Two Weeks With a SEAL (The Wakefield Romance Series) (27 page)

Looking over at Chad I
can barely see his profile in the dim light and passing street lights, but I
can feel the tension in his touch. The letter and picture I had hidden from him
was tucked into the back pocket of my jeans and it seemed to be burning a hole
in the material, wanting to get out and be known. Wanting to be read. I clasp
Chad's hand between both of mine, running my fingers over the back of it and leaning
my head on his shoulder.
I'm not ready for this.

But I have to be, I
can't stop it. Sure I could try, but life in prison for holding hostages at a
military base does not sound like a plan, so I just have to keep breathing
deep, trying to keep my eyes dry in front of Chad. Bringing Chad's hand to my
lips, I lightly rub them along his knuckles and he leans down and kisses my
temple. I keep his hand to my face, running it along my chin and cheek.
Memorizing the feel of his rough skin on my smooth face, the smell of him, the
taste of his flesh on my lips. I turn my face to his just in time to catch his
lips on mine, his hand in my hair holding me to him as his tongue traces my
bottom lip. My hands gripped into his sleeves, not wanting to let go.

I finally released him
when I felt the Jeep come to a stop, our foreheads meeting and our breathing
heavy. I run my fingers through his beard, scratching them lightly under his
chin getting him to grin.
Oh how I love that damn grin.
I can hear Rosa
and Reno talking to someone, spying that we're at the gate for the base and
Chad flashes his ID along with mine. They wave us through and the fear hits me
again making a loud sigh pass my lips.

Rosa weaves the Jeep
expertly through the base as I look around. I could see the runway as we got
close, planes lined up all along it and there were cars parked on this side of
the fence as Rosa pulled up, their faces turning our way. I recognize Bobby
Timmons, Fred Black and Austin French, all flanked by other men clad in the
same gear as Chad and Reno, surrounded by women and children.

I just sit there as I
see and hear Rosa and Reno exit the Jeep, Chad standing outside his door
grabbing his green canvas bag, his eyes finding me. "Come on babe,"
he says coaching me out, waving his hand towards himself, but I can't move.

Fear has frozen me. Fear
has formed a steel-like grip on my heart and is squeezing it mercilessly. I
can't seem to breathe. Rosa's hands on my shoulders forcing me to look up at
her as she turns me to get out of the Jeep.

"You can do
this," she whispers, hugging my shoulders and pulling me to my feet. I'm
assuming she's doing it to make it look like I got up of my own free will, but
that was far from the truth. She held onto me and I hugged her back,
"Remember, be strong for him. He loves you, he needs your strength for
right now." She pushed me back to look in my face, her brown eyes watering
and kind. "We can shed our strength after the plane leaves the
ground."

I nod my head, hugging
her again before following her around the end of the Jeep and wrapping my arm
around Chad's waist. We joined the group of other SEALs, Chad introducing me to
them as his fiancée and they all slap him on the back and hug me, introducing
me to their families. I stood there in a daze, one arm around Chad while the
other gripped Rosa's hand next to me until we notice a man in the typical Navy
Officer uniform approaching the fence. As he got closer, Chad and the others
see, standing erect and saluting as the women and children scoot behind the men,
Rosa and I falling in with them.

"Alright men,"
the almost regal looking man issues a salute, Chad and the others going to an
'at ease' stance, their hands clasped behind their backs and their feet spread
slightly. "Time for business," he issued and quickly turned, the men
grabbing their bags and falling into a march following him. I almost ran after
Chad, fear gripping me that this was goodbye but Rosa's strong hands stopped
me.

"They'll be
back," she whispers, pulling me to her, "you'll get your chance to
say you love him." Her tone was sad and I wrapped my arms around her waist
to try and give her some comfort, her head resting against mine. I watched as
the soldiers marched into a hanger across the tarmac, the dark sky engulfing
them. We stood there, our arms wrapped around each other till a Jeep with MP's
pulled up at the gate that had been closed after Chad and Reno had marched
through.

They motioned for us to
come over and like a wave, we all flowed forward, our feet hitting the tarmac
with shaky steps. "We'll stand here and they'll march over, in ranked
order so Chad will be second behind French," Rosas' lips where a whisper
away from my ear as she led me to stand in a line that formed almost
automatically without instruction. "They'll all pass us, so just nod or
smile at each then they'll circle around and we'll have five minutes." She
sounded winded and I put my arm around her waist, hugging her to my side.

"Thank you
again," I whisper, leaning my head on her shoulder as she shrugs. I have a
feeling her emotions are boiling over at this moment, I can feel her breath
coming in short bursts. We stand patiently as quiet chatter fills the air
around us and I can't keep my eyes off that hanger, wondering, my hand going to
my back pocket to feel that the letter and picture were still there.

Hearing a loud
"Hooyah" cheer, my hand squeezes Rosas' as I spot the marching forms
exiting the hanger, heading for us. My heart jumped into my throat, the knot
growing by the second as I see them getting closer. My palms start to sweat
when I can pick out Chad, second in line, his helmet under his arm like the
others and his little ponytail bouncing as he marches. Rosa squeezes my hand,
"Be strong," she whispers, then releases my fingers with a slight
smile on her face.

They stopped their march
just feet from the end of the line of women, French issuing a deep order to
face right, their heads turning our way. They slowly, rhythmically marched down
the line and I can see all the women before us issuing nods, smiles and every
once in a while a wink. I tried my best to sweetly smile at French, a grin on
his lips as he circled past me being the last in line and my heart fluttered at
the sight of Chad. I winked at him and he winked back, following French's path.
I nodded and smiled at the rest, reaching down to grasp Rosa's fingers once
more as the men gathered around the suited commander once more, all standing at
attention.

I looked on with tearing
eyes as the man issued a resounding 'at ease', the sound of feet shifting in
unison audible in the silent pre-dawn air. "Wheels up in five minutes
men!" he gruffed, his chin nodding our way, "you're dismissed.
Hooyah" They all snapped to attention, issuing a loud "
Hooyah"
and saluting before turning in unison to face us. My heart was racing, my
legs causing me to bounce slightly on my toes with the emotions running through
my blood.

I see him! He's staring
right at me! His blue eyes are locked on me as he approaches with Reno at his
side. My hands go to my chest, trying to still my crazy heart and keep the hurt
inside. He gets closer and I can see a slight smile on his face lined with
sadness in his eyes. Before I know it, he's in front of me, his face hovering
over mine as he looks down at me, his right arm wrapping around my waist and
pulling me to him.

Only one thing comes to
mind, "Kiss me," I say, almost pleading as I tilt my chin up, rising
up on my tip toes.

He thankfully obliges,
claiming my mouth and shutting the rest of the world out with his touch. I grip
his face, pulling him to me, wanting more and more of him. Wanting this to
never end but I know that's impossible. Letting go of his cheek with my right
hand I slip it into my back pocket, pulling the letter and photo out and
sliding it into the front pouch of his vest, the pocket baring his embroidered
name. He releases my lips to look down at my hand placed over the pocket,
"Don't read it till later," I breathe out, running my nose along his,
kissing him lightly again.

"Be safe," he
says, his hand caressing my cheek in the way that makes me want to rip his gear
off right here right now. "I'll call and Skype whenever I can," I nod
my head, knowing he'll do his best, my hands going to his shoulders, my eyes
not meeting his gaze till he grips my chin, turning my face to look at him.
"I want to see those beautiful eyes of yours babe," he whispers, a
sly grin on his lips getting a short giggle from me, but it’s not from the
heart. My heart doesn't feel like giggling.

"I love you,"
I say, my eyes locked on his as his thumb brushes over my bottom lip. "I
love you more than you know," the emotion takes hold and I place my
forehead on his, "I love you." His arm wraps around my waist lifting
me off the ground as my elbows go to prop my arms up on his shoulders, my
fingers rubbing into his gray streaked hair and beard.

"Baby I love you
too," he says against my lips, claiming them as his own once more. We both
stiffen when we hear the commander call for them to head out, Chad setting my
feet on the ground, but I don't let go. I can't let go. My heart won't let me.
I start to panic.

"No," I
whimper lightly against his lips, grasping his face in my hands. My eyes snap
open to see him staring at me, pain and sorrow just behind the blue. I muster
all the strength I have when Rosa's words play through my head, "Chadwick
Payne, I am your fiancée and I love you more than life itself. Be safe," I
kiss him hard, releasing him to stand straight, placing his helmet on his head.
I give him a little smile and reach up and buckle it for him.

"I will and I love
you," he kissed me again and I let my lips follow him, pulling me from my
place next to Rosa, her hand reaching out and grasping mine. "I'll be
seeing you."

Damn emotions!
I scream in my head as tears fill my eyes, "I'll
be seeing you!" I call after him, my voice shaky, waving slightly as he
turns around with a wink, walking away with Reno towards the large transport
awaiting their team.

Oh God
, my mind screams,
oh God.
My heart feels like
it’s being ripped out slowly, little paper cuts severing it from my body and my
hand clutches at my chest, the tears streaming down my cheeks. My breath
hitches, coming in short and panicked bursts.

I try to calm, taking in
a ragged breath and Rosa's arm goes around my shoulders pulling me into her
side, "It's okay now," she whispers and I can hear the strain,
looking up I can see her tears. "We can cry now," she chokes out and
I sob, the sound matched by some of the others around us, leaning into one
another as I leaned into Rosa. My eyes were watery but I watched Chad until
Reno and him walked up the ramp into the plane, disappearing from view, seconds
later the hatch slowly rising.

The large engines of the
plane roar to life, causing a loud ringing in my ears to start and I can see
the aircraft slowly start to creep away.
That's my heart
, I cry to
myself,
and he's walking away.
"My heart," I whimper, wrapping
my arms around Rosa's waist, pulling her tight to me, "I'm watching it
walk away."

"Fly away,"
she murmurs, her cheek on the top of my head, "we're watching them fly
away." The tears return as we both sigh, the other women gathering closer
to us. "We're gonna pray now Rhea," Rosa says and I nod, not
releasing her hand as we turn to finish forming a tight circle.

As I look around the
circle, their faces were red, streaked with tears, their hands shaky as they
reached out for one another. I had Rosa's hand and a plump middle aged woman
came up to my right side, her warm hand slipping into mine. She had a little
girl with her, about five or six, and she gave me a tearful smile that I
returned before turning my gaze back to the middle of the circle. The woman
directly across from me looked to be in her late thirties and she cleared her
throat, rolling her shoulders as we all bowed our heads.

"Dear Lord we ask
that You watch over our men as they protect their country. We ask that You
guide their hands and hearts, leading them in Your path. We also ask that You
keep a watchful eye on us and our children, bringing Your strength and love
into our lives through our prayers. And finally, Lord, we ask that if one of
our men should fall that You guide them into Your kingdom, showering them with
Your love and peace. For that we pray to you dear Lord, Amen."

I issued the Amen, but
it was laced with hot tears. The plump woman squeezed my hand and pulled me in
for a one armed hug, kissing my cheek and releasing me saying 'May God be with
you'.

"And also with
you," I reply, issuing her and the little girl another smile as they walk
away and Rosa squeezed my hand.

"Ready," she
asked, her tanned skin streaked with moisture from tears, her mascara running
down with them.

I nod slowly, "As
ready as I'll ever be," I issue, waving slightly to the other women as we
leave, receiving their smiles and goodbyes with a heavy heart. The walk to the
Jeep seemed longer than before, but as we both slumped into the vehicle, we
both broke out in sobs, leaning into each other and just letting it out. My
throat ached and my back hurt from the sobs. My face burned with the tears that
flowed down, seemingly coming from my heart.

The drive home was a
silent one, our sniffles being the only sounds besides the low radio, but we
both ignored the music. My heart was too ravaged to care about music right now
and wouldn't you know as we pulled into the garage Trisha Yearwood's "How
Do I Live" started to play. Rosa quickly turned the knob to silence it
before the words could really start to affect us.