by T. A. Foster
The gull flew toward the shore and nibbled on a pile of seaweed that washed up. The beach was quiet. Bolt peeled off his shirt and tip-toed through the room to collect his running shoes. Sunday morning runs were his favorite. He scribbled a note for Skye and closed the door behind him.
Forty-five minutes later Bolt stuck his head in the door. The bed was empty. He strolled in and closed the door. He heard the shower running through the bathroom. He smiled.
“Hey beautiful, you have room for one more?” He dropped his shorts and stepped into the shower before Skye could protest.
“How was your run?” Her arms circled his chest. “You look sweaty and dirty. So dirty.” She shook her head, while biting her bottom lip.
“Great. The beach was empty. I ran to the end of the island and back.” He watched as Skye reached for the body wash and dabbed some into her palm. She began lathering it against his chest. Her hands were smooth along his skin.
“That’s quite a run.” Her hands followed the lines of his chest, pausing every few inches to rub her fingers into his muscles.
He studied the water that trickled between her breasts. She was driving him crazy and she knew it. He reached for the back of her neck and brought his mouth on hers. The taste of her alone brought him to his knees. He was drowning in want and feelings he’d never felt before.
Skye dropped the bottle and it clanged against the bottom of the shower floor.
He felt her press against his body, all her curves, her breasts, the smoothness of her stomach. He’d never wanted anyone so much in his life. He groaned as she snaked a leg around his waist. His tongue trailed the side of her neck, lashing against the stream of water. She ignited something in him he couldn’t explain.
He twirled her to the side, pressing her back against the tile.
She smiled up at him. “Good morning, Ben.”
“We don’t have to check out until after breakfast. What are you in the mood for this morning?” Bolt asked.
They had gotten dressed and made a reservation at one of the hotel’s restaurants for breakfast.
Skye shoved her heavy shades on her forehead. “What I want is not on this menu.” She winked.
He laughed. “I think I’m rubbing off on you.”
“Maybe.” She shirked. “Coffee. Lots of coffee and then pancakes.” She folded the menu on the table. “With lots of whipped cream.”
Bolt choked on his water. “You’re killing me. I promise we’ll go back to bed after breakfast, but I have to feed the machine. I can’t exist on sex alone.” He loved the pouty look on her face.
The waiter meandered over to the table and took their pancake and coffee orders before leaving again.
“So, was it worth the thirty-day wait?” Skye teased.
“Who is this girl? You are bold.” He leaned forward so his hand could rest on her thigh. “Yes. It would be worth a year’s wait if it was always like that.” He settled into his seat, wondering if he had unleashed Pandora’s box by sleeping with her. If that was the case, he was glad he had found a way to unlock her inhibitions.
She changed her expression. “Thank you for waiting. I know I didn’t make it easy, but thank you.”
“Baby, I would walk through fire for a night like that with you.” He nodded at the waiter as he placed a pot of coffee on the table.
“Really?”
“Yes, really.” He poured a cup for each of them.
“Ben, I was thinking about something.” Skye fidgeted with the sugar spoon.
“What’s that?”
“I know this sounds crazy, but what if we take off this week from work and just go somewhere? Like Catalina or Cabo. I don’t know, you can pick the place.”
Ben closed his eyes. Fuck. He had every intention of telling her, but every time he thought about it, something else came up. She could read the look on his face.
“What’s wrong? Did I say too much? Is that moving too fast?”
“No, I would love to take a trip with you.”
She beamed. “It would be amazing. Shower sex every day, guaranteed.”
“The thing is.” He stopped to let the waiter deliver two heaping piles of pancakes complete with berries and whipped cream. He inhaled sharply. This was going to suck. “See, I can’t take any time off work this week. We’re on lock down.”
“Lock down? That sounds serious.” Skye poured syrup on the pancakes before dabbing spoonfuls of whipped cream on top.
“It’s not that kind of serious, but it’s what always happens the week before a deployment.”
“A deployment? Who is leaving?” Skye was focused on breakfast.
“I am.”
She placed her fork on her plate. “What are you talking about? You can’t be leaving in a week.”
“I should have mentioned it. I’m going to Japan next week.” He cringed, knowing the words were damaging all the beautiful moments they had shared together.
“Ok. Is it a quick trip?” She was surprisingly calm.
Bolt shook his head. “No, there’s nothing quick about WESTPAC.” He reached across the table, needing to touch her, needing her to know that they could still be connected. “I’ll be back in six months.”
“Six months?” Skye’s voice carried through the outdoor dining room. “You’re going to leave next week for six months? Is there some kind of national crisis? Please tell me you just found out, and there is something apocalyptic happening in Russia or China.”
God, this was awful. Fucking awful. “It’s a routine deployment. The Rebels go every other year. They call it WESTPAC because it’s basically a trip that covers all of the Western Pacific. Easy acronym to remember.” This probably wasn’t the time to try to toss out a Marine Corps terminology lesson. She usually loved them.
“You’ve known about this?” He wanted her to keep her voice down, but she was upset. He could see the anger rising through her flushed cheeks.
“Skye, I didn’t know that you and I were going to—”
“What? That we were going to sleep together? You knew all along.” She stood from the table, throwing her napkin in the seat.
“That’s not what I’m talking about. Please, sit down so we can talk about it. Deployments aren’t that bad.”
“I’m sure they’re not for people who don’t keep them a secret. I’ll be out of the room before you get back.”
Bolt stood to stop here. “No, don’t do that. We can talk.”
“Don’t touch me.” She pushed his hand off her elbow. “And don’t come to the room until I can grab my bag.”
“Skye, wait. I don’t want this to be over.” Bolt didn’t care that half the breakfast patrons had put down their coffee cups to listen to their fight.
Her raven hair flowed as she stormed off the veranda and into the hotel.
He sunk into the seat. He had screwed up the best thing that ever landed in his life.
“You didn’t tell her about the deployment?” Faith shook her head. “You are a dumbass, Ben.”
He didn’t know where else to go after Skye left the hotel. He wanted to rush straight to her apartment, but he thought he should give her some time to cool off before approaching her again.
“I know. I am beyond stupid. What do I do? How do I fix it?” Faith poured him another cup of coffee.
“It’s not like a broken toilet. You really pissed her off. I would be ready to deck you if you pulled a stunt like that.”
“I didn’t know we were going to get serious. It hit me. I didn’t plan it. You know me, Faith. I don’t get serious with anybody. I wasn’t trying to hurt her. I honestly didn’t think we would be where we are before I left for Japan.”
“So, you thought you could date her for a month, sleep with her, and none of that would matter?” Faith pursed her lips.
“When you say it like that, I sound like a dick. But, I’ve never done the relationship thing. I don’t know how it works. When was I supposed to tell her?” He hoped Faith had all the answers he needed.<
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“You should have told her in the beginning. Not night one, but sometime that after that, and especially after you got back together. Want another cup?” She had the pot ready to pour.
Bolt shook his head. “No, I’ve had enough coffee. I need a plan.”
“Talk to her. Tell her you were stupid. Beg her to forgive you. Tell her she means more to you than sex and that you have feelings for her.”
“And that will work?”
Faith laughed. “I have no idea, but nothing’s going to work if you don’t start there.”
Bolt stood from the kitchen table. “I better get over there.”
Faith reached on her toes to hug him. “Good luck.”
“Thanks. I think I might need more than that.”
“I’ve never seen you like this. I want to meet this girl one day. That is if you can get her back.”
Bolt smiled. “You mean, when I get her back.” He jogged down the front steps and waved as he pulled out of the driveway.
Skye looked out of the window. She wished it would just rain for once. It barely rained three times a year. She wanted dreary, miserable, bury-yourself-under-the-covers weather because that’s how she felt.
They had crossed over some great divide last night, only for her to realize Ben was going to blow up the bridge all along. He was never serious about her, about them. She threw a pillow across the room. He got what he wanted. She bit the inside of her cheek when she felt the tears well and brim on the edge of her lids. Crying over Ben wasn’t going to happen.
She dumped her overnight bag on the bed and pulled the lingerie from the pile. She stormed in the bathroom and tossed it in the trash. She never wanted to see that dirty reminder of what she had done last night.
Her hands ran over her swollen lips, plump from Ben’s rough and passionate kisses. Kisses that made her toes curl, her body arch, and her mouth scream for more. Dammit. She gathered up the rest of the clothes and marched to the washing machine where she set the water to the hottest temperature. Maybe scorching them would wash out the memories.
Really? Japan. She watched the water fill inside the cylinder. Who goes to the other side of the world without telling the girl they’re dating? She kicked the side of the washer then huffed her way to the kitchen. The only thing on her refrigerator shelves were the leftovers from the dinner her mother made with him. She picked up the plastic container and threw it in the trash, lid and all.
She refused to turn to chocolate and wine, but she needed food. She had barely eaten two bites of pancakes at breakfast. She grabbed her keys, slung her purse on her shoulder, and opened the door.
She stopped. Ben was standing on her doorstep.
“Hey. Can we talk?” The forlorn puppy look almost got her.
Her heart jumped to her throat. “I don’t think so. I was headed out.” She gripped the strap on her purse.
“Five minutes. Please.” His eyes motioned to the space over her shoulder, but she wasn’t going to let him in the apartment. “Ok, I can say it here.” He sighed. “I should have told you about WESTPAC. I should have said it that first week, so you would know I was leaving for six months. You have to believe that I wasn’t thinking about it. I wasn’t trying to deceive you. I swear I didn’t think it mattered. I didn’t know we would be here.” His eyes locked on hers. “I didn’t know I would be here.”
Skye leaned against the door. “And where is here?”
She had never seen him like this. His face almost pale, his eyes wide, his expression panicked. “It’s hard for me to say things like this. I’ve never said them before.” He stared at the floor before lifting his chin again. “Skye, I need you.”
The words hit her. Three words that were the most beautiful, sunset-filled, jump-over-the-moon, swim-through-a-waterfall, and roll-with-delicious-laughter words. She didn’t understand how she could feel as if her feet would lift from the floor and at the same time be ready to punch him in his perfectly shaped nose. She wasn’t ready to let him back in.
“I don’t know what to say to you right now. I’m angry. I feel like you used me.”
“I get that. I do. But would I be standing here right now if I just wanted one night with you? I’m here because this means something to me. You mean something to me, Skye. And I screwed up. I don’t know where to go from here, but please tell me we can get past it.”
His words settled on her, soaking through her skin like long rays from an early morning sun. She didn’t rush an answer. She had to know that what she was getting ready to say was the truth. That without a doubt she could say it and stand behind what she needed to tell him.
“If I say everything is ok, how do I know there aren’t other things like this that you’ll keep from me? You’re going to be gone for six long months. What are we supposed to do? Send emails? How does that even work?” She shook her head. “I let you in again. I gave you everything I had and you’re leaving?”
“This is going to sound shitty, but I’m a pilot. I’m always going to be leaving. I thought maybe you were ok with that part of my life. I never kept my job a secret.”
“I guess I hadn’t thought about it yet.” She let the bag fall from her shoulder and walked into the apartment. Ben followed her.
“It’s a lot to figure out and I’ve never done it before, but I want to try it with you.” He sat next to her on the couch.
“What do I do? Wait for you for six months? That’s crazy.” Skye thought she heard echoes of Kari’s sad tale about the friend whose boyfriend cheated on her in Japan. What if that was next? What if this ridiculously hot womanizing man was about to bed every woman on the Asian continent and forget she even existed?
“It is crazy. It’s completely crazy. And I can’t ask you to do that. But, just say I can call you, that we can write, that I can think about you when I’m flying.”
After last night, she knew her heart. All the things he said were the same things she had been feeling.
“Ok.” Skye finally lifted her eyes to meet his stare.
“Ok?” His voice sounded hopeful.
“Yes. I’m not saying I’ll wait. I’m just saying right now I’m ok. I don’t want you to go. I don’t want this to be over.”
Ben’s arms circled her waist and he drew her against his chest. She inhaled the hints of cologne on his neck. Gradually, she wrapped her arms around his back and relaxed into his arms. She prayed to God that she didn’t just make the biggest mistake of her life. She didn’t know if she was cut out for military life—constant surprises and goodbyes, but right now she knew she couldn’t let Ben out of her life when she had finally found him.
This was her first pre-deployment week. She didn’t know how it was supposed to go or if this one was normal, but her only instinct was to go into automatic problem-solving mode. Ben had a list of things he needed to take on his overseas trip, but limited packing space to carry everything. He told her there was a two-bag limit. That alone would send most girls into a fashion tailspin. How do you travel around the globe for six months with only a sack for your essentials? There were parts of military life that she knew she would never be able to handle. She was glad she was on the support side.
Skye searched online for compact travel accessories. She stopped by the store after work and loaded the cart with power bars and protein shakes he could add to his water while he was flying.
She tried not to think about the fact that in the three-leg journey from San Diego to Japan he would be over water for up to nine hours at a time. She pushed that out of her head. But while he was up there, he’d need to eat and it wasn’t exactly the kind of plane you could take along a turkey sandwich for lunch. She researched the currency in Guam and Japan, the types of foods that were available, the time difference, and all the tourist attractions near his base in Japan.
“You’re really into this.” Ben laughed as she handed him a spreadsheet. “This is my first WESTPAC spreadsheet.” He studied the categories she had listed: restaurants, historic locations
, entertainment.
“I know you’re really busy at work this week with all the training preparations you’re doing. It’s something I thought could help.” Sitting on the couch, she wondered if she had gone too far with the research.
“It’s awesome. Thank you.” He kissed her cheek.
“I can’t believe you’re leaving in two days.” Skye chewed her bottom lip. Saturday morning was going to suck.
“After we get off work tomorrow we’ll do something just the two of us. Whatever you want to do.”
“But don’t you have to get up early to fly the next morning?”
“I do, but I’d do anything to have another night with you.” He pulled her under him so she was completely flat on the couch. “Starting with tonight.” His lips nipped at her ear.
“Maybe we should make it an early night.” She reached for the edge of his T-shirt, smiling as he pulled it over his head and threw it across the room.
“Oh no, we are going to be up all night. No sleeping for you.” His tongue blazed a trail against her throat.
“Uh-uh. If we do that, I’ll worry about your flight to Hawaii the entire day. Early to bed tomorrow, ok?”
Ben sat on his heels, taking his time to unbutton her shirt. She arched toward him as he played with the outline of her bra. His mouth descended on her stomach.
“If what you’re saying is as soon as we get home from work we’re getting naked and going straight to bed, then I’m not arguing with you.”
His hands clutched at her waist and began tugging on the yoga pants she had thrown on as soon as she got home. His fingers dipped between her legs. His teeth yanked on the silk hugging her hips.
“Mmm...hmm. That’s exactly what I’m saying.” Her head rolled back.
“Baby, you know you drive me crazy.” His thumbs hooked under the silk strings and he peeled them over her legs, dropping them on the floor. “But I want you to feel how crazy you make me.”