Page 20 of Fall of the Trident
Trevor knew what she was doing, and he was thankful for it.She knew damn well that the terminal had a complete locker room including a shower, and the plane had a bathroom on board.She was giving him time to spend with his children.
Marta Merkel truly was a wonderful woman.
Chapter7
Marta was exhaustedas she sat down waiting for Trevor to join her for the flight home.She hadn’t slept well the night before.Although the Visiting Officers’ Quarters was gorgeous—beautifully decorated to make an admiral comfortable—her body was on Pacific time, and she was a night owl.It usually took about forty-eight hours for her to get over jet lag.At least that was the story she was telling herself.
It was a lie.
The fact that she’d laid in bed, her mind refusing to stop thinking about Trevor for what seemed like hours, had nothing to do with her lack of sleep.Nor was her late-night computer browsing of in-home executive chefs to blame.She secretly congratulated herself.One of the most popular chefs in San Diego had a last-minute cancelation and she’d booked him for his specialty, Beef Wellington.
She’d also been nervous about meeting Trevor’s children when he’d popped that on her just before heading to the airport.Thankfully, that had gone much better than she expected.
It was only one o’clock East Coast time and she was ready for a nap.
“Do we have anything we need to go over on the flight to Coronado?”Trevor asked as he slumped into the seat next to her.
“No.Not that I know of.”She looked at him quizzically.“Is there something we should discuss?”She hoped he wasn’t going to back out of their dinner plans.
He yawned.“Good.Then if you don’t mind, I’m going to take a nap.I need my beauty sleep before I stand in front of my West Coast SEALs.”He got up and started searching cabinets.
“Sir, can I help you find something?”The lieutenant jg seemed to appear out of nowhere.
“Yes.Are there blankets and pillows?”
The young officer strode to a cabinet in the back and emerged with two blankets and two pillows wrapped in plastic.“Should you need more while we’re in flight, they are in the lower cabinet just before the galley.”
“These will be fine.”He handed a set to Marta.
“Sir, you’re the only two on the manifest, so if you’re ready, we can take off.”
“Let’s go.”Trevor sat in his seat and buckled the seatbelt.“Are you all set?”
Marta loved how he was always concerned with her comfort.“Perfect.”She tucked the soft blanket around her, laid her head down on the pillow facing the window.She vaguely remembered the takeoff.
“We’ll be landing in ten minutes.We have priority one.”The announcement came over hidden speakers.
As she blinked open her eyes, her head was no longer on the pillow but nestled on Trevor’s shoulder.His computer was open on the table in front of them.
Devastated, she sat up quickly and threw off the blanket.“Admiral, I apologize.”
“Marta.”His tone was understanding rather than scolding.
She concentrated on neatly folding the blanket and hunting for the pillow.
“Marta.”Trevor’s warm fingertips touched her cheek as he gently positioned her to face him.“First, it’s just you and me on this airplane, so you have nothing to be embarrassed about.Second, it’s just you and me on this airplane.How many times have I told you to call me Trevor when we’re alone?”His eyes widened as his fingers moved a fraction of an inch.“Your skin is so soft.”
She could feel the blush creep up her throat.“It’s my nightly regiment of creams.I’ve done it all my life.”You can shut up now, Marta, before you tell him that it softens the wrinkles, so you don’t look quite as old as you are.She scolded herself for babbling.
“It obviously works.”He blinked.“Third, I didn’t mind one bit having your head on my shoulder.”He looked a bit sheepish, then confessed, “I liked it there.”He sucked in a deep breath and lifted his fingers off her face.“Other than the occasional hugs from my children, no one touches me.I miss that…connection with someone.”
Holding his gaze, she admitted, “It took about a year, maybe two, after John died…one of the things I missed most about being married was simple human contact.I knew when I married him, he wasn’t a touchy-feely kind of guy, but he would always kiss me before he left and when he came home.He wasn’t a snuggler as we watched television sitting on the couch, but when he touched me, it meant so much more.”She released a heavy sigh.“Over the years, my need for that human contact faded away.”
She stared at Trevor for several long breaths.Picking up his hand, she put it back on her face.“I really like it when you touch me.”Their faces were only a few inches apart.She started to lean toward him.She could swear he was moving closer to her as well.
“Please be sure your seatbelts are fastened.We’re coming in for touchdown.”The pilot’s orders severed the moment.They jolted apart.
Marta’s phone rang.“Naval Special Warfare Command, Marta Merkel speaking.”
