THE KISS OF A SEAL (8 page)

Finally, she nodded. “It’s me. I’ve never…” She found it hard to breathe for a few seconds. “I’ve never done this before. Fallen for someone.” This was as bold as she could be. It felt like she was ripping open her chest and showing him her heart. Kare could reach in and pluck it out if he wanted.

His lips were set in a grim line. “I know. We all know. It’s one of the reasons Base Command is so fond of you, Grainger. You can give these men guidance, and a ‘what for’ ass-kicking like it’s no one’s business.” He scratched his head. “So, that got me thinking. Ah, why did you choose Tyler?”

“Did he say that, that I chose him?” Her breaths were coming in short bursts. “I believe we choose each other. I can’t really explain it all, other than to say, that he’s changed something in me, and my life. I didn’t know that I could feel this way with anyone. Link shook up my entire world. I cannot figure out how to go back. And I don’t want to.” She was on the verge of tears. She didn’t want to leave her job or the life she’d built for herself here. This was the happiest she’d ever been and it would break her to give it up.

“Well, then don’t.”

The simplicity of the statement was like a shock to her system. She hadn’t expected his positive response. Tears fled her eyes like sailors abandoning a sinking ship.

XO Kare lifted his hands. “Wait. Hold the waterworks! What I mean is…you can have a relationship and your job; it just needs to be an extraordinary occurrence.” He nodded his head. “It is, isn’t it?”

Her heart thudded rapidly against her chest. She was safe. Her world was going to be fine. She smiled as she whisked away the errant tears. “Yes.”

“Good,” he said was a relieved smile. “Pleased to hear it. Now, get back to work.”

“May I ask…why are you here rather than Javitt or the Base Command or one of his lackeys?” She sniffed and mopped her face with the sleeve of her pink sweatshirt.

“Yes, well, there was a three-way discussion this morning via phone and Javitt said he had the flu. I became the lucky lad to follow-up.” The XO looked amused. He had the pulse of Javitt and knew that man was a serious weasel, who would pretty much avoid every confrontation possible. How ironic that he was running the gym where all the instructors did was teach these guys how to confront themselves and deal with issues that came up.

“Besides, you and Jim have taken this gym to new heights in the three years you’ve both been here. It was time for an XO to go to bat for you.” The XO patted her on the back. “Just so you know, you have the day off…to, ah, get your world in order.”

She shook her head. “No. I don’t need it. I’d rather work.”

“Suit yourself,” he said. “Just remember, the option is there. Perhaps you might enjoy… leaving early.”

“Okay. Thanks, XO Kare.” She watched him walk back toward the Team SEVEN Quarterdeck. The adrenaline surging through her body eased off the gas pedal and a wave of dizziness made her want to sit down. A day off might be exactly what she needed.

First, she’d head to the gym. Check-in on everyone, grab the laundry out of her locker, dump the stuff in the car, and then walk down to the Hotel Del Coronado and visit the spa. She needed some time to relax.

As she rounded the corner, she caught a whiff of something familiar. It smelled like Lincoln. Her stomach flip-flopped and she wondered if she should go seek him out. Regardless of what had brought Lincoln to her, whether it was a dare or a bet or just a challenge to his own ego, she loved him. She couldn’t deny it.

Jessa found two of her fellow employees standing outside the gym. “Hey, what’s going?”

Donna shrugged. “Good question.”

Jim said, “Something on the beach. Let’s go check it out.”

Her eyebrows drew together. Honestly, she’d rather go inside, take care of what she needed to, and then get on with her day. “Why don’t you let me know? I’ve had a pretty tough twenty-four hours, so I’m going to get moving and then get out of here.”

The sound of music came from the beach. It piqued her curiosity.

Donna grabbed her hand. “C’mon dear. Let’s see what’s going on.”

Jessa allowed herself to be led. The three of them climbed the sand dune.

It was still early, but the sun was already sparkling its luster on the ocean waves. The beauty distracted her, until the music grew too loud.

She looked down and her mouth dropped open.

Lincoln was standing in his dress whites. There was a platoon of men behind them all dressed the same. “Hep!” As one they all got down on one knee. He lifted his hand and there on a navy blue satin pillow with a large gold trident sewn on it was a ribbon with a diamond ring tied to it. “Will you marry us? Will you marry me?”

She didn’t remember taking a step, or gravity pulling her down the side of the sand dune. She didn’t care that there was sand pouring into the cuffed bell-bottoms of her white sweatpants or likewise into her cross-trainers; she just needed to reach him as quickly as possible.

With just a
few steps he was by her side. Link pulled Jess into his arms and kissed her. Every ounce of love he had was placed in that kiss, a union of lips that he could have spent a week, a hundred months, and a lifetime being connected to. “Will you?” He’d never been so nervous in his whole life. He couldn’t accept defeat. If she didn’t like this proposal or said something other than the affirmative, there was a Plan B, C, D, and E. He wasn’t going to give up on her…not ever.

“But, last night…”

“I told you things that I should have spoken of long before that night. You had a right to know when I fell for you and why. I’m sorry it took me so long.” His words were forthright; the way he knew she liked it.

“Thank you…for being you.”

He waited. His heart double-timed in his chest. “So will you?” Holding her gaze with his.

“Yes,” she said breathlessly.

He took her hand and tried to pull her forward.

“Wait. I have to say this…I’m sorry. I never meant to doubt you. It was me. All of my fears and I put them on you. I know I was wrong. I don’t care how we came together. I’m just very grateful we did. I love you, Link.” The truth was there in her eyes. The sadness that he had seen in their first meeting was gone, replaced by…satisfaction, pleasure, excitement, and yes the most important aspect of all, love.

Lincoln smiled at her. “I love you, too, Jessa.”

They kissed and there was clapping and laughter. Remembering there was an audience, he broke the embrace and put some distance between them. “Are you ready then?”

“For what?” She looked confused.

“To spend your life with me.” He nodded over his shoulder.

A man came out from behind the platoon, and it was Chaplain Walters. She loved his sermons in the Chapel on the Amphibious Base—on the Bay side—and she was completely shocked to see him standing on the beach.

Her eyes were wide and her mouth was open. “I…I don’t understand. What’s happening?”

“I’m not letting you leave here until we are…one.” The only other decision he had ever been this sure of…was being a SEAL. At least he knew, in his life, he’d dedicated himself to two very worthy aspects.

“Now? But…a marriage license…all of that stuff.” She stuttered out the words. “Don’t you want to be engaged for a while?”

“No!” he said emphatically. “I’ve seen where it gets people. We’re doing this now, and don’t worry about the license, I got a special exception. We’re going to take a certain letter down to City Hall later and make it all work. Who knows, maybe my soon-to-be former roommate can play errand boy.”

Link glanced over his shoulder and his Teammate saluted him. Being a SEAL meant having the courage go after what he needed to. In case, he was ever in doubt there was an Ethos to fall back on to point him in the right direction again. Not that he needed that when it came to Jessa. She had a certain way of bringing him back to earth and making him glad that he was there.

She tapped his arm, bringing attention back to her. She smiled. No, she beamed at him. “Yes. Yes! YES!”

He pulled her to him and kissed her. Then he whispered in her ear. “This is going to be the greatest experience of our life.”

She pressed her lips against his neck. “Only with you, Lincoln Tyler.”

“I love you, Miss Jessa Grainger. Soon-to-be Mrs. Jessa Grainger Tyler.” He set her gently back onto her feet and took her hand. “Let’s get started. I have a full day planned for us.”

Jessa took the bouquet of flowers from one of Link’s Teammates and stood alongside her fiancé—this time the right man—as the Chaplain began. “Dearly beloved, we are gathered here today to celebrate the union of this man and this woman in holy wedded matrimony…”

His eyes were glued to her as the ceremony zipped by.

Her joy was like an inner light that shone through every part of her. It was the kind of energy he could warm himself on after a long day or feed with his own love when she needed it. Did she know that it made her more beautiful than any other woman on the planet? That he’d lay down his life for her in an instant if it was required, and that he was dearly thrilled to have her as his wife.

If Jessa didn’t know these things now, she would. He looked forward to a lifetime of showing her how much he cared.

‡

B
undling her into
his car and driving them to Glorietta Bay Inn, he could barely get two words out to her. His adrenaline was pumping his heart so hard he thought it might explode in the car. He took a couple deep breaths to calm himself down. He didn’t need to act like some wet-behind-the-ears kid about to have his first kiss.

Jessa was sitting in the passenger seat and appeared equally tongue-tied. She kept staring at herself and then looking at him, like shock was still holding her in the moment.

Within minutes, he was pulling into a parking lot. Running to the other side of the car, he opened the door and escorted her to the ancient elevator. They went up to a mansion room, the penthouse. The key was snuggly in his pocket.

God forbid she had said, no, he would have stood on that balcony all by himself smoking a cigar and drinking brandy with his roommate. He was grateful that wasn’t going to happen. He wouldn’t have relished a snoring seaman mumbling all night long.

As the elevator doors closed behind them, they stood in the lavish room.

“Wait here.” He took several steps to the bedside table, placed his phone in the speaker/charging holder and turned it on. Then he walked to the small table where champagne and glasses waited.

The bottle was sweating and it was slick as he picked it up. He managed to hold onto it as he popped the cork and poured two glasses of bubbly.

He brought a glass over to her and they silently saluted each other. He downed the glass and set it aside.

Unbuttoning his dress jacket, he slung it over a chair, placed his cover on the seat, and then he stood in front of her waiting. Nerves, an odd sensation for a man that has jumped from airplanes, swum with sharks, and faced down the enemy on more occasions than he wanted to admit frisson through his body. Link had to face it: this was uncharted territory for him. Here he was with Jessa, his wife, and they were beginning a life together. Marriage. Forever.

He gulped, the emotion sticking in his throat. “Wife,” he managed to say.

“Husband,” she said in a stoic manner back and then she burst into laughter. “This is a riot. We’re both completely terrified.”

“I’m not.”

She elbowed him. “Okay, maybe terrified is the wrong word.”

He kissed her. “How about appreciative? Awe-struck? Amazed? Or, deeply honored?”

She nodded her head.

His fingers toyed with the blue diamond engagement ring and the platinum band underneath it. Jessa’s hands were soft and delicate. Incredible to think that she could bench-press a hundred twenty pounds with such strength. But that was the double-edged part of his wife, her capability and her vulnerability.

He drew her to him slowly. Music played in the background, a special selection of romantic songs that he had loaded onto his phone.

She smiled at him and came eagerly into his arms.

Holding her against his body, he knew he would never tire of holding her close. The scent of her hair, that dash of wildness that was her own essence coming from the nape of her neck, it drew him in. Did she know…that he was a prisoner of her wiles? How much power she had over him? And yet, when she looked at him, he could see the tenderness, her emotions boldly displayed for him to see. He would need to respect those aspects of her, be careful not to crush them, her spirit or her love for him.

His lips caressed the skin along her neck. He knew as truly as the day was long that it wasn’t only neglect that had killed the relationship between Goody and Jessa, but also dishonesty. He was going to make damn sure that he didn’t step into either of those pitfalls.

“How are you?” he murmured.

“Happy,” she purred. “Though, I could use a little help.” She looked down at her clothes. “I appear to be over-dressed for the occasion.” She tilted her head to the side.

He couldn’t stop his grin, knew it probably looked cheesy but he didn’t care. He made swift work of her clothes, draping them over a chair next to the one where he had put his coat. That image would have made a sexy picture, her clothes and his dress uniform: his ice cream suit—dress whites—and her sexy bra and panties. He made a mental note of that for a second, before he scooped her into his arms and carried her to the four-poster bed.