by Bianca D’Arc
*
John spent two days in and out of regen chambers. Each session grew progressively shorter until he was finally returned to his swanky private room to start rehab.
Therapists would come to him, and occasionally, he would be carted down a maze of hallways to specific machines and scanners. Through it all, Maggie was a near-constant presence during his waking hours. And no matter what time he opened his eyes, one of his teammates was always there, guarding him and keeping him company.
He felt like a dignitary or something, the kind of treatment he was getting. It was all because of Diva, of course. When she chose to exert her influence, John had come to learn there was very little off limits to her.
By the third day of rehab, he was on his feet and walking to and from the therapists and their various rooms. By the evening of the third day, he’d been dismissed from his private hospital room in favor of a berth in the BOQ Convalescent Wing. He still had a few days of therapy left, but if all continued to go according to plan, he’d be in fighting form by the end of the week.
When Jase assisted John to his new room in the BOQ-CW, he was surprised to find it was another private room. And this one had a previous occupant…who was still there.
Jase backed off and let the door close behind him, leaving John standing there, facing her.
“Maggie. Don’t tell me they’re letting us…” He couldn’t finish the thought. It was too incredible. Just her being in this part of the base was probably breaking about a dozen rules.
“You bet your ass they’re letting us share this room. It was either that, or I would call down the wrath of General Marksham on their heads.” She smiled as she walked right up to him and placed her palms on his chest.
“Marksham? You know the Chief Medic of Fleet Command?” He just shook his head. Of course she did.
“I do a lot of concerts for injured soldiers, John. Bill Marksham and I have been friends for years. I’ve even had dinner at his home and gone shopping with his daughters. I’ve never asked for a personal favor from him before, but he was only too glad to help me out when I told him I was involved with a particular soldier who had been wounded in action.”
“You told him about us?” John wasn’t sure that was such a good thing. Marksham had to know about the Enhancement program, and he also had to know what it meant. He wouldn’t condone a relationship between any Enhanced soldier and such a high profile woman.
Or maybe he would. He had allowed her to bunk with him, after all. If she was to be believed.
“I trust him,” she answered simply. “Bill Marksham wouldn’t divulge anything I told him in confidence. But honestly, the cat is already out of the bag here, John. The minute I started playing Diva on this base, tongues started wagging. You can check the news channels for yourself. The gossip rags are already talking about me hooking up with an unidentified soldier. So far, we’ve at least been able to keep your name out of it, but frankly, I’m not sure how much longer that will last.” She wrung her hands, as if worried. “I’m sorry.”
She looked so forlorn he walked right up to her on his unsteady legs and took her into his arms. Finally. She was where she belonged.
“Don’t be sorry for anything, Maggie mine,” he told her softly. “I can handle whatever comes as long as you keep on caring for this poor old broken soldier.”
“I’ll never stop,” she whispered, her voice filled with tears as she snuggled into his chest and wrapped her arms around him, squeezing gently. He felt her tremble and knew she’d been holding up her strong façade for too long. He was glad he could be there to comfort her. It had been a close thing, that last injury.
He sent up a silent prayer of thanks that it hadn’t been his time to check out. He was so glad he had more time to be with her. And so glad that she had cared enough to come light-years to see him. He still could hardly believe it and would never take it for granted. Never.
She surprised him, sniffling and straightening her spine as she let him go. He wanted to keep her in his arms. He wanted to do so much more than that, but she was pulling away. He didn’t like it, but he let her go. He would never cage her or push her too far. He knew he was a lucky bastard to have her in his life. He wouldn’t mess that up.
“Now.” She fixed her hair and wiped her face. “Don’t get too excited. You’re still on monitoring, and the medic station is getting readings on all your vitals and will be until they release you. So we can’t have any…say, uh…heart rate spikes. Okay?”
He stifled a chuckle, suddenly understanding her actions. “Or risk having a medic team come rushing in to check on me and get caught in the act.”
“Exactly.” She patted his chest and then moved away. “I’m glad you understand.”
“Oh, I understand,” he said, walking over to sit on the edge of the bed. “Though I don’t have to like it. Still, I enjoy just being near you, Maggie. I’ll take any time I can get with you, any way I can get it.”
“I’m glad you feel that way. Only, next time, you might not want to go to such extremes. I mean, you really don’t have to be in a coma for me to come see you, you know?”
He laughed out loud that time, as she’d probably intended. She joined him, both chuckling at the small joke—both well aware of the close call he’d just had.
“I’m really glad you’re here,” he said finally, after silence had fallen. “Have I thanked you yet for dropping everything and coming to my rescue?”
She snorted and rolled her eyes, smiling. “Hardly that. Your men got you out of harm’s way. I only came running after they already had you here—and for purely selfish reasons. I had to see for myself that you were all right.”
“I’m always all right when I’m with you,” he said gently. She came to him and pushed his shoulder until he lay back in the bed. Much to his amusement, she tucked him in, then sat on the side of the bed.
“You say the sweetest things, Captain.” She leaned down to peck him on the cheek. “Now, rest.” She got up and went to one corner of the room where a few pieces of baggage were stacked. “You’re under orders to rest when not in therapy sessions. At least for today. And I’ve got a new song to play for you.”
When she turned back to him, she had her guitar. She pulled a stool over from the small desk along the wall and sat at his bedside.
Maggie sang him to sleep, as she always did, and he went with a smile on his face, knowing this time, at least, she was really with him. This time, she wasn’t just a recording.
*
Maggie spent every moment of the next three days with John, except for those times when he was in therapy. She sang him to sleep every night and wrote songs of thanksgiving and the preciousness of time spent with the one you love. She tinkered with melodies, and her heart was filled with joy to see John getting better each day.
She’d been asked by the facility director to do a scaled-down show for the patients and staff of the base, and she couldn’t refuse. An acoustic performance was the best she could cobble together on her own, but she’d done the same many times before when caught somewhere without her backup band.
She had her guitar, and the base computer had access to a few synth programs that would work. She spent an hour or two programming in arrangements and planning a set of songs—acoustic guitar pieces interspersed with some of the more elaborate backing she was able to put together on the synths.
The show space was being set up by base command. All she’d have to do was show up at the appointed time.
As it turned out, John’s medical clearance came through right before her show was to begin, though he didn’t yet have orders to ship out. He was released from monitoring in time to accompany her to the performance space that had been set up for her, and every man in his unit was there to watch the show.
John sat with his unit, watching as the sick and wounded hung on Maggie’s every note, as entranced by her music and voice as he was. He felt the mood of the room lift as she sang. Her gift touched those around h
er, and by the end of the concert, she had the audience eating out of her hands, able to forget their troubles for a time. That was her gift, and John truly appreciated the selflessness that led her to give so much of herself to these people.
She wasn’t being paid for her time. She wasn’t gaining anything at all, since the press had been banned from the base. No notoriety. No additional fame. In fact, no one outside the base would probably ever know of the time, energy and caring she had given to these wounded warriors, out of the goodness of her heart.
But John knew. And he understood her motivation. Maggie was just that kind. That noble. Her heart was in the right place and big enough to encompass all who came to her in need of the comfort her music could give.
He’d sought the solace of her voice too many times to count, both before and after they’d become acquainted. He never tired of the sweet melodies she brought to life with her enchanting tones. She was both mesmerizing and delightful. In every possible way.
Judging from the applause she received for each selection, everyone present felt the same. John took a moment to look around at the assembly and was struck anew at the power of the woman at the center of all their attention. He wasn’t the only one in love with her, though he knew he was one of the few who knew her true heart.
He watched Diva perform, but he knew, under it all, was his Maggie. The owner of his heart.
And tonight, they would be together…if she was willing. Just one night before he had to ship out, back to the front. The Andrakian betrayal wasn’t going to solve itself, though from what he’d been able to glean from the dispatches, it was well on its way to a conclusion.
The fact that they’d received intel from that infamous spy, Dalen, in time to stop the Andraks from finalizing their war preparations, had shortened the conflict considerably. Once again that unsung hero had done a yeoman’s work in helping the good guys of the galaxy. If John ever crossed paths with Dalen, he owed that son of a bitch a boatload of thanks. As did every human in the galaxy, though they would never know it.
The concert ended after a few encores, and Diva finally stepped down from the small stage. She spent a few minutes glad-handing the base command staff and then spent a few hours shaking hands and trading words with the members of her audience who wanted to meet her.
She made it a point on special occasions like this to say hello to every injured warrior who wanted a moment of her time. It was the least she could do. Posing with them and listening to them talk about her music or special moments in their lives that involved her songs was part of the job, but it was something she particularly enjoyed when the audience was military.
Though they would probably never know it, she understood these men and women better than civilians. Her father had been a military man. She’d been raised in the service and understood the lifestyle and its particular challenges. She also understood the pain of losing friends and her dearest family to enemy action. She had a lot in common with these soldiers, and she would listen to them, bringing what comfort she could.
Eventually, the crowd dwindled. She’d met them all and left each one with a smile, an autograph or an image of her with them to savor and remember the moment. Although she wanted to get back to John as quickly as possible, she couldn’t short these people on her time. It wouldn’t be right, and she wouldn’t feel right about being selfish like that, though she knew her time with John was counting down to mere hours now that he was better.
He’d have to leave soon, and she had plans to make sure she sent him off with a smile. Every moment they had together was precious. These past few days had been great. They’d talked for hours…about anything and everything. Their families. Their hopes and dreams. Their beliefs.
She’d reaffirmed in her own mind that the time they’d spent together months before hadn’t been a dream. He was the real deal, in every possible way. And she very much believed that John was going to be the love of her life.
Whether their love story would ultimately have a happy ending or a tragic one was still to be determined. She was going to make damned sure, though, that she did everything in her power to make it joyful. They both deserved a little happiness in their lives, didn’t they?
When she got back to the room they’d been sharing the past couple of days, John was there waiting for her. He’d left two of his men behind with her—guarding her—and they escorted her to the door with grins they couldn’t hide on their faces. She knew they were all in on something, but whatever it was, she’d find out soon enough.
When the door opened, and she found the plain room had been transformed into something rather spectacular, considering the circumstances and lack of available luxury items, she knew the entire unit had rallied to their commander’s aid. They’d hung draperies from the ceiling that must have been purloined from elsewhere in the facility, to make the small chamber resemble a bedouin’s tent.
A table had been covered with more of the darkly patterned fabric at the center of the space, with two chairs around it. On the table was a bottle of wine in a bucket of ice—and where they’d managed to scrounge up wine on a military base she couldn’t even begin to guess.
Two glasses and a tray with hors d’oeuvres sat beside it. And standing behind the surprising display was John.
He smiled at her, and she didn’t even hear the door shut behind her. She was already in motion, walking toward him, tears gathering behind her eyes that she refused to let fall. He and his men had gone above and beyond to make this last night together special for her. She loved the fact that they’d all helped him pull off this minor miracle and managed to keep it a secret until the moment of revelation.
She walked right up to him and into his arms, wrapping her arms around his waist and hugging him tight. She couldn’t speak for a moment, needing a few seconds to gather her emotions and hold them in check.
“Do you like it?” John asked in that low, rumbly voice that made her body warm.
“Like it?” She leaned back to look up at him. “I love it. I love that you went out of your way to do this for me, though you know you didn’t have to. Just being with you is special enough.”
“I could say the same, but I wanted to make this night memorable for both of us, Maggie mine.” He leaned down to place a gentle kiss on her lips. “I want you to remember me when you’re off being Diva in other parts of the galaxy.” He smiled as he lifted his head.
“As if I could ever forget you,” she scoffed in a friendly way. The time had come. She had to tell him. She took a deep breath and looked into his eyes. “I love you, John.”
That was all. The simple truth. The life-altering admission.
Chapter Eight
John hugged Maggie to his chest and lowered his lips, placing them right next to her ear. She hadn’t expected his slow, deliberate actions in response to her admission of love, but then, John was the one man in the universe who still managed to surprise her on a regular basis.
“I meant what I wrote to you that last night we had together. I love you too, Maggie. I will always love you. Until the stars burn out and the universe itself ceases to exist.”
His heartfelt words, whispered right next to her ear, meant more than all the flowing phrases she’d heard so often from admirers of her music. They were heartfelt and genuine. And they came from the only man who mattered to her. The one man she would love for the rest of her life.
If anyone asked her later how they eventually got to the bed, both naked and striving toward one of the most beautiful orgasms of her life, Maggie would be hard pressed to figure it out. Although she would admit, there was a bit of instigation on her part when she picked up a gossamer piece of fabric that appeared to be a shimmersilk scarf and draped it around her body.
While she was more of a singer than dancer, she did what she thought was a credible job of imitating a very intimate veil dance for John. At least, it seemed to drive him right over the edge…just where she wanted him.
He unwrapped her from the
improvised veil and every layer of her clothing bit by bit. He sat by the small table, and she stood in front of him as he worked on relieving her of the fabric. Occasionally, he’d pause to feed her one of the hors d’oeuvres or, even better, spread a little of the topping on her skin. When he did that, he’d lick it off with slow, almost torturous motions.
The most…um…memorable had to be when he spread some spicy bean paste over her nipples. Not only did they tingle from the peppery herb used to season it, but then, his mouth followed up, sucking hard and laving her sensitive skin with his agile tongue. Her knees almost buckled at that point, but he held her up, one strong hand at the small of her back, another cupping her rear.
He wouldn’t let her fall. He’d never let anything hurt her. Maggie knew that with a certainty that could not be shaken. John was like no other man she’d ever known. He was her rock. Her solid foundation in the maelstrom that was her life. How she wished she could stay with him, like this, forever.
Before she could think the inevitable sad follow up, he turned the tables on her, relieving her of the last of her clothing before sweeping her into his arms. He lifted her right off her feet, shocking her by placing her on the table. The platter of snacks was pushed aside, and she found herself as the main attraction.
John nibbled his way down her body and then back up, leaving no spot untouched.
“You taste much better than any of those hors d’oeuvres,” he growled against her skin, making her giggle.
“I think your palate isn’t very discerning, Captain,” she mock argued. “I liked the venti stalk spread on genli toast. They’re one of my favorites.
John glanced over at the tray and picked up one of the toasts. “You mean this?” He took a bite, thoughtfully chewing half the portion before turning the remainder toward her mouth.
She ate from his fingers, pausing to suck them into her mouth and swirl her tongue around his digits before letting them go. She saw the spark in his gaze as she let herself have fun with him. Only with John was she free to let her inner vixen out to play. Up to now, she’d always had to temper her true personality, but with John, all the barriers were down. Or, at least, most of them were. It was liberating. He had freed her from so many constraints.
