by Ali Vali
“If you two are free, maybe we could have lunch as well before you push off,” Triton said. “There’s a great restaurant right across from the Academy if you like crab cakes.”
“That would be great,” Berkley said trying to ignore just how good Aidan’s nails felt on her leg.
“We’ll call you,” Triton said and put his hand on Berkley’s shoulder and squeezed. “Don’t forget a word I said.”
“Yes, sir, not a one.”
Chapter Thirteen
Aidan walked her parents outside and saw them into a cab while Berkley stood back and waited. The night was clear and crisp, and once the Sullivans were gone Berkley pointed to the sidewalk.
“Captain, would you like to join me for a walk?” Aidan didn’t answer, but fell in step with her. “That was fun.”
“I know I owe you for that, and I’m sorry my bladder couldn’t hold out until the end of dinner. Leaving you alone with my father wasn’t intentional.”
“Who wouldn’t want to have a talk with the son of Poseidon?” Berkley said and laughed. “I’m kidding. I happen to like Triton, so you don’t owe me anything.” They stopped and waited for the light to change so they could cross the street to the Capitol. “After leaving you alone with my mother, I’m sure we’re even.”
“I think Triton’s in a category of annoyance your mom will never reach.” Aidan walked but Berkley caught her staring at her hand.
“The last thing I want is to betray your dad’s confidence, but all he needed me to know was how much he loves his daughter, and how much he cares about her happiness.” Berkley took her hand long enough to convey she knew what Aidan was craving but because they were in public it was impossible. “That he cares that much isn’t annoying.”
“You’re a good sport, Cletus.”
“Sometimes it depends on the game and what’s at stake,” Berkley said and glanced up at the dome of the Capitol before she looked in the opposite direction.
In that building, the people elected to it had made decisions that had changed the course of history. Some of those had been commemorated in the monuments that surrounded the area, from the wall of names of those who’d died in Vietnam, to Lincoln, who’d seen his country through a civil war.
Whatever the conflict, there were those who made the decisions to fight, and those whose responsibility it was to go into harm’s way. They were called and they went because it was the life they chose.
“Can I ask you to say something one more time for me?” Berkley asked. Life was like the snap of your fingers—quick and over with no do-overs for the things you got wrong if you died before you were ready. And because of the decisions made by others on their behalf, dying was a real possibility for her in the coming days.
“What?”
“Tell me you don’t plan to leave again if we try.”
Aidan placed her hand over her heart. “I’m yours and I’m here to stay, but like I said, I don’t want you to believe me. The proof won’t be in my words but in my saying them day after day until my actions and my presence become my proof.”
Berkley knew what her mother meant. Chance had sent her another bus, and in this moment the door was open. The only decision was to get on or not. There was a small part of her that still thought it was too fast, but Aidan wasn’t new to her heart.
“I almost believe you,” Berkley said as she gave herself permission to release some of the pain that had been such a good companion for years.
“You do?”
Berkley laughed and it made Aidan smile. “You aren’t lying, are you?”
“No, but—” Aidan stopped when Berkley briefly pressed her fingers to her mouth.
“You’re still ahead of me, but I’ve been emotionally stagnant for too long, and I’m ready to move on.” Berkley turned them around and started back toward the hotel. “If I keep you at arm’s length that only punishes both of us, and I’m not into voluntary misery.”
“You won’t be sorry, I promise.”
“Come on. It’s time for good captains to go to bed.”
*
When they made it back in through the revolving doors of the hotel, they walked to the elevators without talking. On the fifth floor Aidan put her hand on Berkley’s forearm but didn’t make eye contact with her.
“I don’t think I could bear it if you were anywhere tonight except my bed.”
“You promised slow,” Berkley said.
“I also promised persistent, and if I have to beg I will.” She finally looked up. “You can’t blame me for wanting the things I want no matter how stupid I’ve been. We have a week, then even if we want to move faster, we’ll be on a carrier headed east.”
“Then maybe we should do something about that before we head out to sea. I’m looking forward to being back on the water, but not the fact that I can’t do this,” Berkley said practically picking Aidan up and carrying her into her room so she could kiss her.
“Are you sure? Because if you keep doing that I’m not going to be able to stop, and I don’t want you to freak out in the morning.”
“I’ve gone over in my head what it’d be like seeing you again, and this isn’t how I pictured it.” Berkley dropped her arms and sighed.
“If I had to guess, your plan had more to do with giving me a hard enough kick that I would’ve landed back where I came from without the help of a flight.” Aidan looped her fingers into the front of Berkley’s pants.
“No, but I did think I had more willpower than this.” She took Aidan’s hands in hers. “Once I would’ve never thought to be afraid of you, but now I can’t help but freeze up when I’m this close to you.”
“I don’t want to push you, but thank you. I want us to enjoy tonight and all the nights we have before I have to let you concentrate on the mission.” Aidan pressed herself to Berkley’s body so that they were touching everywhere possible. “Just swear to me when you’re up there, you’ll be careful. I’ve been out in the cold alone for so long, baby, and I don’t want to go back to that kind of life. You might not be ready for what I feel for you, but I love you and I’m tired of missing you.”
“You’re so far ahead of me, and I can’t…” Berkley didn’t know how to go on without ruining the night.
“If you think I’m leaving because you need more time to say the words, I’m not. I’ll be happy right now with what you can give me, and the rest will come in time.”
“Don’t sell yourself short, Aidan.” Berkley pulled the clip from Aidan’s hair, wanting to feel the blond curls through her fingers.
“I’m not.” The buttons of Berkley’s jacket came undone easily under Aidan’s determined fingers. “I see this as an investment in my future, so I can be patient.” She smiled as she took the time to hang her jacket in the closet, not wanting to wrinkle it. “Besides, eventually you’ll come to realize what I know for sure.”
Berkley sat on the edge of the desk in the room and watched Aidan take off her uniform one piece at a time. She laughed softly when the beautiful set of panties and bra came into view. Aidan might have inherited Triton’s short genes, but hell if the sexy curves didn’t make her crazy.
“What do I need to come to realize?” Berkley asked as she stepped behind her and unfastened Aidan’s bra with one hand.
“That you can’t live without me,” Aidan said. With a little assistance, her bra fell to the floor and Berkley had wasted no time in cupping her breast while her other hand slid into the navy blue bikini panties she was wearing. “Oh shit,” Aidan said when Berkley pinched her clitoris between her fingers.
“Want me to stop?”
“Not unless you want me to shoot you down again, and this time it won’t be simulated.”
Aidan slumped against her and rested her hand behind Berkley’s head to try to keep herself upright. With Aidan’s hard clitoris still between her fingers, Berkley rocked her hand just enough to provide a little stimulation. “This is to pay you back for driving me crazy through dinner.”
&nbs
p; “Thanks for humoring my father and not choking to death after my mother’s insightful comments.” Berkley laughed at the coherent sentence because the more she touched Aidan, the wetter she got, so the fact that she was able to still string words together meant she had to kick it up a bit. She bit down on Aidan’s earlobe as she squeezed her clitoris harder.
“Anytime,” Berkley whispered in her ear.
“You have to go inside…I want you inside,” Aidan was able to get out as she wrapped a hand around Berkley’s wrist. “I want…oh.”
“What do you want?” Berkley stopped her hand, not wanting Aidan to come like this. “Tell me what you want.”
“Please, I need you so much.” There was so much want in Aidan’s voice that Berkley turned her around and picked her up so that her feet came off the floor and wrapped around her waist. “Your pants, honey,” Aidan said as she painted the front of Berkley’s uniform with the evidence of her desire.
As soon as Berkley sat on the bed Aidan pulled her forward and pressed her cheek to the top of Berkley’s head. To Berkley’s disappointment it took only sliding her fingers in to trigger Aidan’s orgasm.
“Jesus, that felt good.” Aidan shivered and clung to Berkley as she pulled her fingers out. “I missed you for so much more than this, but it was in my top five.”
Berkley laughed as she stood again and gently laid Aidan on the bed so she could finish taking her clothes off. “You mean to tell me there wasn’t anyone who tried to usurp my place in all this time?”
“There’s been plenty of interest,” Aidan said as she held the corner of the blanket for her.
“I’ll just bet.” Berkley couldn’t believe just how much the thought of Aidan with someone else bothered her, but then Aidan was the only woman in her past that had sparked any jealousy in her at all.
“There was, but you can’t have forgotten what my mother said tonight.”
“You want to narrow it down for me?”
Aidan ran her finger down the middle of Berkley’s chest as she kissed her shoulder. “There was only one sailor at the table who looks dashing in a uniform, honey, and it isn’t me. There might have been interest, but nothing compared to what you must have gotten in the time we’ve been apart. I didn’t forget how women react to you in or out of the uniform.” She stopped her teasing and laid her hand flat on Berkley’s abdomen. “Not that I can blame any woman for looking. You’re still gorgeous. It’s all the touching your admirers are fond of doing that I’ve never been able to get used to.”
“Aidan Sullivan, you can’t have been thinking all this time that people have been lusting after you for no reason. What’d you think all those sailors were interested in? Getting in your pants so the admiral would let them drive the boat?”
“You don’t drive a boat, you loon, and we both know that I’m way out of your league. Compared to you I’m just ordinary.”
“I swear, for such an accomplished woman, you’re blind sometimes to the most basic things.”
“I am not.” Aidan went willingly when Berkley rolled her onto her back so she could hover over her.
“You’re blind if you can’t admit to just how beautiful you are,” Berkley said before she kissed her. “If you haven’t, then it’ll be my pleasure to make sure you’re sure of that fact for a very long time to come.”
“Promise?”
“It’s an easy one to make, and an even easier one to keep no matter what happens with us. Don’t worry.”
Since they both officially had the following day off they spent the rest of the night trying to piece together their connection.
As she held Aidan as they got ready for sleep, Berkley’s heart was starting to take notice of what had been missing for way too long. It was the first night in years that Berkley drifted off into a peaceful and dreamless sleep. Aidan might have hurt her more than any other woman, but she also was the one who brought her peace.
For that reason alone Berkley’s heart was willing to unlock the door for the possibility of a lifetime of that.
Chapter Fourteen
“I gave everyone the next couple of days off since once we sail, there’ll be no communication going out unless it’s to Naval Command,” Aidan said the next morning as they sat enjoying the coffee and breakfast Berkley had ordered from room service.
“Are you telling me you’re actually going to take your own advice?” Berkley was wearing the robe the hotel provided and her hair was slicked back and wet from her shower.
Aidan lifted her leg and poked her in the chest. “I did a walk-through yesterday morning with Erika, so unless someone decides to take her out for a joy ride, there’s nothing else to do. So yes, Commander Levine, I’m taking my own advice and enjoying every minute of my shore leave.”
“Erika? Who’s Erika?”
“My assistant.” Aidan stood and sat on Berkley’s lap. “She came with my last commission and she was good enough for me to want for this job.”
“Is Erika one of the people you mentioned in showing an interest?”
This time Aidan understood the tone Berkley was using and why. It made her so happy she almost laughed. No one got jealous unless it mattered. “Can I tell you something and not have you think I’m totally sappy?”
“I’m willing to chance it.”
“It didn’t matter who was interested. They couldn’t compare to you.” She pressed her lips to Berkley’s neck right under her ear and enjoyed the way Berkley pulled her closer. “I’ll admit to being busy since we were together, but not with my social life. It’s hard to beat perfection once you’ve had it.”
“I’m hardly perfect, and that did come off as a little whiny.” Berkley turned her head so they could kiss. “So what are you planning to do with your time off?”
“If I get my wish, it’s to spend it all in this room with you, but I’ll let you out every so often. How about we start at the Smithsonian since I know you love it and don’t get to come often.”
As Aidan started to rise the phone rang, but she figured it was either Corbin or Maggie checking in so she waved on the way to the bathroom. When Berkley answered, “Yes, this is Commander Levine,” Aidan stopped. “Yes, sir, I can be there in an hour.” When Berkley put the receiver down, Aidan’s cell phone started ringing.
“Shit,” Aidan said as she looked at the number.
“Ever take the Pentagon tour?” Berkley asked with a laugh as she kissed her forehead.
*
Pyongyang, North Korea
The meeting was mandatory, so Jin Umeko’s plans would have to wait until she was granted leave again. “It was a lousy day for a motorcycle ride anyway,” she whispered as she gazed out the window of Central Command in Pyongyang, North Korea, to an overcast day.
“Captain Umeko, General Lee will see you now,” the young receptionist said with a slight bow of her head.
The large room had maps adorning the two longest walls and pictures of the late President Kim Il Sung, the hero of the revolution and father of the current ruler Kim Jong Il. General Pak Kwang Lee was sitting at the head of the table along with Pom Su Gil and Chun Doo Samji.
“Good morning, Captain Umeko,” General Lee said as he pointed to the seat to his right.
“Good morning to you, General. It’s good to see you again in such good health,” Jin said, though her voice bore no sign of warmth. She was merely being civil for the sake of the other two men in the room.
He nodded then handed her a stack of papers marked confidential. “These were delivered this morning from government intelligence.” He waited as she scanned the papers. “I’m having you transferred immediately since the airstrip is finished.”
“As you command, sir.”
“It’s remote, but it poses the greatest threat if anything should go wrong,” he continued. “Having China at our backs makes the security of the largest plant extremely important to Chairman Kim Jong Il. You’re our best pilot, Captain Umeko, so you’ll set up constant air patrols starting this week. We
need at least three planes in the air at a time, twenty-four hours a day.”
“I’ll have trouble carrying out that extensive a mission with the fuel shortages.” Jin never lifted her head as she spoke, scanning the folder the general had handed her.
“The crew and the fuel will be there on your arrival, the Great Leader guarantees it. This location is central to our future plans, so no expense will be too great.”
She flipped the pages quickly until she reached a short report written under the press photo of the Jefferson. “China agreed to exercises with the Americans?”
“The Jefferson is set to sail at the end of the week. From our intelligence reports, its first assignment is in the Sea of Japan, but until her course is set we don’t know where the new carrier is headed. That’s why I want extra security. Should she come near our shores, we will step up the air security where you’re going and Major Gill and Lieutenant Samji will move extra ground troops to the coastline.”
“Would they dare to come after any target within our borders?” Pom Su asked.
“It’s your job to see that they don’t and to capture anyone who tries. The Great Leader wants to show the world what a pack of butchers the Americans are, and there’s no better way to display that than with a war criminal caught in the act of carrying out atrocities against North Korea. I imagine the price of failure should there be a threat is something I don’t have to review. Am I right?”
All three soldiers stood and saluted at his question, the two men left right after, and General Lee knocked on the table to make Jin sit. “How’s your mother?” he asked.
“She’s returned to Hungnam to tend to her ailing parents, but we had dinner before she made the trip.”
Pak sighed. “I heard she was ill recently. That’s not the case, then?”
“What exactly is it you want to know, Father? She was sick and I used part of my leave so Yong and I could help her.”