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After shucking her chef’s whites in the office—which doubled as a change room—Katy walked out wearing jean shorts, her unlaced steel capped boots, and a tight red tank. Levi took his time admiring her curves. She pulled off hot and sexy effortlessly, and his cock responded. Adjusting himself discreetly, he shot his gaze to Connor and saw the same pained look of desire he knew he was wearing. At least Lee wasn’t the only one who was powerless to resist her. Why it didn’t bother him that another man was so openly adoring his girlfriend was something Levi would have to return to another time.
“So whose car are we taking?” Katy asked, completely clueless at the state she had both of them in.
“Con can drive,” Levi volunteered. He couldn’t think straight with no blood in his brain, and he was at the point of being so hard he wasn’t sure if he’d be able to walk, never mind drive.
“Ah, yeah sure,” Con hesitated, before turning on his heel and quickly walking out.
Katy
Levi adjusting himself and Con looking like he was about to swallow his tongue had Katy reconsidering her getup. She’d thrown them into her bag that morning not realizing that it’d have that kind of effect. She wasn’t close to being naked, but their eyes on her caressed her like she was. Was it bad that she was enjoying it? That these two men—who were damn beautiful—thought she was sexy enough to capture and keep their attention? Even though from what Con had said, he hadn’t seen much action in a while. That needed to change. He deserved happiness and love and someone to fall head over heels for him.Maybe I should set him up… but with who? Who would be worthy of him? Who would treat him like their everything?
The buildings grew taller, the traffic heavier as she directed Con into Broadbeach. As the afternoon began to fade into dusk, they pulled into the street where their favourite pizza place was. It was quieter during a weeknight, but the city was always vibrant. Tourists and locals alike wandered down the wide paths enjoying the eclectic mix of restaurants and cafes. After Con had pulled up and they stepped out, Katy took Levi’s hand and waited for their friend to come around the car. Walking along, she hooked her arm through Con’s and smiled at him. “We’ve been coming here for a few years now. They make the best food in town.”
“You keep talking them up, and I’ll have high expectations.” Con grinned at her and Katy shook her head, rolling her eyes. He adjusted the strap of his guitar case on his shoulder and playfully poked out his tongue. The move had Katy snorting out a laugh.
“You just wait and see.” Katy playfully elbowed him, before laughing again at his pout. She’d laughed a lot since Con had returned. Smiled too. In fact, she couldn’t wipe the giddy grin off her face with the deliriously happy buzz she had happening. “Aww, boo, did that hurt?”
The smell of the pizza cooking in the wood fired ovens couldn’t be beaten. Inhaling deeply, Katy filled her lungs and hummed.Yeah, dinner.“Hello, lovely Katy and Levi.” After the usual chit chat with Tony, and introductions to Con, Tony instructed them to sit at a free booth.
“We’re taking away today,” Katy informed him, smiling.
It wasn’t long before their order was ready and they were taking it down to the sand. A bottle of cheap wine and pizza straight out of the cardboard box was their dinner, but the view was a million bucks. The glitter strip’s famous beachside towers at their backs, the three of them wandered down toward the water, white sand under their feet. The three-quarter moon sat high in the sky, illuminating their way as the ocean breeze caressed her skin. Both she and Levi loved this spot. They went there every chance they got. Stripping off their shirts, Levi and Connor spread them on the soft sand, using them as a blanket to place Connor’s guitar case on and, on that, the food, bottle of wine, and plastic cups. As they sat on the still-warm sand, a lone jogger ran past them much closer to the water-line, lost in the rhythm of the beat pumping through his headphones.
“God, I’ve missed this. Sand is so different when there’s an ocean to go with it, and no one’s trying to kill you. Rob was right. I did need to come home.”
“We’re glad you’re back, boo.” Katy grasped his hand and squeezed tightly. “We’ve missed you, and the thought of you being in danger every day was terrifying. Since you walked in that door, I’ve been able to breathe again. Lee too.”
“I’m sorry I worried you, Cupcake, but…” He hesitated. “…I needed to do it.” Connor looked down, and Katy stroked her thumb over his hand. “I dunno if I achieved what I set out to do, but it’s made me appreciate what we have here so much more. I don’t wanna waste any more time. I wanna start living.”
“Is that what your new tat’s about? A new beginning?” Levi asked gently.
“No, it’s a memorial piece.”
“Can we see it? Or is it too personal?”
“No, s’all good. Here.” He pointed to the back of his shoulder. “Peel back the plastic wrap and you’ll be able to see it properly.” It wasn’t the only tattoo Connor had. There was another on his side in small script. She couldn’t read the words in the dark, but she knew it was the code he lived by. The other, a full sleeve on his right arm, was an intricate Gaelic tribal tattoo celebrating his roots. Katy peered at his shoulder, and the image brought tears to her eyes. Heavy engineering boots, a rifle leaning against them, a combat helmet resting on the barrel, and a pair of dog tags hanging from the cartridge.
“Oh, boo.” Katy covered her mouth and sniffed, tears dripping onto her cheeks as her heart broke for him. Levi’s arm was instantly around her, but it wasn’t until Con did the same, holding her tightly, that the sobs escaped her. Burying her head against Con’s warm chest, Katy cried, mourning all their lost moments, their lost innocence, the life of the soldier Con was grieving for.
“Cupcake,” Con murmured as he stroked her hair. “It’s okay. Hush, baby.”
“Dude, I know it’s too painful to talk about now, but when you’re ready, we’d like to listen to your story.”
“Most of it’s classified. I can’t tell you much even if I wanted to relive it.”
Katy felt the movement of his shoulders as he shrugged.
“We don’t want mission details.” Levi paused. She could just imagine him shaking his head. “Can you talk to someone though? Someone with clearance?”
Con gently pulled Katy’s hair back off her shoulders, tucking a stray lock behind her ear. “I have been ever since it happened. But let’s eat. Don’t want it to get cold.” As much as Katy wanted him to talk, wanted to hear his story and to help him recover from those past torments, she wouldn’t push him into it before he was ready. There was no way she’d do that to him, so for now, she let the subject change drop. Hopefully, one day he’d open up to them.
Con reached down and snagged a slice from the box, passing it to her before reaching for another. Levi retold his story from his day on set, and as they ate, they laughed, relaxing together in the warm evening. Stories soon turned into reminiscing on the months they’d spent together before Con’s first deployment, and Katy could almost pinpoint the exact moment they fell back into their groove, finding their equilibrium and themselves at the same time. Her relationship with Levi was super strong. She loved him like no one else in the world, and she knew he felt the same, but there was always a missing piece, part of their hearts that wasn’t there. Now he was back. Now she could love her man, live without fear, without the possibility of death breathing down their necks. Con was safe—and damn, what a weight off their shoulders it was knowing that.
Pizza finished, Katy shifted, curling up against Levi’s side. Con began strumming away on his guitar, singing softly with the tunes he played. She always loved the classics, and Con’s rendition of Oasis’ “Wonderwall” made her shiver. He had the most beautiful voice.
Levi rubbed the goosebumps that had formed on her skin. “Let’s head home, sugar. You’re cold.”
“No, it’s so nice down here.” Katy shook her head and cuddled into Levi more, tugging Con to them. “Both of you just scoot closer and I’ll be fine.” The two men shifted, blanketing her in their warm bodies.
