Chapter 13 #2
On cue, Titan lets out a thunderous neigh. We both glance at him.
“You heard the boss.” I nod to the horse.
Sam taps his pockets. “Do you have a pen?”
“I do.”
Not long after Sam fills out the form and submits it to Corporal Lee, he takes me on a tour to the forge, the regular mess, and finally, his room. He wasn’t joking about it being the size of a closet. It’s smaller than that.
I’m made to wonder who’s the brain that worked out the minimum amount of space that would be required for adults to live in. Sam and I had a difficult time moving around inside without bumping into one another.
“Where do you go if you need some time to yourself?” We’ve ascended about ten flights of steps. My legs are starting to burn. “Is it the roof?”
“I thought you would’ve guessed that by the signs on the wall.”
“What signs?”
Sam points to a brown sign that’s about the size of a piece of paper and blends in with the wall. It reads, “Roof Access Only for Authorized Personnel.”
“Oh.” My face burns. “I was so focused on watching where I was walking, I missed that.”
He lets out a low, raspy laugh. “We’re almost there. The climb will be worth it.”
“Promise?”
“Promise,” he affirms.
Thirty-five steps and two flights later, slightly out of breath, we’re at the top. Sam scans his key card, and the door buzzes open. A rush of cool, damp air greets me.
“Mm, that’s so nice,” I say.
We’ve reached a terrace, and the view literally takes my breath away. From the roof, I see the lush greenery of Hyde Park.
“Wow, you have a clear view of the Serpentine all the way up to Hyde Park Corner and Wellington Arch.” Taking a closer look at a dirt track, I wonder, “Is that Rotten Row?”
Sam rests on his elbows next to me with a smug expression. “London’s most exclusive racetrack? Yes, yes it is. We exercise the horses on it every morning.”
“You never told me you ride on Rotten Row!” I playfully push his chest. It’s rock hard.
“You never asked.”
Rotten Row has always been on the list of things I’ve never gotten around to seeing. In the time of Jane Austen, the Regency, it was the place the fashionable crowd gathered to be seen and to gossip.
One of my secret fantasies is to dress up in a Regency-era dress and walk at Rotten Row with a parasol, but I’ve always lacked the courage to do so. Maybe Sam would be a willing accomplice.
“Where is Harrod’s in relation to where we are now?”
“Behind us. It’s hard to make out.”
I see a few spires and rows of terraced homes, but nothing that resembles the distinctive facade of Harrod’s. I’ll just have to take his word for it.
“What’s your favorite landmark up here?”
“Probably the Serpentine. In winter, when the trees have dropped their leaves, you can see all the way through to the center. I like watching the paddleboats float around the pond.”
“I can see why you like it up here. It’s easy to get lost in the view.” I turn and face him. “Do the horses ever come up here?”
He chuckles. “Not usually, but every once in a while the MOD will decide to do a photo shoot.”
“How do you get them up here?”
“The lift.”
I blanch. “There’s a lift? Why didn’t we take it?”
“It’s out of order for maintenance, or else we would’ve used it. Trust me.”
We stare out at London, watching the cars, buses, and pedestrians walk past us. A comfortable silence envelops us.
“Min?”
“Hmm?”
“Thank you for trusting me earlier. It means a lot to me that you shared something so deep and personal with me.”
“You needed to hear it. As your friend, I wanted to make sure you made a decision you wouldn’t regret. Emotions can cloud our judgement.”
“I have something small for you.” From inside three of the many pockets of his camo trousers, which remind me of cargo pants, he pulls out three small rectangular packages wrapped in blue-and-gold tissue paper, and a credit-card-sized blue mesh bag.
“I’m sorry if these got a little crushed.
I had to shove them in my pockets when you weren’t looking. ”
“Sam, what is all this?”
“A few baubles I hope will help you take your mind off your work if you need a mental break and I’m not around.” He winks and presses the items into my hands. “Go on, open them.”
My hands quiver as I pull the gold ribbon and begin unwrapping the gifts.
The corners are folded pristinely, but the tape job is crooked.
I smile as I picture Sam wrapping them himself.
Inside, I find a pack of colored pencils, a travel-sized adult coloring book of flowers, a Beginner’s Guide to Magic pocket book, and a lavender sachet.
“You went out and got all these for me?”
“Mm-hmm. The lady at the store said that lavender and mint are the best herbs for relaxing. I didn’t like the way the mint smelled, though, so I only picked up the lavender. It reminded me of you.”
I clutch them to my chest. “Thank you, it’s so thoughtful of you.”
Sam positions himself directly next to me and removes his beret. His cheeks are flushed with the palest shade of pink. He swallows hard. “Min, I like you. A lot. Do you think there’s a chance we could be more than friends?”
I shiver and slowly turn my head. It’s like there’s a chemical reaction taking place. We’re two elements being pulled and bonded to one another.
“That depends on what you have in mind.”
“I know everything has been happening quickly, but I’ve had a brilliant time with you every time we’ve been out together.
I’d like to take a chance and see where this thing we have goes.
Would you consider dating one another exclusively?
” Sam appraises me. “The only caveat is that this Princess Alice Cup is going to eat into a big chunk of my spare time. I want to be fair to you. I can’t commit to how often I’ll be able to see you. ”
I arch an eyebrow. “I knew when I agreed to the first date that you don’t have a normal nine-to-five job. You’re an active-duty military man. I understood there might be times our plans may have to change. The competition is in four weeks?”
He nods.
“I think I can handle seeing a little less of you as long as you promise to pencil me in for video chats when you can. I don’t think I can handle not seeing you”—I poke his chest—“in some shape or form for four weeks. We can make up for lost time in person when this is all over.”
“Of course. Anything you want,” he says quickly. “So that’s a yes?”
“Your wish has been granted. I’m all yours.”
I wonder if that technically means boyfriend and girlfriend now. Isn’t that what exclusive dating means? I’ll have to look it up or ask Liz about it later.
“You won’t be disappointed, Min.” Sam pulls me into his body.
My gifts fall to the floor. We’re pressed up against one another.
My pulse is pounding rapidly, like a high-speed train.
I wonder if he can hear it. He leans toward me and murmurs, “I’m going to spoil you rotten and treat you like the princess you are. ”
I shiver and curl my arms around his neck, pressing my mouth to his. His lips are soft, and excitement bursts through me. I feel like I’ve just been handed the keys to an all-expense-paid Disney cruise and I’ve been told I’m the only passenger on the ship. Well, except for Sam being present.
His kiss is light and movements certain. I know he’s enjoying this as much as I am. I run a hand through his hair. It’s surprisingly silky for being cropped so short.
We break apart. “I’ve been wanting to do that since dinner at The Tank,” he says breathlessly.
“Why didn’t you?”
“I wasn’t sure you were ready.”
“Well, I am. But just to be sure, you better kiss me again.”
I tilt my head to the side, and our lips meet again. We kiss. Deeply. I’ve dived headfirst into an ocean. For the first time, I’m seeing all the treasures that lurk below, like a ray of sun upon a dancing coral.
My chest swells with happiness. I haven’t ever been kissed like this before.
This doesn’t feel like something from a man who’s looking to just date.
It’s so much more. It’s intimate. It’s passionate.
Definitely the type of kiss a boyfriend would give his girlfriend.
We may be slow to label things, but in my mind, I have no doubt that’s exactly where we stand.
When we finally break apart for some air, I giggle, collect his gifts, and reach for my discarded purse.
“What could you possibly need in there?” he asks, his full lips swollen from our kiss.
“Something for you I almost forgot about.” I retrieve the wrapped package from Uniqlo and toss it to him. “Open it.”
“A gift for me?” He catches it and shakes it. “It’s soft and light. Is this clothing?”
“Open it,” I repeat.
Without much care, he rips open the wrapping and reads the package. “Silk thermals?”
“Uh-huh. I hope they fit. I’m pretty good at guessing sizes. Just make sure if you wash them, you do it with cold water, and then line dry them. They should be low maintenance. Silk dries quickly.”
“Thank you. I don’t know when I can wear them, but I will.”
“You’re not supposed to wear them on their own, silly.” I roll my eyes. “They’re for wearing under your uniform. Silk retains heat in the winter and will keep you cool in the summer. You shouldn’t have to put up with shivering your butt off when it’s freezing.”
He stares at me. “I could kiss you.”
Turning my check, I point to it. “Go ahead, Soldier Boy.”