Chapter 3

At dawn the next morning, Aria found herself wide awake. Their room at the Hotel del Coronado was lovely, and lying next to Dan was pure bliss. She didn’t want to miss one minute of it. His body radiated warmth, and he smelled so good, as if he’d been rubbed in spice and vanilla. Of course, she’d been the one to rub oil all over him and relish the experience. They’d made love until just before dawn, and overnight the oil had soaked into the sheets. All that remained was the scent and the luscious memory.

Placing tiny kisses over his back, she wiggled against his backside. She was pleasantly sore in all sorts of places, and yet she still craved him, wanted him inside of her. Every time they made love, it was as if the connection deepened and made each of them a greater part of each other.

The sunrise streamed in through an open window, bathing the wall and a glass-framed picture of a seascape with stripes of yellow and pinky orange. The springtime air was rich with a blend of tree blossoms and flowers, and the sea breeze was mild and light.

Her fingernails scraped along his back. This time, she felt his whole body tense. He held his breath. Aria knew she needed to speak so he could orient himself. Sudden movements were akin to attacks, for SEALs. Her lips moved along his skin. “Good morning, handsome.”

He exhaled slowly. His body relaxed in stages.

Her hand caressed his back with small round circles. He would know that touch.

“Ah, the sexy woman who is now my wife.” His hands stroked hers as it moved to his chest. “Aria, right?”

She smacked her other hand on his back. “You’d better believe it.”

Turning over, Dan pulled her into his arms and kissed her. She was eager to hold him closer, to join together as one.

Slowly he rolled her onto her back. His eyes held hers captive even as her arms wrapped possessively around his neck. “Good morning, Mrs. McCullum.”

She laughed outright. “It sounds strange, doesn’t it? Mrs. McCullum. I wonder if I’ll ever get used to it.”

“Probably by our fiftieth anniversary.” Lowering his mouth to hers, he kissed her slowly, seductively, exploring all of the sweet succulent nooks of her mouth until their tongues began to dance the very primal war of hunger.

“Danny…” She sighed. Her hands wrapped intimately around him.

“You could call me John-Boy, and it’d sound great to me right now.” He laughed. “Just kidding. What do you want, my love?”

“You.” Aria laughed and then caught his lower lip in her mouth.

“Dare I move?” he slurred out.

She relinquished her prize. “You better. Your wife is in need of your attention.”

Trailing his fingers along her skin, he stroked the center of her hand with small circles and then moved upward to the sensitive crook of her elbow. He kissed her there and at her shoulder before he stroked his way along her neck. Teasing the tips of his fingers over the slim column of throat, he caught her gaze and held it. Those green eyes, so full of passion and fire—she was one of a kind. He would protect this precious soul with his life.

He kissed her lips and then trailed his fingers lower to capture one of her taut nipples. Gently he squeezed, making her squirm and push her body against him. Torturing the plum-colored jewel, he kissed his way to it, wrapped his lips around it, and drew.

“Danny, please…”

Lifting his head, he looked at her. Holding the worried piece of flesh oh, so tenderly with his teeth, he said, “Please, what?”

Aria’s fingers laced into his hair and tugged him away from his sweet treasure, bringing their faces level. “Make love to me, Dan.”

He kissed her. “Your wish is my pleasure, Aria. But perhaps it’s time for you to take charge. Wives are always a rank above their husbands in the military. We’re a logical bunch. So consider this your opening gambit.”

“I don’t believe in logic. I believe in instinct.” A wicked spark gleamed in her eyes as she wrapped her legs around him and rocked to the side.

More than happy to acquiesce to his bride, he helped her flip them over and settled her on top. From this position, she looked like a temptress leading him astray. Wherever she wanted to go, he would follow.

His body was rock hard beneath her. He was rapt as Aria’s fingers traced along the six-pack of his abs down to his manhood, where she wrapped her fingers tight. The breath caught in his throat as she slid her fingers slowly up and down.

He watched her until the sensation was so consuming he had to close his eyes and just revel in the pleasure coursing through his body. That’s when he felt her shift, and he had to see her lower her body onto his. One of the most erotic moments of his life was feeling his cock enveloped by her heavenly warmth.

“Yes,” he growled, pulling her down to his chest and rolling her beneath him. “Showing off your horseback-riding experience, huh? Well, I do not need to be tamed. It’s my turn.” Her legs squeezed tightly, making other parts of her clench. Sensation battered through his brain as his body claimed his bride. He’d wanted to go slow, to play and enjoy the bliss of their wedding morning. But the need to feel her body convulse around his, to climax as many times as possible, had him taking control and driving her to the brink of exhaustion. When she begged for release, he finally gave in and came, planting his seed deep within her.

Sweat glistened on his skin as he rolled her back on top of him. His cock slid out of her and lay pleasantly spent as she clung to him.

He could feel her heart beating and the rapid in and out of her breathing.

“I have to admit, when you give someone your total concentration, you give one hundred percent.” Aria sighed. The compliment was meant to stick, and she liked the look on his face her praise brought. If only she could freeze this moment in time and that expression, she’d bottle it.

“Yes, ma’am. That’s my job.” He pushed the hair off her forehead and kissed it. “Let me know when you’d like my focus again.”

Lifting her head, she placed her elbow on his chest. It dug in pleasantly, as if his 120-pound wife could really physically hurt him. Fixing her gaze on him, she gave him a weighty stare. “Give me an hour and a decent breakfast, and perhaps I’ll rally.”

“Smart-ass,” he said, slapping her bottom playfully. “If that’s your way of saying ‘Feed me now,’ then the point has been made.”

She laughed as she propped up the other elbow. “Yes, it is. I’ll have the eggs Benedict and fresh-squeezed orange juice, or whatever they have that’s close to that.” Rolling off of him, she slid off the bed and walked slowly to the bathroom. Before she went in, she turned. “I knew you’d be watching. If you’d like, I could always use someone to wash my back.”

He was out of bed and by her side before she’d finished her statement. “I’ve got your six, Mrs. McCullum.”

“Good to know, Mr. McCullum. I have a few places that, uh, could use your special attention. A couple of…hard-to-reach places.” She threw him a wicked look before sashaying into the bathroom.

***

The shower was short-lived. A ringing cell phone sent Dan dashing out of the shower and into the bedroom. He had ears like a bat! If it had been her choice, she would have let that work phone ring all day long. But she wasn’t “on call” to the Navy, and that, of course, changed things in terms of his availability.

Rinsing the soap off her body, she contemplated washing her hair, when Dan shouted from the bedroom. “Aria, come here. It’s important!”

Shutting off the water, she grabbed a towel, blotted her skin dry quickly, and then wrapped it around her body.

“Aria, are you coming?”

“Yes, I’m on my way.”

Her bare feet padded from the tile to the soft bedroom carpet. The spring breeze from the open window made the room chilly, and she shivered.

“Great news! That was the housing office. There’s a house on Silver Strand! Granted, it’s not guarded—open to the public to drive through anytime they want—but it’s less than two minutes from the Amphibious Base. I have to go the housing office right now to secure it, but other than that, we are set. Damn, I love the Navy!” He picked her up and spun her around. Placing her on her feet, he kissed her lustily and then said, “Can you handle packing everything up in here, and I’ll meet you in the lobby in an hour?”

“It’s our honeymoon.” Her stomach tightened. She wanted more time—to talk, to be together, and to just relax without rushing off somewhere. This wasn’t how she pictured their romantic getaway.

She sighed. She was fighting her own expectations and fantasies. It wasn’t him. Mentally, she agreed this was a great opportunity. The best thing she could do was join in the excitement and let go of her wish for control.

“Please don’t look at me like that. Aria, this is about our new home.” The expression in his eyes was candid and earnest. “We’re being given a great opportunity. Call this a gift. The best one we could ever receive. There are sailors who would move the pillars of hell for an opportunity to be in this housing area.”

My apartment is uber-small. It would be nice to have a bigger place.

“Aria, what do you say…can you handle it? I promise to make it up to you, the honeymoon part.”

She looked away, taking in the clutter and chaos of the room. There was stuff everywhere: her wedding gown, his uniform, and all their discarded accessories. She supposed it could be worse. Pasting a smile on her face, she said, “Absolutely.” Besides, she liked the idea of a new home, particularly when it made him this happy. Perhaps it would make him more excited to come home every night, not that he’d ever needed prodding to visit her apartment before.

“Thanks. You’re a great wife. I promise, you’ll love it.” His hands squeezed her arms affectionately, and then he practically sprinted to his overnight bag and dug out a pair of faded jeans and a navy blue Tommy Bahama short-sleeve shirt. He pulled them on quickly, slid his feet into deck shoes, and walked around as he buttoned the shirt. Grabbing his watch, cell phone, and wallet off the nightstand, he was out the door with a wave. “See you in sixty with our new keys.”

The door slammed shut with a bang. She stared at it for a few seconds. “Ah, married life.” The words rang hollow in the room.

Now, where to begin? She pulled out a polka-dot sundress, a matching peach-colored bra-and-panty set, and sandals. After getting dressed, she wound her long hair into a bun and then began packing.

She found a granola bar in his bag and ate it as she worked. “For the record, I would have liked breakfast in bed.”

Finding the phone, she thumbed through the messages. There were thirty-seven from Mark. Nothing important…just chitchat. She deleted most of them, laughed at a couple, and then stuffed the phone into her purse so she didn’t forget it.

Catching sight of the clock, she rushed around the room, gathering their stuff.

Laying the last wrinkled article of clothing into her bag, she sat on it, trying to squish all of the air out and squeeze the sides of the L.L. Bean duffel closed. She wrinkled her nose as she looked at the piles on the bed. How did we get so much stuff already?

His uniform and her wedding dress had to be hung up, and they needed to be in protective bags. She contemplated calling Dan, asking him to stop at her apartment and pick up something to help her cause. Yet she didn’t want to give in to the temptation. She was a SEAL wife; she could handle this…come up with a creative solution. She could be just as ingenious or resourceful as Dan bragged about the Team guys being.

Grabbing the card key, she headed down to the gift shop and found exactly what she needed: one long and one short garment bag with brightly colored beach umbrellas decorating them. They weren’t the exact item she would have preferred, but the selection was limited. Regardless, it would be a memory of their honeymoon, even if this jaunt felt somewhat brief.

Too bad they hadn’t sat together on the balcony. Or made love on the beach in front of the Del—not that it would have been private. Or swum in the pool. Or gone to the spa. Dozens of wonderful options to make them both feel pampered, relaxed, and refreshed. Instead their world was go, go, go! “God, I hope we can slow down and enjoy each other at some point.”

***

True to his word, Dan pulled his Mustang up to the front door of the Hotel del Coronado precisely one hour from the time he left. She was waiting exactly where he’d asked her to be.

He easily hauled the bags into the trunk before he came around, kissed her cheek, and opened the car door for her.

“I noticed you added to our luggage collection. Those beach umbrellas are just my style,” he said with a wink.

She adored his smile. “I think all our bags should be decked out in rainbow colors.”

“Very chic.” He opened his car door and slid behind the wheel. Putting the car in drive, he sped out of the semicircle, down the drive, and across Orange Avenue. “By the way, a few things I forgot about. The first is about…your ID. We need to do that now, and then go back to the housing office. I went to your apartment and picked up your passport and social-security card. I think between that, your driver’s license, and our marriage certificate, we should be able to get the job done.”

“Does that require a picture?” She bit her lip, hoping that wouldn’t be the case. Between buying the garment bags and doing the packing, she hadn’t been able to put on any makeup.

“Yes. Why?” He didn’t get it. Men never did.

Flipping the visor down, she studied her face in the mirror. “I wish I had more time. I look sixteen.”

“Are you kidding me?” He seemed shocked. “Aria, you’re gorgeous.”

“I have freckles. There are lines around my mouth and eyes, and my lips are too pale.” She had more criticisms, a laundry list of them actually, but she kept those to herself. She wasn’t prepared to take the bloom off the rose quite yet. Dan would see her faults soon enough, and there was little she could do about them physically, other than work out more. On the other hand, if she felt herself perfect, wouldn’t that be an issue, too? Letting out a long slow sigh, she decided it really didn’t matter. Who wanted to look like a magazine ad?

“Shall I kiss each freckle to make you feel better? Besides, aren’t those laugh lines? I like those.” He was so sweet. How did she find such an adorable man?

Fanning herself, she laughed as she said, “Fine. Kiss them later.” Glancing over at him, she could feel anticipation coming out of him like waves. “Okay, okay, I’ll give it up. I’m game. Let’s go get my ID.”

Undoing the knot at the top of her head, she shook out her red hair. The frizzy curls clung to each other as she attempted to comb her fingers through them and free the more stubborn strands.

As they neared the gate, Dan reached into his back pocket, pulled out his wallet, and fought the small plastic holder to remove his military ID.

She didn’t understand why. “Why are you taking it out? Can’t you just leave it in there? Isn’t that why wallets are designed in that manner, for easy display?”

“It’s required. At the gate, they need to be able to check—verify the hologram on the front and flip it to the back and make sure it’s authentic. Also, if you have your car lights on, turn them off. This is a must, and you’ll usually see a sign posted about it. Regardless, it is proper etiquette to do it.” Dan’s voice had slipped into instructor mode. She wasn’t fond of the tone, though she was mostly used to it. “FYI, if you present your DOD—Department of Defense—ID upside down, this is a sign of distress. Your car will immediately be searched at gunpoint for a threat.”

She gulped. She hadn’t known that. “What else do I need to know? Are there a lot of rules?”

“Use a hands-free device to talk on the phone. Keep in mind that you’re on base. If you’re caught holding your cell phone and speaking on it, it’s serious…a federal offense. Take it to heart, okay?” He glanced at her. “I know how you like to chat on that thing.”

The guard at the gate examined Dan’s ID, returned it, and then waved him on. Aria gulped. Their guns looked pretty lethal.

“Yes, there are a lot of rules, but you’ll figure it out. Also, you can always ask me…if I’m around.” Dan drove the car through the gate and past a small building and then said, “Over there on the right is the commissary for groceries and the exchange for household items, clothes, and such. Naval Air Station North Island has some good resources. You’ll need to check it out.” He caught her eye. “I’m serious. We’ll need to keep to a budget.”

“I’ve made my own money my whole life, Dan. I’m pretty prudent, if you haven’t figured that out already.”

Silence sat between them. They hadn’t talked too much about money matters before.

“Aria, I just want to make sure we’re in agreement, in terms of my salary. We’re using that for the rent, bills, et cetera. Your money is yours. If you want to contribute it, that’s fine.” Dan slowed for a light and then stopped. “Let’s clarify the issue and move on. I don’t want to dwell on this.”

“Dan, I get it. But I disagree with you. This isn’t the Dark Ages. Unless something changes, we’ll split the bills. I don’t want your whole paycheck to go to living expenses, where I have expendable cash and you don’t. Either we’re partners, or we aren’t. Tell me now, which is it?” Her temper was climbing up a notch.

He thought about it for a minute, reassessing his thoughts. He’d been trained to be flexible, and he could roll with this new info.

“I understand.” His hand reached for hers. He held it tenderly, entwining his fingers with hers. “In all ways, we share. I agree with you, with my partner.”

“Good,” she said, adding a silent harrumph.

“We’re almost there.” Dan flipped on the blinker and turned. They pulled up in front of a building with a door that was propped wide open by a couple of phone books, and Aria quickly got out of the car by herself. Though she enjoyed Dan opening the car door on occasion, it would drive her crazy if he did it every time they left a vehicle.

They climbed the steps and entered an office with several desks. Televisions were set up at odd angles, and there were chairs positioned in front of them. Posters were hung in the wider spaces: messages of security, health, and family wellness issued from the faded faces. A few signs spoke about etiquette and waiting patiently for your turn.

An odor of acrid cleaners and popcorn permeated the office. A coffeepot sat empty in the corner, and a water cooler bubbled up with glugging sounds now and then. Discarded newspapers and magazines were open on the seats before the television, and several puzzles and plastic toys sat on a low shelf underneath the giant screen.

“This is a first. We’re the only ones here. I can’t ever remember that happening. It’s usually hurry up and wait…and be patient, when it comes to the military.” Dan spoke softly. He seemed to be waiting for one of the people behind the desks to notice them. When no one did, he cleared his throat and then all of the office workers looked up at once. Aria almost laughed out loud at her mental image of a family of meerkats in white cotton shirts and ties, staring at them in surprise.

The person closest to them gestured for them to sit in the seats in front of his desk. He was an older man of Hawaiian descent, and his eyes were the color of buttery toffee. “I’m Mr. Saba. How can I help you today?” His voice was heavily accented, and the baritone sound rumbled in their direction.

“Mr. Saba, I need to get an ID for my wife. This is Aria.” Handing him the envelope full of credentials, Dan added, “I apologize in advance for this, but we need to be back at the housing office within the hour.”

“You have a red-hot housing prospect. I understand.” Checking the clock, Mr. Saba nodded. “Happens more than you think around here.” He perused the papers and then slowly pronounced, “We will make your deadline in plenty of time, young man. Now, let’s see to your bride.”

Saba’s fingers flew over the keyboard like magic as the information was entered into the system in record time. In less than five minutes he was flipping the screen toward them. “Please confirm that all of this information is correct. Sign this and I will take Mrs. McCullum’s picture, print your ID, and you’ll be on your way.”

“Great,” Dan said. “Thanks.”

Aria’s eyebrows rose. This was it. This was the way everyone was going to see her from now on. She was Aria McCullum, Dependent. But she had never been dependent on anyone—not ever—in her whole life.

“Yes, it’s all correct.” She nodded her head and then felt the flash as the camera took her picture. There it was…documented, filed, and frozen in time forever. Her identity.

***

After visiting the housing office and securing their key, they stopped at the commissary and picked up sandwiches, chips, and a container of sliced fresh fruit. Then he drove her across the base and over to an empty parking lot, where they could watch the planes take off and land.

Someday soon she would be dropping him off at the terminal on the other side of the strip and saying good-bye for an unknown period of time. He felt she’d handle it okay. Nothing could be as bad as Dirks’s first wife, who had almost banged down the CO’s door, demanding answers as to where her new husband was. Christ, he hoped Aria would never do that. From what he knew of her, she was pretty levelheaded. Regardless, he’d brief her on the ins and outs and introduce her to the Ombudsman, who would provide info and act as liaison.

“You’re pretty quiet,” she said, opening her sandwich and taking a bite.

“Just thinking.” He smiled at her. “There are details I need to share with you on Navy life. After we move into the house, I’ll fill you in. Okay?” One step at a time, chunk by chunk, he’d help her get assimilated. No sense in freaking her out within twenty-four hours of getting married.

He took off the sandwich’s wrapper and took a giant bite. God, it tasted good. His stomach ached from the lack of food. Wolfing the first half of the turkey on wheat bread, he washed it down with a quart of milk, then popped the top on the container of fruit and scarfed down four slices of melon.

“What’s that?” she asked, pointing over her shoulder.

“Behind us is the old O Club—the Officer’s Club—which they use for weddings and events now. There’s a three-quarter view of the island from up there. I’ve been to a few celebrations there. Next to it, that’s the Base Commander’s house, and next to that is a house where Admirals might stay.” Pointing across the airfield, he said, “Over there, you can see a large plane. Those are sea lions being loaded into the back. I’ve met several of the trainers who work in that program. Pretty cool stuff! They teach the creatures to find everything from enemy subs, swimmers, and even bombs. I’ve got a lot of respect for them.”

Dan stuffed a handful of chips into his mouth with each bite of the second half of his sandwich. He was like a vacuum cleaner.

Aria watched him demolish his food in record time. She was still working on the first half of her sandwich when he opened his second one. After visiting the commissary, she was thinking about the grocery list she was making in her head. “How much do you eat in a day?”

“About four thousand calories. I carbo-load as we prep for Ops. I tend to burn a lot of energy quickly.” His teeth ripped off a large chunk of the sandwich, and he made a grunting noise with it.

“Animal!” she retaliated.

He chewed and swallowed. “Is that a label or a request?” Waggling his eyebrows at her, he continued to speak between mouthfuls. “What can I say, I’m starved. If someone hadn’t eaten my emergency granola bar, I might have more control.”

“Uh-huh.” She lightly punched his arm and went back to her sandwich. “So why didn’t I know this about you?”

He shrugged. “It’s natural that there are things we’re going to learn about each other, right?”

“Sure,” she replied uncomfortably. What other surprises were in store for her…in terms of his life? Maybe she should stick to the basics: food, clothing, and shelter. “What should I stock in the refrigerator—or cupboards, for that matter? I assume I’ll be doing most of the grocery shopping on my own.”

“I’ll help when I can. Just know, whatever you get will be fine. Fish, fruits and vegetables, pasta, and lean meats are my favorites. I eat it all, though.” He made a face. “Wait, I’m not fond of liver. Please don’t get that.”

Holding up a hand, she waved it in front of herself. Forcing the bite in her throat to go down, she added, “No problem. It’s not my favorite either.” She took a sip of her cranberry juice and then asked, “When do we move in?”

Digging into his pocket, he removed the brand-new keys. He jingled them. “What a terrific sound.” He smiled at her. “How about today? When we finish eating.”

Wrapping up the rest of her sandwich, she placed it in the bag and drank down the rest of her juice. She stowed the bottle and turned to him. “I’m done. Let’s go.”

He laughed. “Anxious, much?”

“Hey, I gave up my honeymoon and a pretty killer breakfast for this. Let’s get to it.” Crossing her arms over her chest, she smiled. It was hard to be serious when he was staring at her like that. Her phone beeped and she checked it. A client wanted to talk to her about his advertising materials. She would have to get back to consultant work soon enough. Sending a quick message, she told him she’d talk to him next week.

“Work?”

“Yeah. Sorry.”

“No worries.” Dan saluted her. “Onward, ma’am. Your pleasure is my duty.” With that, he stuffed the rest of his second sandwich into his mouth, started the car, and put it in gear. They drove out of the parking lot, onto the road, and underneath a giant plane as it flew above them, preparing to land.

“Wow!” She held her breath. It was an awesome sight. She wondered if she would have been able to touch it if she’d reached out a hand.

“Yes, indeed,” he said. “That’s why I brought you here. Someday we’re going to fly on one of those C-130s, and we’re going to travel to wherever it takes us—Australia, Spain, and Italy. We’ll explore the planet, just my partner and me on an adventure. How does that sound?”

“Exciting. Scary. And wonderful.” She loved the idea of visiting those countries and seeing everything through his eyes. Sometimes his wishes sounded too good to be true. Yet she longed to incorporate his optimistic beliefs into her own and lived to make his dreams become theirs. Did he know she was often uncertain, not about herself, but about others? She knew it was a conflict—an optimistic person who also worried, always waiting for the other shoe to drop and some kind of chaos or upset to come her way. Maybe she could let go of her old habits and become like him. She wanted the life he talked about, and she wanted to be the person she was with him. Even though it wasn’t easy, he made her better.

Dan grinned at her. “Good. Because I want to take you places that are mind-blowing, whose beauty takes your breath away, and whose people touch your heart in a manner you never imagined…”

Reaching across the small distance, she took his hand. Their fingers entwined. “With you by my side, I’m ready. Bring it on.”