Page 63 of Sloane

I reached up and touched his face. “I love you, too. So, you better come back to me safe and sound.”

“I’ll do my best, sweetness.”

This time his kiss was all-consuming, and I wrapped my arms around his neck and clung to him for dear life.

I never wanted to let him go.

It was on the tip of my tongue to beg him again to run off with me to Mexico, but I knew that would be terribly selfish. I didn’t want him to feel conflicted between his sense of duty and his feelings for me.

Sloane was an honorable man, which was part of why I loved him. I needed to be strong when I watched him leave. At least until he was out of sight.

Breaking the kiss, he looked down at me and sighed.

“I gotta go, sweetness.”

“I know.”

Picking up his bag in his left hand, he stroked my hip bone with his right thumb.

“I love you.”

My eyes were rapidly filling with tears again, and I didn’t trust myself to speak, so I quickly nodded my head.

Thank God I was able to eek out, “I love you, too,” before he turned and walked away.

I got into my Camry, adjusted my seat and mirrors, then proceeded to sob until my ribs hurt.

****

Sloane

A unit of enlisted saluted as I passed by, and it was all I could do to muster the energy to return it. Every cell in my body urged me to turn around as I trudged up the airstairs to the plane that was taking me back to my mission.

Back to my mission and away from her.

As I strapped in, I allowed myself to feel the pain of leaving her, but once I was back on foreign soil, my head needed to be in the game.

I knew that was going to be easier said than done.

Chapter Nineteen

Sloane

I’d been back seventy-two hours and had briefed the men who had been selected for this mission. We were heading out the following morning, so after lunch, I was busy packing my gear. All the while, I planned in my head what I was going to write to Ashley in tonight’s final letter before I went dark for who knew how long. There were already two to her and one to Ryan in their addressed envelopes, ready to go with the next mail drop, but I wanted to get one more done before I left and basically went incommunicado.

I’d sappily poured my heart out in the one I wrote on the plane ride back. Told her how special she was to me, and that if I made it back to San Diego, I would love to see where things went between us.

But I’d been careful to emphasize if I came back and reiterated that she shouldn’t wait for me. I then wrote a letter to Ryan officially giving him custody of Tank if something happened to me. I also told him that he needed to make sure Ashley was taken care of financially, since he was listed as my life insurance and benefits beneficiary.

I trusted my friend would honor my wishes. And prayed it wouldn’t come to that. I finally had someone I wanted to grow old with.

****

Ashley

Thank goodness Monday had been a holiday because there’s no way I would have been able to go into work after leaving the base.

I was barely able to see through my tears to make it home.

---