Chapter 13
Lexie waved to Midas as he pulled away from the curb outside Food For All.
The last week had been amazing. She had to pinch herself to make sure this really was her life.
For so long, she’d been completely alone, and now, she not only had a very attentive boyfriend, but she was quickly making close friends.
If she wasn’t working, she was with Midas.
If she wasn’t with Midas, she was chatting on the phone with Elodie.
And she’d also become closer with Ashlyn from work.
Since she spent so much time with her during the day, it was only natural that they get to know each other.
They’d been out to lunch a few times and even texted fairly regular.
It was safe to say Lexie was thrilled with her job in Hawaii, and she couldn’t imagine being anywhere else. For the first time in her life, she felt as if she’d found her “tribe.”
She’d spent every night with Midas since they’d moved their relationship to the next level. Some nights he picked her up after work and brought her back to his house. They talked about their day, laughed, made dinner together, then spent the evenings learning more about each other…in bed and out.
Other times he met her at her apartment, where they did the same.
Lexie had to admit that she much preferred to stay over at his house, as it was bigger and just had a more relaxed vibe than her place.
But the fact that Midas was willing to go out of his way to come into town to see her meant the world.
And every morning, he dropped her off at Food For All bright and early, so she could start getting things ready for the day. A few of the part-time employees joined her soon after, but that thirty minutes or so when she was alone was a great time for her to reflect on how lucky she was.
Theo was usually waiting near the building when she arrived, but he never tried to come in when she did. Most of the time he ignored her…knowing that he wouldn’t be allowed inside until other employees arrived.
The last few days, Midas had come back to the building after he’d dropped her off, bringing her a large coffee from a chain place, made exactly how she liked it.
He didn’t have to do that, and Lexie told him each time; the coffee she made at work was fine.
But he insisted that he enjoyed spoiling her.
Lexie wanted to do the same for him. Midas worked hard.
He and his team were constantly training for whatever evils the world might throw at them.
After he dropped her off at work, he went straight to the base to meet up with the rest of the guys and work out.
Then he had meetings during the day, and of course training.
He’d admitted there was a possibility he and the team might be deployed soon, which scared Lexie to death, but she knew better than most how important his job was. So while she’d worry about him when he was gone, she had to believe that he’d be back safe and sound after the mission was completed.
Lexie moved through the main room of the building, turning on lights, picking up the odd piece of trash left behind from the night before and straightening chairs.
She headed into the kitchen to plug in the coffee machines and get out the finger foods for breakfast. They didn’t have a lot of people coming by so early, other than Theo, but they always made sure they had toast, fruit, and coffee for those who did.
Ten minutes after she’d arrived, Lexie heard the front door open and headed down the short hallway to make sure it was one of the other employees. It was. She greeted Stephen, then said hello to Theo, who entered behind him, but he didn’t return her greeting, simply went to his chair and sat down.
Five minutes after that, Lexie heard the front door open once more. Smiling, she turned toward the door that led into the kitchen and waited for Midas to appear.
He came in with a cup of sweet coffee in his hand, and she caught her breath at the sight of him. Yes, she’d already seen him this morning, and he’d taken her hard and fast from behind while she’d been standing at the sink in his bathroom, but it took her breath away every time she saw him.
He wore a pair of black shorts and a navy-blue T-shirt with a gold eagle on the left chest. It was the official “uniform” the Navy used for physical training. His thighs rippled as he walked toward her, and it was all Lexie could do to get her mind out of the gutter.
“Thanks,” she said as he got close. “Seriously, you don’t have to keep getting me coffee. I know it’s expensive. And a pain in the ass to drop me off, go pick it up, then come back.”
“It’s fine,” Midas said. “I don’t mind in the least. It gives me an excuse to come back and see you once more before I start my day.”
Gah. He was amazing.
“Well, it’s appreciated. Maybe I’ll show you how much tonight.”
“Maybe I’ll let you,” Midas drawled.
He pulled her close and they stood together in an embrace for a long moment.
“You coming to my place tonight or am I coming to you?” Midas asked.
Lexie looked up at him. “I know my living here is way out of your way,” she told him. The fact that she didn’t have a car, and he didn’t really like her taking the bus all the way out to where he lived, meant he was always driving back and forth.
“It wouldn’t matter if you lived up on the North Shore, I’d still find a way to spend as much time as possible with you.”
“You’re too good to me,” she said.
“Nope. It’s called being in a relationship. And it’s really not a hardship,” Midas told her. “There will be plenty of times when we can’t be together, and I want to take advantage of the time we’ve got, when we’ve got it.”
Lexie knew he was talking about when he was sent on a mission. They’d talked about it a little, and she’d done her best to reassure him that she was all right with what he did for a living. In fact, she was extremely proud of him, despite knowing he put himself in harm’s way to help others.
“Your place?” she asked with a scrunch of her nose.
He smiled. “You got it. I think we’re working later tonight, so I won’t be able to pick you up here.”
“It’s okay,” Lexie said. “I’ll walk home. You can call when you get close, and I’ll come down and meet you so you don’t have to worry about parking in the garage and coming up.”
“Be careful,” Midas warned.
“I will. Pika or Jack will walk me home if I ask them to. Or one of the part-time guys can do it.”
“Don’t want anything happening to my girl,” Midas said.
“I’ve been on my own for a long time and lived in much more dangerous places than here,” Lexie reminded him.
“But I didn’t know you then,” Midas returned. He leaned down and kissed her briefly, running a hand over her head gently. “Have a good day,” he said.
“You too,” Lexie replied.
“See you tonight.”
“See you.”
Lexie sipped her coffee as she watched Midas walk out of the kitchen. She listened as the door shut at the front of the building, sighing with contentment. Then she turned and got to work.
“Looks like someone had a good night,” Aleck commented as the team stretched before heading out on a long run.
Midas merely grinned.
“Seriously, between you and Mustang, you’re giving the rest of us a complex,” Slate grumbled.
“Hey, all you gotta do is find yourself a woman,” Mustang said.
“Right, easier said than done,” Jag complained. “It’s crazy that after all the missions we’ve been on, the two of you hooked up with chicks you met while on missions,” Pid threw in.
“First, I’m not sure you can call it hooking up,” Mustang said. “A hookup is more of a one-night stand kind of thing. And Elodie was never that, not even from the start.”
“Same with Lex,” Midas threw in.
“Not sure how you knew the difference. I mean, what made them different from all the other women we’ve rescued over the years?” Aleck asked seriously.
Midas shared a look with Mustang. Then he said, “I’m not sure I can explain it.
For me, maybe it’s because I knew her when we were in high school.
Though, I don’t want to have a relationship with any other girls I knew back then.
I think it was a combination between her bravery and her strength that first drew me to her.
And of course, spending hours getting to know her when we were in hiding didn’t hurt either. ”
Mustang nodded. “It was similar for me and Elodie. And I can’t deny the mystery behind why she was using a fake name was a draw. I wanted to know why, wanted to fix whatever her problem was.”
“So it’s a damsel-in-distress thing?” Jag asked.
“No,” Midas and Mustang said at the same time.
Midas smiled at his friend. “We’ve saved women in the past, and I hadn’t felt a draw toward any of them.
Not like I do toward Lexie. Maybe it’s chemistry.
Maybe it’s a higher power intervening. I don’t know.
But I’m not questioning it. All I know is when I’m with her, I don’t constantly think about work, or some of the shit we’ve seen.
She makes me believe for the first time that maybe I can have a relationship like my parents have. ”
“Same,” Mustang said. “My mom and dad don’t have the most conventional marriage, they fought a lot when I was growing up.
But they never went to bed mad and I always knew their love was unbreakable.
When I met Elodie, something told me she’d be worth fighting for.
I can see us being together for the next fifty years.
And instead of freaking out at the idea, it calms me. ”
Slate scoffed.
“What? You don’t want to find someone to be with for the rest of your life?” Mustang asked.
“It’s not that. I mean, I love Elodie, and Lexie seems cool. It’s just not that easy to find someone who can put up with what we do,” Slate said.
“Not to mention, someone who isn’t annoying,” Pid added.
Mustang picked up a stick and threw it at their teammate.
“Kidding!” Pid said, holding up his hands.