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“Right. Food snob.”
Aaron grins at me, then returns his attention to the roasted potatoes. Maybe I can do this. Clearing my throat again, I ask, “Do you want to snob the fish up before I cook it?”
Now he rolls his eyes. “I’ll handle the fish. You can set the table.”
The so-called table consists of the small wooden stand I used last night, which will be pulled between the bed and the rocking chair. I grab two enamel camping plates from the shelves next to the stove and remove two forks from their mason jar holder.
Aaron soon serves up the meal, and we eat, serenaded by the ongoing thunderstorm. Once we’re both finished, the cabin goes quiet except for the rain. With the storm raging on and the sun setting, it’s clear we’ll both be staying the night.
The thought shouldn’t scare me. Aaron and I have had to share sleeping quarters more times than I can count. The air has just never been charged like this before. When the silence between us grows louder than the storm, I ask, “Aaron, if you don’t hate me, why did you ask to be reassigned?”
He shrugs. “My answer doesn’t seem to make sense to anyone but me. I was afraid that making a move on my partner would cause static in the ranks. I didn’t want that for you or me. Maybe it’s just the Marine regs still too ingrained in my head, but I needed to remove that barrier before I could even talk to you about all this.”
All this… murder, betrayal, unrequited–ahem, unrecognized love. Love that I’m no longer sure that I’d be capable of reciprocating. Still, his answer is somewhat of a relief, bringing me to my next question, which has been haunting my dreams. “Aaron, what does Mein Engel mean?”
His face grows tight, and his lips pinch together. “It means… my angel.”
I nod, having expected the meaning to be something like that since that night in the cave. Aaron pulls the little table out of the way and stands up from the rocking chair. After crossing the short distance, he pulls me to my feet and looks into my eyes. “I’ve always treasured you as a friend and then as so much more. Nothing Maxen said or did will ever change that.”
“But–”
Before another word leaves my mouth, Aaron hooks a hand around my neck and pulls my mouth to his.
Time slows to a crawl. Memories of so many moments with Aaron over the years now seem different. Something more.
His kiss feels like coming home. I can’t explain it, but my whole world suddenly feels right, like I’m no longer listing, in danger of tipping over. I pull away, stunned by the sudden and unexpected longing that grips my chest.
I stare into Aaron’s warm eyes, trying to make sense of this sudden depth of feeling. Just as quickly, I decide that I don’t care about the where, what, or how. This is right. So unexpected but so right.
I breathe his name, and my hands slide up his chest as I return my lips to his. Careful of my still-healing injuries, Aaron squeezes me to his chest and brushes his lips tenderly over mine.
I sink into his embrace, and Aaron lifts his mouth from mine to press a kiss to my temple. “I’ve got you, Mein Engel.”
Aaron
Glowing embers in the ancient stove provide the only light in the room. The tiny sliver of moon hides behind thick clouds, and the lanterns were extinguished hours ago.
Last night’s storm has calmed to a steady rain, which pounds against the tin roof, trapping me in this small hunting cabin. I don’t mind. There’s nowhere else I’d rather be.
Sadie sits across my lap on the oversized rocking recliner. She’s asleep against my chest, covered by the quilt from the bed. I’m wide awake at what I’m guessing to be around five. Again, I don’t mind. The woman I’ve loved for more than a decade is in my arms. Last night, when I kissed her, she didn’t pull away. I surprised her. That much was obvious.
But then, she kissed me, surprising herself.
The moment she pulled back, her brow tightened. She searched my eyes, looking for answers. “Why?”
Sighing, I decided it was time to tell her the truth. I took a chance and pulled her with me to this chair and into my lap. “Brittany didn’t like that we were going to be stationed together. I don’t know if she saw you as a threat or if she already knew what I didn’t.”
“Knew?”
“I was in love with you back then, Sadie.”
She grimaced, and her face fell. Forcing her chin back up, I shifted my hand to cup her cheek. “Hey, you did nothing wrong.”
I swallowed my pride and told her everything, all the way up to my request to be reassigned. Sadie listened, withholding judgment while gradually surrendering as I drew her against me.
By the end, Sadie’s body relaxed into mine, but the tightness around her eyes remained. She had questions, I know, but she didn’t ask them. She sat with me in front of the fire, listening to the storm rage outside and dealt with the storm raging in her mind. At some point, the thunder and lightning calmed to a steady rain, and we fell asleep.
Sadie shifts in my lap and wakes, realizing she’s not in a bed. Her eyes find mine, and in them, I read concern... and regret. Whether it’s regret for whatever she believes she’s owed blame or because she kissed me, I don’t know.