One Day You'll Be Mine: Steamy Contemporary Military Romance (5 page)

Chapter 6: Rose

Work had been crazy. Alejandro’s insight was correct. Rebecca’s article wasn’t proofed or corrected. I had no idea how it slipped through the cracks, but then I remembered that she’d gone rogue and pretended the work was already approved. I spent some time going through her work, editing it, and then having a come to Jesus meeting with her about sidestepping the editorial process.

I didn’t dislike the girl. She was fiery and had heart, but there were ways to fight for your content without skipping procedures. She was a wonderful writer whose personality oozed through the pores of her words. But that meant nothing, because she wasn’t going to last long if she took matters into her own hands and thought she’d get away with it.

Imagine my surprise when she turned the tables on me, and let me know that she had emailed me, and heard nothing. Going through my emails, I still hadn’t seen it. She insisted she had, and when we got to the bottom of things, the editorial ended up going to the wrong Rose.

Alejandro and I bumped into each other once or twice since the day we’d talked. Each time he was friendly, but his nerves were something else. You could feel the change in the air as they’d snap, crackle, and pop all over the place. There was no denying the boy had a crush on me. I thought it was cute, even though nothing would ever happen. I didn’t poop where I ate, and he was too young. Besides, I was a newly married woman, happily in love. I wouldn’t even be here for another six months.

Ellis landed overseas safely. Our communication wasn’t perfect. I couldn’t always video chat with him like I’d wanted, but we definitely kept in touch. He’d at least email daily, and call when he couldn’t get the internet to work.

I stopped hearing from Ellis in the middle of the week. I checked the news; there was a lot of information about ISIS, but nothing of military base attacks. I emailed him again throughout the weekend, at least two or three times, and Skyped him also.

My entire Sunday plans were ruined as I spent the day in bed, covers over my head as I feared the worst. It’s a despicable misery, wondering whether or not the man you’ve married is dying in a ditch, or severely injured and you can’t be there for him.

Dragging myself out of bed Monday morning was dreadful. I had no interest in speaking to anyone, or putting on a happy face. My dark, puffy eyes were barely covered by concealer; there was almost no hiding my somber tone.

Even wearing statement glasses in the office, with a messy bun didn’t help. Several people asked me if I was okay, and I just told them I wasn’t feeling well. I really wish I was able to get away with wearing Gucci shades without looking crazy. I was out of my mind, sadness rippling through me with no signs of stopping.

I checked my phone every hour on the hour. Eventually, I gave up, realizing I wouldn’t hear from him until he contacted me, and that no will in my spirit could force him to call me. I spent lunch working at my desk due to lack of appetite and falling behind on my workload. It wasn’t helpful.

I forced my way through the day until I called it quits and left 20 minutes early. I had no idea what to do, but I couldn’t focus on anything. My mind was running rampant, wondering where Ellis was and why he wasn’t contacting me. I spent the evening on the internet, looking up stories about dealing with deployment, and husbands missing for days. Reading stories about having to face your feelings, holding pity parties, and staying busy resonated, but they didn’t calm the stress of actually breathing through this storm brewing inside.

After two hours of exhaustive research, I dragged myself to bed. Plugging the phone on the charger and setting it on the nightstand, I accepted that this would be another evening of tossing and turning, sleeping on and off, and randomly awaking with a start when I’d least expect it, hoping I’d have at least a missed call to know he was okay.

As I laid in darkness fingering the corner of my pillow, I prayed quietly to the Lord. I just wanted my husband to be okay. I needed a sign he was alright. Anything would do.

I looked out the window, staring into the lights of the city, wondering when I’d be able to rest peacefully again.

Chapter 6: Rose

My soul continued to rot between the jagged abyss between sleep and delusion when a familiar sound went off. It took a couple seconds to orient myself before realizing that my phone was going off.

I didn’t check to see who it was, just grabbed to answer, hoping for the best.

“Hello?” I sounded as hopeful as I was.

“Hey baby.” Ellis sounded weary, as if he hadn’t slept in days himself.

“Baby! I miss you!” I screamed into the phone. “Where the fuck have you been?!” I started crying hysterically. Instead of letting him answer, I started going in on him fitfully, cursing him out, telling him the gory details of the emotional flux I’ve been in thanks to his disappearance. I ended my rant with, “Don’t ever scare me like that again!” I knew he couldn’t control the fate of his base’s communication, but I had to say it anyway. It made me feel better.

“I’m sorry baby,” he soothed. “You know I wouldn’t have deliberately gone this long without contacting you. We had a series of attacks. They shut the base communications off when this happens. We can’t call, email, or contact anyone. It secures us, and allows them to protect service members’ privacy.”

“Are you injured? Are you okay?” My heart sped up. I looked at the time and realized 2 AM was the wrong time for me to have an adrenaline rush.

As always, Ellis calmed my worst fears. “I’m completely fine baby. I wasn’t anywhere near the blast. A couple of guys I met over here weren’t so lucky. One guy lost part of his leg. Another’s dead.”

My heart already grieved for the loss of life, but it hurt even more when he shared that the deceased deployed only 3 months after his wife had given birth to their second child. The devastation of losing your husband only three months after giving birth had to be unmatched with any other agony on Earth, and here I was emotional over the fact my husband, who was alive and well, wasn’t able to return an email in a couple of days. I had to check myself.

Ellis and I spent the rest of our conversation catching up. I told him about what happened at work, about Alejandro, and Alejandro’s awkward behavior at work, including how I’d catch him staring at me when he thought I wasn’t looking.

“He’d better watch it,” Ellis joked. “He doesn’t want me to show up at the office.”

“Hush.” I gasped in mock shock. “You wouldn’t dare.”

“Don’t play with me,” he said. “You’re mine. Nobody else’s. Don’t make me give him a shiner.”

I could feel myself blush. My cheeks burned hard enough to nearly glow in the dark. Ellis wasn’t the insanely jealous and possessive type, he had a hint of territorial behavior that reared its head every now and then. I had no problem with it; I thought it was sexy, because he had no problem letting the world know I was completely his. I knew he was joking, but as they say, every joke is funny because there’s a bit of truth within it.

“You know what I miss?” He said, lowering his voice. “I miss being inside you. I miss hearing you moan my name when I’ve got your legs over my shoulders and I’m pounding your tight pussy. And I miss the way your soft skin feels in my hands, when I’m gripping you and you’re riding on top of me, screaming and making that wet pussy cum all over my cock.”

“Oooh,” I moaned. It was already 3 in the morning, and I needed to be up by 6 AM. As impossible as it had been to sleep, it was inconceivable to get off. I had been without an orgasm – or a good night’s sleep – in over a week.

Reaching over to the drawer in my nightstand, I opened it and pulled out my little pink vibrator. It wasn’t as powerful as my Hitachi Magic Wand, but it would do the trick. I leaned against my headboard, letting my legs spread a little as I slid the cool device against my panties.

Making the most of what we had left of our time, I took no time getting to the point.

“Tell me how bad you want to fuck me.”

***

The weather was stormy and dreary, a far contrast from my mood. I was on an emotional high after speaking to my baby last night. Every torrential emotion I felt over the last week seemed to have dissolved from my soul and into the atmosphere, because the rain was coming down unapologetically.

Calling in sick, I decided, was best to remedy today. I needed an entire day to myself, to sleep. I was both exhausted and elated after learning my husband was okay, and the crazy wild phone sex that followed. Even though he wasn’t here to touch me, hearing his deep baritone groan for me was enough. I couldn’t get enough of all the dirty promises he whispered in my ear when he encouraged me to cum for him.

The only thing that sucked was that he wasn’t here to hold me after I climaxed, pulling my hair behind my ear and telling me how beautiful I looked with that post-O glow all over me. Nothing would ever top that.

When we got off the phone, Ellis promised he would contact me as soon as possible, and not to worry because he’d be home before I knew it.

“I love you,” he said.

“I love you too baby.” I waited for him to hang up, because I couldn’t bear to do it myself.

Chapter 7: Natalia

Work was pretty slow today, so after the head librarian left, I spent time on Pinterest pinning baby clothes. I had a secret board called Baby Girl, where I indulged my fantasies of the daughter I’d one day hoped to have.

Pinning images of pink and crème colored clothes from Little Trendsetter, Addy’s Closet, and The Couture Baby were the highlights of my day. These pins were my escape; imagining the joy it’d be to have another child was an exceptional fantasy in contrast to current reality.

Hollis completely shut me out after the rose argument. He didn’t acknowledge me in the morning, when it was time to get Jordan ready for daycare. He certainly wasn’t bothered to speak to me during the day, and at night, after work, if he did come home on time, he’d take dinner, if I made it, and toss his dishes in the sink. The few times he noticed I were alive had to do with Jordan forcing it upon us.

I didn’t see Kelli until later that evening. I invited her over for dinner since I realized Hollis would no longer join me. After I filled her in on what happened, the shock on her face was as apparent as mine.

“Wait. He didn’t send them?” she repeated. She looked around, digging curiously into this mystery. “Are you sure that you haven’t been having an affair?”

“Not at all,” I said. “I haven’t bothered to look at another man since I married Hollis.” Kelli rolled her eyes, and I corrected myself. “Okay, I’ve looked at other men. I’m married, not dead. But no, I haven’t really gotten close to anyone at all.”

She rolled her eyes. “Maybe it would help if you did. Do you have any admirers you don’t know about?”

My bottom turned toward the side as I contemplated. “That would have to be a negative as well. Nobody talks to me out here.”

Kelli’s expression shifted from curiosity to amusement. She laughed out loud, keeping the joke to herself, and then took a sip of her wine. “You are so oblivious, Nat.”

“What are you talking about?”

“You have an admirer. Someone is clearly interested in you. If I were to be honest, there actually are several men on here who are into you.”

This was news to my ears. “Oh, my god. Kelli, where do you get this information?”

“This is a small ass base.” She rolled her eyes dramatically. “This base is huge, but it’s the military. Everyone talks. Everyone sees. Everyone gossips.”

“Spill it.”

“No names, but I know for a fact some of the eligible bachelors on base in their late twenties and early thirties consider you to be the MILF librarian.”

“
MILF
librarian?”

“Yes. Don’t give me the dumb act. You know what a MILF is. Mom I’d like to –”

“I know. I just don’t see where they would get that from.” My head shook in incredulity. “I’m not the ugliest woman on the planet, but I am far from a MILF. And if Hollis’ behavior were any indication –”  

“Are you kidding me?!” Kelli screeched. She slapped her palm against her forehead, eyes disappearing towards her skull, leaving me the whites of her eyes to look at. “We’re not doing this today, Nat. It’s too hot.”

“What? What are you talking about?”

She looked at me. “You really want to use
Hollis
as your barometer for sexual attractiveness? He’s clearly doing what he wants to do right now – without any regard or respect for you – and you’re over here trying to argue that because
he
can’t see your beauty, that other men are lying? Really?”

I crossed my arms. In defense of Hollis, I affirmed my position. “Hollis and I have been together 20 years. I haven’t needed to look at, interact with, or seduce any other man in order to feel beautiful. It’s nice to hear that other men think I’m attractive, but I haven’t met any of these men, and honestly, they’re not my husband, so what’s the point of knowing?”

“It’s not about you, woman. Nor is it about Hollis. It’s about how men who aren’t married to you see you. You don’t know how many times I’ve been approached by different men out and about on base who ask me about you when you’re not around. They don’t know your name, they just know you work at the library and have a kid. Most of them think you’re a single mother, because they never see you out with Hollis. They come up to me because they know we’re friends.”

“What do you tell them?” I shouldn’t have asked. As a married woman, it’s not my business. But this small part of me really wanted to know.

“I tell them you’re happily married to one of the Master Sergeants, have a child, and won’t even look at another man because you’re scared to turn into a pillar of salt.” She smirked at her own quip.

My arms unraveled from laughter. I slapped against my thighs and shrugged at her tort. Kelli had the most sarcastic personality I’d ever come across sometimes, and it’s left me in stitches on several occasions.

“Seriously, though,” I breathed, trying to get my bearings. “You think those guys really think I’m beautiful?”

“Of course.” Kelli reached over and grabbed my hand. “Please, please, please believe me when I say you are a stunning woman, with an even more stunning personality. I’m not a lesbian, but if I were into women, you’d be the first woman I’d pull into bed.”

I blushed at the thought. I’d never considered being with women, but Kelli’s words were honest compliments. She didn’t open up to many people, and I knew the certainty of her words meant she was being truly sincere.

“Stop blushing, woman. Seriously, you’re a wonderful person. You cook, you clean, you’re much focused and family oriented.” She looked over my figure, clad in a heather gray sundress with pink flowers. “And I know you don’t like the weight you claim you’ve gained since having Jordan, but get over it. You have a very sexy shape, more of a feminine figure. Women would kill for your breasts and hips.”

“Mom, can I play outside until Dad gets home?” Jordan interrupted. It was after seven in the evening. If the past week was any indication, Hollis wouldn’t be home until close to midnight.

I looked over my son, whose body seemed to be getting lither by the day, and nodded. “Make sure you take the trash out first, okay?” He nodded, excitedly changing the trash. “Mom I’m going to do the dishes for you too, okay?”

“Thank you sweetheart!” I beamed. My son was the light of my life. Since Hollis got home whenever he felt like it, I figured this one time wouldn’t hurt, especially since Kelli was spending time here for once. We cooked lasagna, made garlic bread, and enjoyed some sangria while Jordan had a non-alcoholic version made just for him. In my mind, he’d play outside until tiredness kicked in at nine, and take himself to bed at ten.

Kelli looked at me incredulously. “You know Hollis is going to flip out if he comes home late to see Jordan outside playing past his curfew.”

I shrugged. I was devoted to my husband, and my family, but I couldn’t care less. “Jordan’s getting ready to start school in a few weeks. He’s been on top of his personal studies, he’s never given me any problems, and he’s been well behaved at daycare all summer. He’s a good kid. I’m not going to tell him no just this once.”

“As for Hollis,” I added. “He’s already not speaking to me. Maybe seeing his son waited up to see him come home will make him realize this is bigger than what we’re going through because we have a child to raise.”

Kelli’s eyes were proud. “Look at you, being all rebellious. Keeping roses from another man on display, and then letting your son play until his father comes home. Just breaking all the rules today!”

“Oh hush! Jordan’s a good boy.” I eyed the roses on the counter. They still looked like they were picked yesterday. “As for those flowers, they’re beautiful. And since they’re not from my husband, I tell myself they’re a reminder that even if I’ll never know who, someone else wants me.”

“Whatever makes you smile, makes me smile,” she said, taking another sip from her glass.

***

We sipped on sangria and chatted about whatever as we half-watched television. Eight came and went. Nine came and went. Jordan crawled inside at 10:30 PM, completely sweaty and tired, without me having to tell him.

“Mom, have you called dad to see when he’s coming home?” he inquired. “It’s like 2 AM right now!”

“No, darling, it’s not even midnight yet. You’re just up past your bedtime. I spoke to your father, and he’ll be home a little later than usual.” I lied, because I didn’t care to speak to Hollis. His pattern had become relatively obvious. He would stay out as late as possible to avoid the both of us for the time being.

Jordan groaned. “I’m too tired to wait up.”

“Take your shower, and prepare for bed,” I encouraged. “We’ll give him a little extra time to show up. If he’s not back by the time you’ve put on your pajamas, you’re free to go to sleep.”

An audible groan escaped as he complied with my request. I chuckled, because usually he was the one that wanted to stay up all night, and I had to convince him to go to his room. But I held out silent hope that Hollis would walk in by 11, just to see the exhausted yet hopeful look on his Jordan’s face, and realize just how much he missed spending time with his dad.

At 10:45 PM, the doorbell rang. Kelli and I looked at the door. “Who’s that?”

“I don’t know. Nobody comes over – especially at night. And nobody ever rings that doorbell either.”

The doorbell rang again, prompting me to lift myself from my comfortable spot on the couch. Wild thoughts filled my head as I tried to figure out who was at my door, and why. Was Hollis hurt? Was he in an accident? Was someone looking for him? Is there a fire? Do we need to evacuate?

Whoever was behind the other side of the door was impatient. Rapid taps replaced the doorbell.

“I’m coming!” I yelled out. I was frustrated that my husband disappointed his son yet again by not coming home on time. I was concerned that someone I didn’t know was knocking on the other side of the door. But their impatience brought out my annoyance.

“Who is it?” I didn’t know what to expect when I reached the door, perhaps just someone from Hollis’s unit looking for him. I flipped on the porch light. There was a young man at the door. I was unfamiliar with him.

“Presley.” He spoke casually. I looked at Kelli, and mouthed silently to ask if she knew him. Kelli threw her hands in the air, shrugging to state that she was just as clueless about this person as I was.

I opened the door. “Hollis isn’t here –”

“I know,” Presley said. He stood at 5’8” or 5’9” with jet black hair and bright green eyes. He was exceptionally handsome; the darkness of night couldn’t hide his beauty. I stepped back, and marveled quietly in his beauty.

Could this be my secret admirer?

“Well I don’t know what you want. I have no idea who you are. So why don’t you tell me why you’re banging on my door?”

Presley smirked. He didn’t say anything, but corner of his lip curled with a slickness that said
I know something you don’t
.

“You don’t know me, because I didn’t want you to,” he aggressed. “But if you’ve been trying to figure out what’s going on with your husband, I’ve got the answers.”

My heart jumped up to my throat. “What are you talking about?”

“Your husband hasn’t been at home because he’s been spending time with me.” He said.

My head shook in disbelief. Why was this man wasting my time? “Okay, so you’re his new drinking buddy. Nice to meet you.”

“No, you don’t get it.” His volume was low, but his words were clear and to the point. He cocked his head to the side. “I don’t want to put our business out in the open. May I come inside?”

“What business?” I said, beginning to get defensive. “Why don’t you just say what you have to say already? I’d like to go to bed soon.”

Kelli heard the rise in my voice. “Are you okay, Nat?”

“Yes, I’m fine. I was just getting a memo from one of Hollis’ coworkers.”

Presley scoffed. “I’m not his coworker.”

“Friend. Drinking buddy. Whatever.”

“Try his lover,
bitch
.”

“Bitch?! Excuse me?” And did I just hear what I think I heard?

Presley’s eyes narrowed. “I’ve been trying to be civilized with you, but you’re being rude as hell right now, so the gloves are off.
I’m
the one who brought you those flowers.”