Page 12 of Salvaging My Heart
Leif chuckled at that, bouncing Aaron a bit. “I wasn’t thinking twenty-questions but we could do that. I was more thinking you could tell me about yourself.”
He felt Aaron tense up a bit then relax. “Guess you’ve been away for a few years.”
“About twenty. I don’t remember you in school and we’re close in age?” Leif wasn’t positive on that but he thought Aaron was about thirty.
“I’m twenty-nine, will be thirty in March. I moved here about ten years ago when my grandfather started having problems. Everyone else in the family— my parents, my aunt, her husband, my cousins— wanted to put him in a nursing home and sell the house with everything in it. Gramps had Alzheimer’s. I’d just graduated from high school and didn’t want to go to college. So I packed up and moved in with Gramps. You may have seen him when you were in high school. He was the janitor there for years before he retired.” Aaron pointed to a picture on the fireplace mantel. It was of him standing arm and arm with an older gentleman.
“Maybe?” Leif said hesitantly. “I didn’t pay attention to much in high school except passing so I could graduate and enter the Navy. I had committed to enlist half way through senior year.”
“Well, it didn’t take long after he retired for him to ‘get forgetful’ or ‘misplace something’. When my dad got a call that his father was found wandering around the park in his bathrobe, things hit the fan. I fought with them all. Gramps was always there taking me fishing or helping me with a report for school. He would come and watch me play football, not that I was any good,” Aaron said with a hint of self-deprecation in his tone.
“I’m sure that wasn’t the case. You’re an amazing coach,” Leif argued with him, squeezing him tight for a minute.
“We’ll let that go. Anyway, I came down and moved in with Gramps. After about a month, my parents and aunt showed up with a lawyer in tow demanding that I stop ‘playing house’ taking care of Gramps. He’d been in his study and came into the living room where I was going toe-to-toe with my dad and told everyone to get out. When their lawyer started to argue, Gramps hit him in the chest with some papers. Seems when Gramps knew he wasn’t going to get any better, he had papers drawn up putting me in charge of all decisions for his care and belongings. Mom and Aunt Phyllis started to argue that I’d put him up to the papers. Their lawyer was shaking his head and then told them that the papers were completely legal and had been drawn up two years prior so there was no case for dismissal. It was dated my eighteenth birthday. He knew what would happen to him.” Aaron got quiet and just sat there for a minute lost in his memories.
“I haven’t seen them since his funeral. No surprise, he left everything to me. Deeded a dollar to everyone else so they couldn’t contest the will. Gramps was no idiot. So yeah, it’s just me here. I haven’t figured out if I’m a cat or dog person yet.” Aaron turned in Leif’s arms. “Enough talking,” he said before diving into Leif.
Things heated quickly. Leif wasn’t sure how he’d gotten there but next thing he knew Aaron was straddling his lap and Leif’s hands were grasping his ass, grinding him down and he pressed up. Shifting his weight, Leif rolled to his left placing Aaron on the couch so he could lay on top of him. Somehow, their kiss continued without breaking. Leif pulled back and started to kiss his way down Aaron’s chest, stopping to place random kisses. He slipped his hands under the hem of Aaron’s shirt and pushed it up, exposing his chest. As Leif watched, Aaron’s nipples tightened into little buds that demanded he give them a lick.
Aaron gasped and arched into Leif’s mouth, grabbing the longer hair on top of Leif’s head holding him to his chest.
“Shit,” Aaron murmured. He gripped tighter for a second then was pulling Leif up to kiss him again. Aaron wrapped his arms around Leif and shifted until he was on top again. Aaron reached for Leif’s belt, undoing it in seconds. As Leif watch him slide his hand into Leif’s boxers, a fraction of sanity returned to Leif and he grabbed Aaron’s hand.
“Wait.” It took him a beat or three before he could understand the thoughts going through his brain.
“Seriously?” Aaron asked. Leif looked up at him. His lips were swollen and his face was flushed red. He memorized how this man looked over him. He wanted to remember every detail.
“Just for a minute. I don’t want you to think I take this lightly. I really like you and I want to be as honest as I can. I’m still stationed in Virginia. I’m not sure how we could do a long-distance relationship but…” Leif trailed off, not sure how to finish his sentence.
A smile formed on Aaron’s lips before he leaned in and place a soft kiss against Leif’s lips.
“I love that you’re giving thought to more than a wham-bam with me. How things could work, I’m not sure either. I’ve felt a connection from the first minute you appeared above me growling protectively. I couldn’t decide if I was dreaming or if I’d died and gone to Valhalla. You looked like your ancestors from old. A Viking out for blood thinking I’d done something to Nick,” Aaron said before lying down with his head against Leif’s shoulder. “Maybe we slow things down here a bit and see what comes up?”
Leif started shaking as he tried to control his laughter. Aaron’s body started shaking too. A second later, they were both laughing.
“Come up,” Leif stuttered up. Aaron slapped his chest.
“Enough. Focus,” he whispered as he brought his forehead to Leif’s. “Just focus on me.”
CHAPTER TWELVE
As Leif walked back into the house a few days later after bringing Nick to school, his phone rang. One look at the number and his posture changed as he answered. “Chief Hansen.”
“Chief Hansen, I think I’ve got things all lined up for you,” Commander Palway began. “I need you to go over to the SLC and speak with Lieutenant Commander Braxton. Command wants to sit and chat with you before orders are approved. They normally don’t have a master diver in the cadre but they like the idea.”
Leif pulled his phone away from his ear and looked at the screen. Yup, he was talking to Palway but he had no idea what the man was talking about. He threw his keys on the table next to the door and walked into the kitchen where he’d left his laptop and tablet. He pulled the tablet and stylist over and opened a new note.
“Okay, sir, I’ve got my tablet in front of me now. You need me to go and speak with this lieutenant commander regarding what exactly? Am I doing recon on a new mission for the team? What do they need salvaged? Are we raising or demoing?” Leif put his phone on speaker and got ready to take notes.
Palway’s laughter came over the speaker making Leif frown. He didn’t think he’d said anything funny. Running through what he said confirmed he hadn’t made a joke. The commander didn’t laugh for long. He cleared his throat and started speaking.
“I told you that I would reach out to a few people, and I did. Yes, it’s not the normal channels to figure out your next duty assignment but…” he paused then continued. “It seems that they’re looking at changing some of the protocols at the Submarine Learning Center in Groton. Need to add a few chiefs that are qualified divers to the cadre. I thought I had read somewhere about it and reached out to the executive officer. He was quite impressed when I told him your qualifications. They’re not completely sold that a master diver won’t be bored at the SLC.”
Listening to his commander, Leif could feel a smile break across his face. Maybe he had a chance to have his cake and eat it too. Stay in the Navy and live near his family? Possibly have a meaningful relationship with Aaron? Yes, please. Where did he sign up?
“Should I call ahead and schedule an appointment? Do I need my service uniform? I only have my utilities with me.” Christ, he hoped that would be okay.
“There’s an email in your inbox with all the details. I explained your situation to the XO. He said for you to come by this afternoon to talk with him and the executive director. We really don’t want to lose you to the civilian world just yet, Chief. The Navy has invested a lot of time and energy into your education. I think you’ll make a great addition to their cadre,” Palway told him.
