Chapter 16

CHAPTER 16

" Y ou're too good at these, Daddy," Aspen teased as Jerico placed another piece of the cute kitten puzzle in the correct spot without trying it several times, like she had to do. She'd quickly realized that his finely honed, strategic military skills gave him an edge.

Jerico opened his mouth to answer, but the buzzing of the phone interrupted. When he answered, she knew something momentous was happening from his expression alone.

"On my way," he answered, and disconnected.

Meeting her worried gaze, he explained, "They've activated the team. I have to get to the base. You'll have to go to HR without me tomorrow. I'm going to count on you to follow through."

She nodded before asking urgently, "Where are you going?"

"I'm sorry, baby. I can't tell you that."

"How long…" Her question ended abruptly. She could tell just from his expression that he couldn't share that information, either. Or didn't know.

Aspen's heart sank. She knew he'd go at some point. She just didn't want it to be now. "I'm scared," she whispered.

"You've seen how hard the team and I train. We do all of those physical exertions so that we're trained to handle any obstacles we run into. I hope you know that I'll move heaven and earth to come back to you. Every time."

She nodded, trying to keep the tears welling in her eyes from tumbling. Aspen didn't want him to worry about her while he was risking his life somewhere. "Be super careful for me." She swallowed hard and forced herself to be brave. "I love you, Daddy."

"I love you, too, Aspen."

Jerico stood and wrapped his arms around her, plucking Aspen from her chair. He squeezed her tight before kissing her with a passion that made her instantly respond.

It was like her body was hard-wired to react to the pleasure she knew he'd lavish on her. She looped her arms around his neck and held on tight when he lifted his head.

"I have to go, Aspen. I'll be home soon, and I'll show you just how much I love you. Look forward to that," he suggested.

"Yes, Daddy." She nodded her head, trying to be brave.

"Good girl."

He stepped back, forcing her to release her hold, and walked to the bedroom to open the closet. She trailed behind him, waiting to see what would happen. Turning the corner, she found him petting Rexy and talking to the animal in a soft tone. He didn't delay long before picking up a duffle stashed in the corner.

"You stay here with Rexy. Be safe. I'll text you my commander's name and number. Call him in an emergency."

"I'll be fine," she rushed to assure him.

"I know you will, but I'll worry. Take especially good care of yourself. Eat. There are frozen meals labeled in the freezer. Help yourself to anything. This is your house, too." Jerico leaned forward and kissed her tenderly. Aspen could feel how much he cared about her.

He was gone before she could blink. Wrapping her arms over her chest, Aspen hugged herself. She felt cold and more alone than ever before. A warm fuzzy body leaned against her.

"Hi, Rexy."

Thankful for the sweet dog's company, she sat down on the floor to hug Rexy close. Tangling her fingers in his fur, Aspen leaned her forehead against the dog's shoulders.

Please let Daddy be okay.

Rexy nosed her neck and gave her a kiss when Aspen sat up. She knew the sweet pooch wanted her to know she wasn't alone. Rexy's kisses weren't as thrilling as Jerico's were, but it did make her laugh as she wiped off the doggie drool.

Glancing at the clock, Aspen decided to get ready for bed. It was almost her bedtime. "Come on, Rexy. One last potty."

As she opened the back door, Jerico's motion sensor light triggered, illuminating the neatly manicured lawn. Rexy headed out for the spot in the back that he had decided was his bathroom spot. Standing in the doorway, Aspen couldn't keep her thoughts from tracking Jerico. He had to be at the base by now. How long would it be before they left?

By the time she locked the back door and double checked the front, Jerico had sent her a message with his commander's name and contact information. When there was nothing else there, Aspen knew the team was underway. She plugged her phone into the charger and headed for bed.

Curling up on Jerico's pillow, she inhaled his scent as she wrapped her arms around herself. Quiet tears leaked from the corners of her eyes as she stared up at the ceiling. The bottom of the bed bounced, and she heard the tinkle of tags. Rexy made three circles before flopping.

"Thanks, Rexy. This bed was too lonely," Aspen whispered.

She turned over on her stomach and rubbed her tears on the soft pillowcase to dry her face. Closing her eyes, she sent all the good vibrations toward the team.

Walking into work early the next day, Aspen went to HR and forced herself to open the glass door and walk in.

The receptionist looked up with a smile. "Can I help you?"

"The guard at the gate asked that I report a man using my name to get access to the base."

"Someone who shouldn't be here for base security or your security?"

"Mine, probably. The guard said if I report it, a warning will be sent out to all the gates to not allow him on base."

"Do you have a protection order against him?" the receptionist asked.

"No. He used to be my neighbor. The police said he couldn't be required to stay so many feet away from me because we lived next door."

"So, you moved?" The woman looked at her with arched eyebrows, obviously assessing her story.

Aspen forced herself not to just say never mind and leave. She'd promised Jerico. "Yes. I had to."

The woman turned and picked up a clipboard and turned the page on it over. "I see. Write out everything you know, and I'll pass it along to that department. It's not a person who works on the base, right?"

"Oh, no. He doesn't work here," Aspen assured her as she took the offered writing surface with the now blank piece of paper.

Sitting down in a chair, Aspen filled out everything she knew. Having dealt with police reports about all the incidents, she had Eddie's full name memorized along with the make of his car and even his license plate.

When she handed over the information to the woman, the receptionist looked pointedly at Aspen's name badge and wrote Aspen Randolph, Maintenance at the top, before commenting, "It's not a good idea to do this if you're in a lover's quarrel or have an axe to grind."

Instantly upset and intimidated, Aspen did her best to control her expression. After all Eddie had put Rexy and her through, he was still being given more consideration. Aspen looked at the woman's nameplate on her desk and memorized the name.

"The guard told me to report this. He had concerns about Eddie after a very short conversation. Eddie has a long history of prior encounters with the police. I'm going to work. You might google his name before you throw that in the trash, Janice."

Without another word, Aspen turned and stalked out of the department. After that reaction, she suspected a letter would be placed in her file and that her job would be in jeopardy. Shaking her head, Aspen tried to shrug off the feeling she'd just put a huge target on her back. She headed into the maintenance area and stowed the lunch she'd found already made for her in the fridge that morning. After clocking in, she headed out to do the jobs her supervisor had assigned to her. It was going to be a long day.

By the end of the morning, she had heard nothing negative, so Aspen started to relax. Perhaps she'd misread the receptionist's actions.

Her radio squawked at her waist and Aspen grabbed it and turned up the volume to listen.

"Aspen, can you hear me?"

"Yes, boss. I'm here. Just finishing the main entrance."

"All hands on deck at the loading dock. There's a spill that's going to take everyone. Come join us."

Abandoning the last trashcan she needed to empty, Aspen immediately headed for the end of the building that served as a storage and unloading area. When she arrived, she didn't need to ask questions. Diving in, she started mopping the gooey substance that was spreading over the floor.

The others welcomed her help with nods. They all worked together to contain the spill and get it cleaned up. A few more mops and buckets would have sped up the process.

By the time the space was clean, the icky substance coated Aspen. She plucked the material away from her skin with a grimace.

"We all look like we rolled in this," her boss groused. "Go change into coveralls, everyone, and dump your clothes in the washer. I'll shepherd everything through the machines so you can take them home."

In the women's locker room, Aspen peeled her shirt over her head, trying to keep from smearing it into her ponytail. It was impossible. Grimacing, she finished undressing and tried to ignore that the gunk had saturated her bra and panties, too. She definitely wasn't going braless and commando for the rest of the day. Or have her boss see her underwear. Pulling on the baggy coveralls, she breathed a sigh of relief. They weren't flattering, but felt so much better than her clammy clothing.

Aspen followed her boss's directions and tossed her shirt and jeans into the large industrial washer. Picking up where she'd left off on the job list she'd been given, Aspen headed back to the main entrance to empty that one trashcan. She found them all stuffed full and hauled all the garbage outside to the dumpster.

The sunlight made her skin prickle. Aspen scratched her arm and quickly hurried back into the building. That one scratch seemed to set off an avalanche of irritation. She must be allergic to whatever had been in that gunk. A shower will feel good tonight.