“Well, ain’t you being a sweetheart and all,” Duncan said. “Looks like someone has Aiden on his good behavior.” Aiden gave Duncan the eye and a sharp shake of his head. Duncan rolled his eyes. He hadn't missed a thing.
“You seriously don’t want to go there,” Aiden said in a whisper. “Not unless what you were going to say is thank you for helping out with the dishes.”
Ariel's flight nurse gave a snort. “Well, I don't work for you, so you can’t tell me to shut up.” Andrew waved his fork toward Ariel. “It’s clear as day what’s happening between you two.”
"Lower your voice, asshole." He glanced at Ariel, not sure if she heard, hoping the sound of running water drowned out Andrew’s words. Leaning close, he placed the dishes back down on the table. “Look, I don’t want us to have a problem, but you keep your nose out of it, and your opinions to yourself. She doesn't need any shit from you.”
“Ain’t no problem.” Andrew didn’t flinch and leaned in, closing the gap. This wasn’t a man who backed down from a challenge. He did lower his voice, however. “I'm putting my nose in it if only to tell you this."
"And what would that be?"
"If you fuck with her, if this is just a game to you, know that I will find you and fuck you up.”
“Protective much?” He leaned back, impressed, but not intimidated by Andrew.
“What would you do if someone hurt her?” Andrew fired back.
“I’d rip his head off.” There was no thought required to answer that question.
Andrew gave a curt nod. “Well, good that we understand each other then. Don't hurt her and you and I will be fine.”
Duncan gave a snort. “You don’t need to worry about Aiden. He’s one of the good guys. Your lady’s in good hands.”
“We’ll see about that.” Andrew slapped his plate on the stack of dishes and shoved them toward Aiden. “Go help her with the dishes. Duncan and I will relieve Randall and Larry so they can eat.”
“Should we bring Jeffery something?" Duncan asked. "Guy’s got to be starving by now.”
Andrew shook his head. “I’m still not a hundred percent sure there’s nothing going on in his gut. He can go without food a little bit longer.”
Duncan pushed off from the table. “Looks like you’ve got a minute alone with her, boss. Don’t fuck it up.”
“She’s not going to like that you’re talking about her.” Aiden glanced at Ariel’s back as she reached for a pot and set it into a soapy sink. He wasn't certain, but he thought she was humming.
“Well, you’d have to be an idiot to miss it,” Andrew said. “Tell her not to worry.”
“Right.” That’s exactly what he wouldn’t do.
Ariel expressed concerns over what her crew would think and how her reputation might suffer. He admitted, although ruefully, that not taking her to his quarters had been the better idea. Not that sitting next to her during that dinner and not touching her hadn’t been hell, but maybe now he wouldn’t have to worry about it.
He grabbed the stack of dishes and joined her while Duncan and Andrew left. At least everyone was keeping to the buddy rules, even if they had switched things up. Placing the dishes down on the dirty side of the sink, he rubbed Ariel’s shoulders.
“You want the good news or the bad?” he asked.
She glanced at him. “I always like taking the bad news first, but if you’re going to tell me they know about us, don’t bother. None of you are good at whispering, or using your inside voices, especially when you’re all growly, possessive, and protective.”
“You heard?”
“How could I not?”
“It seemed like you didn’t.”
“What was I going to do, turn around and join in while the three of you compared dick sizes?”
He snorted. "Dick sizes?" He loved her filthy mind, so damn sexy.
"Yes. I swear I don't know how men get anything done when you're all standing around trying to figure out whose dick is bigger. Seems like a waste of time."
“That Andrew fellow is a good friend. Not sure I want to step wrong around him. And for the record, my dick is the biggest.”
She laughed at that, a genuine, honest, laugh. It was easily the most perfect thing he'd ever heard. She recovered quickly though.
“You’d regret it. He’s ex-military, C-CATT for eight years and SOST-SOCCET after that.”
“See cat and soft socks? What the fuck is that?” He dug deep into the muscles of her neck, loving the way his fingers brought soft moans to her lips.
“Critical Care Air Transport Team,” she said with a grin, “and Special Ops Surgical Team, or SOST.”
“You said soft socks.” He dug into the tension girding her shoulders and she moaned softly. “I like making you moan.”
“Then keep doing that. It feels amazing.”
“So, soft socks?”
She giggled. “Please don’t ever let Andrew hear you call it that. It’s Special Ops Surgical Team, Special Ops Critical Care Evacuation Team: SOST-SOCCET.”
“Yeah, you military love your abbreviations. So, he’s ex-military too?”
“Most of us are.”
“Well, that badass is protective of his teammate.”
She spun around and placed her soapy hands on his cheeks. “Yeah, but don’t let that scare you off. I’m looking forward to a whole body rub now. Your fingers are magical.”
“Now that is music to my ears.” He leaned in and brushed his lips against hers. “So, you’re okay with them knowing?”
She shrugged. “I’d rather not have my personal business on public display, but the cat’s out of the bag and I refuse to act like I’m ashamed. I’m okay with it.”
“Wow, you really do have balls. After what you said earlier…”
She gripped her tits and gave them a squeeze. “See these?”
“Hun, that’s my entire universe right there.”
“Well, you’re right. I have balls. They’re called tits and are easily bigger and badder than any man’s balls. I’m a private person, and while I would prefer this thing between us remain private, that’s no longer possible. The only thing to do now is to suck it up and own it. Unless Andrew has you running scared?”
He knew of one thing he wanted her to suck.
“I'm not scared of a guy with soft socks who sees cats.” He reached out and snapped his arm around her waist, pulling her in close to plant a kiss on her lips.
The door to the galley banged open.
“Eww, get a room guys!” Larry made a beeline for the food and plopped down on a stool. He shoveled food onto his plate and grabbed a breadstick. “It’s getting fierce out there.” He poked the end of the breadstick toward the windows and said nothing else about their kiss.
It was pitch black outside, but the entire rig hummed with the energy of the storm and the crashing of the waves against the support pylons. He felt the vibrations through his boots and despite the thick glass, the howling of wind couldn’t be ignored.
Ariel pushed Aiden away, a flush bright on her cheeks. She might have said she was okay with everyone knowing, but public displays of affection hit her triggers. He made a mental note to keep his hands to himself, at least in front of the others.
“How are Jeffery and Caleb doing?” He turned to Larry to ask about his injured crew.
“Jeffery is awake and in pain. Caleb is in and out, but lucid when we wake him up. He hates it when I pinch his toes, but it could be worse.”
“Thank you for taking care of them.”
“Of course. Hate to have to do it for anyone, but it’s the best job in the world.”
Randall shoved open the door and took a deep breath. “Smells damn good. Duncan did this?”
“Yes,” Aiden said with a smile. “He’s been holding out on us.”
Randall joined Larry at the table and loaded his plate. Aiden returned to help Ariel with the dishes, grabbing a towel to begin drying. He spent the next twenty minutes in bliss, standing beside
her doing something as mundane as the dishes. It made him ache for more moments like this with her in the days, weeks, and years to come.
How was it possible that after a few hours he’d fallen so far? He didn’t understand it. Didn’t care to, really, but something magical was happening. And he didn’t care that he couldn’t touch her the way he wanted. Standing beside her, he touched her in any number of different ways, brushed the back of her hands, pushed back the hair from her face, and kneaded the knots in her shoulders. All of it was nonsexual, and yet the most sensual thing he’d experienced in a very long time. Her warmth seeped into him, comforting him with the promise of more, and all without her saying a word, or even touching him back. She belonged next to him, and he belonged next to her.
Ariel finished with the last pan and stood there with soap covering her hands, tiny bubbles clung in small clumps over her delicate fingers. A serene expression covered her face, as if she floated in a moment of serenity. With a half-smile, and eyes that promised an exciting future, she turned and took the towel out of his hand. Slowly, she wiped at the soapy bubbles clinging to her hands, then folded the towel in half. With her eyes latched onto him, she turned and rose on tip-toes to chastely kiss his lips. It was the best gift he’d ever received, her reaching out to him.
Aiden wrapped his arms around her slender waist and pulled her close. Behind him, Larry cleared his throat and Randall gave a snort. He didn’t kiss her the way his body demanded, but he did kiss her with possession and promise.
“Come,” he said, “let me take you on a tour of your home for the next couple of days.”
As he led her out of the room, Randal gave a low chuckle. “You two behave, ya hear?”
Chapter 13
Ariel
Ariel enjoyed the tour Aiden provided of the crew quarters. It was interesting to see what life was like on a rig, but what she really wanted to see were the working parts of an oil rig. Unfortunately, that wasn’t happening with Julian’s arrival. They stood by a window looking out over the ocean. Julian’s violent fury raged outside, whipping up the sea, and making the rain fall sideways and gust upwards. The normally calm Gulf waters surged with waves cresting in the dark. She peered into the maelstrom, trying to make out details.
“It’s impressive, isn’t it?” Aiden tugged her close.
She leaned against Aiden’s firm chest and gripped his wrist. He had his arm slung over her shoulder and she snuggled into his embrace, feeling safe and secure. A deep breath brought his musky scent, filling her senses. “I feel the waves hitting the supports. It’s weird, like a low growl and incessant vibration. Is it always like that?"
"Not usually. The Gulf has some of the calmest waters on the planet. As Duncan said, the view is pretty awesome. We do get waves, but they're generally pretty low intensity. Sometimes, you can feel them as they sweep past the rig, but nothing like this."
"I love the ocean. It's calm and serene one moment and then violently powerful the next. It makes me feel insignificant."
He tightened his grip. "You're anything but insignificant."
"What happens during storms? Do you keep working through them, or pull everyone inside?"
"Guess it depends on the storm. Lightning is a concern, of course, and if it's bad enough to affect visibility, we stop operations, but you know how it is out here. Squalls kick up, blow through, and it's gorgeous afterward. I imagine it's much different for you in the air."
"It's beautiful," she said with a sigh. "From horizon to horizon, nothing but the ocean beneath my feet and blue sky overhead. I love chasing storms, or dodging them as it may be. Lightning is not my favorite though."
"You have no idea how kick ass you are, do you?"
"It's a job. Much like any other, it has fun parts and boring parts. I'm sure it's not much different for you. I bet it can get pretty boring here."
"It's a little less boring with you in my arms." He nuzzled the side of her neck and made her skin tingle with a fluttering of kisses which landed with a nibble to her earlobe. "You're incredible."
"I don't know about incredible, but I love what I do."
"Do you ever miss the military?"
She breathed out a sigh. "I do. There's a camaraderie there that isn't quite the same in civilian life. Everyone fights the same mission. You're tight with those you work with, or should be."
"You weren't?"
"I was and wasn't. My crew respected me, and the soldiers were always polite and respectful."
"But?"
"I was female. I missed out on all the dick-measuring contests."
He laughed at that comment. "I bet you did."
"That's a difficult bridge to navigate. I was one of the guys, but most definitely not a guy. Does that make sense?"
"You're a hero. I bet that brought respect."
"It did, but I was still always left on the sidelines. Included because they had to, but only as an afterthought. It's hard to explain. It sounds like I'm complaining, which I'm not. I had a great time as a Warrant Officer, best job in the world." Until she took a bullet, became a hero, and was medically discharged for her service and sacrifice. It had been a difficult thank you to accept.
She firmed her chin and reminded herself that she had no regrets. Her life was good and she was still flying. Not everyone could say the same. Reggie had died in that crash, as had others.
She needed to shift topics before a boatload of unhealthy emotions clawed their way to the surface.
"Do you have any idea how high the waves can get?”
“Do you really want to know the answer to that?” The heat of Aiden's breath whispered against her neck.
“Why?” She spun around and threaded her fingers in with his.
“Answer the question. Do you really want to know?”
From the look on his face, she paused to consider, but damn, she needed to know now.
“Yes.”
“Well, no one really used to know how big waves got inside hurricanes, all the sensors used to get ripped off their moorings, but the Naval Research Laboratory has these new wave/tide gauges which are submerged and anchored to the seafloor. It’s a lot of science I don’t understand, but they can measure wave heights now with surprising accuracy.”
“And?”
“When Hurricane Ivan passed through, they measured waves nearly a hundred feet tall.”
“You’re fucking kidding me? That's like freak waves though. Not normal hurricane waves.”
He snickered. “Good thing we don’t have a swear jar here.”
She punched him playfully. After eight years in the Army, and three tours to the desert, she could hold her own with the worst offenders.
“How strong was Ivan?” she asked.
“Category Four, and waves of that height are more common than people originally thought. True, it's not normal, but they happen more than you want to know.”
He was right about that, especially since they were sitting in the middle of the Gulf, hunkering down while Julian blew right over them.
“Wow," she said, "and to think that Julian is Ivan's bigger, badder cousin.”
“Yup.”
“And you’re sure we’re safe?”
“As safe as we can be.” He spun her around and put his hands on her hips. He dipped down, bending his knees until he was eye level with her. “Look, these things are built to withstand the storm of the century.”
“Thanks, that helps.” She gave a shaky nod. “Tell me about the rig. Help me keep my mind off things.”
“How much do you want to know?”
“Everything.” She leaned against him. “Tell me everything.”
With his arms wrapped around her waist, she listened as he talked about his job, the people who worked for him, and how much he enjoyed what he did. She had asked him to tell her about the rig, but he did so much more. He shared pieces and parts of his life. Meanwhile, Julian roared.
She leaned her head against his chest and a yawn slipped out.
> “Hey, you have to be exhausted,” he said. “How about we head back, check in with the others, and grab some shut-eye?”
“What time is it?”
He glanced at his watch. “2 a.m.”
“Wow.” She suppressed another yawn. “I’d like to head back to the Control Room and see if we can radio back. If we haven’t lost coms yet, we will soon.”
He gripped her tight before releasing her. “Your military is showing.”
“Huh?”
“Coms,” he said. “It’s not a common word.”
“I guess not.”
“I never asked why you left. Did you just finish up your obligation?”
“Kind of. My commitment was up. I thought about re-upping, but after the crash…”
“Where you took a bullet for a patient—”
“Where I did what anyone would’ve done, but I was medically retired from the injury.”
“Shit, you’re something else, luv. I see how men can be intimidated around you.”
“Are you?”
“I’m impressed, not intimidated. And like I said, in my relationships, I tend to be a bit traditional.”
“Bossy, you mean,” she teased.
“You don’t seem to be running from it.”
“I’m not, but I love what I do. I’m not going to give it up to be a domestic goddess.”
He roared with laughter, then gripped her waist and spun her back to him. “Is that what you think?”
“Well…”
“Hun, I’m raising a kickass daughter, who I hope will become whatever she wants in life. My mother-in-law is a phenomenal woman, as fierce and loving as they come. Strong women don’t scare me, and I’d never diminish what you’ve done, or keep you from doing what you love.”
“But, you said…”
“That I like to be in charge in my personal life. That doesn’t mean I’m a domineering asshole. What kind of men have you been dating?”
She looked at him, falling into the depths of his baby blues, and sighed. “Evidently the wrong kind.”
“Well, time to fix that.” He took her hand in his. “Come, let’s call base, check on the others, and get some shut-eye.”
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