Total pages in book: 47
Estimated words: 45135 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 226(@200wpm)___ 181(@250wpm)___ 150(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 45135 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 226(@200wpm)___ 181(@250wpm)___ 150(@300wpm)
I love you, too, Davin Bly.
* * *
αβ
* * *
Davin ran a hand over his face. He’d never been one who waited for others to come home. He looked around him at the families of the sailors who’d gathered to welcome the USS Puerto Rico back to port.
This was her first cruise under the new CO, Commander Stephen Lewis, the former XO, and after the scandal that had nearly cost him his woman’s life. He stood there, watching that tall black conning tower slice effortlessly through the water, bringing her closer to him.
The wait was endless but finally the sailors were allowed to depart. Music played, cameras flashed, videos were taken. The news crew was there as well. There were tents up offering refreshments and goodie bags for the single sailors as a welcome.
He watched from the back, a good head taller than most there. But he was the only one waiting for a woman to disembark. Male after male filed off. He flexed his grip around the two dozen roses he’d gotten for her.
Hell, he wasn’t even sure she would be coming off. She didn’t know he was there waiting for her. He’d not wanted to push anything with her after what she went through and so tried to keep it lighter. But he couldn’t keep this up. He loved her and wanted everyone to know.
He smiled. They would after today.
There!
He spied her, her bag over her shoulder as she made her way down. The news crowded her, asking questions and wanting a quote from her after her first outing after the scandal. Davin could see the exhaustion on her face and pushed his way through, still not calling her name, but waiting for her to see him.
It had been so worth it. When her gaze landed on him, the smile became real. Not the one that she used in the interviews or to other officers. This was his smile.
“Commander Bly,” she said.
Amazing how they could quiet down if they wanted. The news wanted for it suddenly got very quiet on that pier.
“Lieutenant Kirk. Welcome home.”
“Thank you, sir.” She readjusted her hold on her sea bag.
Fuck it. Here we go.
He stepped flush to her and pulled her tight to him then kissed her. Her bag landed with a thump as she wound her arms around him.
Ending the kiss with reluctance, he kept them forehead to forehead. “Hi.”
“Hi back. That was unexpected.”
“I love you, Neha. You know that, right?”
She touched his jaw and he closed his eyes from the pure pleasure.
“I know.”
“Marry me.”
“Sure,” she teased. “Just as soon as you get on one knee and ask me.”
“Is that what you want?”
She blinked a few times and he knew he’d stunned her. So, he took her at her word. Another light kiss and he stepped back then went down on one knee. Flowers at his side, he pulled the ring box from his pocket and licked his lips.
And I thought the pier was quiet before this.
He swallowed and got to it. When the crowd gathered cheered as they kissed once more, he knew that she had courage in spades. Enough to survive what she went through, enough not to run when he proposed and more than enough to agree to be his. Forever.
For their love. Much like her courage, runs deep.
* * *
The End