Under His Command (Six-Alarm Sexy)

by Kristine Cayne

  “Since I have no idea where we are or where we’re going, all I can say is: ‘Lay on, MacDuff, and damned be him who first cries “Hold! Enough!”’” She bent into a curtsey and with a wide sweep of her arm, indicated the general direction where lights bobbed up the mountain.

  Joy bubbling in his chest, he gathered her into his arms and spun her in a circle. He loved seeing her this way, so carefree, without her day planner and rigid schedule in hand. Maybe she was finally learning she didn’t have to control everything to be safe. Setting her on her feet, he kissed her soundly. “Christ, I’ve missed you, Rickie.”

  “I’ve missed you too, Jamie.” She kissed him lightly and laced her fingers through his. “Let’s go see this sunrise you’ve been telling me about.”

  Hand in hand, he guided her through the darkness to a paved walkway where only a few other early morning enthusiasts were slowly making their way up the mountain. Not even two miles long, the trail led to the Makapu’u Point Lighthouse at the southern edge of the ridge.

  The sun was just beginning to breach the horizon when they reached the end of the trail. Standing on the edge of the ridge, they seemed to hang over the vast Pacific Ocean. A narrow band of golden light was sandwiched between mile upon mile of jet-black water and dark puffy clouds. As the sun rose, the ocean and the sky above the clouds turned a steely gray while the band of light grew, revealing the sun, a golden ball of fire bathed in a riot of pinks, oranges, and yellows. Other people who’d gathered along the ridge beside them cheered its arrival.

  Jamie placed Rickie in front of him and wrapped his arms around her waist as they watched, lost in the wonder. “It’s so beautiful,” Rickie said, her voice barely a whisper. “At times like this, I wish I were an artist.”

  He glanced down at his wife’s face, resplendent in the sun’s first rays, and agreed wholeheartedly. His arms tightened around her and he laid his cheek on her head, enjoying the feel of her in her arms. Right here, right now, she was his.

  Another cheer rose from the crowd when someone spotted a huge white bird soaring in the early morning light. They watched as it spiraled down to one of the islands below. Jamie used the opportunity to share with her some of what he’d learned when researching this spot. He pointed out the islands of Moloka’i and Lana’i across the Kaiwi Channel. A few minutes, later, she indicated a mass rising out of the sea. “What’s that one? It looks odd.”

  “That’s Manana, also known as Rabbit Island.”

  She cocked her head, as though studying it from a different angle would help. “Well, I suppose it resembles a rabbit head.” She turned in his arms and hugged him hard. “I’m so glad we got to see the sunrise together. I’ll never forget this, Jamie.”

  Neither would he. The sun reflected in the water, creating a rose lane, like a red carpet laid out for a queen, ending right at Rickie’s feet. If this wasn’t a sign, he didn’t know what was. On impulse, he dropped to one knee in front of her. Five years ago, his proposal had been far less than romantic. But maybe he could make up for that now.

  Taking her hand, he kissed her wrist and looked up into her astonished eyes. “Rickie, I know our marriage has had more ups and downs than it should have. You were right to want a divorce. I wasn’t behaving like the man you’d married. But I’ve grown up since then, and right here, right now, I pledge myself to you. I promise to love you above all others, to honor your needs and desires above my own, and to cherish our life together, every single day. I’ll be honest with you at all times and in all things. You’re an angel for giving me this second chance to make you happy.”

  As he spoke, tears welled in her eyes and spilled onto her cheeks. She knelt with him and clutched their joined hands against her heart. “Jamie, no. I wasn’t right. I shut you off, shut you out. How could you know what I wanted when I didn’t even know it myself?” Her voice broke. Blinking away her tears, she turned toward the ocean and inhaled deeply. Her lips curved up and when she faced him again, joy danced in her brown gaze.

  “I pledge to be the wife you deserve. To love you above all others and to honor your needs and… desires.”

  At her salacious grin, his belly tightened. “Minx,” he said on a groan.

  “I promise to cherish our time together and to stop worrying about things that might never be.” New tears trailed down her face as she continued to smile. His heart ached, knowing exactly how difficult that last promise had been for her to make. She was still terrified of something happening to him because of his job. And her fears were real. He risked his life every day.

  Hauling her against his chest, he buried his face in her soft hair. “I can’t ask for anything more,” he whispered.

  Slowly, he became aware of clapping and whistling. He helped Rickie to her feet, grinning at the crowd that had formed a half-circle around them. His wife’s cheeks were as pink as the sky. She squeezed his hand. “Say something!”

  Laughing, he beamed at her and very loudly told the group, “She said ‘yes.’”

  She swatted his arm and glared at him playfully. A man in the group called out, “You sure about this, dude? She looks like a handful.”

  Jamie tucked Rickie under his arm and palmed one luscious ass cheek. “That she is, my man.” A handful and so much more.

  As Jamie led her back down the paved pathway to the car, Erica’s mind was still reeling from the miraculous sunrise, and Jamie’s very unexpected reaffirmation of their wedding vows. After yesterday, seeing him so confident in Dom-mode, she’d never in a million years have expected him to go down on one knee and proclaim his love for her like that. He was such a multi-faceted diamond. One she still barely knew after five years of marriage. From today, she’d make it her mission to change that. She had so much to learn about him, and she hoped that their newfound intimacy would help keep the lines of communication open.

  A short way down the path, Jamie veered to the side and stopped at a large plaque that indicated where whales could be seen in the wintertime. “Too bad we’ll miss that,” she said.

  “Yeah, but we can see whales pretty much any time at home.” He set the backpack on the ground and yanked out a bottle of water, drinking deeply before handing it to her.

  Grateful Jamie had thought to bring water, she took a long sip, letting the water hydrate her throat. It was barely past sunrise and already their clothes were sticking to their bodies. “God, that feels good.”

  He plopped a baseball cap on her head and grinned. Seeing him so happy, her belly warmed. She couldn’t wait to find out what else he had planned for their day. Handing her a bottle of sunscreen, he took the water back. “Before we head out, put this on.”

  “Head out where?” she asked as she applied the lotion.

  “We’re taking that trail.” He pointed to a small foot-beaten path behind the plaque.

  She ventured forward a few steps to investigate the trail, squinting to see the twists and turns. “Where does it go?”

  “Down the mountain to the coast.”

  She glanced at her running shoes. Not the best footwear for hiking. “Is it steep?”

  “You’ll be fine.” He held out his hand and she took it. When she gripped him a little tighter than necessary, he didn’t even grimace.

  Within moments, the trail went from packed-dirt to exposed rock. She kept Jamie’s hand firmly clutched in hers, stepping where he indicated. A strange mixture of embarrassment and relief made her belly flip when she noticed how he used his body as a bulwark in case she slipped.

  “Easy,” he said when her feet skidded on some loose stones.

  By the time they reached the coastline, her insides were quaking. She relaxed her death grip on Jamie’s fingers and had to laugh as she held up her shaking hands for him to see. “You’d think I’d just gone down Mount Everest.”

  Humor shining in his eyes, Jamie cupped her face and gave her a loud smacking kiss on the mouth. “You did great.” He grabbed her hand. “Come on. You’re going to love this.”

  J
amie’s eyes sparkled like those of a small boy exploring a pile of toy cars. His eagerness was contagious. Thrilled to see him so happy, she followed. They stopped in front of a series of tide pools framed by glistening rock ledges. The depths glowed a gorgeous cerulean blue, while the shallows reflected the moss below, giving them an emerald sheen.

  A large wave rolled in, crashing against the rocks, adding its white foam to the array of colors. The spray from the waves showered over them, cool and invigorating. She squealed with delight. “I wish I had my camera. Chloe would love photos of this.”

  With a wink, Jamie set the backpack on the ground and reached into one of the many pockets. He yanked out what appeared to be a waterproof camera. “Will this do?”

  “My, my. Aren’t you the Boy Scout,” she teased. When his gaze locked on hers, the desire burning in his eyes made her breath hitch. He shouldered the backpack and raised a brow. “I’m always prepared. For anything. Are you?”

  Oh boy! What else did he have in that backpack? “Did you want to…” Her voice faltered and she trailed off. What was wrong with her? Why was it so hard for her to say that little word? It was only three letters for heaven’s sake. She filled her lungs with ocean air and tried again. “Did you want to have sex here? Because”—she pointed to the people playing in the tide pools around them—“we aren’t exactly alone.” Her voice had lowered to a whisper when she’d said the word, but at least she’d managed to spit it out.

  Jamie stepped in close, towering over her. His eyes reflected his amusement. “Oh, we’re going to have”—he lowered his voice to a whisper, imitating her—“sex. But not here.”

  Her stomach grumbled loudly and her cheeks flushed. He laughed and heads turned at the joyous sound. “But not until I’ve fed your hungry belly. I wouldn’t be much of a husband if I didn’t keep you well-fed as well as well-fucked, now would I?”

  “You’re so bad, Jamie Caldwell,” she said, loving his playfulness.

  Pointing to a boulder a few yards away, he said, “Let’s have our breakfast there.” He waited while she removed her shoes, then with a hand on her butt, he boosted her up onto a flat spot. She scrambled a bit, but managed to settle in without falling on her face. Jamie on the other hand, easily hefted himself onto the sun-warmed rock despite the weight of the backpack. He set the pack on his lap and opened it. Even though she could barely stand the suspense, she waited without saying a word. Jamie was enjoying teasing her, and she didn’t want to ruin it for him.

  Finally, he pulled out a thermos and handed it to her. “Coffee?” she asked, her voice high and hopeful.

  “There’s cream and sugar too. Well, cream substitute.”

  With desperate fingers, she clawed open the thermos and poured coffee into the attached cup. After adding some creamer and sugar, she inhaled deeply. “This smells divine, Jamie.” She took a sip and enjoyed the savory warmth taste of it.

  “Eat up.” He plunked a foil-wrapped package on her lap and waggled his eyebrows. “You’re going to need your strength.”

  “Hmm… that sounds… promising.”

  “And you know I always keep my promises.”

  Yes, he did. Which was exactly why he’d never promised he’d come home safe and sound at the end of every shift. He couldn’t. Well, she’d made promises too, ones she planned to keep. Pushing the negativity aside, she passed Jamie the coffee and unwrapped her breakfast surprise. The spicy sent of Portuguese sausage filled her nose. She took a bite of the still-warm sausage and egg sandwich. Delicious.

  Water shot out of a fissure in the rocks, the plume reaching a good thirty feet, startling her. The sausage went down the wrong way and she choked. Coughing and gasping for air, she dropped the sandwich and smacked her chest. His work-face on, Jamie raised her hands into the air. “Keep coughing,” he said, handing her a napkin. His cool tone calmed her and she quickly disengaged the bite caught in her throat.

  As she regained her breath, Jamie took her hand and pressed it to his lips, a sheepish expression on his face. “I thought it would be fun to see your reaction when the water came through the blowhole. It wasn’t. And I’m sorry. I should have warned you.”

  Before answering, she took a sip from the bottle of water he offered her. The liquid soothed her throat. “You couldn’t have predicted what would happen. Does the blowhole have a name? I want to know what to call the thing that almost killed me.” She chuckled, trying to lighten Jamie’s mood.

  “The Dragon’s Nostrils.”

  Another plume of water shot up, making her snort. “I can see why.”

  When she finished her sandwich, Jamie reached into his backpack and got out a couple containers and handed one to her. She opened it, and now it was her turn to feel like a kid with a favorite toy. “Oh, Jamie!” The container was filled with pineapple spears, slices of mango, pieces of watermelon and cantaloupe, and a few other fruits she couldn’t name. Grinning widely, she took the fork he handed her. “You remembered.”

  “Hard to forget. Before meeting you, I wouldn’t have been able to name half of what’s in these containers.”

  When they finished eating, Jamie packed up and gave her the camera. “Let’s get some photos for Chloe.”

  Coming down from the boulder, she yelped when her feet touched the burning rocks.

  “Too hot for your lily-white Seattle feet?” he asked, his grin teasing.

  “I guess I don’t have your heat tolerance, Mr. Firefighter.”

  Enjoying the banter between them, she laughed and put on her shoes. They spent a half hour exploring the tide pools and taking pictures of the fish, corals, and sea urchins. On a sandy part of the beach, she found a colored glass ball and held it up for Jamie to see. “I wonder what this is.”

  “It’s a Japanese fishing float. Fishermen used to use them on their nets.”

  “Oh, Chloe will love this. Can we bring it to her?”

  This was one of the things he loved best about Rickie; her first thought was always for Chloe. He held the backpack while she rolled the ball in an extra T-shirt he’d brought and secured it among their other supplies.

  “Ready to see more?” he asked, when she was done.

  “There’s more?”

  “Oh, yeah. The best is yet to come.”

  Her belly tingled as she anticipated what else he had in store for her. “You know, for someone who insisted the vacation be unscripted, you seem to have done a lot of planning.”

  He grinned. “When you do it, it’s OCD. When I do it, it’s research.” He winked, and she went wet between her legs. His smile really should be illegal. It was one of the many things she loved about him. It was also one of the things that attracted the fire bunnies. Her smile fell.

  “Hey,” he said, touching her face. “What’s wrong?”

  “I’m so happy we’ve finally found each other again. I just—” She clamped her mouth shut. How could she admit to being jealous, especially after this morning?

  “Erica.” His use of her full name let her know how serious he was. “What I said up there by the lighthouse, that wasn’t bullshit. I meant every word. Every syllable. You’re mine. And I’m yours. You’re it for me.” The corners of his lips kicked up. “Especially now.”

  After everything he’d done during the last few days, she needed to shake off her worries and simply enjoy being here with him. “I meant every word too. And I’ll try to be less insecure.”

  Jamie gripped her hand. “Let’s go.” Anxious to know what he’d planned for them, she followed him away from the people and the tide pools, away from the lighthouse. Where were they going? They took a little path and after a minute of walking, it narrowed dangerously. Fear gripped her belly and she dug her heels in. “Ah, Jamie…” Her eyes gravitated to the edge of the trail, then to the water and the waves that crashed onto the rocks. She swallowed. “I don’t think I can do this.”

  “Rickie, you’re one of the bravest women I know. You can do it. But if it makes you feel better, I’ll put a harness
on you. I’ll go first and anchor the rope on the other side, then you can cross. Sound good?”

  “You brought your climbing gear?”

  “Like I said, I’m always prepared.” He made quick work of strapping her in, a small smile playing on his lips.

  “You’re enjoying this, aren’t you?”

  His eyes twinkled. “Damn right. I love seeing you all trussed up.” He dropped a kiss on her lips, then crossed the narrow section of the path with sure-footed ease. “Your turn.”

  Sweat dripping down her spine in an unnerving trickle, she inched forward, cautiously placing one foot in front of the other. Although she tried to focus on Jamie, her gaze was drawn to the edge. All she could hear, all she could see was the water crashing on the rocks below. Her heart started to pound against her ribs and her chest felt tight.

  “Erica. Eyes on me.” Jamie’s commanding tone pulled her back. “You can do this, honey. Even charging into an unstable mountain of debris didn’t faze you.” He tugged on the line attached to her harness. “I’ve got you.”

  She nodded. He was right. This was nothing compared to the horror they’d gone through the night of the earthquake. Straightening her spine, she kept her eyes locked on Jamie’s and stepped cautiously toward him. When she reached him, she fell into his arms, panting. “Please don’t tell me we have to go back that way.” She’d overcome her fear, but once was more than enough.

  He touched her nose and pushed a bottle of water in her hand. “We don’t. Now drink. I don’t want you to get heatstroke.”

  After having her fill, she gave him back the bottle and made sure he drank too. He was always seeing to her needs and forgetting about his own. That was going to stop. He helped her out of the harness, then tucked it and the rope into the pack. Wanting to carry her share of the load, she tried to swing it onto her back. The unexpected weight made her stumble. Laughing, Jamie took the bag from her and easily settled it on his shoulders. “I think I’d better carry this.”