Barefoot Bay: A Soldier's Surprise (Kindle Worlds Novella) (Beyond Valor Book 2)

by Lynne St. James

  “That’s not fair. You just got home, and now you’re leaving again. Who’s going to watch us?”

  “Aunt Lily,” Chloe answered, and was rewarded with an eye roll from Lexie worthy of an Academy Award. That kid was something else.

  “What if we don’t want her to?”

  “Don’t start. You always have fun with her, and I’m sure this time will be the same. We’ll be back on Tuesday by the time you get home from school.”

  Bella got up from the table and whispered into Logan’s ear, and he smiled. “Yes, Bella, I will.” Chloe gave him a questioning look, but he shook his head, he’d fill her in later.

  “Where are you going?” Lexie asked as she put her cereal bowl in the sink.

  “To a place called Barefoot Bay, it’s on the west coast of Florida in the Gulf of Mexico.”

  “Why do you have to go so far? We have the beach here.”

  “That’s true. But the reason I’m home is because I have to talk to a bunch of other soldiers about what I do in Afghanistan. The meeting is near there.”

  “Oh. I guess that’s okay then.” He laughed out loud. His daughters were definitely chips off the old block, and smarter than he expected for their age. But then what did he know about children, he hardly spent any time with them. A pang of regret tweaked his heart, but he pushed it back. Now wasn’t the time to dwell on anything but being with his family.

  Chapter Five

  As soon as Logan left with the girls, Chloe called Lily.

  “Hey, girl. We surprised you, huh?”

  “No shit. I don’t know how you kept it quiet.”

  “It wasn’t easy. Luckily, I had a lot of work to get done so it kept me busy.”

  “Speaking of that, are you going to be okay having the girls for four days? You’ve never watched them for so long.”

  “Eh, we’ll be okay. Worst case, I’ll take them to the mall and get them lots of ice cream.”

  “Ugh, if you give Bella lots of ice cream, you’ll be sorry. She’ll never go to bed.”

  “That’s okay, I’ve been stocking up on Disney movies, we can have a marathon. Don’t worry so much. It’s not like I don’t know your kids. I practically live in your house.”

  “True, but…”

  “No buts. Just go and get laid will ya?”

  “Bitch! You’re crazy, both of you. What were you and Alex thinking? You spent way too much money.”

  “Nah. We wanted to do something special. It’s your tenth anniversary. That’s a big one. I’ve been dying to go to the Casa Blanca Resort. You can tell me all about it when you get back. I’ll drink wine, and you can have water.”

  “You’re such a great friend. Not! Seriously, you and Alex should go.”

  “We will, one of these days. Maybe when he gets leave. We’ll see. It’s not like we have to make arrangements for kids, we can just pick up and go.” Chloe heard the hint of sadness in her friend’s voice. She almost wished it was Lily who’d gotten pregnant not her. She wanted a baby so badly. “Did you tell Logan about the baby?”

  “No, not yet. I am trying to decide when to do it. I was thinking about it last night, but then he hit me with the trip. I’m kind of thinking about waiting until we get back.”

  “Why? Do you really think he’ll be upset?”

  “Honestly? I don’t know. He sure seems a little overwhelmed by the girls. He’s just not used to them or all the work involved. I don’t know how he’ll feel about adding another one into the mix, even if it’s all going to be on me anyway.”

  “Yeah well about that, maybe you should ask him to reconsider re-upping for another deployment. I’ve been trying to convince Alex he should ask to be stationed stateside. They’ve put in their time. Don’t you agree?”

  “I do. But Logan’s always said that being deployed is the fastest way through the ranks. So what can I do? We both knew what we were getting into. At least, I kind of figured it would be this way. Although I didn’t realize they’d be gone quite so much.”

  “It’s rough, more for you than me, but it’s still lonely, like being a widow in a way. And what about the toll it’s taking on them? They’re living in constant danger, and when they finally do get leave they’re hardly here long enough to get all the sand off before they have to go back.”

  Chloe had to agree. She loved Logan and supported the choices he’d made over the years, but it was hard. How many times had she reached for him in the middle of the night only to find cold sheets? And how much of the girls’ lives he’d missed, sharing pictures with him afterward just wasn’t the same. Yeah, it was hard. But could she ask him to choose his family over his career?

  “What time are you going to drop off the girls?”

  “I think around eight. It’s going to take us close to four hours to get to Barefoot Bay. Is that okay?”

  “Yeah, I’ll probably still be in my jammies.”

  “Um, girlfriend, when aren’t you in your PJs?”

  “I wasn’t when I picked up Logan yesterday. So there.”

  “Oh yeah, that’s right. Shocking.”

  “Yeah, it was a good thing too since we ran into the colonel. I think Logan was worried I’d say something inappropriate.”

  “C’mon, you’d never do that.” They laughed thinking about it. Lily was the queen of blurting out the wrong thing at the wrong time. It had made for some interesting times over the years.

  “I’m trying to watch my mouth. But the look on your husband’s face was hysterical. Oh yeah. That reminds me, make sure the girls leave that damn curse jar at home. Last time Lexie brought it, and they bugged me the entire time. I told them it’s okay to curse in my house.”

  “Yeah I heard all about it. Bella wanted to know why it was okay there but not here. I told them it was because you’re weird. But I’ll make sure it stays here this time.”

  “Gee thanks for that. Way to teach them to respect their elders.”

  “Sorry, but I think you cause enough damage hanging out in your pajamas all the time. Anyway, I’m gonna go. I need to pack, or at least try to figure out what to bring. Thank you again for everything, and Alex too. I love you, girl.”

  “Love you, too. Just make sure you have a good time.”

  “You know it.”

  When Logan got home from dropping the girls off, she was upstairs with most of her clothes strewn across the bed, trying to narrow down what to pack. It had been a long time since she’d gone anywhere and not knowing exactly what they were going to do, made it harder.

  “Are you bringing all of that? I was kind of hoping you’d only bring your bathing suit.”

  “You’re kidding right?”

  “Not exactly. Swimming and sex sounded like the perfect weekend to me,” he said as he pulled her into his arms. “Thank you for doing such a great job with our daughters. They’re super kids.”

  Chloe smiled and wrapped her arms around his neck, sliding her fingers through his close-cropped military haircut. She loved the bristly feel against her fingers. “Yes, they are, most of the time. At least enough to keep me from killing them.”

  “Good thing, I wouldn’t want to have to bail you out.”

  “Funny man you are. Seriously, though, you really don’t expect me to just pack a bathing suit, do you?”

  “No, but I can dream can’t I?” He tilted her head up and stared into her eyes for a moment. She was always surprised at the color of his, a deep blue with a hint of purple, and long dark eyelashes any woman would be jealous of. There were new lines at the corners of his eyes that hadn’t been there at Christmas. Too much sun or maybe stress, either way, he looked wiped out. Maybe she should suggest they take a nap while the girls were in school.

  Before she had a chance to answer, he lowered his lips to hers. The kiss gentle, almost reverent, as he pulled out the clip holding her hair back and let it fall over her shoulders. He groaned against her mouth and her mouth opened in response, allowing his tongue access.

  He walked her backward
until her legs hit the edge of the bed, and he gently laid her down as he pushed her clothes to the floor. Lying next to her on the bed, he lifted her t-shirt and his fingertips traced patterns on her stomach as he deepened the kiss. She squirmed to get closer and pulled his shirt up so she could touch him. Her hands relearning every curve and dip of his muscled chest.

  With another groan, he released her lips and ended their kiss. Filled with passion, his eyes darkened to violet and set her body aflame with desire. Without saying a word, they undressed, tossing their clothes in their desperate need to be skin to skin. His passion fanned the flames of her arousal, as his fingers painted a trail of fire as they traveled her body, making her moan and squirm. He didn’t stop until she screamed his name as she found release, and she saw fireworks.

  ***

  Oh God, Chloe was going to kill him for sure. Her responses never ceased to amaze him, instinctively reacting to his every move like they were two halves of one body. And it had been since the first time they were together over twelve years earlier. A moment of clarity in the midst of his desire had him wondering what he’d been thinking to stay away so long. The thought was driven out when Chloe wrapped her body around his, and he shuddered as they climaxed.

  Her soft breaths against his chest should have lulled him to sleep, but his mind was running through scenarios and discarding them as quickly as they’d become thoughts. He was so close to advancement, and that would increase his pay grade and make life easier, but was it worth it to be away from his family?

  A muffled sound caught his attention, and after a second he realized it was his phone. Where was it? It had been in the pocket of his jeans when he’d tossed them somewhere. Sliding gently out from under Chloe while trying not to wake her, he searched through the discarded clothing. The pile of his clothes, hers, and what she’d picked out to take on the trip, almost made him laugh. After a short search, the beeping drew him like a homing beacon. Grabbing it and his pants he quietly left the bedroom.

  By the time he’d been able to answer it, he’d missed the call. Checking his phone log, he saw it was the hotel. Figuring they were confirming his reservation, he didn’t bother to listen to the voicemail and instead hit dial.

  “Casa Blanca Resort and Spa reservations, Bree speaking.”

  “Hi, this is Logan Mitchell. I think you just called me?”

  “Ah yes, Lt. Mitchell. I was calling to let you know you’ll be staying in the Rockrose Villa instead of one of the suites in the main building.”

  “Great, I think. Is there an extra charge? I’m sure the villas are a lot more expensive.”

  “No, sir. There’s no charge. We had to make the change when one of our guests decided to extend their stay. You’re lucky because usually the villas are booked and the Rockrose is absolutely beautiful and more secluded.”

  “Excellent. Umm, I made arrangements for my wife to have a Spa Day on Monday and dinner delivered to our room that evening. Do I need to let them know our accommodations have changed?”

  “No, sir. We’ll take care of that for you.”

  “Okay, great. Thank you again. This is going to be a wonderful anniversary celebration.”

  “Yes, sir. See you tomorrow.”

  No sooner had he disconnected the phone when the bedroom door opened, and a tousle-haired Chloe peeked out. “What’s going on?” she asked as she yawned.

  “I’m sorry if I woke you. It was the resort confirming our reservations for tomorrow.”

  “Oh shit. You shouldn’t have let me sleep. I have so much to do, like getting us packed before the kids come home. I was thinking that if we spend the entire evening with them, it’ll ease the sting of leaving them behind tomorrow.”

  “For them or you?”

  “Oh I’ll miss them, but not as much as I’m going to love a weekend alone with my sex-god hunky husband.”

  “Okay, you got me! Just worry about packing for you, I’ve got it covered. I’ll throw a couple of extra pairs of shorts and a bathing suit in my bag.”

  “Thank you, sweetie. And thank you for earlier,” she said with a wink as color suffused her cheeks and her eyes twinkled with mischief. He loved her playful side, and he hoped to see a lot more of it over the next few days.

  A smile and two strides later he pulled her into his arms for a toe-curling kiss, at least that was his plan. He couldn’t keep his hands off her, not that he ever could, but for some reason, this time, it was more of a need than ever before. Maybe it was her extra glow, or maybe it was all the stress catching up to him.

  “By the way, what did Bella whisper earlier,” Chloe asked after she caught her breath from the kiss.

  Logan laughed as he remembered. His daughter was a piece of work. “She asked me to bring home a little sister so she could boss her around like Lexie does.”

  “She didn’t.”

  “Oh hell yeah, she did. She’s something else.”

  “That’s for sure.” Chloe looked lost in thought for a moment before shaking it off and picking up the mess of clothing all over their bedroom.

  Chapter Six

  After dropping their two sleepy daughters at Lily’s they hopped on I-95 south, and eventually I-75 south to Naples. From there it was a short trip over the causeway to Mimosa Key and Barefoot Bay. Chloe had slept most of the way and was surprised when Logan didn’t call her on it. Sleeping in the car was not usual for her, but maybe he didn’t remember. It wasn’t like they took too many road trips these days. Telling him about the baby weighed heavy on her, but when would be the best time? She’d almost blurted it out after he’d told her about Bella’s whispered request, but something stopped her. What was she so worried about? It didn’t make sense. Could it be hormones?

  “It’s breathtaking isn’t it?” Chloe said as she gazed out the car window at the turquoise blue water, very different from the Atlantic Ocean she was used to.

  “Yes, it is. Are you feeling okay? I should have let you get more sleep last night.” Logan glanced at her before focusing on the road. Maybe he did realize something was off. Still, she wasn’t going to blurt it out in the car. There had to be a better time. Then she saw the sign for Barefoot Bay, which as on the northern part of Mimosa Key. “Yay, we’re almost there.”

  “Yup. I can’t wait to get out and stretch my legs. I should have stopped along the way, but you were sleeping so peacefully I didn’t want to wake you.”

  “You should have stopped anyway, honey.”

  “I will in about ten minutes,” he said and chuckled. God, how she loved this man. He was the other half of her heart. She doubted he realized how hard it was to watch him leave each time. Taking her heart and leaving her with a hollow emptiness that wouldn’t dissipate until he returned. It was always with her, but she’d never noticed it as sharply as when she looked up to see him standing in the kitchen doorway the other day.

  As they pulled into the driveway and then parking lot of the Casa Blanca Resort, Chloe sucked in a breath. It was beautiful, like something out of a movie. Then she remembered the brochure, and how the owners’ favorite movie was Casablanca and they’d designed the resort with that in mind. It was like a trip to Morocco without ever leaving the states. As she got out of the car every muscle thanked her, whether it was for standing up, or the peacefulness of her surroundings, but if she smiled any wider her face would crack.

  Logan grabbed their bags from the trunk and led her into the lobby. As they made their way to the reservation desk, it was every bit as beautiful as the brochure claimed, from the marble floors, the Moroccan tapestry on the wall and the potted tropical plants. But best of all was the feeling of peace as soon as they walked through the doors. A pretty strawberry-blonde woman greeted them as they approached the counter.

  “Hello. Welcome to the Casa Blanca Resort and Spa, I’m Lacey Walker, the owner.”

  “Hi, Lacey. We are really getting the royal treatment. We’re the Mitchells, Logan and Chloe, and we have reservations.”

  She smiled as
she pulled up their information on the computer. “We’re glad to have you with us. Oh, I see it’s your tenth anniversary. Congratulations.”

  “But how did…” Chloe started to ask then realized it had to be Lily’s plotting again. “Yes, it is. Thank you.”

  “Bree did call you about the room change?” It was more of a statement than a question, and Logan nodded his head. He hadn’t said anything to her, and she hoped it wasn’t going to be a problem. Chloe had been looking forward the suite after seeing all the pictures.

  “Great. You’ll be staying in the Rockrose Villa, it’s a bit up the path from here, I can have someone take you up on a golf cart if you’d like.”

  “Wait, we’ve got a villa now?” For Chloe, it was better than anything she’d imagined. She’d seen the descriptions and pictures of the villas, and they were amazing. It was like she’d been made a queen for a weekend.

  “Yes, we had a guest extend their stay, and the villa was open.”

  Logan nodded. Apparently, he knew all of this already. Chloe wondered if he had any other surprises planned.

  “Are you tired? We can take the golf cart if you are? Or I’m okay with walking.” She didn’t have to be a mind reader to see the hope on his face that she’d want to walk. After spending so much time in the car, the last thing he wanted to do was sit again.

  “Let's walk, we sat enough for one day.”

  Lacey placed a map of the property on the counter and circled their villa and gave them a quick run through of some of the area sights and the hotel’s amenities.

  “If you need anything just call the desk. I hope you enjoy your stay.”

  “Thank you, I’m sure we will.”

  Logan led the way along the paver-stone path to the villa. As they walked hand in hand, Chloe admired the gorgeous landscaping. It was obvious this had been a labor of love for Lacey and her husband, Clay. But that was the saying from the brochure, wasn’t it? “Kick off your shoes and fall in love.” She was already head-over-heels in love, but maybe, just maybe, she’d fall a little deeper.