I'm 28 years old and a shameless weather geek, bookworm and overall nerd. A country girl at heart in the Tar Heel State with a borderline unhealthy love of Glen Powell and his various characters/roles (particularly Tyler Owens, Jake "Hangman" Seresin, Ben Richards and Becket Redfellow, to name a few). While I've written over the years (including a couple of original works that were started on Wattpad but have been put on hold due to writer's block), I hadn't really gone online with any of my works until now. I've recently made my debut on Tumblr with a handful of one-shots that were created during the Twisterversary event in Summer 2025 and have since been cross-posted to Wattpad in a collection, most of which have culminated in my first full-fledged fanfic.
Origin of my username: Outside of writing, I am a licensed amateur radio operator. In amateur radio, when you transmit on one frequency (your fundamental frequency), your radio can unintentionally generate signals at multiples of that frequency. That's a harmonic. The term harmonic is also used as a 'slang' term among amateur radio operators to refer to children of amateur radio operators (first harmonic, second harmonic, etc.). Being the eldest daughter in my family means that I am the first harmonic. As for the 'tempest' portion, see the story below since it applies to both my username and nickname.
Story behind the nickname: While working at my first full-time job, I had worn a replica of Maverick's leather bomber jacket to the office on the day of Halloween since I had wanted to 'dress up' but still needed to be professional. Since the office had a 'casual' dress code (meaning jeans and a dress shirt or t-shirt), the jacket had been my go-to (especially since we had cool weather that day). After wearing the jacket to the office a few times even after Halloween, a few colleagues had wanted to give me the nickname Maverick. I politely turned it down, saying that there was only one "Maverick" and I did not see myself as worthy of the nickname, but still wanted a nickname that was as unique yet specific to me. After a few ideas were tossed around, a close friend of mine came up with Tempest, owing to my 'affinity' for the weather, and it has kind of stuck since then.
Writing Platforms: Tumblr and Wattpad (username harmonic-tempest2025)
Current projects: Stronger Than a Storm (Twisters fanfic - Tyler Owens x OC) - 32 chapters completed (as of April 2026), more in progress), Twisters One Shot Collection (individual one-shots posted to Tumblr); Not Just a Game (The Running Man fanfic - Ben Richards x OC - 1 teaser one-shot posted).
Works in Progress/Future Projects: I Heard From the Heavens (Jake "Hangman" Seresin x OC), Knives Out, Beaks Bloody & Heir Today, Gone Tomorrow (2-Part Knives Out/How to Make a Killing Crossover), Wings (and Winds) of Forever (Twisters/Top Gun: Maverick Crossover), You Shake My Nerves and Rattle My Brain (Pete "Maverick" Mitchell x OC), The Dark Side of Nature (Twister (1996) OFC insert).
Q&A (from the Tag Game & Get To Know Your Mutuals):
Favorite Color(s): constant shift between blue, red, purple, rose gold, sage green, and burnt orange.
Current Read(s): Deadly Decisions by Kathy Reichs (whose Temperance Brennan novels were the inspiration behind the TV show Bones - definitely recommend if you loved the show); Four Corners Ranch series by Maisey Yates (recent discovery), and of course, fanfics on AO3, Wattpad, and Tumblr for Twisters, Top Gun/Top Gun Maverick, Supernatural and Criminal Minds.
Last Song(s) (also my favorites) on repeat: Ain't No Love in Oklahoma by Luke Combs, Hurricane by Luke Combs, Steal My Thunder by Connor Smith and Tucker Wetmore, Ain't in Kansas Anymore by Miranda Lambert, Never Left Me by Megan Moroney and Out of Oklahoma by Lainey Wilson.
Most Recent Films (As of April 2026): Hit Man, The Running Man, Knives Out, How to Make a Killing, Twisters.
Most recent series: CSI: Crime Scene Investigation, Tom Clancy's Jack Ryan, Storm of Suspicion, When Weather Changed History.
Current favorite show/media/book: Oof. Tough choice. I'll go a bit broad-range and say the Temperance Brennan novels and Four Corners Ranch series (my current reading go-tos) for books at present. Shows - Tom Clancy's Jack Ryan, 9-1-1: Nashville, Chicago Fire, and the original CSI (CSI: Crime Scene Investigation), though Chad Powers may soon join the list. Media - if it's music - anything country (mostly older country) or classic rock. Audiobooks? The Best Man's Ghostwriter (which Glen voice acts in) is a constant go-to when I need a mood boost. Movie? The Running Man (2025), Twisters, Twister, Top Gun, Top Gun: Maverick, Knives Out.
Sweet, salty or savory? All of the above, depending on my mood. Mama didn't raise a picky eater, though I'll admit my tastes have changed as I've gotten older.
Tea or Coffee? In the morning? I'll take a coffee - or two to three - if I'm dragging; usually straight black or with a little Silk almond-based creamer. Afternoon? Sweet tea with lemon. In the evening? Herbal tea (I have a few select blends that help me unwind and sleep, and others that help boost my immune system or lower stress).
I will always order this food: steak with mashed potatoes and gravy, or shrimp scampi/alfredo.
Overused emojis: â¤ď¸đđŞď¸
Phone wallpaper: Glen Powell at a Texas Longhorns game (don't ask me which one - I'm not 100% sure)
Last thing I hyperfixated on: The Running Man and Twisters (I'm currently working on fanfics for both).
What smell makes you happy: chocolate chip cookies (or baked goods in general) fresh from the oven, freshly fallen rain in the woods, and Old Spice (reminds me of being around my dad growing up - it's his after-shave and the scent brings me a little comfort when I'm feeling a bit homesick).
Morning, night or other type of person: I am not ashamed to admit this: I am a full-blown night owl playing at being a morning person for the sake of my job. I have a bad habit of staying up late reading and/or writing fanfiction.
***
Main Masterlist (Note: Anything with smut is 18+ only; Minors DNI)
Stronger Than a Storm - Twisters fanfic - Tyler Owens x OC
I Heard From the Heavens - Top Gun: Maverick fanfic - Jake "Hangman" Seresin x OC (Coming Soon)
Winds (and Wings) of Forever - Top Gun: Maverick/Twisters Crossover (Coming Soon)
Not Just a Game - The Running Man (2025) Fic - Ben Richards x OC (Coming Soon)
Knives Out, Beaks Bloody (A Knives Out/How to Make a Killing Crossover, Part 1) - Coming Soon
Heir Today, Gone Tomorrow (A Knives Out/How to Make a Killing Crossover, Part 2) - Coming Soon
The Dark Side of Nature (Twister (1996) Fic - Coming Soon)
You Shake My Nerves and Rattle My Brain (Top Gun (1986) Fic - Pete "Maverick" Mitchell x OC - Coming Soon)
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some people will be like âI wonder why fanfic writers donât share their works anymoređâ and then this is them when a writer is kind enough to share something they write â as a hobby, for their own enjoyment â with them for free.
some people really donât realize how privileged they are that they get fanfics for free. imagine having access to something for free because someone is kind enough to share it with you⌠and then being rude, entitled and an ungrateful pos to that person who was kind enough to share their creation with you for free
âalmost 1 year is a lil too much for meâ fuck off. fanfic writers donât owe you anything. one of my favorite fics was updated after 13 years, and what I did is that I thanked the author for choosing to continue the work, I didnât act like a spoiled toddler by asking why they didnât update sooner. and even if a writer chooses to abandon their fic permanently with no explanation, that is their choice, their hobby, their decision. they donât owe your entitled ass anything.
you people let tiktok rot your brains to the point you see everything as content farm and engagement. not a piece of art created by the artistâs love and passion. itâs dystopian.
tumblr staff will not contact you through anything other than email or their official accounts, which will all have this badge:
DO NOT ENGAGE WITH THIS OR SIMILAR ACCOUNTS AND ABSOLUTELY DO NOT CLICK ANY LINKS FROM IT.
report and block. i'd also appreciate it if you shared this post, bc that blog was JUST created and was already tagging a LOT of people, and i know not everyone has the scam-sensing instinct, even if this might seem obvious to some.
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Chapter Thirty-Six - Make Me the Happiest Man in the World*
Warnings: cursing, SMUT (Minors MDI - Dividers will indicate where this begins)
One Week Ago
Outside El Reno, Oklahoma
The first night of their post-El Reno celebration was the most intense, as though the pressure of weeks and months of chasing storms had finally been let loose. Decompression of the pressures of having to worry about the live stream or fixing something on Tylerâs truck that had somehow gotten missed.
It was a blessing that they had chosen to âcamp outâ at one of the few motels near El Reno that was practically empty save for their own group, so that there were no âneighborsâ to contend with. So Tylerâs perfectly-curated playlist (with Elizabethâs input, of course) blared over the speakers from the van.
Boone was louder than said music, and Dani and Lily were hollering whenever one of them lost whatever drinking game they were doing. Dex was in the camper, mixing up some sort of concoction that he swore would help with the hangover come morning, even though everyone knew that it wouldnât.
But damn, did it taste good going down.
Tyler and Elizabeth were keeping to themselves by the bonfire, slow dancing to a 90s country song. Both had each had a couple shots of tequila, which hit a little harder than the two beers before El Reno. The puppies were sacked out by the camper, having worn themselves out earlier in the evening.
Tyler had his hands on Elizabethâs hips, holding her close to him as they swayed along with the music. His lips were at her neck, leaving small nips and teasing kisses along her skin until she turned around to scowl at him, playfully annoyed.
He smirked as he slipped his hands into the back pockets of her jeans.
âYouâre not makinâ it easy to focus on dancinâ, Cowboy.â she said pointedly.
âYouâre no better, darlinâ,â he countered, reaching to wrap his hands around hers, pressing them to the front of his jeans, where his arousal was unmistakable â his cock hard and straining against the denim. âKinda hard to focus on my moves when my girlâs beinâ such a distraction.â
She smirked up at him, tracing her fingers along the outline of his erection, which pulled a choked-out groan from his lips. âPoor baby. Should your girl take you to bed and help you fix this little problem?â
âLittle?â his eyebrows rose as he gave her a look that made her laugh at the amusement and playful indignation on his face. âOkay, now youâre askinâ for it,â his voice lowered, growing husky with a hint of a growl.
But then she caught him off guard, pulling out of his hold and taking off running â albeit a little clumsily since sheâd taken her boots off â giggling as she sprinted across the empty parking lot towards the truck. Tyler had a feral grin on his face as he ran after her.
Eventually he caught up to her, and Elizabeth let out a squeal as Tylerâs arms wrapped around her waist from behind, and he tackled her to the ground in the grass on the other side of the truck, out of sight from the other Wranglers.
He had her pinned to the ground, most of his body weight pinning her down. She choked out a laugh as he carefully shifted his weight to avoid crushing her. He chuckled, the sound low in his throat, and she could feel the rumble of it deep in his chest with how closely they were pressed together.
âIâve got you now, darlinâ, and youâre in a lot of trouble,â Tylerâs voice was low, husky and dangerous. Elizabeth shivered.
âDidnât you know, Tyler? I donât go looking for trouble. Trouble usually has a habit of finding me.â Elizabeth said softly, looking up into his eyes, her heart skipping a beat when she saw that his eyes had darkened significantly, the beautiful sage green of his eyes nearly swallowed by the dilated pupils.
He didnât say anything, just stared down at her with love and lust in his gaze, as if drinking in every detail of her, as if he wouldnât get that chance again.
Then he leaned in and kissed her, softly at first, then quickly deepened it, lightly nipping her lower lip, then slipping his tongue into her mouth when she let out a soft squeak that quickly turned into a low moan.
âI think,â Elizabeth managed to say between kisses as Tylerâs lips moved to her neck, peppering hot, open-mouthed kisses along her skin, âwe should take this somewhere private,â she continued, before he leaned in and lightly nipped a pulse point below her left jaw and ear. She let out a soft squeal, which Tyler immediately silenced with his lips moving back up to hers.
âShh, gotta keep quiet, honey,â Tyler murmured, his voice low and husky. âDonât wanna draw attention, do ya?â
âNo,â she said before moaning softly when his lips traveled back down to where heâd nipped the pulse point, where he lightly sucked at the spot until he left the beginning of a bruise behind.
âThen be a good girl for me and keep quiet,â Tyler ordered quietly, and the command in his tone sent a shiver running down her spine. He felt it ripple through her body. âThat turn you on, honey? Beinâ my good girl?â he teased, his voice growing huskier as he trailed his lips down her neck to her collarbone, exposed by the tank-top she wore.
âTylerâŚâ she moaned softly.
âHang on, darlinâ, hang on.â he murmured, pushing himself upright and wrapping an arm around her waist, pulling her with him as he moved towards the back of the truck, conveniently pointed away from where the others were gathered.
He was quick to lower the tailgate and lift Elizabeth up into the bed of the truck. He reached over top of her to grab two blankets from the toolbox. One he laid out in the bed of the truck for them to lay on. Though there wasnât much of a chill in the air, he covered them both with the second.
She wrapped her arms around his waist as he kicked off his boots, which landed with soft âthumpsâ on the ground behind the truck. Then he shifted to where Elizabeth was on top of him, the two of them covered by the second blanket.
âAre we really about to do this? In the back of your truck with the others so close by?â Elizabeth whispered, and Tyler smirked up at her.
âWell, as I always say, if ya feel it, chase it, honey.â he said in that low, husky voice, before his lips parted, inviting hers to meet them. Their lips met, and Tyler sank back with a low, contented groan, his shoulders hitting the bed of the truck. Elizabeth reached one hand up, attempting to protect the back of his head as he came down.
âEasy there, Cowboy. Donât need you getting another concussion on my watch.â she said as Tyler started pulling her tank top up so that he could cup her full, perky breasts.
âIâm okay, honey, donât worry about me.â Tyler assured her. She unbuttoned his shirt, finding nothing underneath â no surprise â save for the soft, dark chest hair that made him look so much more mature, so much sexier than when theyâd been younger.
She drew in her knees on either side of his hips, and Tyler wasted no time dipping his fingers down to her belt, unbuckling it, undoing the button and unzipping her jeans.
âTyler,â Elizabeth giggled softly, âwhat if someone sees?â she asked, her fingers doing the same with his jeans. He tilted his head, reaching out to adjust the position of the blanket closer around them.
âWeâre good,â he said after adjusting the blanket around them, then hooked his thumbs into the belt loops of her jeans and pulled them down, which made her smile. âNo oneâs gonna see you âcept for me.â
Elizabeth swallowed hard as she helped him work her jeans down her legs, and she did the same for him in return. Her fingers danced up and down his chest, catching in the soft, dark hair as she did so, which only heightened Tylerâs arousal.
She could feel how hard he was growing, now that his jeans were gone, and Elizabeth was grateful for the blanket covering them. She settled over top of his hips and straightened up, the blanket falling to her waistline. They were still covered, but when she started to take her shirt off, Tyler was quick to stop her.
âKeep that on, honey. Weâre good as long as we got the blanket, but just in case. âSides, I can feel those beautiful tits of yours just fine through that tank top for tonight.â Tyler drawled out.
Elizabeth breathed in sharply as Tylerâs hands went for her breasts, almost to punctuate his words, cupping them both â one in each hand â and smiling up at her with a mischeivous look in his sage-green eyes. Her brows knitted together as she leaned in to press a kiss to his lips.
One of his hands traveled lower, to the middle of her lower back, then hooked two fingers into the band of her panties and snapped the fabric gently against her skin. Elizabeth couldnât help the moan that slipped out.
Their tongues battled for dominance as Elizabeth cupped Tylerâs length through his boxers. Tylerâs fingers trailed down over the curve of her ass, then around her thigh, before puling her panties aside, careful not to rip them away.
She was quick to free his cock from the confines of his boxers, palming him in her hand for a moment before guiding him to her entrance. She hesitated a moment, taking a deep breath and holding it a moment later before pressing the head of his cock through her folds.
She let out a soft gasp of surprise and pleasure as Tylerâs hands reached down to grip her hips as he seated himself fully inside of her, deeper than he had in the past. When he felt her walls tighten around him almost out of instinct, he let a low groan slip from his mouth and pressed his head into the blanket that theyâd set in the truck bed.
âFuck, baby girl, you feel so good,â he murmured, voice barely audible over their shared breaths. Elizabeth simply held onto him, letting him set the pace, set the rhythm. He rolled his hips up into her, almost out of muscle memory from being a bull rider.
True, it had been several years since heâd used his muscles in such a way, but it still worked like instinct. It was easy. Elizabeth laid herself over him, her arms folded between their chests, hands splayed flat.
Her eyes fluttered shut as she leaned in and pressed a kiss to his collarbone as he rocked her gently, switching back and forth between grinding his hips into her and thrusting his cock in and out of her.
This is a different Tyler, Elizabeth thought to herself. Heâs careful, heâs soft, her thoughts continued. In truth, he always had been, but for the life of her, Elizabeth couldnât think of any other time when theyâd been together before where Tyler had seriously made love to her, aside from the night before the events of El Reno.
Most of the time theyâd been together, Tyler would have just gone at a steady pace and finished her afterward, using either his mouth, or his fingers, or perhaps both. But now, he was making sure she was pleasured in a way that she finished at the exact same time he did, if not shortly before.
She could tell by the heaviness of his breathing that he was trying to hold off his own orgasm in favor of getting her as close as he could to the edge of her own.
His fingers worked their magic with her clit, stroking the bundle of nerves as his other hand traced patterns up and down her back. Her brain had stopped firing on all cylinders â it had shut off by this point â and the only thing that truly registered was how good Tyler felt inside of her.
Part of her knew that this was stupid and reckless, but in Tylerâs arms, his gentle, loving hold, she knew sheâd be safe. No matter how much her instincts warned her that she shouldnât be doing this, that he should have him pull out instead of coming inside of her, the feeling of their bodies wrapped together so intimately made her disregard every warning. She knew that this was it, that Tyler was the one she wanted. And that he wanted her, more than anything.
âIâm getting close, Belle, I can feel it⌠God, honey, can I⌠can IâŚâ Tyler groaned as his hips stuttered, a sign he was reaching the edge. Elizabeth reached up, cupping the back of his head with her hands and cradling him, their faces so close that their noses nearly touched.
When she spoke, her voice was unsteady, but Tyler could see the certainty in her gaze.
âYes, Ty, I want it. Come inside me, baby, please.â With a few more smooth, solid rolls of his hips, he spilled inside of her, groaning her name like a prayer into the cooling Oklahoma night air. She wasnât far behind him, her breathing heavy, the euphoria rippling through her mind, body and soul as she collapsed on top of him.
âI canât believe we just fucking did that.â Elizabeth said, voice coming out in a wheeze, before they shared a chuckle as they came down from the unbelievable high.
âWould you expect anythinâ else?â he asked with a grin, still panting.
âNo, never,â she breathed, leaning in to press a kiss to his lips, smiling like a love-sick idiot. Tyler pulled the blanket up and wrapped his arms around her underneath it as they stared up at the stars in the summer sky, both of them drifting off to sleep.
Elizabethâs head was throbbing the next morning. Tyler got them both up before the sun, pulling her into the shower to clean themselves off from the night before. Tylerâs fingers were gentle as he washed her hair, gently combing through the wet, golden-brown strands. Gentle as he washed her body. He pressed a soft kiss to each shoulder as he washed her back.
The space between her legs was still sore from the previous nightâs shared passions, but his fingers still wandered their way between her folds. He kept one palm on the shower wall as he stood behind her, rubbing her clit until she came, shuddering and sobbing softly.
His lips, teeth and tongue at the base of her neck were the only coaching she had through it, âthatâs my girl,â he whispered, praising her as though sheâd just wrangled her own kind of storm. A storm that he caused.
But it was also a storm that helped soothe the pounding headache, more so than the eggs that Dexter placed on her plate when she made her way to where the others had gathered for breakfast.
âMan, Iâm fuckinâ miserable. I think Iâll go sober for the rest of the summer,â Boone groaned from between his palms, which were doing their best to keep his drooping head from falling into the eggs on his own plate.
âLilyâs makinâ her flaminâ peppers tonight.â Dani grinned from the head of the table as she munched on a piece of bacon.â The reaction was as they all expected. Boone picked up his head, perking up as he feigned excitement.
âReally?â
They all laughed, despite how much it aggravated the headaches that they all felt after last night.
âYouâre supposed to be soakinâ up the sun and heat, not staring at me, Owens.â Elizabeth chided.
She squinted from where the sun was overhead as she turned to look over at him, the two of them lying out on a dock. Theyâd found a lake nearby to cool off at, since the pool at the motel theyâd chosen was out of order, still, after the most recent bouts of storms.
Theyâd gone swimming a short while earlier, and were letting the sun dry them off. Something that should have been relaxing.
But as usual, Tyler was clearly distracted. By staring at his girlfriend.
âWho says I canât do both?â he grinned, laying on one side, head propped by one hand.
âYouâre gonna get the worst farmerâs tan that way.â
âItâll be worth it for the view,â he countered as he leaned in and kissed her, his finger and thumb lightly pinching her chin.
It wasnât long before the kiss progressed from a sweet peck on the lips to something deeper as he sneakily slipped his tongue into her mouth. She moaned softly as his thumb circled one nipple through the swimsuit top she wore, before his hand moved down her torso to her cut-off shorts, and her bathing suit bottoms underneath, easily slipping past the waist band of both.
âTyler,â she warned breathlessly as his fingers ran teasingly along her folds, making her shiver.
âWhat?â he asked innocently, smiling against the soft skin of her neck. âItâs just us out here, honey.â
âDani and Dexter are literally out on the water.â
âTheyâre tryinâ to catch dinner for tonight; theyâre long gone.â the pad of one finger rubbed against her clit in a slow circle, making a wild gasp slip out from Elizabethâs lips, her hips bucking to chase his touch.
âBoone,â she swallowed hard, trying to remain the level headed one. âLily. Kate. Javi.â
âAt the store,â he said simply. She yelped as his teeth nipped at her ear. âLet me make my girl feel good.â he added pressure with his finger to her clit, making another moan slip out. âPlease,â he whispered softly into her ear.
There were times when Tyler Owens drove her absolutely insane, like now. The sane part of her wanted to pull his hand away, make him take her inside and have his way with her there instead of out in the open.
But sanity had next to no place in their relationship. Sanity didnât send her chasing after tornadoes with him. Didnât have her riding him in the back of his truck like she had the previous evening, chasing that other high with adrenaline still flooding her veins.
Sanity always flew out the window when it came to being in love with Tyler Owens. Made her throw caution to the wind, sometimes getting herself into trouble. Made her chase those highs. Made her almost ride the wind.
But above all, it made her want and beg for more every time.
His love for her was soft and yet all-consuming. At times it was a gentleness that made up for the chaos and intensity otherwise. And in other moments, it was a fiery passion that burned hot inside both of them, and the fire never seemed to go out between them.
That was the reason why her legs opened for him, against her better judgment, and why she allowed his fingers slip inside of her past her folds, one thumb rubbing her clit and setting her body alight, her pussy clenching and pulling his fingers in deeper.
âOhâŚâ the soft moan that slipped past her lips was instinctual, fueled by the fire suddenly rearing up inside of her.
âDonât stop, honey, donât stop,â his voice was low growl in her ear as she moved her hips, and Tyler continued his ministrations as her orgasm inched closer and closer. Then, the band in her lower belly finally snapped.
At that same instant, Tyler wove one hand into her hair, turning her head and pulling her mouth to his to silence the louder moan that slipped out. Held her through the euphoric high that left her shivering even with the summer sun beating down on them.
He slipped his fingers out, wet and coated with her cum. His eyes stayed locked on hers as he brought his fingers to his mouth and licked them clean before he grinned at her, grasping her jaw gently with the same hand, kissing her and sharing the âfruitsâ of his âlaborâ.
Elizabeth couldnât help another soft moan as she kissed him back, tasting herself on his lips and tongue.
A door slammed. âHey, lovebirds!â Lily hollered. âWeâre back with snacks! Come help us unload!â she continued.
âCominâ!â Tyler yelled back, then looked down at her with a smirk, eyes waggling at the innuendo.
âYouâre an idiot,â Elizabeth snickered, pushing at his chest as she rose to her feet and walked down the dock towards the van.
Arms wrapped around her from behind, forcing her pace to slow to a waddle the rest of the way as Tyler pulled her close, planting kisses along her cheek and jaw. She could feel his arousal pressed against her from behind â hardness that he subtly ground against her hip as they moved.
âI love you,â he murmured.
âLove you more,â Elizabeth countered.
Tyler scoffed. âImpossible.â
âNothingâs impossible, Ty.â she finished their mini âargumentâ.
As they stepped off the last wood plank of the dock, Tyler stopped her, turning her around to lean in and kiss her. She lifted one hand to run her fingers through his lightly-damp sandy-blonde hair.
âOh, donât worry âbout it, yâall! We got it!â Lily called sarcastically.
Elizabeth laughed softly against Tylerâs lips. âLetâs go help before she refuses to share the good snacks with us.â
âDamn right, I will, Tempe! Move your ass!â Lily yelled, raising and shaking a box of the snacks in question in her arms.
Tyler chuckled and pressed one last kiss to her lips before disentangling himself from her and ran over to the van, leaving her laughing and running after him.
âSeriously?!â
âQuit slackinâ!â
âIâm tryinâ, aâright?!â
Elizabeth had to stifle her laughter as she and Tyler were playing beer pong against Boone and Lily, both sinking their shots. Lily scowled as she downed her chosen drink. Boone raised his high with a frown before doing the same.
Lily managed to get one in their next turn, even though Boone missed. The way they cheered and high-fived warmed something deep inside of Elizabeth instead of being disappointed. Brought joy to the buzz already humming in her veins from the sips sheâd had so far tonight.
Her cheeks were on fire, hurting from all her laughter.
She reached for the cup, ready to down its contents, only to be blocked when Tyler placed his hand over top it, taking it and downing it in one go and winking in her direction. She couldnât help but stare as his Adamâs apple bobbed before he leaned over and whispered in her ear and placed the empty cup alongside the others. âI wanna take you somewhere.â
It was all the explanation she needed â he didnât want her too drunk, too far gone. Interestingly she hadnât seen him drink much that night, save for the few cups that Lily and Boone â mostly the former â landed their ball in.
And some nights, he stayed completely sober, not drinking a single drink.
On the nights that Elizabeth would have just a little too much to drink, heâd send her to the room they were staying in (if they were chasing) until after the others had gone off to bed. Heâd pause before joining her in bed, wrapping his arms around her and pulling her close, face buried in the back of her neck, or if her hair was down, in the sweet-smelling golden-brown locks if sheâd freshly showered.
Only for her to surprise him the next morning, waking him with her mouth wrapped around his cock, already half-hard with his arousal.
His hips would push up into her mouth, sporadic and uneven, until heâd fully woken up. His jaw would grow tight before falling open in surprise when he looked down to find her in that position, and watched her circle the tip of his cock with her tongue.
Then sheâd pull away, smirking, for just a moment. âMorninâ, Cowboy,â sheâd say with a soft smirk. Tyler could only groan softly, matching her smile with one of his own, his expression one of lust and desire that transformed his beautiful features into something that was almost needy.
He would try to speak, to try and say something sweet, more likely filthy, but the words would never come. Just a heavy pant of breath, his teeth biting into and swelling his bottom lip as he watched her, before throwing his head back against the pillow with another groan.
After pulling her mouth away and straddling his hips, she reached down to guide his cock through the wetness accumulated at her folds, keep his eyes on hers as she did so. Her mouth twitched as she slid down onto him slowly. Her eyes fluttered closed as she embraced the familiar, burning stretch.
She began rocking her hips, riding him slowly while leaving marks along his neck and chest from her lips and her nails, the latter digging into his skin when he tried to buck his hips up to meet her â to fuck her harder and set the pace he craved so much when she was on top, a pace he adored, from how much she would lose herself in the pleasure, her breasts bouncing in his face.
But as soon as she felt his hips move, sheâd stop her movements completely. The look he gave her was sinfully beautiful, caught between pitiful and needy, and so full of affection.
âFuck, baby, you feel so good.â
She simply smiled, leaned down and kissed his chin as she started rocking her hips again, just as slowly as before. âIâm just makinâ up for last night.â
âFuck, youâre gonna kill me.â
Tyler took Elizabethâs hand and led her to the truck, opening the door on her side for her to climb in.
âYou sure itâs safe for you to drive?â
âHoney, have you ever known me to put you in a situation where you werenât safe?â he lifted her hand to his lips and gently kissed the top.
Knowing Tyler the way she did, she could tell whenever he was buzzed or drunk. His cheeks would grow flushed, eyes squinting more than usual when he laughed or smiled. She didnât see any of that. He was completely sober.
When they finally arrived at their (surprise) destination, Elizabeth turned in her seat to give Tyler a look. He only smiled as he drove through a field of tall grass, then turning to back the truck up the rest of the way before coming to a stop. At first, it look like nothing but marsh land as Elizabeth got out of the truck.
Until she fully stepped out and then walked around the back. The sight before her was incredible â a lake bigger than the biggest EF5 Elizabeth had ever seen, filling the rest of their surroundings and the horizon beyond.
The moon and stars shone like diamonds off the water, painting it the darkest blue Elizabeth had ever seen before. Water lilies floated along the surface, with pickerel weed and cattails lining the shoreline. Crickets and lightning bugs added to the beautiful ambiance of the scene.
âHowâd you find this place?â Elizabeth asked quietly as Tyler climbed up into the bed of the truck, pulled out a blanket and pillows⌠and something else.
âDex told me about it the other day. Figured itâd be nice to check out.â
âYou saps.â Elizabeth teased with a small smile, reaching for his shirt collar and pulling him in for a kiss.
Tyler only proved the sap allegations true when he pulled out two of their favorite bags of snacks. He leaned back against the pillows, and Elizabeth leaned back against his chest. Tyler kept his arms wrapped around Elizabeth as they shared the salty and sweet treats â mini Butterfingers, guacamole and nacho cheese-flavored Takis, honey BBQ beef jerky pieces, and more â their own version of a trail mix made up of their favorite snacks.
Periodically, Elizabeth reached up to feed him one of the snacks as they laid back looking up at the stars.
âI donât think I can say it enough, honey â youâre so beautiful,â Tyler whispered against her lips once the snacks were gone, fingers licked clean, before pressing a kiss to her lips. The mood began to change, and it wasnât long before Elizabeth found herself naked under Tyler, his hips thrusting slowly between her thighs, his cock sliding in and out of her.
âSo pretty,â he ran a series of kisses along her cheek and jaw before latching onto the soft skin of her neck, âperfectâ he whispered between kisses. âMy girl.â his words punctuated his thrusts.
His fingers were woven into her hair, at the back of her neck, down at her chest, playing with her nipples and squeezing a hand around one before bringing his mouth down to the pert bud.
Teeth nipped at her collar bone, tongue licking teasingly along the valley between her breasts, and grunts reached her ears.
Fingers trailed down to her hip â to her clit. He was everywhere all at once, consuming her, pulling her apart, putting her back together again in the most exquisite way â slowly, gently, with each stroke, each touch, each kiss, and each nip.
Fucking her like it was the first time all over again. Making love to her like he had all the time in the world.
Like he wanted her to feel every bit of his love and affection with each thrust. Every whispered praise in her ear from his lips.
She dug her fingers into his biceps, legs lifting up and wrapping around his waist, pulling him deeper inside of her. Her heavy breathing, her moans and soft whimpers â all of it was music to his ears.
âTyler,â she whimpered against his shoulder at one point, the pleasure building up so much that she was nearing her breaking point.
His arms bracketed either side of her head, the pace of his thrusts picking up when he felt her pussy tightening around his cock. âI know. I know, baby.â his words came on a breath, weak and heavy, letting her know that he was just as close to his own release. âIâm gonna come â you gonna take it? Take everything I give you, sweet girl?â she nodded, her nails digging lightly in his back as they reached their shared euphoric release.
Tyler stayed on top of her even after their breathing had even out. He ran his thumb along her cheek as he gazed down at her, his smile soft, expression filled with love and affection. It made her stomach flutter â something that he never failed to do since sheâd known him.
When he finally pulled out, neither of them moved for a moment to right themselves, or to head back to where the others were. Instead he covered them both with a second blanket pulled from the tool box. Elizabeth laid her head on Tylerâs chest, eyes closing occasionally as she looked up at the sky.
Tylerâs fingers played with hers, a peaceful silence lingering between them for what felt like forever, basking in the afterglow of the moment between them. Listening to the crickets and frogs around the lake, the fireflies flickering in and out of existence around them.
âMarry me, Belle.â Tylerâs voice was so soft, Elizabeth almost missed what heâd said.
Elizabeth laughed softly. âYou just got done rocking my world, and thatâs the first thing ya say?â she joked.
She didnât think twice about it. Yes, Tyler had said countless times that heâd wanted to marry her since they were children. But it also hadnât been the first time heâd playfully said it either.
So she didnât think that much of it, until she felt some cold being slipped onto her left ring finger. Tyler lifted her hand so that the moonlight shone down on it, a beautiful diamond twinkling softly.
âI mean it, Belle. Marry me.â
Her heart stuttered in her chest as she sat up, one palm resting against her chest, looking at him with wide eyes. The smile on his face had never been so beautiful.
âTyler.â
âBelle.â
âIs this for real?â
He let out his loud, bellowing laugh before pulling her into his lap. âI sure hope it is. Iâve been holdinâ on to that for weeks now, waitinâ for the right time.â
âItâs beautiful, but⌠where did youâŚ?â
âIt was my grandmotherâs. I told my mom and my aunt before I came back to Oklahoma that I was gonna take the chance at askinâ you to marry me. They insisted on me givinâ you that ring rather than buyinâ one. But after the rodeo I noticed the stone was loose, so while we were at that farmerâs market in Wakita I stopped by an artisan jewelerâs stand, and the lady runninâ it helped me adjust it. And make sure it would fit.â
Then after Tyler fell silent, his expression changed. The amount of seriousness combined with affection in his gaze as it locked on hers made her heart stutter.
âTyler? What is it?â
âThereâs somethinâ I need to say to ya, Belle. Somethinâ Iâve been wantinâ to say but never could find the right time.â
âOkay, letâs hear it.â Elizabeth replied, watching him closely.
Tyler took a deep breath to steady his sudden case of nerves, letting it out before he began to speak. âBelle, these last few weeks, since cominâ back to Oklahoma, and everythinâ thatâs happened since then, has only made me realize that Iâve fallen more deeply in love with you than Iâve ever been. I told ya time and time again that Iâve loved ya since we were kids, and Iâve meant it every time. And Iâve meant it every single time. But tonight⌠tonight it feels like itâs become a whole lot more than that.â
Elizabeth went to speak, but Tyler held up a finger against her lips, silencing her. âLet me get this out, honey. Please. You know this donât come easy to me.â Elizabeth nodded, and he pulled his finger away. âI know you, Belle. Even when we were kids, you didnât really let people in. Not a lot of âem, anyway.â
You were an exception. Elizabeth thought. A big one. She stared into his eyes.
âWhen we were doinâ rodeos together, especially after your accident in Austin, I wanted to tell ya how I felt, and how deeply I felt it. But then I pushed ya away after my accident, when all you were tryinâ to do was help me. Even to this day I keep thinkinâ I was the worldâs biggest fuckinâ idiot for pushinâ you away and not seeinâ what was right in front of me. Til Boone set me straight, that is.â
Elizabeth couldnât help the soft snort that slipped out. That brought a small smile to Tylerâs face before he continued.
âI didnât deserve your forgiveness for how much of an asshole I was then, and I still feel sometimes like I still donât, even now, when I push ya too hard or get on your case.â Tyler admitted. His voice grew strained, but didnât break. âThat night I ran into you in that bar in the city? Iâd coasted into town on fumes, mentally, after a rough week. When I saw ya, it was like a beacon of hope. The calm after the storm.â
Elizabeth nodded soundlessly, encouraging him to continue.
âBut when I laid eyes on ya, I didnât see the Belle I knew and loved. I saw a broken, empty shell of who she used to be, the light in her eyes damn near extinguished, and as miserable as she could be. And that damn near broke my heart and had me fuckinâ terrified all at once. âCause it was like a part of you â the best damn part of you â had died along with your friends, and I didnât even know if I could help you get it back.â
Elizabethâs lip trembled, tears burning in the backs of her eyes.
âSo I decided then and there to try to help ya get back in the saddle, even if ya ended up hatinâ me for it. Better that ya hated me for it than for me never to try at all. Because then all the chases we went on after that night, including that one near Moore when I kissed ya, never woulda happened. And I never wouldâve had that chance to fall for ya, more and more each day. Even if it meant spendinâ time apart at the end of the season with you workinâ and me stayinâ with my team.â
âIt all mattered so much to me because it meant takinâ the chance to find the old you again, to see you smile again, to hear you laugh again, to see that light in your eyes that I only see when youâre doinâ somethinâ you love so much, somethinâ that is so much a part of you.â
âThat day near Moore, with the EF3, I finally saw the old you, from six years ago. The light in your eyes had come back, almost like it never left. Your smile couldâve lit up the dark side of a storm. And your laugh⌠God, Belle, your laughter was like music to my ears. Iâd been waitinâ and waitinâ to hear that after what you went through. And when I kissed ya, I⌠I realized that Iâd do anything to keep you by my side.â
âUp til now Iâve never really bought into the whole idea of soulmates. But after everything weâve been through, I canât really find any other way to describe it â to describe how I feel. But Iâm givinâ it my best shot right here and now.â
âBelle, you light up every room ya walk into, make everything about my day better, and my heart aches when youâre not here with me. Youâre the first thing thatâs on my mind when I get up in the morning, and the last thing I think about before I got to sleep. Thereâs never been a day I havenât wanted to wake up with you in my arms. There arenât many people lucky enough to meet their soulmate. But all those years ago, when I nine and you seven, I met mine. And sheâs right here in front of me, just as sheâs always been.â
âI love you so much that it hurts, Belle. But I wouldnât have it any other way. So will you make me the happiest man in the world by being my wife? Will you marry me, Elizabeth Harding?â
Elizabeth was chewing on her bottom lip, trying to hold back the tears that were welling up in her eyes. She looked down at the beautiful ring that Tyler had placed on her left hand. Looked back up to him and was surprised to see that his eyes were watery.
âYou been waiting this long? Thatâs insane.â Elizabeth managed to say.
Tyler chuckled. âWell, if ya want somethinâ, ya take it.â
âYou already have me, Tyler. You always have.â
âAnd I ainât ever lettinâ go, honey.â He grabbed her hands in his, his thumbs running over the rings on either finger â the gold wire-wrapped peridot ring heâd made and given her so long ago, and now the diamond ring on her left hand. One represented the history theyâd shared over so many years. The other represented the bright future that stood before them, if she would have him.
There wasnât anything Elizabeth had ever wanted more in her life.
âYes.â
âYes?â he asked, as though he was surprised, his smile and laughter filled with a childlike joy, the epitome of happiness. Like a child finally getting the wish heâd made forever.
âYes!â He took her face in his hands, kissing her. Kissing her until they both were laughing, all teeth and tongues and lips. One of them was crying, and while she wasnât sure if it was Tyler or her that was shaking or cheering.
âI love you,â he whispered. Under the palm that rested on his chest, Elizabeth could feel his heart beat, strong and steady and sure. His hands were hot against her now tear-stained cheeks. Thumbs swiped loose tears away.
âI love you more.â Elizabeth countered.
âImpossible.â Tyler argued amid a wet chuckle.
âNothingâs impossible, Tyler.â
Sheâd barely finished speaking before Tyler kissed her again. Whispering over and over that she loved him, hearing him say it back, made her heart stutter. This man was going to be her husband. This man who had taken up such a big place in her life, in her heart. Given her a love that put storybooks and fairytales to shame. Given her a family that would only grow if they decided on it together.
And it was absolutely perfect.
Elizabeth couldnât imagine marrying anyone but Tyler Owens.
And she couldnât wait to.
The next morning, it was impossible to hide the shift. Elizabeth was absolutely glowing at breakfast.
Kate and Boone had been the first to spot it. Boone had teased Tyler about âgetting itâ the night before.
But it was Kate who zoned in on the ring. After she pointed it out, Elizabeth and Tyler raised their joined hands into the air, the ring gleaming in the morning summer sun. The entire crew erupted into cheers.
âYes!â
âHell yeah!â
âThatâs what Iâm talkinâ about!â
âThatâs ma man!â
âBout damn time!â
Boone grabbed Elizabethâs hand, spinning her around and laughing excitedly. Lily and Kate already started mapping out the perfect location for the wedding, and Dani, Dex and Javi were hugging and/or clapping Tyler on the back. That day marked more celebration than after the success of the tamer project at El Reno.
Dex prepared the biggest breakfast Elizabeth had ever had on the road, so big that everyone groaned and lounged in the common room of the motel, watching movies and shows theyâd all seen a dozen times, aiding in their heart meal putting them all to sleep.
It was a nice nap that had them all waking up more rested than they first had that morning, spending a wonderful afternoon out at the lake again out on the water. Tyler and Dex grilled the fish they caught over the bonfire.
Elizabeth had her legs in Tylerâs lap, all of the Wranglers sedated and full once again, and laughing around the bonfire until Boone emerged from the camper with two bottles in hand: one tequila, one whiskey.
âOh, no,â Lily said, laughing into her hand.
âNo way.â
âAbsolutely not.â
âYa never mix light and dark, câmon, Boone, ya know this!â
âGuys, câmon, weâre celebratinâ.â Boone ignored everyoneâs protests and grabbed shot glasses heâd been keeping safe in his pockets. He filled them up with tequila after asking the bride-to-be what she wanted, a huge grin on his face.
He slid Elizabeth her glass and Tylerâs, Tyler shaking his head with amusement written across his face. Elizabeth frowned playfully. âHappy wife, happy life?â she said.
Tyler snorted and pinched her legs teasingly before grabbing his glass. âIâm not helpinâ you if you get stuck some place, Boone.â Boone made a face, but it vanished when everyone clinked their glasses together, throwing back the liquor.
The next night, the weather was a bit cooler than anticipated for a summer night. A cold front had moved through behind a strong storm system (no potential for tornadoes, sadly, so nothing to chase).
So they were all hanging out around the bonfire â a rare night of sobriety, to give their livers a break, no doubt â telling stories and laughing around the fire. Dex was telling one particularly interesting one, while Dani and Lily were getting dessert from the camper. Boone was laying in the grass, listening intently to Dex, while Kate and Javi sat across the fire from Tyler and Elizabeth.
Elizabeth sat in Tylerâs lap, smiling to herself as his fingers roamed along her legs. Every now and then, his fingers would wander to find the ring on her left hand, twisting it gently around on her finger, as though he were making sure it was still there. Then he looked over to her, smiling at her before leaning in for a kiss.
The night was filled with more laughter by the time Lily brought out the sâmores kits sheâd gotten for everyone.
âEight is a bit much.â
âUh, have ya seen the way Boone eats?â
âSheâs got ya there.â Boone agreed before tearing into a burnt marshmallow on the stick in his hand.
Tyler roasted one, holding the stick while Elizabeth happily ate the melted, sugary marshmallow. âWant some?â she asked, turning to him. His answer came in the form of planting his mouth over hers and kissing her until her mouth parted, and his tongue ran along her bottom lip and into her mouth. Elizabeth giggled softly.
âWhen you guys get married, will we see less of this?â Kate asked.
Chapter Thirty-Five - Scared of Nothin' and I'm Scared to Death
The time that Tyler was scared half to death, and the date night proposal that didnât quite go according to plan.
Two Weeks Ago
Near Guthrie, Oklahoma
Tyler wasnât sure where the anger had come from. He didnât think heâd ever felt so angry before.
Heâd always considered himself a fairly easy-going person, quick to make light of a situation and put others at ease â that was what was in his nature.
But this⌠this had been different. What had just happened had his heart racing in the worst way possible, especially after what had happened in El Reno just a few weeks ago.
His ears rang. His face felt hot, flushed with barely-contained fury. He could barely breathe.
All because of Elizabeth. More specifically, her reckless actions that had placed her life on the line.
âWhere is she?â Tylerâs voice was hard, cold, and filled with anger.
Boone and Lily both turned to him as he approached. They shared an uncertain glance before turning back to him.
Heâd slammed the door of his truck, approaching the other Wranglers at a gas station parking lot near Guthrie with a look on his face so completely out of character that it made them all shift with unease.
âWhereâs⌠who?â Boone tried weakly, unsuccessfully playing dumb. Lily just rolled her eyes, elbowing him in the ribs while glaring at him.
âDonât play around, Boone.â Lily hissed.
Tyler clenched his jaw â for once not in the mood for his friendâs antics, knowing it was a stall tactic. âYou know damn well who Iâm talkinâ about.â
That led to a round of nervous glances shared around the team. Even Kate and Javi, relatively new to the Wranglers, could tell something was off. This wasnât the calm, collected yet also charismatic and charming Tyler Owens, the Tornado Wrangler they all knew.
âSheâs in the RV waitinâ to go over the data with Dex, but I donât think -â Dani began, but he was already moving, speed-walking towards the camper before she could finish.
He could hear and feel his heartbeat pulsing in his ears as he nearly burst through the door, finding Elizabeth sitting alone at the little table in the back, her back to him. It looked like she had her head in her hands.
Her head came up and spun around at the sound of his entrance into the RV, and her face immediately turned pale when she saw him practically fuming. âTyler -â she began to say, getting to her feet as he approached her, looking as if she was about to have to defend herself.
But he wasnât in the mood.
âYou wanna tell me what the hell you were thinkinâ back there, Belle?â he seethed, quickly towering over her, jaw clenched, hands on his hips.
She swallowed hard, nervous around this version of him. She was terrified â terrified to have upset him, terrified to have disappointed him â again.
âTyler, I swear,â Elizabeth pleaded, âI was just trying to do the right thing.â she continued. Tyler just scoffed at her words.
ââThe right thingâ?â he questioned, voice filled with disbelief, having cut her off while shaking his head. âYou call nearly getting yourself killed â again â âdoing the right thingâ?â he demanded.
She took a shaky breath, squeezing her eyes shut at the reminder of what sheâd done, the venom in his voice that was ordinarily so gentle, so sweet and tender when directed at her making her heart ache.
Memories of what had transpired nearly an hour earlier flooded her consciousness, and she felt a lump begin to form in her throat.
âI couldnât lose the data,â she whispered softly, her gaze never leaving the ground as she looked down in shame.
âBullshit,â Tyler snapped, jaw clenched as his breathing picked up. His sage-green eyes scanned her face, trying to understand what the hell had driven her to risk herself the way she had.
âYou of all people should know that ya donât go into the path of an oncoming EF3 to recover equipment, especially when itâs replaceable when you sure as hell arenât. So why in Godâs name would you go and do something so stupid, running headfirst into danger like that?â Tyler continued angrily, practically spitting, his voice rising and growing more emotional.
Her breathing hitched, eyes welling up with unshed tears at the reminder of her brash, reckless actions. She felt ashamed and almost embarrassed as Tyler practically berated her.
He was her best friend. Her boyfriend. Dare she say it, her soulmate. They were a pair that the rest of the team more frequently referred to as âthe dynamic duoâ, though a few of them jokingly also called them âlovebirdsâ, unless they were arguing.
Their shared passion for storms and taste for adventure amid the danger had lasted more than half of their lives. So in that moment, Tylerâs harsh reminder of her choices stung more than one would expect.
Aside from the accident more than a decade ago that ended his rodeo career, sheâd never seen or heard him be so upset with her, so emotional in the worst way.
His tone was always soft, teasing, and sometimes so overtly flirty with his teasing jokes that would leave her with blush-flushed cheeks and a racing heart.
But this was different, so very different. His gaze and expression were harsh, curses tumbling from his lips while all she could do was try to explain herself. And she was starting to hate every moment of it, of his scrutinizing, penetrating stare.
âI⌠itâs just, you worked so hard to get everything together for this. I didnât want us to have to start from scratch, not after all the effort weâd put into it.â even as the words tumbled past her lips, they sounded pathetic. Her voice cracked as her emotions began to show.
Tyler shook his head before stepping closer into her space. âAnd you thought itâd be worth risking your life for? Belle, you know better than that. I know you.â he gritted out, brow furrowed, down-turned lips looking so out of of place on his normally easy-going, smiling face.
Another shuddering breath escaped her as she tried to keep herself under control. The real reason sheâd been so willing to act so recklessly had been born from the thought that he would be devastated at losing everything theyâd worked for, all because theyâd pushed a bad position.
It hurt so badly that she wouldâve done what she could to save that equipment, or at least most of it, anything to be the hero that he was to her. That heâd always been to her.
âI didnât get hurt, though,â she spat finally, âI knew I had enough time to get what mattered -â she continued, but Tyler cut her off before she could get the rest of the words out.
âYou didnât have time, Belle.â his voice was deadly calm yet angry all at once, and he gripped her shoulders as he shook her gently. She dared to look up into his eyes, seeing his burning gaze as he stared down at her, trying to understand.
âIf Boone hadnât been close by, you very easily couldâve been killed. You wouldâve died, and there wouldâve been nothinâ I couldâve done to stop it.â he choked out, his grip on her tightening.
She could see his eyes watering now, his anger gradually fizzling out and being replaced with something verging on desperate, on panicked.
He could still remember the purely unadulterated feeling of fear as sheâd slipped out of the safety of his truck before heâd been able to stop her, watching helplessly as she sprinted out into the open field where the heaviest winds and torrential rains were the worst, and getting worse by the second.
He heard the echoes of the devastated scream of her name that had ripped itself free from his chest, something that hadnât happened since El Reno, lost to the howling winds.
And he sure as hell couldnât forget the overwhelming fear and helplessness that took hold of him when the rains became so heavy that he could no longer see her, no longer be sure that she hadnât been sucked up into that raging funnel, or wounded by the flying debris. Or worse.
It was only a few minutes later when Boone had radioed in that Elizabeth had made it to the van with the most critical equipment intact that Tyler felt he could finally breathe.
Save for the events of El Reno when sheâd taken his truck to tame the tornado, it had been the most terrifying moment of his life.
âBelle, do you understand how important you are to everyone on this team? What you mean to me?â he rasped, his voice softer now, gentler, yet more broken-sounding. âThat damn equipment ainât worth your life. Not in the slightest. I need you to understand that.â
His eyes were softer now, his gaze tender as it raked over her face, her body. He took in the scrapes and cuts that littered her cheeks, a patch of dried blood on her forehead near her left temple.
His heart ached at the thought of her getting hurt again, even if the injuries had been relatively minor this time.
She noticed that nearly all the anger had left his expression, that his demeanor had completely changed, replaced by the one emotion that had been truly brewing beneath the surface: the crippling fear of the possibility of losing her.
A single tear slid down her face at the sight, along with the more vulnerable tone of his words, her heart breaking as she realized the consequences of her actions and what effect theyâd had on him â the man she loved â and he clocked it immediately.
He was quick to gently wipe away the tear with the pad of one thumb, his touch lingering on her cheek as he stared silently into her eyes.
âIâm sorry,â she whispered, her voice breaking as she tried and failed to hold back a sob. Without hesitating, he wrapped her up in his arms, cradling her head to his chest and pulling her so close to him that no space lingered between them, their bodies practically molded together.
âShh, itâs alright, itâs alright, sweetheart,â he cooed softly, one hand stroking through her hair as she cried softly. He was back to his old self for the most part, all the anger and frustration having bled away.
Through the tears, Elizabeth felt her face grow warm with blush at his use of the term of endearment. No matter how many times he used it, it always made her heart flutter, always made her feel special.
âIâm the one who should be apologizing. I shouldnât have yelled at ya, sweetheart. Ya didnât deserve that, âspecially with what youâve been through.â he murmured into her ear, tightening his arms around her.
He silently wanted to smack himself, angry with himself for defaulting to anger and frustration, when she likely had been scared and upset, too. But thinking in that moment that sheâd died in that tornado, especially after what had happened in El Reno just over a month ago, it had struck a nerve so hard and so deep inside of him that heâd reacted irrationally.
He stewed in his remorse for just a moment longer before he spoke, forcing himself to admit something that mightâve painted him as being a little too vulnerable, but he had to get it off his chest before it threatened to consume him.
âYou scared me half to death, darlinâ. You know I canât stand the thought of losinâ you. I just canât. It⌠it would tear me apart worse than any damn tornado ever could.â his whispered words were so raw, so tinged with emotion and the horror heâd felt, that her breath hitched.
She pulled herself away from his comforting embrace to look at him, really get a good look at him, and what she saw made her heart ache. His eyes were red and glassy â a clear sign that heâd been crying. His muscles were taut with what she knew to be anxiety, as though every fiber in his body had been stretched to the limit after sheâd jumped out of his truck.
His hair was messy â and she knew heâd been running his hand through it â the way she knew he did when he was stressed, or worried.
The thought that she was causing him that much worry, that much pain, stole the breath from her lungs, leaving her feeling dizzy, bordering on nauseated.
âI only tried to save that equipment because I knew how important the research was to you. To both of us.â she whispered, voice shaky, but full of sincerity; she meant every word. âI know how much it means to you, trying to find a way to keep these killer tornadoes from causing so much damage and ruining so many innocent lives. I just⌠I wanted to do something brave and selfless for you, the way youâve done for me since you came back into my life.â her voice caught, soft but steady, and she swallowed hard as she met his gaze again.
His lips were parted slightly as he processed her admission, the affection and reverence in her words staggering him slightly. The knowledge of how deeply she cared, that she found him brave and selfless (aside from the cockiness that was mainly just for show), and wanted to return the way that it made her feel filled his heart with so much love, so deeply, that he felt like he might drown in it.
âBelle, honey, youâre-â he rasped out, pausing long enough to clear his throat so that he wouldnât sound as raw and weak.
âYouâre so damn sweet, honey. Youâve got such a big heart, and thatâs what I love most about you. But please, please donât be as reckless as I am. Iâve thrown myself into danger headfirst so much because Iâve developed the bad habit of not thinkinâ it through first. When the adrenaline hits, my judgment gets clouded by the thought of helping someone, and I wind up getting tunnel vision because of it. Itâs gotten me in trouble more times than I care to admit, a few too many times where it couldâve been the end of me.â he murmured gently, his hands resting on her shoulders and squeezing gently. âI wonât let you be that reckless â I refuse to let you be that reckless. You mean too damn much to me.â
Her eyes widened at the tenderness in his voice after all the anger and frustration that had poured out, the affection and worry practically dripping from his every word. It felt like their conversation was verging on something deeper, something more vulnerable and terrifying.
âTylerâŚâ her voice threatened to break under the overwhelming swirl of emotions racing inside of her. âI love -â his lips were on hers before she could even finish.
The feeling of Tylerâs lips against hers in that moment had never felt so raw yet so real at the same time, but she knew for damn sure she didnât ever want him to stop if he could help it.
One hand tenderly cupped her cheek, the other snaking its way into her hair, his fingers tangling through the golden-brown strands as he pulled her closer to him. She let out a soft gasp as his grip tightened, his lips moving against hers with an almost feral level of desperation, and something more.
The salt from their tears mixed with his sweet taste â honey and peppermint and something uniquely Tyler â leaving her to melt deeper into him and the warmth of his presence. She could feel every ounce of his turbulent, pent-up emotions being poured into the kiss, and it threatened to leave her completely breathless.
After thinking heâd lost her that day, Tyler would have been content just to kiss her like that forever if he could, reassuring himself that she was still there, that she was still his. And showing her over and over again what she meant to him.
He finally got a handle on his emotions and pulled away for just a moment, looking down at her, eyes soft, wanting to make sure he hadnât pushed too far. A soft, breathless laugh escaped her lips as she looked back up at him, looking a little woozy. Had his taste been that intoxicating?
He huffed a laugh, unable to say anything at first, and she could see his eyes shining with an almost limitless level of adoration for her. Then his eyes roamed over her, taking in every inch of her muddy, soaking wet clothes, her scraped-up hands, the shallow cut at her temple.
Regret coursed through him again at the way heâd raised his voice at her, even if it had been out of fear over losing her. âYou sure you arenât hurt, honey?â he asked in a soft murmur, his expression growing tense with seriousness.
Elizabeth nodded, one hand moving up to rest on top of his as it cupped her cheek. âIâm okay, Cowboy, I promise. Just a little scraped up from slipping in the mud. Remember, I ainât the most graceful thing on two feet when it rains.â she reassured him, her tone verging on joking at her last words.
But she could feel the lingering weight of his gaze on her slightly bloodied-up face. Could feel the apprehension in his stare, the constant worry for her well-being that was so endearing she wanted to kiss him again and again as a means of soothing those worries.
âI wonât do anything like that again, I swear. I got carried away and lost in the moment and didnât think before reacting.â he nodded slowly, letting her words wash over him, a comforting balm to his racing, raging thoughts.
âYouâd better not,â he teased softly, a small smile tugging at his lips. âI still plan on marrying you one day, so no more runninâ headfirst into tornadoes, ya hear me? Canât have my girl actinâ like a crazy daredevil like me, âspecially when I know first hand sheâs so much smarter than that.â
She felt her cheeks grow warm as he called her âhis girlâ, the words rolling off his tongue so easily that she swore her heart skipped a beat or two.
She laughed as she leaned into his touch, the sound resonating around them both like music.
âAlright, alright,â she giggled with exaggerated exasperation, âno more runninâ headfirst into tornadoes, I swear. On my honor. But you have to promise me that youâll be careful. Youâre a frickinâ adrenaline junkie and more of a troublemaker than Iâve ever been.â
He laughed at her jab, and his body felt lighter than it had the whole day since sheâd bolted from the truck. Sheâs safe. He told himself.
Sheâs safe, sheâs here, alive in my arms and teasing me as she always does. He couldnât help the smile growing across his face, making him look like a grinning fool.
âSweetheart,â he murmured with a teasing glint in his eye, âyouâd need to get my head checked if I were to ever run away from you and into a tornado. No man in their right mind would leave someone as beautiful and smart as you behind. And if they did, theyâre a fuckinâ moron for doing so.â
He leaned in and kissed her one more time, and couldnât help but chuckle softly as he felt her smile against his lips.
Time had gone by faster than Tyler cared to admit. The weather had finally mellowed enough for Kate and Elizabeth to fly to New York to speak to the review board. And Tyler was not ready for Elizabeth to leave, even though it was temporary.
Tonightâs gonna be the night. He thought. Why do I keep putting this off? This is getting ridiculous.
Heâd stopped her at the airport all those weeks ago, thinking she was running. He knew now that she wasnât. That she was helping Kate, and ultimately helping with their continued research. The grant money would help them keep the PAR radars.
But it didnât lessen the sting of the thought of spending time apart from her.
Their flight was scheduled to depart in the morning. So when the last tornado of the day had dissipated, the Wranglers had stumbled across a motel and had agreed to clean up and get some rest.
âBelle?â Heâd stopped her as sheâd begun to trudge up the stairs to their room, and she turned around to face him.
âYeah?â
âDo you think -â he hesitated. âCould I take you out to dinner tonight? Just us?â he reached up with the intent of brushing some dirt from her cheek, though his hand lingered longer than necessary. She automatically leaned into his touch.
âYou mean on a date?â she teased quietly.
Tyler chuckled, a little nervously. âYeah, exactly that. Iâm pretty sure the only place open around here is the Lucky Spur, so I canât guarantee how good itâll be, but -â
âSounds good to me. Kate wanted me to go over the notes one more time tonight, so, eight oâclock?â
He nodded, a little too vigorously. âEight oâclock.â
At seven-thirty, Tyler entered the bar determined to stow these unexpected, uncharacteristic jitters and make his goddamned move already. The box in his pocket felt heavy though, which didnât help his nerves one bit.
As far as romantic settings went, upon entering the Lucky Spur Tyler determined heâd just have to make the most of what looked like a meager atmosphere. Country music blared from a cheap, substandard sound system, and filled the bar with muted, crackled country ballads. The air was stale, and smelled of peanuts, various types of alcohol, and over-perfumed patrons.
He spotted Elizabeth, who smiled and waved at him from a booth across the room. Her beautiful hazel-green eyes drew him in like a magnet. His stride was confident as he walked through the room, crossing a packed dance floor of denim, cowboy hats, and the clacking of boots on the oak floor.
âYouâre early,â he noted as he sat down beside her.
âSo are you, Cowboy.â she observed, smirking.
Backlit by the honey-colored piss-poor attempt at ambient lighting, her hair seemed to have an ethereal glow, her eyes bright, warm and inviting. As long as heâd known Elizabeth, Tyler had been accustomed to seeing her in multiple states of being: completely disheveled, freshly scrubbed, but his absolute favorite was when he saw her completely polished, which stirred a fresh feeling of love, affection and even yearning inside of him.
She looked absolutely beautiful in the light blue sundress sheâd worn the night before El Reno, along with her horseshoe and lightning bolt necklaces and the earrings that matched the latter. On her right hand was the familiar gold wire-wrapped peridot ring heâd given her so long ago. And if tonight went the way Tyler hoped, that wouldnât be the only ring sheâd wear.
Her golden-brown hair hung in soft, loose waves over her shoulders, and Tyler could faintly smell the scent of her shampoo â tonightâs pairing being desert grass and sandalwood â that mingled with the familiar, comforting undertones of lavender, sage, apples, leather, and cinnamon.
âIâve always said that youâre beautiful, darlinâ,â Tyler murmured, trying not to looked as stunned as he felt, âBut tonight you look fuckinâ stunning.â he added.
âYou cleaned up nicely yourself, Cowboy.â Elizabeth replied teasingly.
In truth heâd done more than his usual level of effort to clean himself up â the dark-blue button down heâd worn on their first date, his usual jeans, cowboy boots and buckle belt, and, of course, his hat. But heâd added a soft, dark-brown blazer. His wild, normally unruly hair had been tamed somewhat, but still looked a bit windswept.
Jake wouldâve given him hell for paying so much attention to his appearance tonight of all nights. But Tyler didnât give a shit. Wasnât like the cocky little shithead was there to judge him, anyhow.
Tyler gave her a soft, loving smile before his eyes moved from her to notice a notepad in front of her at the table, along with a glass of whatever it was she was drinking. âThought you were takinâ a break tonight from the presentation?â he asked.
Elizabeth sighed and shrugged. âI wanted to go over a few final details. Kate thinks everythingâs perfect â I just want to be sure we get this right since we have so much riding on it.â
âMake any progress?â Tyler asked, grabbing the notebook and scanning over her neatly-written notes.
âNot really,â she sighed again. âWould you want to read through it? Let me know what ya think?â she asked.
âSure. But Iâd bet Olâ Red that youâre overthinkinâ it, honey.â
âDonât be betting your truck on that, Owens. You overestimate my confidence.â Elizabeth warned.
âAnd I have every confidence that youâll be fine, darlinâ.â Tyler told her. âBut send me a copy â Iâll read through it.â
She pulled out her phones, tapping at the keys and sending the file to him. Without looking up from her phone, she said, âIâm glad you came early, Tyler.â
âOh, yeah?â he smiled, teasingly, âwhyâs that?â
Finished with her phone, her hazel-green eyes evaluated their immediate surroundings before she leaned in closer to him, lowering her voice. âBefore you got here there was this creep that wouldnât take no for an answer. He keeps cominâ around and circling me like Iâm a piece of meat.â
That made the hairs on the back of Tylerâs neck bristle. âNeed me to scare him off, darlinâ?â he asked, voice low, an edge of something dangerous in his tone.
âNeed? No. I could probably do it myself. But want? Yes. Very much so.â
âOkay, I can do that.â he smiled widely.
Elizabeth tilted her head, curious. âWhy do you look so eager all of a sudden?â
Tyler chuckled. âBecause I like beinâ helpful to you.â
âHave I not already told you how incredibly helpful I find you?â she teased.
âNot nearly enough, darlinâ.â his eyes stayed trained on her, drinking in the sight of her in the moment.
The creep seemed to appear out of nowhere at their table, too tall and too attractive, Tyler thought, with dark hair and bright blue eyes. His choice of dress was similar to Tylerâs, minus the blazer. Everything on him looked polished, brand new. As if bought that same day.
He placed a glass of liquor in front of Elizabeth, ignoring Tylerâs presence entirely. âHello again, there, beautiful. Jack Danielâs Tennessee Honey, neat, right?â
âWell, thatâs mighty generous of you,â Tyler drawled before snatching the glass and downing it in one go, setting the empty glass back on the table. âThis sure is a friendly place.â
The creep glared at him, seething. âThat wasnât for you, cowboy.â he sneered.
Tyler decided the best thing would be to feign confusion, to hopefully keep from getting into a fight. âWell, my apologies, then. When you said âbeautifulâ I thought you were talkinâ to me.â
Elizabeth giggled softly, covering it by clearing her throat.
âAnd just who the fuck are you?â the creep snarled at Tyler.
âSee, now here I thought for sure you were a fan of mine.â Tyler continued the act. âI get a lot of free drinks from my fans.â
âIs this your boyfriend?â the creep asked Elizabeth.
She gazed over at Tyler, hazel-green eyes shining affectionately. âYou could say that. Along with the distinct and growing possibility of being more than that.â
Tyler smirked, although it took everything he had not to let out a victory crow. âYou hear that, buddy? A growinâ possibility.â
âYouâre a dick is what you are.â
Tyler shrugged. âEh, Iâve been called worse. Today even.â
Elizabeth laughed softly again, and the creep turned towards her again. âWhat kinda bitch doesnât say sheâs got a boyfriend?â
Tyler stood in a heartbeat, physically putting himself between Elizabeth and the creep. Arms folded and voice going cold, Tyler nearly growled, âYouâre gonna walk away, right now. Nope, donât even look at her. Donât talk to her. Just walk the fuck away. Go, now.â
The creep stared him down a moment, as though weighing his options. Despite the creepâs height advantage â he was well over six feet â Elizabeth wasnât worried. Tylerâs sturdy presence and unshakable conviction made it all the more believable that height didnât matter.
âWhat a waste,â the creep finally snarled, and stomped away like a petulant child. For a beat or two, Tyler didnât move, eyes trained on the other manâs back until heâd left the bar.
Then his posture finally relaxed, and he sat back down next to her.
âMy knight in shining armor.â Elizabeth teased warmly. âYou white-knighted me there.â
Tyler chuckled. âTold ya before, darlinâ. Iâm more of a knight in a cowboy hat. But letâs get back to that distinct possibility you were talkinâ about.â
Elizabeth laughed softly before leaning in and kissing him softly on the lips. âYou know Iâm flyinâ out in the morning, baby.â she said as she pulled away, touching her forehead to his.
âBut youâre cominâ back.â he countered.
âYeah. Donât know how long itâll take though. Kate said she wanted to show me around.â
Tyler scowled. âThatâs the first Iâm hearinâ about that part. Youâre not thinkinâ about stayinâ in New York with her if she stays, are you? You donât belong there, darlinâ.â
âWhat makes you so sure?â
His expression soured further, looking more than a little irritated. âCâmon, Belle, youâre tellinâ me youâd be happier in New York? I mean, Iâve seen your face when weâre out there chasinâ storms. You light up brighter than a firefly! You sure as shit arenât gonna let us do this without ya.â
She blinked softly at him, a teasing edge to her expression.
Confusion and then relief melted onto his face. âYouâre makinâ me squirm on purpose, arenât ya?â
âJust a little.â she shrugged, smiling slightly.
Tyler snorted. âYou little demon.â
She laughed. âIâve been called worse by better.â Under the glow of the lights, almost like cozying up beside a crackling fire on a cold winter evening, it was damn-near impossible not to feel the deep, familiar warmth and joy of being the sole recipient of his full attention.
âAnd yet you still love me.â Tyler teased.
âMore than anything.â she replied softly.
In spite of knowing Tyler for years, every flirt and tease sometimes felt like the first time all over again. Just when she thought she had him figured out, he went and surprised her. Though, to be fair, the same could be said about her.
âJesus Christ,â Tyler said a moment later, jarring her from her thoughts. âWhat kinda whiskey are you drinkinâ, darlinâ?â he glanced down at the glass still in front of her, feeling slightly buzzed. âThat shitâs strong.â
âSeriously? Itâs just Jack Daniels Tennessee Honey.â she replied.
âHuh. Stronger than I thought.â
âOr youâre turning into a lightweight since you mostly drink beer.â
âSays the one who gets buzzed on three shots of tequila.â
âSeriously? It was one time!â
As the playful banter continued back and forth, Tyler casually slid his free hand â the one that hadnât reached over to hold hers on the table â into the pocket of his jeans. But just as he was about to slide out of the booth and ask the question that had been burning all evening, a sudden wave of vertigo hit him, hard, and he quickly put both of his palms on the table to steady himself.
âTyler, are you okay?â The teasing was gone from Elizabethâs voice, replaced by concern, if not fear.
Tyler squinted as a sleepy warmth spread through his limbs, through his body. âI had one drink â the one that creep brought for you â and that was it.â
âWhatâre you talking about? Are you getting sick or something?â
âOr something.â His jaw muscles clenched, eyebrows drawing together, his expression looking as though he was deliberating on something painful, or difficult.
âTyler?â Elizabeth managed to slip past him and got out of the booth, kneeling in front of him, gently placing her hands atop his on the table. âTalk to me. Are you okay?â
He met her gaze, and Elizabeth was startled by the dawning edge of fury in his eyes. âI think that sonofabitch roofied your drink. The one I took.â
Horror hit Elizabeth all at once. âWhat?! Are you sure?â
âYeah, and Iâm gonna feed him his fuckinâ teeth for that.â he growled as he stood, then immediately sat back down when he swayed on his feet. âAfter the room quits spinning.â
âTyler, we⌠we need to get you to a hospital.â she grabbed the notepad from the table and slid it into a messenger bag that sheâd left sitting beside him, slinging it over her shoulder.
âI donât need a hospital, darlinâ.â
âYou donât even know what he mightâve put in there, or how much of it, for that matter.â
âI donât need a damn hospital, Belle.â he scowled. âIâm fuckinâ wasted, not dyinâ.â
Her face twisted in concern, brows drawn together, a familiar flicker of fear in her hazel-green eyes. âHow do you feel?â
He shrugged. âLike I had those three shots of tequila.â
âIf you wonât let me take you to the hospital, then we need to at least get you back to the room before you pass out.â
âNot gonna pass out, honey.â
âHow can you be so sure?â she asked, tilting her head. A thought came to mind, and it horrified her. âHave you been roofied before?â
âNah, âcourse not.â
Elizabeth took a deep breath. âI have. So trust me when I say we need to get you somewhere safe before you pass out. And fast.â
Tylerâs expression morphed into one of outrage and horror. âYou â Belle, honey, youâve been -â
âBack in college, yes. I was fine, though. I was with Jeb and Kate and Addy and the others, and they kept me safe. Unfortunately it happens more often than ya think. Now, letâs get you out of here. Because if Iâm being honest, Tyler, I donât know if I can carry you by myself.â
Tyler swallowed hard, a pained look on his face. âYeah. Yeah, okay.â
He rose unsteadily to his feet, inhaling deeply while Elizabeth stuck her phone in her messenger back slung over her shoulder before she turned to him.
âPut your arm around me in case you get woozy.â she warned him.
âI know youâre strong, honey, but if I go down, itâs gonna be like getting clobbered by a redwood.â
âCan you please just do as I say?â she asked as she gripped his hand and wrapped his arm around her shoulder before wrapping her free arm around his waist.
âWhen did you get this bossy?â he grumbled.
Elizabeth rolled her eyes. âYou like it.â then she let out a scoff. âPfft, a redwood. Youâre thinkinâ quite a lot of yourself tonight.â
Tyler chuckled ruefully, before letting out a sigh, his expression going sour. âI didnât really imagine tonight goinâ this way.â he mumbled.
âMaybe later you can tell me how youâd wanted it to go.â
âThat a challenge?â
âYou tell me, Tyler. Now, letâs get out of here.â
They made their way across the room, feet crunching on the husks of tossed-aside peanut shells. To his credit, Tyler was walking fairly well, despite a growing sense of instability. They carefully weaved around the little tables as they made their way to the front.
Elizabeth had Tyler lean against the door as she went up front and paid for her drink, and informed the bartender of the incident. The bartenderâs face grew solemn before he told Elizabeth he would keep an eye out if the creep came back, and advised that she contact the police, which she assured him she would.
As they exited the bar, both Tyler and Elizabeth looked up out of habit, catching a glimpse of the sky and checking conditions. The fresh, somewhat cool air brought back a sense of normalcy to the otherwise peculiar circumstances.
They crossed the road arm in arm. By the time they reached the stairs of the motel, Tyler felt heâd walked at least five miles. He plopped himself down on the bottom step. âIf you stop there, youâre gonna end up there the rest of the night. Get up, Tyler, please.â
âYes, maâam.â he pulled himself up using the railing, then trailed an arm around Elizabethâs waist again. He was leaning more on her than heâd been before, which made Elizabeth frown in concern.
They managed to make their way to the room, and after fishing the key out of Tylerâs back pocket (to which Tyler teasingly asked if she was getting handsy on purpose, which she snorted at) they finally got back into the room.
âSit over there â that way if you pass out you wonât fall.â she said, pointing to the bed. He obliged quite readily.
âI need to step out for a sec, but Iâll be right back.â she told him, grabbing her phone from her bag and stepping out.
She dialed Kateâs number as soon as the door shut behind her. âHey, Tempe. Howâs date night?â Kate asked as soon as she answered, a teasing edge to her voice.
âIt came to a premature end. Tylerâs been drugged.â Elizabeth said, lowering her voice.
âWhat?!â Kateâs voice was filled with shock and outrage.
âThere was a guy at the Lucky Spur â kept hitting on me, wouldnât take no for an answer before Tyler got there â and he took the drink that the creep tried to give me. Heâs pretty out of it, could pass out at anytime. Iâm just glad we got back to the motel before that happened.â
âTempe -â
âThis isnât like back at Muskogee, Kate. Iâm fine. I didnât drink any of it. Tyler drank the whole thing, smarted off to the guy before he finally walked away. We were talkinâ when it hit him.â Elizabeth assured her best friend.
What she didnât say was that she was feeling a little woozy herself from kissing Tyler after heâd drank the spiked whiskey. A sick feeling in her gut began to stir as a sleepy warmth invaded her limbs.
âWhatâre you going to do? We fly out in the morning.â Kate asked, weary.
âI canât leave Tyler like this.â
âI figured you would say that. If I were in your shoes Iâd be saying the same thing. Donât worry about the flight out, then. Focus on taking care of Tyler â and yourself â and Iâll get with Javi to reschedule the presentation, tell them we had an unexpected medical emergency over here.â
âAre you sure?â Elizabeth sounded uncertain.
âYouâre not gonna be able to focus if youâre worrying about Tylerâs well-being, not to be mean. Iâm just saying that the two of you are so close that you worry more about each other than most give you credit for. Itâs really sweet, though, and it shows how deeply you both care.â Kate told her gently.
Tears welled in Elizabethâs eyes at Kateâs words. They held a ring of truth to them. âThanks, Katie. Goodnight.â
ââNight, Tempe. Hope Tyler gets to feelinâ better.â
âMe too. And thanks.â she hung up before walking back into the room.
Tyler was still sprawled on the bed where sheâd left him, and his gaze immediately snapped to hers as she stepped back into the room and closed and locked the door behind her. âEverythinâ okay, honey?â Tylerâs words were slurred slightly.
She realized she probably had tears in her eyes, or rolling down her face. âYeah, itâs fine. I was just talkinâ to Kate.â
âAnd?â
âShe says weâre gonna reschedule.â she didnât say anything further.
âYou tell her about what happened?â Tyler asked.
Elizabeth nodded. âSheâs able to read me as easily as you do â lying to her and saying everythingâs fine was out of the question.â she replied as she walked over to the fridge in the room and pulled out a bottle of water, opening it and drinking half of it fairly quickly.
Some of the warm, sleepy feeling went away, but she could still feel it. âI wouldnât be able to focus on the presentation if I was worried about you. She called me out on it, but not to be mean. Just pointed it out.â
Tyler nodded. Then his expression grew troubled. âBelle?â
âYeah?â
âIâm hammered. And Iâm at least twice your size.â he frowned. âThat drink wouldâve knocked you out cold.â
âI know,â Elizabethâs voice grew soft.
âHe mightâve⌠I mean⌠if youâd drank that instead of me like heâd planned⌠if I hadnât been there⌠he couldâve⌠he mightâveâŚâ he looked both furious and on the verge of tears.
âI know, I know,â Elizabeth said softly as she sat down on the bed beside where heâd sprawled out. âBut it didnât, and he didnât. Iâm right here. Iâm safe, because of you. So please donât try to think about it.â
âIâm sorry you had to deal with that back at Muskogee.â Tylerâs voice grew rough. âShitty people and all that.â
âItâs okay.â
Tyler scowled, despite his growing wooziness. âItâs not.â he nearly growled. âHow are you not angry about this?â
âI am. That and thoroughly disgusted and horrified. I just⌠Iâm more worried about you right now.â she told him gently.
He stared off at nothing for a moment before his gaze moved back to her. âDonât ever accept a drink from someone you donât know, okay, honey? Especially if Iâm not there.â
âI donât.â she told him gently as she helped him remove his blazer.
âYou donât?â
âNo. I learned the hard way back in college. But I learned. And never forgot.â she hung his blazer on the back of a chair.
âThatâs good. Still sucks, though.â he said before laying back on the bed, staring at the ceiling, before falling asleep.
Elizabeth watched over him for a few minutes, at one point running a hand through his hair, before she grabbed her phone again and made a few calls.
A short while later, Elizabeth was reading over some notes when she heard Tyler stir, and she turned in her chair to look at him.
He let out a grunt as he rolled over, then bolted upright. âOh, shit, Belle, what if that asshole goes someplace down the road and drugs some other girl?â
âI called the cops and reported it. And I told the bartender before we left, so heâs keeping a lookout.â
âWhen did you call the cops?â
âAfter you passed out a little while ago. They talked me through filing a report online, and they contacted the other two bars in the area and gave them my description of the creep.â
âI didnât pass out, Belle.â
âYou did. For about forty-five minutes. You snored.â He eyed her, skeptical, those sage-green eyes of his piercing through her. âTrust me, baby, you did.â she added.
âAre you gonna relax about the presentation since Kateâs rescheduling?â his voice was still slurred.
âIn a bit.â she replied. âGet some sleep, Tyler.â
âAâright. Oh, hey, Belle?â
âHm?â
âI was gonna propose to you tonight.â Tylerâs slurred voice got her attention, more so with what he was saying.
âOh?â
âYeah, but you gotta pretend to be surprised by it when I try again since I just told ya.â Tyler chuckled ruefully. âI woulda gotten down on one knee, asked ya to marry me and make me the happiest man alive by beinâ my wife. Iâve wanted to ever since we were kids.â
âI know,â she said softly. âBut Iâve told you before â I donât need any grand gestures. All I need is you.â
âStill wanna put a ring on your hand, though. Show the world that youâre my girl. I mean, howâre creeps like that one tonight âsposed to know to stay away from what ainât theirs?â
Tylerâs words, though slurred due to the spiked whiskey, pulled at Elizabethâs heart. She walked back over to the bed and knelt beside it to where she was at eye level with Tyler.
âYour girl, huh?â Elizabeth smiled softly as she looked into his eyes, though glazed over and slightly unfocused, she could see the love he had for her shining in those sage-green depths.
Tyler smiled softly, lovingly. âYeah. My girl. So sweet and beautiful and brilliant and snarky -â
âI am not snarky.â
âYou can be, darlinâ. You get it from your mama. Just like you get your temper from your daddy.â
Elizabeth laughed. âYeah, I guess thatâs true.â
âHush now, darlinâ, Iâm tryinâ to woo you with my words since my fuckinâ body feels like goo.â Tyler teased.
âWell, go on then. Youâre doing fine, Cowboy.â
âAm I?â
âOh, yes. Tell me more.â
Tyler grinned drunkenly. But then his grin vanished. âBut what if I donât remember all of this? Later, after this shitâs worn off?â
âThen Iâll remind you.â Elizabeth said gently.
âPromise?â His eyes went so round Elizabeth was reminded of what heâd looked like when they were children.
âI cross my heart. Now please, try to sleep. Iâll be along in a minute.â
ââKay.â he stretched out across the bed and nearly instantly went back to sleep.
She pulled out her laptop with a soft sigh and spent half an hour researching drugs used in date rapes â narrowing her search criteria by state, and then by county â and reviewed the short and long-term effects of the âtop threeâ.
Worst case scenarios lapped her brain, especially given her own exposure to it, though not nearly as thoroughly as Tylerâs had been, so the research helped ease the anxiety. She reassured herself that they both would be fine â especially since Tyler likely metabolized quickly.
After shutting off her laptop she changed into more comfortable clothes â an old t-shirt of Tylerâs and a pair of sleep shorts â before Tyler suddenly sat up, swung his legs over the side of the bed, and stood.
âWhoa, hey, where you going?â Elizabeth asked hurriedly.
âBathroom,â he closed one eye, pointing toward it.
âNeed some help?â
Using the edge of the bed like a handrail, he worked himself around it and closer to his destination. âI got it, donât worry.â
She tried not to picture him passing out and hitting his head as he closed the door. After she heard the toilet flush and the water running for a good five to ten minutes, she called out, âTyler, you okay?â
Tyler opened the door, shirtless, a toothbrush hanging out of his frothy, toothpaste-covered mouth. âIâm good,â he said before he resumed brushing his teeth.
She spotted his black tee, button down and belt abandoned on the bathroom floor at his feet.
âCouldnât stand my teeth feelinâ fuzzy,â he mumbled through the mouthful of toothpaste. He stopped brushing as something occurred to him. âOops, I think I grabbed your toothbrush by mistake.â he blushed.
âItâs fine.â she assured him.
âWhat time is it?â he asked after heâd gargled and spat.
Elizabeth glanced at a clock. â2am.â
âReally?â
âYeah.â
âWe should get some sleep.â he said sheepishly.
âYeah. I agree.â
He dropped to the bed with the grace of a felled tree, and again fell asleep instantly. Kneeling at the foot of the bed, Elizabeth attempted to wiggle his boots off his feet, which took more effort than she thought, accidentally jostling him awake in the process. âWhatâre you doinâ?â he rose onto his elbows, watching through half-lidded eyes as she struggled to pull his boots off with fond amusement.
âTrying to help you,â she let out a grunt as she straddled his leg and yanked at the unyielding boot.
âYou wanna help me, darlinâ, come on up here and cuddle me.â
She dropped his foot and peered up at him, eyebrow arched. âCuddle you? Thatâs a first coming from you, Cowboy. You donât normally cuddle.â
âMmhm, câmere, honey.â he held out his arms to her as he easily toed off his boots, to her consternation.
She lowered herself onto the bed next to him, and he immediately pulled her flush against his chest, both arms wrapped around her. She adjusted herself slightly, making herself comfortable.
âDamn, you clicked right into place like a Lego. Fit perfectly like you were made to be right here.â his voice rumbled in his chest. âLegos click together, right? Did that make any sense? âM still feelinâ a little smashed.â
His soft, dark chest hair tickled her cheek. âMade sense and also accurate. Very sweet, too.â
âTry to be, at least.â he mumbled. âThis is nice. You smell good, too. Like⌠sandalwood and⌠sage?â
Elizabeth giggled softly. âItâs my shampoo.â
Being this close to him, his familiar, comforting scent wrapped around her along with his warmth like a blanket: the familiar scent of his cologne, mixed with earthier traces of dirt, leather, engine oil, Irish Spring soap, and rain. The scent of home.
She smiled into his chest as she closed her eyes, the strong, steady sound of his heartbeat lulling her to sleep, feeling warm, safe and loved in Tylerâs arms. âGânight, Belle. Sweet dreams.â Tyler murmured.
ââNight, Tyler.â she sighed softly in response.
When daylight came, Elizabeth woke, blinking and disoriented, the little spoon, with one of Tylerâs arms wrapped around her waist, his hand resting at her hip, fingertips just brushing under the edge of her t-shirt.
Her head hurt slightly, whether from the alcohol or the trace amount of whatever drug Tyler had ended up being dosed with, she wasnât sure. But for the moment she simply lay there, eyes closing partway, wrapped in the warmth of Tylerâs presence.
He stirred not that long after, which prompted her to roll over in his arms to where she faced him. âMorninâ, Sleeping Beauty.â she teased him lightly.
âThatâs âsposed to be my line, ya little demon.â he fired back. She laughed softly.
âStill callinâ me that, huh?â she snuggled in closer to his chest.
âOnly when youâre threateninâ to be the death of me, darlinâ.â Tylerâs voice was rough from sleep. At least he could remember the events of the previous night. And what heâd meant to do.
Chapter Thirty-Four - Furry Children and Found Families
Author's note: part of this chapter was inspired by "Lightning on My Lips (Everytime You Kiss Me) by @elliekayfiction and "Soft Spot For You" by @rootedinrevisions
Tyler had worked with Robby Clearwater frequently on Olâ Red in the past, having gotten some help from him on the roll cage.
Robby was an older gentleman, a Navy veteran who after retiring had worked as a mechanic, chiefly on diesel trucks of all sizes and types, along with the occasional car once in a blue moon.
Having heard about the damage done to Olâ Red in El Reno from Lakota, Robby had offered to let Tyler use the truck lift at his repair yard to get under the truck to rerun the electrical for all the switches in the console, along with the welder to repair the roll cage.
Robby also had a small two-room cottage that he said Tyler and Elizabeth could stay in while the repairs were underway.
Admittedly, Robby had a nice property just outside the town limits of Chickasha, with a sizeable lake near the cottage. And the main house he shared with his wife Eileen was admittedly unique in appearance, as Robby was continually adding to the house when the inspiration hit him. It took on more of a bunker-like look than a house, to be honest.
Around the yard in a sort of ring was one of every kind of diesel truck, ranging from a RAM 1500 to a semi. Eileen, also a veteran, had taken to raising and training service dogs as well as those that became police and military K-9s â mostly Golden Retrievers, German Shepherds and Belgian Malinois â and often had a few litters that were just about ready to find forever homes or be trained.
One night after a long day working on the truck at the garage, while Tyler, Elizabeth, Robby and Lakota were camped out in chairs around a bonfire relaxing over pizza and beers, Eileen brought dessert out to everyone, accompanied by the latest litters of puppies. One in particular, a sandy-haired Golden Retriever, seemed to be drawn to Elizabeth and hopped up in the young womanâs lap.
âOh my goodness, theyâre all so adorable,â Elizabeth giggled, âWhere are the others?â she asked. As if on cue, a pair of adult Retrievers and the rest of the litter â four more puppies in all â came running out.
Then a couple of German Shepherds, a Belgian Malinois, and a litter of Shepherd puppies â about four or five in all â also padded out to the bonfire.
Elizabethâs eyes lit up as one of the Shepherd puppies immediately took a liking to her, much like the Retriever had. Tyler, meanwhile, had picked up a little brown-and-white terrier-poodle mix â one that Robby pointed out was a rescue that he and Eileen had found after a storm about a month and a half ago that no one had claimed.
The rest of the puppies soon dispersed, some going under the chairs, while others bolted straight for Robby or Lakota.
Eileen sat across from Elizabeth, the mother Golden Retriever and the adult German Shepherds sitting at her feet. âWe havenât given them any names yet,â she said. âAnd theyâre young enough yet to be given names to where theyâll remember when they get older.â
âEven this little guy?â Tyler asked, indicating the poodle-terrier mix that had all but fallen asleep in his lap.
Eileen laughed softly. âYes, even that one.â she answered. âThe retriever puppies are typically trained to be service dogs, usually helping those with medical conditions, mental disabilities, and even some forms of PTSD. The shepherds and any Malinois we might have are typically trained to become military and/or police dogs, and they are fiercely loyal and protective of the families they become a part of. Would you guys want one? Or two?â
Elizabeth giggled softly as the German Shepherd at her side reared up on its hind paws and was trying to sniff her neck and lick her ear from where she sat so close to the ground.
âActually, weâd like to take these three.â Tyler said, pointing to the poodle-terrier mix asleep in his lap, along with the Shepherd and the Retriever that had all but fallen in love with Elizabeth, the former currently playing with her belt loops while the latter had fallen asleep in her lap. Elizabethâs hazel-green eyes grew wide, the smile curving across her lips unmistakable.
âTyler,â she gasped. She wanted nothing more than to lean over and kiss him, but⌠she was taken at the moment. âAre you sure?â
âTwo of âem have a soft spot for ya, darlinâ. As for this one⌠Iâm pretty sure heâs grown attached to me already.â Tyler chuckled.
âYou got any ideas for names then, son?â Robby asked.
âI was thinkinâ Smokey for the shepherd and Sandy for the retriever.â Tyler said.
âWhat about that little guy you got there in your lap, Tyler?â Elizabeth asked.
Tyler looked down at the little terrier mix in his lap. That was when he noticed a patch on the dogâs forehead that looked like meat marbling.
âWhat about Brisket?â he asked. Elizabeth giggled. âWhat?â
âYou want to name one of our dogs after barbecue?â she asked amid her laughter.
âI like it,â Lakota chimed in.
âAlright, alright. Brisket it is.â Elizabeth smiled. âWelcome to the family, guys.â she said to the puppies.
Later that night, as they settled in with the puppies at the cottage, Tyler had asked Elizabeth to take a walk with him down to the little boat dock by the lake. They stopped at a little bench near the end of the dock and sat, looking out over the water.
Tyler was quiet for a long while, his sage-green eyes locked on something in the far-off distance.
âSomethinâ on your mind, Cowboy?â Elizabeth asked softly as she wrapped an arm around his waist and snuggled in close to his side.
âYeah, you could say that. Mainly about what Iâve been meaninâ to tell ya about my family.â he admitted. ââSpecially since thereâs never been a good time til now to really talk about it.â
âI know,â Elizabeth agreed quietly. âAre you⌠are you okay to talk about it, yet?â she asked carefully.
Tyler hesitated a second, then nodded. âYeah. Just donât know where to start.â he said softly.
âWell, you mentioned in the hospital that you had a brother? An older twin brother?â
âYeah. His nameâs Jake. Well, Jacob Seresin, but he goes by Jake. Or his callsign, Hangman.â
âSeresin? I thought your last name was Owens?â Elizabeth wrinkled a brow in confusion.
âIt is.â Tylerâs voice grew rough for a second. âIâm adopted.â
Elizabethâs eyes widened. âWhat?â
âItâs not what ya think, honey. The people you know as my parents⌠well, theyâre actually my aunt and uncle. My motherâs sister and brother-in-law.â Tyler explained.
âMy aunt and uncle found out they couldnât have children â theyâd tried more than once but never any luck, and⌠well, itâs complicated, but they ended up adopting me. And Jakeâs not the only sibling I have. I also have two sisters.â
Elizabethâs jaw dropped. âHoly shit,â she whispered softly.
âYeah. Their names are Lauren and Leslie. Laurenâs older than me and Jake. Leslie is the youngest outta the four of us.â Tyler chuckled.
Elizabeth was silent for a minute, trying to wrap her head around everything. âIâd love to know what youâre thinkinâ, honey.â Tyler said quietly, pulling her from her thoughts.
âItâs a lot to take in. Could you tell me more about Jake?â
Tyler snickered. âWell, for starters, heâs only older than me by a few hours. Heâs a pilot for the Navy â a Naval Aviator â and basically a carbon copy of me, give or take a couple little details, only more of a cocky shithead than I choose to be. Heâs definitely a ladiesâ man, but he swears up and down he wants to find what Iâve got. Or, what I hope Iâve got.â he explained.
âWhich is?â Elizabeth arched a brow, intrigued.
Tyler leaned in and kissed her forehead. âThat special someone that grounds him. Sees through the cockiness to whatâs underneath. But most of all, someone to come home to, to make it all worth it in the end.â
Elizabeth laughed softly. âSounds like a tall order if heâs that cocky. Sounds like youâd have to take your level of cockiness and then, what, double it?â
Tyler chuckled. âYeah. Youâd think. But the cockiness and all that isnât how heâs always been.â
Tyler swallowed hard. âHeâs been in the Navy for years, been through a lot. From what heâs been allowed to tell me, there were a couple missions he went on years ago with his wingman â whoâs still flyinâ with him, by the way â that really got to them both, even though they both came back alive. I mean, Iâm no shrink or anythinâ like that, but whatever happened up there, it mustâve really gotten to him. Since then heâs been cocky, borderline arrogant. Not at all like the person I met years ago.â
âSomethinâ I might understand, then.â Elizabeth said softly.
It was Tylerâs turn to arch a brow. âYou think so?â he asked.
âMaybe.â Elizabeth shrugged. âI mean, trauma takes different forms. Same with near-death experiences. It messes with your head in all sorts of ways. And thereâs different ways of coping with it, or so I was told when I was talking with my therapist after Muskogee. I didnât develop much of a coping mechanism â thatâs why I kept havinâ the intense nightmares and the panic attacks.â
âSo youâre sayinâ Jakeâs cockiness could be a coping mechanism to deal with whatever he faced up there?â
âPartly. I canât say for sure, having never met him, but it sounds like itâs partly born from confidence, ego and pride, but itâs also used to hide whatâs underneath, especially if it left any kind of emotional scars. It could be because he doesnât want everyone to see it, only certain ones that he trusts. Like you.â Elizabeth reasoned.
Tyler swallowed hard, his eyes prickling a bit. âDamn, darlinâ, that got a little deep.â he managed to chuckle.
Elizabeth laughed softly. âComes with experience, I guess. Tell me about the rest of your family â your parents, your sisters, whatever you feel comfortable sharing with me.â
They talked for a little while longer â and while Jake never came back up in the conversation til the very end â it became clear that out of everyone in the family Tyler never knew heâd had, Jake was the one he was closest to, though he loved his sisters fiercely, along with his biological parents, Tom and Cyndy Seresin.
Meanwhile, the parents who had raised him â his uncle Kenny and aunt Susan â were in the process of moving back to Dardanelle. While they hadnât been able to buy back the exact property that had been bought out from under them when Tyler had been a teenager, theyâd been able find a nice place for themselves with a decent amount of land.
Tom and Cyndy had been in Texas for a while after Tylerâs adoption â having spent the next twenty years or so in Austin until Jake had gotten into the Naval Academy â but were also moving back to Dardanelle. In fact, theyâd been helping Kenny and Susan with their move, and Kenny and Susan were returning the favor.
Tylerâs sisters, Lauren and Leslie, still lived in Austin. Lauren was married with two sets of twins, and Leslie had just gotten married and was expecting her first child.
From the pride and affection in his voice, Elizabeth got the impression that Tyler loved his siblings fiercely, Jake especially, even though heâd only known them a short amount of time.
In some ways, Tylerâs growing relationship with his siblings reminded her of her own relationship with Luke, the brother she hadnât known about until they were both adults.
The morning of the events in El Reno, Tyler had called Jake while Elizabeth had been on the phone with her mother. Heâd confided in Jake his fears and worries about the possibility of getting Elizabeth pregnant, and Jake, in turn, had talked Tyler down and gotten him to get out of his head, if only a little bit, to help him focus up.
He told Elizabeth about the promise heâd made â that heâd go and visit Jake when he got the chance â and that Jake had requested that he meet Elizabeth, to âmeet the girl who had ahold of his little brotherâs dumbass tornado chasinâ cowboy heartâ, to which Elizabeth had let out a decidedly unladylike snort before she broke out in full-bellied laughter.
All joking and teasing aside, Elizabeth genuinely hoped to be able to meet the rest of Tylerâs family one day soon â his parents, his sisters â and especially Jake.
Tyler noticed the look on Elizabethâs face had changed over the course of the conversation â she looked like her thoughts were a million miles away â the way she did when she was thinking about the past â or thinking about the future.
âSomethinâ on your mind, darlinâ?â Tyler said at one point, jarring her out of wherever her thoughts had gone.
âJust thinkinâ about some things.â she murmured absently.
âI can hear the gears turninâ in your head loud and clear, honey. Whatâs goinâ on in that beautiful mind of yours?â he said gently.
âYou said we were fixinâ to take a road trip once Olâ Redâs been fixed up.â she didnât phrase it like a question.
âYeahâŚâ
âWould this trip happen to take us to Dardanelle, to see your parents? And your aunt and uncle?â Elizabeth asked cautiously.
âAnd possibly to meet my sisters over in Texas, if youâre okay with it?â Tyler asked hopefully.
âAnd Jake?â
âIâd have to talk to him to find out if heâs stateside or deployed â if the latterâs the case weâd have to wait til he comes back â but yes, potentially.â Tyler replied.
Elizabeth swallowed. Nerves were blooming in her gut at the prospect of meeting Tylerâs family â the part sheâd never known about â but was excited to as well, especially since these people were an important part of Tylerâs life.
And, by extension, if everything turned out the way they both hoped â theyâd come to occupy an important part of her life, too.
âYou okay, honey? If you donât wanna do this, we can always wait a bit,â Tyler asked cautiously, before Elizabeth cut him off with a kiss.
When she pulled away, leaning her forehead against his, she whispered softly, âIâd love to meet your family, Tyler. Especially since they mean so much to you.â
Tyler smiled softly as he reached down to take Elizabethâs hands in his. âYou know I love ya, right, Belle? Like, I really fuckinâ love you,â he said quietly.
âAnd no matter where we end up goinâ from here, whether itâs stayinâ in Oklahoma or goinâ to Arkansas, I canât wait to spend the rest of my life with you. Canât wait to have a big olâ family with you.â
âI know. And I want that too, more than you know.â Elizabeth said softly. She kept her forehead pressed to his as her eyes fluttered shut a moment.
âGod, I canât wait to marry you some day,â Tyler murmured as he leaned in to kiss her. âEven if I havenât proposed to ya yet.â
âYou know I donât need any grand gestures or anything. Youâve been wanting to marry me since we were children.â Elizabeth laughed softly. âBesides, all I want, all I need, is you.â she added.
âAnd youâll always have me, darlinâ.â Tyler murmured, leaning in for one more kiss. âI know weâre kinda goinâ about this in a funky way, but Iâm hopinâ that the puppies are a step in the right direction.â
âDefinitely.â Elizabeth replied.
A week later, after the last of the repairs had been finished, Tyler and Elizabeth loaded up the truck to head out.
They were headed to El Reno first â Boone had insisted on doing an end-of-season celebration of sorts outside of town to celebrate the teamâs success with the taming project â and the addition of three new members to the team, including Elizabeth.
Then, once that was over, Tyler and Elizabeth were headed to Dardanelle, to meet Tylerâs parents and visit with his aunt and uncle, followed by a run to Austin to meet Tylerâs sisters.
If Jake was still stationed in California and not deployed overseas, the plan was to continue on to there. If not, theyâd be returning to Oklahoma and would make plans with Jake to meet him later.
As Elizabeth and Tyler got into the truck, with Smokey and Brisket in the backseat behaving perfectly, Sandy, the little Golden Retriever puppy, managed to wriggle her way to the front, eventually curling up on Elizabethâs lap.
Elizabeth laughed softly, gently petting Sandy on top of her head before leaning across the console and pressing a kiss to Tylerâs shoulder. âThank you,â she whispered to him.
Tyler, wearing his cowboy hat again, tipped it back as he glanced her way. âYouâre welcome, though you donât need to thank me.â he murmured.
Then he reached over, scratching between Sandyâs ears, his voice softening a degree further. âSheâs definitely got a soft spot for ya, sweetheart.â he added teasingly.
Elizabeth smiled softly. âSo do you, Cowboy.â she teased back.
Tyler chuckled as he shook his head. âYouâre not wrong there, sweetheart.â before she could tease him any further, Tyler leaned over, cupping her cheek with one hand and pulling her in for a long, slow and lingering kiss, with Sandy nestled between them.
His lips were warm and soft this morning, tasting faintly of his coffee, and when he pulled away, he brushed his thumb over her cheek as his signature smirk returned.
âCâmon,â he said, pulling away and turning to the truckâs dash. âLetâs get our furry kids to El Reno so they can meet the rest of our little family.â
Elizabeth smiled softly in response to that. Her heart felt full, and with little Sandy nestled in her lap, she had a feeling that wherever she and Tyler ended up, home would never feel any sweeter than it did with him, and the puppies.
After a few more weeks of craziness following El Reno, things were finally starting to slow down. The end of the season was mere days away. And a rare quiet day meant the chance to slow down and catch another breath.
There were a great many reasons for Elizabeth Harding to love the promise of summer. Picnics under a favorite tree (or in the bed of Tylerâs truck, especially on date nights), ice cream shops coming out with seasonally outlandish sugary treats that could take down even the most hyperactive child.
The days would be longer, hotter, and filled with laughter and bonfires and fireworks â as if the last of those things had a designated season for setting them off.
But Boone would take on just about anyone who dared try to say otherwise.
Tornado season would soon be over, which, depending on who Elizabeth asked, was not exactly a reason to love the stifling heat that would come with the change in seasons.
So, for the time being, Elizabeth enjoyed the quiet.
That day in particular, they were all camped out in a field near the outskirts of El Reno â Tyler, Elizabeth, Boone, Dani, Lily, Dexter, Kate, Javi, and even Ben, who had extended his stay in Oklahoma long enough to finish his article â working on why some of the sensors appeared to be malfunctioning and giving them wonky readings that were throwing off their data.
The sky that day was a brilliant blue â the storms expected for the area didnât look like they would do much as far as spinning up any tornadoes â so it was either find a motel or set up camp some place.
Ultimately, theyâd unanimously decided to spend some time away from the rest of the âchasing circusâ at Javi still called it would do them all some good.
Ben, Javi, Kate, Boone and Dani were all sitting in camping chairs. Dexter was camped in the doorway of the camper. Lily was in the back of the van, working on Cairo II, while Elizabeth and Tyler were on the roof of Olâ Red. The puppies â Smokey, Brisket and Sandy â were lounging in the grass along with Boone and the others.
A burst of laughter caught Elizabethâs attention. Ben, Javi, Kate, Boone and Dani were huddled in their circle of camp chairs, their faces flushed with amusement, and what looked like mirth.
âWonder what theyâre up to down there,â Tyler muttered, his attention fixed on the barometer. Elizabeth was supposed to be helping him by handing him tools, but sheâd gotten distracted.
âWho the hell knows,â Elizabeth snorted, âLet them have their fun, though. I think we could all use a laugh.â she added.
Tyler chuckled, pointing at her with a wrench. âCareful what ya wish for, sweetheart.â
"No way, Dex!" Boone exclaimed, slapping his thigh with one hand. "There's no way that actually happened!"
Dexter sat back, a mock look of offense crossing his face. "I swear it on my mama's peach cobbler that it's true! That cow went flying right over my truck! I thought I was going crazy!"
"Please," Dani scoffed, rolling her eyes. "If we're talking crazy storm stories, let me tell y'all about the time I saw a whole trailer park get rearranged by an EF3. It looked like some demented game of Tetris when it was over."
Elizabeth couldn't help the chuckle that escaped as she listened to them try to one-up each other. It had become a tradition among the Wranglers, each storm chase adding to their repertoire of unbelievable tales.
Hearing them banter like this reminded her of her parents' old team. And of the Tornado Tamers.
She couldn't help herself. "Hey," she called out to them, "don't forget about the time that Tyler here almost got taken out by a porta-potty!"
Tyler groaned beside her. "Seriously, Belle? Did you have to bring that up?"
The group erupted into laughter below them, and Elizabeth turned to Tyler with a wide, innocent smile. "What? It's a classic!" the mischievous glint in her eyes didn't match the innocence in her smile.
"Yeah, yeah," Tyler grumbled, but she could see the amusement in his sage-green eyes. "Keep it up and I'll push you off the roof of the truck."
Elizabeth gasped in mock horror. "Tyler Owens, you wouldn't dare."
"Try me, Harding." he challenged, reaching towards her with mock menace.
"That's soon-to-be Owens to you, mister." she retorted, poking him in the chest with her left hand, feeling the cool yet familiar weight of the ring that hadn't been there long, its presence having already grown on her.
Tyler's face softened as he caught her hand, bringing it to his lips. "I like the sound of that." he murmured softly.
"I know you do." Elizabeth replied quietly, leaning in and touching her forehead to his, closing her eyes, the softest of smiles crossing her face.
"Damn! Get a room, lovebirds!" Lily yelled, earning another round of laughter from the rest of the team.
Elizabeth felt her cheeks grow warm with blush, but she couldn't bring herself to care that much. She was too happy, too content in the moment.
But it didn't last for long.
âYou know what the nice thing is about all this?â Javi asked, gesturing with the can of beer he held in hand for emphasis.
âWhat?â Dani asked.
âThe way things are goinâ, I can see Crazy Kate and Devil-Girl Elizabeth returning.â
âJavi,â Kate warned, shaking her head with a good-natured grin on her face.
Javi just grinned at her. âEvil mastermind Kate. And even more diabolical Tempe.â
âLies. False accusations.â Elizabeth protested playfully. Tyler chuckled at her side.
âYâall have no idea the forces of nature you have on your side now.â Javi continued, undaunted.
That did it. Despite Kate and Elizabeth trying to shut it down, Boone jumped at the bait.
âAlright, spill, Javi. Whatâcha got?â
Now they were all listening. Even Tyler had quit fiddling with the sensors on the top of his truck to focus on Javi, giving Elizabeth his tell-tale smirk when he noticed her watching him a moment too long.
Elizabeth just rolled her eyes. Kate let out a snort.
âRight, so Kate and Elizabeth as chasers? Fantastic, crazy, absolute naturals. Mother hen friends? Theyâre your ride or die, and youâll never have anyone better at your back. Which we proved time and again. But Kate and Elizabeth as your enemy? Youâd better run.â Javi said.
Elizabeth rolled her eyes a second time, refocusing on the barometer she and Tyler had been working on. âYou need some new stories, Rivera.â She said.
Javi wasnât phased by it. âSo as you probably know, Kate and Elizabeth were the leaders of our little rag-tag team. Our bosses. The Mama Bears. Hell, I could tell a million stories about Kate and Tempe lookinâ out for everybody. But thereâs a couple that you guys will absolutely love.â
Uh oh. Kate and Elizabeth shared a look. There was no telling where Javi was going with that one.
âSo to start, I have to explain about Addy. She was bubbly, outgoing, and smiley, and all too willing to hang out the window of the car to get a good photo of a storm.â Javi began.
At this, Tyler playfully ribbed Elizabeth, smirking at her with a loving look in his eyes. "Sounds like somethin' you might do, darlin'." he teased with a chuckle.
Elizabeth shook her head at Tylerâs teasing. She shouldâve seen it coming when Javi started telling the story, but decided to let it go.
âShe was also super-unassuming. We used to get her to check into the motel when we stayed somewhere, then the rest of us would all sneak in later, just to save the money. They never suspected her. But she came alive under a supercell, just as any chaser does. Yet she always had this air of⌠I donât know, sweetness?â
âIt was authenticity,â Kate and Elizabeth said in unison without thinking. They gave each other a playfully annoyed look.
âIt was like she couldnât possibly be up to anything. Sheâd always have your back, just because. And she was unfailingly kind, always ready to help someone. That was especially true from the first time we met.â Kate added.
âRight,â everyoneâs attention refocused on Javi. âSo, one time she met this guy. Theyâd had a few dates â casual things â college football games, a few nights out, even trivia night. Things were going pretty well. Then the idiot decided to open his mouth.â
Elizabeth snorted. âYeah, the moron basically told her she was âtoo prettyâ for tornadoes,â she had decided to jump in. If Javi really wanted to tell this story, they might as well get it right. âI wish I was making this up, but he said that âher magnificent beauty was made for sunny beaches and the Cali morning forecast, not something as dangerous, manly and ugly as chasing stormsâ.â
The reaction was exactly what Kate and Elizabeth expected. All of the Wranglers choked on their drinks and their laughter, eyes wide with a combo of shock and disbelief.
âAddy was not happy with him after that conversation went down. So, she, Kate and Belle started scheming.â
âWhoa, whoa, whoa, she was scheming. I was supervising.â Kate protested.
âWE were supervising, damnit! Get it right, Carter!â Elizabeth cut in, almost howling. That led to another round of snorts and laughter.
âSupervising. Sure. Well, at that time, we were still drawing up plans for the Tamer project â testing our dispersal methods, working with different radars and scanners, all sorts of technical stuff. About a week after the conversation with the moron, we set out after a storm. And it was Addyâs idea that we were going to be testing.
Kate decided to cut in. Again. âWe found the tornado â though it was all Addyâs doing â since we decided it would be her chase. We found ourselves a beautiful EF1, got into the damage path, deployed the barrels we had and got out of the way and set up for filming.â She said.
âNow, bear in mind, the girls hadnât said a word about what it was they had planned. Jeb, Praveen and I had no idea. Iâm on one side of the van, with Praveen on the sensors, while Jebâs over with the girls on the other side, having pulled out of the way and set up the cam. Then, boom. Glittery pink tornado, here we come.â
There was a moment of silence as Javi let this set in with the others, save for Kate and Elizabeth.
âGlittery pink tornado?!â The synchronization among the Wranglers wouldâve been impressive if it wasnât so hilarious at the same time.
Elizabeth started cackling from the top of Olâ Red, as she and Kate reveled in the mixed reactions.
âYep. Pink tornado.â Kate confirmed. âTempe and I were on board with it. To this day, I still donât know how she managed to get a hold of 300 gallons of non-toxic biodegradable pink glitter in three days.â
âYeah, me neither, and I was the one helpinâ her mix it all together, remember?â Elizabeth agreed with a chuckle.
The shocked faces, the awe, the disbelief and eyes darting from her to Kate to Javi and then to the barrels on the trailer hooked to the back of Olâ Red were amusing enough.
Then there was the realization that Addy had developed the deployment method they were using now, in part just to spite a misogynist moron.
In that moment, Elizabeth couldnât help the giggle that cut loose as Javi pulled up photos, including ones of each of the girls posing in front of the glittery pink funnel.
âHoly shit, dude, thatâs like, fully glittered and pink. Cloud to ground.â
âThat is a very pink and glittery tornado.â
âStorm Chaser Barbies, in stores when?â
âThat. Is. Amazing.â
âHey, Javi, Tempe, what was it she yelled?â Kate asked.
âFeminine enough for you, Erik?!â Elizabeth cackled.
ââCourse you missed the conversation about trying to launch a fourth of July level of fireworks into a tornado.â Javi said casually, which made Booneâs eyes nearly blow out of his skull.
âWhat?!â
âRemember, Javi, she was as crazy as the rest of us,â Elizabeth said. âNever let the sweetness fool you.â She added. âThere was a devil in there that occasionally came out to play.â
âSounds familiar,â Tyler said as Elizabeth showed him the photos sheâd pulled up of the funnel, and she saw the way his eyes lit up as he scanned the pictures. Something inside of her felt warm and gooey, as it so often did when that look entered the equation.
Then, as he handed her phone back, that familiar, trouble-making smirk returned.
âImpressive. Very Wrangler of you two.â Tyler said, âBut, having said that, Iâm not seeinâ the evil mastermind side. Protective and supportive, for sure, but not evil.â
âNaw, that was Addyâs other ex, Daniel.â Javi sighed, âI loved her, I really did. But damn did she attract some brainless weirdoes.â
âThatâs one way of putting it.â Elizabethâs tone darkened slightly.
Kate drew in a breath she hadnât meant to. They hadnât spoken that much about that particularly worthless rat after the breakup. Addy had deserved much better than trash like him.
Fortunately, for the most part, everyone was too focused on Javiâs story to notice her working to regain her calm. Save for Javi himself, and Elizabeth, the latter looking to be in the same boat.
Javi looked over at her, silently asking if she was okay. She nodded and managed a small smile. Their relationship was still so new in the aftermath of the events at El Reno, but she appreciated the concern he had for her in moments like this.
Elizabeth took a deep breath. At her side, Tylerâs sage-green eyes darted over to her, a flicker of concern in them. You okay? He seemed to ask without speaking. Elizabeth nodded tightly. He looked skeptical, but didnât say anything.
âWhen I say the guy was an asshole? I mean that he was about the worst. Of course, he was a nice enough guy for what, five months?â Javi said.
âYeah,â Kate agreed, âFrom Halloween to about 2-3 weeks into chasing season, so about five months.â
âSo, yeah, he seemed nice enough â a pretty reasonable guy, if a bit full of himself.â Javi said.
âI personally didnât like the guy â none of us really did â but she was happy, so we went with it to keep the peace.â Elizabeth added.
âBut then we started chasing again. We were working around classes so we never went far from campus, and we never went for more than a few days at a time for the same reason.â Javi said.
âThen the asshole started showing his true colors about 2-3 weeks in. He somehow got it into his head that sheâd been lying about chasing. Heâd decided that she was cheating on him.â Elizabeth said, her voice growing colder.
The reactions were as expected.
âOh, God.â
âUgh, what a bastard.â
âFuck that guy.â
Elizabeth smirked. At least her friends had their priorities right.
Kate continued where Javi and Elizabeth had left off.
âWell, they started having arguments about it between classes, then, one day, she showed up at the apartment I shared with Tempe, looking madder than hell. Heâd apparently lost it on her â threatened her if she didnât tell him who she was sleeping with â even some shit worse than that. He basically went full psycho on her. So she came over absolutely furious and vowing never to go back to him.â
âGood on her, if you ask me. Asshole was asking for trouble.â Elizabeth nearly growled.
The entire mood had gone cold, understandably so. From the corner of her eye, Elizabeth saw Tylerâs expression darken, his lips pressed tightly together, but he didnât interrupt.
âWell,â Kate continued, âWe talked - the three of us â and hugged it out and ate a tub of ice cream together. Then Tempe and I offered Addy some options. She could call him to break up and stay with us, call him to break up and stay with us but also invite the others over as backup, if she thought he was going to react badly, orâŚâ
âAnd here comes evil Kate and Tempe.â Javi warned.
Kate smirked. âOr, we prove the truth before she breaks up with him. So, we invited him on one of our chases.â
The realization rippled through their captive audience. Boone snorted. Dexter grinned like a maniac. Dani slapped her hands together, clapping madly. Elizabeth smirked, a wolfish glee in her eyes at the shift in the story, and everyoneâs demeanors.
She couldnât see Booneâs expression down below them, but at her side, Elizabeth saw that Tylerâs face had lit up again, though some of that shadow still lingered.
Elizabeth reached over and took one of Tylerâs hands in hers. âIâll take the story from here,â she said, raising her voice. Everyone fell silent. âSo, we brought this SoCal overconfident, Mr. Me, jackass along with us. We let Addy take the lead and make a lot of the calls, and we got closer that day than Iâd ever seen even Kate get before that day. I mean, we were right up on it. And it wasnât a small storm either. It was easily an EF3, a frickinâ beauty. Kate and Addy and I were cheering and whooping it up, havinâ the time of our lives. Meanwhile the jackass was ââ she paused as she let out a decidedly unladylike snort, â- he was in the backseat, clinging to the front seat with everything in him. Never seen such a tough guy brought so low. The only way it couldâve been funnier is if heâd pissed himself out of fright.â
Once again, there were ripples of jeers and laughter in response to the story.
Elizabeth had to stop to let herself laugh a couple of moments before she regained her composure, and her audience. âEventually he managed to crawl out of the car on shaking legs. He was kneelinâ in the dust, begginâ and pleadinâ for Addy to forgive him, sayinâ that he believed her, sayinâ that he was so sorry. What a marshmallow.â She said with a snort.
The memory of that asshole brought so low, and finally seeing Addy at her most powerful and authentic self, came back to her, along with the way Addy had smiled and pulled out of his grasp, fueled by the confidence that the chase had given her.
What was one pathetic coward compared to the pure power of nature?
âShe broke up with him right then and there,â Kate took up the end of the story, giving Elizabeth a break. âShe said good riddance, and that was it. We got in the car, and left. We watched him get smaller and smaller just sitting in the dust like a moron.â
There was another round of cheers.
God, how Kate loved her new friends. The Tamers would have fit right in.
âShe was smiling â it was âI can do better, have a nice life, byeâ with a wave, and then into the car and away we went.â Elizabeth laughed.
Booneâs face popped up over the side of the truckâs roof. âIâm glad youâre on our side, Belle. And you too, Kate. That was savage.â
Lily and Dani chimed in a second later.
âI can go along with that.â
âAlways figured there was somethinâ more to ya, Kate.â Lily said, high-fiving Kate.
âYeah, there was a gas station like a half mile away, and he had his phone and a signal and stuff, so he was fine. Still, it felt great to get Addy smiling again. And to see that asshole realize she was greater and stronger than he couldâve imagined? Priceless.â Kate said with a smirk.
âThat was badass,â Lily said, giving her another high-five, then doing the same with Elizabeth.
âProtective Kate and Elizabeth stopped an EF5,â Tyler interjected, giving Elizabethâs hand a squeeze. âHow many of yâall are actually surprised by this?â
âYeah, Iâm gonna be honest, the glittery pink tornado was more impressive than scaring some jackass. Though both make me glad youâre both on our side. You too, Javi.â Dani said.
âI too would devise a way to glamorize a tornado if someone told me girls couldnât chase.â
âBetter or worse than what Lily did in Jacksonville to ââ
âWhoa, hey, letâs not.â
Below Tyler and Elizabeth, a heated discussion quickly broke out debating over the best revenge you could get on a jackass ex. Tyler leaned in close, brushing some loose hair behind Elizabethâs ear.
âToo pretty for chasing. As if storms arenât one of the most beautiful things to come from nature.â He said softly.
Elizabeth snickered before pulling Tylerâs arm around her shoulders and leaning in close. She nestled her head under Tylerâs chin.
âDamn right,â she agreed quietly. âHope those stories didnât scare ya, Cowboy.â She added.
âNever,â Tyler chuckled. âYouâre my wild girl, Belle. And I wouldnât change it for anythinâ. If anythinâ it just gave me another reason why I love you.â
Elizabeth closed her eyes, smiling softly, as she snuggled in close to Tylerâs chest. She felt his lips on the crown of her head as he softly kissed her. âLove you too, baby.â She whispered.
A brilliant crack of thunder cut across the conversation below them, making Elizabeth raise her head, ears perked as her hazel-green eyes opened and scanned the skies. The storms that hadnât looked that promising earlier in the day were starting to look more invigorated.
The beautiful blue sky had turned to a slate gray, a greenish tinge to the sky below the approaching thunderheads, but it only made Elizabethâs heart begin to race in the best way possible.
"Goin' green," she whispered, just audibly enough for Tyler to hear.
"Greenage," Tyler muttered. "Let's ride, guys! She's gonna give us something!" he added, raising his voice.
Every one of the Wranglers came alive in that moment as they started packing up, finishing various adjustments and preparing to head south where the storm was starting to come alive.
There was no mistaking the goofy, joy-filled grins that graced Elizabethâs and Tylerâs faces as they jumped down from the roof of Olâ Red and got in, Boone jumping into the backseat.
As the other Wranglers started checking in over the radio while everyone got moving, Elizabeth was struck by a single, simple thought. She mightâve been through hell the last five years, having lost three friends in the Muskogee EF5. But the way she saw it now â one door had been closed, opening another one that she never would have imagined.
Yeah, it still hurt that Jeb and Addy and Praveen were gone. She would always wonder what would have been if they were still alive. Wonder about how they would interact with the Tornado Wranglers. Wonder about just how far they could go with the Tamer project.
But at the same time, Elizabeth had found something special that helped filled the void that they had left behind. Something amazing. The way her mother had put it when she was younger, if a person was lucky enough, you would end up with two families in life.
One was the family you were born into â the one you were related to by blood and by marriage. And by extension, if fate was good to them, that would continue when she and Tyler decided they were ready to have kids and start a family of their own. She smiled at the thought, seeing a mini Tyler or a mini of herself running around the ranch back over near Wakita. Or maybe one of each.
But the other was just as special. Just as precious. And that was the family that you chose â the friends who had the most profound impact on your life, the ones who supported you, laughed with you, and cried with you.
And Elizabeth was lucky enough that the Wranglers had come to occupy that place in her life, along with Kate and Javi, just as the Tamers had in the past. It made her think of a line from a movie sheâd loved as a kid, "Lilo and Stitch". This is my family. I found it, all on my own. Itâs little and broken, but still good. Yeah, still good.
âYou good, Belle?â Tylerâs voice pulled her from her thoughts. She looked over at him, seeing the soft smile on his face, one reserved only for her, when they werenât on camera.
âIâm good. Just thinking.â She replied.
âAlright, Tyler, looks like the stormâs about to spin somethinâ up.â Dani called over the radio.
âCopy, weâre checkinâ the radar now.â Tyler answered, as Elizabeth focused on the radar.
âDamn⌠CAPEâs off the charts. Wind shearâs lookinâ good.â Elizabeth murmured as she glanced at the radar between them. âDew pointâs right in the sweet spot.â
âSo which way, then, Tempe?â Boone called from the back seat. âIt looks like itâs gonna split. Part of itâll head towards El Reno, the other out into the countryside.
Elizabeth scanned the radar again, processing everything as quickly as she could. Then her eyes shifted from the radar to the sky. As they closed in on the highway, she could see the subtle shift. It was going to split alright. And she could see where they needed to go.
âWhatâcha think, darlinâ?â Tyler asked, and she looked over at him, a smirk slowly crossing her face.
She grabbed the mic for the radio from his hand. âDani, the battle zone is gonna be northeast of 81.â She called.
âCopy that, Tempe.â Dani answered.
âYou ready?â Tyler asked her. She turned back to him again. The smile was still there, but now there was also a hint of that familiar smirk. The one that always made her heart skip a beat, no matter how many times or ways she saw it.
âI was born ready, Cowboy. Letâs ride.â She answered.
Yeah. She had two families, though sometimes it was more like one extended family. And she loved them both unconditionally.
Even if said family (or families) were a bit unconventional, maybe a little insane, Elizabeth had never been a conventional person. Being the daughter of Bill and Jo Harding and having the instincts she had as a chaser pretty much ruled that out.
And if anyone told her that being in love with someone like Tyler Owens made her a sane woman by being the voice of reason, she would have to call them out on being wrong. Because sanity had no room when it came to Tyler.
Sanity didnât send her into a tornado with him. And it certainly didnât lead to what came in the backseat of his truck after, the adrenaline still pumping through their veins as they chased a different kind of high.
Nope. Being in love with Tyler Owens made any sense of sanity completely fly out the window with no hope of coming back. Made her throw caution to the wind and chase that high. Made her ride the edge.
Made her want and beg for more.
Tylerâs love for her was soft and ever-consuming, a gentleness that made up for the intensity of everything else. It was why it was so easy for her to put her life in his hands every single time they went out into the storm. The same way he put his life in her hands.
She heard Boone let out a whoop behind her. As she settled back into the seat, her eyes glanced down of their own accord to the ring on her left third finger, and a smile crossed her face, though her cheeks turned a little pink at where her thoughts had gone for the briefest of moments.
Yeah. This was her family. And she wouldnât change any of it for anything.
Chapter Thirty-Three - If You Feel It, You Should Chase It*
Warnings: Cursing, SMUT (Minors MDI - 18+ only - divider will indicate where it begins) (Dividers courtesy of @isthiscoinsidenceorasign)
It was another few days before Elizabeth Harding was released from the hospital and able to go home. The doctors werenât expecting any lasting damage from any of her injuries â despite the more serious ones to her leg and side â which ached fiercely whenever the weather changed, almost every day now as the outbreaks continued â but Elizabeth was in a good place, physically.
Mentally and emotionally, however, it was a different story.
Well, for one, I have a brother. An older twin brother.
The words had rattled around inside Elizabethâs head for days since Tylerâs revelation about a family even he hadnât known he had. But Tyler had yet to fully explain everything.
The timing had never been right â people coming to visit her while in the hospital, or the continued pain medication regimen while she recovered that kept her somewhat drowsy.
But at least she hadnât been on the heavy stuff, the stuff that ran her the risk of becoming addicted. That had been a plus.
After her release, she had been cleared to travel, if it was needed, but had been advised to keep flying at a minimum for a few more weeks unless it was absolutely necessary.
Which was why she felt shitty about the current situation.
She currently sat in the back seat of Javiâs truck, Kate and Javi up front, outside Rogers World Airport, with a duffel bag at her side.
She was prepared to fly with Kate to New York â to help her present their data to the National Weather Service Review Board in hopes of landing a grant to keep their research going into taming tornadoes.
She hadnât said a word about it to Tyler â heâd been busy with some of the repairs on his truck, affectionately dubbed Olâ Red after El Reno since it had essentially survived mostly intact and due to its age.
And heâd been busy with chasing when he wasnât fixing it, having borrowed her truck in the interim. The season wasnât winding down anytime soon.
She fully intended on coming back home once she and Kate were done in New York, regardless of whether Kate decided she was coming back for good. Elizabeth wasnât running.
At least, that was what she was trying to convince herself of.
Her left leg and side were aching again â the weather had been looking pretty nasty throughout the day to that point â with more storms building all over Oklahoma. But she was determined to push through the pain, to get this done.
She was also determined not to distance herself from Kate. That was why sheâd volunteered to fly with her to New York, and to help present their data, to land that grant.
She couldnât help but feel a surge of pride whenever she thought about it. Their fallen friends would be proud that they were taking this chance. She could feel it.
âDoor to door service,â Javi said to Kate as he came to a stop. âJust like I promised. Brought you back in one piece.â he continued.
âYeah, just about.â Kate chuckled.
The three of them laughed and got out of the truck, Javi helping with their suitcases. Then he looked between the two women.
âLook, when you two get to New York with the review board, theyâre gonna say it was the fire from the refinery or the smoke or a million other things that caused that tornado to vanish. And thatâs fine, too. But the point is that we know these things can be disrupted.â he said.
As Javi spoke, a shuttle bus heading to a nearby hotel pulled away from the terminal, revealing a familiar red truck covered in dents. And the driver was knee-deep in an argument with airport police.
To Elizabeth, Javiâs next words went in one ear and out the other. She swallowed dry. Tyler was not going to be happy to see her.
âWe need a whole new branch of research on how to harness these storms,â Javi went on.
Kate raised an eyebrow. âAre you sure you donât wanna do the pitch? Sounds like you wanna do it.â
Javi smiled sheepishly. âNaw. A partner? No, go get us that money, you know what Iâm saying. I ditched Riggs. A fresh start, aâright?â
âMaybe itâs time to renovate the old barn.â Kate offered, hinting at the possibility of her return.
âI like that. I like that.â Javi said, looking forward to more time with her. Then he spotted Tyler walking over, who didnât look too happy despite the tight smile on his face. âOh, Owens!â
âStorm Par. Sapulpa. Elizabeth.â
Elizabeth bit the inside of her cheek when he didnât use either of her nicknames, proof enough in the moment that he was not happy with her. His next words were directed at Kate.
âStill not tellinâ me when youâre cominâ back? Thought we were becoming best friends.â Tylerâs teasing tone didnât match the tension in his jaw.
âI donât know. This could be it.â Kate lied.
Javi scoffed. âYeah, right.â
Then, Tyler finally looked at Elizabeth. âCan I get a minute alone with this one?â he asked, his voice deadly calm.
Elizabeth swallowed dry again as Kate and Javi shared a look before stepping to the side, leaving the two alone. Elizabeth looked at the ground, avoiding eye-contact.
âThe hell are you doinâ here, Belle?â Tyler asked with a frown on his face.
âWhatâs it look like?â Elizabeth asked, nodding to her suitcase. âIâm gettinâ on a plane.â
âAnd you didnât think to tell me?â Tyler asked, sounding hurt.
Elizabeth winced. âKate asked me to help present the data from El Reno to the review board, to get some grant money â itâs not gonna be cheap to keep the PAR radars.â she said quietly.
âAnd what happens when you get back? You gonna go back to the city?â Tyler challenged.
âNot if I had a damn good reason to stay.â Elizabeth replied.
âI thought you told me Iâd given you a reason to stay, Belle. Was that not enough?â Tyler asked.
âItâs more than enough. But I canât let Kate down. I promised I would help.â Elizabeth answered.
âThen let me come with you.â Tyler said.
âNot a chance. Youâd hate it in New York.â Elizabeth said with a snort.
âNot if I was with you.â
âCome on, Tyler, you donât mean that-â
âYeah, I do, Belle. From the bottom of my heart.â Tyler cut her off. âI know things are movinâ fast and in a bit of a funky direction, but I swear to you, I've never loved anyone as much as I do you. You promised me you were done runninâ. You tellinâ me you lied to me?â
Elizabethâs heart skipped a couple of beats before it began racing the way it did during the El Reno tornado. Because she could see it in Tylerâs eyes that he meant every word.
âTyler,â she whispered softly, stepping closer. He wrapped his arm around her waist, pulling her to him. âI love you. And it scares me sometimes how much I do.â
The corners of Tylerâs mouth turned up. âYou ainât scared of nothinâ, sweetheart.â
âMaybe Iâm not as fearless as I thought. Moving because the man I love asked me to? Thatâs fuckinâ terrifying.â
âDoes that mean youâll stay, though?â he asked hopefully.
âI already bought my ticket, Tyler.â she told him.
He moved even closer, pressing his forehead to hers. âThen Iâll reimburse you.â
âI donât wanna let Kate down. I promised her. I canât go back on my word, you know I canât.â
âThen Iâll buy a ticket. And Iâll help ya move out of your apartment here in the city.â he murmured, his nose brushing hers. ââSides, you won that bet. I owe you servitude. Packing boxes and hauling them around sounds like a good punishment.â
Elizabeth laughed, though she still wasn't convinced. âI still have my job.â
âYou know you can always do that part time, and make beinâ a Wrangler your full time job.â Tyler said.
This argument again.
Elizabeth sighed before wrapping her arms around his neck. âYouâre drivinâ a hard bargain, Cowboy.â
âIs it workinâ, sweetheart?â
Elizabeth smiled softly and stood on her toes, brushing her lips against his. âYou tell me.â
He was grinning as he kissed her again, Elizabeth tangling her fingers into his hair as he did so, his body pressing against hers. There was no way she could ever leave him, and they both knew it.
She shouldâve tried harder to at least say something to Tyler.
âOkay,â Javi said, clearing his throat awkwardly, as the kiss went on longer than probably necessary. âNo tongue, please.â Tyler and Elizabeth pulled apart slightly, both chuckling.
âSo Iâm alone now?â Kate asked, shooting Elizabeth a knowing look.
âFor now, yeah. Sorry.â Elizabeth said, looking at her apologetically as she leaned into Tyler. He slid his hand into her back pocket, keeping her close.
âIâll forgive you,â Kate teased. Then she hugged Elizabeth.
âGive me a call, let me know how it goes, okay? If you need anything, you know where to find me.â Elizabeth said, squeezing Kate tightly.
Soon, Elizabeth was watching Kate disappear through the doors before turning and seeing the look on Javiâs face. He looked devastated that Kate was leaving. "You know,â she said, catching Javiâs attention, âIâve suddenly got a ticket for sale.â
âWhat? Naw.â Javi said, shaking his head.
âWell,â Tyler smirked, âYou know what they say â âtheyâ being me and Belle. If you feel itâŚâ
âYou should chase it.â Elizabeth finished with a grin.
Javi glanced through the window of the building, seeing Kate looking for the line to get her boarding pass. He glanced once at Elizabeth, who gave him an encouraging look and her ticket. Then, he took a deep breath and took off, running into the airport.
âAtta boy,â Tyler said, grinning.
They watched as Javi caught up to Kate, surprising her. After saying a few words, she smiled softly and stepped closer. Then, Javi grabbed her by the waist and pulled her into a deep kiss that had been years in the making.
Though they couldnât hear it, Elizabeth brought her fingers to her lips and wolf-whistled for them, happy to see Javi finally get the girl.
âYou ready to head out, sweetheart?â Tyler asked, leaning down to press a soft kiss to her neck.
âWhere we going?â Elizabeth asked, before leaning in to kiss Tyler back.
Just then, an announcement came over the intercom, which they were able to hear even from outside.
âDue to increasing winds from a nearby storm, please expect delays.â
Elizabeth looked up at Tyler, both of them sharing a wide grin. Javi and Kate were already heading back outside, having the same idea. Tyler grabbed the handle on Elizabethâs duffel to load it into the back of his truck.
âYou ready, honey?â Tyler asked as they climbed into the truck.
Elizabeth looked over at him, eyes shining, that warm, familiar smile that made Tylerâs heart skip a beat curving across her lips. âI was born ready, Cowboy. Letâs ride.â
Elizabeth had what was probably going to be a permanent smile on her face on the way to Tylerâs motel room late that afternoon.
After a wild day of storm chasing â including several EF3s and an EF4 â theyâd agreed over a late lunch that once sheâd gone with Kate to New York to present the data â when the weather allowed them to fly out and back â she would stay with him before going back to the city to move out of her apartment, since her lease ran out at the end of the month. Tyler would help her move out.
Whether this meant Tyler was staying in Oklahoma or if sheâd be going with him back to Arkansas was still unclear, but one way or the other, she would be on the road with Tyler and his crew, officially becoming a Tornado Wrangler at last.
Sheâd spoken with her superiors at the SPC. While they were disappointed to be losing her as a full-time operations officer, an agreement had been reached for her to continue as a part-time researcher â mostly in the field. It would take a few weeks for everything to transition completely, but it would go more smoothly than Elizabeth initially anticipated.
After the chase, Tyler had been quiet on the drive to the motel, one hand on the steering wheel, the other resting on Elizabethâs thigh. And the closer they got to the motel, the tighter his grip became on both. Elizabeth smirked softly, outwardly anticipating what he might have had planned.
She was expecting a repeat of that night in his parentsâ house in Wakita, or the night before El Reno. She craved more of the gentle, loving side of Tyler that only seemed to surface around her. But part of her wondered if his grip on her was out of agitation rather than desire.
When they got to the motel, Tyler helped her out of the truck before reaching back and grabbing her duffel bag. The truck, even with just basic repairs to make it able to be driven, had held up well in the storms.
Yet it was still pretty beat up from El Reno. It would take some time before Olâ Red was completely back to the way it was before.
Then, while Elizabeth had been lost in her thoughts, Tyler came to her side, wrapping an arm around her waist as he led her to the first floor room. Before Elizabeth had joined the Wranglers, Tyler usually shared a room with Boone. But since joining the Wranglers, Boone had willingly chosen to go solo.
When the door shut behind them, Elizabeth reached for the light as Tyler released her to set their bags at the foot of the bed. âTruck held up pretty well today,â Elizabeth began. âYa know, despite the-â
âShut up.â Tylerâs voice had gone cold and hard. Elizabeth turned to look at him.
âExcuse me?â Elizabeth sounded appalled.
âShut the hell up, Belle.â his voice only grew colder. It surprised her. And scared her, more than a little.
âTyler -â
âI said, shut up.â he stepped closer to her. âNow, I didnât wanna make a scene in front of Kate and Javi at the airport, but what the actual hell were you playing at? Thinking you could leave me behind without so much as a goodbye? After everything weâve been through?â he demanded.
Elizabethâs mouth felt dry all of a sudden. Her heart skipped a beat â she hadnât seen this kind of attitude from Tyler in more than ten years â and she felt a prickle of fear. âI â I already told you why.â she stammered.
âAnd that wasnât a good enough reason for me, Belle. So, damnit, Iâm allowed to be fuckinâ pissed at you right now. You would be in my place if I did somethinâ like this, right?â he drew even closer.
âWait, hold on â youâve been silently stewing over this all day, since leaving the airport?â Elizabeth asked, eyes widening slightly as she furrowed a brow.
âWhat if I have?â Tyler huffed. âHow am I supposed to feel when the only woman Iâve truly loved was ready to leave me behind, even though she told me she felt the same way, had told me she was planning to stay?â
âIâm sorry, are you trying to imply that I didnât mean any of it?â Elizabeth asked, her voice beginning to rise. âThat I lied? I told you Iâd be coming back when we were at the airport. Iâm not runninâ.â
âBut you were gonna go, Belle. You were gonna fly to New York with Kate. What if Iâd been five minutes slower, huh? You wouldâve been gone, and I wouldâve had to catch a flight to go after you. Why? Because I care enough to chase after you. But you donât seem to care enough about me to even say goodbye? Or say anything at all?â Tylerâs words came out in a torrent. The hurt in his eyes was clear to see.
âThere was never a good time to say anything. You were busy with the repairs on the truck, or out on a chase while I finished recovering.â Tyler scoffed at her words. She took a deep breath.
âBut I also didnât say anything because,â she cut herself off, her emotions making her throat grow tight. âI knew that if I did, you wouldâve convinced me to stay and break my word. And yet look where we are now. So donât be questioning me about whether I was tellinâ the truth.â
âWere you?â he asked as came closer, until their chests touched. âAre you, now?â
Elizabeth glared up at him. âIt should be obvious, you idiot.â she snapped. When he didnât respond, only glared back at her, his sage-green eyes practically aflame, she scoffed, and turned to walk away from him. But Tyler snatched her wrist and pulled her back, roughly.
She stumbled back toward him, catching herself on his heaving chest. She looked up into his eyes, surprised and a bit frightened to see that they had gone dark, the sage-green having nearly been blotted out, his pupils so deeply dilated.
Tyler barely gave her any time to steady herself, before he cupped the back of her head and neck and pulled her into a rough kiss â so unlike any of the others they had shared, full of tongue and teeth and anger â and a noise of surprise slipped out before she kissed him back just as hard, her hands trailing up his chest, arms going around his neck, then threaded her fingers into his hair, tugging on the sandy-blonde strands, making him grunt into her mouth.
He quickly dominated the kiss, backing her into a wall with a thud, his hands gripping onto her hips so tightly, Elizabeth thought for sure heâd leave bruises. Her stomach flipped at the thought, already picturing herself tracing them while looking in the mirror tomorrow morning.
This side of Tyler was vastly different from the sweet, gentle one sheâd known for so long â the one who joked with her during sex, held her like she was something precious when it was over â had been replaced by someone fueled by desperation and frustration, and, she could sense, vulnerability as well. It had her heart thrumming inside of her chest with excitement and a hint of fear.
Finally needing to breathe, Tyler pulled back, pressing his forehead against hers, eyes clenched shut, jaw taut.
âI love you, so goddamn much, Elizabeth Harding.â he finally spoke, his voice sounding strained as he worked to keep himself â his frustration and desire all at once â in check. âDonât ever leave me like that again. Promise me.â
With one hand still buried in his hair, Elizabeth cupped his cheek with the other. âI love you too, Tyler Owens. And for what itâs worth, Iâm sorry.â she said softly.
âPromise me, Belle.â he repeated, his eyes pleading for her reassurance.
âI wonât leave you. I promise.â
Tyler nodded his satisfaction before kissing her again, teeth nipping at her bottom lip. As his kisses deepened, his hands slid under her shirt, reaching for her breasts under her bra and squeezing them.
His touch was anything but gentle as he continued pinching and rolling them until she was a breathless mess under his lips and his tantalizing touch.
When she finally let out a moan, he pulled away from her, taking a few steps back. Lust-darkened hazel-green eyes scanned his disheveled form, taking note of the fact that he was already growing hard beneath his jeans, his arousal growing more evident with each passing moment. And it made Elizabethâs mouth water in anticipation.
âTake your fuckinâ clothes off.â Tyler ordered, voice still hard.
In that moment, Elizabeth suddenly felt a bit shy. It was one thing to have him strip her himself. But stripping herself as he watched with an almost feral look in his eyes? That was something else entirely.
Her palms grew clammy from how nervous sheâd become, unsure of how the rest of the night would go. He certainly wouldnât be making love to her like he had that night in the bed of his truck or the night before El Reno.
She started with her shirt â in truth, a borrowed one of Tylerâs â carefully shedding it to reveal the tank top underneath. She shimmied out of the tank top next, leaving her bra.
Then she kicked her boots off and to the side and peeled off her jeans. She paused, looking at Tyler expectantly, thinking sheâd followed his âorderâ completely.
âAll of âem, sweetheart,â Tyler said, gesturing to her undergarments as he sat on the edge of the bed, waiting, none too patiently.
Her cheeks glowed with a fast-burn blush as she removed her bra and panties, letting them fall to the floor. The longer Tyler simply stared at her without saying a word, the more flustered and turned on she was becoming.
âGet on your knees,â he said after a long momentâs silence.
Her eyes widening, she scrambled to the ground, going down right in front of him as she knelt, balancing her hands on his thighs as she did so. But he shoved her hands off and away from him, then rose to his full height, towering over her.
Her eyes fixed on his hands as they steadily worked his belt loose, then unzipped his jeans, pushing them down his thighs. Elizabeth leaned in closer on instinct, brushing her nose against the painful-looking tent in his boxers, noticing the small, dark bead of pre-cum that had soaked the light gray material.
Tyler called on his restraint, holding back the soft noise that threatened as she touched him lightly through the fabric. He would not give her the satisfaction of knowing how she affected him in this moment. Though it was becoming really fucking hard not to when she licked him through the fabric, the friction damn-near driving him insane.
Then, Elizabeth hooked her fingers into the waistband of his boxers, pulling them down to join his jeans, watching his cock spring free. And he was huge, the pink tip swollen and leaking pre-cum.
Elizabeth wrapped her hands around him, feeling him grow harder as she pumped him a few times before leaning in and licking up what had gathered at the tip. She heard the quietest of sighs escape Tylerâs lips, which only spurred her on.
âIâm sorry, baby.â Elizabeth said softly before running her tongue along the underside of his cock, tracing a vein. âIâll do anything for you to forgive me.â she added.
âTrust me, honey, you will.â Tyler said, voice low, almost a growl, as he gathered her long, golden-brown hair in one hand like a ponytail, pulling it back and out of her face. Elizabeth fought the urge to shiver.
She took him into her mouth, finally eliciting a low, short moan out of the man above her. She took him as far as she could, her nose still at least a full inch from the base of his shaft, her lips stretched so wide that the corners of her mouth started to hurt.
Then she began sucking him off, hollowing her cheeks as she bobbed back and forth, moaning softly around him. Her hands reached for his thighs, her fingertips digging into them slightly as she tried to ground herself. When he grew tired of her agonizingly slow, steady pace, however, his hips bucked forward.
For a moment, as the head of his cock brushed the back of her throat, Elizabeth gagged quietly, tears pricking at the backs of her eyes. But she breathed in through her nose and relaxed her throat as much as she could, taking him just a bit further.
His grip on her hair tightened as he began fucking her mouth, low moans and groans slipping past his lips. The sound was like music to her ears.
âJust like that, baby,â Tyler grunted between thrusts. âFuck, look at ya. Chokinâ on my cock â Iâve wanted to see you like this since â fuck â the moment I saw you at that gas station.â
She let out a soft whine around him, the vibrations making him curse softly. Elizabeth knew her throat would be fuckinâ sore in the morning. But in the moment, she found she didnât care. It hurt in the best way possible, as she rubbed her thighs together, seeking out some friction of her own to ease the ache in her core. While Tyler was blissfully distracted, she reached down with one hand, seeking out her clit.
When Tyler opened his eyes and glanced down at her, he was at first entranced by the sight below him - Elizabeth looking up at him with glassy hazel-green eyes, his cock sliding in and out of her beautiful mouth. Then, he caught sight of where her hand was moving to, and he nearly growled, his frustration resurfacing.
âDid I say you could touch yourself, darlinâ?â his voice grew gravelly in its roughness as he ceased his thrusts for a moment. It proved to be a mistake that nearly undid him, as she simply sucked deftly on his cock, causing a shiver to run down his spine. âHands off, Belle.â he snapped.
Elizabethâs brows drew together as she let out a low huff of displeasure, though she did as told, her hands landing back on his thighs. Not trusting her to keep put, with his free hand, Tyler took her hands and brought them to rest on his abdomen just below his belly button, holding them in place.
If sheâd really wanted to, she could have pulled out of his grip if she took him off guard. But she didnât want to.
Then, Tyler was back to fucking in and out of her mouth, letting out a string of curses as his bobbing length was practically swallowed. Soon, his thrusts grew sloppy, signaling that he was close to release.
Suddenly, he ripped away from her, leaving her with swollen lips that shone with spit and an aching jaw as she looked up at him with wide, slightly fearful eyes. Her hands still rested on his stomach, her fingers toying with the patch of his hair leading down to his happy trail, loving how he closed his eyes for just a moment to savor her gentle touch.
Try as he might to hide it, he was just as deeply affected by her as she was by him.
Tyler recovered his composure and lifted her underneath her arms, practically throwing her onto the bed instead of gently guiding her. Elizabeth laid back, unable to hide her eagerness as he began crawling up her body, his hardened, aching cock brushing against her stomach as he reached her lips.
Again and again, he kissed her hard, his hand cupping the back of her head, keeping her close to him as he explored her mouth with his tongue, not giving her an inch to move. She hummed softly, happily against his mouth while shifting her hips upward, seeking some friction from his muscular thighs.
But instead he pinned her down with his full body weight. She gasped in surprise, then moaned softly into his mouth, wishing more than anything that heâd do something other than just kiss her. Even just run his hands along her body, for godâs sake. But he just kept her hands above her head, torturing her as he shifted his own hips, his cock trapped between their stomachs as he slowly teased himself.
âTyler,â she moaned softly as he pulled away and began kissing her neck. She let out a soft squeal when he bit down, hard, on her skin at her pulse point, no doubt leaving a mark behind that he was quick to soothe with his lips and tongue. âTyler, pleaseâŚâ
He sucked in a breath through his nose before looking down at her, his sage-green eyes dilated but still blazing. âUnless youâre tellinâ me to stop, Belle, I donât wanna hear another fuckinâ word outta you right now.â
A whine of protest died in her throat as she clamped her mouth shut. God, the last thing she wanted was for him to stop. It sounded more than a little painful to her in her current state.
Instead of saying anything that would only antagonize him, she clawed at his back as he kissed her collarbone, sucking marks that would be painful to the touch come morning. Once he was satisfied with his work, he pulled away, admiring her like she was a work of art. His work of art.
âRoll over onto your stomach, honey,â his next order came, his voice not quite gentle yet not as hard and demanding as before.
Elizabeth nervously complied, feeling even more on edge now that she couldnât see him.
Tyler hooked one arm around her waist and pulled her ass back and up. Elizabeth sucked in a sharp breath as the head of his cock teased her entrance, slowly rubbing back and forth until she was a writhing, whimpering mess against him. The knot in her lower belly was becoming painfully tight.
âTyler, do something â ah!â
It wasnât slow or gentle like the other times when he slid inside of her, instead bottoming out inside her within seconds, barely giving her any time to adjust as he pulled all the way out again.
Her forehead fell against the pillow as she moaned at the feeling, crying out softly when he rammed back into her, hitting her deeper than he ever had before due to the new position.
As he began thrusting in and out of her, his thrusts more powerful than theyâd ever been, she was lost to the world, her only thoughts on Tyler and the euphoria he brought to the surface. It was messy and rough, raw and angry, and a part of her didnât want it to stop.
âYouâre mine, Belle,â his grunt sounded like a growl, his arm still locked around her waist so that he could pull her back into him as he pushed into her. âMine, you hear me, baby?â
At the same time that he thrust particularly deep into her, she cried out, her words inarticulate. It was almost too much.
âFuck, Tyler Iâm all yours.â she practically sobbed after another thrust.
He hadnât wanted her to speak, but he forgave her for the slip up, since sheâd given him the answer he wanted to hear.
Elizabeth squeezed her eyes shut, digging her fingers into the pillow, overwhelmed by the feeling of euphoria that was washing through her, every nerve-ending sending jolts of electricity through her whole body as though sheâd been hit by a lightning strike.
The orgasm that had been building hit her fast and hard, the sounds in the room absolutely sinful as he fucked her cum right back inside of her.
And when his own release came, he leaned down and bit her shoulder hard at the junction with her collarbone, groaning against her skin as he buried himself deep inside of her and let go.
Neither one said a word about the fact that again, he hadnât worn a condom â it was something theyâd already talked about â something that theyâd deal with come morning.
It didnât matter when he was still slowly thrusting in and out of her, her walls clenching around him one more time.
Finally, as Tylerâs frustration bled dry and he calmed down, he removed his mouth from her shoulder, taking note of the good-sized mark heâd left behind.
Then he slid completely out of her, both letting out a moan at the loss of connection. Elizabeth all but collapsed onto the bed, exhaustion leaving her feeling boneless. She tried to calm her breathing as she came down from the intense, euphoric high, tears welling in the backs of her eyes.
If she expected Tyler to continue acting cold towards her, she was surprised as he began leaving gentle kisses along her spine until he reached the back of her neck. Then he fell beside her on the bed before pulling her into his warm, albeit sweaty embrace. She closed her eyes, letting a few tears fall as he nuzzled his nose against the back of her neck.
Finally, after catching her breath, she turned in his embrace, wrapping her arms around his neck and pulling him close, until their chests were touching.
âTyler,â she said softly, her voice hoarse, as her fingers toyed with the hair at the base of his neck. She could see the frustration and vulnerability still swimming in his eyes.
âI wasnât going to leave for good when I went with Kate to fly to New York. Iâm done running, I promise you. But I also knew that if I had told you I was going, youâd come to the wrong conclusion and think I was leaving, and try to talk me out of it, thinking I was pushing you away again.â her words died, her voice trembling.
At her words, and seeing the look in her eyes, his demeanor shifted, his gaze softening, finally.
âI wouldnât think that of you, Belle. I know youâre not pushinâ me away anymore. Nothinâ you could do would run me off.â he promised.
The tears that had been welling up in her eyes finally spilled over in their entirety, her throat growing tight as her emotions threatened to overwhelm her completely. She tried and failed to stifle the soft sob that had been building.
Tyler was immediately on alert, his sage-green eyes clocking the growing emotion in her hazel ones. âBelle? Baby, are you okay? I didnât hurt you, did I?â he asked gently.
Elizabeth shook her head. âNo⌠I think Iâm okayâŚâ Elizabeth replied, voice unsteady. âJust⌠a little overwhelmed. I didnât expect that to get so intense.â she added, voice shaking slightly.
Tyler pulled her closer, pressing a soft kiss to her forehead before wrapping her in a hug. âI know. I know, and Iâm sorry if I pushed ya too far back there. Iâm sorry if I lost control.â he murmured.
Elizabeth shook her head. âYou didnât go too far. I just wasnât prepared for something that intense, is all.â she said softly, as tears welled up again and she let out another quiet sniffle.
âStill, I went pretty hard on you. I shouldâve dialed it back. Iâm sorry, honey. Iâm so sorry.â he gently rocked her in his arms, frowning when he felt tears land on his skin. He pulled back slightly and brushed the tears away with his thumb.
âI donât know why Iâm crying,â Elizabeth admitted, feeling a bit embarrassed by her emotional response. âItâs⌠itâs silly.â
âNo, it ainât.â Tyler said, his voice suddenly growing firm, but still somewhat gentle. âWhat we just did⌠youâre right, it was pretty intense.â
âYouâre not the one crying, though.â Elizabeth countered.
âWho says Iâm not?â Tyler fired back.
Elizabeth took a deep breath before pulling away, looking up at Tylerâs face with still-damp eyes, surprised to see that his sage-green eyes were glassy with tears of his own. âTyler,â she whispered.
âCâmere, honey,â Tyler murmured, pulling her close once more against his chest. He shushed her gently when she let out a soft whimper. âI know, I know.â he said gently as he stroked her hair.
Elizabeth nestled closer to him, drawing comfort from his embrace as the unexpected emotional response ebbed.
âI love you, Tyler.â Elizabeth whispered before tilting her head back to kiss him softly on the lips. âI love you so much. And Iâm sorry if I scared you, made you think I was leavinâ.â
âI believe you, honey.â he whispered back, tucking a tuft of her messy hair behind one ear. âI love you, too. Iâll just have to tell you everyday to make sure you never forget that.â
A soft, tired smile crossed her face at that as she leaned in and pressed her forehead to his. âEvery day with you⌠I like the sound of that.â she said quietly.
âWell, me and the rest of the team, if weâre beinâ technical.â Tyler amended.
âYeah, I kinda figured yâall were a packaged deal.â Elizabeth teased.
Tyler just chuckled.
After a week of general repairs, Olâ Red was mostly drive-able. But until certain things had been completely fixed, chasing with it was still kept to a minimum.
So a couple of weeks later, Tyler and Elizabeth took the truck to an old friend of theirs from the rodeo circuit, a mechanic named Lakota.
The damage hadnât been quite as severe as theyâd originally feared. Thanks to Tylerâs handiwork to begin with, the roll cage had saved most of the truck from significant damage when it had rolled. They would have to reattach the augers and the rocket launchers along with some other equipment, but for the most part it was fixable, though it would take a while.
âLong time no see, Belle, Tyler. Iâve heard you guys have been busy.â Lakota said as he hugged Elizabeth before shaking Tylerâs hand.
âThatâs putting it mildly.â Elizabeth smirked. âSeasonâs not letting up anytime soon.â she added. Tylerâs hand at her hip tightened its grip slightly. She gave him a look, as if to say, down, boy. Later.
âOh, I know. And it would seem that Tyler here canât keep his mouth shut when he keeps talkinâ about ya, Belle. Itâs cute, honestly.â he punched Tylerâs shoulder before pointing to Olâ Red. âWhere you gonna take her?â
âShe needs a little TLC on the roll cage, and weâve got some equipment to repair and replace.â Tyler answered.
Lakota nodded. âIn that case I could haul her over to Uncle Robbyâs for ya, over in Chickasha, and give ya a ride.â
âThatâd be great. Thanks, Lakota.â Tyler said. âWeâd like to get her good and primed before we take a little road trip.â he added before glancing down at Elizabeth, who nodded in agreement.
âThen letâs get her loaded up.â Lakota replied.
There would be more storms over the next few weeks as the regular chasing season drew to an end, but Tyler and the other Wranglers all agreed they needed a break, especially after the events at El Reno.
Theyâd come dangerously close to losing Kate, Elizabeth, and Lily. Not long after El Reno, Kate soon joined them on a semi permanent basis, similar to how Elizabeth had, and so did Javi, soon after. When there was time, everyone agreed that Elizabeth and Kate would fly to New York to present the proposal to get funding from the NWS Review Board.
The Wranglers parted ways, if only for a few weeks or so. Javi had a lot of work to do to sever ties with Storm Par, especially the likes of Marshall Riggs and Scott Miller, but still keep the PAR radars to be able to continue utilizing them in their research into disrupting tornadoes, especially since they needed more of a baseline set of data to prove that the sodium polyacrylate/silver iodide combination had worked.
Especially with the growing (if somewhat new) relationship between him and Kate. Dani, Dexter and Lily headed home to their various places dotted around Little Rock, but Boone insisted they all get back together near El Reno for a post-season celebration to celebrate their success with the Tamer project - and the addition of three new Wranglers.
Luke and Sophie were in the process of moving into a small ranch near Sapulpa. While neither showed any interest in joining the Wranglers, they invited the whole crew to their wedding in the fall, especially since Tyler was supposed to be Luke's best man, and Elizabeth was to be Sophie's Maid of Honor. They also invited the team to stay at the ranch (once they settled in) during chase season to cut down on the motel stays.
Boone was headed to Dardanelle before joining the others in Little Rock. Elizabeth didn't know what he had planned, but knowing her old friend, there was bound to be some kind of mischief involved.
Elizabeth and Tyler were headed to Chickasha to get work done on Olâ Red. She didn't have the faintest idea what Tyler had meant by 'a little road trip', but she suspected that it had something to do with his looming discussion with her about his family, which he'd only hit the tip of the iceberg with in the hospital.
Well, for one, I have a brother. An older twin brother.
The words wouldn't stop rattling around in her head. Did he have just the one brother? Did he have other siblings? Would the rest of his family even like her? Especially if they knew about the rough spots in their history together?
As she got into the truck, she shook her head. Knock it off, Harding. You're being silly. She told herself. Besides, if she was pregnant as Tyler suspected, she could blame her rattled nerves on her hormones. If not, then... she'd cross that bridge when she came to it.
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Heir Today, Gone Tomorrow - A Knives Out/How to Make a Killing Crossover, Part 2 - Masterlist
Cover credit goes to @elliekayfiction
Disowned by his obscenely wealthy family, Becket Redfellow will stop at nothing to reclaim his inheritance, no matter how many relatives stand in his way. But thereâs one ghost in his past that he doesnât expect will change the outcome. His ex-girlfriend.
FBI Special Agent Amelia âMiaâ Thrombey has been with the New Jersey field office for six years, having made the career change from crime writer not long after her fatherâs death changed her life â and view of the world â forever. Now working as a crime data analyst and criminal profiler for the FBI, she uses what sheâs learned from her father to help the FBI solve every murder, every missing personâs case that comes across her desk.
But outside of work, her life feels⌠empty, and cold. Thereâs nothing for her outside of her job. She lost touch with Marta Cabrera after Marta had confirmed she was taking her share of Miaâs fatherâs inheritance and moving into what used to be the Thrombey family home.
And not long before going into the FBI, Mia had broken things off with Becket Redfellow, who she had sworn was going to be the one. But her career â particularly her choice to change it â had come between them, and so theyâd ended things between them, even though it left Mia feeling like sheâd made a huge mistake.
Soon, though, word starts coming in about an investigation into the Redfellows. Several members of the family have died, and the circumstances around their deaths have been deemed⌠suspicious. But with there being different causes of death and nothing to link them, the investigation isnât really going anywhere, except for focusing on one person. Becket Redfellow. Her ex.
A chance meeting with the man in question starts to bring back memories to the forefront of Miaâs mind. Memories of all the good times that she shared with Becket. Every memory of his love and support, especially when she was grieving the loss of her father, and the little bit of sleuthing she did to determine whether Benoit Blanc had been onto something when heâd said that there was more to her fatherâs death than met the eye.
Over time, Mia and Becket begin to reconnect, until he admits one night that he misses her, or at the very least misses being friends with her. She tries to rebuff him, stating that things are complicated and would keep her from being a good enough friend for him, careful not to reveal a secret sheâs hiding. Especially after she sees him with Ruth, a schoolteacher, and the girlfriend of one of Becketâs deceased recently deceased relatives.
Then enter Julia Steinway â now married â who has been behaving strangely in the few interactions Mia's had with her, and the ones between Julia and Becket that Miaâs discretely observed without the latter knowing, or so she thinks. Even when she and Becket were together, Mia suspected that Julia seemed to be leading Becket on for years. So why did it look like she was coming on to him now more than ever? Or like she had some kind of hold over him?
And what was motivating Mia now in keeping Becket around, even at armâs length, instead of letting him go his own way as sheâd done six years ago?
Was it jealousy in seeing Becket with someone else? Was it protectiveness, wanting to keep Becket from being hurt by Julia and her femme-fatale, manipulative nature? Or was it possessiveness?
As secrets are revealed and lies continue to pile up, Becket and Mia will both soon find themselves asking the same question â how far will you go for revenge?
Inspired by/based on How to Make a Killing (2026) with references/character mentions from Knives Out (2019).
Becket Redfellow x OFC - Exes to Lovers
"Since the day I was born, my mother told me we were different."
"There were seven of them. Seven rich pricks between myself and 28 billion dollars."
"I don't know if it'd be a good idea for us to be friends again. Things are... complicated for me right now, and I wouldn't be a good friend to you. Not the friend that you deserve."
Knives Out, Beaks Bloody - A Knives Out/How to Make a Killing Crossover, Part 1 - Masterlist
Cover credit goes to @elliekayfiction
Amelia âMiaâ Thrombey is the youngest daughter of best-selling crime novelist Harlan Thrombey, and a critically acclaimed writer in her own right, having penned best-selling titles like Storm of Suspicion, A Christmas Mystery, and Rules for the Perfect Murder. Sheâs following fast in her fatherâs footsteps, and practically has everything she could ever ask for in life, despite the likes of her family. Her father is the only exception, as he is one of her staunchest supporters, and taught her everything he knows.
Her relationships with her elder siblings (and siblings in law) are a mixed bag. Her eldest sister, Linda, is overly protective â sometimes overbearing, even â and has looked down on every single guy Miaâs ever dated, and found faults with almost every single one. She barely tolerates her brother in law Richardâs presence, as his comments and overall attitude towards her leave her feeling creeped out.
It isnât much better than with her sister-in-law, Joni, who canât keep her business afloat, and yet is trying to raise a kid while basically free-loading off of Miaâs dad. Canât forget Walt or Donna, either, the older brother and sister in law.
Walt is relentlessly pushing their dad to adapt his books, which is where the real money lies. And Donna? Her racist comments during what should be polite conversation while claiming âitâs not a race thingâ leave Mia particularly pissed off. And the potentially shady business dealings that Waltâs trying to keep under wraps? Leave her the hell out of it.
You would think that she gets along with the younger family members â her niece and nephews â right? Wrong. Ransom, Richard and Lindaâs son, tolerates her at best and outright despises her at worst, with no explanation despite how close they are in age. Meg, Joniâs daughter, constantly shifts back and forth between being her âbest friendâ and completely ignoring her. And Jacob? Waltâs son and Miaâs youngest nephew? His harsh criticism of her work â if he even bothers to read the previews that are released â has her second-guessing herself at every turn, and it hurts like hell.
Thereâs only a few bright spots in her life, which are the only constants she can rely on, aside from her father. Thereâs Fran, the housekeeper who has become like an older sister, more so than Linda has been at times. And, of course, thereâs Marta, her fatherâs caregiver and confidante (and Miaâs as well) who has become one of her few friends. And finally, thereâs her boyfriend, Becket Redfellow, the second most important man in her life. Heâs sweet, gentle, and supportive, if a little naive. While heâs estranged from his own family â due to his motherâs disinheritance prior to his birth â heâs hopeful that heâll one day inherit his familyâs $28 billion fortune.
Yeah, her life isnât easy, but to Mia, it couldnât possibly throw anything harder her way, right? Well, she thought so, until the night of her fatherâs 85th birthday. First, thereâs a heated debate between her siblings (and siblings in law) that she, Marta and Becket nearly get dragged into. Then, Ransom gets into an argument with her father, which results in the former storming out of the party.
After the party finally ends, and after returning home and settling in with Becket (and the intimate moment between them that follows), Mia has a terrifying nightmare involving Becket and her father, that leaves her shaken to her core. Only after Becket calms her with soft words and gentle reassurances is she able to fall back asleep, only to get the call every child dreads no matter how old they are the next morning: her father is dead. And it appears to have been a suicide.
Everything after that seems to blur together. The coronerâs autopsy. The police interviews. Planning and going to the funeral (even though that asshole Ransom ditched). All the while, Mia tries to focus on her daily life, and her next book, Itâs Beginning to Look A Lot Like Murder, which she decides to dedicate in her fatherâs memory.
Then, a week after her fatherâs death, another phone call. The police are interviewing everyone again, including Mia, Becket and Marta. Theyâre looking for additional information. And this time, the interviews are being conducted under the sharp eye of âgentlemanâ private investigator Benoit Blanc. For some unknown reason, heâs been hired to look further into Harlanâs death, and suggests that it may have been more than just a suicide. He suspects that something more may be at play, something more sinister. But what?
In a house full of suspects â the dirty liars and the ones with equally dirty secrets â hell, any one of them couldâve done it.
Becket Redfellow x Female OC
Based on/inspired by Knives Out (2019) with mentions of characters from How to Make a Killing (2026). This story serves as a prequel to Part 2 - Heir Today, Gone Tomorrow (also coming soon).
"She was a successful writer coming into her own. She had practically everything she ever wanted, so why did it still feel like there was a void?"
I Heard From the Heavens - A Top Gun: Maverick Fanfiction - Masterlist
Cover credit goes to the amazingly talented @elliekayfiction
Being the daughter of two naval aviators and the niece of a third, Nicole "Nick" Mitchell may as well have been born with jet fuel in her veins. She grew up with her parents' and uncle Ice's stories of being a naval aviator, and from a young age, her dreams were as high as the sky itself. After the death of Nick "Goose" Bradshaw, Nicole's namesake, his son Bradley becomes her adopted brother for all intents and purposes (as her father helped his mother Carole raise him after graduating Top Gun, especially after Nick's birth the following year), and the two were as thick as thieves growing up.
But when Bradley was about to graduate from high school, Maverick pulled his papers and kept him from getting into the Naval Academy. During the argument, Bradley accused Nicole of being involved, of siding with Maverick. Despite her denial of any knowledge or
involvement, Bradley cut her off afterward. Two years later, Maverick attempted to do the same to Nicole, but her mother, Hayley, intervened, saying that theyâd lost one child (meaning Bradley) by doing so, and didnât want to lose Nicole the same way.
That was only the tip of the iceberg for Nick, though. Her mother, Hayley Kazansky-Mitchell (callsign Frost) was killed in the line of duty when she was in her second year at the Naval Academy, and if it hadn't been for friends that she'd made there supporting her in the aftermath - Natasha Trace, Javy Machado and Jake Seresin - she likely would've washed out before making it to graduation. By the time she graduated, Jake Seresin had become Nick's closest friend and confidant among her circle of friends. After being paired as wingmen together in flight school, the two were assigned to VFA-151 after graduation - the Vigilantes.
Roughly one year ago, Jake and Nick were sent on two bombing missions while on deployment in the Middle East, paired with two other pilots with the callsigns "Cobalt" and "Vigilante". The first mission was completed without incident. But during the second mission - which started smoothly with successfully taking out all assigned targets - the four pilots were ambushed by multiple enemy fighter aircraft as they were pulling out. The incident led to Nicole Mitchell getting three kills - the most for an active duty female aviator - and her callsign, Valkyrie, 'chooser of the slain'. Jake Seresin came away with one kill, and his own callsign, Hangman. While there had been speculation about the origins of the latter's callsign, neither of them spoke of it. The other end result was that Valkyrie became increasingly cold and calculated, while Hangman became cockier than those close to him knew him to be, even arrogant and insufferable at times. Though this led to arguments between the two, the two still flew well together, and never considered being reassigned or requesting a different wingman.
Now, called back to North Island for a special training detachment, Nick is forced to confront her demons when she learns her father has returned, along with her adopted brother, and must also navigate an emotional minefield when it comes to both men, along with the wingman who in her heart has become so much more.
Based on/Inspired by Top Gun: Maverick (2022) with some references/connections to Top Gun (1986) along with Twisters (2024).
Jake "Hangman" Seresin x Female Mitchell! OC
Friends to Lovers
"Her dreams were always up in the clouds, and she might as well have been born with jet fuel in her veins"
Summary: What starts as playful teasing stretches across weeks of silence, tension, and unanswered messagesâŚuntil Jake finally sees exactly what youâve been leaving for him. When he gets back and has you within reach again, heâs not letting go.
Character/Pairing: Jake âHangmanâ Seresin (Top Gun: Maverick) x Reader
Warnings: Strong language. Mutual pining / unresolved tension. Sexting/Suggestive photos. Explicit sexual content (Praise, Masturbation, Oral-Male Receiving), some very mild humiliation due to something that happens to Jake that Iâm not going to spoil.
Word Count: 6,494
Authorâs Note: So this fic is the brain child of a conversation I had with a friend of mine and it kind of spiraled from what I thought would be like 1-2k words and here we are at 6500. So thank you to the person who gave me inspiration (you know who you are). Hope you all enjoy xx
The hangar was all noise and movement, yet you found a quiet corner, tucked behind the hulking belly of a Super Hornet, where the smell of jet fuel clung to your hair and the concrete vibrated with the promise of takeoffs in the morning.
You shifted your weight from foot to foot, boots squeaking as you pretended you were here for any reason except the obvious one: to see him before he left.
Jake was already waiting. He leaned back against a tool chest, arms crossed, sleeves rolled to the elbow in a way that did violent things to your self control. He caught your eye and, as always, grinned like he could see straight through your careful composure.
âWas starting to think youâd ghosted me, honey,â he said, voice pitched low enough that it didnât echo.
âYouâre not even wheels-up yet, and already Iâm the tragic ex,â you shot back.Â
He grinned wider like he was proud of you for keeping pace with him. He shoved off the chest and strolled over to you, dog tags glinting against his black shirt. You waited until he was close enough to crowd your space, just shy of touching, before you let yourself look up and meet his gaze. He always did this: moved right into your gravity, and waited to see what youâd do.
âTell me youâre not gonna miss this,â he said.Â
He had a way of drawing out the syllables, sweet and slow, and it wasnât clear if he meant the flying or the flirting.Â
You snorted. âIâve been meaning to tell you, Iâve got a whole backup squadron on speed dial while you guys are gone.
âYeah?â He murmured, stepping in that last inch. âBet they wonât match my stamina.â
You matched him, unblinking. âYouâre right, most people need a break eventually.â
He let out a quiet, disbelieving breath, and you could see how much effort it cost him not to laugh out loud. The other pilots and crew passed by without looking, either too used to you and Jake or wise enough to pretend ignorance. It didnât matter. In this little world, Jake was the sun and you were the planet that pretended not to orbit him.
âYou sure you donât want to give me a proper sendoff?â He murmured, leaning in closer, voice low enough it brushed over your mouth.
You pretended to consider, weighing the pros and cons with mock gravity, like the fate of the entire Western seaboard depended on whether or not you caved.
âNot sure you can handle a real goodbye.â
 âOh, I love it when you try to scare me,â he said, grin feral now, and before you could blink he had closed the half-inch gap, mouth landing on yours
The first kiss was a test. Quick. Calculated. But Jake had never been the type to settle for standard issue. The second kiss lingered, blooming out at the corners, his hands anchoring you.
Your fingers curled into his shirt and he made a quiet sound against your mouthâsomething rougher than he probably meant to let outâand pulled you closer like heâd almost forgotten where you ended and he started.
He stared at you for half a second like he was deciding something. Then he kissed you again. Harder this time. Less patience. Less restraint. Your back bumped lightly against the side of the jet and you laughed against his mouth, but it dissolved into something softer when his hand slid up your side, anchoring you there.
âLegendaryâs for when I get back,â he muttered against your lips. âThis is justââ
You kissed him again before he could finish. Because apparently thatâs what this was now. Interrupting each other with mouths instead of words.
âGod, youâre the worst,â you breathed when you managed to pull back.
âYeah,â he said, already leaning in again, like he couldnât help it, âbut you keep coming back.â
Your hands slid up into his hair and that got him. You felt it in the way he went still for half a second, then moved, pressing closer, like he needed more of you, like he wasnât getting enough.
Somewhere behind you, someone called his name. Neither of you reacted.
âYouâre gonna be late,â you murmured, lips brushing his.
âYeah,â he said, not pulling away.
Your forehead rested against his, both of you breathing the same air now, a little unsteady, a little too close to something neither of you were naming.
âYou gonna be waiting for me when I get back?â He asked, quieter now.
You rolled your eyes, but your fingers didnât leave his hair. âIâll pencil you in.â
âTry not to forget about me,â he said.
âNot a chance.â
He stepped back after the Admiral called his name for a second time. He his hands dragging off you slow, like he didnât quite want to let go.
You watched him walk away with that cocky strut. The kind of man who knew youâd be watching and made it look effortless. And you did watch, until he turned the corner and vanished.
* * * * * * * *
You spent the rest of the day in your own orbit, drifting from room to room with no purpose beyond the vague intention of not thinking about Jake Seresin. Which naturally, meant you thought about him constantly: the way his hands bracketed your hips, the electric edge in his voice when he teased you, the warmth lingering in your bones after that last, almost chaste goodbye.
You made it exactly three hours before you gave in to temptation. You scrolled through your camera roll, ignoring the too obvious thirst traps and instead landing on a selfie youâd taken by accident, hair still damp from a shower, face clean and soft and almost bashful. Jakeâs t-shirt was loose on your shoulders, the You looked, against all odds, sweet.
You attached it to a message, thumbs hovering as you considered the first volley.
You left this.
You stared at the screen for a long moment, then added:
Think it suits me better.
You sent it and immediately set your phone face-down on the kitchen table, pretending you could resist the urge to check it every thirty seconds. The house was silent except for the hum of the fridge and the hollow echo of your own nervous laughter.Â
Why did it matter so much if he saw? Why did you care about his reaction? Probably because you knew, with sickening certainty, that heâd see it and respond in kind. This was how it always went: you baited, he bit, then you spent the rest of the day untangling the consequences.
Except minutes passed. Then hours. You made lunch, washed a few dishes, and checked your phone, only to see the same unbroken silence. You tried to act unbothered. You tried to imagine him laughing in a plane somewhere, already plotting his next move. But each time you checked, there was nothing but your own face, caught mid-smile in his damn shirt.
By dusk, you were stretched on the couch, blanket knotted around your legs, phone balanced on your chest as if proximity would manifest a reply. You took another photo, this one more deliberate: hair in a messy bun, eyes half lidded, the hem of his shirt just covering your underwear.
Still nothing.
You considered sending a follow-up, something like wow, tough crowd or too busy saving democracy to answer? But you didnât want to look desperate. Instead, you just stared at the first message, rereading it until the words lost their meaning and all you saw was the hint of a smile in your own reflection.
You wondered how long you could keep this up before you cracked. Probably not long.
It started as a game. You werenât even sure you wanted a reply at this point; you just needed the power of knowing you could provoke him. So, when the next morning arrived and your phone screen remained stubbornly blank, you leveled up.
The second selfie took planning. You waited for the daylight to spill across your sheets, found the good light, dug his navy blue button down from your laundry basket and shrugged it on, barely bothering with the buttons. You stretched across the bed, his bed if you were honest, since it still smelled like him, and aimed the camera so it caught just enough skin and just enough sleep tousled innocence. You made sure the hem of the shirt only barely covered the soft part of your thighs. You took half a dozen, deleted most, and kept the one where you looked like youâd just been kissed awake.
You didnât caption it. You just sent it, then immediately buried your face in the pillow, laughing into the fabric. If you couldâve been a fly on the wall in whatever base Jake was in, you wouldâve paid money to see his face.
Hours passed. The only notification that lit up your phone was from your mother, asking about your plans for your sisterâs wedding next month. You thumbed a reply ânot sure yet!â, then toggled back to the chat with Jake, where your two photos sat like open dares.
You told yourself heâd seen them. That he was probably planning some elaborate comeback, maybe getting the perfect revenge selfie, or waiting to ambush you with a FaceTime call. But by mid afternoon, your nerves started to hum. The silence stretched. You thought about sending a follow up: ignore me all you want, youâre still not getting your shirt back. Instead, you went for a run, then came back and paced the apartment for half an hour, more restless than before.
The third escalation came about a week later, and it wasnât an accident. You dressed for it: makeup done, hair brushed and glossed and sprayed to a shine, lips a dark cherry red that you knew drove him crazy. The lingerie wasnât technically yours (stolen from a roommateâs bachelorette party stash, tags still attached), but it looked like it had been designed with Jakeâs hands in mind: all emerald mesh and sinuous cutouts and barely-there lace. You paired it with a pair of pointy black heels and nothing else. You posed in the mirror for a while, finding the right angle. When you finally took the shot, it was deliberate. A long, slow glance over your shoulder.
This time, you almost didnât send it. It felt dangerous, more revealing than any truth youâd ever confessed aloud to him. The truth of how obsessed you really were with him. Your thumb hovered over the send button, heart hammering, until you couldnât take the tension anymore. You hit send, then tossed the phone away as if it were a live grenade.
The silence after was worse than before. The world went quiet, the hours stretching until evening blurred into night. You stalked around the apartment, restless and a little bit frantic, replaying your own boldness and the echoing lack of reaction on the other end. Maybe youâd overplayed. Maybe it was too much, and youâd scared him off.
You poured a glass of wine, downed it, then poured another. By midnight, you were loose limbed and melancholy, curled on the floor in a tangle of discarded blankets and half done laundry. You wanted him to answer. You wanted him to say anything.
The fourth photo the following week was almost an afterthought. You went to bed wearing nothing but his dog tags that were laying on his dresser, the cold metal a physical reminder that he was still real, still somewhere under the same sky just an ocean away. You took a selfie, bare shoulders and the tags nestled against your sternum, the rest of you artfully out of frame. You sent it without a caption, then immediately regretted it and nearly deleted it. But you didnât.
This time, you stared at the phone until your eyes burned. Still nothing. Not a word, not a heart react, not even the three dot ellipsis to suggest he was typing a reply.
You caved. You typed out:
Wow, tough crowd.
You deleted it, then wrote:
Hope youâre not dead, would be super embarrassing for me if you are.
Deleted that too, settled on:
If youâre trying to play hard to get, youâre failing spectacularly.
That one, you sent. It was as close to defeat as youâd ever admit.
You lay back on the bed, phone balanced on your chest, the silence pressing down like a weighted blanket. You should have felt victorious, or at least smug. Instead, all you felt was empty. And tired. And a little bit exposed, like youâd stripped down more than just your clothes for him.
You closed your eyes and let yourself imagine him seeing it: the curve of your smile in his shirt, your hair spread across his sheets, the black lace and the bare skin, the dog tags cool against your collarbone. You pictured him cursing under his breath, maybe fighting a smile, maybe missing you as much as you missed him.
Maybe.
You fell asleep like that, clutching your phone, waiting for the next move.
* * * * * * * *
Jakeâs P.O.V.
The first thing Jake did when he got word that they were headed home after four long weeks was ask for his goddamn phone. His home screen immediately detonated with alerts as he turned his phone on. Sixty-seven notifications from the squadâs group chat. Eleven missed calls from his mother. One photo from Coyote with his middle finger raised as he stood next to the dart board at the Hard Deck with a perfect bullseye and captioned it, âEast shit, Hangman.âÂ
Then there were the messages from you. Four unread messages waiting for him.
He felt the grin before he could stop it. He opened the first once, bracing for a joke or maybe a long text that was you rambling about your day. What he got instead was a photo. At first glance it was innocent. You in his t-shirt, hair a mess, eyes soft, and a little sleepy. But he saw the way you clutched the hem to pull it up just a little, the way your lips curled into the ghost of a dare.
He bit back a laugh and opened the next one, already knowing you were trying to get a rise out of him. And you succeeded. The second photo was you sprawled across his sheet, his button down open and hanging off your shoulders, skin luminous in the morning light.
His mouth went dry. He glanced over his shoulder, making sure no one was looking and zoomed in to catch the faint outline of your nipples poking out beneath the thin fabric. God, you were shameless. And God, he loved you for it.
He scrolled down to the next one, half expecting you to chicken out and send a meme or a dumb TikTok video. Instead the third picture was you in lingerie. His favorite color, emerald green. Sheer and cut to reveal and conceal all at once. Black heels and red lips to round out the look. The pose was almost cruel. You looked like youâd been sculpted straight out of his dreams, made just for him.
He felt it then, a low pulse behind his ribs, the beginning of a burn that would only get hotter the longer he stared. His jaw set hard. He should have put the phone away. He should have walked it off or done literally anything but keep scrolling.
The fourth image was the coup de grâce. You wore nothing but his dog tags, pressed against your bare skin, hair wild and uncombed on his pillow, the most beautiful eyes heâd ever seen staring at him through the camera. The tags rested just above your breasts, and you had managed to crop out anything that would make it totally indecent, but left enough to drive him crazy and let his imagination run wild.
Jakeâs heartbeat pounded in his ears, heat pooling in places he didnât dare acknowledge while still in uniform. He wanted to see you, to touch you, to tell you that you were his in every way a person could be.
He scrolled back and forth, unable to pick a favorite. He stared at the one with the dog tags the longest, though. The possessiveness it sparked in him was primal and a little bit terrifying. Youâd worn those like a claim, like you were telling him that you were his.
He cleared his throat, and the guys around him glanced over. He pretended to check the weather app, and wiped a hand down his face to try and regain his composure. It didnât work. Every photo replayed itself in his head, like a loop.
He typed a response. Then deleted it. Typed another. Deleted that too. There was nothing he could say that would match what youâd given him.
By the time Jake boarded the flight, he was running on nothing but adrenaline and the slow burning ache that settled in his gut every time he thought about you. The vinyl of the airport seat pressed against his thighs. His only comfort was the warmth of his phone in his hand. He held it like a talisman, thumb bruising the glass as he scrolled back through her messages until he was half-certain heâd hallucinated them.
But they were real. Every pixel, every perfect angle, every impossible detail. He flipped obsessively between the last two photos: the green mesh that clung to you like a secret and the way his dog tags hung against your skin, making you look claimed and claimed again. He couldnât pick a favorite. He didnât want to. He wanted it all at once: you in his bed, you in his shirt, you waiting for him, smiling like you knew you were driving him insane.
The plane was full. Jake had an aisle seat. Which meant no privacy. Nothing to hide the way his pulse hammered or the way his hands wouldnât stop fidgeting. He closed his eyes, tried to sleep, but it was useless. All he saw was you: arched and perfect, mouth parted, eyes dark and bottomless. He imagined the sound youâd make if he pressed you into the mattress, the way youâd taste, the shiver that would run through you when he finally closed the distance.
He lasted an hour.
Then he got up, stumbled down the aisle like a man possessed, ignored the pitying look from the flight attendant, and barricaded himself in the cramped lavatory. He braced both hands on the sink, breathing through his nose, trying to calm the riot in his chest. But he was already hard, already desperate, already picturing you with so much clarity it made him sweat.
He pulled his phone out of his pocket so hard he nearly dropped it in the sink. The screen glared up at him. He scrolled back to the dog tags photo. Your bare shoulders. Your hair a mess on his pillow. His dog tags resting against your breasts. He zoomed in until the image blurred, then zoomed back out.
SERESIN, JACOBU. S. NAVY 92823652207.27.1988 . O POS
His name. You in nothing but his name. Like you were letting him claim you. He unlocked his belt with ease. The hiss of the zipper sounded loud as a gunshot in the tiny stall. Then he slipped his hand inside the waistband of his boxer briefs and found himself already hard and leaking, the ache so fierce it bordered on pain.
He started slow. Just the lightest pressure. Just enough to tease his tip. He closed his eyes and let the sound of your voice fill his head. The way you sounded when you moaned his name the night before he left. He thought of you in his shirt, his bed, and in nothing at all. He pictured you lying on your stomach, face buried in his pillow, the curve of your ass illuminated by the ceiling fan overhead. He imagined the things heâd do to you. Then the things heâd let you do to him. Every filthy promise heâd ever whispered into your ear.
He got bolder and faster with his movements. The sounds in the enclosed space got louder. The sound of his breathing getting louder and uneven. The wetness as he spread spit and the precum leaking from his tip and used it to stroke himself as lubricant with his hand.
He bent forward, forehead pressed against the wall and bit down on the meaty part of his lip to keep from making a sound.
He was a goddamn animal, especially when it came to you. He let the fantasies continue to run wild in his head. He let himself imagine your mouth, your hands, the way youâd look at him when you sucked him off.
He let himself imagine calling you right now, your sweet voice on the other line answering, thick with sleep since itâs the middle of the night where you are. Heâd ask you to help him through it. Heâd ask you what you were wearing, and in his mind youâd tell him nothing. That you were wearing nothing as you waited for him to come home. He pictured talking you through everything he wanted to do, slowly and in detail, until you both came apart.Â
The rush when he came was almost blinding. He barely got it angled towards the toilet before white sticky cum was splattering against the inside of the toilet, biting down harder on his lip to keep from making any noise as he pictured coming in you instead.
He cleaned himself up with the ridiculously tiny paper towels that were provided. He splashed some water on his face, wiped the sweat from his forehead, and then stared at his own reflection. His cheeks were flushed, and hair was sticking to his forehead. He looked like a man whoâd just broke. Which, in a way, he had. He tried to smooth it over. He straightened his shirt and combed his hair with his fingers.Â
But the feeling heâd been fighting since first seeing those pictures only got worse. The hunger was still there. Gnawing at him. He realized that he could jerk off a hundred times on this plane and it wouldnât touch the depth of his craving. It was you or nothing. Like an addict and you were his drug of choice.
He took a few more moments to collect himself. He leaned his head against the wall and let his head tilt back. He scrolled through the photos one more time. He wanted to call you. He wanted to hear your voice. To tell you what heâd done, and confess that heâd lost your little game before it had even started. His thumb hovered over the call button but then he remembered he was thirty thousand feet in the air and it was damn near four in the morning. He wasnât going to bother you. Heâd seen you tomorrow when he landed in San Diego.
He slid his phone back into his pocket and braced himself before unlocking the door. He half expected the flight attendant to be waiting with judgement painted on her face. But she was gone. He made his way back, careful this time, and collapsed into his seat.
He tilted his head again the cabin wall, and replayed it all again. How youâd taste when he buried his face between your thighs. How youâd sound as you made those perfect little sounds he loves. How heâd mark you with his hands and mouth, whispering that you were his.
When the plane touched down, Jake didnât wait for the seatbelt sign to go off. He grabbed his bag, elbowed his way to the front, and texted you before he even hit the terminal.
* * * * * * * *
The bar was packed. It was a Friday night and the weather was beautiful. Youâd gotten there early and would probably end up staying late so that Penny didnât get completely drowned at the bar.
You saw him before you heard him: a ripple in the crowd, heads turning, a laugh that started at the door and worked its way through the air like the promise of a fight. He was in uniform, flight suit zipped to the sternum and sleeves rolled, dog tags glinting at his neck, as if heâd just dropped from the sky to fuck up your equilibrium on purpose.
He locked eyes with you, and that was it. He started moving straight through the noise, the press of bodies, the haze of spilled beer and neon. He looked like a man with a single purpose, and you were that purpose.
You barely had time to prepare before he was there, knuckles brushing your wrist, voice low so no one else could hear.
âCâmere.â
He led you down the hallway, through a door marked STAFF ONLY, and into the cramped fluorescent lit storage room. It smelled like bleach and limes and the wet rubber of bar mats. Shelves ran floor to ceiling, overloaded with boxes of vodka and sleeves of plastic cups and rows of dusty liquor bottles that never made it to the menu. There was nowhere to stand that wasnât in someone elseâs way, so Jake just crowded you up against the shelf against the back wall, his palm braced on the shelf above your head.
For a long second he just stood there, breathing hard, the thud of his pulse visible in the line of his throat. You felt it in your own body, the echo of it, like you were already tethered together by something invisible.
He looked you over, up and down, then tilted his head and grinned.
âGot your texts.â
You tried to smirk. It came out shaky, but you didnât care. âWasnât sure you liked them since I never got a response.
âDidnât have cell access until last night.â
He moved his hand from the wall to your hip. You could feel the heat of him even through your jeans, the pressure of his thumb digging in.Â
He leaned in, lips grazing the edge of your ear. âLooked real pretty for me in those pictures, darlinâ.â
He edged even closer, now fully pressing you back against the shelf. The metal frame dug into your spine. Every inch of him was a dare. You could see his eyes now: dark, hungry, pupils blown wide.
You reached out, traced a line down his chest, stopped at the zipper of his flight suit.
âMiss me?â You said, keeping your voice light.
You watched the way he studied your mouth, felt the way his hands bracketed your hips like he was holding himself back from breaking you in half.
âSay it,â you whispered, not sure if you meant for him to say he missed you, or to say he needed you, or just to say anything at all.
He did.
âIâve been thinking about you every goddamn minute,â he said. Each word ground out like it hurt him to admit it. âDidnât even make it through customs before I was checking my phone.â
You suddenly couldnât breathe.
âAnd then you sent those photos,â he continued, voice so low it made you shiver. âJesus, baby, I couldnât even look at âem withoutââ He cut himself off, teeth bared in a crooked grin. âDoesnât matter.â
You felt reckless. You wanted to see him lose control. You moved your hand from his zipper to his dog tags, wrapping your fingers around the cold chain, tugging just enough to make him lean in.
âIt matters to me,â you said. âWhatâd you do when you saw those pictures, Jake?â
He kissed you. Hard and bruising, the kind of kiss that left you gasping for air and clawing at him. You kissed back, all teeth and tongue and desperation. You pressed into him, feeling the hard line of his body against yours, the wild, unstoppable need radiating off him in waves.
âFuck,â he said again, softer this time. âIâm gonna make a mess of you.â
You held the dog tags tighter, letting the edge of the metal dig into your palm. He slid both hands under your shirt, tracing your ribs with his thumbs. His hands moved from your waist to your ass, lifting you effortlessly onto the lowest shelf. You wrapped your legs around his hips, pulling him in until there was nothing left between you but the thin, desperate press of your clothes.
He rocked against you, slow at first, just enough to let you feel what youâd done to him. You grinned, triumphant.
âMissed me that much, huh?â You whispered.
His answer was to suck a bruise onto your neck, grinding against you until you gasped. The sound made him go tense, hands clenching tight. You could feel how close he was to snapping. You wanted him to. You whispered his name, and watched as every ounce of bravado dropped away.Â
He was just Jake now, shaking and hungry and yours.
âYeah,â he finally said, barely audible. âI missed you. Been like this since the plane.â
He buried his face in your neck, teeth scraping the spot just below your ear.Â
âFuck. I didnât wanna do it like this. Wanted to take my time with you when I got back,â he admitted, and you could hear the apology woven in, all the control he was burning just to keep from wrecking you completely.
You ran your hands down his back, over the ridges of his spine, the taut muscle flexing under your touch. He shuddered, then pressed you even harder against the wall. You rocked together, bodies moving in sync, both of you gasping for air that never seemed to come.
The tension was electric, dangerous. You could feel it in your chest, your stomach, everywhere. You wanted to push him until he broke.
So you did.
You reached between you, palming the outline of his cock, squeezing just enough to make him choke on his next breath. He jerked, then bucked his hips, desperate.
You grinned. âCâmon, Jake. Show me.â
His answer was a curse, then a kiss, then another curse, more desperate this time. He grabbed your wrist, pinned it above your head, and ground into you with a force that left you seeing stars.
His whole body went tense, like a bowstring drawn too tight. You felt the shift before you heard it, the way his breathing stuttered, the way he suddenly froze, mouth open against your shoulder. He tried to cover it up with a groan, but you knew.
His whole body shivered, and then sudden, violent, and humiliatingly fastâŚhe came. Right there, pressed up against you, flight suit still zipped, the thick heat of it soaking through the fabric, maybe even onto your jeans. It was so immediate, so raw, that for a second neither of you could process it.
He went slack, head dropping to your shoulder, breath coming in short, uneven bursts. You waited, counting the seconds until the shame or the panic or the jokes set in.
Instead, he started laughing. It was a wrecked sound, equal parts mortified and triumphant. He buried his face in your neck, still shaking, then looked up at you with eyes so dark they were almost black.
You kissed him again, softer this time, letting the heat cool just enough to remind you both that you were still here, still real, still tangled together in this impossible thing.
He tried to rally, pulling himself upright, hands fisting at the zipper of his suit as if he could tug the moment closed. But you stepped into his space, crowding him the way heâd crowded you, and slipped your fingers beneath the open V at his throat.
âMissed me that much, huh?â You murmured.
He looked away, bashful, almost, if you didnât know him better. Then, with a half swallowed laugh, âYouâre gonna hold that over me, arenât you?â
You grinned, leaning in until your lips brushed his ear. âI donât know. It was kinda hot.â
He made a strangled noise, half-laugh, half-sigh, and let his head thunk gently back against the door.
You pressed your palm to his sternum, stopping him mid-sentence, and let your hand drift down. Over his chest, past the zipper, to where the bulk of him still strained, damp and sticky, inside the suit. You cupped him through the fabric, feeling the shudder that rippled through his whole body.
He caught your wrist, but didnât push you away. Just watched, eyes fixed on your mouth, as you unzipped him all the way.
âJesus,â he whispered, and you liked the way it sounded.
You worked the suit off his hips, tugging the waistband of his boxers down enough to expose his cock, flushed and slick at the tip. He was still hard, impossibly, and the sight made your mouth go dry.
âWhat are you doing?â He asked, voice wrecked but teasing.
You shook your head. âGonna clean you up.â
He groaned, low and helpless, and let you push him back until his shoulders hit the cold metal. You knelt and wrapped your lips around him, tongue swirling over the mess heâd left on himself. The salt and heat, the faint bitter edge, was perfect.
He hissed your name, one hand burying itself in your hair, the other fisting against the shelf at his side. You took him deep, letting your tongue tease the sensitive underside, then pulled back just enough to lick the tip, collecting every drop. He shuddered, hips stuttering forward like he couldnât help himself.
You looked up, locking eyes, and watched him come apart. The tremor in his legs gave him away. He whispered something. Maybe âfuck.â Maybe your name. Maybe both.Â
Then he added, low and sultry, âSuch a good girl for me,â and it sent a rush of heat through you, making you clench your thighs together.
He sagged against the door, head thrown back, throat working on a silent groan that never quite made it out. For a moment, you just watched the flush rise up his neck, the wildness in his breath, the way his fingers shook as they traced idle, senseless patterns across your scalp. He looked like a mess. You liked him this way. You wanted to keep him this way.
You kissed just beneath the head, lips wet, tongue flicking the slit, and he made a broken, please sounding noise that was all the permission you needed. You gave him no mercy, hands gentle but insistent, stroking him through the aftershocks even as he tried to twist away from the intensity. He was sensitive and raw, but he never told you to stop. He just gasped and cursed and held on, greedy for every touch.
He looked at you dazed, and you thought for a heartbeat that he might start to laugh again, but instead his jaw clenched and he shook his head in disbelief.Â
âYouâŚyouâre gonna kill me,â he managed, voice ragged.
âLucky for you, Iâm CPR certified,â you said, and then sucked him down again just to hear him choke on his own laugh.
You slowed, dragging out the sensation, wanting to see how much he could take before he broke for real. His thighs trembled, toes flexing hard against the concrete. You could feel how badly he wanted to let go, how close he was to falling apart, and you loved him more for holding on, for trying to last just a little longer.
You brought him right to the edge and then backed off, your mouth soft, hands softer, until you felt him start to plead with you, not in words but in the desperate arch of his hips, the whimper buried deep in his chest, the way heâd wound both hands into your hair as if anchoring himself to you.
Then, he was coming again, hot and frantic, spilling into your mouth like heâd been saving it all for you. You swallowed, not breaking eye contact, drinking in the moment, the praise, the raw need radiating between you.
He collapsed, panting, the sweat on his chest catching the stuttering light overhead. You dragged your mouth up his length, slow and deliberate, leaving a slick trail behind. You nipped gently at the inside of his thigh, and he whimpered, more from overload than pain. You liked that, too.
You knelt there and waited until he looked at you, eyes heavy-lidded, mouth slack with disbelief. You wiped your lips with the back of your hand and grinned.
âGood?â
He nodded, unable to speak, and slid down the door until he was half-sitting, half sprawled, legs open and inviting. You liked how ruined he looked: flight suit bunched up, boxers tangled at his knees, dog tags glinting against the sweat-slick hollow of his sternum.
You crawled up into his lap and straddled him, knees braced on either side, hands planted beside his head. You felt his heart beating through his skin, wild and animal, and for a second, you wondered if yours was just as frantic.
He looked at you with something like awe, or maybe terror. You kissed him, slow and deep and salty. He kissed you back, hand cradling the side of your face.
As much as you wanted to, you knew the two of you couldnât stay in the closet forever. You climbed off his lap, watching him as he straightened himself out. He tugged his flight suit back into place, but the evidence of your time together was still glaringly apparent. A smirk played on your lips as you took in the sight of him, looking both disheveled and utterly wrecked.
âReady?â You asked, stepping back and searching his eyes for a hint of mischief.Â
He nodded, though you could see the lingering hunger in his gaze.
With a deep breath, he pushed open the door, stepping out into the dimly lit bar. You followed, stepping lightly, your heart pounding with a mix of exhilaration and anticipation.
No sooner had you crossed the threshold than someone from the bar called out, a hint of confusion in their voice.
âHey Seresin, whyâs the front of your flight suit wet?â
Jake turned, a wicked grin spreading across his face.Â
âItâs from your sisterâs pussy. Fuck off,â he shot back, the playful bravado returning as he leaned against the bar, arms crossed, looking every bit the confident aviator you adored.
You stifled a laugh, warmth flooding through you as you watched the exchange. A small, knowing smile crept onto your face, a secret shared only between the two of you. You took your place behind the bar, pouring yourself a drink, reveling in the aftermath of the chaos and the undeniable chemistry that still crackled in the air.
As Jake leaned back, still bantering with friends, you couldnât help but feel a sense of satisfaction. No matter where the night took you, you knew one thing for sure: this was just the beginning.
-
Tag List - if you'd like to be tagged please let me know. I did start a new tag list as my old one had a lot of inactive usernames and people that weren't interacting with my posts. If you were on the old one and would like to be added to the new one, please let me know with a comment
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For those of you who may not live in tornado country like I do (lucky bastards â¤ď¸ /aff /t /lh), I have been asked in the past what the difference is between a watch and a warning. I like to think of it as a burrito :))
Tornado watch: you have all of the ingredients for a burrito laid out in front of you, but they have yet to be put together. The âingredientsâ to make a tornado are an unstable atmosphere, lift, moisture, and wind shear
Tornado warning: the burrito has been put together. It is important to note that, just because a tornado warning has been issued, it doesnât mean that a tornado is going to come tearing down your street. It usually just means that rotation has been indicated by Doppler radar. In any case, it is advised to take shelter once you hear the sirens ring, or an alert goes off on your cellular device, radio, or TV
Tornado emergency: very rarely will the NWS issue a tornado emergency which is an enhanced version of a tornado warning. This is a PARTICULARLY DANGEROUS SITUATION where you would need to take action immediately! This is not a drill! A large, destructive, and potentially deadly tornado has been reported near your area, and is expected to make a direct hit!
Curiosity Kills... Or Not... (Depends on Your Point of View)
Hi y'all! I was fairly recently tagged by the wonderfully talented @elliekayfiction for an Ask Game and I've finally gotten the opportunity to respond.
I'm currently split between Wattpad (cross-posting the chapters to one of my fics listed below) and Tumblr (that is if I'm not busy with work which has been the case the last few weeks) and my masterlist is due for an update and some cleaning up (which I hope to get to this weekend).
Okay, I'll play.
Below is a list of what I'm currently working on or have ideas that have been teasing my wonderfully creative yet evil mind. Feel free to reach out and ask me about any of these, whether it's the backstory, a question about the OC for a specific fic, etc. (no anons please!)
I'll also tag some fellow writers/fans to rope them in on the fun. Let's see what y'all have cookin'!
Stronger Than a Storm (Twisters) â Tyler Owens x OFC Elizabeth âTempestâ Harding
32 Chapters published/posted on Tumblr; cross-posted to Wattpad
3 chapters currently in the draft/revision phase
Not Just a Game (The Running Man â 2025) â Ben Richards x OFC Aurelia âRayaâ Eden
Two teasers posted to Tumblr; one cross-posted to Wattpad
first 3 chapters currently in draft/revision phase
Hell of a Storm (Twisters) â One Shot Collection (mainly in-universe one-shots that served as the springboard for Stronger Than a Storm along with upcoming additional one-shots)
Coming Soon
I Heard From the Heavens (Top Gun: Maverick) â Jake âHangmanâ Seresin x OFC Nicole âValkyrieâ Mitchell
Winds (and Wings) of Forever (TGM x Twisters Crossover) â Tyler Owens x OFC Elizabeth Harding, Jake âHangmanâ Seresin x OFC Nicole âValkyrieâ Mitchell, Bradley âRoosterâ Bradshaw x OFC Savannah Greene
Knives Out x How to Make a Killing Crossover â 2 Parts â Becket Redfellow x OFC Amelia Thrombey
Part One â Knives Out, Beaks Bloody
Part Two â Heir Today, Gone Tomorrow
The Dark Side of Nature (Twister 1996) â OFC Aurora âRoryâ Greene insert
You Shake My Nerves and Rattle My Brain (Top Gun 1986) â Pete âMaverickâ Mitchell x OFC Hayley âFrostâ Kazansky (Iceâs sister)