Chapter 5
Chapter Five
Jane looked down at her phone and smiled at the text she’d just received from Storm. It had been two weeks since their first date, and they’d only managed to get together one other time since then, but they’d talked via text and phone every day.
Storm: I’ve got twenty minutes before I have to head into my next meeting…any chance you can find some mail of mine and bring it up to my office? :)
Things had been hectic for them both, her because of the increased safety measures of examining every piece of incoming mail and still getting caught up from the bombing incident, and Storm because one of his teams was on a mission and he’d been working overtime to make sure they were safe and had every piece of available information while they were gone.
They’d both been free one day around lunch and had gone to the base cafeteria together for their second date.
It hadn’t been as satisfying as being able to completely relax as they’d done in his townhouse, but she still loved seeing Storm in business mode.
Seeing him in his blue BDUs did something for her.
He was handsome and demanded respect from everyone around him.
About ten years ago, she probably would’ve been ashamed to be seen with him—after all, she was merely a contract worker—but now she was older and wiser, and Jane was proud to be with him.
She grabbed a stack of letters and inter-base envelopes addressed to him and told her employees that she’d be gone a while.
Everyone in the mail room seemed to have gotten closer after the bomb incident.
They all knew it could’ve been any of them who’d gotten the tear gas in their faces, and they all seemed to be looking out for each other a little closer as the days went by.
NCIS had been in to interview everyone in the mail room, but Jane hadn’t heard anything about them being any closer to finding the person who’d sent the bomb.
Putting thoughts of that out of her head, she climbed the stairs to the top floor where Storm’s office was located.
She greeted the few people she passed with a friendly smile and felt butterflies in her belly at the thought of seeing Storm again.
It was silly, but she couldn’t help it. He’d exceeded her expectations and daydreams tenfold.
She never thought he’d be as attentive as he was… even when they didn’t see each other.
But letting her know that he wouldn’t mind seeing her when he had a quick break meant the world to her.
Her ex always made her feel as if she was being silly when she’d lamented the fact she didn’t get to see him much, so Storm inviting her up when he had twenty minutes to spare made her very happy.
She entered his outer office and smiled at his administrative assistant. “Hi,” she said cheerily.
“Hey, Jane. Thank God you’re here. He’s been in a hell of a mood. I know seeing you will make him a bit less of a grump.”
Jane laughed. “I’ll do my best, but no promises.
” She was relieved his right-hand man didn’t seem to have any issues with them seeing each other.
Apparently, Storm had come right out and admitted to his admin that they were dating, and that she was welcome in his office any time he wasn’t in a meeting.
It felt good not to be a naughty little secret.
Jane walked over to Storm’s office door and knocked softly. She pushed it open a crack and said, “Storm?”
“Come in,” he called out.
Jane entered the room, shutting the door behind her. “Hey,” she said almost shyly when she was in front of his desk.
“Come here,” Storm said, holding out an arm.
Jane walked around his desk to his side, not knowing exactly what to expect, and put the mail she’d brought for him on his desk.
When she was by his side, Storm reached up and put a hand behind her neck. He gently urged her to bend, and when she did, he kissed her lightly on the lips.
It was just a peck, but the jolt that went through her body was immediate and made goose bumps break out on her arms. It was their first kiss, and while it wasn’t exactly intimate, it was still shocking in its intensity.
“Shit, sorry,” Storm said, letting go of her neck and rubbing a hand over his face. “I didn’t mean to overstep.”
“It’s…it’s fine,” Jane reassured him. She took a longer look at him and realized that he looked very stressed out. He was frowning and had deep lines on his forehead. Without thought, she pushed some papers out of her way and sat on his desk next to him. “Are you all right?” she asked quietly.
Storm sighed. “I’m tired,” he admitted.
“Your team?” she asked.
“They’re okay. They ran into some problems, but they’re all alive and relatively unscathed. They’ll be home within twenty-four hours. Thank God.”
“Good,” Jane said. She reached out and took one of his hands in hers. She rested his palm on her thigh and ran her thumb over the back of his hand.
“Damn, it’s good to see you,” Storm said, scooting his chair to the side, then forward, resting his free arm on his desk next to her hip.
Jane could feel the heat from his body against her own, and while she was sitting higher than he was, looking down at him, she still felt surrounded by him.
“When your team gets home…will you have time to come over for dinner?” she asked.
“I mean, I suck at cooking, but that doesn’t mean that I can’t order a kick-ass dinner from one of my favorite restaurants. ”
He looked up at her. “I’d like that a lot,” he said.
“Good.”
“I’m sorry I haven’t been around much,” he told her.
Jane shook her head. “Don’t. I knew what I was getting into when I agreed to go out with you.
Hell, you all but spelled it out when I was at your house.
I like who you are, Storm. I like that you’re worried about your men.
I admire you. The fact that you’ve been taking the time out of your very busy schedule to text me, to call, to let me know you’re thinking about me even if you don’t have time to see me, means everything. ”
“You deserve better,” he said softly.
“Than what? A man who texts me just to let me know he misses me? Someone who leaves me a long voice message because he randomly thought about the part in our favorite movie where Andy tells Red that hope is a good thing, the best of things, and no good thing ever dies…and that he hopes our relationship works out because he can’t stop thinking about me?
Lord, Storm, you’ve been more attentive to me in the last two weeks, without seeing me, than any other man has been in person. You have nothing to apologize for.”
Storm squeezed the hand that was lying on her thigh and curled the other around her ass. Then he surprised her by leaning over and resting his forehead against her knee. Jane brought a hand up to run her fingers through his hair.
How long they sat like that she wasn’t sure, but she felt more connected to Storm than she’d ever felt with another man.
Ever. It should’ve scared her. Hell, they hadn’t even really kissed or spent much time together, but he’d shown by his actions that he wasn’t like the boys she’d dated in the past. He was a grown-ass man, an honorable one.
One she was desperate to get to know intimately.
They both heard Storm’s administrative assistant greeting someone out in the other room at the same time.
Storm’s head came up, and he squeezed her hand one last time.
Jane saw the mask fall over his features.
Right in front of her eyes, he changed from the tired man to the ever-so-competent and in-control admiral.
When someone knocked on the door, Jane stood up and faced the door.
“Come in,” Storm called.
Rear Admiral Dag Creasy appeared in the doorway.
“Dag,” Storm said with a smile. “Good to see you.”
“Same,” the other man said, returning his smile.
Jane started to slide sideways to get out of their hair, but the rear admiral gestured for her to stay. “Don’t go, Jane. I didn’t mean to interrupt.”
“But you did,” Storm told his friend in mock irritation. “So get on with it so I can get back to some quiet time with my girl before the shit hits the fan again.”
Dag didn’t take offense. He merely smiled and sat in one of the chairs in front of Storm’s desk.
Jane wasn’t sure what to do. Should she stay where she was? Go sit in the other chair? Leave? She’d always liked the rear admiral, but she didn’t really know him and wasn’t sure what the protocol was in an instance like this.
“Heard anything from NCIS about the person who mailed that bomb to you?” Storm asked as he reached out and pulled Jane closer to him.
She stumbled slightly, but ended up resting on the arm of his chair.
Storm’s arm went around her waist to steady her, and she barely breathed as she sat perched next to him.
“That’s why I’m here,” Dag said, leaning back, not seeming at all surprised or irritated that she was practically sitting in Storm’s lap. “I was sent the preliminary report today, and I wanted to talk to you about it.”
“I should go,” Jane said again.
“Stay,” Dag ordered. “This concerns you as much as anyone else. After all, you were the one who bore the brunt of the asshole’s anger. It’s only fair.”
“What’d they find out?” Storm asked.
Jane had to admit she was curious, so she stayed where she was and listened with rapt attention.
“There was a note inside the box that was recovered and pieced back together. The person who wrote it obviously isn’t happy with me.
They rambled on and on about what a shit officer I am and how I’m unfit to be in charge of anyone.
The person said that I held grudges and punished sailors unfairly.
NCIS believes it was sent by someone who was court-martialed while under my command. ”
“That should narrow things down considerably,” Storm said. “That’s good, isn’t it?”