by Alexa Riley
I wrote one final letter to her, and I’m mailing it out today. It will take me a couple of days to get back home, but if I time it right, she’ll get it after I arrive.
I’m not allowed to tell her exactly when I’m coming home. Troops can’t divulge any movement in an area, even if it means telling family when we’re leaving. It’s too dangerous and would give away positions, so in order to keep everyone safe, the date is secret.
As luck would have it, I’m touching down in South Carolina first, our entire platoon meeting at Parris Island. Once I dismiss my men, they can travel back home while I finish up my paperwork for retirement. Nothing moves fast in the Marine Corps, but it shouldn’t take too long. I’ll just have to sign documents and then I’ll be able to leave.
I’ll be free to do what I want. And at the top of that list is Katie Lovely.
I keep worrying about what’s going to happen when she sees me. Will she be upset I just showed up at her house? Will she turn me away? Will she run up and hug me and tell me she’s been waiting?
Our squad had a few hours of leave and I was able to find a phone and call her. She’d given me her number a long time ago when I asked for it, ‘just in case.’ We only had a few hours to talk, but every second of that, I spent on the phone with her.
We talked and talked, but I can’t remember what was said. I just remember my face hurting from smiling and my belly aching from laughing so much.
Her voice, goddamn, her voice. I could have lain there for days just listening to her. It made going back to letters a little harder after that, knowing what it was like to hear her say my name, knowing how pleasurable it was to listen to her soft giggles.
One day I’ll tell her about how many times I jerked off after that phone call, remembering her soft sighs and thinking about her mouth. Jesus, I came so many times, it was comical. But afterwards, when we left, I was sad for a few days because I wasn’t able to hear her voice again. It was a big crash after such an amazing high.
When I got her next letter, though, it was nice to read it with her voice in my head. It was if she was reading it to me, and it made it a little easier to take.
“Is that all, Sergeant Major?” Riggs has come back in and awaits my instructions. I hold out the letter to him.
“Make sure this gets in the outpost today. The squad that’s staying behind still has mail going in and out. And tell them I want whatever is sent to my attention returned to the sender. Understood?”
“Yes, Sergeant Major.” He takes the letter and leaves as I join my squad.
* * *
I’ve been on the plane for a few hours now, and everyone is settled in for a long flight. I close my eyes and lean my head back, trying to get some sleep. I do the same thing I always do every time I close my eyes.
I think about Katie.
I remember her bright eyes from the pictures she sent me. Her gorgeous red hair, her delicate fingers twisting a lock around them. Her soft creamy skin begging me to kiss it. Her full lips smiling at me, laughing in a few of them. I have etched into my mind every single detail of her. I could die tonight and if a few pictures and her voice were all I ever got, I’d die a happy man.
I know this is all crazy and seems so ridiculous, but I’ve fallen in love with a woman I’ve never met. Yet she knows me better than anyone on this planet. She has seen what’s truly inside my heart, and she’s brought out the best parts of me.
Katie did all this from the other side of the world. I can hardly imagine what holding her in my arms will do to me.
Chapter Seven
Katie
I run my finger along the edge of the envelope. I’ve been staring at it for over five minutes now. The return-to-sender message stamped across the front makes my head spin.
I haven’t gotten a letter from Mark in over a week, which isn’t normal for us, and now I got my last one back in the mail. My stomach rolls at the possibilities of what this could mean.
“You ready?” I glance over my shoulder to see Tammy standing behind me, all dressed up and ready to go out in a black, form-fitting dress that shows off her long legs. I’m sure her husband is going to give her shit about wearing that dress, but that’s probably why she did it. She likes when he goes all caveman on her, and I have to admit it’s cute when he does. It’s something I’d love to have for myself one day.
When our eyes meet, her smile drops and she rushes over towards me.
“What’s wrong?”
I hand her the envelope.
“Maybe he got moved or something. It could be anything, Katie.” She pulls me into a hug, and her gentle comforting makes a tear slip free.
“I just mailed the letter to some base and they make sure they get it to him. They’d know where he was and forward it on. This means...” My words trail off because I can’t even say it. Could something have happened to him? I’d have no way of knowing, and worse, I don’t even know how to get a hold of someone who would. They probably wouldn’t tell me anything.
“You don’t know what it means. Maybe he got out. All done. It’s been over a year now, and I remember you told me he had a year before he retired. That was when you first started writing.”
Her words bring me some comfort. But why didn’t he tell me he was leaving? Give me a new address or something, a way of getting ahold of him? Or maybe, like I was dreading, as he’s no longer in the Marines, we’re done.
That doesn’t hurt as much as the other possibility, but it still cuts deep. Deeper than I ever thought possible.
“Katie!” Tammy pulls back from our hug, grabbing my shoulders in a firm hold. “That man is not done with you. Trust me. Think about it. You know him better than anyone. You have to with as much as you two write back and forth.”
“You’re right.” No way would he just stop communication. He wouldn’t do that to me. He may not have feelings of love for me like I do for him, but we had a deep friendship, not one that could easily be tossed aside.
“I’m sure you’ll hear something in a few days.” She drops her hands from my shoulders and runs her eyes down my body.
“You look sexy.”
“Sexy? Really?” I don’t think sexy is a word that can be used for me, but I have to admit I stepped a little out of my comfort zone tonight with my dress. It hugs my breasts but flares out at the bottom, showing off more of my curves than usual. It’s white, but I paired it with a red necklace and earrings that match my hair. Tammy helped me pick out the jewelry.
I even put on a little make-up and got my nails done. I tamed my wild hair, opting to leave it down tonight.
Since I started talking to Mark, I’ve noticed my confidence has gone up and a little bit of my shyness has slipped away. I don’t know if it’s the compliments he’s always giving me, or the fact that I feel sexually charged for the first time in my life. I find myself thinking about sex more than I ever have. Before, it was a passing thought here or there. Now I find myself lying in bed every night thinking about Mark next to me and all the things he’d do to me.
“Sexy sweet. We’re going to have a good time tonight.”
Tammy talked me into going to some ladies’ night. It’s the day before Valentine’s Day, so a local bar is holding some anti-Valentine’s Day party. And since it was a Friday night, I thought why not. Like I said, I’ve been coming out of my shell more lately, and I have Mark to thank for that.
“I could really use a drink now,” I say, dropping the letter on the counter and picking up my purse. There’s nothing I can do right now to try to find out anything. It’s already 7 P.M., and I don’t even know where to begin in my attempts to locate Mark.
“Or three.”
I laugh, nodding my head. “Three sounds good.”
“Hubs is going to drop us off and pick us up. We could really have, like, five.” She pushes me playfully as we make our way towards to door to head over to her place.
When I open the door, all the air leaves my lungs, and I hear Tammy’s exclamation. “
He’s okay.
He’s here.
I can’t seem to find words, and neither can he because his mouth crashes down onto mine.
He’s okay, I tell myself. Relief pours through me. I latch on to him tighter, wanting to get closer and to prove to myself that he’s okay. That he’s really here.
Then I seem to be in his arms, my feet no longer touching the ground. I feel his hands go to my ass as he picks me up easily, and I feel my back hit a wall. His tongue pushes into my mouth, soft and sweet, making my heart clench.
He suddenly pulls away, and both of us try to catch our breath.
“You taste like sugar. I knew you’d be sweet, but damn.”
I hear his words, but it’s all so much. He’s here. At my house. I’m in his arms, and my legs are wrapped around his waist.
Holy shit.
“This was the wall thing I was talking about,” Tammy says, and I can’t help the burst of laughter that escapes my lips as my face turns cherry red.
Chapter Eight
Mark
“Yeah, I’m gonna go ahead and leave. You two kids have a great night. Nice to meet you, Mark.”
“You, too, Tammy,” I toss over my shoulder as she walks out the front door, closing it behind her.
Katie told me all about her, but we have plenty of time to discuss that later.
“I’ve been waiting a long time to do that.” I look down into her tear-filled eyes. Her cheeks are flushed from our kiss as our bodies cling to one another.
“I’ve been waiting a long time to have you do that to me.” A little tear rolls down her cheek, but she’s smiling from ear to ear.
“I wanted to surprise you, but damn if you didn’t surprise me. Where you going all dressed up like this?” I look down at her cleavage, wanting to taste it. I lean into her neck, burying my face there. I smell her sweet scent and taste her skin. I never imagined she would feel this good.
“Nowhere now,” Katie moans, and pulls me closer to her. “I was so worried. I got my letter returned to me today.”
I pull back, looking into her eyes. “I couldn’t tell you when I was leaving. It was a security risk. Then I had to wait on paperwork so I could leave Parris Island. Believe me, baby, I got here as fast as I could.”
She reaches up and cups my face, and I lean down, kissing her lips. This time it’s just as intense, but I feel her shock melt away into desire.
Leaning back, she looks up at me, and I move to take her mouth again. I can’t seem to stop myself from kissing her. I pull her to me and carry her upstairs.
“Which way?” I ask, when I get to the top. My voice is breathy, but I need to find a bed and lie with her. Even if we don’t do anything, I need to hold her in my arms.
“To the right.” Her cheeks flame with her blush, but she leans in to kiss my neck and nibble on my ear. It’s all I can do to keep my legs steady as I carry her to her room.
When I get to the bedroom, I climb onto the bed and lay her down. I lie on top of her.
Looking into her eyes, I brush a few strands of her gorgeous red hair away from her face. “We don’t have to do anything. I just need to look at you.”
She nods at me, still giving me the biggest and brightest smile I’ve ever seen. “I can’t believe you’re here, Mark. This is insane.”
“It is.” I feel myself get serious. I need her to know what I feel. “I don’t want you to think I’m here for some quick hook up. I came here because there’s nowhere else I want to be.”
“I was worried you didn’t want me anymore. That maybe you were out and we were done. But then I realized that you wouldn’t do that to me. What we had, what we have, it’s special. Right?”
I feel relief in my chest, because I wanted to know if it felt that way for her, too. “It is, baby. Over the past year, you’ve come to mean more to me than anyone ever has. I fell in love with your heart and your words long before I even heard your voice. But when I did, I knew for sure that this was it.” I rub my thumb along the side of her face, wiping away stray tears. “I love you, Katie. I just needed to come here and tell you that. So if you need more time or want to try normal dating for a while, I can go slow. Whatever it’s going to take to keep you. I can be patient.” She laughs, and I clear my throat. “I can try to be patient.”
More tears fall as she laughs, clinging to me and running her hands all over my body.
“I love you, too, Mark. You’ve brought out the best in me, and I don’t ever want to let that go. You’ve made my life come alive.”
I take her lips, claiming her mouth and laying some of my weight on her. Her legs wrap around my waist, and her fingers lace through my hair.
I move from her lips and kiss down her neck. I nuzzle her cleavage and lick between her breasts. “My God, you’re fucking gorgeous. I just need to look at you.” I sit back a little, looking down at her. “You’re like some kind of pinup model from the forties sent to inspire World War II servicemen.”
She blushes deeply but wiggles a little under me. “And am I inspiring you?”
“Lady, if I didn't just retire, I’d sign up again just to follow you on tour.”
“I think it’s time you let me get a good look at what’s been protecting our country all these years.” She pulls at the hem of my polo shirt, and I help her take it off, along with my undershirt.
Once I’m shirtless in front of her, she runs her hands all over my hairy chest. A chill runs down my back as her fingertips gently brush my nipples and move down my stomach to my belt.
“Katie,” I whisper, not wanting to pressure her into anything. I know she’s never done this before, so this is a big moment for her. And for us.
“Don’t make me beg, Mark.” Biting her lip, she undoes my belt and jeans and reaches inside.
Chapter Nine
Mark
I moan at the first touch of her fingers on my cock. Her hand goes further down, as if she’s exploring me, until she reaches the end of my shaft and cups my balls.
I look up to see her eyes are wide with shock.
“Oh God, you’re huge.” I can hear nervous panic in her voice, and I want to calm her.
“Let’s worry about him later. I think I need to see what’s under this dress of yours.”
Sitting back, I run my hands down her body, looking her over. “You’re too good looking for me. I’m going to have to carry my sidearm everywhere I take you.”
She giggles and blushes like crazy. Fuck, it’s gorgeous seeing her like this. “I love being able to reach out and touch you.” I emphasize my statement by rubbing up her sides and cupping her breasts.
Her giggles turn to moans as I reach behind her, unzipping the dress and exposing her hard nipples. My mouth goes directly to them, taking turns sucking each one into my mouth. Her nails go to my shoulders, scratching me and marking me.
I moan against her tits, loving her aggressive behavior. It lets me know she wants me as much as I want her. I know she’s shy, and I can’t get enough of how I’m bringing her out of her shell.
I pull her dress down her curvy hips and off her body, revealing a pair of white panties with pink hearts on them.
“This is just too fucking much. I’m not going to last sixty seconds.”
I revel in the sight of Katie dressed in just her panties and red heels, her blush moving from her cheek to her chest. She moves her hands to try to cover up her stomach, but I lean down, kissing her fingers and gently pushing them away as I kiss her tummy.
“You’re beautiful everywhere, baby,” I say against her belly. She’s soft here, and I nuzzle her flesh, loving that she cushions me. Her body already accepts me and wants me there. “So beautiful.” She’s soft everywhere I’m hard, and it makes us fit perfectly.
I hear her catch her breath as I start to kiss lower and run my hands up her legs. I move my palms to the insides of her thighs, spreading them wide for me as I move down between them.
“Mark.” There’s a little panic in her voice, and I’m sure it’s because she’s never done this before. Her hands go to cover her pussy, but again I just kiss them and gently move them away.
“I aim to kiss every inch of your body, Katie. Especially right here.” I gently press my lips to her panty-covered pussy and feel her shiver with desire.
There’s a damp spot on the material already, and I press my nose there, inhaling her sweet scent. My mouth waters, and I can’t wait anymore.
Pulling her panties to the side, I reveal her puffy pink lips, glistening with need. Her little hard clit, begs for attention and her virgin-tight opening clenches with need.
Not wanting to tease her or draw it out, I bury my face against her, holding her panties out of the way while I eat her.
“Oh God, Mark!” She shouts my name into the room, and I can’t help but smile against her pussy. Hearing my name on her lips is wonderful, but hearing my name on her lips when I’ve got my mouth full of her pussy is fucking heaven.
She tastes like cookies and sweet peaches all mixed together. I swear to God, I think she put brown sugar on it. I lick her juice up and nibble on her clit as her back bows off the bed, her hands going to my hair.
I slide two fingers inside her and feel how tight she is. I try to work in and out of her slowly, stretching her a little so my cock isn’t too much for her to take.
When I have both digits fully inside of her, I push in and out in a smooth glide, curling them up to hit her G-spot. I want her first orgasm with me to be the best she’s ever had. And then I want to spend the rest of our lives trying to top it.
“Cum on my face, baby. I’ve waited so long for this.” I mumble the words against her pussy, and I feel her clamp down on my fingers.
A few more careful touches as I suckle her clit and she’s arching up and screaming out. Her orgasm is strong, flowing through her body and making her tense up. I keep rubbing that sweet spot inside her gently so it drags out all her pleasure and makes her feel good.
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