Whose Wedding Is It Anyway?

Chapter 2: Hail the Returning Hero

Chapter 2: Hail the Returning Hero

After the emotional reunion, we’re asked to be seated while the men up on the altar hand out accolades to the returning personnel. The man at the microphone has more than a few things he wants to say, and while he does, we all take our seats to listen. Dan is at the end of the pew with an arm draped over my shoulders, as if he’s afraid to let me out of reach. To be honest, I don’t want him to get too far away from me, either. I keep a hand on his thigh, the whole left side of my body pressed against him, savoring the touch.

Here we have to be discreet, but the moment I get him back to the townhouse we share in DC, I plan to peel away the camouflage and the olive underwear to find the sexy man I know is hidden away under the soldier. Every so often I glance up at him and sigh, thankful he’s home, happy to have him back. When he sees me, he gives me a quick wink. It’s all I can do not to ravage him right here and now.

When the man at the mic begins to drone, I lean over to Dan and whisper, “Is the general ever going to shut up?”

Dan ducks and snickers. “He’s a sergeant major, not a general. Big difference.”

“Whatever he is, he’s about to put me to sleep,” I mutter. “Doesn’t he know all we want to do is go home? I haven’t seen you in months and now we’re stuck listening to this blowhard—”

“Shh.” Dan elbows me as the major glances our way, but he’s only sweeping the crowd and doesn’t stop to glare at me or anything.

I catch Dan’s hand in both of mine and pull it into my lap. Resting my head on his shoulder, I keep my voice low as I tell him, “I have a big night planned for us. If we ever get out of here.”

“We will shortly,” Dan assures me.

I shoot back with, “Yeah, but when?”

He doesn’t reply, so I lace my fingers through his and think about all I’ve done to prepare for his return. For the past few months, I’d been expecting him to come home sometime soon, so I put in for my annual leave at the law firm where I work as a legal analyst. My boss knew things were up in the air—her father was military, so she’s all too familiar with the hurry up and wait routine, and she let me push back my leave both times Dan’s homecoming was delayed. When I told her earlier in the day that I’d be heading over to Fort Detrick yet again in the hopes of seeing him come home, she’d crossed the fingers on both hands and gave me an anxious but hopeful look. “Third time’s the charm,” she said.

Thank God.

I squeeze his hand and he smiles absently, his attention focused on the general—excuse me, the major, my bad. Still in soldier-mode, then. Soon, though, as soon as everyone here shuts up and the order is given to fall out, he’ll be free from the army for a whole two weeks. I can hardly wait to get him home, get him undressed, get him between the sheets and finally, finally, take back what’s mine.

There’s a bottle of a late harvest red Zinfandel I’ve been saving for the special occasion, and a box of decadent milk chocolates with caramel centers I picked out just for him. My plan is simple—s*x first, because I don’t know if I will be able to keep my hands off him once I get him alone, then the two of us naked in bed together, drinking the sweet wine and feeding each other chocolates until we fall asleep. Though I wouldn’t say no to another bout of love making once the wine runs out. Or to eating chocolates off body parts other than our fingers.

His sculpted ab muscles, perhaps, or the small of his back. Maybe plant a couple in the dimples of his firm ass cheeks while we’re at it, suck them up like Hershey’s kisses. I could even line a few along the arch of his hard c**k, lick along his length as I go…

Damn. Suddenly my pants feel two sizes too small. I shift in the pew and hope no one notices my tenting crotch.

Dan doesn’t; he pats my knee and gives me a smile that says simply, Soon. Yeah, yeah, not soon enough for my tastes.

But it turns out he’s right, and the major doesn’t keep us all night. Before too much longer, he’s wrapping things up and there’s a mass movement in the pews as soldiers stand to attention one last time. Us civilians hurry to rise to our feet beside our loved ones, eager not to be left out. With one final salute, the major snaps out the word I’ve been dying to hear all night. “Dismissed.”

I feel as if everyone lets out a baited breath at the same time. “Thank God,” I sigh, wrapping both arms around one of Dan’s to keep him close before the bustling crowd can separate us. “I thought he’d never shut up.”

The corners of Dan’s mouth turn down; it looks like he’s frowning, but I know him well enough to know he’s trying hard not to laugh. “Word of advice, babe,” he says, turning to speak to me as he leads the way into the aisle, which is crammed with bodies pushing and shoving for the exit. “Don’t let anyone who outranks me hear you talking like that.”

With a dismissive wave of my hand, I ask, “How am I supposed to know who outranks you and who doesn’t?”

Dan taps the insignia in the center of his chest. “Anyone with this rank who has something other than a diamond in the center, or anyone wearing more than one star.”

“So I have to look at their chests to tell?” I tug at his arm playfully. “What if someone takes that the wrong way?”

He gives me a sardonic look over his shoulder. “Better to look and get it right than drop and give ‘em sixty, don’t you think?”

The crowd moves us closer to the exit while I mull that over. Finally I have to ask, “Sixty what?”

He laughs and drapes an arm around my shoulders to hug me close. “God, it’s good to be back. I missed you like crazy. Have I said that yet?”

Snuggling against him, I say, “Not in so many words, no.”

That earns me a kiss on the forehead. “I love you,” he murmurs against my temple. “As soon as we get home, I’m going to show you exactly how much.”

I can hardly wait.