by Low, Gennita
For his part, Vinny didn’t seem to have too much to say. She studied him surreptitiously as they screamed down Highway 264. Looking debonair in his black suit and bright red Christmas tie, it was nonetheless apparent that he’d lost some weight. Did that mean he’d been as miserable as she’d been?
Ten minutes later, he drove his car onto a ramp exiting toward the Norfolk Waterfront. “Just where are you taking me?” she inquired, her curiosity growing.
“Can’t tell you. It’s a surprise.”
Anticipation bubbled in her breast. “Something tells me we’re not going to the XO’s party,” she wagered, admiring the pretty Christmas lights twinkling on the boardwalk. Even on Christmas Eve, Town Point Park and Waterside Mall attracted a healthy crowd of visitors.
“What makes you say that?” He swung into a parking lot near the marina and killed the engine. “I thought we’d just take a walk first.”
He popped out of the car and was opening her door before she could question him further. “Button up,” he said, taking it upon himself to fasten the top two buttons of her coat. The brush of his knuckles against her chin made her heart melt. Penny and Joe tolerated her company, but only Vinny ever coddled her. When he reached for her hand, it was all she could do not to hang onto him like a teenager in her first crush.
He drew her past a row of brightly lit specialty boutiques and a restaurant emitting a delicious aroma, but he didn’t slow his pace until they neared the marina where sailboats rocked gently at their moorings. Their masts, strung with festive Christmas lights, swayed back and forth. The Spirit of Norfolk cruise ship gleamed like a porcelain gravy dish floating on the dark river. “Let’s go on board,” Vinny suggested, stepping up to the ticket kiosk.
Ophelia pulled back and looked at him. “We’re going on board?” She’s suspected Vinny of having a plan up his sleeve, but a Christmas Eve cruise in lieu of the usual SEAL team party surpassed her wildest expectations.
“I hope you don’t mind. I took the liberty of making reservations. DeInnocentis, party of two,” he told the booth attendee, who handed him their tickets.
“Oh, Vinny.” The last time they’d taken this particular cruise together, he had proposed to her, going down on one knee in front of guests and crew. That had been the best night of her life. “You shouldn’t have,” she pretended to scold while inwardly celebrating.
“Well, it’s too late to cancel now,” he reasoned, hustling her up the gang plank to the first deck.
The night of his proposal, they had sat with a large group of people unknown to them. Tonight, the hostess led them to a table for two, right next to the window. Vinny pulled her chair out and Ophelia sank into it, her heart clutching at the sight of a rose bouquet and a bottle of champagne. Tears of gratitude stung her eyes. After all she’d done to sabotage their marriage, he still wanted her back.
The hostess expertly opened the bottle and poured them each a glass of chilled, bubbly liquid, wished them a romantic evening, and walked away. Ophelia peeked outside, watching the crew free the cruise ship from its moorings. In the next instant, a whistle sounded and the ship powered into the moonlit river.
She sat back in her chair and looked at him. She might have been the catalyst behind Jay Rawlings’ indictment on kidnapping and murder charges and his immediate removal from the list of vice presidential candidates, but she had put her husband through hell and nearly destroyed everything precious to both of them in the process.
With her eyes, she sought to convey how sorry she was for putting him through the wringer. Holding her eyes, he sent her a pained smile.
The waitress laid an appetizer of shrimp cocktail before them, but it remained untouched as they nursed their champagne. Vinny struck her as oddly quiet—nervous, almost.
“The guys on the team made you somethin’ for Christmas,” he suddenly recollected. Pulling his cell phone from his jacket, he accessed an app and handed it across the table to her. “It’s a video,” he explained at her puzzlement. “Hit play.”
Bemused, Lia tapped the triangle, and the video began. A scene opened onto four of Vinny’s teammates sitting around a bonfire—Chief Harlan and three more men. The camera zeroed in on Harley, whose bright blue eyes reflected the firelight. “So, Lia,” he said, addressing her directly, “we’re having this pow-pow because we want you to know how much you mean to us and to Vinny. It’s true that we don’t always see eye to eye. You get him into trouble now and then and you take him away from us when we want to hang out.”
Haiku, a Japanese-American SEAL leaned in. “And I’ll never forgive you for spilling your beer on my pool table.”
“Right. But we want you to know that we think you’re pretty cool, otherwise,” chimed in Teddy, the only African-American SEAL in Team Twelve. “And without you in his life, Vinny is pretty damn useless to us. He’s a liability to the team and he’s no fun to hang around with, anyway.”
“Yeah, so we need you to forgive him for whatever he’s done and come back to him,” Haiku added.
“We’re begging you, Lia,” Chief Harlan pleaded. “And you know how hard it is for us to be humble. So, Merry Christmas, and here’s to a better year next year with you and Vinny back together.”
The cameraman gave a thumbs up, making Ophelia suspect that Vinny had been the one filming them. “You set that up,” she accused.
“Nope, that was Senior Chief. The video was totally their idea.”
His assertion brought a lump to her throat. She shook her head and heaved a sigh.
“What’sa matter, baby?” Vinny reached across the table and caught her hand. The warmth of his touch, his tenderness, made her want to throw herself onto his lap.
“You didn’t tell them why I left,” she pointed out. “They thought it was something you did.”
He shrugged his shoulders. “It’s none of their business.”
Again, he’d covered for her. “I still don’t deserve you,” she realized, blinking back tears of frustration.
“Don’t say that,” he insisted, sounding suddenly agitated. “I need you in my life. I can’t do this without you.”
His heartfelt words encouraged her. “I’ve been working really hard to be a wife you can be proud of,” she volunteered through a tight throat.
“I was already proud of you,” he protested.
“As a person, I mean—not just a newswoman. I only work part time now. I’ve been babysitting Ryan every morning, and I’m good with him. I really am, Vinny.”
“Of course you are. I never doubted that.”
“I go to church now, and I exercise, and I even volunteered at a homeless shelter—”
“Sweetheart, you’ve got nothin’ to prove to me,” he insisted, squeezing her hand harder. “I’ve always loved you for who you are. I don’t want you to change.”
Tears of relief rushed into her eyes. “Thank you,” she whispered.
“Just promise me something,” he implored, his gaze delving deep into her eyes.
“Anything,” she agreed, dashing away the tear that slipped between her lashes.
“Promise me you won’t keep any secrets from me, ever again. There isn’t anything in the world that we can’t face together. I want to be able to protect you next time.”
“I promise,” she told him, nodding her understanding. He’d wanted to protect her and she hadn’t let him.
“So, you’ll come home with me tonight?” he asked with a pleading look that she had never been able to resist.
She felt herself grinning for the first time in weeks. The thought of sleeping in Vinny’s arms on their California king instead of Penny’s firm guest bed filled her with a heady longing to be there right now. She almost wished the cruise ship would turn around now, taking them back to the harbor so they could get home all the sooner.
“I want to come home,” she agreed, threading her fingers through his. “I’ve missed us so much.”
“I’ve missed us, too,” he said gruffly.
The
waitress reappeared just then, bearing their main course. With Vinny distracted, Ophelia toed off one of her high-heeled shoes and slid a stocking-clad foot up the inside of his leg. Watching him fight to keep his composure as he shook out his napkin and reached for his fork made her ribs ache with contained laughter.
“Is this my Christmas gift?” he inquired after the waitress moved away. The glint in his dark eyes warned her that she was asking for trouble.
“M-hmm,” she confirmed, caressing his powerful inner thighs with her dexterous toes.
“I got a surprise for you, too.” He carved a bite out of his steak and chewed it carnivorously. “But it’s not what you think,” he added, intriguing her with that bit of information.
“It’s not?”
“It’s news,” he added waggling his black eyebrows, “that you’ll have to extort from me before the night is over.”
“Oh, I’m good at extorting information,” she purred as she stroked his thigh.
“I know you are, baby. Eat your food.” He gestured to her plate with his fork.
She took an obliging bite of steak and found it tender enough to melt in her mouth. When was the last time she had felt like eating? “Mmm, so, about this news,” she began, turning over thoughts in her head. “Might it have anything to do with your application to medical school?” She’d been dying to hear the verdict since he’d first applied for early consideration.
“God, you’re good.” He shook his head.
Her fork clattered from her hand onto her plate. “You got accepted?” she cried in delight. “To where? Which one?”
“MCV in Richmond.” It had been his first choice.
She had to clap a hand to her mouth to stifle a scream.
“There’s a caveat,” he warned her. “We’ll have to move this summer.” He sent her a searching look. “Which means you’ll have to quit your job and find a new one.”
Her momentary panic came and went. “No worries. Corruption exists in every city. I’m sure I can find a new job.”
“I’m sure you can, too,” he stated.
She considered the news as she chewed thoughtfully. Her career was not the only one that would change. “So this is it,” she marveled. “You’re actually going to leave the Teams.” She searched his expression for signs of regret.
“It’s time,” he said with certainty. Having enlisted at the tender age of 17, his two four-year terms had made a man out of him, guiding his decision to become a medical doctor.
The realization that she wouldn’t have to fear for his life, day in and day out, filled her with bottomless relief. Their future together had never looked brighter. If only they weren’t stranded on a boat now headed past the Norfolk Naval Base. Turning her head, she sought the stairs that gave access to the other levels.
“Oh, I know what you’re thinking,” Vinny drawled. “I don’t think we could get that lucky twice.”
They’d found an empty pantry on their last cruise and made the best possible use of it.
“Besides,” he continued, pitching his voice lower, “tonight, I plan to take my time.” He leered. “I haven’t had you to myself in weeks.”
She arched a skeptical eyebrow. “Since when have you ever taken your time?” she quipped.
“Do I hear you complaining?”
“Nope.”
“Didn’t think so.”
The only thing in the world Ophelia could possibly have complained about at that moment was the speed at which their ship was moving. She could not wait to get home to their condo on Shore Drive to continue the life they’d started together five years ago.
Epilogue
‡
“Happy Valentine’s Day, sweetheart.” Ophelia greeted Vinny at the door in a red lace teddy, matching garters, black stockings, and five-inch heels.
“Jesus, God,” he exclaimed, running a stunned gaze down and up her body and shutting the door hastily behind him, lest every man on Shore Drive get a peek. “Sorry I’m late.” He thrust a bouquet of long-stemmed roses at her. “I had to run over an old man and steal these from him ’cause the store was all sold out,” he asserted.
She clucked her tongue. “Poor old man.” Accepting the bouquet, she took a long dreamy sniff. “They’re lovely, thank you. How was work?” she inquired, as he shrugged out of his winter BDU jacket.
“Busy,” he said tiredly. But suddenly, seeing her like this, he didn’t feel tired at all, even though he’d been on the job since five. He reached for his wife, unwilling to talk about work, when the smell of something burning hit the back of his throat. “What’s that smell?”
“Dinner,” she said with a shrug. But for once, instead of it seeming to bother her, she swiveled on her bare feet and sashayed ahead of him into their kitchen.
He realized with a rush of tenderness that, as always, she’d done her best to make the evening perfect. So what if she couldn’t cook. “Smells great,” he lied.
“The scallops didn’t come out the way I expected.” Running the rose stems under the faucet, she reached for scissors.
He stepped up behind her, searching for supportive words. “That’s okay. It’s the effort that counts. You’ll get the hang of it.”
“Doubtful,” she replied, snipping an inch off the stems and sticking the roses in the vase that sat on the windowsill.
Vinny put his hands on her bare shoulders and turned her around to face him. “And if you don’t ever get it right, then we’ll eat takeout every night,” he persisted. “As long as we’re together, I don’t care.”
Her gaze trekked to the table where he saw that she’d set it with their best china, a bottle of wine, and a lacey tablecloth. “I wanted to make it perfect,” she admitted.
“It is perfect.”
“Well, the salad turned out okay,” she said a little more brightly.
“I’m on a diet anyway.” He slid another appreciative gaze over her lingerie-clad body. “You want to eat now or later?”
“Later,” she said with a slow smile. “Right now I have a present to give you.”
Figuring he knew what kind of present she had in mind, Vinny scooped her up, ignoring her shriek of protest and carried her into the living room, where the drapes were drawn. A gas fire flickered warmly in the fireplace. She’d draped a fur throw over their L-shaped couch.
“Nice,” he commented, depositing her gently on top of it. His lips, like a heat seeking missile, closed unerringly over hers.
“Mmm. Wait,” she said against his mouth. One hand pushed against his shoulder, urging him off her. The other sank into his short, crisp hair, pulling him back for another sultry kiss.
“What do you want?” he asked, confused by her mixed signals.
“I mean I really have a gift to give you first. It’s right there on the end table.”
Peering over the arm of the couch, Vinny spied what looked like a box of chocolates wrapped in red cellophane and topped with a white bow. “You want me to open it now?” The dusky suggestion of her nipples peeking up at him proved distracting. “I’d rather unwrap you first,” he declared, lowering his head to lap at the firm nubs through the gauzy fabric.
“Later then,” she decided breathlessly.
At her encouragement, he slipped to his knees beside the couch and proceeded to divest her of her enticing garment, inch by tantalizing inch.
Many minutes later, Vinny collapsed along the length of the couch, pulled her into his arms, and flipped the throw over their naked bodies. He kissed her forehead. “God, I love our life together,” he mumbled.
She smiled like a cat that had eaten the canary. “I’m glad you said that.” She lifted her head off his shoulder and reached for the gift he’d left for later. “Open it now.”
What he’d thought was a box of chocolates proved too light. Bemused, Vinny tugged off the bow, lifted the lid, and peeked inside. A white plastic test strip with an unmistakable plus sign looked out at him from a bed of velvet. First surprise, then astonishment, then eu
phoria broke over him in successive waves, rendering him speechless.
“I’m six weeks pregnant,” Lia announced, her eyes dancing with joy. “Looks like we had our own Christmas miracle.”
“Holy shit.” Vinny had never doubted his ability to get Lia pregnant; he’d accomplished everything he’d ever set his sights on. He just hadn’t expected it to happen so soon.
“You’ll just be starting med school, and I’ll be working at a new job when the baby’s born,” she added, revealing a trace of her old self-doubt.
“Hey,” he admonished. “Just love our baby the way you love me, and it’ll all work out. There is nothing you and I can’t handle together. Remember?”
“I remember,” she said, brushing away happy tears.
After what had happened to her at Rawlings’ hands, she would never forget it.
“I love you, Lia.” He slid his arm beneath the throw and placed a large warm palm over her bare stomach, right over his child. “Thank you,” he said, meaning it. “This is the best Valentine’s Day present I could ever get.”
“Just wait until the birth,” she murmured, with a touch of wryness.
“That’ll be a pretty damn great gift, too.”
*
About the Author
Marliss Melton is the best-selling, award-winning author of a seven-book Navy SEALs series and the critically acclaimed Taskforce series, plus related novellas and short stories. Daughter of a foreign services officer and wife of a retired Navy veteran, Melton relies on her many contacts in various government agencies and in the Spec Ops community to pen realistic and heartfelt romantic suspense. Be sure to friend her on Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, and Goodreads. Get inspired with a weekly blog about heroes, qualify for monthly prizes, or sign up for a newsletter at www.marlissmelton.com.
SEAL Team 12 series (7 novels, 1 novella, 1 short story)
Taskforce series (3 novels)
Echo Platoon SEALs series (coming soon)
Holding On