Chapter Five

Back and forth.

Back and forth.

The gentle breeze that flowed over her face partially made up for the high humidity that filled the air. Kacy tipped her head back, closed her eyes, and laughed at the pure joy that filled her.

“You do realize I’m eating all of your ice cream,” Ernst said as his otherworldly gaze watched the beautiful woman beside him.

Glancing at him as her body swung back and forth, she asked, “Why are you?”

“Because it’s melting.” He shrugged. “And mine’s gone.”

Slowing the swing, Kacy reached towards him and wiggled her fingers. Her face was flushed; it was obvious she loved to swing.

Taking a spoonful, he slid it between his firm lips and groaned with pleasure. “Oh, damn, this is good!”

Leaning farther on the swing, she grabbed the plastic spoon and pulled it out of his mouth. He arched a brow but handed her the cup of ice cream.

“You probably ate all the sprinkles.” She sent him a playful frown. I am having so much fun with him. It is like being carefree.

He smiled. “I will get more if you think it needs it.”

Shaking her head, she took a bite and grinned. “I love ice cream, and this…this is prefect.” Especially since your mouth was on the spoon earlier.

Kacy felt his eyes on her and suddenly felt self-conscious. Her hair was loose, her smiles often and free. She had her skirt tucked so it wouldn’t fly up when she swung on the playground equipment. Her copper eyes shone in the moonlight. She’d not felt this open in a long time.

“What do you do?” he wondered, leaning his body against the chain of the swing he occupied as he faced her.

“I run my own business back on the mainland.”

“What kind of business?” He pulled her swing closer and took a spoonful of ice cream for himself.

“I’m an electrician.” Her body tensed as she waited for the normal male response of disbelief. It never came.

“Awesome.”

Slanting her reddish-brown gaze at him, she watched him as if uncertain he wouldn’t say some-thing else, something condescending. But all he did was point to her ice cream and open his lovely shaped mouth.

“Thank you,” he mumbled after she gave him a bite.

Kacy licked the spoon clean, not seeing the flare of heat in his eyes. Resting her head on the chain she watched the lights of ships in the harbor as her bare toes dug in the sand. “What do you do for the Navy, Ernst?”

His eyes roving over her profile, he said, “I’m a SEAL.”

“Well, I guess that should explain the dislike with you and the Deltas.” She scraped the bottom of the cup getting all she could. “It fits.”

We fit. Touching her arm, Ernst waited for her to look at him. “Why do you say that?” He got off the swing and beckoned her to do the same.

“You are very confident. Self assured, not in a bad way.” She slid her arm through his as her feet found their reluctant way back into her sandals. “The ones you played against also seemed such a way.”

Ernst took the empty ice cream container from her and carried it. He loved the way she fit against his body. It would be a lie to say he wasn’t imagining what it would be like with her naked. His body throbbed painfully.

“Do you know many SEALs?” he asked as he tried to get his body to calm down.

“I must say you are my first,” Kacy said, leaning her head against his shoulder while they walked.

Tossing the container into the trash receptacle they passed, he grinned. And I will be the first SEAL you do lots of things with. I will be the only SEAL you do things with. The only man. “Well, you know what they say about your first.”

Kacy stopped and faced him. “No, what?”

Ernst looked down at the woman who stood on a hillside in the moonlight with him. Her beauty took his breath away, and he knew in that moment she was the one for him.

Maybe Ross was right, that his heart and soul knew before his brain could comprehend. Being there with her filled him with such a sense of peace, of contentment, of love. He barely knew her but knew she was his future.

“That they remain your true love.” His callused hand stroked the side of her face. “Your only love.”

“Is that what they say?” her doubtful tone rang.

He nodded. “Oh, yeah.”

“Funny, I’ve never heard that before.”

“Must be an old German saying.”

Trouble lurked behind her eyes, “An old German saying, huh? Like ‘Heil Hitler’ is an old German saying? You do kind of fit the description, don’t you? Blond hair, blue eyes.”

“I am not a believer in that crap,” he growled, pulling her in closer.

“But you are German, and according to you, that was an old German saying!”

Catching the twitch of her lips, Ernst realized she was teasing him. “It is a very famous old Ger-man saying. Don’t you have any German in you?”

“I thought military men were supposed to be observant.” She tapped him on the end of his Roman nose. “Do I look like I have German in me?”

His deep voice dropped even lower as he whispered against her lips, “Would you like some?”

Kacy closed her eyes and trembled against him. “Do you know where I can find a German who may be interested?”

“Open your eyes, meine geliebte. He’s right in front of you.” His warm breath brushed against her skin.

Heavy, it was so hard to open her eyes. Kacy found his haunting gaze fixed firmly on her. “I’m sorry,” she mumbled. “I can’t.”

“Don’t apologize. As much as I would love to make love to you right here, right now. I want to get to know you. But when you are ready…this is all the German you will ever need.” He brushed his cheek against hers, allowing her to feel the stubble that was beginning to grow.

Any second now Kacy knew she was going to wake up and find he was all a dream. No man was this kind, this caring, or this understanding. “I shouldn’t have teased you.”

“I’m not a little boy. I can handle the word ‘no.’ Come on.” He tugged her arm and led her down the hill towards the water. “I want to show you something.”

Curious about what he was up to, she followed. He stopped and stepped down onto the silken sand and turned to help her. Holding out his arms, he waited for her to accept his touch.

Kacy easily stepped into his arms and closed her eyes as he lifted her with ease to the ground where he was. His hands lingering on her body, she was in no rush to move his touch from her skin. “Thank you,” she said in a raspy voice.

“My pleasure. Let’s go.” Ernst laced their fingers and led her down around a corner of the beach into a small inlet. They found a rock that jetted out into the water. He walked to the end and sat down. “Sit here.”

“What are we doing here?” Kacy sat beside him, totally unconcerned with the amount of leg she was showing.

“Wait,” he said in a hushed voice. “Just watch the water.”

Enthralled by the magical tone he had, Kacy did just that. For a few moments they sat in absolute silence, the waves lapping at the rock and shore the only noise aside from their shallow breathing.

“There!” His sharp whisper made her jump.

Following the line of his finger, Kacy saw a pod of dolphins swimming into the inlet. Four babies that frolicked in the waves. “Oh, Ernst, look at them!” Her voice was wistful.

She sensed him watching her, but she kept her attention forward. “It is a beautiful sight, all right.”

Taking her eyes off the water creatures, she put them on the man next to her. “Thank you for sharing this with me.”

“There is no one else I could imagine sharing it with,” he admitted.

Kacy leaned into him and kissed him. Her full lips gently brushed his before her tongue slid be-tween his lips. He tasted so good. Drawing away, she blinked as a blush ran over her body.

Ernst was motionless, dazed. It was a moment before he spoke again. “You’re welcome,” he rasped even as he pulled her back in close to his body.

They sat together on the rock and watched the dolphins play. One strong hand ran up and down Kacy’s exposed arm with her body propped against his. Eventually, he was holding up more and more of her body. Kacy Travis had fallen asleep in his arms.

She was so comfortable. Feeling safe and content, she took a deep breath and slowly opened her copper eyes, which met the cobalt blue of a masculine shirt. She was sleeping with a man, her body resting fully against his chest.

Her head was on his shoulder and his body cocooned hers as if she belonged there. His arms were locked around her warmly and securely. Flickering around in growing panic, her eyes jerked upward as a rough baritone voice said, “Good morning, liebling.”