Authors: Adrianne Byrd
At last, Steven’s laughter faded to a light titter, and then collapsed into silence.
Sydney sucked in a gasp with the realization that she had wandered into a conversation landmine. “Oh, Steven, I’m so sorry.”
“There’s nothing to be sorry about. I haven’t asked her.”
“What?”
“I chickened out,” he confessed with each word heavier than the last. “I’m still walking around with the damn ring in my pocket.” He tried to laugh again but failed miserably.
Sydney opened her mouth and then closed it.
“Everything was perfect: dinner, music, romantic candlelight...and I froze,” he paused. “Suddenly I was seized with all these ‘what ifs’. You know what I mean?”
She did but she remained silent.
“What if Corrine isn’t the one? What if there’s something better out there? What if I’m not as good a husband and father like dad? Sometimes I wish I was more like you,” he said. “Maybe you should’ve been the oldest.”
“Me? Why?”
That awkward laughter returned. “Because you’re always so damn sure of yourself.”
She blinked too stunned to speak.
“You and dad-analytical and brave to a fault,” he said. “You’ve always known what you wanted and how to go about achieving it.”
Is that truly how he sees me?
“Me?” he continued. “I roam from place to place, trying to
find
myself. You’ve known who you were all along.”
“Steven-”
“Take this marriage thing.”
“Which wasn’t planned,” she reminded him.
“But you did it. You saw something you wanted and you went after it.”
He lost her on that. “I was drunk out of mind.”
“Were you...or are you just using that as an excuse? You were attracted to that Colton guy back in July. Then fate tossed you together again at Nellis...and you set a plan in motion.”
Sydney’s grip tightened on the phone.
Syd, I know you. I know no man can kiss you unless
you
want to be kissed- i.e. Bobby “Octopus Arms” Blalock. You wouldn’t have accepted a dinner date with him on or off your birthday if you didn’t want to be with him. And you certainly wouldn’t have married him drunk or sober without
wanting
to marry him. Am I right?”
Her denial crested her tongue but wouldn’t fall.
“The funny thing is I bet he has no clue that you were the hunter in all of this.”
There were disadvantages in having someone know you too well, Sydney realized.
“You love him, don’t you?”
Since the first time I saw him.
“It’s okay. You don’t have to answer that,” Steven said quietly. “Like I said: I know you.”
The suite’s door opened and Jett breezed inside holding up her bag. “I hate to say it, but you can get dressed now,” he joked.
Sydney stood from the bed. “Steven, I have to go.”
This time her brother fell silent.
Sydney turned her back toward Jett and whispered into the phone. “Don’t tell mom. Let me do it.”
“As you should. I’ll see you at the graduation ceremony.”
She nodded against the phone as she turned back to face Jett and realized that there was one more thing that she needed to say to her brother before she hung up. “Steven?”
“Yes?”
“About that thing you asked a moment ago.”
“About whether you love this Colton guy?”
“Yeah that.”
“What about it?”
She turned away again and lowered her voice. “The answer is: with all my heart.”
“Hey, Marcus!” Weasel shouted across the Touch & Go Flight kitchen. “You have a marker to settle man.” He strolled across the food service dining area with a large grin plastered across his face. “Time to pay up, man.”
Niecy pulled her attention away from Lt. Vaughn’s flirting to see what Weasel was shouting about. She watched as Capt. Marcus Blocker sigh and roll his eyes and then reached into his pocket.
“That damn Weasel made a killing off that pool,” Lt. Vaughn grumbled into his iced tea.
“What pool?” she asked.
Kelley placed a wad of cash into Weasel’s hand and then watched the man dramatically lick his fingers and count the dough.
“Uh, nothing,” Vaughn backtracked. “It was nothing.”
Niecy’s head whipped around and she could tell by the way Vaughn’s normally café au lait complexion darkened. It was definitely
something.
“You have a secret,” she accused and inched closer and stared into his eyes. “You can tell me. I can keep a secret.”
Starved, Jett and Sydney decided or realized that they couldn’t live off sex alone. After another shower, the new husband and wife went in search for nourishment just in time for dinner.
The silver bands adorned their fingers had become the pink elephant in the room. There were no more talk about annulments or divorce, but neither had they sat down to discuss what exactly they were going to do.
However, it was clear they
wanted
to talk about it-but where to begin? As time ticked on and the compliments on each other sexual prowls waned, Sydney took the elephant by the trunk.
“What’s your favorite color?” Sydney blurted out and then took a bite out her steak.
“Excuse me?”
She shrugged while she mentally agreed that it was an odd question. “I figured if I’m going to be married to someone, I should at least know what their favorite color is.”
Jett actually looked embarrassed before he nodded. “Very well.” He dabbed his mouth with his napkin and leaned back in his seat. “Coral.”
She blinked. “Come again?”
“Coral?”
He nodded. “It’s a nice warm color. It makes me feel happy whenever I see it.”
She blinked again.
“You asked.”
“I guess that’s what I get.” She shook her head and returned her attention to her meal.
“What about you? What’s your favorite color?”
“Blue.”
He looked unimpressed. “Oh.”
Sydney frowned. “What?”
“Oh, nothing. Nothing.”
After studying him a moment, she decided to let it go.
“It’s just that there are all sorts of shades of blue,” he lamented. “Blue doesn’t tell me anything.”
“What are you-a closet decorator?”
“Very funny. What shade?”
“I figured that would be obvious: Sky Blue.”
“Good point.” He laughed and reached across the table for her hand.
“What am I going to do with you?” she asked suddenly. What would she do with a husband?
“Hopefully a lot more of what you’ve been doing to me.” He winked. “I sort of like it...a lot.”
A waiter walked by their table and Sydney blushed in fear that Jett’s words had been overheard.
“Favorite sport?” he asked.
“Football.”
Right answer.
“Team?”
“I’m a Georgia Peach. Atlanta Falcons all the way.”
Now he had no doubts. He was in love. “Sydney Garrett-”
“Garrett-Colton,” she corrected.
“Hyphenated?”
Her eyes lowered to their joined hands. “I don’t want to lose my father’s name.”
“Fair enough.” He nodded and then slid the silver ring from off her finger.
Her gaze shot back up to his. What was he doing? What did this mean?
Calmly, quietly, Jett eased out of his chair and then lowered onto one knee beside her. A buzz of whispers surrounded them while a delightful warmth spread through every inch of her body.
“Sydney Garrett-Colton, will you stay married to me?”
Her breath caught in her chest while her vision blurred. “Yes,” she answered in a rush. “I would love to stay married to you.”
Jett’s hands trembled as he slid the ring back onto her finger. When he did so, he was certain his heart exploded with more love than he thought possible.
Applause filled the restaurant when Sydney wrapped her arms around him and kissed him soundly on the lips. They were doing things backward, he knew, but that was all right with him. They had the rest of their lives to get know each other.
Chapter 22
At midnight, Sydney followed Jett’s car back to the Nellis Air Base feeling as light as a cloud. Her smile grew wider whenever her gaze bounced from the road to the beautiful silver band around her finger.
“
The funny thing is I bet he has no clue that you were the hunter in all of this.”
Sydney nibbled on her lower lip. It was okay for a woman to be the hunter every once in a while, she reasoned. The important thing was she married the man she wanted.
Entering the last week of their training, she and Jett agreed to keep their marriage a secret from the squadron but would alert the appropriate parties of the marriage shortly after graduation. It would take a little time but then surely the powers that be would deploy them to the same air bases.
After training, Sydney next deployment was Osan Air Base in South Korea. In truth she was hoping to remain stateside a little longer, especially now that she and Jett needed to lay a stronger foundation for a real marriage.
“I wish that you would at least let me walk you to your door,” Jett complained when they climbed out of their separate vehicles.
The base was quiet as a tomb but that didn’t mean they were safe from prying eyes.
Sydney smiled as she retrieved her travel bag from the trunk. “I
want
you walk me to my door.”
“You do?” He reached for her bag, but she pulled it away from his grasp.
“Yes. But we made a deal, remember?”
Jett’s handsome features morphed into an adorable lost puppy dog look. She resisted all of thirty seconds before she approached and leaned up on her toes and kissed him.
“Kissing wasn’t a part of the deal.” He glided his arm around her small waist.
“I guess I slipped up. Sue me,” she whispered and then kissed him again. This time it was a long soul kiss that sent heat clear down to her toes. When the kiss ended, she sighed and laid her head against his chest. “Are we crazy? Can this really work?”
“I sure hope so.” Jett stepped back and tilted up her chin. For a long moment, he gazed in her eyes. “We haven’t known each other long and I can’t explain how or when it happened...but I love you.” His lips quirked upward. “It may be too soon for you-”
“I love you, too,” she blurted and then laughed at his stunned reaction. “I don’t think either of us can explain what has happened between us.” Sydney traced her finger across his lips. “I’m just glad it did.”
Jett crushed her body against his and poured everything he had into her and prayed that it was enough. Finally, after a lifetime of seeking, he’d found love and he could honestly say that it was a love worth waiting for.
At 0700 hours Monday morning Major Delsanto marched before his squad droning on the importance of the last leg of the Mission Employment phase.
“The ME phase includes seven flying windows called Vuls, showcasing bomber, transport, command and control, and refueling,” Delsanto stopped and folded his arms. “You will be working with space operators, intelligence officers, special operations and air operations center personnel to test your newly gained skills. Each of the flying Vuls are meticulously managed by ME experts. These instructors are responsible for the scenario development, planning and execution of the Vul. Their attention to detail will ensure the Vul’s cradle-to-grave process is executed flawlessly, and all training objectives and tactical problems are presented
.”
Adrenaline rushed through Sydney as she mentally prepared herself. The ME phase was the most difficult exercise. There would be no room for error-which meant she had to keep her mind off her husband.
No sooner had she thought the command her gaze drifted over to Jett. He was more handsome and striking than ever.
And he’s all mine.
As if he heard her mental declaration, Jett cocked his head and winked at her.
Delsanto marched again and this time stopped before Sydney. “Keep your mind on your job,” he commanded everyone but Sydney took the message as personal and she forced her attention to the Major before her.
“This course is designed to expose each of you to real world situations our forces have faced in recent conflicts. The lessons you learn today could save lives tomorrow.”
Silence met his words but excitement hummed among the anxious airmen like a finely tuned instrument.