of the day, enjoying both the students and seeing Brooke work her magic in the classroom. After the children had left for the year and she secured her room for the summer, we climbed into her car. She pushed the passenger seat as far back as she could and, since my knee would now bend, I fit nicely.

  As she pulled into the parking space of her apartment, she admitted butterflies were battling in her stomach. Sucking in a deep breath, she startled when I placed my hand over hers.

  “Listen, babe,” I said. “You do not have to feel obligated to have me here, just because—”

  “No, no, Ethan, that’s not it,” she interrupted, biting her lip. “I don’t want you to feel smothered…or obligated either.”

  “I know it seems like we’re new, but I fell for you a long time ago,” I said, squeezing her hand as I held her gaze.

  Nodding slowly, she looked into my eyes and I felt myself drowning in her gaze. “Me too,” she whispered.

  “All right, then let’s go look at our place.”

  Lying on my back in the middle of Brooke’s bed, my eyes perused the beautiful woman presenting herself to me. We’d barely made it into her apartment, before kissing once more. This time, with no children as an audience, there had been no reason to stop.

  Balancing on crutches, I’d held her face in my hands as I devoured her lips. Soft and sexy, sweet and strong, I was intoxicated with the taste of her. Finally pulling away slightly, I peered down into her lust-filled eyes.

  “Do you—”

  “Yeah,” she answered before I finished. Licking her kiss-swollen lips, she blushed. “That is if you want—”

  “Hell, yeah,” I whispered, my breath washing over her face.

  Smiling, she led me into her bedroom then turned, her brow furrowed. “Um…how can we—”

  “If you can handle being on top, I think we can manage.” I hesitated, wanting her more than anything, but not wanting our first time to be awkward.

  Brooke, seeming to understand my reticence, turned to face me, looking up into my eyes. Smiling, she said, “We got this. All that matters right now is you and me…together.”

  Stepping back, she pulled her shirt over her head and dropped it onto the floor. I stared at her breasts, confined in their pink lacy bra and my cock swelled even more. She slipped her pants off, snagging her panties along the way. With a quick twist of her hands, her bra fell away as well, leaving her completely naked for my perusal.

  “Oh, sweetheart, you are so gorgeous,” I breathed, my voice reverent in awe. Glancing down at my crutches and heavy leg brace, I moaned, “This is so messed up.”

  She moved directly to where her nipples touched my chest and smiled as she placed her hands on my shoulders. “No, it’s not. Whatever we do will be perfect, because it’s us.” She unbuttoned my polo and, with a little effort, drew it over my head. My chest and abs were well defined and she dragged her fingers over the ridges, drawing a hiss from my lips.

  Emboldened, she unbuttoned my jeans and worked them carefully down my leg and over the brace. Pulling my boxers down as well, she freed my engorged cock, a drop of pre-cum already leaking. Maneuvering me to sit on the edge of the bed, she worked my jeans and boxers off my feet and watched as I scooted back onto the bed.

  “Condom,” I managed to say, and watched as she bent to grab one from my pant’s pocket. Taking it from her, I rolled it on quickly, my hands shaking with anticipation and desire.

  I caught a flash of uncertainty cross her face and rushed, “Brooke, we don’t have to do anything you don’t want to.”

  Her face softened as she shook her head. “No, no, it’s not that. I just don’t want to hurt you.”

  “You won’t…I promise. But let me take care of you first.”

  Swinging her leg over my hips, she settled at the tip of my cock. “I’m ready,” she said and, as I brought my hand to her folds, I felt the moisture and grinned.

  Together we guided her hips down until she was impaled on my erection, the sense of fullness for her and tightness for me causing both of us to groan at the same time. It took a few tries for Brooke to get over her fear of hurting my leg and develop the rocking motion that brought us the friction we craved.

  I could not take my eyes off her. Long blonde hair hung in a sheet, providing a private curtain. Her face, even more beautiful in pleasure, enraptured me. My hands held her breasts as I tweaked her nipples, drawing moans from her lips.

  While I first concentrated on keeping my leg still, my mind soon slid into the place where all I felt was my aching cock moving in her slick channel. Her inner muscles gripped me tightly and I felt the pressure building in my lower back, knowing I was close.

  (Brooke)

  I felt the tightness in my core as sparks began tingling outward in all directions. With my hands on Ethan’s shoulders, my eyes closed in ecstasy, I rocked back and forth, my breasts bouncing in rhythm with my movements.

  Reaching his hand down, he pressed his thumb on my clit, eliciting the reaction we both desired. My fingers dug into his shoulder muscles as I cried out my release.

  Waves of tremors pulsated through my orgasm as my sex tightened around his cock, and I cried out his name. My eyes flew open, my green eyes piercing his blue ones as he pumped upwards a few more times until roaring out his own release.

  Laying on his chest, heartbeat to heartbeat, I slowly regained my wits and attempted to move off his body.

  His arms tightened, but I protested, “I don’t want to hurt you.”

  “Baby, the only thing you could do to hurt me now is to leave.”

  Relaxing back on his chest, my head tucked next to his, I cupped his strong jaw in my hand. “Never,” I promised.

  “I love you, Brooke,” he whispered, his voice still strained with the exertion, but his smile warming my heart.

  Chapter 12

  (December – Ethan)

  I watched her, with tears in my eyes, as she walked down the aisle on the arm of her dad. My breath caught in my throat and I had to remind myself to breathe. As she placed her hand in mine, I squeezed her fingers as we turned to the minister. Twenty minutes later, the ceremony came to a close.

  “I now pronounce you husband and wife. You may kiss your bride.”

  At those words, I grinned as I dipped Brooke backward and kissed her, long and hard. The cheering from the wedding guests finally registered and had me pull her back up, kissing her nose for good measure.

  Linking fingers, we walked back down the aisle of friends, family, and a large group of ten-year-olds.

  Later, at the reception, I walked over to Jon, clapping him on the back and said, “Glad you could make it, man.”

  “Timing was perf
ect. My tour was up a month ago and I figured I’d come this way for your wedding and maybe see about a job at the naval base also.”

  “Absolutely! When I get back from my honeymoon, I’ll talk to my supervisor.”

  “I can’t believe how good your leg is,” Jon commented. “When I saw you on the ground, I wasn’t sure you were even alive.” He dropped his chin, shaking his head. “Fuckin’ hell, man, you scared the shit outta me!”

  “Hell, nine months ago, I never thought I would walk without a limp either!” I stared into my friend’s eyes and added, “You know, I’ve never thanked you for getting in touch with Brooke. I owe you, man.”

  Glancing over at my bride, Jon just grinned. “Well, if she’s got any hot, single friends, maybe you can hook me up. Especially if one of them bakes cookies!”

  As Brooke danced with her father, her mother moved to my side. Lifting her gaze to me, she smiled as we slid our arms around each other, watching the dance in the middle of the floor. “I remember when Brooke first told me she was falling for a soldier she had not even met.”

  “Mrs. Thompson, I’m sure you weren’t happy about that,” I stated honestly, wondering what my response as a father would have been, then grimacing when I realized I would have probably said over my dead body!

  Chuckling, she shook her head and replied, “Brooke was always so careful…so cautious. And while I was surprised, I knew she would make the right choice.” Holding my gaze for a moment, she said, “And I think she has. Welcome to the family, Ethan.”

  The two of us hugged just as Brooke and her father finished their dance. Making my way back over to my beautiful wife, I slid my arm around her waist, and nuzzled her neck. “You ready?” I asked, my breath warm against her ear.

  (Brooke and Ethan)

  Nodding, Brooke grinned as she and Ethan walked toward the tables holding the excited former-students. She couldn’t believe it, but all twenty-four of the children’s parents brought them to the wedding. Walking around giving and receiving heartfelt hugs, she and Ethan finally stood in front of her former class, proposing a toast. The children lifted their glasses of apple juice and grinned at the couple.