Duty: A Secret Baby Romance (24 page)

“
F
ive years
. Hard to believe that you've been an officer for five years,” Pete says, toasting me with the half-sized can of beer that we've snuck into the parade stands. It was a lucky break when he found out that he was being posted to USMA as an instructor in the Department of Physical Education, and to be honest, he deserves it. With him being on leave before taking his position at the Academy and me on change of command leave, it was the perfect time for us to come down and visit my Alma Mater.

“Not quite five yet, Pete. Four years and ten months. Just seems longer,” I tell him, leaning back and resting my shoulders on the warm aluminum of the parade viewing stands. “So are you going to miss the regular uniform for a couple of years?”

“Me?” Pete asks, laughing. “Hell no. Although I do wish they'd have updated that ugly ass instructor's uniform. That gray polo shirt and those shorts straight from the fucking seventies. I feel like my balls are hanging out the bottom when I try them on. Still, better than ACUs all the time.”

I nod, watching as first and second regiments go through their parade practice. Spring parade season is starting up soon, and the cadets are in the cool sunshine under arms, their rifles on their shoulders and their tar bucket hats all resting uncomfortably on their heads. “Hey, there go the Devils.”

“Yep. I wonder if we ever looked that young and intense,” Pete asks, and I wonder as well. A hundred faces, all with that mix of stress, hope, boredom, fear, and dedication that I suspect was on my face during my four years. I wonder how long it took for it to come off my face. “Jesus, so many of them look like they've got a stick up their ass.”

“Just remember that next year when you're teaching boxing,” I remind him. “Lesson one, pull the stick out of your ass.”

Pete laughs, nodding. “Yeah, that'll never happen. So . . . four years, ten months. Army's going to be looking for an answer pretty soon.”

I nod, humming. “They will be. Actually, my battalion commander's asking for an answer when I get back to Drum.”

Pete raises an eyebrow, then chuckles. “I guess being high speed like you and having that Silver Star in your record gives you a little bit of leeway. My battalion commander wanted my damn answer with six months left on my five. Of course, I'm MP, not Infantry. Infantry always needs good officers.”

“So why'd you stay?” I ask Pete, curious. It wasn't the only reason I came down here, but I have wanted to ask him this for a while. “I mean, your wife and kids have to hate your time away from home as much as mine.”

“I don't know. I guess the Army is just where I fit in. Dana doesn't quite understand, but she's willing to put up with it. Lindsey at least understands the uniform firsthand,” Pete reminds me. “Where is she, anyway, and how's she doing?”

“You can ask her tonight. She already insisted that we take you and your family out for dinner. Tonight or tomorrow, your pick. But she's doing well. She's a GS-9 now, and last year, she cleared more on taxes than I did. Colonel Kierney hooked her up with the right people. As for where she is, she's taking Lance and Cassie around a little, showing them some of her old stomping grounds before they . . . there they are now,” I say, pointing across the parade ground, where I see them near the MacArthur monument. “You wanna say hi now?”

“I'll save the catch up for tonight. I'll talk with Dana and give you a call. Nothing big though, man. I know you. You're going to insist on paying, so I'm calling it now, King's Garden delivery,” Pete says, offering his hand. “I'm gonna go find Dana, and we can hook it up later.”

We shake and get up, walking down the bleachers to the grass, splitting at the bottom. It's hard as I walk across the grass around the edge of the ground not to fall into the old marching steps punctuated by the big bass drum that the Corps uses to measure out the parade beat, the familiar 'boom . . . boom . . . boom-boom-boom . . .' that was a big part of my life for four years.

I come around, and Lindsey sees me, waving. I wave back, giving my wife a hug while Lance looks at the words inscribed around the monument. “How's Pete?”

“Good. He said he's going to talk with Dana, but that dinner has to be cheap. How was your walk?”

Lindsey gives me a wry look and shakes her head. “Strange. I feel like it all happened a lifetime ago, but then again, just yesterday. Part of me wanted to see if we could borrow a couple of bikes from Arvin and the two of us head out to Buckner.”

I laugh, giving her a little kiss. “You would, too. Lots of good memories for us out there.”

Lindsey purrs and squeezes me tighter, her eyes full of meaning. I put my lips right next to her ear and hum softly, hugging her tight. “You really ready to try for number three now?”

“Maybe,” she whispers back. “Or maybe I just love my husband.”

I squeeze her tighter, then let go, smiling. “Well, keep that in mind, because if we keep going, fourth regiment behind me is going to get a show that is totally not in the rule book.”

“Daddy, what does hallowed mean?” Lance asks, interrupting us. Cassie is sitting on one of the benches, content to watch the parade practice, but Lance has been working on his reading, and he’s doing an amazing job, in my opinion.

“It means very, very special,” I tell him. Lance nods and goes back to reading quotes from MacArthur's speech. Lindsey gives me a look, and I nod. “I made my decision.”

“And?” Lindsey asks, still hugging me. “Admit it, Captain Simpson. You loved being a company commander.”

“I did. But, well, Mac here kinda helped me make up my mind.”

Lindsey quirks her head and looks back at the bronze statue of MacArthur, then at me. “Huh?”

“Duty, Honor, Country,” I say, pointing out the words that were etched deep in my heart years ago. “I always wondered, even as a plebe, why they chose the order they did for those three words. Maybe they rolled off the tongue better that way, but I didn't think that was it. Eventually, I decided . . . it's a ranking order. Duty's the most important thing, even more than Honor, and both are a hell of a lot more important than Country. And my duty, first and foremost, is to you and Lance and Cassie. You guys backed me for long enough. So, no more weekends away, no more leaving the house before Cassie's even awake enough to do more than grumble and turn over.”

Lindsey hums and squeezes me tighter. “It'll be nice to not have to sleep by myself anymore.”

“You're not upset?” I ask. “The benefits are a lot worse on a GS system than a military system. And I don't exactly have a job lined up.”

Lindsey smiles, shaking her head. “You know I'm your support. I've been that way for how many years now?”

“AG to the end,” I tease, enjoying the old joke. “Always have been, always will be.”

“And so I'm going to support you now, too. Relax, take a few months to grow your hair out and have lots of Daddy time, and then . . . well, I happen to know a few folks who might have some slots open in the GS or the contractors that a combat-tested, former company commander Captain could be perfect for. Silver Star not required, but it makes for a hell of a leg up on the application,” Lindsey says. My Lindsey, always there for me, never getting the credit she's deserved, the woman who gave me the reason to become the man I am today and has been all I could ever dream of. My angel.

“Sounds like we might want to make a few calls then,” I muse, hugging my wife. “Though tonight after dinner, my whole focus is on you.”

Lindsey hums, and we take Lance by the hand, watching as the drum beats out the rest of parade practice, telling me about the Corps, and the Corps, and the Corps. Am I going to miss it? Sure. But I have something more important to take care of now. I have a higher duty.

Thank you for reading!

Coming ~Nov 16th! Read the prologue below.

* * *

S
he thinks
I don’t know what she’s been doing.  

My Rose.  

She’s been teasing me.  Taunting me with those swaying hips and short skirts.  Making my dick so hard it fucking hurts.

I can’t take it anymore.  

“Bend over.”  I give her the simple command and hold her heated gaze.  She’s a rebel at heart.  She has no reason to obey me unless she wants to.  And I fucking know she wants to.  She wants
me
.  Just as much as I want her.  

Her lips pull into a sexy smirk as her hands slowly fall onto the desk and she spreads her legs slightly before bending over.  My dick instantly hardens in my pants.  She looks over her shoulder with nothing but lust on her face.  

“Like this?” she asks in a soft sweet voice feigning innocence.  She’s not innocent at all in this.  She practically begged for it.

Her skirt’s slipped up past her upper thigh and I can see her garter belt and the beautiful curve of her ass.  I lower myself to the floor behind her.  That’s what she does to me.  She makes me fall to my knees.  

“Just like that,” I gentle my hands on her thighs.  

I inch my fingers up, playing with the thin, black straps.  The tips of my fingers play along her thighs leaving goosebumps in their path.  

I brush along her panty line and I’m rewarded with a soft moan spilling from her plump lips.  “You like that, Rose?” I ask her as I hook my fingers around her lace thong.  

I keep my eyes on hers as I slowly pull the thin lace thong down to the floor.  Her mouth parts slightly and her eyes widen, but she doesn’t stop me.  I know I shouldn’t be doing this.  I shouldn’t give in to the temptation and make this more complicated.  But I’m a selfish man and I want her.

I repress a groan as she slowly steps out of her thong and widens her stance for me.  

“Yes, sir,” she breathes her words laced with desire, “I do.”  I can’t help the asymmetric grin that pulls at my lips.  I splay my hand on her lower back, just above those cute little dimples and push her down.  

She’s spread and bared to me, glistening with arousal.  

“I wanna taste you,” I say against her hot pussy before taking a languid lick.  Her legs tremble in her high-as-fuck black leather heels and for a second I worry she won’t be able to maintain her balance in them.  But I wanna fuck her in them.  Just like this, this is exactly how I want her.  I’ve dreamed of this every day since the day I laid eyes on her.  

I need to get her good and ready for me.  

I take my time forcing those sounds of pleasure from her lips.  I lick my lips and groan at her sweet taste before flicking my tongue against her throbbing clit.  Her back tries to arch off the bed, but i hold her down.   

She’s going to give me every fantasy I’ve ever dreamed of.  I can’t tell her the truth and I know I shouldn’t bring her into this, but her taste on my tongue and the soft sounds that spill from her gorgeous lips make me weak.  

She moans my name and it’s my undoing.

I can’t take it anymore, I stand and quickly unbutton my pants shoving them off as quickly as I can.  She turns her head to watch.  Waiting patiently and staying still in the position I left her in.  

I kick my pants off carelessly with my eyes on hers and stand behind her with my hands gripping her hips.  Her eyes are clouded with lust.  Not the fear that used to be there.  She trusts me.  She wants me and nothing’s holding her back now.  If only she knew the truth.  I can never give her what she needs.  

I know I’m selfish, but I’m taking her.