Page 38 of Protecting Addison
“Have I told you lately how glad I am that we met?” she asked.
Ricky smiled. “No. Not today at least.”
Addison grinned. “I’m glad we met,” she repeated.
To her surprise, Ricky stepped toward her and pulled her roughly against him. Her hands braced on his chest as she looked at him in surprise.
“Meeting you was the best thing that ever happened to me. And I’m not just blowing smoke up your ass. I wake up feeling excited about each day, rather than ambivalent. The house always smells delicious, I’m always laughing now, and I have no worries that you’ll be able to handle whatever comes up while I’m deployed.”
Addison frowned. “Is that coming soon? You leaving, I mean?”
“Probably.”
“What do I do if CPS decides to take the kids away while you’re gone? Or if they have some sort of major psychological relapse? You’re their whole world, Ricky. Without you, I’m not sure they’d do half as well as they’re doing now.”
Ricky laughed, and Addison blinked in surprise. She was kind of offended that he was laughing at her fears.
He must’ve read her dismay in her expression, because he sobered and shook his head. “I’m not laughing at you, sweetheart. I’m laughing at the fact you think I’m the reason the kids are doing so well. Addy,you’rethe one who feeds them, plays with them, helps with most of their homework, fixes their lunches, and a million other things. Sure, they’ll miss me, but they aren’t going to blink when I’m gone…because you’re home with them.”
Addison wasn’t so sure. Yeah, she did her part to help take care of the kids, but they’d bonded with Ricky while he’d been in Ukraine in a way that couldn’t be replicated.
“You’re an amazing mom,” he went on. “You’ve taken on three kids who barely speak English and are learning a new culture. All while dealing with a preteen who has a chronic illness. And if anything happens while I’m deployed, you call Wolf. He’ll do whatever’s necessary to make sure you’re all taken care of. Better yet, I’ll give you Tex’s number, you can call him directly. But I have a feeling after this colossal screwup, no one will dare even think about removing our kids from our care again.”
“I know dealing with deployments is a part of being a military wife…but I don’t think I’m going to like it,” Addison admitted.
Ricky smiled again.
“What? That makes you happy?” she asked, feeling frustrated.
“No. But I don’t want to leave you or the kids. And knowing you feel the same…I’ve never had that. Never had anyone who cared if I left or came back.”
“I care,” Addison told him.
“And that’s why I’m smiling,” Ricky said. He licked his lips, and his gaze locked on her own. “May I kiss you?”
It was Addison’s turn to smile. “You’re asking this time?”
He looked a little sheepish as he met her gaze. “Yeah. I realize that I haven’t exactly gotten your consent before kissing you, both earlier and recently.”
“You have my permission,” Addison said seriously. “Anytime, anywhere, any way you want to touch me. You can.”
His pupils dilated as she stared into his eyes. “Don’t say that unless you mean it,” Ricky warned.
“I mean it. I don’t know what will happen with us in the future, but I’m done lying to myself…and you. I want you, Ricky. Sleeping next to you every night has been torture.”
He groaned—and moved quickly. Wrapping an arm around her waist, he bent forward, leaning her backward until he was basically holding her up.
“Ricky!” she exclaimed, grabbing his arms. “Don’t drop me!”
“Never,” he breathed. Then he lowered his head.
Addison forgot all about the fact that the only thing keeping her from crashing to the floor was Ricky’s arms around her. All she could think about were the electrical impulses shooting from where their lips met, throughout her entire body. Trusting him to hold her up, to not drop her, made the kiss even more powerful somehow.
“Ewwwww, gross.”
At Ellory’s words, Addison felt Ricky smile against her lips. He stood upright, bringing Addison with him, but didn’t remove his arms from around her.
“If you’re done smooching, can one of you come help me move some furniture?”
