Eleven years later...
Ben Morrison waited impatiently for someone to appear. He forced himself not to drum his fingers on the counter. A Navy SEAL was trained to wait patiently, quietly, silently. So how come he was having such difficulty?
His heart tripped an extra beat when a woman strolled through a door and caught sight of him. She padded across the room and slid open the glass doors separating them.
“May I help you?” Her tone was professional, but not helpful.
“Yes, I’d like to see Treeny Deveau, please.” He again resisted the impulse to tap his fingers on the counter.
“She’s not seeing new patients at the moment,” the woman said with a severe frown.
“I’m not here as a patient. I’m a friend.” Ben resisted the urge to roll his eyes. Seemed he was doing a lot of resisting lately.
The woman continued to frown at him, but he stared her down. Like this woman, who reminded him of a feminine SEAL trainer, could intimidate him. Not after facing terrorists, sharks, machine guns, and a few incidences he didn’t care to think about. Besides, through all those experiences he had certainly learned how to be intimidating himself. SEALs were trained in the art in fact.
Another woman entered the room. The first woman turned to her. “This... gentleman would like to speak to Dr. Deveau.” Her tone implied he was an escaped convict.
The second woman offered him a dazzling, white smile. He returned the favor. Her eyes took on a dreamy expression and he winced. Get Treeny, he thought, and gritted his teeth.
Finally, with a sigh, she turned on her heel and floated from the room. Ben forced a smile at the first woman. Please find Treeny.
“Treeny! There’s a really hot brother out front asking for you. And I mean, hot, girl,” Vanessa said, barreling around the corner so fast the woman nearly knocked her over. Treeny grasped Vanessa’s elbow in an effort to keep herself upright while hanging onto a small laptop computer.
“Slow down a second. What’s going on?” Treeny placed a hand over her galloping heart, hoping to calm her excited organ.
“There’s a totally hot brother out in the waiting room, asking for you.”
Treeny tried to translate, but failed.
“Yes, gorgeous African-American man, tall, lean, built, beautiful, out in the waiting room asking for you.” One of Vanessa’s perfect eyebrows rose into her cornrows, and what the nurse said finally clicked.
“A man in the waiting room for me?” She couldn’t quell the joy that erupted inside. A man, an African-American man asking for her. Ben? Could this be Ben? Please be Ben.
She thrust the laptop at Vanessa and took off down the hall.
“Wait!” Vanessa bellowed. “Don’t tell me that man is Ben Morrison?” Her friend nearly howled the protest. Treeny kept running until she hit the door. Then she stopped short, and smoothed a hand over her hair, then down her lab coat.
When she pushed open the door into the waiting room, her breath suspended. “Ben,” she uttered breathlessly, and her respiration and heartbeat accelerated to Kentucky Derby proportions.
The lean man in the shadows emerged into the light and her face split into a huge grin. When her feet finally cooperated, she raced across the room and into his open arms. When she bounced against him, strong, sure arms closed around her and scooped her off her feet.
She breathed in his familiar, amazing scent and luxuriated in the heat and strength of him. His hair was braided in long cornrows and made him look like an island reggae singer. How she wanted this man. How she doubted she’d ever make him hers. Still, a girl could hope.
When they finally separated, she noticed he buried his nose in her hair and held her as tightly as she held him. Did he, could he, feel the same? Because his eyes seemed to devour her as he looked down at her. She hoped he couldn’t read her eyes, because she figured the naked truth there would be very evident.
Ben Morrison still encompassed every longing she possessed. He was the epitome of her every want and need. And now he stood before her, taking her in as voraciously as she did him. They had stolen a few snatched moments through the years where they danced around each other, neither saying what was actually on their minds. Each time they had finally grown comfortable enough to really talk, his phone rang, or a family member interrupted.
“Can we talk?” His voice was hoarse, and since she couldn’t locate hers, she nodded.
Glancing around the room, Ben shook his head. Reading his thoughts, she tucked her hand in his and tugged him over to the door leading into the back. Before they left, she turned back to the receptionist. Leaning through the window, she said, “Mrs. Mays, I’ll be a few minutes, okay?”
The woman’s eyes widened and her mouth dropped as she blinked at Treeny. Waving a hand in front of Mrs. Mays’s face finally elicited a response. “You know that man?” Her eyes remained round and disbelieving. Treeny couldn’t decide if the woman’s expression was due to Ben’s slightly scary person, or simply the fact that men never visited her.
“Oh, yes. Mrs. Mays,” Treeny leaned forward, as though she planned to tell a secret. “That man is Lieutenant Ben Morrison of the United States Navy SEAL Team Eight. He’s the most trustworthy man you’ll find. Don’t let his scary self fool you.” With that, she turned, repossessed Ben’s hand and swept out of the room. He sent her a laconic look. He ignored the patients watching them with interest.
Shrugging, she escorted him through two doors and outside to a secluded area at the back of the building. With her free hand, she gestured for him to sit at the picnic table. She couldn’t seem to find the strength to release his hand.
He sat, in the easy, graceful movement she associated with Ben. She could watch him for hours. Gazing into the dark depths of his eyes would be fun, too. If you don’t slow down, you’ll drown in your own hormones, a warning voice dinged in her head.
She wanted him; she needed him. But how to obtain this yummy man? If she had discovered the answer to that question at any point over the years, maybe she’d be able to savor the memory of more than their one kiss.
He broke into her thoughts, when, as though he couldn’t stop himself, Ben ran a tender hand over her face. She swallowed and closed her eyes as she sought to enjoy the moment.
“Please,” she whispered.
“Please what?” he whispered back.
Treeny swallowed. “Why did you come?”
His brow furrowed for a moment before he ran his hand down her face again. “Remember the time we spent in The Closet at the lake?”
Only every other second. “Yes.” She nodded and wanted him to leave his hand on her face.
“I do, too.” He rose abruptly and prowled the cemented area.
Trying to tamp down the emotions bubbling in her heart, she worked to also control her breathing. She wasn’t succeeding very well on either account. Please, please tell me you can’t forget me.
“I can’t seem to forget you, Treeny,” he said abruptly, his back to her and she blinked. When had she become psychic?
“You can’t?” Even she heard the hope in her voice.
He swung around to stare at her. His eyes were hooded and nearly morose as he gazed at her. He almost looked unhappy. The bubbling hope deflated like a balloon.
Ben stalked back to the table and sat down beside her. He stared in front of them for a moment before turning to look at her. “I can’t seem to move past you, Treeny. It’s like you’re in my blood and I’m not free.”
“I feel the same way,” she managed to tell him through a tight throat.
His eyes widened a bit before he reached out to wrap one strong hand around her wrist. With barely a tug, she bumped against him. He circled her waist with a strong arm and trailed his hand down her face again.
“You can’t date anyone else either?”
She shook her head. “I’m not even tempted. No one can compare to you, Ben.”
He nodded, swallowed and folded her close. “That’s how I feel about you. I’m not interested in other women. The guys are starting to wonder about me – if I’m a freak.”
Laughing, she stared up at him. She couldn’t believe he was sitting beside her, holding her so tightly against him. Fearing she could wake up at any time and this precious moment would only be a dream; she reached up and touched his cheek. Energy sizzled through her. Not a dream, thank goodness.
“I’m awfully glad you’re here and not a freak.”
He grinned. “I need evidence.” His voice held a teasing note she remembered well.
“What do you want?” She was afraid of his answer, but wanted the response so badly.
“You,” he answered, right before his lips took hers.
Ben kissed Treeny with everything he had. He remembered the feel of her lips against his. The electricity arcing between them was also familiar.
He worked a hand into the fall of red-gold hair and was thankful, grateful, and ecstatic he’d finally approached her. This euphoric moment had been a long time coming, but was right. If they had pursued their attraction earlier, their training and jobs might have interfered.
Unfortunately, their jobs could still interfere. But this is what he wanted. He needed Treeny Deveau more than he had ever suspected. Kissing her like this made all the difference.
And by her passionate, eager response, he believed she agreed. He liked the energy surging between them. He savored her warmth, her enticing scent, and the sweet sounds that issued from her throat.
Soon they had to part for air. He grinned at her, liking the way her lips glistened from his kiss. “From that kiss I’d have to say you’re interested in a relationship with me.”
Her smile was mysterious and feminine when she tugged his head back down to hers. “Yeah, you could say that.”