Missing You

Chapter One: Not So Cute Meet Cute

Nina Moreno wiped at her tears and looked at the glass in her hand. Finishing her drink, she asked for her tab as a man in black pants and a black button shirt with the sleeves rolled up sat down next to her. She immediately noticed that tattoos that covered his left arm from his elbow up to his wrist. Glancing she knew right away he was military from the military style watch he wore and his clean cut appearance. She had brothers that were military, so she could point working men out a mile away.

Draven McGarrett sat down next to a woman in a black pant suit, her jacket hanging on the chair behind her. She was wearing a light white sleeveless blouse and noticed how the neckline went close to her supple breasts with one button undone. He also took notice that she had been crying as her gorgeous turquoise eyes and nose were red. Her long wine colored hair was in a soft updo with a few strands having escaped throughout the day. She just screamed class but approachable.

The bartender took her a bill for her drinks and got his drink order. When he returned with Draven’s drink, he asked the woman, “Can I get you a cab ma’am?”

She merely signed her receipt and shook her head, “No, thank you. I know my way home.”

“Are you sure you are going to be okay, ma’am?” the bartender asked.

She was pulling on her jacket, “Yeah. I think I am. Thank you.”

As she left, the bartender picked up her receipt and looked at it, “I guess she really is feeling okay.”

Draven sipped his drink, “Why do you say that?”

The bartender showed him the receipt, “She left me a two-hundred-dollar tip for one non-alcoholic drink.”

Draven saw her name, “Does she come here often?”

“No, sir. That is the first time I have seen her here.”

Downing the rest of his drink he paid in cash and left the bartender a hundred-dollar bill before grabbing his coat in search of the woman. He found her sleeping on the hotel couch just in front of the elevator. Her room key had fallen just beside her foot. Going over to her he checked to make sure she was breathing, when she was, he picked her up in a fireman carry and took her to her room. She felt so light and frail in his arms. When he gently set her on her bed, he had turned on a light to find his way and noticed an urn sitting on the dresser. He realized that was her reason for the tears at the bar. Looking at her sleep he realized that she was actually very beautiful. Her skin was flawless, golden brown, her hair was long in a shade of red brown almost like the color of wine and her lips were just the prettiest shade of pink. A few moments later he left her secured room to his, three floors above hers. In the afternoon the next day at check-out, he hoped to run into her, but he didn’t and caught his plane ride home.

He was working on a briefing, sitting comfortably in First Class, when he heard some soft sniffing coming from the seat in front of him. Looking over he was looking at the woman from last night. She was trying to hide her tears from the lady sitting next to her. The woman sitting next to her kept trying to pry as to why she was crying. Tapping the other lady on the shoulder he asked her to switch seats, she gladly accepted. He sat next to the woman from last night, “Hi,” and handed her his handkerchief.

She looked at him, noticing his kind green eyes, her eyes red, her face blotchy from crying, “Hi,” and looked at him wondering why he was sitting next to her.

He extended his hand with the handkerchief, “Please. Take it,” he said softly.

Timidly she took it, “Thank you. Do I know you?”

He nodded, “I sat down at the bar next to you at the hotel last night. You fell asleep in front of the elevator, and I carried you to your room.”

“Why did you do that?” she asked suspicious.

“I just . . .” shrugging, “I was trying to be nice. It looked like you needed someone to be nice to you.”

“Who are you?”

“My name is Draven McGarrett,” extending his hand to hers.

She took his hand, “Nina Moreno.” He wanted to tell her that he knew her real name was Rowena Moreno, since he had seen her name on the credit card receipt from the night before. Instead, he kept quiet and just enjoyed her beauty.

Her eyes were blood shot from crying, but the color was an amazing shade of turquoise. He wanted to keep staring into her eyes and get lost in them, but he didn’t want to freak her out. God help him, but she was beautiful, “What takes you to Honolulu?” he asked.

“To fulfill a last request,” withdrawing her hand.

“Does it have to do with the urn I saw last night?”

She seemed to turn cold, “I don’t think that is any of your business.”

“You’re right. I’m sorry, I apologize.”

Nina was looking at a man with emerald green eyes, a golden tan and short brown hair with tips that were slightly blond that looked soft to touch. His frame was muscular, though she couldn’t tell how tall he was, and when she shook his hand, she felt calluses that she knew where from hard work, but his clothing said otherwise. “What do you do Mister McGarrett?” changing the subject.

“I work for the government.”

“Doing what?”

He leaned towards her and getting a whiff of Miracle perfume, “If I told you, I’d have to kill you,” trying to joke with her.

She wasn’t in a joking mood, “Go ahead, I have nothing to lose anyway.”

His attitude changed quickly, “I’m in the Navy. SpecOps. You?”

“What were you doing at a hotel like that?” she asked avoiding his question.

He wasn’t sure how to answer, “What do you mean?”

“Swanky, overpriced and for the rich and famous?”

He looked at the chair in front of him and then at her, “What were you doing at a place like that?”

“Like I said, fulfilling a last request,” she responded.

“I was on assignment. That’s all I can say about that.”

“Why are you on a flight to Hawaii?”

“It’s where I live,” he responded.

The flight attended came around, “We will now be lowering the cabin lights. If you need additional light there is a button located above your head,” and continued to give other instructions. Nina grabbed a pillow and her blanket and closed her eyes resting her head to the left away from her new neighbor since she was sitting up against the window. Grateful to end the conversation and avoid any other questions.

Draven looked at Nina as she closed her eyes. A few moments later he grabbed his pillow and blanket and fell into a blissful sleep. When they arrived in Hawaii it was still dark. Nina was ready having pulled her long hair up into a ponytail and put away her things. Draven gathered his things and was ready as well. When the plane finally stopped and the doors opened, he got out into the aisle and let Nina out. Without so much of a glance she went into the aisle and started walking. He saw a bag she had left and picked it up but did not call out to her. Instead, he followed her but not too closely. When he went to baggage claim he noticed that she was already outside getting in an Uber. By the time he got home, it was six in the morning. Taking a long hot shower first he then pulled on a pair of boxer briefs and went to bed.

Nina went to her temporary home, a condo located in a nice high rise in Waikiki, took a long hot shower, put on a pair of brown boy cut short panties and a white tank top and went to bed. She woke in the afternoon to someone knocking on her door. Sitting up she looked at the time seeing that it was three in the afternoon. Squinting at the bright light when she opened her curtains, she wrapped a sarong around her waist and went to answer the door, pushing her wavy hair out of her face. Standing on her doorstep dressed in khaki cargo shorts and a white t-shirt that said “North Shore” was Draven. He was very muscular, his biceps causing the t-shirt sleeves to stretch slightly. He also made her aware of her five-foot five frame, compared to his towering height of at least six foot two.

“What are you doing here? How did you find out where to find me?” she asked.

Removing his sunglasses, he handed her a small clutch, “You left it on the plane. I found your reservation printed inside.” Looking at her bed hair, and her perky breasts hidden under her tank top. He wanted nothing more than to capture her soft lips in a smoldering kiss and take her to bed and keep her naked.

He watched as she reached for her clutch, she realized it held her I.D., her insurance cards, credit cards and everything she had grabbed on the day she had headed to Philadelphia, “Thank you,” looking at him, “but you didn’t have to bring it all the way over here. You could have just had it delivered.”

“Well,” his hands in his pockets, “I was hoping that I could see you again.”

“Why?” she blurted out.

“Well, I think that there is something very special about you. I’d like to get to know you better.”

She wrapped her arms around herself, “I don’t know.”

“Well, think about it. If you change your mind, here’s my number,” handing her a piece of paper, “I hope you do. Aloha.”

She took it and nodded, “Aloha.”

He turned and walked down the hall of the condominium complex. Nina stood there for a few moments and then called after him. Turning he saw her beautiful eyes, “Yes?”

“I could go for something to eat.”

Smiling, “Great.”

“I’ll meet you at the Cheesecake factory in an hour?”

He nodded, “You got it. I’ll see you there.”

“Okay,” and closed the door.

An hour later Draven was standing outside talking to his Commander on his cell phone when he turned and saw Nina walking towards him as if in slow motion. She was wearing a pair of khaki shorts that hung low on her hips and a strapless pink shirt that flowed softly against her skin. On her feet she wore a pair of brown reefs with gold glitter showing off some tattoos she had on her ankles and blue painted toenails. When his eyes traveled back up to her beautiful face, he noticed that her hair was in a soft smooth braid over her shoulder with a few small strands loose and slightly blowing in the wind. He hung up with his Commander when she approached.

He looked at her and said, “I’m glad you made it.”

She nodded, “Me too.”

“You look very nice.”

“Thank you. So do you,” noticing that he had more muscles than she could count hidden under his button up white shirt with the sleeves rolled up to his elbows.

He motioned to the door, “Shall we?”

They went inside and the hostess led them to a table outside towards the back of the restaurant to a view of boats on the water. Sitting down they took their menus and thanked the hostess. After she walked away Draven looked at Nina and all he wanted to do was hold her, protect her and he didn’t know why. He didn’t even know her and yet he was drawn to her.

“So, what do you do Nina?” he asked.

She looked up from looking at her menu, “I’m a writer.”

“For the newspaper?”

She shook her head, “No. I write a series of novels under a pseudo-name.”

“Wow, I’ve never known a writer before.”

“I’ve never known a Navy SEAL before.”

He shrugged, “I like the work. But how’d you know that? I just said I was SpecOps.”

She smirked, “My brothers are SpecOps in the Army. I recognize a working man when I see one.” He looked at her beauty, blown away that he couldn’t hide his job from her.

Their waitress approached them and took their order. After she left, he looked at her and could see she was struggling with something. “Where are you from Nina?”

She placed her hands on her lap, “Texas.”

“Oh, really? What part?”

“Different parts, but mostly Austin. But I currently live in California. You?”

He played with a sugar pack, flipping it between his fingers like a coin, “Here. Born and raised.”

“Wow. How’s that?”

“My dad was in the Navy. As an officer he had first choice and we stayed here. When I came of age, I decided to follow in his steps and decided that the Navy was the way for me. I went to the Naval Academy. After I finished, a buddy of mine recommended BUD/S or SEALs, and I got on with them and have been with them ever since. That seems like forever ago.”

“Have you ever been shot?” she asked.

“I’ve been shot at several times.”

“That’s not what I asked,” she said with a smirk and slightly shook her head.

He folded his hands together and placed them on the table, “Yes, I have been shot.”

“What did it feel like?”

He looked down and then looked at her, “I’d rather not talk about it.”

She nodded and the waitress came and set down their drinks.

He looked at her beauty, as her hair moved slightly from the breeze, “Where did you go to school?”

She smiled, “Nothing fancy like the Academy, but I went to the University of Texas.”

He nodded and smiled, “A Longhorn huh?”

She lowered her middle finger and ring finger and tucked her thumb, “Hook ‘em.”

“What did you major in? Let me guess, writing.”

She shook her head, “Good try. I actually majored in psychology. Not everyone knows, but I do have a doctorate in psychology,” ignoring the look of surprise on his face, “I just choose not to practice. I make more money writing about fantasy.”

“Siblings?”

She nodded, “Several. You?”

He pushed his sunglasses up onto his head, “I do. Four. All girls. All older. They all live on the Mainland. Married. With kids. All my sisters keep telling me to get out of the SEALs and to settle down and get married. But I keep telling them that I haven’t met the right one yet,” eyeing her closely.

Nina took a sip and then looked at him, “So, I need to know something.” He nodded. She looked at him, “Why did you carry me to my room that night?”

He took a sip from his drink, “I sat down at the bar and you seemed so sad, I wanted to know why. I could tell you had been crying. You left and I thought that was that. I just had to meet you. You were so sad but so beautiful,” smirking as she blushed, “After you left, I got up to go back to my room and I saw you asleep on the seat just outside the elevator. You looked so peaceful. I didn’t want to wake you up. I picked you up and carried you to your room. I laid you on the bed and I left.”

“Well, thank you. But I wasn’t sleeping. I was slipping into a diabetic coma. I was at the bar drinking some juice, but I was too far gone for it to be effective. I got up to go take my insulin shot, I had forgotten to put on my insulin pump,” her hand going to her hip wear the device was, “and never made it. I was waiting for my brother to come back with my shot. When you were going up with me, he was coming down with it. Luckily, the front desk person told him what she saw, and he was able to come up to my room in time.”

“Oh, my gosh, Nina. I’m so sorry. I didn’t know,” shock on his face.

She shook her head, “You couldn’t have known. I took off my medical bracelet that night,” raising her wrist to show him.

He looked at it, “I’m so sorry. I really am.”

“Don’t worry about it. I’m okay.”

He took her hand frantically in both of his, “I could have killed you. I’m sorry.”

She squeezed his hand, enjoying the feel of his strength in her small hand and the feel of electricity shooting from his hand to hers, “Really. It’s okay.”

The waitress came and delivered their meal, “Enjoy.”

They ate their meal and made small talk about the things to do in Hawaii. He got her to laugh and see her relax. When the check came, he argued with her and finally paid for it all. After, they walked around the Royal Hawaiian center. As they walked around in an ABC Store, “I was there in Philadelphia retrieving the body of my biological father,” she said as they were looking at souvenirs, “He and I were never close. When he disappeared from our lives, I never thought anything of it, me and my brothers certainly never thought anything of it,” he stopped to look at her.

“There are twelve of us, all of us a year apart. I’m the only girl and third oldest of our pack. Anyway, when his body showed up in Philly, I was the only one listed as his next of kin. So, they contacted me. Naturally my brothers were furious and refused to have anything to do with him or his remains. I was left up to the duty of claiming his body. They sent me off and I went there alone. When I saw his body, I fell apart. I started to make the plans and find out what I could find out on how he died. Eventually, I needed my brothers there. They still didn’t want anything to do with him but showed up to support me. In the days that followed, we learned many things about our father including the fact that he had a whole separate family living there in Philly. His then common law wife, was on a European tour and couldn’t or didn’t want to be reached. We received a telegram from her lawyer stating that she didn’t want anything and to never contact her again.”

“Wow. Where’s you mom?”

“She died when my youngest brother was born.”

“Oh, wow. I’m sorry.”

“Anyway, his will was found and read, and he named me and my brothers as his beneficiaries. His other kids fought the will tooth and nail. The reason they were trying to fight the will is that my father had four life insurance policies taken out on him all worth twelve million dollars. Me and my brothers didn’t need it, but our father wanted us to have it since he was never part of our lives. He felt that he owed us something. Well, here I am a year later and I’m fulfilling his last wish of having his ashes spread here in Hawaii where he was first happy. He met our mother here while hiking up Diamond Head when he was in the Army and our mother was a student here at U of H. I figured that while I am here, I am going to stay here on sabbatical for six months. My editor said I am due for a break.”

He grabbed her hand and stopped her from walking, “Is that why you were crying there at the bar?”

She nodded.

“I’m sorry you were dealing with all of this semi- alone. No one should have to face the death of a parent alone.”

She removed her hand from his, “Thank you.” She didn’t want him to know the effect he was having on her and her body just from the touch of his hand.

“And what happened to his other kids?” he asked.

She pushed a strand of hair behind her ear, “They lost,” and shrugged, “I have my lawyers putting the money in a scholarship fund.”

“Impressive. What are you going to do for the next six months?” he asked.

She looked at a soft pink sarong, “Do what I do best. Write.”

“Well, if you ever want company.”

Touching the soft pink sarong, she then looked at him, “I will. Thank you.”

They looked awhile longer. Nina found out that he was the leader of his SEAL team, he hadn’t been in a serious relationship in three years, and his mom was retired and living in Florida. Draven found out that she hadn’t had a relationship in three years and had broken up with the guy when she walked in on him with a known bar bunny. A twenty-one year old spinning instructor with legs for days, unlike the small Nina. After a while, Nina looked at Draven, “I have to go but thank you for a good afternoon.”

“Hang on. Have dinner with me tomorrow tonight. Name the place and time.”

“Why?”

“I told you, I want to get to know you. Whether you believe it our not, you are beautiful, kind, funny. And I want to see where we can take this.”

Nina fidgeted with her fingers, “Look, I think you are probably a great guy,” looking at his broad shoulders and tattooed arm, “But- “

He stepped forward, placing a hand gently over her lips silencing her, “Don’t say you don’t think it will work out. You don’t even know me yet. All I am asking for is to see you again. Before you turn me down, let me tell you a few things about myself,” lowering his hand, taking both of hers in his and bringing them up to his chest so she could feel his heart beating against the palm of her hand, “I’m thirty-three years old. I have never been married. I have never been engaged. I don’t have any children. I am a United States Navy SEAL. I have been on active duty for eleven years. I have been a SEAL in some capacity for eight of them. I have seen and done a lot of things in this world that makes others wonder how I sleep at night. I fight for this country because I believe in it. When I see the beauty this world has to offer, I hold onto it as tight as I can and don’t want to let it go. Which is why I live in one of the most beautiful places on our earth. You,” pushing a strand of hair behind her three earring pierced ear, “are one of those beautiful things that this world has to offer.”

Nina looked away from his intense green eyes, feeling herself blush and tried and failed in lowering her hands from his warmth. He used the crook of his finger to raise her chin up to make her look at him, “Nina, I want to see you. I want to take you out. I want to hold your hand and take you dancing and to dinner. And then I want to show you how a man treats a woman right. I want to see your body outlined by the moon. I want to feel the softness of your skin against mine,” his hand moving to her lower back, drawing her closer to his body until they were hip to hip and chest to chest, “And then I want to pleasure you and show you how serious I am about getting to know you. First, I am going to kiss your lips and explore you mouth with my tongue while my hands have their fill of your beautiful breasts and you luscious ass,” gently grabbing her right cheek with his capable left hand and squeezing it gently, “After that, I am going to put you in my bed,” his hands moving up her body, grazing the sides of her breasts, to hold her head gently as he lowered his voice and his hips closer to her so she couldn’t look anywhere but at him and could feel his hard erection pressed against the soft mound of her belly and lowered his voice slightly, “and eat you out.”

Nina swallowed, feeling a wetness grow between her legs, with a slow ache and throb. He continued looking at her eyes and lips, “Your p***y will crave me and only me after and only will be satisfied by my mouth and my c**k inside of you. I want to see you come under me as I fill your tight p***y up. I want to feel your legs tighten around me and draw me closer as I pound into you. And after you come, I’m going to make you come again, and again, and again, until only my name is cried out from your lips.”

He saw her eyes dilate during his speech to her, and the part of her lips and the quick intake of her breath. He felt her n*****s bead against his chest and her body heat rise. He noticed when her hands went to his hips in an intimate move. Before he kissed her, he moved away from her. She felt disappointed at the loss of body heat and the feeling of being safe in his arms and surrounded by his heat and his body.

She could smell his scent as if he had imprinted on her. It was a mixture of soap, sweat, and Armani’s Acqua di Gio, and he smelled so yummy to her. Had they not been in public, she would have jumped his bones right then and there. Everything he was saying to her, made her want to go down on him right then and there. She had never reacted that way to any man before.

When Draven stepped away from her, he could smell her sweet scent of Miracle perfume, Neutrogena and her own scent. He wanted to bury his nose in her neck, and he probably would later. Restraining himself, instead he looked at her, “So, what do you say? What time? Where?”

When Nina finally found her voice, she stuttered, “Uh, how b-b-bout P-p, eff, chang’s. Six o’clock.”

“Good. Wearing something pink. You look good in pink.”

She smiled, “Ok.”

He smiled back, “Ok,” and turned to leave but stopped and turned to her and grabbed her hand, “Until tomorrow tonight,” and then leaned down, bringing her hand to his lips. She watched him leave, feeling her heart pound in her chest. Pressing her hand to her chest, she moved to sit on a bench feeling her body in its aroused state. In that short talk, he managed to get her n*****s to bead against his chest, her heart rate increased, her breathing got shallow, and her s*x was wet. She was sure had he kissed her then, she would have come standing right there. The salesclerk that had seen it all was folding a sarong, “Honey, if you are smart, you will keep him.”

Nina took in a shaking breath, “Don’t worry. I think I will.”