Love and the White Wolf - Book 1

25. Into the Fall (Sexual content)

As August transitioned into September, then October our life settled back into much the same routine we had before we married, with the addition of several daily walks with Rowdy and construction of the art studio. We would both work out, eat breakfast, morning walk with Rowdy, then I would do computer work. James received permission from the HOA for the art studio. He found a contractor who would allow him to work on the construction. Once the contractor saw what James had done on the terrace he actually wanted to hire him full time. As disappointed as he was when James declined the contractor agreed to teach him as much as he could. He showed James how to draw up the plans to ensure quick approval of the building permits. When the building permits came through at the end of September the date to begin construction was set for the second week of October. James thrived on preparing for it.

He still had several missions over that time but most were of a two-three day duration. With the construction set to begin and our ultrasound scheduled for the first week of November, James requested a month's leave to begin in the middle of October. He was approved but then was called out to provide firearms training to new recruits in the Avengers support team about five days before his leave started. Because of his Winter Soldier experience his knowledge of firearms was vast. It had been noted that many young soldiers on previous joint missions with the military had sought out his expertise on weapons. They had expected to interact with a real-life cold-blooded killer but had left with the realization that wielding a weapon included a responsibility to only use it when it necessary. James often reminded them of the human cost of gun use and always pointed out he personally didn't own one. The young soldiers respected him and started calling him Sarge, even though he no longer had an official military rank. Whenever there was firearms training, James was the instructor of choice. He was to be gone for three days.

We spent the evening before he was to leave in bed, saying goodbye in our favourite ways several times. Rowdy, who had nearly doubled in size, had learned to read our body language very well. If foreplay started in bed he would silently jump off and go to his bed in the living room. If foreplay started in the living room he wouldn't even follow us. As we lay in bed after our second goodbye Rowdy suddenly started barking from the living room, a full throated, alarm bells ringing bark. James jumped out bed and silently went to his knife locker. He pulled out his two favourite knives and stealthily looked through the open doorway. Rowdy was on his guard in front of the doorway, and I could hear him growling at whatever had alarmed him.

"Good dog," whispered James. "Protect Mom."

Rowdy immediately repositioned himself inside the doorway directly in front of the bed. He was no longer growling but he was in an alert stance. James lowered himself closer to the floor and entered the living room. He was no longer visible and his movements were so stealthy I couldn't hear him. All I could hear was my heartbeat pounding in my ears. Then a light came on.

"What the fuck?" I heard James say.

"What is it?" I called.

"Stay there," he ordered. "It's a box. I'm checking it out."

After a few minutes he said I could come out. I put on a robe, grabbed James boxers and told Rowdy he was a good boy then patted him, our relax command. He followed me out to our main door. James was kneeling in front of an open cardboard file box. I handed James his boxers. As he put them on I peeked into the box. It was full of paper files. James picked it up and put it on the kitchen island. On top of the files was an envelope addressed to James. It was in Zemo's handwriting. We both made a face but James still opened the letter to read it.

Dear James,
I hope the contents of this box reaches you before you leave for the firearms training. Through the grapevine I learned that our mutual acquaintance Everett Ross has begun collecting as much intelligence information as possible on the Winter Soldier on your behalf. Although I commend his efforts to assist you in this I really do not want the displeasure of his company at my current residence. Therefore I have directed Oeznik to hand deliver this box of paper files I accumulated during my research of the Winter Soldier. There are also numerous online files which Oeznik will print off, collate and deliver at a later date.