12 Minutes (#2 in Military series)

Chapter 4

"Why not?" Julia forgot about how naked she was when Marc finally began to speak, "We don't have to be trying for a baby to have sex. We don't have to try again anytime soon. I can go back on the pill and we could go back to how we were."

Marc shook his head, "No, it's not- You wouldn't be happy with that, and I can't ask you to do that."

She felt like she was losing him again when he turned and marched towards the door.

"Wait, Marc, please!"

Marc paused and looked back at her. He saw her sitting there naked on the bed, her skin warm and pink and inviting . . .

"You're right," Julia got to her feet, "I do want a baby-"

"-so do I." Marc said because she was speaking as if he was doing it only to please her. But he wanted to her grow large and round with their child just as much as she did. The first time she had mentioned it he couldn't get the image out of his head.

Jules smiled her thanks but continued, "-but I don't want to lose you in the attempt. I wasn't lying when I said that I would wait."

"I know you weren't, but it doesn't matter because you're not going to lose me."

Jules looked away because she didn't know how to say that she already was losing him. Or at least, she felt like she was losing him.

But Marc could read her and he saw the way her brows dipped slightly in the middle, "What is it?"

Julia answered far too quickly, "Nothing."

"Liar," Marc replied, "Tell me what's bothering you."

Julia looked into his eyes, the cerulean blue eyes of her husband, and lied. "We have to go back tomorrow. Can we- can we just do something tonight?"

Marc sighed, "Jules, I just said that I can't do that. Please, don't-"

"No, I don't mean that. I mean let's just go out. We could catch a movie or go to the pub like normal married couples."

Marc frowned, "You mean a date. You want to go on a date?"

"It doesn't have to be a date date but tomorrow we'll be going back to the base and it'll all be training and drills and I just want to make the most of the time we have left."

"Okay," Marc nodded, "I'll see what movies are on at the . . ."

Julia didn't hear what he said because she launched herself at him and wrapped her arms around his chest, burying her face in the crook of his shoulder before she could persuade herself that it was a bad idea.

Marc tensed for a moment before she felt him relax and his arms close around her shoulders.

"You should get dressed before you catch your death," Marc muttered and Jules knew that the moment was over.

He saw her face when she stepped back and knew that he had hurt her with his words.

Snatching his shirt back off the bed, Marc looked back at her when he reached the door and gave her a warm smile, "Pick you up at 7?"

Julia smiled back, "7."

* * *

After leaving the cinema, Marc and Julia made the short walk to The Sailor's Wife, a corner pub not too far out of their way.

Stuffing her hands in the pockets of her khaki jacket, they turned a corner and began to cross the street when a streamline black BMW with tinted windows and LED headlights drove into the road.