Chapter 10 #3
He’d lucked out when he’d first come to the island and was able to take over another SEAL’s lease.
The man was being moved stateside and was happy to not only hand it over to a fellow SEAL, but to not lose any money on his lease at the same time.
There were two small bedrooms, a combination dining and living area, a functional kitchen, but it was the yard that was the biggest draw for Midas.
He couldn’t quite see the ocean from his place, but he could hear the waves and smell the ocean air.
And the mango and guava trees in his backyard were a major plus.
He’d spent quite a bit of time building a deck with a cover and picking out the most comfortable deck chairs he could find.
He’d even built a bar on one side of the deck, complete with a mini-fridge and sink.
It wasn’t perfect, but he was proud of the fact he’d built it all himself.
He pulled into the driveway and hopped out to open the garage door.
He’d learned never to underestimate the Hawaiian weather.
It might be completely sunny without a cloud in the sky now, but in an hour it could be pouring.
Midas pulled into the one-car garage and waited for Lexie to come around to his side.
He held out his hand and she immediately took it.
“Ready?”
She scrunched her nose. “For what? Do you have a protective pet ostrich or something that’s gonna try to peck out my eyes when we go inside?”
Midas laughed. “No. But I have to warn you, I don’t have a huge balcony like Aleck.”
Lexie shrugged. “So?”
“Right.” He turned to open the door to the house, but Lexie stopped him with a hand on his arm.
“I don’t care what your place looks like, Midas. Seriously. You’ve seen my tiny little closet of an apartment. Besides, I’m not with you because of where you live or what material possessions you might have.”
“Why are you?” The question just popped out, and Midas wished he could call it back the second the words left his lips.
She grinned. It was a sexy and mischievous smile. “Because of your hot body, of course,” she teased.
“Yeah?” Midas asked, wrapping an arm around her waist and lifting her off her feet.
Lexie shrieked with laughter and braced her hands on his shoulders. “Of course. Why else?”
“Well, I was hoping my large…personality had something to do with it.”
She threw back her head and laughed some more, and Midas couldn’t take his eyes off her. She was so beautiful. And it was more than her looks. Her joy for life couldn’t be contained. Her spirit was much like her curly hair, unruly and wild.
She got herself under control and peered at him. “You gonna put me down?” she asked.
“Nope,” Midas informed her as he easily held her against his body and turned the doorknob.
“A girl could get used to this,” she said with a laugh as he carried her into his house. There was a small entryway just off the garage door, but the entire house could be seen at a glance as soon as he stepped into the living area.
The door to his bedroom was open, and Midas was relieved that he’d remembered to make his bed that morning. The second bedroom door was shut, because it was full of junk he’d acquired over the years. A set of weights, a bicycle, a bookcase full of military thrillers, and other odds and ends.
Lexie wiggled against him, and Midas reluctantly leaned over and set her feet on the floor.
She put the plastic bag from the ABC Stores on a table as she passed it and headed into the kitchen.
Turning in a circle, she examined the four-burner stove, the white fridge that was probably twenty years old, the toaster, blender, air fryer, and coffee maker on the counter, and the cracked tile on the countertop before she met his gaze.
“I like it,” she said.
Midas burst out laughing.
“What?” she asked, her brows furrowing.
“Lex, this kitchen’s older than I am. Nothing matches, there’s no extra space on the counter, there’s no dishwasher and there’s absolutely nothing special about it.”
She shook her head. “You’re wrong. It’s lived in. I can picture you here in the mornings drinking your coffee, thinking about the upcoming day. It doesn’t matter that nothing matches, all that matters is that it works.”
“Come here,” Midas ordered, holding out his hand. He needed to kiss her. Now.
She smiled slyly at him. “Why?”
He couldn’t help but grin. “Because I want to kiss you,” he admitted.
“Oh. Okay,” she said and started for him. When she got within reach, he pulled her into him, careful not to hurt her, and bent his head.
Then he kissed her as he’d been longing to all day.
Every minute he spent with this woman, she snuck deeper and deeper under his skin.
She had a way of looking at the world that he never would, if she wasn’t by his side.
She admired the kids in the ocean learning to surf, laughed at the antics of crabs in the sand, and watched with rapt admiration the dancers hired to entertain the crowds in the open-air mall.
She made everything seem new and shiny, while Midas was more often jaded and skeptical of the motives of the people around him.
She made him a better person, simply by being herself.
If he’d thought Lexie might let him be in charge of their kiss, he was wrong. She pulled on his hair and tilted her head to a better angle, pushing her tongue deeper into his mouth. Smiling, Midas let her do as she pleased. Her eagerness and enthusiasm turned him on even more.
But as much as he wanted to back Lexie into his room and strip her naked and make long, slow love to her, he didn’t want her to think that’s why he’d invited her to his house. He pulled back, and he loved the small smile on her face and the way she sighed against his lips.
“Thirsty?” he asked gently.
She nodded.
“Water? Lemonade? Coffee? Tea?”
“Water’s fine. Thanks.”
Midas kissed her on the forehead and headed for a cabinet. He got down a plastic cup, opened the freezer and put some ice cubes into it, then filled it from a container in the fridge. He walked back to her and she took it with a small smile.
“No bottled water?” she asked.
Midas shrugged. “It’s not good for the environment,” he told her.
Her smile widened. “No, it’s not.”
They stared at each other for a moment before Midas mentally shook himself. He was seconds away from hauling her into his bedroom after all, and he knew he needed to distract himself. “Come on, the kitchen and living area aren’t terribly exciting, but I know you’ll love my yard.”
He put his hand on her back and guided her to the sliding glass door that led outside. He opened it and waited with bated breath to see her reaction. This was his pride and joy, something he loved.
“Holy crap, Midas. This is…” Her voice trailed off as she gazed around the area.
The fruit trees were lined up near the fence and there was a small patch of grass in the middle of the area. They stood in the shade of the deck, and the breeze that constantly blew off the ocean felt cool against his face.
She walked across the yard to the trees and reached up to touch a mango.
Then she did the same to the guava tree.
She turned and studied the wooden deck he’d built, then walked back toward him.
Lexie put her cup down on the small table between the two deck chairs and gingerly lowered herself onto a cushion.
The chair reclined as she leaned back, and she smiled up at him.
Midas returned the grin and pushed the footstool closer so she could put her feet up.
She sighed in contentment. “Just so you know… I’m never leaving.”
He chuckled and sat on the other chair. He had four more chairs just like these in the second bedroom in his house, for when the rest of the team came over. But he supposed he needed to find a couple more since Elodie was now in the picture…and of course for Lexie.
“Seriously, this is…it’s better than Aleck’s balcony,” Lexie said.
Midas snorted. “Right.”
“It is,” she insisted. “I mean, I’ll admit that the double rainbow was pretty impressive, but this feels more intimate.
We’re right here next to the grass, I can hear the wind blowing through the trees, and if I get hungry, I can literally go and pick a fresh mango.
And this deck…it’s…” Her voice trailed off.
Midas looked over at her…and saw Lexie pressing her lips together as if trying to keep her composure. “Lex?” he asked in alarm.
She waved a hand. “I’m good,” she said in a wavering voice.
“It’s just that, whenever I’d dream about having a house of my own, this was the kind of yard I wanted.
Nothing huge, because it’s a pain in the ass to mow, but with trees, and a covered deck just like this one.
Somewhere I could relax without having to worry about the sun baking me, or a place I could bring a blanket out to a chair and simply enjoy the sounds of nature.
It’s perfect, Midas,” she said sincerely, turning her head to look at him.
He wanted to scoop her up and hold her, but Midas forced himself to stay still.
“Thanks. This is my favorite place in the world. After a hard mission, I’ll come home and sit out here for hours, grounding myself and getting my equilibrium back.
It’s private, so I don’t have to worry about anyone interrupting me, and even if it’s raining, I can still sit here and enjoy it. ”
Lexie nodded. “You’re lucky, Midas.”
He was. He knew that. Even more so to be sharing his space with her.
The rest of the afternoon went by way too quickly.
Midas and Lexie talked about everything from politics, to the pros and cons of tourists in Hawaii, to his job…
what he could tell her, at least. They talked about Food For All, and Midas learned that Lexie had gotten a couple more emails from Magnus Brander.
The man was taking more interest in Food For All and wanted to pick up where his brother had left off.