Her Officer in Charge Read online

  “My manager showed up. He was at a local club catching a band last night and he knew I was down here doing your show. He called me and I met him for brunch at The Majestic.”

  Sitting next to Vince on the couch in the bedroom, Bella shot him a look. She’d been holding the phone out so he could listen. Quickly moving his mouth to her ear, he whispered, “Stick with the truth.”

  “I was there,” she said. “I saw you, and I thought that was him.”

  Scott made it a point to explain anything that might be considered odd, whether or not he thought he was being watched. It was a rule he lived by; get in front of trouble, or trouble will get in front of you. He’d had no idea Bella had spotted him. The snake against his spine wiggled.

  “You were there?” he casually asked. “Why didn’t you say hello? Too busy with your hunky marine?”

  “My plate was full when I spotted you, or I would have zipped right over, but after I’d finished eating the beach was calling, and I didn’t want to intrude.”

  “That Majestic is a fabulous place,” Scott said, feigning calm.

  “Yes, I enjoyed it too, very much,” Bella sighed. “About tonight. I’m celebrating.”

  Vince could have kissed her, but settled for a thumbs-up. She was handling the conversation perfectly.

  “Celebrating? What are you celebrating?” Scott asked, grateful for the change of subject.

  “Meeting Vince,” she declared. “That’s who I’ve been with. Captain Valenti, the officer in charge of the event last night. I know it’s over the top, and who knows what will happen, but I’ve had a fantastic time so tonight I’m celebrating.”

  “That’s great, but Bella, I’m not sure I’ll be able to make it. I’m wiped out.”

  “You are? Why?”

  “I didn’t sleep very well last night and I’ve been tired all day. I need to drive home early. I’m having dinner now and I was hoping we could hit the road when I’m done, but I don’t want to ruin your plans. I’m sorry, Bella, I’m not sure what to do about this.”

  “Tell him I’ve invited you to stay,” Vince whispered.

  “It’s not a problem,” Bella replied. “Vince has asked me to stick around for a couple of days.”

  “How will you get home? I don’t think I’ll have the time to drive all the way back here and collect you,” Scott said, hoping he sounded sincere.

  “Um, I’m not sure,” Bella replied. “I’ll figure that out when the time comes.”

  “Then I’m going to take off right after I eat,” he replied.

  “Drive safely, Scott, and I’ll reimburse you for the motel when I get back. Is that okay?”

  “Sure, no problem. Have fun. Tell the good captain I said to take care of you.”

  “I will,” she replied. “Thanks, Scott, bye.”

  “Bye, Bella.”

  Ending the call, she dropped the phone and leaned against Vince’s shoulder.

  “I felt as if I couldn’t breathe,” she groaned. “That was so weird.”

  “You did great,” he said, putting his arm around her.

  “He didn’t want to come tonight, just like you thought,” she said sadly. “I can’t stand to think he’s a bad guy. Sorry, I still don’t believe it, I just don’t. Is it always like this?”

  “What do you mean?”

  “The spy game. Speculating, wondering, cat and mouse?”

  “Bella, how many times must I tell you, stop with the spy stuff, but yes. Intelligence is a giant chess match.”

  “What happens now?”

  “We wait and see what news comes in over the next couple of days, but, uh…”

  “But what?”

  “Nothing, we just have to wait.”

  “No, no, no, you can’t throw me a ‘but’ like that and leave it hanging,” she exclaimed, straightening up and staring at him. “But what? Tell me.”

  “I can’t stress enough how Scott may be totally faultless.”

  “That’s not what you were going to say. I can see it in your face, and you don’t believe that for a minute,” she frowned. “Please, Vince, what’s the ‘but.’”

  “Where’s my sweet submissive?”

  “She’s sitting right in front of you. What’s the ‘but’?” she insisted.

  “It’s possible you may never see him again,” Vince said grimly.

  “Seriously? Why would you say that?”

  “If, and it’s a big if, he’s an agent, and if,” Vince continued, emphasizing the word ‘if,’ “he’s spooked, he may just bolt. He didn’t expect you would see him at The Majestic.”

  “I don’t understand why that matters. Why can’t you just fill in the blanks so this will make sense to me? You’ve told me so much already.”

  “More than I should have,” he said gravely, but not really. You just think I have. I’ve told you very little.

  “Why would my seeing him at brunch with his manager cause him any worry?”

  “It wouldn’t have.”

  “Wait a second,” she said dramatically, “the light bulb just went off. It would spook him, as you put it, because that man isn’t his manager at all, he’s another spy, and if I saw him, someone else might have too. Am I close?”

  “Stop using that word,” Vince said sharply, “and now you’re getting carried away.”

  “Sorry, sorry, it’s the only word comes into my head when I’m thinking about all this, but tell me, am I close?”

  “First things first, I’ve told you more than once, don’t use the word spy,” he declared, unexpectedly jerking her over his legs.

  “Oh, no,” she squealed.

  “You,” he exclaimed, landing a hard smack, “do not listen.”

  “Sorry, sorry,” she wailed, “please, Vince, no!”

  “Yes,” he scolded, continuing to rain his hand on her bottom.

  “Ow, ow.”

  “You deserve this, you absolutely do,” he said, spanking her with rapid-fire blows. “Am I making my point?”

  “Yes, yes, yes, sorry, sir.”

  After landing several slow, hard slaps, he pulled her up.

  “No more of this spy business,” he said, shaking his finger at her.

  “I understand,” she bleated, rubbing her bottom.

  “Come and get your cuddle, naughty girl,” he sighed, pulling her into his arms. “When I know something for sure, I’ll let you know, okay?”

  “Do you promise?”

  “I promise. Now you need to excuse me for a minute,” he said, kissing her lightly and rising to his feet. “I have to make a call. I won’t be long, then you’ll have me to yourself for the rest of the night.”

  She watched him head out, then, leaning back, she closed her eyes and thought about the sweet, thoughtful person she knew as Scott Bateman.

  That’s probably not even his real name. I suppose I should be grateful. It feels as if this whole thing has brought Vince and me closer. I wonder what would have happened if Scott hadn’t been under suspicion when we came here. Vince still would have caught me when I sneaked back to that venue, but then what? I suppose it doesn’t matter. I’m here now, and that’s all that counts. Maybe Vince is right, maybe I am getting carried away. Like he said, all of this is nothing but speculation. I wonder if Vince is still a full-time spy. He said he hasn’t been in the field for a couple of years, but it seems like he’s involved in this whole thing, and he wouldn’t be if he weren’t still active, would he?

  She found herself shifting on the couch. Her bottom was still tender, and it reminded her of their urgent moment in the shower, and the paddling, and all the other spine-tingling moments she’d shared with him, so many in such a small amount of time. A smile broke from her lips just as he returned; sitting back down, he took her hand.

  “What were you just thinking about?”

  “The shower this afternoon,” she sighed, “and, uh, other stuff we’ve done.”

  “Ah, I see.”

  “Vince, I know we’ve already talked about
this, but can I ask you, point blank, if you weren’t worried about Scott, would I be staying here this week?”

  “You’re asking me if I want you to stay, because I want you to stay, period.”

  “That’s exactly what I’m asking.”

  “I’m sorry if I wasn’t clear. Bella, yes, I definitely want you to stay. For the record, I’d decided I was going to pursue you while I was watching your show, long before the drama started.”

  “Pursue me?” she giggled.

  “Uh, yes, is there something wrong with that?”

  “No, I’ve just never heard it put that way. I like it. You were going to pursue me.”

  “This is all nonsense,” he declared. “Let’s rustle up some dinner. I’m hungry.”

  “Aye, aye, captain.”

  As he and Bella shared a bottle of Cabernet, Vince cooked up some pasta, smothering it with homemade spaghetti sauce provided by his mother, and over dinner the conversation turned to practical matters. Vince would have to return to work the next day, and Bella would finally go shopping and pick up some clothes.

  “You can drop me at the base and take my car,” he offered. “The local shopping area should have what you’re looking for.”

  “I don’t need much, just enough to get me by for a few days.”

  “I have no objection to you walking around the house naked,” he grinned.

  When it came time for dessert, Vince pulled a clear plastic container from the refrigerator, and Bella could see it was chocolate mousse with heavy cream.

  “We can enjoy it while we’re watching the games,” he explained.

  “Wow, it looks delicious. Where did it come from?”

  “I have a bad habit of spontaneously buying things like this,” he confessed. “I try not to visit the bakeries in the exchange, but it’s not easy.”

  “I’ve never been in the exchange,” she remarked. “Isn’t it like a big mall?”

  “Kind of, yes, I suppose it is,” he replied.

  “This will be like a late night picnic watching fireworks,” she said excitedly.

  “Yeah, but these fireworks will blow your mind.”

  “I can’t wait.”

  “You don’t have to. After we clean up these dishes, we’ll be on our way. It’s a long drive.”

  An hour later, Bella understood that Vince hadn’t been exaggerating when he’d used those words. For over forty-five minutes he’d been driving through the camp, leaving any sign of civilization far behind.

  “It feels as if we’re in the middle of nowhere,” she declared as he drove up a winding hill.

  “The section we’ll be in is safe, but if you get scared, just tell me and we’ll leave.”

  “Scared? Why would I be scared?”

  “You might be, and it’s okay if you are. There’s nothing to be embarrassed about, just tell me.”

  Bella was amazed how far they’d traveled, and when they finally reached the top of a gentle slope, he rolled the car off the road, pulled to a stop, and turned off the headlights. It was pitch black but for a small amount of light provided by a thin, crescent moon.

  “Oh, my gosh, it’s so dark, and look at the stars.”

  “Amazing, isn’t it?”

  “So amazing.”

  “You ready?”

  “Sure.”

  Vince popped the trunk and retrieved a blanket, which he laid it out so they could lean against the side of the car. Bella had been holding the dessert in a paper sack on her lap, and as she sat down and opened it, she found a single spoon.

  “Only one,” she declared, holding it up.

  “One is all we’ll need,” Vince declared.

  Getting comfortable, she snuggled close to him, captivated by the thousands of stars and the utter silence.

  “Wow, it’s so quiet and still,” she whispered.

  “Not for long,” he murmured, taking the paper sack from her hands. “The games are about to begin.”

  Chapter Seventeen

  When she heard the whine she knew exactly what it was, and, grabbing Vince’s arm, she clung tightly, waiting for the inevitable explosion. When it happened, even though she’d been ready, she jumped out of her skin.

  “Holy crap,” she exclaimed. “That was so close. Are you sure this is safe?”

  “It’s not close, not at all. Believe me, when you’re close it feels as if your head is exploding along with the shell.”

  The sound of gunfire began to fill the air, and she buried her head in the crook of his shoulder.

  “We can leave if you want,” he offered.

  “It sounds as if it’s just over the hill,” she quivered.

  “It’s not, honestly, but we can leave,” he repeated.

  “No, no. I want that dessert and I want to stay.”

  The whining sound returned, and, lifting her head, she stared into the night. When the shell exploded, lighting up the sky with a bright red glow, though it still startled her, she didn’t grab him in fear.

  “That was better,” he said reassuringly. “Let’s open that dessert.”

  Pulling the clear plastic container from the sack, he flipped the lid and, taking the spoon, dug into the rich chocolate and cream and held it to her lips.

  “Mmm, that’s delicious,” she murmured, but as it melted against her tongue, the sound of machine guns filled the air. “This is becoming totally surreal,” she added.

  “Uh-huh,” he nodded, and taking a mouthful of the dessert himself, he leaned in and kissed her.

  His tongue slid between her teeth, dancing with hers, sharing the chocolatey goodness, and as his hand moved across her breast, gently fondling, she let out a moan, wrapping her arms around his neck. Another whine echoed through the night, but this time the boom didn’t scare her, but served to fuel the growing heat between her legs.

  “Vince,” she breathed, pulling off her shirt, “it’s doing something to me.”

  “I know,” he said, pushing her onto her back, “go with it.”

  The games were underway, the shells landing repeatedly, painting the black sky with an orange and red stain. With an almost frenzied energy, Vince pulled off her clothes, then his, hurriedly pulling a condom from his pocket in the process, then, smearing the dessert across her nipples, he lapped it up as he plunged into her depths. The gunfire became an unpredictable drumbeat, and he pumped to its staccato rhythm, bringing them to their moment, only to be denied as the gunfire paused.

  “I can’t stand it,” she wailed, “please, I need to come.”

  “I do too,” he groaned, “but when you come, what are you going to do?”

  “Give it to you, sir.”

  The gunfire started up again, the shells began flying through the sky. Pinning her wrists on either side of her head, he thrust forward, driven by the fiery sounds surrounding them.

  “Sir, please, take my orgasm!” she howled.

  “Give it to me,” he managed as his spasms swept over him.

  Having no fear of being heard, they released their passionate wails into the night, continuing unabated until their convulsions passed, leaving them breathless and drained, lying on the blanket, engulfed by the continuing dramatic sounds and the inky blackness of the night.

  A few minutes later, after catching her breath, she rolled onto her side and stared at her officer in charge. Even in the dark his blue eyes sparkled back at her; he reached behind her head and pulled her in for a kiss.

  “Best dessert ever,” she sighed as they broke apart.

  “I agree,” he mumbled.

  “Permission to dress, sir?”

  “Permission granted.”

  Donning their clothes, they sat quietly and continued to watch as they finished the delicious chocolate mousse, then she kissed him again, drawn to his lips by a deep sense of intimacy.

  “I need to be in bed cuddling you,” she murmured.

  “Me too,” he agreed, hugging her tightly. “Let’s go.”

  Climbing into his car, they began t
he long trip back, cloaked in a comfortable silence, but as the sounds of the games began to fade, she reached across and took his hand.

  “I don’t even know what to say about that,” she said softly. “It was bizarre but amazing.”

  “That’s exactly what it was. It’s not something you can do too often.”

  “Vince, may I ask, have you seen action?”

  “Yes,” he said solemnly.

  “I can’t even imagine what that’s like.”

  “No, you can’t.”

  “It doesn’t bother you, being up there and watching that?”

  “There are times when I wouldn’t want to be there.”

  “There are?”

  “Sure.”

  “Did you want to share that with me because it’s been part your life?”

  “Perhaps I did,” he said slowly. “I didn’t think about it too much. It was just something I wanted to show you.”

  Finally reaching the populated area of the base, they found the streets quiet and deserted. It was late, and as they drove out the gate and headed to his home, she felt a sudden wave of fatigue.

  “I’m so happy I’m going to be with you these next few days,” she yawned.

  “I would have been worried,” he replied, “but besides that, I enjoy having you around.”

  It was a short drive to his house, and as the car pulled into the garage, Bella yawned again and closed her eyes.

  “I feel like I could sleep for a week.”

  “You can if you want to,” he said, climbing from the car.

  “Maybe I will,” she replied, struggling to get out.

  Arm-in-arm they walked through his home, and though she was exhausted, she took a quick shower to wash off the remnants of the sticky dessert. Finally climbing into bed, she nestled against him; surrendering to the weariness, she closed her eyes, knowing sleep would quickly descend.

  “Goodnight, captain.”

  “Goodnight, mistress of mesmerism.”

  Vince felt her fall asleep, but his mind was not inclined to let him go. There were many times he’d ached for the company of a loving woman, but that woman had to share his unique needs, and just as important, she needed to spark his heart. Though he’d just been a kid when Tina had journeyed off to college, their connection had been real, and he hadn’t felt anything close to it since.