Her Officer in Charge (14 page)

“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 the 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.

He was feeling it with Bella, and though Bella was a fiery, independent spirit, he knew she was happiest when under romantic, loving control, the kind of control that he offered, the kind of control that made him feel alive. They were connected, kindred spirits, but he couldn’t deny the concerns in the back of his mind.

She’s not the other side of the planet, but she’s not next door either, and she’s on the road almost every weekend. How the hell is this ever going to work? I’m not going to lose her to logistics or distance or any other crap. I’m going to figure this out.

Chapter Eighteen

Vince’s internal alarm clock woke him from sleep. It was time to leave Bella’s warm body; gently extricating himself from her limbs, he slipped from bed and padded into the bathroom. She was sleeping soundly, but he expected the sound of the shower would wake her. She could loll in bed as long as she wished, or come with him to the base and drop him off, but after he toweled himself dry, dressed, and walked back into the bedroom, he found her still dead to the world.
Deciding to have breakfast at the base, he scribbled her a note.

Make yourself at home. Call me at this number if you need me. I’ll come back and join you for lunch. L & K. Vince.

Placing it on the pillow next to her, he stole quietly from the room and headed into the garage. As he backed out onto the street and drove to work, a contented smile crossed his face. The thought of the lovely Bella still sleeping in his bed was washing him in a comforting warmth, a warmth that he realized had been missing in his life.

Pulling into his parking space, he walked into the building that housed his office, unlocked his door, and had just sat down when his cellphone rang. A quick glance at the screen told him it was the major.

“I need to see you. Come over to my office.”

“Yes, sir, I’ll be right there,” Vince replied.
Huh, that sounds urgent, I wonder what’s up.

Hurrying back to his car, Vince drove quickly through the camp. The major’s office was in a large complex with its own parking lot. After finding a spot, Vince entered the building, strode down the long hallway and into the reception area, where he was greeted by Cathy, the major’s secretary.

“Good morning, Captain Valenti. The major’s expecting you. Please, go right in.”

“Thanks, Cathy,” he smiled, and after knocking softly on the door, he cracked it open. The major was hanging up the phone and gestured for him to enter and sit down.

“I know you would have preferred to remain in charge of the surveillance outside the base,” the major began, “but with you handling the girl, I thought it better for me to pick it up. Bateman did go straight home, no surprises.”

“It did free me up,” Vince replied,
and must you keep referring to her as the girl?

“Let’s talk about what we know. Bateman’s address is valid, but it’s the address of a twenty-story condo complex and we have no unit number.”

“Right,” Vince nodded.
Why are we going back through this?

“No utilities in his name, so it must have been rented with the utilities included, and I’ve learned this isn’t unusual for musicians.”

“It isn’t?”

“Apparently they prefer it because they take off on tours and move around a lot. It saves them dealing with having things turned on and off all the time.”

“I see, yes, that does make sense,” Vince agreed.

“The other address he has is a P.O. box, and that P.O. box has the complex listed as his home address, but again, no unit number. The complex has a five-level underground parking garage with a security gate. When Bateman drove in last night, the tail was too far back to slip in behind him, but they did manage to get into the lobby and take the elevator down into the garage. It took them a while, but they found the car and put a tracker on it, though he could have more than one vehicle down there.”

“That’s something at least,” Vince remarked, “and those guys will get his unit number, it’s just a matter of time.”

“He’s not our only suspect,” the major remarked. “We’re watching a few other people as well.”

“Anything on that photograph of the supposed band manager yet?”

“No, nothing. Maybe he is a band manager, maybe Bateman is just a musician.”

“So, why did you want to see me?”

“How are things going with the girl?”