by Ivy Jordan
“Sir,” I stood tall, saluting the man before me, beneath me.
She introduced us, talking sweetly to her father as she started to cry. She told him how she’d followed his advice, climbed the mountain, and gone after love. It warmed my heart to hear her speak so openly to her father, as if he were still there and she’d brought me home for dinner.
I followed her lead, speaking to the man, thanking him for giving her that push. I promised I’d take care of her, that he’d never have to worry about her here, that I loved her, and I’d never leave her side.
When I turned back to Bailey, she had tears rolling down her cheeks. She knelt down, placed the wrapped flowers by the stone, and then kissed each picture before turning to me.
“Thank you,” she whispered.
“Thank you,” I replied, honored that she wanted to share this part of her life with me.
I pulled her into my arms, kissing her softly on the cheek. I could taste the saltiness of her tears on my lips as she snuggled into my shoulder. I meant what I said to the man, and I was going to spend the rest of my life keeping that promise.
“Are you ready?” she asked, her bright green eyes staring up at me.
I wasn’t ready. “Yes,” I choked out, forcing a smile on my lips.
“I know this is hard for you,” she chirped.
“It’s harder thinking about not being with you,” I admitted.
My therapist thought this was the perfect opportunity to shake me out of my comfort zone. She was right. I was shaken, and I wasn’t comfortable.
Bailey drove us to the school and held my hand as we entered the front doors. There were more than a dozen men all dressed like me, in their blues, standing at attention, and ready to speak.
It was a summer camp program that the school sponsored each year, and since it was based highly on military life, they always invited veterans, and even some active duty men and women to speak about their experiences.
Bailey briefed me on what not to say before we’d left the mountainside. No talking about death if it can be avoided, no details that could scare the kids, and basically, no reality, no truth. I laughed when she gave me the list, telling her she was sheltering these kids.
“They are young. They can only handle so much truth,” she’d smirked.
I watched the kids being escorted down the hall by their teachers, recognizing Lila right away.
“Hey guys. I’m so glad you’re here,” she stopped and grabbed my hand.
She’d spent a few days at the cabin at the start of summer, and I could see why Bailey loved her so much. She was sweet, fun, and she could cook like a rock star. I was glad she didn’t bring more clam chowder when she visited though, still not wanting to admit I wasn’t a fan.
The kids all entered a large set of doors that Bailey told me led to the auditorium. I knew they were just kids, but there were so many. My palms started to sweat, and I thought about running out of there, but Bailey gripped my hand.
“You’re gonna do great,” she urged.
I smiled, took a deep breath, and calmed myself down using the brain tricks my therapist had given me. I thought about next month, Bailey and I at the cabin, and then next year, Bailey and I in town. As I daydreamed about the future, the present became less frightening. It was a stepping stone to get where I wanted to be and nothing more.
I leaned against the wall, staring in the doors at the crowd of kids. Eventually, they called in all the military men and women that had volunteered to speak.
One by one, we entered the auditorium, and one by one, we were invited to speak. We each had a small notecard that we were to read, a fact about the military branch in which we served. Mine was a quick fact about Navy SEALS making up only one percent of the Navy and a side note about the training that is required to become one of the elite members.
When it was my turn to speak, I nearly choked. I cleared my throat, read my fact, and then panicked as the tiny arms flew into the air almost instantly.
Bailey smiled from the sidelines, offering her support. I called on one of the kids, and then another, and another, until the teacher in charge excused me from my duty. It wasn’t so bad. It was actually fun. The kids had some interesting questions, and luckily, none of them included death or extreme combat.
“I’m so proud of you,” Bailey squealed, wrapping her arms around my neck and covering my face with kisses.
My hands gripped her waist, lifting her from her feet, and twirling her around.
“That wasn’t so bad,” I admitted, still beaming with pride that I’d handled myself that well. “You make me a better man,” I smiled, leaning down to kiss her gently on the lips.
Chapter Forty
Bailey
The air was crisp as Xander extended his hand to help me down the mountain.
“Snow’s coming,” he warned, looking up at the sky.
“Are you sure about this?” I questioned, wondering if he was truly ready to leave his seclusion.
“I’m more than ready,” he assured me with a warm smile.
I took his hand, carefully stepping down the jagged mountainside to the path just below. Once we made this trip into town, to my house, he may not be able to get back up this mountain once it was covered in snow and ice. This was a big move.
“It’ll be nice not having to hunt food all winter for a change,” he laughed.
His life in Molokai had to be much easier, so I knew the threat of people crowding him had sent him into the harsh environment of a Maine winter. The fact that he’d made so much progress over the last several months was amazing. Even his therapist was impressed.
Xander just laughed when she told him how he’d far exceeded her expectations. “I have good motivation,” he said, reaching for my hand.
Lila greeted us with a bundle of balloons and a bottle of wine when we pulled up in front of my house. Xander gave her a tight hug when she ran towards him. I loved seeing the friendship blooming between them. I knew it was good for Xander to start developing more relationships outside of his SEAL brothers.
“I’ll let you two get settled in,” Lila smiled, giving me a tight squeeze.
“Thank you for watching over the house,” I gushed, accepting the bottle of wine she handed to me.
“Not a problem,” she assured me and then waved as she rushed to her own house.
Inside, Xander immediately fell to the couch. He stared around the room, and then turned his attentions towards me.
“Come here,” he growled, extending his hands outward in my direction.
I walked over slowly, letting myself get caught in his grip and pulled onto his lap. I let out a squeal of excitement as my feet lifted from the floor, and my arms wrapped around his shoulders as his eyes buried deep into mine.
“Home sweet home,” he grinned.
“Home sweet home,” I agreed.
He stretched up, pushing his mouth towards mine. Our lips met, and a burst of excitement blasted through my entire body. I loved how he made me feel so alive with his kiss.
“How about I take you out for a nice dinner?” he suggested.
My heart sang with an overflow of emotion. Xander was here, in my house, not just for a night or two, but for the entire winter, and now he wanted to take me to dinner? These were things I never thought possible, at least not so soon. He’d come a long way with his counseling, and I couldn’t’ve been more proud.
“Yes,” I squealed.
He pulled me into him, lowering me to my back on the couch, and pinning me beneath him. I giggled as he delivered quick kisses to my neck, tickling me with his bearded face.
“Are you sure you don’t want me to shave?” he asked.
I shook my head as I stared up at him.
“I love the way it tickles me,” I admitted, reaching up to kiss his beautiful lips.
“Knock, knock,” the female voice pulled us apart and sat us up on the couch.
Mrs. Lemay stood at the screen door, waving at us from my fron
t porch. I wasn’t expecting to see Xander’s therapist here, and from the expression on his face, neither was he.
“Come in,” I called to her, rushing to the door.
“I’m sorry to bother you, but I wanted to check to see how things were going,” she explained.
“They are great. We just got home,” Xander told her, extending his hand for a polite shake.
Home. I loved the way that sounded. When I stayed at the cabin, we called it home. Now here. Wherever we were, we were home.
“So, you are staying here for the winter?” she questioned, as if she didn’t already know the plan.
Xander had told her what we planned to do for weeks, and she’d been helping to ensure he was ready for the adjustment of living in town for so long.
“Any anxiety?” she asked, looking at Xander, and then to me.
“At first. Once we started packing and making the trip down the hill, my nerves settled,” he told her.
“Good,” she smiled.
I offered her something to drink, but she refused. I was glad, since I had no idea what was in the fridge, except maybe water.
“I just wanted to stop by since I saw your truck out front,” she patted Xander on the back and looked to have slipped him something that he quickly shoved into his pocket.
She looked towards me, her smile wide and her eyes curious, and then showed herself out.
“What was that about?” I questioned.
“What?” Xander tried to play coy.
“She gave you something,” I pointed towards his pocket.
His cheeks started to blush red, and his eyes became shifty.
“It’s nothing…just something I needed for tonight,” he sighed.
“You’re not gonna tell me?” I questioned curiously.
He grinned, his eyes danced, and he shook his head.
“In due time,” he replied.
“Let’s get a shower. I’m starving,” he slapped me playfully on the ass to herd me towards the bedroom.
We showered, as we’d grown accustomed, together. He was always so attentive, washing every inch of my body, and helping me with my hair. I loved how his fingers felt as they gently dug into my scalp, massaging the shampoo into my long red strands.
I was disappointed that he didn’t get frisky, but he told me he wanted tonight when we spent our first evening in the house to be explosive.
He teased me with gentle kisses, and of course took more time than needed to wash my breasts and in between my legs.
“A little teasing makes it fun,” he growled, biting into my neck as the soap rolled down my arm.
I dressed for dinner, staring at the pants he’d taken off and placed over the bed. I wanted desperately to take a peek at whatever it was he had in that pocket, but I didn’t want to invade his privacy. Why wouldn’t he tell me?
I was saddened at the thought it may be medication, an anti-anxiety pill to help him adjust. I knew how he felt about drugs and hated that he may have had to turn to them in order to please me.
Xander exited the bathroom, his beard and goatee nicely trimmed. My jaw fell open at the sight of him. Holy shit, he was more handsome than I even realized.
“Is this okay?” he asked nervously.
I nodded, unable to speak. His chiseled jawline and squared off chin were the focal points of his face now, not the scruff that grew in every direction. He looked groomed, sophisticated, and so very sexy.
“You look amazing,” I gushed.
“There’s still plenty to tickle you,” he pointed out, and moved closer.
He gripped the small of my waist and pulled me into his still damp chest. His mouth lowered to my neck, the small hairs still tickled at my skin as he delivered his sweet kisses. I giggled and then pushed him away playfully.
“That’s enough teasing, or you won’t get dinner,” I warned.
Xander didn’t seem bothered by the people in town staring as we walked down the street. He held my hand, glancing over at me fondly every so often, and ignored that the entire town was talking about the mountain man that finally came out of the woods.
The restaurant was amazing, a new place that just went up. It was romantic, high scale, and nothing like what I thought Xander would find comfortable. He ordered for both of us, selected a nice bottle of red wine, and seemed to be in his element.
As we walked out of the restaurant, an elderly man stopped us, introducing himself to Xander.
“I wanted to thank you for saving this young lady, you’re a true hero,” the man said gratefully, shaking Xander’s hand with a robust power.
“Sir, she is the one who saved me,” Xander responded with a smile, and then took my hand.
The night air was cool, but it wasn’t unbearable yet.
“You wanna walk for a bit?” he asked.
I bundled my arms into my coat and wrapped my scarf around my face as I nodded. We held hands, walking through town while Xander pointed out a few of the places he’d like to go. I was going to take him everywhere and let him experience everything.
Finally, he stopped beneath a row of tall trees, all filled with colorful leaves that warned of the change in seasons.
“Are you tired?” I questioned, knowing Xander never ran low on stamina.
He grinned wildly at me, and then reached in his pocket. I waited anxiously to see what it was, for him to explain what it was that he needed for tonight.
A small white box rested in his palm, and as he opened it, he dropped to one knee before me. A beautiful diamond ring glistened against the light from the street lamp, and my heart nearly exploded with happiness.
“Bailey, the day you literally fell into my life, I thought it was a nuisance, an interruption to my peaceful existence. But when you left, I found no peace without you by my side, and my existence was just that, an existence. You gave me life, you gave me love, and most of all, you gave me purpose. I can’t imagine going back to a simple existence ever again. I was life, love, purpose, I want you. Will you do me the honor of becoming my wife?”
My mouth opened, but only a high-pitch shriek escaped. Xander chuckled, looking up at me nervously with his baby blues.
“Yes!” I finally exclaimed.
He stood, took my hand, and slid the ring onto my finger. I melted into his arms, right there on the street in front of anyone who cared to see. It didn’t matter where we were; it was just the two of us when we were together. The entire world just floated away.
That’s the end of SEAL Dearest. Click here to continue.
HERE’S SOME BONUS BOOKS
SEAL’S SECOND CHANCE
By Ivy Jordan
This book is a work of fiction. The names, characters, places and incidents are products of the writer's imagination or have been used fictitiously and are not to be construed as real. Any resemblance to persons, living or dead, actual events, locales or organizations is entirely coincidental.
Copyright © 2017 Ivy Jordan
Chapter One
Isaac
Take that, wind it back. Lil Jon got the beat to make your booty go clap!
The song replayed in my head over and over again like a damn broken record. My eyes were fixated on the perfect apple-shaped bottom bouncing in front of me. It was obvious she worked out, that she worked out a lot. Damn!
I kept pace with her, only a few feet behind, but I was beginning to show signs of distress that I hoped she wouldn’t turn around to see. One year after retiring from the Navy, this private detective SEAL was tired as hell. I didn’t realize how soft I’d gotten; to look at me, I was in great shape. Fuck.
Time to get serious again, Isaac. Women like this don’t like soft men; they like em’ hard, strong, and ready to serve.
And I wanted her.
Damn, I’d like to serve her any way she wanted.
Thank God, a light. I stopped, resting my hands on my knees, bent over like an old man, not the twenty-seven-year-old ex-Navy SEAL that I was. My chest lifted and fell hard a few times
until I caught my breath. I looked up, still hoping she hadn’t turned to watch my disgrace. My eyes lifted to her round ass, bouncing as her legs began to run across the street, giving me the strength to go on.
Suck it up, Isaac; you used to run forty miles in a day. You seriously gonna let this city girl show you up?
A growl rolled out of my throat, pushing past my lips with a tickling vibration. My right foot came off the curb, landing on the street where all the cars seemed content to wait for such a beautiful ass bounce by.
A couple large strides and I was behind her, almost beside her, and then the sound, the awful sound of screeching tires filled the air.
My heart beat hard in my chest, not only from being overworked the last four miles, but from the fear of knowing the thud that followed the screech would be her as I looked up.
Long, beautiful, strawberry-blonde hair spread across the ground, and the beautiful figure that had been my inspiration to get back in shape was lifeless just a few feet from a black Nissan.
A man jumped from the car, a few pedestrians rushed towards her, but I just stood there, frozen, and in disbelief for seconds that felt like an eternity. My feet finally broke free from their spot, and I ran towards her, hoping to see her smile, to say, ‘How silly of me,' or something, anything.
“Someone call for help!” the tall, gray-haired driver from the Nissan screamed.
I knelt down, touching her silky hair, begging her to please get up, to say something, to smile. Nothing.
Someone from the crowd must’ve listened to the man, because red lights filled the street, causing cars to move to the side, creating a path for the ambulance.
This wasn’t happening; this couldn’t be happening.
I stood from her side, glaring at the driver of the Nissan. My blood boiled, and all the training I received rushed through my mind. I knew twenty ways to kill him with my bare hands, and as I contemplated which way would bring him the most suffering, his eyes welled with tears. “I’m so sorry,” he pleaded. “Is this your wife?”
