Chapter 13 #2
Midas grinned. He knew what his friends meant.
He’d felt much the same way before he’d met Lexie.
He liked living alone and couldn’t imagine having someone in his space all the time, for the rest of his life.
But now he looked forward to the end of the day because it meant he’d get to see Lex.
Yes, the sex was amazing. The best he’d ever had.
And yes, sexual compatibility was important in a healthy relationship.
But he looked forward to sitting on his back porch and talking about their day.
To laughing in the kitchen. To holding her hand when they drove.
Like Mustang, he could picture himself with her when they were old and gray, still laughing and enjoying each other’s company.
“Oh shit, now he’s gone quiet,” Aleck muttered.
“Probably thinking about all the sex he’s gonna get that we aren’t,” Jag added.
He hadn’t been, but now that they mentioned it… Midas couldn’t help but recall how amazing Lexie had felt that morning. Yes, he was a lucky man, and he knew it.
“Enough sex talk,” Slate said. “Some of us aren’t getting any, and these ten miles aren’t going to run themselves.”
“Why are you so damn impatient, man?” Jag bitched with a shake of his head. “Seriously, haven’t you heard the best things in life come to those who wait?”
“Not for me. If I have to wait too long for something, it’s usually disappointing,” Slate retorted. “Come on, slackers. Let’s get this done.” Then he took off running at a fast clip.
Because they were all super competitive, the rest of the team took off after him in a flash.
Later that day, Midas pulled up in front of Lexie’s apartment. The afternoon had been long and stressful, and he couldn’t think of anything better than seeing and spending time with his woman. She always made him feel better.
He’d called her when he’d gotten close to her building, and she said she’d be waiting for him.
The moment he pulled up, she exited the doors and headed for his car.
He started to get out to open her door, but she beat him to it.
She sat, and the smile on her face made him feel one hundred percent better.
“Hi!” she said cheerfully as she leaned toward him.
Kissing her was second nature now, and Midas eagerly accepted her invitation. He shoved his hand into her hair and pulled her across the console, kissing her almost desperately. When he pulled back, some of the brightness had bled from her eyes.
“Are you all right?”
Shit. He hadn’t meant to worry her. “I’m good. Long day,” he said. “But seeing you makes it much better.”
“Same,” she agreed. “Not that I had a bad day, but seeing you…”
He smiled, ran his thumb across her bottom lip, then reluctantly let her go. “I thought we could pick something up on the way home. Are you hungry?”
“I could eat,” she said.
“Good.”
The trip back to his house went by relatively quick, as they lucked out and there weren’t any traffic jams on the interstate. Lexie called ahead to Dixie Grill and ordered some barbeque to go. Midas’s stomach growled as the delicious smell of the food filled the car as they headed home.
They worked in his kitchen as if they’d been together for years.
Lexie got plates and cutlery while Midas grabbed some drinks for them both.
Without having to discuss it, they walked out to his deck with their food.
They made small talk while they ate and, after they were finished, Lexie put their plates on a small table to bring inside later, before straddling his lap.
They’d made love this way once, and Midas knew he’d never be able to sit out here and not think about how sexy she’d looked as she rode him, but for the moment, she was obviously feeling more cuddly than sexy.
She put her head on his chest and he wrapped his arms around her, holding her securely against him.
“Wanna talk about it?” she asked quietly.
Yeah, she knew he wasn’t his usual self, even though he’d done his best to keep his worries hidden. Midas didn’t even consider not talking to her.
“Looks like we’ll be heading out in a couple days. I can’t say where we’re going or how long we’ll be gone.”
“Okay.”
Midas blinked at her simple response. “Okay?” he asked.
Lexie lifted her head. “Yes.”
He frowned. “I thought you’d have questions. Or that you’d have more of a response than merely ‘okay.’”
“I have questions,” Lexie said. “But I know you can’t answer them.
So there’s no point in asking and stressing us both out.
Midas, I know what you do. Do I like not knowing where you’ll be or when you’ll be back?
No. Can I do anything about it? Also no.
I have to believe that you’ll be careful, and that you’ll come back to me safe and sound.
You’ve got your friends with you, and I’ve seen you all in action firsthand.
So instead of peppering you with pointless questions and stressing us both out, I’m choosing to be chill about this. ”
“Are you chill about this?” Midas asked.
Lexie lay back down against him. “No,” she said quietly.
Midas ran his hand over the back of her head gently.
“And that’s why I’m in the mood I’m in,” he admitted.
“I never thought twice about leaving before. It was my job. It was just what I did. In fact, I looked forward to missions. But now it feels different. As if there’s more at stake.
I guess that’s what happens when you love someone. ”
The words had escaped without thought.
Midas tensed. Shit. Had he fucked up?
Lexie sat up again. She stared at him for a long moment. Just when he began to panic and was trying to think of a way he could backpedal and keep her from freaking out, she smiled.
“I love you too,” she admitted softly.
Midas let his breath out with a long whoosh. “Thank fuck,” he muttered.
Lexie chuckled and lay back down.
“Were you seriously worried?” she asked.
Midas shrugged. “I mean, if you weren’t ready to hear that from me, it might not have been good. Especially since I’m about to leave for a while.”
“I’d be stupid not to love you,” Lexie said.
“And seriously, what’s not to love? You’re amazing in bed, you make sure I orgasm every time, you have a kick-ass body, you bring me my sweet coffee, you drive me everywhere, and you’ve been to all the tourist traps this island has to offer simply because I wanted to go. ”
“Don’t forget that I put that hula dancer thing on my dashboard,” Midas teased.
“Yup. That too. But seriously, I’ve been on my own for a long time.
I’ve dated in the past. I’ve seen examples of relationships that I don’t want to be in, and I’ve seen other couples who’ve been together for years and years.
I know when I’ve got something good, and you, Pierce Cagle, are the best of the best.”
“I’m just a man,” he countered.
“Yes, you are,” she agreed. “My man.”
He grinned. “Yup.”
The angst that Midas had felt all day since learning they would be deployed soon drained out of him as he lay there with Lexie in his arms. After a while, he said, “You’ll be careful while I’m gone, right?”
“Yes,” she said immediately.
“I’ll leave my car for you to use while I’m away.”
She shook her head. “No need. Ashlyn said she’d take me anywhere I needed to go.”
“You talked about this with Ashlyn?”
“Well, not specifically. I mean, I didn’t know you’d be leaving so soon, but we talked about the fact that you’d be deployed at some point, and she offered. Of course, she assumes you’ll be gone for six months or more, since she doesn’t know you’re a SEAL.”
“You didn’t tell her?”
“Am I allowed to?” she countered.
“It’s not something we advertise, but it’s also not top secret either,” Midas said. “If you trust her, and it’s obvious you do, then you can tell her.”
“Okay.”
“But still, I can leave you my car.”
“Nope. With my luck, I’ll crash it. Besides, I don’t have that big of an interest in doing anything touristy if you aren’t here to go with me.”
“I’m sure Elodie will want to hang out when we leave.”
“I’d already planned to call her. I’m thinking maybe I need a girls’ night with her and Ashlyn.”
“El would like that, I’m sure.”
“Midas?”
“Yeah, love?”
She didn’t say anything for a long moment.
“Lexie? You wanted to ask me something.”
“Sorry, yeah. I was just enjoying you calling me ‘love’ for a second.”
Midas grinned, knowing he’d call her that as often as possible now.
“I just wanted you to know I’m happy. For so long, I was just going through the motions of life. Traveling from one country to another, searching for something that would truly fulfill me. I’m not saying that I need a man to feel as if my life is complete, but I sure am glad I met you.”
Her words meant the world to him. He liked that Lexie was independent. That she wasn’t afraid to try new things. But he was fucking thrilled that he was important to her.
“Same,” he said, kissing the top of her head.
They sat on his deck for a long while after that.
Talking about how work had been at Food For All and what she had coming up.
He told her about his day, how Pid had tripped over his own feet on their run that morning and scraped the shit out of his knees.
The man was a deadly SEAL, but clumsy as hell, which was fucking hilarious.
Eventually, as it always seemed to, their platonic embrace began to change.
Lexie’s hands began to roam, sliding under his shirt and stroking his abs.
She played with the hair at his nape, as he did the same to her.
When she sat up and repositioned herself so she was right over his cock, he grinned.
“You trying to tell me something, love?”
She shrugged, but was grinning as she said, “I just think that since this is such a momentous occasion and all, you know, saying the L word to each other for the first time, that maybe we could celebrate.”
“What’d you have in mind? I might have a bottle of champagne in the back of my pantry.”
“Hmmm, I was thinking that we both need a shower after our long, hard days of work.”
“Yeah?” Midas asked, his cock growing at the thought of a naked and soapy Lexie in his shower.
“Yup. I mean, obviously we don’t smell like we did when we were in Somalia in that hole, but you know…we’re not exactly clean right now.”
“You’re right. I know how much you like being clean.
” And he did. That wasn’t an exaggeration.
Ever since she’d spent three months in the desert without a shower, she liked to shower both in the morning and the evenings.
Which he had absolutely no problem with because he got to see her naked and wet twice each day, rather than just once.
“I do,” she agreed. “So?”
Midas was more than ready to do whatever his woman wanted when it came to sex, but first he needed to say something.
He sat up, putting one hand on the small of Lexie’s back to make sure she didn’t fall backward.
With the other, he palmed her cheek, gazing into her beautiful hazel eyes, which seemed more green than usual.
“I love you, Lexie Greene. I admire your strength and your bravery. I love how you don’t hesitate to help others without a thought to your own safety.
That also freaks me out, but I still love that about you.
You are literally the nicest person I’ve ever met, and yes, that’s a compliment.
I have no idea why you’re with me, but I will never take you for granted. ”
Her eyes filled with tears as she said, “Midas.”
“Don’t cry. You shouldn’t ever cry when someone is complimenting you. Say thank you.”
“Thank you,” she whispered.
“Good. Now, you wanna fuck or what?”
Lexie laughed, which was his goal. He didn’t like it when she cried, even when they were happy tears.
“I love you,” she told him.
And damn if those words didn’t feel good. Midas vowed to tell her he loved her every day. He didn’t want her to ever doubt his feelings.
He stood then, holding his woman to his chest as he did. She giggled as he headed for the door.
“The dishes,” she reminded him.
“We’ll get them in the morning,” he said. They had more important things to do. Like she said, they needed to celebrate the first day of the rest of their lives.