A Marine's Return Ch. 01

She had been sitting in the O'Hare parking garage for the better part of ten minutes. Glancing at her watch for the last time, Leslie slid out of her car and headed for the baggage claim area. After five months of phone calls, emails, and instant messages, Nate was coming home, and he was coming home to her. Five more minutes, and she would be in his arms, and could begin the process of forgetting all about Iraq, the bombs, and the fear that her man, her Marine, would be hurt.

The baggage claim was practically deserted at this hour. At two o'clock in the morning, the only people around were haggard looking businessmen, a few anxiously waiting family members, and one very exhausted car rental clerk. Nervously, Leslie smoothed her hair, and once again checked her clothes. It had been so hard to find the right outfit to highlight her 5'10" frame, waist length brown hair, and round face, but the money had been worth it. She knew Nate would love the short brown skirt and off the shoulder tan sweater. Any minute now, he would be there, she reminded herself.

With a jolt, the baggage carousel started up, and weary travelers began to trickle in, searching for their luggage. Leslie began to search for Nate, scanning each face as they came in, but as the flow tapered off, her shoulders slumped in disappointment. How could he not have been there? Reaching into her handbag, Leslie fumbled for the scrap of paper with Nate's flight number and time written on it. Distracted with her search, she never noticed the hand descending to tap her on the shoulder. When she spun around, expecting to see Nate's smiling face, she was astonished to have a bouquet of roses pushed into her arms by a small, white haired woman with a massive smile.

"My dear, you are a very lucky young woman," the woman chirped. Gently turning her, the woman pointed to the grinning Marine leaning against the car rental counter, still in fatigues, and obviously straight from the Iraqi desert.

"Hey, sweetie," Nate said, laughing, his brown eyes sparkling at her, as she ran across the room and threw herself into his arms, his name lodged in her throat. He caught her up in his arms, and with a flex of his rock-hard muscles, he lifted her in the air and spun her around. As she slid down to the floor against his body, he lifted her face to his descending mouth with a finger under her chin. Just before his mouth closed over hers, she heard him whisper, "Missed you, baby."

For a moment, it seemed as though time had stood still; then the room around them exploded in applause for the reunited couple. Leslie clung to him for a moment longer, then turned to face their audience. She was blushing, but managed to smile and wave, but Nate raised his arms like a victorious Olympian, to much amusement. Nate leaned down and kissed her neck, then grabbed her hand and led her to the carousel where his duffel bag was on its second trip around.

"Did you have this all planned," Leslie asked, indicating the roses and the still beaming little old lady.

"Sweetie, that woman damn near ripped my arm off grabbing those roses from me when I asked her to give them to you. I think she liked the idea more than I did," Nate replied, still trying to stifle his laughter as they wove their way out of the terminal.

"Now, the question is, where did you park, and when can I get a shower?"

"Yeah, you are a little dirty, babe," she said, giggling. That was an understatement, to her way of seeing. Nate had three days of beard sprouting, his red hair was grubby, and his fatigues creased with desert sand and dirt. She thought he looked rough and sexy, but knew how he prided himself on looking every inch the Marine sergeant that he was.

Leslie still had her nose buried in the roses when they arrived at her car, and popped the trunk so Nate could stow his gear. When she moved to go around him to get to the car door, he trapped her against the door.

"Now, where were we?" he murmured as his mouth once again claimed hers, feeding at her with a hunger borne of months without her. Leslie felt her knees go weak, and wound her arms around his neck to keep herself from falling. This was the kind of kiss she had been dreaming of, every night for five months.

When they finally drew apart, her breathing was ragged, and her eyes glazed with passion. Nate reached past her and opened the door, and Leslie almost collapsed into the seat. It was a few moments until she could concentrate well enough to drive, which gave Nate enough time to get to his seat. The hotel that they were staying at was over an hour away, which gave them plenty of time to catch up, to flirt, and to revel in Nate's safe return.

Walking into the hotel room, Leslie was amazed again at her Marine's romantic streak. Apparently he had called ahead to make arrangements, because there rose petals scattered across the bed, roses on the nightstand, and champagne cooling on the nightstand. She stood frozen in the doorway for a full minute, then turned to Nate, who waited patiently behind her. She took his head between her hands and raised up to kiss him, trying to express her love for him without words. "How did you get all this set up?" she asked as they drew apart. "There wasn't enough time for you to have called."

"Honey, I think you underestimate the amount of time I sat around waiting for my flight. I must have sat in San Diego for two hours with my thumb up my butt, waiting, so I just called the hotel and told them what I wanted." He shrugged, then grinned. "I'm glad you like it," then walked past her into the room.

"Like it?" she exclaimed. "Baby, I love it! No one has ever done something so sweet for me, ever."

He paused, then turned back to her, a slight smile creasing his face. "Well, sweetie, you better get used to it, because I plan on spoiling you for a very long time."

With that, he picked up his duffel bag and heaved it on to the bedside chair, and began rummaging through it. With a grunt of satisfaction, he pulled out his razor and bottle of shampoo. Apparently, his desire for a shower outweighed even his desire for her. His clothes dropped to the floor, and she watched his muscles flex as he walked towards the bathroom with hungry eyes. At the door, he paused again, and gave her the grin that she loved so much- the grin that told her he was thinking naughty thoughts.

"Care to join me, love?"

She reached out and took the hand he extended to her.

"Wild horses couldn't stop me," she said.

The bathroom was a bit crowded with the two of them, but it was almost better that way, because it gave Leslie a chance to press herself up against Nate, and enjoy the way the water played over his muscles as he stepped into the shower. She gave him a minute to enjoy the hot spray by himself, then slipped into the stall behind him. She ran her hands up his back and down, cupping him until he hardened in her hand. She kissed the back of his neck, and he leaned back into her arms, taking pleasure in the way she stroked him to arousal.

He turned slowly in her arms, and captured her mouth with his. The kiss was slow and passionate, but rapidly became hard and demanding as his lust mounted. His hands slipped lower, cupping her bottom, and kneading and stroking. Without any strain, Nate lifted her, and pinned her against the tiles, all without removing his mouth from hers. She wrapped her legs around his waist to steady herself, and moaned into his mouth as one hand found its way between her legs and began to rub her clit. She drew back long enough to gasp out, "Please!" and as though he had been waiting for the right sign, he sheathed himself inside her with a single, fast stroke.

They both froze for an instant, relishing the moment; then Nate began to move, and all other thoughts vanished. She leaned her head back against the shower wall, allowing him to set the pace, and trusting him to hold her up as he plunged into her. He leaned into her and nipped at her neck.

"Still with me, babe?" he asked when her eyes fluttered open.

"Oh yeah, I'm here. You feel so good, angel; you have no idea how much I have missed this." She flexed her hips, drawing him further into her, making him groan.

"Not gonna stop, are you?" she teased.

"Oh hell no. I plan on keeping this up until you are screaming my name." With that, he drove himself into her again. Within a few strokes, she began to climax, shuddering as the pleasure rampaged through her. The sensation of her muscles pulsing around him was enough to send Nate over the edge. Thrusting powerfully one final time, he emptied himself into her with a moan. He slumped against her, then kissed her, making her heart flutter.

"I'll let you finish showering, love," she whispered against his neck, then slipped out of the shower, leaving him to collect himself.

She wrapped herself in the hotel towel and padded out to the bedroom, leaving the door open behind her. She plucked a rose from the vase, and lifted it to her nose. Inhaling deeply, she reflected that Nate had managed to treat her better in one night than any other man in her life. She held on to the rose as she flopped down on the couch and turned on the TV, wanting to see what the news from Iraq was. It was such a deeply ingrained habit that even with Nate home, she watched regardless. She stared at the screen, idly stroking the rose down her cheek, relishing its softness, so absorbed the news that she never noticed the shower turning off.

When Nate walked out in only his camo pants, with a towel slung around his neck, his muscled chest still beaded with water, she was laying on the couch, dozing from exhaustion. Since she hadn't noticed him walk out, he took the moment to look at her, and soak in the idea that this woman was all his. As if on cue, she opened her eyes and smiled at him. He walked to the couch and settled into the spot that she had just moved from, grinning when she cuddled up to him. She nuzzled his neck, then tipped her head towards the bed in invitation.

"Still feel like a nap, babe?" she asked. Even though he had just sat down, he stood up, then bent and lifted her off the couch, cradling her in his arms. When he got to the bed, she expected him to drop her down, but instead he gently placed her on the covers amidst the rose petals. The perfume of the crushed petals rose up around her in an invisible cloud, and she thought, this is the most romantic night of my life...

He knelt down on the bed next to her, close enough for her to reach up and touch him, to run her fingers along his jaw line, and across his lips, then up to his hair. She placed her hand behind his head and drew him down to meet her mouth, and kissed him softly, then took his hand and drew him down to lay beside her. He pulled her close to him and put an arm around her shoulders, so she could nestle her head against him. She wrapped her arms around his waist, and kissed his shoulder.

"I'm so glad your home, baby. I missed you so much, I thought my heart would break."

Nate said nothing, but held her tighter for a moment and placed a kiss on the top of her head; she could have sworn she felt him mouth the words I love you against her head. She reached past him to the night light, and flicked it off, plunging the room into darkness, broken only by the moonlight streaming through the window. He shifted around, and drew the covers up to cover them both, then gently rolled her on to her side to face away from him. She felt him ease up behind her, and cuddled back into his solidness, feeling his arms wrap around her and gather her close to him. They cuddled that way in the dark, finally falling asleep still wrapped in each others arms.