Fleet Week fling.
“Lieutenant? We’re ready for final formation.”
Time to go. “Gotcha, Chief Petty Officer.”
Hauling his stuff up and heading to the deck, he endured the final moments before they were free of the ship, free to find their land legs, and free to sleep and shower where they could actually stretch out.
Letting most of the other Sailors head off deck first, Kane hung back. He had no one waiting for him, so there was no reason for him to plug up the reception area. And from previous experience, it sucked balls to watch spouses and loved ones jump into fellow Sailors’ arms as he just kept walking. Alone.
The first deployment he’d been on, his parents came to see him home. After that, he was too independent to have family waiting, finally having moved to base housing instead of living on the ship. He regretted it every time he loaded his shit up and made his way back to an empty place. Today, it would be even worse.
Once the crowd thinned a little, Kane slung his duffle over his shoulder and headed down the pier. Keeping his eyes to the ground as he stepped off, he only raised them to calculate the best path to take through the throng of happy people.
“Kane?”
That voice. It was just like in his dreams, but only better because it actually sounded like it was real. But it couldn’t be. He was so far gone in self-pity, he was hearing things.
Still, he looked toward where he had heard his name hesitantly spoken. Fucking gorgeous. She was standing there, dead sexy in jeans and that Ohio State sweater, twisting her hands together, like nerves were getting to her.
“Olivia,” he breathed. She was here, really here.
He dropped his duffle, his legs eating up the distance between them, and grabbed her up for a kiss.
A nervous greeting escaped her before turning into a sigh as their kiss deepened. He held her so close, he should’ve worried she’d have trouble breathing, except that she was hugging him back just as hard.
Finally breaking the kiss, he leaned his head back to look at her. “You came?”
It was a question because, well, he hadn’t heard a damn thing from her.
“I’m know, the last few weeks have been…busy. And I didn’t know if I’d make it here in time, then when I knew, I had no internet anymore, but I should’ve tracked down a computer, or used my phone…” She frowned, looking slightly embarrassed. “But I didn’t know - were you serious? About letting me crash with you for a while?”
He set her down on her feet, but kept her hugged close. “Honey, I want you to crash with me forever.”
Relief fluttered through her features, followed by the characteristic nervousness. “Good, because you’re stuck with me. I gave my job my two weeks, and when that was up, I moved my stuff to my parents and drove straight here.”
A giant grin spread over Kane’s face. “Let’s go back to my place. I’m going to have my way with you. Then we’ll go get groceries because my house is empty. Then we’ll stay in bed for three days before we figure out how to move your stuff up.”
“It’s in Ohio.”
“Good, then I can meet your parents.”
Olivia laughed and buried her face in his uniform, he leaned his head down, giving the top of hers a light kiss.
Epilogue
Rubbing her rounded belly, Olivia finished the chapter she was working on and closed her laptop, then stretched her hands high above her head, arching her back.
“Are you trying to make me late for work?” a deep voice rumbled, sending shivers down her spine. How could he still do that to her? And it’d better never stop.
Looking over and seeing his hooded eyes, she realized he was serious. And he wouldn’t be that late. “I’m just an innocent bystander stretching her cramped-up back. This big baby of yours is demanding all the room.”
Kane strode across the room to kneel down in front of her, still in just his undershirt and uniform pants. The shirt stretched across his shoulders so she could watch his muscles bunch as he rubbed her belly. Reaching around to rest his mouth against their kicking child, he slipped his hands around to massage at her spine.
“Mmmph mwmmwb mmwph.”
“I’m sure he or she’ll understand you without your lips pressed against my shirt,” Olivia said wryly.
Kane kept mumbling into her belly. This routine was standard with them. He loved playing around with her bump, talking to their baby, massaging the aching body part of the day. It was like he was making up for lost time.
The second deployment they experienced together was better, yet so much longer than the first. E-mail was a regular occurrence and she made a herculean effort to never miss a call. When they stopped at port, she was able to fly out to see him thanks to her work-at-home gig.
The last time she flew to port, when he came off the ship and searched the crowd for her to heave her into a bear hug, she gave him a present. A framed picture of the ultrasound. Kane had been speechless, happy, anxious, happy, and speechless.
A baby wasn’t an unwelcome package, not at all. It just came with its own timing, not when Olivia and Kane had planned, which was after this deployment, and after their move to his next duty station. In Hawaii, whoop whoop!
Instead, it was up to Olivia to pack up their stuff, arrange their affairs, and get their life moved across the country, and the ocean. But the Navy was a big help, so it could’ve sucked more; she worked her own hours and it kept her busy learning the Navy way of life while Kane was gone.
Six months felt like forever, but it could have been worse. Olivia heard spouses tell of extensions or twelve-month deployments. Those same spouses had become fast friends and Olivia fell in love with Norfolk, just like she would fall in love with Hawaii. It wouldn’t be from the tropical setting, or the beaches, or the weather, but from having a home with the man she was madly in love with and who was madly in love with her.
Packing her shit and moving there had been the most impulsive, best decision of her life. New York had made her stagnant and resentful of her decisions in life. Norfolk gave her the opportunity to follow her dreams and live; not be chained to a desk, looking out at the world when her only world was her computer, but actually live. Get out and meet people, go for coffee, make friends.
It was intoxicating, just like the Sailor in front of her. The next deployment, and she was sure there would be one, would be tough, she wasn’t naïve. Children, more responsibility, but he made it worth it and she wouldn’t trade this life for anything.
Her musings were interrupted when his hands creeped lower, rubbing circles down her butt, lifting her from the chair.
“I thought you were going to be late?” coyness slid over the desire in her voice.
“I would’ve been if I hadn’t planned on being early. I’ll settle for on time.”
Meeting him for a kiss, she lost all coherent thought.
Watch for SHOOTER, the next short story in the Fleet Week Romance series.
Settled into a six-month Navy deployment at sea, Craig Trenton hated to be away from his wife, but loved his job of shooting jets off the aircraft carrier. Until mail day brought divorce papers. Willing to test out his newfound bachelorhood during Fleet Week, Craig strikes up a conversation with a stunning redhead looking for her own good time.
Audrey Clemens didn’t want to be the hookup that showed up on Craig’s doorstep with a startling announcement. He was determined to make a life with her, but she was determined to make her own life, unwilling to settle with a man just because he felt it was his duty.
When Craig leaves for several months of training, he worries he’s missed his chance at convincing the beautiful artist to commit to a life of roaming the world with him.