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“No, you can’t see them from here,” he said. “They’re about half a mile out.”
“And you’d swim from here to there?” Sky’s eyes widened with shock over the distance.
Chuckling, Cal kissed her cheek. “Sweetheart, during BUD/S, we’d don wetsuits and tanks and swim five miles underwater. A half a mile swim is a warmup. It’s nothing.”
“Amazing,” Sky said, reaching up, placing her lips against his mouth. She wasn’t disappointed, feeling Cal’s arms slide around her, pinning her against himself. Slipping her arms around his neck, Sky reached up on her toes, taking his mouth, making a happy sound in her throat as he returned it. Everything was perfect to Sky. The heat of the sun, the playful breeze, the constant call of seagulls wheeling above the beach, all conspired to make her feel euphoric. Cal had a way of getting her distracted from her past, or even worrying about last-minute details about their wedding. His mouth cherished hers and she felt his fingers caress the nape of her neck. He treated her with such tenderness, such adoration, that Sky felt like a goddess, not the mere, flawed human being that she really was. Cal made her feel alive, made her feel hope, something she’d lost a long time ago. Most of all, as he deepened their kiss, Cal fed her incredible happiness.
Reluctantly, Cal eased from her wet mouth, feeling his lower body awakening. It wasn’t going to be tough to see he had an erection thanks to her. And when Sky sinuously pressed her belly against him, he saw the wanton look come to her eyes. Groaning, he released her and took her hand in his. “Come on, let’s get to that secret beach…”
Sky’s eyes widened as they made their way across the rocky tidal pool area and rounded the massive cliff rising above them. There was a small, crescent-shaped golden beach bracketed by cliffs on three sides, making it, indeed, a secret of sorts, she thought. There was no one here, unlike the public beach at La Jolla. Cal chose a nice, gently sloped area of gleaming golden sand and shrugged out of the ruck. He pulled the dark blue blanket out and spread it across the undisturbed sand. Next came the food and their water. Sky kicked off her sandals and sat down on the blanket, arms around her drawn up knees.
Here, she realized, the cliffs became like silent guardians to either end of this hidden jewel. A rocky embrace of sorts. “Do people not know this is here?” she wondered as Cal sat down cross-legged on the blanket, facing her.
“Locals know about it. The tourists don’t.” He grinned a little as he poured some water into a plastic cup and handed it to her. “And locals don’t talk about it. It’s their secret.”
“It’s beautiful here, Cal,” and Sky sipped the cold water, not realizing how thirsty she’d become after their mile long trek. Looking up on the cliffs dotted with thousands of blooming, colorful ice plants and surrounded by a wooden fence along the boundary, Sky imagined that it looked like Nature’s afghan, the bright colors making it look dazzling. Sky gave him a teasing look. “Is this where the SEALs brought their girlfriends? It’s VERY private.”
Cal had the good grace to look guilty. “Yeah, it’s one of our hideaways. There are others, closer to Coronado, but I always liked this one because the chances of some tourist coming upon you and interrupting you were minimal.”
Shaking her head, Sky muttered, “You guys… all you have is sex on your mind.”
“Guilty,” Cal said smugly, pulling out the sandwiches he’d made earlier. Handing one to her, he added, “This was a serious beach for us SEALs, though.”
She opened her sandwich and saw he’d assembled turkey, cheese, and lettuce on the bread slices. “Oh?”
“Yeah. If a SEAL was in love, he brought his lady here.” Cal waved his hand in a gesture around the cove. “This is a place where you asked her to marry you,” and he gave her a heated look.
“Ohhh,” Sky murmured between bites, “I see…”
“Joe brought Abby here when they were living together. He loved her and they were getting pressured by her military commitments she had to fulfill for the top-secret program she’d volunteered for. Abby had to deploy in a week, and Joe was desperate to cement their relationship. He brought Abby here and professed his love, his dreams for both of them.”
“That’s so romantic,” Sky sighed. “And you can see how much they love one another. It’s written all over them.”
“Like it is us?” Cal baited, hearing the wistfulness in her voice, her eyes getting that dreamy, faraway look. Sky, despite everything, was an idealist and a dyed-in-the-wool romantic. And he loved her for those qualities. He watched her flush and avoid his look.
“Well, yes… I just love how Joe looks at her. And there’s such warmth in Abby’s eyes when she looks up at him. They’re so deeply in love with one another.”
“Even after two years of marriage.”
She snorted. “What’s wrong with that?”
“Nothing,” Cal murmured, grinning. “You’re so easy to get a rise out of, Ms. Lambert.”
Shaking her head, Sky muttered, “And you’re SUCH an unmerciful devil, Sinclair.”
“I’m not a mean teaser, though,” Cal gently pointed out, finishing off the sandwich. He rubbed his hands down the sides of his shorts.
“No, you’re not.” Her brows fell. “Vlad was a mean tease.”
“No you don’t,” Cal growled, not wanting her to drag up the past. He pulled Sky between his opened thighs, brought her back up against the front of him, and gently held her. “Look at the way the waves break out there,” he said, pointing toward them. “Feel the sun on your skin. The way the breeze touches you. Look forward, Sky. The past is behind you where it needs to remain. Today is all that counts.”
She leaned her head against his shoulder, brow against his jaw. “You’re right… sorry… I didn’t mean to spoil it.”
Cal took her half-eaten sandwich and set it aside. “Listen,” he growled, hauling Sky closer to him, kissing her temple, “you’ve come a long way, Sweetheart. Every time a bad thought enters your mind, replace it with a happy one.”
Sky opened her eyes, drowning in his burning golden gaze. “Until recently, I had no happy things to replace it with.” She watched his chiseled mouth curve faintly.
“Well then,” Cal said gruffly, “I guess I’m going to have to give you another happy memory.” He reached to the left and pulled his ruck over to him. He dug in an outside pocket until he found what he was looking for. “Open your hand.”
