Page 26 of Taking a King

Garrett

I wake up to the sound of a ringing phone. It takes me a few seconds to realize it's my phone. I hurry to answer it before it wakes Claire. As I do, I realize I don't need to worry. I'm alone in the bed. I look at the phone screen, but don't recognize the number. I tap the button to answer it.

"Hello?"

"Sargent Young?"

Shit.

I close my eyes and sigh. I hear the water turn on for the shower and relief washes over me. I don’t want to explain things to Claire just yet. Especially when I haven’t made any kind of decision. I don’t want her to feel pressured to help me decide what to do. I steel myself for the conversation I’m about to have with my commanding officer.

"Yes, sir."

“How’s leave treating you?”

I know he’s trying to inject a casual tone, but I can hear the unspoken question in his words.Is this leave going to be permanent?

I take a deep breath and let it out, making sure to keep my voice casual.

“It’s treating me pretty well, sir,” I say. “I’m enjoying my time off. Even though it’s only been a couple of days.” I finish with the pointed reminder that my leave has really only just begun, and I have plenty of time to decide what I’m doing when it ends.

“True enough,” he says with a small grunt of laughter. “I just wanted to check in with you and make sure you’re still considering your future as a Marine.”

I close my eyes. It’s practically all I’ve considered since I got here. It weighs on my mind constantly. My enlistment is nearly at its end, and I need to decide whether I want to continue my time in the military. It’s a big decision. If I reenlist, I’m committing to another 4 years which will bring me to a total of 12 years enlisted. For most military members, once they pass the 10-year mark, they’ve all but decided to stick around until retirement age. So, this decision could dictate the next decade of my life. I’m not sure I’m ready to make such a big choice right now. Before Claire, I would have probably signed the paperwork with little thought.

But now? I think of what reenlisting would mean. I could be stationed anywhere in the world. I’d more than likely be deployed again. Which means that if this thing with Claire continues—and I absolutely want it to—we’d have to resort to long-distance again. Or I’d have to ask her to leave her family and friends behind to follow me? I couldn’t ask that of her. Even if I could, it’s not like she can follow me on a six-month deployment to Bahrain or Djibouti. Besides, this thing with us just started. We’re just figuring it out. I can’t put that kind of pressure on her or the relationship. I need time to figure out what I want from my future without added pressure.

“Of course, sir,” I say finally. “I’m just taking the time to weigh my options.

“Absolutely,” he says. “I understand. Just remember the deadline.”

“Will do,” I say. I hear the water in the bathroom shut off and I quickly finish the conversation, ending the call as the door opens.

Claire stands there wrapped in a towel that stops just below the curve of her ass. My eyes roam her body, and I can’t help but smile.

“Good morning, gorgeous,” I say.

She smiles and saunters over to stand next to the bed. “Good morning yourself.” She leans down to kiss my cheek. “Did you sleep well?”

I wrap my arm around her waist and pull her down onto the bed with me. She squeals in surprise, but melts in my arms.

“I slept great,” I murmur, my lips trailing over the soft skin of her neck. She smells like vanilla and something else I can’t identify. “Where are you going this early?”

Her hands smooth up my bare back and she tilts her head, giving me better access to her neck. I trail kisses down to her collar bone and lower, nudging my chin against the top of the towel to loosen it.

“Some of us aren’t on leave, remember?” She whispers. “I have to go to work.”

I groan, letting my hand trail up the outside of her thigh to her hip, squeezing slightly. Leaning back, I give her a pleading look. “Do you have to?”

“Unfortunately, yes,” she says. “This glamorous lifestyle doesn’t come cheap, you know.”

She smiles and cups my cheek. “You’ll have to find some way to occupy your time while I’m gone.”

She leans up and gives me a quick kiss before rolling out from under me. I reach out and snag the towel, managing to pull it off her before she can get away. Rather than covering herself, Claire stands there defiantly, hands on her hips. All the blood rushes south to my dick and I feel myself harden. She raises a brow at me before turning and walking back to the bathroom. I watch the sway of her ass as she goes, my lips curving into a smile. This woman is going to be the death of me, but in the best possible way.

Shortly after Claire leaves for work, my phone rings again. This time, I check the screen before I answer. The name on the screen surprises me. It’s Ronan. I wonder why he’s calling me. After our conversation last night, I got the idea that he’d come to terms with the idea of me with Claire even if he didn’t particularly like it. Maybe he has more warnings for me if I do something to hurt her. I swipe my thumb to answer the call.

“Hello?”

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