Military Man

by Mia Soto

  Everything about her fascinated him. She was so bright, painfully so. And she was funny and independent but not very good at living life on her own from what he could tell. She was recklessly irresponsible with her wellbeing, but so open hearted. She had a million and one ideas on how to save the world, none of them very prudent given his vast experiences around the world. But he admired her for having them and for not being one of those people to cast judgements on others because they didn’t think like her.

  She was gorgeous to a fault, perfect features, the sort of body men killed for, lush. She was great in bed, like really great. He hated that she was at that office with that asshole right then. The prick had called or texted her all weekend, once in the middle of the night on Saturday. Ork had taken it into his hands to end the call and let the ass know what would happen if he called back that time of night ever again. Yeah, she hadn’t liked his take charge action. It was a pretty good fight. Luckily, she lusted after him hard so when he couldn’t get her to calm down with reason, he used sex.

  He wasn’t used to being crossed by women and his friends’ women seemed to like that take care of me swagger. Lycée had him walking a confused tightrope of sometimes that was ok and sometimes it wasn’t. He wasn’t that kind of nuanced guy to be able to read her signs fluently. But in spite of the fact that he kept walking right into those landmines with her, he liked it. He liked her spitfire reactions and that she wasn’t afraid of him. The plain fact was he liked her, a lot.

  So having to struggle not to call or text her all morning was a new sensation for him. A few times he had even blown up at his teammates. He reasoned that he was so edgy and volatile because he was starving. The fish and fruit was long gone and he had slept later than normal so he could be with her longer that morning and he’d missed his chance at a big breakfast. Hunger was causing his irritability, he reasoned. But when he finally gave himself permission to call her right before he walked into the dining hall suddenly his mood changed. The hunger wasn’t so bad as he listened to her phone ring. Excitement was pulsing in his blood.

  When her voice mail picked up, his disappointment was acute. He thought about hanging up but she had him programmed in her phone so she’d have known he’d called. He left her a message hoping she was doing well and he'd had a great weekend and that he liked waking up with her and that he was thinking about her. After he’d rambled on for an embarrassing amount of time, revealing more than he should have in his opinion, he told her he’d call back later. He was beating himself up mentally for that sappy message when his phone beeped that another call was coming in. It was her and the fact that his heart soared made him uneasy but he answered her with the happiest hello he’d probably ever given someone.

  “Hey,” she replied back in a quiet voice like she was in a library. “I snuck out of a meeting to call you back.”

  “Oh yeah?” Why did that make him happy?

  “Yeah, how are you?”

  “Good, you? How’s your day?”

  “Better, now that you called.”

  He could almost feel her face flush at that revelation. He needed to say something to assure her he felt the same way because she obviously hadn’t had a chance to listen to his love sick message. “I wanted to call you all morning but it’s been busy.” That was a lie. It had been busy, some meetings, training, work out but not so busy that he couldn’t have taken ten for a personal call.

  “You left so early.”

  “Yeah, probably not early enough. I was a little late.” Wow had he actually admitted that to her?

  He could hear her smile as she replied, “the bed gets cold when you’re not in it. You’re like a furnace.”

  His body shivered at her words. “Well you can stick those ice blocks you walk around on under my ass later on.” That was another thing she’d taken to doing, using his body heat to warm her feet whenever they were lounging on her couch or bed or wherever.

  She laughed, “I will. I gotta go.”

  He felt his disappointment, immediately, but if he didn’t hurry, he was going to miss lunch, as well, and that couldn’t happen if he was going to make it through afternoon training. “Ok, me too. Time to eat.”

  She laughed again and he wished he was there to see it. Her smile lit up her face. “Fish for lunch?”

  “No, Baby. I’m going to take out half a cow if it’s available.”

  She totally cracked up at that. “Ok, go do that.” She didn’t hang up and neither did he. “Are you going?”

  “Are you?” He asked softly.

  “Yeah,” she conceded reluctantly. “I really do need to get back in there.”

  “Call you later?”

  “Please,” she said quietly.

  “Count on it, Baby. Tell Brandt I said hi.”

  She laughed again. “I will. Bye.”

  “Bye, Baby,” he said. She clicked off and he felt peaceful again. His Lycée meter had refilled. He made it through the day and decided to hold off on calling her. Games, he was playing those games he’d heard about. It was stupid and by seven, after he’d wandered around his apartment for a few hours aimlessly and confused by his need for her, he finally gave in and called her. She answered almost immediately.

  “Hi,” she said brightly.

  “Hi, Baby.” Why was calm like a sedative the first thing he felt when he heard her voice? “Whatcha doin?”

  “Making dinner. I didn’t think you were going to…” she trailed off and he felt bad immediately. Why hadn’t he called her as soon as his day wrapped? He wasted hours wanting to be with her while he sat alone in his apartment playing some stupid chess game of love with himself.

  “Sorry, I didn’t want to crowd you out.” That was kind of the truth.

  “You don’t. Trust me,” she assured him.

  He smiled. Her little revelations did wonders to prod him on. She seemed so intent on things remaining fun he’d started to think she was taking over his role in the relationship. “Is there enough for me?” He asked.

  “Totally,” she said brightly.

  “I’ll be right there.”

  “OK,” she sounded excited. “Bye.”

  He didn’t even think to ask what was for dinner but he should have because she put a plate of what looked like rice, more vegetables and some white chunked up stuff with what looked like a blackened seasoning over it. That was tofu. He knew that much but he asked anyway, as nicely as he could fake it, “uhh, what’s this?”

  Obviously he failed at not sounding disappointed because her face fell. He kept doing that and he kicked himself. It was obvious she was excited to cook for him. Be gracious asshole, he yelled in his head.

  “It’s tofu,” she looked insecure. He pulled her onto his lap and kissed her. He loved kissing her more than anything else he did with her. Her lips were so soft and they fit his perfectly.

  “It looks delicious. You surprised me. That’s all. No one I hang out with eats tofu very often.”

  She looked hopeful that he wasn’t disappointed after all. It ate at his heart. All he wanted was her happiness. “I made an extra tofu patty for you. And there’s some teff and chia in there as well for more protein. Should stick better to your ribs.”

  He somehow masked his skeptical look and the fact that he was still stark raving starving after eating all of his, whatever was left in the pot and the rest of hers. She was watching him closely as she said, “You’re still hungry.” It wasn’t a question. She knew it. He could tell.

  “A little,” he admitted and pulled her back onto his lap. “But it was really good.” That was no lie. He didn’t love the foods she served but she made them really well.

  “It’s just I can’t eat a lot of the stuff you probably like. You know like fried everything and half a cow. I had a lot of food allergies growing up. Most of them are gone but I still kind of watch what I eat because a lot of foods don’t sit well with me.”

  Oh, he felt a revelation at her confession. He figured she was one of those girls o
bsessed with her weight and eating foods that helped regulate that, not that she needed to worry. She was the perfect amount of round and lithe in his opinion, though he’d bet she probably felt she was more on the round than lithe side. It bothered him that her body wasn’t totally healthy and he hated thinking about her sick on any level.

  “I’m fine, Baby.” He wasn’t - he was hungry but he acted this out for her so she didn’t feel badly. “Let’s clean up then you can warm up on my body.”

  Her eyes rounded and a beaming smile crept across her face. In the end, the cleaning waited while he took her to the bedroom and buried himself deep inside of her. Her sighs and cries ignited him. There was no better feeling than being inside of her, other than if she ever let him ditch the condom.

  When she fell asleep on him again on the couch later on, he spent over an hour watching her breathe peacefully. His insides were all twisted up and aching in the most nauseating but comforting way. All the memories they had created together ran through his mind. The overwhelming feelings of protectiveness and possessiveness were on high alert as she lay in his arms completely trusting of him. He’d fucking kill anybody who came near her or tried to hurt her. It was all very disarming.

  He’d meant to pick her up and bring her back to the bedroom to put her to bed, but there was no way he could do that without claiming her body once more. He didn’t have that kind of willpower. He woke her with kisses all over her body. She always came alive like a sleek cat stretching and arching under his touch. He smoothed her hands over her head and held them there as he pushed into her hard. She immediately cried out and arched with eyes closed in bliss.

  Feeling her long under him as he stroked her was the best feeling, and when her gasps became ecstatic he knew she was near. She confirmed that knowledge when she wrapped her legs around him and met him with as much force as he gave. He’d never come at the exact time that his partner did before that night. That was what he had been waiting for, looking for, her. Only he hadn't even known it.

  His favorite part came next, where she wrapped him up in her arms and legs and kissed him all over his face and shoulders while he was still deep inside her. Then she’d do that nose kiss thing that children did, and normally he’d think ridiculous, but when she did it, it completely unraveled him. Often, she’d follow that up with the softest, lightest touch of the tip of her tongue to his scared cheek and her immediate soft, full kiss right there as well. She fucking had him by the balls. He could live in that moment. Well, he could also live in the moment where she nestled into him like an animal burrowing until she found her niche. Pretty much he could live in any moment as long as she was in it. He chuckled lightly to himself as he wrapped her sleeping body into his. He was a lost cause and he knew it. He never saw it coming.

  Chapter 6

  She sat at her desk on Thursday of that week. A steamy day dream was playing around her head of her wrapped around Ork and him full inside her while the hot water of her shower pelted them both. That had been a good memory. He had spent every night of the week with her that week and as far as she could tell they were fast abandoning fun. It wasn’t fun that they were having. No, that wasn’t true. It was a lot of fun. But it was also not only fun.

  Sometimes he made love to her so gently and completely she had to bury her face in his shoulder to hide her tears. The night before he had caught her in them and thought he’d hurt her. It had taken some convincing for him not to think the worst and when she finally bumbled through enough words she’d given away her poker hand completely. The look in his eyes, shining and adoring, made up for the fact that she’d said more than she should have.

  If anything, he was the one crossing the fun line unapologetically. She was trying to honor their deal, but every time he gently held her while she fell asleep or pulled her down on him while they watched TV or took her with a force and knowing of her body nobody had before, she lost another notch on her resolve.

  She didn’t even mind their fights which they did nightly when he arrived to her unlock door. It was a bad habit she could admit it but his reaction had made her a little bullheaded in changing her ways. They’d had a few philosophical fights as well. He thought she was dreamer with a naïve heart. She thought he was a little weather worn and cynical. But whatever their differences, it could all evaporate with the touch of his lips on hers and his gentleness in everything he did for and to her.

  She could say she was falling in love but that would have been a lie because she was already there, full on, heartbreaking love. She’d only been in love once before. Now that she was with Ork, she realized that whatever that was before Ork - it wasn’t love. This was love, fun, confusing, easy, comfortable, exciting, challenging, love. Her phone buzzed as she smiled dreamily at her wall. She needed a picture of him for her desk. When she looked down it was him. He called her at least once a day usually in the afternoon after his training and shower.

  She was smiling when she answered. “Hello.”

  “Hi, Baby, how are you?” She’d heard him talking to other people and his voice was often clipped and impatient. When he spoke to her, it was like a kitten purring after milk.

  “Oh, thinking about you.”

  He was silent for a moment. “Oh yeah, what about?”

  “Hmm, that time in the shower when you got me to that happy place twice in one go. Maybe we can try to do that again.”

  “Shit,” he whispered painfully. “We can do that again, Baby. Tonight.”

  “Good,” she could feel her intimate areas clenching with the vigor of his promise. “See you after work?”

  “Hey, Baby?” She could tell he was hesitating, like he was insecure.

  “Yes,” she encouraged gently.

  He took a moment then responded, “can we get a steak tonight?”

  She cracked up. “Yes. Yes we can. You've been a good sport this week.”

  He sighed in what she imagined was relief. “Thank God. I can't eat another salad. Or tofu. My stomach grumbled during our morning meeting yesterday. It was embarrassing. We’ll go somewhere that has seafood too.”

  She was giggling but assured him, “I'm sorry. I'll get better about this. I'm not used to being around carnivores like you.”

  “It's ok. I'm glad that you're not afraid to make me eat tofu. Most girls would've had steak every night trying to impress me. Not you.” He laughed softly. “No, for you I'm eating tofu and quinoa. How do you say that again?”

  “Quinoa. And now you want a steak?”

  “Now I want a steak.”

  “Text me where you want to go. I'll meet you there.”

  “No I'll pick you up.”

  She hesitated before saying, with a decent touch of excitement, “like a date?”

  He hesitated as if realizing they'd done a lot of things together but they'd never been on a date. He said so gently it almost made her stomach lurch with butterflies, “yeah, Baby, like a date. Pick you up there at six?”

  “No, I need to go home first.”

  “Why?” He asked with genuine confusion.

  “Because I'm all officy right now and I want to look pretty for you on our first date.” She said as if this should be obvious.

  He took another long moment before letting out a ragged breath and saying, “ok, Baby, seven thirty? Is that too early?”

  “Perfect.” She assured him.

  “Yes, you are.” He agreed. “Perfect for me.”

  She sighed, “see you soon.”

  “Definitely.”

  She scrambled out at five forty five that afternoon, a record. Luckily Brant’s was with his new girl and he was, well whatever he was doing with her, it preoccupied him not to notice her sneaking out at the unfathomable hour of quitting time. She managed a quick shower without a hair wash. She put on a new little off the shoulder number she’d bought just for him earlier that week, even if she was only right then admitting that fact in her mind. It was a soft and pretty little dress and went perfect with her nude gladiator s
tilettos. Beach hair and natural makeup, accessories came next. As she admired the total package in the mirror she smiled. Yeah. He was going to like this. She'd forgotten how fun it was to dress for a man and he was definitely all man and he was going to love this. And he was going to show her how much he loved this.

  She wondered what he'd wear. Was she overdressed? She didn't care. But all she'd ever seen him in was army gear, jeans and shorts, cargos, at that. His knock sounded. She gave herself a secret smile in the mirror, did a little twirl to let the flowy skirt float up around her thighs and slinked away to open the door. He was opening the door with a scowl, and she immediately put on a worried, chastised look. Shit, why was he so uptight about her locking doors? However, any words of reprimand floated away when he saw her.

  His reaction was perfection, dropped mouthed, hot damn perfection. She was swooped up before she could return the favor because he looked edible in his dark button down and dress slacks. When he finally let her up for air half of her nude lipstick was on his lips.

  She laughed and wiped at his mouth, “you have lipstick all over.”

  “I don't care,” was his response before he overwhelmed her again with his lips.

  She sighed against his lips when he came up for air again. “So, dinner?”

  “Oh right,” he said between soft, short kisses. “That's why I'm here.” He held her tightly against him. “Baby, you're beautiful.”

  “So are you. I've never seen you all cleaned up like this. I could throw you over my shoulder and drag you caveman style to the bedroom.” She laughed at her a silly statement. Not only could she not physically do that the mental image of her feminine form trying to carry this two hundred pound tank was hysterical. His eyes flared as he threatened to make good on that by doing exactly what she had suggested but to her. She squealed and turned out of his arms. “Uh uh. You're taking me on a date. Stay here. I have to fix my make up.” But he didn't stay he went with her, arms wrapped around her, kissing her neck to distraction while she tried to fix her lipstick. She kinda managed to get it back on.