The Elite: The Complete Series of Boomer and Player (With Bonus) (67 page)

“The Admiral’s daughter,” I repeated, more to myself than anyone else.

Of course she was.

“I do love a challenge,” I murmured under my breath, a wicked grin tugging at the corner of my lips.

Master Chief Mitchell chuckled. “No offense pup, but you don’t have a snow ball’s chance in hell at getting anywhere near her.”

“Oh yeah?” The blonde became even more tantalizing knowing she was apparently unobtainable.

He shook his head, still grinning at me. “Trust me, she’s out of your league. Hell, she’s out of the league of every man in here. She’s been around sailors all her life and isn’t fazed. Normally, I’m sure you have a good game. But not with her…no way.”

“How do you know?” I asked, flicking my eyes back to the blonde as she sat primly in her seat. She was smiling, obviously enjoying the attention. “For all you know, she’s fucked her way through half the squad.”

“She’s not that kinda girl.”

In my experience, nearly every girl had another side. A wilder side. It was just a matter of finding out how to unleash it.

“Trust me, Rosen. Let’s just say I had low friends in high places. You wouldn’t believe the amount of gossip I hear from my guys.”

I glanced at him. “Do you know when she’s going back to school?”

His eyebrows shot up at my question, apparently surprised at how seriously I was taking the new challenge. “Saturday as far as I know. The same day the Admiral will be taking off to his new post.”

“That gives me three days…”

“Three days for what?” Jack inserted himself into the conversation, dropping into the chair beside me. In the elevated noise of the room, I hadn’t even heard him approach the table that we’d been holding down for the better part of an hour.

“Your buddy here thinks he can bag the Admiral’s daughter,” Master Chief replied, leaning in conspiratorially towards Jack.

“Correction, Master Chief.” I waggled my eyebrows. “I don’t
think
. I know.”

Jack scoffed. “Oh boy. Here we go…” He gazed up at the Admiral’s table. “That her?”

“Mmhmm.” He nodded.

Jack chuckled. “Good luck, man. I’d be shocked if her daddy didn’t still keep her under lock and key. Shit, I would if she was my daughter.”

I waved him off. “Doesn’t matter what dear old daddy thinks.”

“Should I remind him that her dad is an Admiral, and the current commanding officer on this base? Or you wanna explain that one?” Jack asked, looking past me, at the Master Chief, who raised his hands in surrender. “A guy like that could sink your whole career if you get on his bad side.”

“I’ll take my chances.”

“Your funeral.”

“It should be fun to watch,” Master Chief added. “Should we put some money on this?”

Jack laughed. “I’m game.”

My smile only grew as the Master Chief pulled a wallet from his front pocket and pulled out a crisp hundred-dollar bill. “You got until Friday night.”

I laughed as Jack nodded his agreement to match the bet.

“I’ll fuck her by Friday, boys.” I raised what was left of my second whiskey and the two men on either side of me brought their glasses to mine, sealing the bet.

Now, all I had to do was win.

Chapter Three

“Good evening, Admiral Westerfield,” I greeted, approaching the head table. I saluted the Admiral as his gaze shifted to mine, away from Wendy, whose gaze followed her father’s at my announcement.

“At ease, sailor, this is a party,” the Admiral said, his tone casual.

I dropped my salute and reached forward for a handshake as the Admiral offered me his hand. “Lieutenant Junior Grade Aaron Rosen,” I said, more for Wendy’s benefit than her father’s. If she was truly a daddy’s girl, then the way to get her attention was to impress her daddy.

“Rosen?” The Admiral lifted his brow.

“Yes, sir.” I smiled. “My father is Captain James Rosen.”

“By Jove!” His eyes lit up and I paused, momentarily puzzled by his reaction. I was used to a flicker of recognition or a familiar nod at the name. My father had received the highest award for bravery after serving in Vietnam, but it was odd to have someone—especially someone as high ranking as the Admiral—be so bowled over at the mention. “James and I trained together.”

“You did? I didn’t realize…” I glanced at Wendy and my heart sank. She’d obviously had her share of her daddy’s war stories and turned her attention to her perfectly manicured nails as they shone in the overhead lighting of the banquet hall. “Well, it’s an honor, sir. I’ll let him know we’ve met.”

I needed a new strategy. I was losing her before I even got started.

“Wendy, baby, this is Lieutenant Aaron Rosen,” the Admiral said, turning toward his daughter.

She lifted her head and smiled politely at her father. Then she turned her warm smile my way, letting her gaze wander down my torso, in a subtle but meaningful flick, and I rallied. I was still in the game. “It’s very nice to meet you, Lieutenant Rosen.”

“Likewise,” I reached for her hand, but instead of shaking it, I dropped a whisper soft kiss to the back of her hand. “Can I get you a fresh drink, miss?”

Wendy’s eyes went a shade darker as I released her hand, but before she could answer my question, her father regained control of the conversation. “Come sit, Rosen. I’ll get us a round.”

I smiled politely and rounded the table to take the seat on the other side of the Admiral—his two hundred plus pound frame wedged between me and my target—as he waved down a passing server for refills.

While he ordered, I cut a glance across the room towards Master Chief Mitchell and Jack, who both laughed and gave me a hearty round of mock applause.

Shit.

I needed a reroute. Desperately.

The Admiral passed me a drink and took his seat again. “So, tell me, where’s your father these days? I haven’t seen him in years!”

Resigned to my situation—at least for the next ten minutes—I gave the Admiral a brief version of what I’d told Master Chief Mitchell.

“A museum, huh? I’ll have to get out there. Wendy, what would you think about that?” He turned to her and my heart jumped, silently thankful that he’d finally brought her into the conversation.

Wendy smiled and nodded like a perfectly bred debutante, even though I was sure she had no idea what we’d been talking about. A couple of sailors had taken advantage of the fact that I’d tied up the Admiral long enough to try and get in a word or two with her. I’d watched a couple come and go from her side of the table. Luckily, none of them stayed too long.

I was beginning to think that Master Chief Mitchell was right.

Maybe she
wasn’t
that kind of girl.

“We’d be honored to have you both out for a visit. I’ll let my father know you’re interested.”

The Admiral smiled and clapped me on the shoulder. “Good man.” He glanced over at his empty glass. “If you two will excuse me…”

Wendy smiled as her father stood and strode off without another word, likely in search of the nearest latrine.

“I thought he’d never leave,” I said, sliding over to take his abandoned seat. There was a countdown timer in my head, ticking away with the seconds I’d likely score with Wendy before her father returned. They were few. “You look bored. Are you ready to get out of here?”

I expected Wendy to act scandalized by my bold question. Instead, she gave me a mildly amused smirk. “I must say, you’re the only one to try and go
through
my father to get to me. Most of these sailors would rather go around him to get my attention.”

“So, bonus point for creativity?” I asked, grinning at her.

She laughed. “Sure.”

“What can I trade them in for?”

Wendy’s blue eyes sparkled as her smile grew. “I’ll let you know. You’ll need a few more before you can try to cash in.”

Damn, I liked her style. Playful, but not easy.

Perfect.

“Well, I think we have about two more minutes before I’m gonna have to go back to talking old time war stories with your pops, so what can I do to get a few more points before then?” I dropped a hand to the table, just grazing the side of her fingers with mine.

“Oh, I’m sure we have more than that. He’ll undoubtedly find someone on the way back to the table that wants to chat him up for half an hour. This is his party, after all.”

I nodded and tossed a quick glance over my shoulder. All I could see were a bunch of jealous looking guys, mad dogging me as I prepared to walk away with the prize they all coveted. I threw them a smile and then turned it back in Wendy’s direction. “That’s good news.”

“Listen, Aaron, was it?” She waited a beat for me to confirm my name with a small nod. “I’m sure you’re a nice guy, but—”

I shook my head and Wendy’s brow creased. “I’m not a nice guy.”

“You’re not?”

“Nope. But baby, I’m one helluva good time.”

She let out a surprised laugh. “Wow. That’s bold.”

“I’m going to cut to the chase and let you know that I’m over here for one thing…I’m not some nice guy that wants to take you out on an amazing date where I promise you the moon and the stars. If that’s what you’re after, I wish you the best. What I’m offering is one hot night. You. Me. Getting a little down and dirty.”

She was either going to cold cock me or play along.

Wendy sat back in her chair, her eyes sweeping up and down my torso for a moment. “And if I say yes?”

“Then we get out of here and go have some fun.” I smiled and raised a brow. “Simple as that.”

“You’re forgetting one little detail…”

Before I could ask, the sound of approaching footsteps answered my unspoken question. Her father had returned.

So much for half an hour.

She smiled as I slid back to my seat right as the Admiral approached the table. “The dinner should be served soon. Rosen, which table are you seated at?”

“I’m in the unassigned section,” I replied.

The Admiral frowned. “Nonsense. You’ll sit here with us. Wendy, would you mind if Lieutenant Rosen sat on your other side? We’ll have them bring in another place setting.”

“Not at all,” she replied, smirking at me.

“What do you say,
Rosen
?”

“It’d be an honor, sir. Let me just go and tell my buddies so they don’t save me a seat.”

“Of course.” He dismissed me with a nod and I strode off across the room.

“That’s okay, Rosen. You can’t win them all,” Jack said, clapping a hand to my shoulder as I took the middle seat between them.

I grinned up at the front table and threw Wendy a wink. “Oh, I’ve already won. I just got bumped to the head table for dinner.”

Master Chief and Jack started in stunned silence when she smiled back at me.

I turned, fully soaking in their shocked expressions. “Do I get a bonus if I close the deal within twenty-four hours? Cause I really think I should.”

I left the question hanging. “Master Chief Mitchell, it was nice to meet you. I’ll see you on Friday to finish our business. McGuire, don’t wait up.”

Without waiting for their replies, I went back to the table, and took a seat beside Wendy, making sure our chairs were nice and close so everyone in the room could see me sitting within inches of the most gorgeous—and off limits—woman in the room.

Chapter Four

“Lieutenant Rosen, it was a pleasure,” the Admiral said, offering me a final handshake at the conclusion of the three course meal. During dinner, I’d been simultaneously working my charm on both the Admiral and his daughter.

As we all prepared to part ways for the evening, I knew that my pleasure was yet to come.

Despite her coy routine before the meal, at the end, I knew Wendy wanted me just as much as I wanted her. At one point during the meal, her hand had found its way to my thigh, and as her father was speaking about foreign policy—the kind of conversation Jack would have loved—she inched her fingertips higher and higher, until I thought my eyes were going to bug right out of my head.

Yeah. She wanted it.

Now, all that was left to be decided were two key details: When. And where.

“The pleasure was mine, sir,” I stole a glance at Wendy as the words drawled from my lips. “It was an honor to dine with you. I wish you good luck in your next station.”

Although I hated the game, that didn’t mean I didn’t know how to win.

It was all about motivation. And I was motivated.

The Admiral nodded and wrapped an arm around his daughter’s shoulders. Standing, she was a good five inches shorter than both the Admiral and me, as I found we were about the same height. Besides the obvious age difference, he also had a good twenty pounds on me, and I knew it wasn’t all muscle. I’d just been through OCS and was midway through my advanced training. My body was tight and toned from months of being molded into a fighting machine.

“You ready to go home, baby?” He asked Wendy.

“Mmhmm. Would you mind getting my coat? I checked it with someone at the entrance.”

“Of course, darling.” He wandered off, presumably in search of her coat.

“Going home so soon?” I asked with a raised brow. “I thought we were just starting to have fun.”

She smiled, her full, rose pink lips pulling into the largest smile she’d given me all night. “I guess we’ll have to pick it up another time.”

I bottled up the information I had in regards to her going back to school. I was many things, but creepy stalker was not one of them.

I braced a hand over her head, flattening my palm against the smooth wallpapered surface, and leaned into her, the subtle scent of her lavender perfume surrounding me. “Don’t make me wait too long, baby doll.”

Wendy eyed me, her sapphire eyes full of mischief at her slow torture. She raised a hand to my chest and I cursed the thick layers of my suit as her fingers dragged up from the top button all the way to the side of my neck. When she found my skin, exposed above the collar, she rested the tips of her fingers against my pulse. “Don’t sweat it. I’m leaving in a few days, and then you’ll forget all about me.”

“Not likely.” I lowered my head and brushed my lips against her ear. “You’re the most beautiful woman I’ve ever had the pleasure of meeting. You’re not going to be forgotten. Although, I sure would like to get a taste of that sweet nectar to remember you by.”