Loved by a Soldier: A Military Romance Collection

by Alison Mello

  “I hope you like it here. Moneta is small but it’s a beautiful place. Have you seen the lake yet?”

  “Actually, only a little of it. I’m staying with a friend who lives right on the edge of it. I don’t remember the name of the area, but yeah, it’s nice. I think I’ll like it here.”

  “Well, I know how hard it can be to make friends when you are new. Here’s my number if you would like to talk or maybe meet for lunch sometime.”

  Trinity takes Gloria’s number and thanks her. They hug and agree to talk soon, and if not they will definitely see each other next week. On her drive back to the cabin, Trinity feels completely whole. Going to church and specifically that church is obviously what she’s supposed to have done this morning. So much gratitude fills her heart and she can’t wait to tell Gates all about it. Hopefully, he will be open to hearing her.

  ***

  Gates

  “So you enjoyed yourself then?” Gates asks, even though it’s written all over her face. He loves seeing her so excited.

  “It was perfect, thank you so much for letting me take the car so I could go.”

  “Good, I’m glad, and you are welcome.”

  “I hope you don’t mind me telling you the best part, the big choice I made while I was there.”

  “Why would I mind? What did you do?” he asks, his curiosity piqued.

  Filled with energy, she paces the floor as she begins talking. “I don’t know, but I was so caught up in the sermon and the music that the entire time I was there, I kept feeling God pull on my heart. At the end the pastor asked if anyone needed prayer, and if they did to walk up front. I was so nervous, but I went right up there and rededicated my life to Jesus. I feel so much better now. You have no idea.”

  Sitting back and watching the excitement flow from her, Gates can’t help but be thrilled for Trinity. He grins, and Sheeba’s obviously happy too, because she keeps jumping around wanting attention.

  While Trinity scratches Sheeba behind her ears and talks to her, Gates says, “I have to admit that I don’t know, but I’m glad you do.”

  “Do you think I will be able to use the car to go next week?”

  “Of course, I don’t have a problem with that at all.”

  “Thank you. Oh and also, a sweet woman gave me her number and said I can call since I’m new to the area. Maybe I met a new friend too. You don’t mind if I use the phone sometimes, right?”

  He thinks for a moment before answering. “I’m not comfortable with the house number being given out to anyone. At least not right now, but I have an even better idea. Why don’t we go to town and get you a few more things? I know you need more clothes and I’ll get you a prepaid phone. That way it won’t be a problem.”

  “I would like to have a few more clothes, especially since I’m going to be going to church now. Thank you in advance for the phone, but don’t you think you may be a little too cautious?”

  Gates shakes his head. “I don’t. Don’t take it wrong, but I am accustomed to having to be this way. It’s nothing against you.”

  “Okay.”

  Trinity unexpectedly gets up, walks over, and wraps her arms around him, hugging him tightly. He is caught off guard, but gladly hugs her back, wondering where this special attention comes from. The most difficult part for him is letting go. Her hair smells like flowers, and the feeling of her against him is incredible.

  He smiles back at her when she pulls away. “What, may I ask, do I deserve that for?”

  Grinning and looking into his eyes, she replies, “For everything you have already done and are doing. Thank you. I only want to express it by more than saying it. Plus, I’m feeling really good right now.”

  He can really see the gleam in her green eyes and her smile is intoxicating. He stares at her and can’t help but appreciate her beauty. He’s tempted to pull her into his arms again, but thinks it probably isn’t a good idea.

  “You’re welcome,” is all he can manage to say. “Ummm, if you want to take what appears to be your dog outside first, we’ll go and get that phone and stuff and maybe get a bite to eat afterward.”

  Laughing, she heads outside and Sheeba follows her to the back yard. He watches her with the dog and wonders what is happening. She has found God again and is obviously excited about it. She is in his life, and if he’s honest with himself, he is beginning to feel very good about her being there, no matter what the future holds for either of them. He remembers how he felt earlier while he was outside with Sheeba. The idea that God placed them together came to mind as well as curiosity. He wonders about the whole church thing. He can feel his attraction for her growing as he watches, and once again he has to remind himself that something intimate isn’t something she needs, nor does he. Or does he?

  ***

  Trinity

  Trinity stands on the back deck and watches Sheeba sniff around the yard, searching for the perfect place to do what needs to be done. Her back is to the house, but if Gates could see her, he would see a smile covering her entire face. It was unexpected, but giving him a hug felt perfect and completely right. She only hopes it was right for him as well. She thinks so by the look that was on his face. Then again, it’s probably just the fact that I’m feeling so great at the moment. She giggles and tells Sheeba to hurry and find a place to go. The dog looks at her as if she is telling her to be patient.

  Trinity thinks about how fast things are happening and wonders if she should be more cautious. She is letting her emotions get away from her; she can tell that even though she and Gates don’t know each other very well, something is happening between them. Then again, it’s been so long since anything good has been in my life, maybe I don’t really know how or what I feel. Confused, she again tells Sheeba to hurry. A couple of minutes later they walk back inside to find Gates ready to go.

  Her stomach begins to growl as they drive away, confirmation that lunch will be first, then shopping.

  ***

  Derrick

  Almost eight hundred miles north, a private detective is talking to Derrick. “So, we are perfectly clear, I will not in any fashion approach her, either in person or phone or any other way. My only job is to find her and tell you where she is. Is that clear between us?” the detective asks.

  Derrick breathes into the phone and answers, “Yes, crystal clear. I’m sending the money now. You should have it in a few minutes. Call me as soon as you find something on her.”

  He ends the call without waiting for a response, punches in the required amount of five thousand dollars into the computer, and hits enter. Half now and the other half when Trinity is found. Paying a private detective to find her will put a large dent in his savings, but she will be found. It may take a little time, but he will get her back.

  ***

  Trinity

  That night she gives in and lets Sheeba sleep on the bed with her. Trinity is immediately delighted. She quickly discovers how much of a cuddler and source of comfort a dog can be. The only hard part is getting the puppy to calm down and stop giving her kisses. Once she manages to get Sheeba to lie still, Trinity stares up at the ceiling. The only light is outside, but it isn’t coming directly through the window. It’s cool enough to have the window open; there is a gentle breeze and she hears the crickets playing their song. She always loved listening to them as a little girl. She really misses home.

  She remembers when she was little how badly she wanted to hurry up and get old enough to leave Asheboro, but now she knows how silly that was. She was only five years old. She misses everything about being there, at least what she can remember of it. She wonders sometimes how her friends are and if they still live there. Probably not many, since it was so long ago.

  She’ll get depressed if she thinks too much about what she has let go of in her life, but now she feels like she might have a new start. A new beginning. Now that she’s in Virginia she isn’t too far away from where she used to live in North Carolina. So many things have changed since the last time
she was there. She isn’t close to anyone in her family, and since her momma passed,

  Trinity only wants to reconnect. If that’s even possible.

  She reflects on what happened earlier in the day and her heart beams. This was the best day she’s had in a long time. Being able to go to church and feeling so welcome, re-dedicating her life to Jesus Christ, making a new friend, and telling Gates all about it.

  Then the shopping. He was going to take her to Walmart in Bedford, but changed his mind and went all the way to Roanoke. He must have been in a great mood because he let her pick out five outfits, two pairs of dress shoes, two dresses, a purse, make-up and a pre-paid phone. She felt like it was Christmas. She feels guilty about how much Gates is spending on her, but she did talk about her bank account with him and told him she would pay him back when it’s safe. He didn’t seem concerned about the money at all.

  “You can help me out around the house a little and cook some more great meals if you really want to pay me back.”

  “So another words you want a maid and a chef.”

  He laughed and replied, “Well, that would be fantastic, but I won’t put a label on it. Just mentioning it is all.”

  Laughing, Trinity said, “You take my jokes too seriously. I’m more than happy to help out. It’s the least I can do for everything you’re doing for me.”

  “Tomorrow, we’ll get back into our scheduled routine. I also want to start teaching you some beginner’s Tai Chi. It’s great for stress and helps with muscle tone. We both need it.”

  Before she falls asleep she remembers one other detail about the day. She thinks about the way she felt in his arms when she hugged him, and the way he looked back at her. She likes that feeling. A lot.

  Chapter 8

  This morning, before she does anything else, Trinity gets on her knees and talks to God. She has decided to start every day talking to Him; she wants to make prayer her first priority. There is no better way to start her day. Afterward, she dresses and takes Sheeba out, shivering with the slight chill in the air. She won’t stay that way, though, once she starts her workout with Gates. When she goes back inside he is making coffee. “Hey, how did you sleep last night?” he asks.

  “I slept like a rock, especially with little miss priss here. She’s a fantastic source of heat. How about you?”

  Laughing, he replies, “I slept good. I’m ready for the day. Well, I should say once I get some coffee in me I will be. Are you still sore from the other day?”

  “Ehhh, it’s not as bad as it was, so I guess I’m ready for another day of it.”

  “Good.”

  They enjoy their coffee on the deck, watching the birds in the trees and talking about nothing in particular. Sheeba surprises them with her speed when a squirrel makes the mistake of running across the yard. They yell at her to leave the poor squirrel alone, but it’s like yelling at a brick wall—a waste of time. Thankfully, the small animal runs up a tree and away from danger.

  Once Sheeba tires herself out from excitement, they coax her into the house and down to the basement. Gates shows Trinity some Tai Chi basics—how to stand with her feet firmly planted and how to feel centered. She follows his every move as he shows her how to move her arms and hands, how to bend at the knees and swivel, and most importantly how to breathe in steady rhythms. They work on Tai Chi for half an hour; even though it’s slow, Trinity can feel the benefits. Next up is cardio, and she tires quickly.

  “Do we have to do any more today?” she asks him, hoping he will say no.

  “You giving up on me already?” he asks, wiping the sweat off his forehead with an old towel that hung from a bench.

  “I’m sorry, but I’m really tired for some reason.”

  “It’s okay, it takes time to get used to. We can stop for the day if you want.”

  “Thank you. I guess I’ll use the lame excuse of it being a Monday.”

  “Yeah, that’s a good one,” he snickers.

  ***

  Gates

  Later that day Gates thinks again about how he acted toward Trinity when he was tired and had a nightmare. He isn’t used to explaining himself, but he feels not only should he talk to her about it, but it will be good to get it off his mind. He walks to her room and knocks on her door.

  “Come in.”

  Pushing the door open, he sees she is reading and hesitates. “Hey, I’m sorry to disturb you, but I was wondering if I can talk to you about something.”

  “Sure, come on in,” she tells him and slides her feet off the bed. “Have a seat. What’s up?”

  Sitting on the edge he folds his hands and looks at the floor. Not sure exactly how to start, he begins with an apology.

  “I’ve been thinking about Saturday, how I acted because of my nightmare and not sleeping well. I want to say I’m sorry.”

  “I appreciate that, but you really don’t have to. I mean, I can’t relate to what you went through overseas, but I can imagine how horrible it had to be.”

  Nodding, he agrees things were rough. “Still, I want to.”

  ***

  Trinity

  She feels he wants to say more and asks, “Do you want to talk about the nightmare? I’m all ears if you need to.”

  “This isn’t something I have an easy time talking about, but I feel like I can with you.”

  She watches his expressions. With pursed lips she leans forward, takes his hand in hers and waits patiently. Her heart goes out to him, sensing his struggle.

  “Sometimes I have nightmares that put me in the middle of a war zone.” In vivid detail, he tells her about an experience with the rest of his team, four other Seals. “We were walking through buildings that had already been destroyed and blown up. We saw bodies lying around, most of them in pieces. In some of my dreams, I see one of the guys I went through boot camp with walking toward me with only one arm, holding the other in his spare hand. He is covered in blood and talks about going home, then walks away. Then a child looks up at me from beneath a sheet of stone, obviously crushed by an explosion, and cries out to me, begging for help in his native language. That’s usually when I wake up, and can’t go back to sleep.”

  By the time he finishes, his hands are shaking. Trinity wipes the tears from her eyes. She scoots closer to Gates and wraps her arms around him, squeezing him tightly.

  “I’m so sorry you are struggling. Thank you for talking to me about it. It takes courage to talk about your demons.”

  He hugs her back. “Thank you for being here.”

  “Anytime you want to talk please let me know.”

  Standing, he looks at her and smiles. “I will, and the same goes for you. I’m going to go for a walk, I think.”

  The weeks go by and even after a month there aren’t any major differences in their schedules. In the mornings, they eat a small breakfast of fruit or cereal, then work out. Sometimes one or both will take a nap afterward. Some days they go out for a bite to eat or drive around to enjoy the country air and scenery. Sometimes she cooks dinner, but he also enjoys cooking once in a while. One evening he makes a delicious beef stew from scratch. She makes sure to tell him it was the best stew she has ever had.

  The one thing Trinity always does is pray—she talks to God in the mornings when she wakes up, at night when she goes to bed, and throughout the day. She decides she needs a Bible. She hasn’t seen one in the house, so she doesn’t know if Gates even owns one. Tomorrow is Sunday and she’s excited. She’ll be able to go to church and hear the choir, hear the gospel of Jesus Christ, and praise Him. Plus, she will see Gloria again. They have talked a few times and are becoming friends, something Trinity definitely needs.

  She has been living with Gates for a little over a month, and the tension between them seems to have totally disappeared. They have grown accustomed to being around each other, knowing when to give space and when to talk and laugh. Because they have so quickly become comfortable with each other, Trinity notices her growing attraction to Gates, and thinks he�
��s starting to feel the same way. She thinks about the nights they watch movies together and the way he looks at her when she catches him staring. He’s so cute when he looks away, getting shy with her.

  She has to admit she likes the way he looks. Even if she didn’t know him and just saw him on the street, she would know he took great care of himself. She wonders if there is a chance for them to have something together, but maybe she really shouldn’t think that way. She just got out of something horrible and doesn’t know him well enough. But she also wonders if God put her with Gates in particular for that very reason. She will pray about it, knowing even after getting an answer from God temptations will still be there. Especially when he walks out of the bathroom without his shirt on. Is he trying to tease me?

  It’s already evening and she should start getting ready for bed soon. Sheeba is lying by her feet, tired from the day. Trinity can’t stop thinking about Gates; she wants to walk in and talk to him about how she feels. What should she do? She starts biting her nails then realizes what she’s doing and shakes her head. It won’t be easy to just walk in and bring it up, but she feels like she should get it off her shoulders.

  ***

  Gates

  Reading before bed isn’t why he wants to be alone in his room. It isn’t even something he does normally. He told Trinity he wants to read, but he knows he’s basically hiding. The real reason is being around her is difficult because of his increasing attraction. Earlier, when she came out of her room after her shower she smelled so good he wanted to pull her in his arms and hold her. He wanted to be hypnotized by her fragrance, the feel of her body against his, and to be completely honest—he desperately wanted to kiss her. That’s why he is alone in his room. That’s why he is acting like a teenager.