The Hibiscus Heist

by C L Bauer

  “No, first, talk to her. Who knows? She might give in to your charms. Maybe she doesn’t want to have sex with you.” That comment elicited another scowl, a Devlin Pierce growl. Dev always gave that Tom Selleck growl when he didn’t want to answer, or didn’t want to hear the advice. “Second, and now this is the big one I’m required to say, remember, love is patient, love is kind.”

  “Really? You’re quoting St. Paul?”

  “Yep, the man knew how to write, and my job requires I say stuff like that. It’s inspirational, and it is in my job description.”

  He shoved several plates into Dan’s hands. “And it’s my job to go in there, and rescue her from JT.”

  “Always the black knight in shining armor.”

  They both stopped short at the edge of the living room. Lily was handing a tissue to the former SEAL and there were visible tears falling down his cheeks. She was hugging him in a soft embrace, her arms barely covering the back of his shoulders. Dan and Dev looked at each other, wondering the same question. What the heck?

  “I really appreciate you listening to me, Lily. I haven’t talked about that time for five years. It still bothers me.”

  “It’s going to be fine, JT,” Lily comforted. She’d just heard a heart wrenching true war story. Inside this insanely fit man was a wounded soul who just needed to talk to someone. “You are amazing, and this is just one part of who you are. Look at what you did for those people. You helped them live through the most difficult part of their lives.”

  Dan nudged Dev. “And, that my friend, is someone who looks a lot like a wife.”

  Dev reluctantly nodded. “And he didn’t tell her about the pack mule.”

  The game was about to start as the timer went off on the stove. With all the food finally set out, Dev nonchalantly walked in front of JT and now Paul who had joined him on the sofa, pulling Lily up with one hand to lead her to his chair.

  “You are part of this side,” he whispered as he pulled her onto his lap and kissed her cheek.

  “I like this side very much.” She returned his kiss quickly but it wasn’t fast enough. Kissing noises from the cheap seats were emanating throughout the room. The priest stood by the bar confident in his analysis, his arms crossed in quiet superiority. Dev glared at him and reprimanded the others.

  “And how old are we again?”

  “My IQ, ten,” JT answered as he wiped away one more tear. “Go Navy, beat Army.”

  Nearly two hours later, JT held his head in his hands. “Are you kidding me? A field goal to win with three seconds remaining? Not cool.”

  Paul grabbed his empty plate, patting his friend on the shoulder.

  “You’ll have next year, SEAL.”

  Lily took the scene in as they all suddenly stood in place for the singing of the Naval Academy’s school song. Of course, JT knew all the words but she was surprised that the others did too. As the West Point song was sung, they all did the same.

  “Well, that’s it until next year,” JT announced. “Is the coffee on?”

  “Yes. You want your usual scrambled eggs with diced ham and peppers?” Dev asked as he headed into the kitchen to join Paul.

  “Of course.”

  Dev shook his head. “You should be as big as bear with as much as you eat.”

  “I prefer to think I have a healthy appetite.”

  “Pardon me, but I think you guys use the game as an excuse just to eat. Hand me your plate JT.” Lily held her hand out, picking up a couple of bottles along the way.

  “Hey Dev, I really like Lily.”

  “Thanks, JT. So happy for you.” Dev smiled softly at her. “Believe me it is a big deal. JT doesn’t really like anyone.”

  “He’s a very sweet man.”

  Paul and Dev were incredulous as they both answered in unison. “Sweet?”

  It was almost an hour later, and after JT’s meal, that the party was officially over.

  “Lily, I’m thinking I’ll see you tomorrow at morning Mass. So nice to meet you.” Dan hugged her. “Hang in there with Dev. I’m thinking the future could look very bright,” he whispered.

  “That’s prophetic.”

  “Nope, just inspired.” He smiled as he headed for the door. “Of course, I am a priest. Inspiring people is part of my skill set. Paul, you coming?”

  He was texting his wife. “Coming, dear.” Paul stopped to give Lily a quick kiss. “Come back next year.”

  “Hey Paulie, you have one of your own. She’s my girl.” JT shoved him aside. He kissed her forehead. “Lily, we’ve never had a woman here for the game and from now on you’re the only one allowed. You even understood the safety call.” He lowered his head to meet her eyes. “Now remember,” he paused as though he were going to share a state secret. His voice was now louder as he left the house. “Go Navy, beat Army.”

  “Get out of here, you bum.” Dev chased after him, locking the door. He leaned against it, preventing any returning intruders or SEALs. “Whew.”

  Lily collapsed on her comfortable sofa, lightly propping her legs on the coffee table. Dev soon joined her, dropping his arm around her shoulders.

  “So now you know.”

  Lily raised her fist in the air and struggled to say the line. “Go Army, beat Navy.”

  “The guys.”

  She laughed loudly, snorting, covering her mouth with her hand. “Yes, the guys. That was very interesting and enlightening. Paul is the only married one?”

  “Yes, with two children. His wife, Jill, is a nurse at the Children’s Hospital in DC. Paul is probably the only stable one. With JT’s job, a family wouldn’t be wise and the priest, well he’s a priest.”

  “Which leaves you.” Her statement lingered on the air. She pulled her legs down and sat cross-legged across from him.

  “Yes, well, my job has kept me busy.” Dan would be yelling at him right now. It was time to talk but he needed a breath. Lily asked her question before he could begin.

  “How did you all get JT? I mean, a Navy SEAL and I’m assuming you all were a Special Forces unit?”

  He turned to face her, laying his arm across the back of the sofa. His other hand ran through his hair. This question would save him for a bit. He’d pop his watch band if he could, but he wasn’t wearing it. He took a deep breath.

  “We were up in the caves, in Afghanistan. We heard that there was a SEAL group in dire straits, and we were the closest. They’d called in a chopper to extract but the Taliban was making it difficult for them to land, to even get close. So, I decided, well we all decided we would go in and try to get them out.” He paused, looking down at his Academy ring.

  “You know when you pledge your affirmation, when you vow to keep your country and your fellow countrymen safe you never know where you’ll have to go to do that or what you’ll have to do when you arrive. We started in and took heavy fire. We knew they were up there and the SEALs were really giving it to them. With a few grenades we began our assault. When we finally got to them, there was only one SEAL alive, JT. He was the one holding off the Taliban. We had to pry his hands off the M-4 Carbine. He was dazed and confused. He was yelling to help the other guys before him. That’s when he became one of us.”

  Lily reached out and patted his hand. “His story today and now this. He’s been through a lot.”

  Dev’s eyes shot right through her, the darkness, the sadness. “We all have. Of course, he had to go back to a SEAL unit, but we all kept in touch. He helped us out a few times. He knew those caves.” He turned his hand to hold hers. It was time to talk.

  “I wanted you to meet Dad and the team today. I wanted you to understand part of my world. There’s so much I can’t share about my job. You and I met under such unusual conditions. It wasn’t the best way to get together.”

  Lily thought about that very first meeting. “What is the best way to meet, Mr. Pierce? Enlighten me.”

  He looked into her eyes and had no words, no explanation.

  “I guess when you meet someone
there really isn’t a good or bad way.” He sighed. “Lily, I don’t have a plan, hell I don’t have a list. I just know I want to be with you, around you. I’m happier with you in my life.”

  She wrapped her arms around his neck, kissing him slowly and soundly. He was saying words she desperately needed to hear.

  “So, we have no plans, no lists, pure insanity.”

  “That sums it up.”

  She pulled back slightly but he had her in his hold. “We just take it a day at a time.”

  He nodded, his eyes twinkling. “Will that work for now?”

  “Yes. I can do that. For you, I will.”

  Dev smiled. “So, you need me now?”

  Lily pretended to be in silent contemplation. “No.”

  His left brow rose. “No?”

  “No, not just now, always.”

  He brought her hand up to his lips and kissed it tenderly as any good knight should.

  “I know the guys ate all afternoon, but I know you didn’t.” Lily was surprised he noticed, but of course he watched her almost all of the time. “So, let’s get out of these football clothes. Just jeans and a sweater or something and I’m going to take you to a romantic wine bar with candlelight, secluded corners and great tapas. And it’s right down the street so we can drink and then walk home. No parental unit this time.”

  Lily groaned. “I was really hoping we could see your dad again tonight.”

  Dev glared. “Tell me you are kidding.”

  She smiled. “I am.”

  “Good. It is high time I romance you.”

  “That carriage ride was pretty romantic before you had to leave town.”

  He winced. “I am sorry about that. That night wasn’t supposed to end like that.”

  “By the way, what were you going to ask me that night?” She was feeling very comfortable, comfortable enough to ask something she shouldn’t.

  “Nothing. I really don’t remember.”

  Lily touched his face and looked directly into his beautiful deep eyes. “Dev, where is this headed?”

  Could she read his mind now? “I want to be with you all the time but --”

  “But isn’t a good word,” Lily interrupted.

  “But, I’m being honest. You live there. I live here. I’m out of the country so much right now. You have your business. Life seems to be stacked against us. You said you could do this one day at a time thing.”

  She had just said that. She admitted she needed him; she’d never done that before with anyone. He was being as honest as possible without threatening every feeling he had for her. He was surprised that her eyes were still even with his, no tear to be seen.

  “I do understand,” Lily admitted. “I’m not sure I know where we are headed either, but I want you in my life no matter what.” She moved her hand through his hair. “Besides, I’m getting used to you paying for dinner.”

  “So you like me for my money?”

  “And the fact you know great restaurants.” She touched the edge of his nose playfully. She moved off the sofa, leaving Dev wondering. “I’m going to change.”

  Briefly, he wondered if she was talking about her clothes or her life. Speculating about this discussion would only leave his head spinning. Maybe he was ready to say a vow and not the monk kind? He knew now he didn’t want to live without her in his life either.

  Chapter Eighteen

  Lily was still a little light headed when they returned from their first really romantic dinner out. She wasn’t sure if the wine had her feeling giddy or the past two uninterrupted hours with her boyfriend. Alleluia! The wine and the small plates of food were amazing. His constant attention and flutter kisses down her neck as they sat in a very dark corner did everything for her ego. This was really happening! She was in a relationship with an amazing man. It would be a weird, location-challenged relationship, but it would be one. And she was thoroughly in love. She admitted it to herself and she would be willing to admit it to her sister, Dev’s aunt back in Kansas City, Abby, even Gretchen. She might tell the TSA person at the airport if they asked her. Ms. Schmidt, are you in love with Devlin Pierce? Well, yes I am. She giggled as she selected her pajamas out of her bag. Why did she pack these? She wasn’t on a sleepover at Marsha Brady’s house.

  “May I have the bathroom first?” Dev was on the other side of the room, pulling his sweater over his head.

  “Sure.”

  Lily’s heart skipped a beat as she looked up to see his bare chest. Holy Moly. What was she getting herself into? She had never dated anyone with a chest like that, a body like that. Oh, he wasn’t SEAL material like JT, but he was a nice package of good looking. Had the man been living in the gym? He seemed more tan than usual, his muscle definition looking like an enhanced airbrushed photo. He was perfectly shaded in all the right places. She wanted to touch his chest. Lord, Lily, get a grip. Would the priest know tomorrow morning when he looked at her what she’d been thinking; what she’d been doing? Was lust in the top ten of sins? Yep.

  She vowed then and there never to be completely naked in front of the man. Ever. Lily hurried to the bathroom to change and brush her teeth. When she was removing her makeup, she realized she was a bright shade of red. I’ve been blushing. How long had she been doing that? She wasn’t a teenager. She was a grown woman, nearly past her prime according to most magazines. She could do as she pleased. She could even get pregnant if she wanted. She did want children. Those nasty past relationships kept squashing her internal positive memo to her confidence.

  She could hear Gretchen’s voice in her head. “Go for it. Do it. That football player, and that one night was amazing.” I now know what the Devil actually sounds like, Lily thought.

  “Shut up, Gretchen,” Lily muttered. Perhaps tonight, with the lights off, completely in darkness would be best so he couldn’t see what he was getting. She took a deep nervous breath before opening the door to see Dev already sitting up in bed watching hockey on the television.

  The sheet and blanket were folded back on the side next to him. She had never thought of sleeping in the guest room. Why is that, Lily Schmidt? It felt so right and comfortable to slide into bed next to him again.

  He glanced at her as she joined him.

  “The Caps are playing in San Jose tonight.”

  “You like hockey?”

  “I used to play, every year until college. I played my first year at West Point, but playing at the collegiate level was just not fun. Then I played football for a couple of years. But I always loved hockey. I’ll join a pickup game around town, but I haven’t had time in a few years.”

  “Not much skating in Afghanistan?”

  “No rinks and no Zambonis.”

  “I see.” She snuggled under the covers, and turned to lay closer to him. After today, she just couldn’t be close enough to him. At dinner, they’d held hands; his thumb had rubbed over hers, slowly caressing. His light kisses had made her giggle, they tickled. She’d hung on his every word, fascinated to watch his mouth and overwhelmed by some of the declassified tales of the guys and their missions.

  “You comfortable?” he asked as he slid down beside her, landing just inches from her face.

  Lily nodded. “Dev, this is silly, but I need to know. Are you my boyfriend?” Idiot, the wine was still talking.

  “Are you my girlfriend?”

  While the wine was still talking, Lily continued. “Do you want to be my boyfriend?”

  Dev jokingly pretended to ponder the question. Where was that sheet of paper now with the boxes of yes or no written on it? She lightly hit his chest, but her hand remained there. He was rock solid, warm to her touch.

  “You know, Dev, I can go to the guest room, friend.”

  “What’s the fun in that?” he murmured. He softly kissed her. “I think we’re a little too old for girl and boyfriend. We are a couple. Everyone likes you. I like you very much.”

  “That’s nice. You like me, you really like me.” She laughed as he rolled his ey
es. They were so honest with each other, but then again, they were dishonest by omission. She was getting too old to wait. Besides, walking on eggshells was not Lily’s strong suit. Eventually, someone or something would crack and leave you with slivers of shell or egg on your feet.

  “They just scored,” Dev said, interrupting her thoughts.

  “They scored. How nice for them.”

  “What’s up?” Dev actually thought she was annoyed by the hockey game. “I can turn the game off.”

  “No. It’s fine, but I need to really talk to you about my doubts.”

  “I’m listening.” Lily looked at him and studied his face. Perhaps, this is what she loved about him the most, he listened to her. Even when she babbled.

  “I think we are both scared of commitment and all that comes with it. We’ve both been burned enough to have asbestos suits hanging in our closets.”

  Dev smiled. “Apparently, according to my own father and friends, I have enough emotional baggage to fill Reagan Airport. This is different; I want to take a chance with you.”

  She touched his face tenderly, resting her hand on his cheek. “I want that too.”

  She stopped talking, mostly out of fear, fear of losing him. He waited for a minute.

  “Lily, just blurt it out. You’ve never been afraid to tell me anything.”

  Oh, if you only knew! “Dev, I have too much to lose. My heart and the life I’ve been living are on the line. You are the most wonderful man I’ve ever met. Your father is the nicest, and your friends are so kind to me.”

  Dev grinned. “You’ve fallen in lust with JT?”

  “No, but we must never allow Gretchen within fifty feet of the man. I know he’s a SEAL, but I’m not sure he would survive.”

  Their serious discussion was paused by shared laughter. Lily casually moved her hand to play with his hair. “I’m the kind of woman who ends up with a suburban house, married to a hard-working regular guy. Usually, we are struggling to pay the bills. We save for our kids’ college funds.”

  Dev listened. She paused and continued. “I will never wear a bikini, ever. I’m usually a size eight, ten or twelve on a good day, and it is hardly ever a good day. If I wear horizontal stripes, I feel like I could be in a Willy Wonka movie as an Oompa Loompa. I loathe running and camping. I love you. You are my fantasy, but I’m afraid that you will wake up one day and see the reality that is me.”