SEAL’S Secret Vows

21. Chase

Chapter twenty-one

Chase

S tirring awake from my sleep—the deepest I've had in a long time—I reach out in the dim lights, feeling the bed. My hand gropes the empty sheets, and I sit up to find there's no one there. I stumble out of bed, half asleep, rubbing my eyes to clear sleep from them. I scan the room, suddenly alert. I check the bathroom and she's not there.

“Nora?” I mutter. “Where are you?”

Frowning, I make my way downstairs, the confusion clearing from my mind as I hear laughter and chatter coming from the living room.

Taking a few more steps forward, I see Nora surrounded by my team, a bright smile on her face as they all shout, “Surprise!”

“What's going on?” I ask, overwhelmed with both surprise and amusement.

Nora turns to me, her eyes sparkling with excitement. “Happy birthday, Chase!” she exclaims, gesturing to the group around her.

“You did all this?” I ask, a mixture of disbelief and gratitude in my voice looking at all the decorations in the living room.

She nods, her smile widening. “Lauren and Javier helped, too! This is not like your other birthdays, you know,” she says pulling me forward. “We're celebrating a victory. Not just any victory, and it's just perfect that it happens on your birthday so it's only typical that we have a celebration.”

I wrap her in a tight hug, feeling overwhelmed with emotion. “Thank you,” I whisper, knowing that this is a birthday I won't forget anytime soon.

“Joseph, Lena, Mark, Emma, thank you all for taking the time out to celebrate me.”

“And me!” A voice declares. I look up and see Sarah, the woman who Nora invited to the fake wedding. “I crashed,” she says with a grin. I see Nora roll her eyes affectionately, her expression soft, and resolve to invite Sarah to all the parties.

“I wouldn't miss your party for the world.” Emma declares.

“As we know, our favorite chef Javier is in charge of the cooking, and is whipping up a feast fit for kings,” Lauren announces, and Joseph whistles and cheers for Javier but I know it's only for the food. “There's grilled steak, shrimp skewers, barbecue meats, and a variety of salads to choose from. And, of course, plenty of wine to go around.”

“It's going to be a pool party.” Nora says, and points to the rooms. “So, you can go ahead and change, while Lauren and I set up by the pool.”

“A pool party sounds perfect!” Lena exclaims, a grin spreading across her face as she heads to the changing room with Emma.

“You should go up and take a bath and change into a swimsuit. I'm going to change in Lauren's room; she has an extra swimsuit I can borrow.” Nora winks, grabbing a few dishes from the kitchen and taking them outside.

I head upstairs, still feeling elated from the love I have received. I take a quick shower and opt for a brightly colored swimsuit like I'm sure Joseph will be wearing, but choose one with geometric patterns.

I head downstairs, and Nora emerges from the changing room in a small bikini. A rush of desire floods through me, my breath catching in my throat at the sight of her. The way the fabric hugs her curves, accentuating every contour of her body, leaves me spellbound. I’m unable to tear my eyes away.

Now that I’ve told her how I feel, it’s like the floodgates have opened. I didn’t realize how much I was holding myself back from feeling things for her until I gave myself the permission to just love her.

Now, I can’t look at her and not see a goddess.

“Nora,” I murmur, my voice husky with desire as I take in her beauty. “You look absolutely stunning.”

A blush rises to her cheeks as she meets my gaze, a shy smile playing on her lips. “Thank you, Chase,” she replies, her tone hinting at something deeper.

I grab some drinks, including a bottle of rum, while Nora shakes her head at me.

“The rum must remind you of that day.” I step closer to her, unable to resist the pull between us.

“I can't help but imagine how incredible you'll look when we're alone,” I whisper in her ear, my words sending a shiver down her spine.

“Let's join the others at the pool, okay? Don't get ahead of yourself.” She places a palm on my chest drumming a beat with her fingers. “I set up a karaoke; we can't wait to see you perform.”

“Don't tell me you told them about it, Nora.”

“I didn't. I only told them you'll be singing a special song.” She shrugs and grabs a wine glass swaying her hips as she goes.

Joseph is wearing a pair of colorful swim trunks as I predicted. Spontaneous guy, I muse. He raises his glass the moment he sees me, grinning at the similarity of our outfits. He hands Emma and Lena their drinks and proceeds to make another one.

Mark, sporting board shorts and a tank top, jumps into the pool, splashing Lauren in a flowy cover-up over her bikini lounging close to the pool. I observe everyone, taking in the attire of our friends as they enjoy the pool party.

As the sun begins to set, the party kicks into high gear. Mark cranks up the music and laughter fills the air as we lounge by the pool, soaking up the warm summer breeze. It’s a chance to let loose and forget about the dangers we face.

“I think we should all get into the pool, have a splash, you know, and have fun with the birthday boy.” Mark bellows, motioning to everyone to join him. I hit my glass with a spoon gaining their attention.

“Can I have everyone's attention? Mark, volume down, please,” When I've gotten everyone’s attention, I start.

“We've come a long way, we've been through a lot. We've had our season of fallen heroes, I mean we even witnessed one yesterday. I wish it hadn't ended like that; I wish he was still one of us. He'd be here you know, partying with us. Still, I'm grateful for us, for all of us and for today. I'm glad to be alive. So, let's forget about yesterday and focus on today. Let's party!”

Everyone erupts in cheers and dives into the pool. The cool water envelops us, sending a wave of relief washing over me. I pull Nora close to me, the sensation of her body pressed against mine, her skin warm against the chill of the water.

“God, you feel amazing,” I murmur, my voice low and filled with longing.

“We shouldn't be doing this, here. Everyone's staring.” She giggles, trying to get away.

“There's nothing to hide. I'm sure they've noticed already.” I tickle her, and laughter rings out through the air as we swim together, the sound filling me with joy.

“Nora, I thought Chase was going to be performing for us.” Lauren shouts with a smug smile.

“Fine, fine. No one else besides those present here must know of this,” I warn sternly, even though I'm sure if others listen, Joseph wouldn't.

I grab the microphone on the table, thinking of what to sing.

“Need any help, Chase?” Lauren asks, making a slurping sound with her straw.

Sarah, who is a bit tipsy, lets out a loud laugh. “You can sing a love song.”

“Not a bad idea.” I say. With a sly grin, I launch into one of the songs from yesterday, choosing the one I had got wrong. Nora watches me bewildered, her expression shifting from shock to curiosity as I sing. As the last note fades away, everyone erupts in cheers, expecting me to drop the mic, but I hold onto it.

Instead, I meet Nora's gaze and pull her out of the pool. “I love you, Nora,” I declare into the microphone, the words echoing through the room. A collective “aww” sweeps through the crowd as they coo in response to my unexpected declaration.

“I knew you two were up to something. Joseph, did you know about it?” Emma jabs him in the ribs in excitement and grins from ear to ear.

“I recently found out.” Joseph replies. “Was I first?” He asks with excitement.

Sarah laughs. “I was at the wedding !” she declares. And suddenly, despite not being on our team technically, Sarah is the favorite person at the party.

Everyone immediately starts talking at once. Sarah shows pictures on her phone, and Nora pipes in every few minutes to correct Sarah’s retelling of what happened. The whole thing sounds dramatic in Sarah’s version.

Eventually, everyone tires of looking at our wedding pictures, and filter inside to start getting food.

We lie on a double chair adjoined, the sunlight casting a soft glow over our bodies, I can't help but marvel at the sight before me. Her damp and tousled hair, her skin glowing in the soft light, and I feel a surge of gratitude for the woman next to me.

“You are truly breathtaking,” I say, my voice filled with sincerity as I cup her face in my hands, gazing into her eyes with all the love and adoration I feel for her.

Nora's face lights up, and she leans in, pressing her lips to mine in a chaste kiss.

“So, were you pretending yesterday?” She props herself up on one arm looking at me curiously. “You sang the song you didn't know.”

“I wasn't. The song felt familiar, but I didn't remember the title. I looked it up when you went to bed.”

“That was lovely, Chase.” She places a hand on my chest, almost nervously. I raise my brows, waiting. Then, all in a rush, she says, “I told my parents about us, and they want to meet you.”

That’s all? I think with amusement. “When? We can go anytime you want.”

Her expression brightens. “I told them we'll visit them when all this clears. You know we have to give mission reports and all that paperwork.”

“Yeah, there's that.” I lazily intertwine my fingers between hers bringing them up to my lips for a kiss. As the evening begins to wind down, I notice Joseph, Lena, and Mark gathering their things, preparing to head home.

“Going home already?” I raise my voice to be heard over the dwindling chatter.

“Yeah, some of us have paperwork. Lots of it!” Emma replies, coming out of the changing room.

“Before we wrap things up, let's cut the cake!” I announce, gesturing towards the beautifully decorated dessert sitting on the table.

“I’d like to thank everyone for making this day special. Your presence here today means the world to me. Let's cherish this moment in our hearts forever because it's not just my birthday. It's a victory day. Cheers!”

I lower the knife into the cake earning a sound of approval from everyone. Lauren cuts the cake into slices and shares it among our guests.

“Thanks for coming, guys,” I call out, offering them warm farewells as they make their way to the door.

“Happy birthday, Chase. We love you!” Joseph yells and shuts the door.

Nora and I find ourselves retreating to my bedroom, seeking solace in each other's arms. “Finally, we’re alone. I’ve been waiting for this moment.” I tug on one of her bikini straps, sliding it off her shoulder.

“So, no more court charges, right?” she asks, intentionally trying to deflect.

“Commander did say that we’d gathered enough evidence to clear my name.” I tug on the other strap wanting to take everything off.

“That’s awesome, I’m glad there won’t be charges.” Her gentle hands slide down my back tugging on my shorts. Her soft lips press light feathery kisses on my neck down to my chest and I shudder. Something deep inside me always flares to life at her touch; she makes everything come alive, completing me.

I trace the tan lines with my lips, grabbing at her waist tightly then taking off the rest of her bikini wanting to see all of her. My fingers flex on her hips, like I’m trying to carve my own pattern, creating a masterpiece out of the tan lines.

“You’re so beautiful. Have I ever told you that?” I lift her gently, placing her on the bed, and kicking off my shorts. Without waiting for an answer, my lips crash against hers, heat radiating from her into my core. I need to take it slow even though my body is screaming the opposite. I explore every inch of her mouth, taking my time, but she grabs my shoulders pulling me closer. Her tongue dances with mine, frantic and needy. Slowly I withdraw from her lips, alternating between teeth and tongue nibbling at her ears down to her collarbone.

“Chase, I… yes…”

She moans, trying to catch her breath. Was that an answer to my question? My brain is too fuzzy to comprehend that right now. She clutches my shoulders and back for support as I thrust into her, then cups my face and stares deeply into my eyes reading each emotion, feeling, and desire, down to her bones.

She drags her nails down the length of my back as she rolls her hips against mine. My body jerks forward at the sudden action. She looks up at me, her eyes bright with hunger as I let her take control. I can never get tired of her no matter how many times we make love. The bed creaks softly as I flip her around. She’s now on top and able to take control. My hands loosen around her hips, her body molding perfectly around mine. With each stroke, and each gentle movement, the tension melts away, leaving only the overwhelming sense of love and desire that binds us together.

“It's been quite a journey,” Nora says softly, her fingers tracing lazy circles on my chest.

“It has,” I agree, my heart swelling with emotion as I gaze into her eyes. “But we've made it through, together.”

My heart is pounding with nerves as I reach under my pillow, my fingers closing around the small velvet box hidden there. This is the perfect time to do this. With trembling hands, I bring out the ring, its diamond sparkling in the light.

“Nora,” I say, my voice filled with emotion as I get off the bed and drop to one knee before her. “Will you marry me?”

She sits up then covers her mouth in shock.

“Chase…” She looks at the ring and back to me, her eyes filled with joy. “Yes, I will marry you.” I slip the ring on her finger and pull her into an embrace.