A Sailor's Second Chance

by Gail Chianese

  And when Casey slid into her, she had come home. It was the only way to explain it. With him she was home. She was safe and wanted and loved.

  They took that first time together slow, relearning each other’s bodies, dislikes and sweet spots. It was the fast and furious of their youth, they saved that for round two…and three.

  ~*~

  Casey quietly rolled over and slipped out of bed careful not to wake Colette. They hadn’t been asleep all that long, maybe an hour and after their workout she could use the rest. He grabbed his phone and closed the bathroom door behind him. A quick call to the hotel restaurant secured them a table overlooking the beach for dinner that night. He figured he’d take a shower and then wake Sleeping Beauty. Maybe they’d have time for a walk before dinner and even catch someone taking off for a sunset balloon ride.

  Or they could skip the whole thing and repeat the afternoon activities.

  He was easy.

  The water beat down on his back as he let the past couple of days roll through his mind. He definitely hadn’t expected to end up where he was—with Colette, in bed, contemplating their future together. Hell, he was past contemplating. As far as he was concerned, if she asked, he’d walk down the aisle the next day. They could work out the rest as they went.

  He scrubbed the shampoo through his hair sighing. It wouldn’t be that easy. Nothing ever was in life. He’d have to tell his family. They’d flip, thinking he’d lost his mind or was suffering some kind of brain damage or PTSD. His friends, especially Jackson Faraday, would think he’d gone off the deep end. Then again, Jax had sort of called it all those months ago before he’d transferred to Pensacola. He’d all but accused Casey of still being in love with Colette.

  Of course, Casey had denied it with every fiber of his being.

  None of that mattered now.

  It didn’t matter what his family or friends thought. All that mattered were the two of them, what they thought, felt, what they wanted. And he was pretty sure they were on the same page. Definitely in the physical needs department. The last couple of hours proved that. Also, that they still connected.

  He’d made so many mistakes the first time. Locking it all up inside like some macho badass. Not going after her when he’d come home. Taking her and their marriage for granted. His parents had made marriage look so easy, so effortless. They never fought, were always there for each other. It was like they had this ability to read the other’s mind and always knew what was needed. He’d thought it’d be that way with him and Colette. When he’d confessed that belief to his mom she’d actually smacked him upside his head.

  He knew better now. It took work. It took talking. It took patience. And no matter what no one walked away and if they did, the other followed.

  Colette confessed her fear to him, but he’d show her that there was nothing to be afraid of. This was their time. It was their second chance.

  He stepped out of the steamy shower and wrapped a towel around his waist, turning to find Colette leaning casually against the doorframe.

  “Don’t be modest on my behalf.” Her sexy half-smile lit him up inside and brought everything to attention.

  He pulled her into his arms so she could see what she did to him. “You’re choice. We’ve got dinner reservations in an hour. I could cancel.”

  She bit down on her bottom lip and played with the hair on his chest, twirling it around her fingers. “Tempting, but one problem. I’m starving and we ate all the strawberries.”

  “I could call out for more.” His voice had turned husky sounding strange to his own ears.

  “Do you think to keep me locked up as your sex slave for the rest of the week? Feeding me nothing but sweets and champagne?” She laughed and spun out of his arms. “I’m not saying it’s a bad plan, but I did sign up for Chef Ian’s cooking lesson for tomorrow afternoon. If I don’t show, they may storm the doors to make sure we haven’t gone all Mr. & Mrs. Smith on each other.”

  He leaned against the empty doorframe, crossing his arms as he watched her undress from the t-shirt she’d slipped on. Why she’d bothered, he’d had no idea.

  “I think we’re safe. He’s the one who arranged the delivery of the strawberries and champagne. He struck me as the romantic type. I’m sure he’d be happy to keep sending food our way.”

  “Non-stop sex is not romantic and remember what I said about shutting the park down for maintenance every now and then.” She stepped into the shower, running her hands through her hair, which lifted her breasts and made him even happier than he had been before. If he didn’t step out he’d end up joining her, then they’d be late for dinner.

  He quickly got dressed and with time to spare stepped out on the patio to enjoy the slow descent of the sun. The sky was slashes of dark, dramatic colors like orange, blue-black, red and purple. The breeze had picked up from earlier and he hoped they weren’t in for another rainstorm. Just in case, he’d grab the complimentary umbrella.

  Lost in thoughts about all the things he’d like to do to Colette after dinner, he didn’t register his phone ring at first. Thinking it was the restaurant reminding him of their reservation he answered absently, surprised to hear his department head’s voice.

  Casey listened carefully, reigning his temper and disappointment in as orders were given. He’d just hung up and slipped the phone into his back pocket when he’d heard the French doors open. Colette slipped her arms around him from behind, resting her cheek against his back.

  He didn’t say anything for several long minutes.

  “Is everything okay?” she asked.

  “My leave’s been cancelled.” He didn’t turn around, couldn’t bear to see the look on her face. “I have to leave in the morning.”

  Chapter Ten

  She could have stayed, enjoyed the rest of her vacation as Casey had wanted, but she’d refused and left the next morning with him. The drive back to Pensacola was long and stressful—neither had a clue why his leave had been cancelled. Instead of focusing on the unknown they talked about their future. Both agreed they should give it a little time before taking the next step and in the next breath agreeing that they should adopt a dog. Not a puppy. No, both wanted an older dog, one from the shelter who needed a second chance.

  Casey had asked what she thought about moving back to Illinois where his family lived when he got out. She’d agreed, but then he mentioned snow and they both laughed and said they’d rather stay near the ocean. They talked about other things like how to tell his family they were back together. She was nervous, but he said not to worry and she tried to trust he knew best.

  They’d arrived in Pensacola a little after six in the evening. Casey had dropped her off and went straight to work. While she waited to hear from him, she unpacked, did laundry and tried to imagine Casey in her space. It was just a one bedroom. She didn’t need more, but with two people and all of Casey’s military gear alone they’d need a second closet. Maybe his place would be better suited for the two of them.

  The thought made her stop in the middle of folding her shorts. There she was thinking about the two of them moving in together and she didn’t even know where he lived. Who does that?

  Granted they had a history that most others in their shoes didn’t have. Still it was a clue that they should slow down before one or both got whiplash. But she couldn’t help it. The heart knows what it wants. Wasn’t that how the saying went? If not, it was close. It had only been about an hour or so before Casey had showed back up. One look and her hopes and dreams sunk to the pit of her stomach.

  “What’s wrong?” she asked.

  “I’m shipping out to the sandbox. It’s an emergency fill, and I fit the bill.”

  “But I thought…”

  His chin dropped to his chest, then he looked up to her with pain-filled eyes. “Sweetheart, you know in the military there are no guarantees.”

  She nodded and swallowed the tears. They’d been there before. “When?”

  “Monday.”

/>   “Then we better make the most out of the days we have left.”

  And they did. The days were filled with work. He had shots and exams, and briefs to attend. She cancelled the rest of her leave and went back to work just so she could at least see him a few minutes throughout the day. And the nights were filled with the two of them making love.

  Monday morning, she stood tall and proud and dry-eyed as she waved him off…again. Casey promised to email and call as often as he could, which he did. His emails were filled with how much he missed her and all the things they should do when he got home. The calls were short but she could hear the longing in his voice and that’s what mattered. Maybe it helped that she had work to get her through the day and the food pantry at night.

  Then after two and half months the calls and emails stopped. She had no idea why. Her boss assured her he was fine. They’d know if he wasn’t.

  After two long weeks of silence she broke down. It was one thing to deal with the sympathetic looks from those in relationships but overhearing a couple of guys suggest that Casey had ghosted her was another. There was only one place she wanted to be and thank goodness no one came to Florida in August. Even the locals stayed inside. And since it was low season, she was able to get their villa.

  Not that she spent much time inside the villa. Too many memories. Sleep was elusive and her muscles were as hard as stone, but getting a massage was out of the questions. Instead of sitting around and stewing, she slapped a hat on her head and headed out. A walk would do her good. She followed the little path, following the signs to a “farmette.”

  A woman about her age, wearing overalls rolled up to her knees and dirt smudges on her cheeks exited from a shed as Colette stood and stared at the rows of plants.

  “Hi, you must be Colette Thomas.” She extended a gloved hand, before pulling it back, yanking the glove off and reoffering it. “I’m Tessa Galloway Browning. Welcome back to Casa Blanca.”

  “Thanks. Does everyone on staff know who all the guests are by name?”

  “Probably.” She chuckled. “Lacey runs a tight ship, but full disclosure, my husband, Ian pointed you out last night when you left the dining room.”

  “Oh, you’re Pretty Tessa. Your husband is a fabulous chef. Lucky you.”

  Her fair skin turned a bright pink. “Very lucky. I have to say we were all a little surprised when you booked the villa again so soon. We were hoping—”

  “That is was a honeymoon?”

  She grimaced and tugged her glove back on. “Know anything about plants?”

  “They need water and sunlight to survive?” No one had ever accused Colette of having a green thumb before. Plant killer? Sure. Foliage Grim Reaper? Once or twice. But that didn’t stop her from trying again and again.

  Tessa nodded and stepped toward a row of what looked like sugar snap peas, but Colette could be wrong. “We grow most of our vegetables and herbs right here.”

  “They’re delicious.”

  “Glad you’re enjoying them. If you’re looking for a way to burn up some of that excess energy, you’re welcome to join me. Most of these are ready to be picked. It’s easy work but takes time and you need to be careful not to bruise the plant when you snap the pod off.”

  “Sure, sounds like fun and I’ve got nothing but time to kill.”

  They two women worked silently in tandem, snapping peas pods and working their way down the rows. Tessa didn’t pry about why Colette was there alone; something she was grateful for. They had filled four buckets when Tessa called for a break.

  She handed her a bottle of water and pointed to a bench in the shade. “Thanks for the help and company. I don’t get a lot of it out here, which is fine most of the time. I don’t mind being alone with my garden and every now and then Ian comes over to help and brings the kids with him.”

  “How many do you have?” It was an innocent question, but one that pulled at Colette’s heartstrings. Would she ever be a mom? She didn’t even know if Casey still wanted kids. They hadn’t gotten a chance to talk about it before he deployed.

  “Three amazing monsters.”

  “Three would be nice. I was an only child.”

  “Me, too,” Tessa said.

  Colette wasn’t sure if it was the only child thing or the something in Tessa’s voice, but before she knew it she was pouring her life story out to the poor woman. At least she kept to the abridged version.

  “I know it sounds silly, but being here at Casa Blanca, staying in the Blue Casbah villa, makes me feel closer to Casey. Maybe it’s because it’s where we fell in love again.”

  “It doesn’t sound silly at all. Barefoot Bay has that effect on people. You just kick off your shoes and fall in love here.” To emphasis her point Tessa toed off her work boots and sighed.

  “But what if I’m in love with the guy and not cut out for the lifestyle? We tried this once before I couldn’t hack it.” She couldn’t live with the thought of hurting Casey again, but wasn’t sure if she could live with the worry and stress eating away at her insides. “I’m such a wreck, I can’t keep anything down.”

  Tessa slowly looked at her, one brow quirked.

  Colette waited for her to say something and then it hit her. Tessa thought she was pregnant. “Oh, no. That’s not it. Mother Nature has assured me every month.”

  They sat there for a couple of minutes, soaking up the sun and re-hydrating before they tackled the next row. Tessa had been right; the physical work was helping and she might even sleep that night.

  “What if he never comes home, Tessa? I never even got a chance to tell him I loved him before he left.” She didn’t know why. Yeah, sure life had been a whirlwind of activity, but how long does it take to say three little words? Eight little letters?

  “Do you? Love him?” Tessa asked.

  “Yes.” She didn’t even have to think about it.

  “Then you’ll make it work. Love is funny and makes us do crazy and sometimes stupid things, like let a person walk out of your life because you think you’re doing what’s best for them. I did that and by the time I realized how much I loved Ian, it was too late. I didn’t know how to find him.”

  “What happened?”

  “Where there’s a will, there’s a way. Ian made it work and he made his way back to me and gave me an amazing life and family.” She stood and slipped the boots back on. “Casey will come too. Just have faith in him, you and your love.”

  After their talk, Colette helped pick the rest of the peas, some summer squash, tomatoes and lettuce that she was sure was going to be part of her dinner that night. She gave Tessa a quick hug and thanked her before heading back to her villa. She was so exhausted from the physical labor. All she wanted to do was sleep. Maybe just close her eyes for five minutes, then she’d shower and go down to dinner?

  Colette sat up straight on her bed and looked around trying to sort out her surroundings. The sun had set, casting the room into dark shadows. She’d definitely done more than rest her eyes. And that’s when she heard it, a faint noise from the living room that told her she wasn’t alone.

  Maybe it’s Poppy with a late-night delivery?

  Yeah, right.

  She grabbed the first thing she could find to arm herself and snuck out of the room. “Don’t move. I’m armed and I’ve called security.”

  She heard a low, warm chuckle. “Make my day. Tell me you’re holding the hair dryer again.”

  She flipped the light switch on. “Casey?”

  ~*~

  He dropped his duffle two seconds before catching Colette in his arms and swinging her to his right side to avoid the walking cast and the worst of his injuries. He breathed deeply, letting all the tension, doubts, and fear from the last few months slip away. He was home. He had his woman. All was right in the world again.

  Colette pulled back and he kissed her, long and deep, with no intention of stopping anytime soon. Unless it was to slip the thin t-shirt she was wearing off so he could get his hands on her sweet
body again. They had lost time to make-up. Apparently, they weren’t on the same page.

  She slipped out of his grasp and poked him in the ribs. He bit down and bore it, not wanting her to see how that little action hurt so damn much.

  “Damn it, Casey. You did it again. You…” She stopped mid-sentence and reached up to his face, gently turning him into the light and inhaled sharply. Yeah, it wasn’t pretty. Nasty yellow and brown mottled the side of his face. Wait until she saw under his shirt where sections were still bruised blue and green. “Are you okay?”

  He took a slow step forward; exhaustion from the last week compiled with two solid days of travel had caught up with him. Her eyes grew wide as she caught sight of the cast and moved out of his way.

  “I’m a little banged up. Fucking IED, but everyone was okay. Walked away with some major bruises, a mild concussion and a broken leg. All that matters is I came back to you. Only you weren’t there.”

  He sat on the edge of the plush couch knowing if he sat all the way down, he’d be down for the night.

  “I haven’t heard from you in two weeks, Casey. I didn’t know if you were alive or dead, although the command tried to assure me you were fine. So, then I didn’t know what to think. Did you have second thoughts about us? Flip teams and start dating one of your brothers-in-arms?”

  He snorted in response. “Uh, no and definitely no.”

  She slid down against the wall and planted herself on the floor across the room from him out of his reach. “So why the radio silence?”

  “Activity heightened in the area we were patrolling. Shit that you don’t want to hear about and I don’t want to talk about went down. I was sleeping four to six hour stretches and working non-stop. I wanted to call.”

  He’d wanted, needed to hear her voice like he needed to breathe. He needed everything about her: her goodness and light, her laughter and love. But not there. That place he’d been, that was like hell on earth. Dirty, broken, full of fear and hatred. So many lost souls with no hope for anything better. Not in this lifetime, maybe not the next. He didn’t know. He just knew with every passing second, he lost a bit of his soul, of his hope of every coming home the same man or even alive.