My Man, My Marine, My Lover! Pt. 05

"Why did it get so quiet?" Brian asked.

"Because they are all looking at us with lovey dovey smiles on their faces," I said.

"Oh, then I guess I can kiss you again," he said and leaned back to kiss me again. "Mom, it was a great dinner, but I think Andrea and I will go out back and star gaze."

"But Brian you just got..." she started to say, but was cut off in mid-sentence.

"Let the kids go out and relax. They've had a long day and they're used to being alone. We've asked a ton of questions and they've been good about answering everything. Give them some time to recoup," his dad said. "Go ahead son. We'll call you when it's time for dessert. If you want to join us come in, if not we won't bother you. Enjoy the night."

"Thanks Dad," Brian said.

Taking my hand, we walked to the back door and out into the yard. We sat in the glider swing and rocked back and forth. It was a quiet night. It was cooler than when we arrived. I snuggled into Brian as he wrapped his arm around me. We sat quietly and I was gazing up at the sky and listening to his heartbeat through his chest. It was a perfect moment and I was taking it all in.

"You're rather quiet," he said. "What are you thinking about?"

"I was enjoying the quiet and just happy to be home. Happy to be here with you." I placed a kiss on his chest and he pulled me closer.

"If you're happy, I'm happy Brat. That's all I want to do is to make you happy," he said as he kissed the top of my head.

"You do Brian. You make me very happy."

When we were content in the silence once again, I thought of how lucky we were. Blessed to have such great parents. Blessed to have found each other, fall in love, and gifted to have Brian return home safe and sound. The next few weeks would be difficult, waiting to see if things improved and if he would regain any or all of his eyesight. In my mind, I told myself not to be too hopeful. My heart was another story. In my heart, I wanted him to get his sight back, not for me, but for him. He worked his entire life to become a marine and I wanted him to have everything he'd worked so hard for.

He hadn't said anything, but I knew his goal was to return to active duty. I knew it was his life plan and if he had to make changes he would, but that nothing would ever replace his being a marine. Silently I prayed for him to get his sight back so that he could get his wish. Then I felt selfish for having such thoughts. I had him here, alive, and with me and I should be happy for that gift.

My thoughts went back to dinner and the table surrounded by the people I love. The family that means more to me than life itself and I realized how truly lucky I was.

That room was full of strong people. It was full of people who loved each other, supported each other. These were people who knew the meaning of strength and courage, and who knew the meaning of sacrifice. We had all sacrificed things in our lives. Our mom's sacrificed months and years of time they could have had with the men they loved. They sacrificed having their husbands home to be with them, help them, share in raising their children. Brian and I sacrificed having a dad around most of the time. We sacrificed father-daughter dances and father-son ball games. Our dad's sacrificed most of all. They left their families for training, education, deployment, and sometimes war. They lost friends, brothers, and men that fought by their sides.

Now, we were sharing in those sacrifices even more. Brian had lost his sight, maybe permanently, but he was alive. He was here with us and not one of us took that for granted. I pictured all of my favorite people together and I realized how lucky we were. How unbelievably lucky we were to have people who gave up so much of themselves, of their family time, and friends, in order to go off and fight for others. To leave us for an unknown and the only thing for certain was that when they returned, nothing would be the same for them ever again.

I was always proud of my dad and of my man, but never more so then I was at that moment. I was proud of everyone in that room. I saw two women who gave up a normal life, a normal relationship in which their husband, their lovers would be with them every day. These women knew that in order to marry their man, their marine, they were giving up on what's termed a normal life.

I also saw three men who gave up the same and more as they went off to parts unknown to fight, and maybe lose their lives in that fighting, and never once complained about the choices they made.

I realized there were families all over this country that didn't have a loved one at the table with them tonight. All because of the ultimate sacrifice they made for their country, for their loved ones, for the stranger across town. Hell, sacrifices made by so many of our men and women for the stranger in some foreign country who would never even know them.

There were families who were missing their loved one tonight. Some no longer had a husband or wife, a father or mother, a son, a daughter...too many to name or to count. Some of our military returned physically injured and others had mental and emotional injuries to work through. Those that came home, in one way or another, were forever changed.

I had stared at my dad earlier tonight and thought how happy I was that he made it through everything he faced as a marine. I had looked over at Brian's dad and thought how grateful I was that he was still part of our lives. I remembered watching Brian as his dad sat next to me and realizing how different life would be if Brian hadn't come home to us. I said a silent prayer of thanks for bringing him home to us, to me. I also said a prayer for those who would never come home to their families and friends.

Yes, we were lucky. I was more than lucky. Never again would I take the life I had for granted. I would always remember that my freedom came at a price. A price that someone else's loved one paid for, a price and a sacrifice that they gave for the rest of us to live freely and without fear.

We sat gliding in the swing and holding each other in silence for some time. I closed my eyes and remembered all of the times we shared in this yard, at his house, and at my house. I thought of how ironic it was that I was sitting here with the man I fell in love with when I was only eight years old. Not once, in all of these years since, did I ever not love this man. There were times I didn't like him very much. Sometimes I may have even hated some of the things he did or put me through over the years. But there was never a time that I didn't love him. He was my man, my marine, my lover now and forever.

I felt a tear start to fall from my eye and I gently reached up to wipe it away. I didn't think I had drawn any attention to myself as I did it. But then I heard Brian's question and realized how wrong I was and how perceptive my man is.

"What's up Brat?" he asked, "Why the tear? What were you thinking about?"

"It was a happy tear," I said. "I was remembering all of the times we have spent here or at my house and all of the things we have shared together." I snuggled up closer and his arm tightened around my shoulder.

"And now?" he asked.

"And now, we get to spend more time together baby," I said reassuringly. "Now we get to spend our forever together."

"Andrea, I want you to know something," he said, his voice a little raspy with emotion.

"Okay. What is it?" I asked, already knowing between his voice and his use of my given name, it was either going to be something emotional or something I wasn't going to want to hear.

"I want you to know that..." he hesitated, "to know that if I don't regain my sight, if the doctors tell us it's never going to come back..." again he waited before continuing. "I won't hold you to your answer," he said. "I won't hold you to the marriage proposal."

"Brian, you don't have to hold me to anything. I'm going to marry you whether you like it or not," I told him. "I've been in love with you since I was eight years old. There has never been another man in my life that I have loved. So, let me tell you something marine," I said as my voice became a bit stronger and a little bossy. "I am going to hold you to your marriage proposal. I am going to hold you to your 'I love you's,' and I am going to hold you to your promise of forever. So don't even try to get out of any of them. Understand marine?"

"Yes Ma'am. Understood Ma'am. Once and for all!" he said and smiled.

"And baby, I am going to hold you to that diamond ring we discussed earlier," I said and kissed his cheek.

A quiet voice spoke from just behind us and we both realized we weren't alone.

"Kids, dessert is being served if you want any." A quiet, but authoritative voice said from a few feet away.

I knew it was my dad before I even turned my head. We both quickly turned to see that he had joined us. I jumped up almost as fast as Brian did. We both realized at the same time, that my dad most likely had heard us talking about marriage and forever.

"Daddy," I started to say, but he held his hand up to silence me.

"Sir," Brian began, but I held his hand and squeezed tight signaling him to stop.

"Let's enjoy the night you two," he said. "We can discuss anything that needs to be discussed tomorrow."

"Daddy, I..." again he silenced me. This time he leaned over the glider and kissed my forehead.

"It's okay baby girl. I'm not surprised, but I think we should keep this between the three of us for a few days until everyone has had a chance to readjust."

Then he turned and started to walk back to the house. Before he went through the French doors, he said, "I'll expect the two of you in for dessert in a few minutes. Don't take too long. Your mother is waiting for you both, Brian."

Once the doors slid shut, I turned to Brian. "Well, I guess my dad knows," I said as I started to laugh nervously.

"It's not funny, Brat. He's going to kill me for not following proper protocol," he said, all marine like.

"Proper protocol?" I asked, "Proper protocol for what?"

"I should have talked to your dad before asking you to marry me," he said, totally serious.

"Brian, are you kidding?" I asked. "That's not required anymore. I'm not a little girl who doesn't know what she wants and can't make her own decisions."

"I know that Andrea," he argued. "It's not about you or your decisions. It's about you always being your dad's little girl and it's about me being a marine and him being my commander and, more importantly, your dad. I jumped protocol in more ways than one."

"Don't be silly. My dad adores you. You're like a son to him," I said. As soon as I said that, I realized Brian was right, my dad would have expected him to talk to him first. Not really to ask for his permission, but out of respect for him as my dad and as his marine commander.

"I screwed up," he said.

"He's fine baby. We'll talk to him tomorrow." I tiptoed up and kissed his cheek. "Let's go in for dessert, enjoy the rest of the evening, and then say goodnight. I think I got used to it being the two of us," I said, taking his hand back in mine. "I miss being alone with you."

"Me too, let's make it through the rest of the night and everything else can wait," he said and sighed.

"Sounds like a plan, baby," I held his hand to my lips and kissed it. "Now don't keep thinking about what just happened here. Everything is fine. Let's get some dessert."

The rest of the evening went by quickly. We chatted, had dessert, and laughed a fair amount. I caught my mom hinting to my dad that it was time to go and finally, he took the hint.

"We'll say goodnight now. Dinner was great," he said as he got up and kissed Mrs. Miller goodnight and gave a guy hug to Brian's dad. They had been friends for years now, so the rank stuff was left for the base and at home they were our parents and friends.

After my parents left, Brian's parents literally disappeared after saying goodnight.

It felt odd walking up the stairs to Brian's room hand in hand. I had this funny feeling in my stomach as if we were doing something wrong and about to get caught. I giggled as we got to his bedroom door.

"What's so funny?" he asked.

"I can't help but feel like we're being naughty and going to get caught doing something wrong," I said and continued to laugh.

"Brat, we are about to be very naughty," he said all sexy like, "but I have no intention of getting caught. So I'll make sure the door is locked as soon as I get you in my room."

~~~~~~~~~~~~

My marine is a man of his word. No sooner were we behind the closed door when he reached behind me and turned the lock.

"See, all locked up and nowhere to go," he said as he backed me up against the wall.

"Seriously baby, what about your parents?" I asked, "What if they hear us?"

"Their room is downstairs and on the other side of the house. Just how loud do you expect to get?" He smiled and slid his hand up my side and over my breast. "If they hear us, they will pretend not to and that's fine with me. Now, rule number one, Brat," he said very seriously, "whenever we are in our bedroom, we do not mention our parents. Agreed?"

"Agreed baby, I'm in complete agreement with that," I said rather enthusiastically as he continued to fondle my breast.

"Good, because I have plans for us tonight and I don't want anything interrupting them," he said as he leaned over me and moved in for a kiss.

The very moment our lips touched, the energy soared between us, and our passion ignited. The heat flowed through my body and the desire I felt to have him in me was immediate and uncontrollable. I knew Brian felt the same. We both wanted to be together since he proposed. Every time we touched, I could feel myself wanting him. He leaned into me, wrapped his arms tightly around me and pulled me to him. My body bowed as he increased his pull on me, increasing the passion and intensity of our kiss. I gasped for breath and he bit my lower lip. A growl escaped from deep inside him and his hands slid down my back, cupping my ass. He dug his fingers into my flesh and whispered, "Mine," into my ear.

"Yours baby, all yours," I said back.

I tasted the sweat on his upper lip as he kissed me again. He turned me around and we moved toward the bed. I was up against the post of the bed before I realized it. His body held me there, immobile, while his hands slid forward and undid my jeans. He deepened the kiss again as he began to push my jeans over my hips and maneuver them down my legs.

I could feel the warmth of his breath tickle along my neck as he continued to kiss down the side of my jaw and then over my collar bone. My hands went to his hair and my fingers grasped onto his thick brown locks. I loved being able to wrap my fingers in his hair now. I guided his head to the sweet spot just at the juncture of my neck and shoulder. He cupped my ass and squeezed tight, as he bit me lightly and I arched into his body.

His hands moved strategically, caressing up my body slowly. He massaged my breasts through the lacy material of my bra. I heard his breathing get deeper as he squeezed my soft flesh in his hands. He grasped my breast and drew his fingers over the soft skin, above my bra cup, then he found my nipples and began to play. Tweaking each nipple between his finger and his thumb, he didn't stop until I moaned aloud. Now that they were firm, he sucked them between his lips, lace and all. Flicking the tip of his tongue across each hardened peak, he groaned as he continued to explore my body. He held one, then the other between his teeth as he tortured them with his tongue and mouth.

Holding handfuls of his hair, I held him to my breasts and enjoyed his mouth even more. The heat was pulsating from my nipples to my sex. I could feel my need grow with every touch, every taste, every little move he made. I kicked free from my jeans and wrapped one leg around him, sliding it up as high as possible. I ground my pelvis into his and he dropped his hands to my butt again. This time he lifted me off the floor and our bodies wrapped together, he moved up the side of the bed and placed me down. His hands slid up the sides of my body and then to my back. Strong hands skillfully unhooked my bra, and he quickly removed it and tossed it aside.

Without hesitation, his mouth was on me once again. This time it was my bare flesh he feasted upon. He teasingly bit my nipple. I groaned out loud as he quickly covered my mouth with his. His kiss consumed me. Our tongues touched and explored until I got hold of his and sucked it like a lollipop, holding it as long as I could before releasing him.

He separated his mouth from me long enough to whisper, "I like that Brat. I really like that." Then his mouth smashed against mine and he took command. Our bodies went to the bed and slowly he laid me down, following with his body until he covered me like a second skin.

His kiss was sweet, hot, and demanding. His body was firm and strong, his erection hard and pulsing. I shivered with want and need. Wrapping my legs around him, I pulled him as close to me as possible. I couldn't stand the fact that he was still dressed and I couldn't touch his skin.

"Get those clothes off and make love to me," I said none too lightly.

"You read my mind baby," he said, then gave me a quick kiss and pushed himself from me.

I watched as he pulled his shirt over his head and the muscles of his abdomen tightened as his arms reached over his head. God, I had to touch him. I sat up to lend a hand and started to undo his jeans. I kissed along the thin line of hair, I so fondly referred to as his treasure trail. As I pulled his pants down over his hips and thighs, I couldn't stop myself from teasing him. I placed a kiss on his firm cock and licked my tongue over the length of him with his underwear still on. I felt his body tense and his fingers locked in my hair.

The hardness of his cock always amazed me. The warmth of his body against my face was nice, but his man scent, his sexy scent made me crazy. I was so hungry for him. I kissed along the length of his shaft and smiled when I heard a deep groan come from him.

"Jesus, Andrea, you're killing me."

Holding the sides of my face, he pulled me closer to him as he titled his face down at me, it was full of need. Again I leaned forward and kissed his erection. This time, I held my mouth open and against him, blowing the hot air from my mouth onto him like you do when your hands are cold to keep them warm. He groaned again as he arched his pelvis toward me. Reaching back I grasped his tightly muscled ass. Those hikes had paid off. His ass muscles were firm and tight.

Teasingly, I softly caressed the crack of his ass with my fingertips. I simply traced my fingers up and down and watched the shivers go through his body as I did it. If his skivvies were off, I would have slid my fingers between his cheeks. As the thought entered my mind, I moved up to his waistband and slid his underwear down a little. They got hung up on his erection, and I had to lift the elastic band up and over his shaft.

As soon as the head of his cock escaped, I gently kissed it before removing his underwear completely. His cock jumped and again I smiled. I loved having that effect on him. I loved knowing my touch turned him on. I decided to trace my fingertips lightly along the crack of his ass and my mind wondered.

I had him naked and standing erect in more ways than one, right in front of me. My passion was growing and so was my imagination. I could feel myself become more excited as the thoughts of exploring his backside became more a plan than a thought. I wondered how my man would deal with that idea. Well, there's only one way to find out, I told myself.

As he massaged the back of my head with his fingers, I kissed his abdomen and slowly moved my fingers toward the center of his ass. Gently I placed soft kisses along the length of his shaft and listened as his breathing changed and he moaned quietly. Simultaneously, I glided the tips of my fingers along his ass cheeks right over his crack. I felt his ass muscles tighten more as I slid my fingers up and down his crevice. His movements became stilled as I continued to caress and tease his ass and kissed from the tip of his hard cock to the base of it.