The Marine and Me

by Cathie Linz

  “A rack?”

  “Marine term for a bed.”

  “What about a sanctuary?”

  “There are places I go when I need peace and quiet. They’re all outside, not inside. The Pacific Ocean at sunset, the Rockies at dawn. There’s even a small beach in Chicago along Lake Michigan that I’ve visited from time to time. You can look back on the city from there but it’s far enough away that people don’t hassle you, especially this time of year.”

  She noticed him looking down at his watch. “Is it time to go home?”

  “Not yet. I’ve got another surprise planned.”

  “What is it?”

  “You’ll see.”

  They drove outside of town. It wasn’t until Chloe saw the sign that she realized what was going on. Balloon Rides. “You’re kidding, right?”

  “You said you’d always wanted to go up in a hot-air balloon,” Steve reminded her. “Not having second thoughts are you?”

  “Me? No way. How about you?”

  “I’ve flown in F-16s,” he noted dryly. “I think I can manage a balloon.”

  “Are you insinuating that this is a sissy means of transportation?”

  “Only if the balloon has dainty flowers all over it.”

  It didn’t.

  They were greeted by a stocky man in his forties. He had the sun-bleached hair and tanned face of someone who spent a lot of time outdoors. And he wore a lime-green T-shirt with black lettering listing a Leonardo da Vinci quote. “Once you have flown, you will walk the earth with your eyes turned sky-ward, for there you have been, and there you long to return.”

  He greeted them both with a big smile and a hearty handshake. “Welcome folks. I’m Al Greenville, your pilot for our flight today. We have the paperwork all ready for you, if you’ll just look it over and sign it.”

  Chloe tried not to be concerned that she had to sign a legal release form in case of injuries. We do not recommend balloon flights for people who are pregnant, have chronic back problems, or who are at risk for having brittle bones.

  Brittle bones? As in doing this might make you break some?

  Meanwhile Al was busy informing them of what was happening.

  “We’re going to be inflating the balloon with cold air using a gas-powered fan. Once the envelope is full of air, we stand the balloon up by turning on the burner and heating the air inside.”

  Telling herself not to be a wimp, Chloe signed her name and turned in her form. Then she focused her attention on the rainbow colors of the balloon before noticing how small the basket that would be carrying them seemed to be.

  Al said, “We’ll gently ascend and float between five hundred and one thousand feet wherever the wind takes us. We’ll be traveling above the treetops and below the clouds.”

  Wherever the wind took them? What if it took them someplace they didn’t want to go?

  Think positive, think positive, Chloe ordered herself. This is something you’ve always wanted to do.

  What if it ended badly like her parents’plane ride had?

  Was she going to spend the rest of her life in fear? Being a turtle with its head stuck in and not moving forward? Or was she going to embrace adventures?

  In no time, or so it seemed to her, they were in the basket and the time for doubts was done. They were up…aloft.

  The blast of hot air into the balloon made her jump. Steve put a comforting arm around her. As time went on, she watched the farmland beneath them moving by. Rolling hills were dotted with golden accents, vibrant oranges and fiery reds.

  “Cool weather is better for ballooning,” Al told them. “We do a lot of flying in the summer, but the best flying is in the fall. It’s a great way to see the foliage. The trees really are putting on a show this year aren’t they?”

  That show was nothing compared to the sunset they experienced a while later. The sky they were floating in became a changing canvas of colors, morphing from a hint of color to a flood of crimson light. Chloe was awed by the feeling of being totally immersed in the sunset.

  She was still riding high when they descended for their landing. A sudden wind had picked up, but she didn’t pay any attention to that until Al suddenly said, “Brace yourselves!”

  Only then did Chloe turn her head to look and realize they were coming very close to high-tension power lines. Not a good thing, surely?

  An empty field was coming up fast. No more time for fear or thought. Steve braced her against him, his body curved protectively around hers. Chloe bent her knees, as Al had instructed before takeoff, and hung onto the rope handle inside the balloon with one hand and Steve with the other.

  They narrowly missed the electric lines before continuing their rapid descent, hitting the ground hard, the basket landing on its side.

  Chloe landed on Steve. He cushioned her fall as the basket dragged along the ground before finally coming to a stop.

  Her heart was pounding in her ears, adrenaline rushing through her system.

  Okay, now she knew why people with brittle bones shouldn’t do this. It was all perfectly clear to her.

  What was also clear was the fact that her lower torso was pressed against Steve’s, her legs entangled with his. She stared down into his eyes. Her glasses had fallen off in the crash landing, but she was close enough to see him clearly.

  And that’s when she knew. She wanted to be more than just Steve’s teammate. She wanted to be the woman who made him feel like he was immersed in a sunset, the one he loved.

  “Are you folks okay?” their pilot asked them.

  “That was a little too close for comfort.” Steve’s voice was curt.

  Chloe wondered if he was referring to their proximity to the electric wires or to their embrace. But there wasn’t time to reflect on matters, as the ground crew gathered around them to secure the balloon and help them out.

  There was plenty of time to think about things during the ride home in the dark, however. Steve had been unusually quiet after their landing. Chloe wished she knew what he was thinking. She didn’t have a clue. She was having a hard enough time trying to decipher her own emotions.

  She kept flashing back to that moment when she’d lain atop Steve, without the protective shield of her glasses, without any of her usual barriers in place, having just survived a scary experience. Looking into his eyes and knowing she wanted more.

  There had been something in his gaze. Something she hadn’t seen before. Gone were the usual glints of teasing humor. And in its place was…she wasn’t sure. Desire?

  What did it all mean?

  She found out once Steve accompanied her into her house. She turned to switch on the lights in the foyer and instead found herself tugged into his arms. With one deft movement, he’d removed her glasses and covered her mouth with his.

  There was no buildup as had occurred in their previous kisses. Instead there was a raw hunger that she welcomed. Because she felt that way herself, hungry for him. Hungry to prove they were both alive, that they’d survived, that he wanted her and she wanted him.

  His hands slid beneath her sweatshirt, his fingers undoing the front fastening of her bra. His tongue tangled with hers, the thrust and parry making her moan with pleasure. That pleasure increased tenfold when he slipped his hand beneath her loosened bra to cup her bare breast in the palm of his hand, brushing his thumb against her nipple.

  Exquisite sensations shot through her body, immersing her in the fires of passion until she was absolutely burning up. She broke off the kiss for the second it took her to peel off her sweatshirt. The moment she’d done that, Steve focused his attention on the buttons of her shirt, undoing them with quick efficiency and pulling her shirt open as if unlocking the doors to some priceless treasure.

  Chloe returned the favor, shoving his leather bomber jacket off his broad shoulders and onto the floor. Her fingers fumbled with the buttons on his denim shirt because his mouth was consuming hers again and she couldn’t see what she was doing. She was working from feel, and oh
how good he felt. His skin was warm against her exploring fingers and she could feel his heart pounding as she ran her hands over his muscular pecs. Every ridge, every contour was a source of delight to her.

  Coherent thought was totally gone, replaced by waves of a desire so powerful Chloe was unable to fight it. Why fight when making love was so much more pleasurable? All pretenses were erased, replaced with an edgy hunger made more intense with every caress, every lick, every nibble.

  She felt wild and free, alive and aroused. This was no gentle gliding ride to the clouds, this was a rapid-fire jet-propelled takeoff straight to the stars. Passion throbbed deep within her body, calling out a need that only he could fulfill.

  She rocked her hips against his, conveying the urges prowling her body. But instead of pulling her closer, Steve abruptly pulled away from her, leaving her feeling confused and bereft.

  Chapter Ten

  “I shouldn’t have done that.” Steve’s voice was ragged. “I’m sorry. This wasn’t a good idea.”

  Chloe didn’t know what to say. Her lips retained the heat of his, her body still hummed where he’d touched her. Her mind was still cloudy with passion and couldn’t quite compute what he was saying. She gathered her un-buttoned shirt together with shaking fingers.

  His expression was unreadable. “I shouldn’t have taken advantage.”

  “You didn’t,” she said. She fumbled to do up her buttons.

  He handed her glasses to her. “It won’t happen again.”

  “It wasn’t your fault—”

  He cut her hesitant words off with a brisk “Yes, it was. I should have known better. All I can do is apologize and assure you that it won’t happen again.”

  “Why not?” How had those words slipped out of her mouth? An instant later, Chloe’s face burned with a fiery blush as her brain caught up. He’d just told her kissing her was a bad idea. What did she need the guy to do, draw her a diagram?

  “This wasn’t part of our agreement.” His statement sounded so matter-of-fact.

  “Right.” She took several steps away from him, wishing the floor would open up so she could disappear. Putting on her glasses made her feel only slightly less vulnerable. She could see that he’d refastened his shirt, showing none of her nervousness. He was totally impassive. A Marine with his war face on, fighting the clearly unwelcome emotional carrying-on of a female. “I’m sorry. You’re absolutely right.” He’d only signed up to be her buddy. Her Alpha Libras teammate. Nothing more. She was “the girl next door,” the one he took on outings but did not take to bed.

  The problem was that she was falling in love with him.

  Humiliation saturated her soul. Her throat closed up and she felt her eyes burn with tears. There was no way she was going to cry. Do not cry, she fiercely ordered herself.

  You’re a big girl. Suck it up and try to get out of this situation without making more of a fool of yourself than you already have.

  Refusing to look at him, she instead concentrated on smoothing a stray lock of hair behind her ear. She had to say something, make it appear that everything was okay even though it wasn’t. But the words wouldn’t come.

  Steve had no such problem. “I mean it’s not like either one of us is looking for any kind of romantic entanglement at this point, right?”

  “Right.”

  “And even if we were, we’re not right for that kind of thing. I’m a Marine. My time isn’t my own. When duty calls, I have to go. You need someone who can be there for you 24/7.”

  Which made her think that Steve either believed she was a total wimp or he was just using it as an excuse to let her down gently. Had he been able to tell by the way she’d responded to him that she was falling for him? How could he not?

  Did he really think she was some kind of needy, clingy woman? Was that why he was backing up as fast as he could?

  He didn’t seem surprised by the way she’d melted against him. Did this happen to him a lot? Women throwing themselves at him? Had he just been amusing himself at her expense, showing the staid librarian how to have fun, because she was so pitiful she didn’t know how to do that on her own? Every one of those questions ate away at her.

  But she refused to show it. Stick to the facts. She had her pride. No one had the right to imply she was a wimp. Not after the life she’d led. She might not have made waves, but she’d survived. “You make me sound like some kind of emotional wreck who needs a man as a crutch. I can assure you that nothing could be further from the truth. Not that I’m trying to convince you that we’re meant for each other. I totally understand what you’re saying.” And meaning. That things were getting too close for comfort, so he was cutting his losses and heading out the door.

  Another man finding her lacking. Just like Brad.

  “We had fun together,” she continued, her voice brittle. “But hey, it’s time to move on. That’s what you’re trying to tell me, right?”

  “In a manner of speaking.”

  “I have to give you credit for sticking it out as long as you did. Heaven knows, it must have been boring for you to get stuck hauling the staid bookworm librarian around, showing her how to have a good time.”

  “It wasn’t boring.”

  “Well it certainly wasn’t what you’re accustomed to. Not your usual cup of tea, right?”

  “That’s true.”

  His words were like tiny daggers into her heart. “There you go then. And I’m terribly sorry if I embarrassed you by seeming to go all sappy on you for a moment there. Chalk it up to having just narrowly missed electrocution this evening.”

  Her words hit home for him, like a sucker punch to the gut, intensifying his guilt at having put her at risk. He was supposed to be showing Chloe how to have fun, not doing something that would endanger her. His reaction to that experience was still freaking him out.

  Steve wasn’t the kind of man who was afraid of much. Not that he hadn’t ever experienced fear. He had. In combat situations. Not usually in emotional ones.

  There were times to stand and fight and there were times to back off and regroup. And in this case, regrouping meant that it was time to hit the road and move on. He wasn’t doing Chloe any good by sticking around.

  He’d never meant to hurt her. That was the last thing he wanted to do. She deserved so much more than he could give her.

  She gave him permission to leave. “I won’t keep you any longer then. Thank you for spending so much time with me as you did.”

  Her ultra-politeness bothered him. “Don’t make it sound like you were some kind of charity case I was taking pity on.”

  “Why not? That’s what it was.”

  “No, it wasn’t.”

  “Then what was it? A project to keep you amused while you spent time home?”

  “It wasn’t like that either.”

  “Then what was it like?”

  He couldn’t answer.

  His silence struck another blow to her heart. She wasn’t sure how many more she could take. “You’d better go. The charade is over.”

  It seemed to her that he couldn’t leave fast enough.

  When the door closed behind him, Chloe made it as far as the comfy reading chair in the living room before curling up on it and angrily wiping away the silent tears.

  It was okay, she’d be okay. She was home now, safe within her own four walls. She had her house. She had her books. She had friends. She even had a kitten now. She didn’t need a man. No way, no how.

  After leaving Chloe’s house, Steve got on his Harley and just rode. He couldn’t escape his own thoughts though. Or the memory of her sweet and sexy response. The feel of her breasts against his hands, the soft moans she made when he touched her there.

  So much for being smart. Mission Alpha Libras had to be the stupidest idea he’d ever come up with. What had he been thinking? It was obvious to any idiot with half a brain that Chloe wasn’t the kind of woman that you love and leave. He never should have kissed her once, let alone made out with he
r the way he had tonight.

  That made it sound cheap, and there was nothing cheap about Chloe. She was special. She needed someone just as special. A man who’d always be there for her after her traumatic upbringing.

  He couldn’t get that look in her eyes out of his mind. She hadn’t been wearing her glasses, so her blue eyes had looked incredibly beautiful and expressive. And they’d looked at him as if he were the one. The guy for her.

  It was momentary insanity on her part. She hadn’t really fallen for him. She might think she felt something for him, but it was probably just a student falling for their teacher kind of thing. He’d taught her to be wild, it made sense that she’d be grateful for that. And passion messed up your thinking.

  She’d get over it. So would he.

  But by the next afternoon he showed no immediate signs of recovery. He was eating another cheeseburger in Pat’s Tavern, nursing another bottle of beer when Striker called on his cell phone.

  “I forgot to ask you while I was up there in Chicago, but are you planning on stopping by Texas on your way back to California? For some reason, Kate has taken a shine to you and would love to see you. I can’t imagine why.”

  “Maybe because I don’t use dumb phrases like that skunk ain’t gonna mate. And don’t tell me I sound crankier than an armadillo in heat.”

  “I wouldn’t dream of it.” Striker wasn’t very good at stifling his laughter. “So what went wrong with that librarian of yours that’s making you crankier than an armadillo?”

  “What makes you think this has anything to do with her?” His indignation reverberated around the room, making Patrick and several of the customers send him a look from behind the bar.

  “Experience. So what happened?”

  Steve lowered his voice. “I took her on a hot-air balloon ride and we almost got fried on electrical wires on the descent.”

  “Sounds exciting.”

  “Too exciting.”

  “Is that the problem? The librarian is too exciting for you?”

  “No.”

  “So she’s too dull?”