Page 26 of Triton

13

Erik

Friday rolled around again,and it had been a week since my first date with Aria. I’d done my best to not think about her, but every morning when I swam in the ocean, I remembered how incredible it had felt to fuck her out in the water. She was wild and uninhibited.

But she had surprisingly meant more to me than just great sex. On the surface, she portrayed herself as strong and confident. A badass woman. And she was definitely had all of those qualities. But beneath her poised exterior, I’d seen a glimpse of her true self. She had an aching vulnerability that hid her shocking insecurities below her calm surface. These aspects of her character didn’t turn me off. If anything, they drew me more to her. I felt that being with her would make me a better man—more driven, more focused. And I could help her too—teach her to have fun and stop being so hard on herself.

I wanted another chance withher.

I hit my workout hard and kept my eye on thetime.

At eight thirty, I decided to take a run on the beach.

I ran up to the pool and watched Aria finish teaching her class with Isa, who was a cool woman, too. Her husband, Grady, was a legend—a Medal of Honor recipient. That badass has jumped on a bomb to save his fellow Marines. Now he was disfigured. But beautiful Isa, who had met and married him after his injuries, loved him anyway. One of the biggest fears for men in the Teams was that their wives would either cheat on them or leave them if they were injured. It was refreshing to meet a woman like Isa who loved her husband despite his appearance.

Aria smiled and cautiously waved when she saw me. She gathered and put away the equipment after her class, then emerged from thepool.

“I’m going to change really quick. I’ll be rightback.”

I nodded, and she vanished with Isa. Ten minutes later, she walked over to me dressed in a tank top and shorts. Her hair hung in her face and she rubbed the back of her neck as she gave me a cautious, “Hi.”

“Hey. Can I buy you a coffee?”

She nodded yes, and we walked over to the coffee cart outside the Del. She ordered a black coffee which surprised me because I was used to women ordering fancy lattes with foam art or those colorful, blended frozen concoctions for the sole purpose of memorializing the drink on Instagram. Another reminder of how unique shewas.

I paid, and we sat at a small little table overlooking the ocean.

“I’m really sorry for walking out of your place the other night,” she blurted. “It wasn’t fair … to either of us. I got upset and should have stayed so we could talk things through.”

She looked down at her feet, but I reached out to her and tilted her chin, forcing her to meet myeyes.

“Don’t apologize. I get worked up when I talk about the Teams. It’s my world. I’ve sacrificed so much of my life to become a SEAL, and I’m not allowed to talk about my job to anyone who is not in the Teams. There is so much I can’t share with you, even if I wanted to.” I blew out a breath, trying to keep my emotions in check. “I don’t want to start a debate again, but no one has a clue what we go through in combat. Also, we brutalize each other in training. We spar, fight, and choke each other to learn how to protect ourselves from the enemy. I love women so much, and I can’t imagine being so rough with a woman. Just trust me, allowing women on the Teams is really complicated.”

She gave me a thoughtful glance. “I didn’t know about the fighting during training. I’ve watched the full BUD/S documentary. I never sawthat.”

“Well, there is a whole bunch of training and hazing that goes on that we don’t share with the world. I really can’t talk aboutit.”

She pursed her lips and seemed to understand. I decided to change the subject.

“Anyway, I hear you are working with my sister. She’s really excited aboutit.”

“Oh, it’s my pleasure. Holly’s really talented and very sweet. And I can tell she looks up to you.” She cleared her throat, and it was evident she was struggling to get the words out. “Listen, Erik, I . . . I had such a great time with you. I think you’re awesome, gorgeous, and smart. I really hope we can still be friends.”

I took her hand and felt her fingers tremble in mine. I couldn’t remember ever having these strong feelings for a girl who I barely knew. “I don’t want to be your friend.”

She nodded and gulped. “I getit.”

I squeezed her thigh under the table. “No, Aria, you don’t. That’s not what I meant. I like you. You’re beautiful and smart and honest . . . and you intrigue me. I love that you say what’s on your mind and not what you think I want to hear. You challenge me. I’ve always wanted to date someone who is as dedicated to a goal as I am dedicated to being aSEAL.”

“Well, I definitely share your drive. And your goals.”

What did she mean by that? I didn’t ask. “Many women want to have sex with a SEAL, but most women won’t even consider being in a relationship with one. I’m gone all the time. We may only have a month together, but honestly, that’s more time than I ever have had to get to know someone.”

She gulped. I could tell she had something on hermind.

“Well, let’s just have fun while we can. Who knows what the future holds.”

I stroked my thumb back and forth over her knuckles. “Where are you going when you leavehere?”