Chapter 22

As they always meet in public places, getting there and leaving in separated ways, Mike gets to meet a couple more of her friends who bump into them. When they meet, time moves faster, and they don't feel that timeline over their heads.

When they are in uniform, the months seem to pass too slow for both. So, when the course is finally over, Kate gave mike her last paper and with it, her phone number and address.

Three days later, there was a knock on her door, Kate walked to check who was it to find him on her doorstep.

"Sir?" She asked surprised, opening the door.

"Kate," he grinned.

"Ah, come on in?" She moved to the side to let him in and closed the door behind him.

"How are you Kate?"

"I'm good. Thanks, sir"

"Call me, Mike. You're not my student anymore," he said and Kate smiled

"True."

Mike find himself following her to the living room. He lowered his duffel bags on the ground and his hat on the table.

"Would you like some coffee, Mike?" She smiled as his name left her mouth.

"No, thanks."

"I heard you are leaving tomorrow?"

"Yeah. I was wondering, is your offer still open?"

"For staying here?" he nodded. "Yes"

"Great," he said, standing and walking until he was standing in front of her, only a few inches apart. "Kate," he whispered.

"Mike," she whispered back. Both could feel the heat coming off each other.

"These past three months you've been driving me crazy," He said searching her eyes.

"Same here." She grinned. "There are no rules now, Mike," she finished as he cupped her face and kissed her.

When he pulled back, he saw the shocked look on her face. Chastising himself, he thought he had failed on reading her, that it was too soon to be so bold. And then, he felt her hands on the back of his neck and her lips on his still tingling lips. Distracted by his thoughts, it took him a few seconds to realize she was kissing him back passionately and then, arms and hands were all over the place until they need for air was bigger.

"Kate," he panted against her lips, "I want you."

"I want you to, Mike."

She kissed him once again as she pulled him to where she was going. Distracted between following her and not stop kissing her, he didn't notice she was undoing the buttons of his shirt until they were halfway to her room. When he did, he pulled the top out of her jeans. When Kate pulled him into her bedroom, she was pulling his shirt off his shoulder and onto the floor.

Slowly, they lay on bed kissing as they remove each other's clothes and make slow passionate love. Afterwards, Kate snuggled up to his side as they fell asleep.

When Mike woke up, he opened his eyes and looked around the bedroom to find that the uniform he arrived in was hanging up and his bags were in a chair in the corner of the bedroom. But Kate wasn't in there.

He got out of bed and put his briefs, he found his jeans and walked out of the room following the noise. Kate was on the phone, as he neared he realized she was wearing a robe.

"Hey," he said as she placed the phone down.

"Hey, are you hungry?"

"Yeah," he stepped forth wrapping his arms around her waist and kissing her.

"Good, I ordered pizza."

"If you say Hawaiian, you truly are the love of my life," he grinned.

"Then you better be mine, because that's what I ordered."

"Great," He kissed her.

"Want a brew?"

"Please, hey, where's your bathroom?"

"Down the corridor first on the left."

"Thanks"

"How do you take your coffee?" she shouted as he walked away

"White with one sugar."

"Just like me," she muttered to herself.

She felt his arms around her waist as she poured the two mugs of coffee, then she placed one sugar on each cup as he kissed her neck once.

"So, one sugar?" he asked, and she nodded.

"Yes, just like you. Here," she said raising his mug. He picked it and took a step back so Kate could turn around and face him. He took a sip of the hot drink

"It's good, thanks." He said taking another sip.

"How long before the pizza arrives?" He asked wrapping his free arm around her waist and pulling her towards him, trying not to spill his or her coffees.

"About fifteen minutes."

"Ok," He gave her a kiss

"What would you like to do this afternoon?" Kate asked.

"Stay here with you, sounds like a great idea," he grinned, and she grinned back.

"And do what exactly, Lieutenant Colonel?" Mike wriggled his eyebrows.

"Three months of sexual tension needs releasing. At least it would be a start until I return," she chuckled.

"Is that, right?" She wrapped her arms around his neck

"Yes... So, are you wearing anything under that robe?" he asked looking down her front

"Maybe," She kissed him. Like the kiss, heated Mike managed to put the mug on the bench and wrapped both arms around her bringing her impossibly close. And then, the phone rang.

"Someone has a bad timing," she said as she picked the phone.

"Hello. Hey, no, I got plans... Tomorrow? At what time? Sure... See you then."

"Everything alright?" He asked as she placed the phone back.

"Yeah, that was Ashley. She and couple of friends are planning on going clubbing tonight. They were wondering if I wanted to join them."

"Ah, so you going tomorrow night then?"

"Yes… to the movies." She grinned. "Ashley is in town for a week."

"Ok," he looked at her and pulled Kate from her robe.

"There's only one way to find out," he whispered grazing her lips while untying the knot. Not wanting to move an inch away, they made love in her kitchen, he sat her on the counter until they climaxed together. Still panting, she jumped down and walked to the fridge to get them something cool to drink. And then, there was a knock on the door.

"Good timing," Mike chuckled. She laughed with him and walked towards her purse and door while redoing her robe.

"Grab a couple of water bottles from the fridge, on your way here, Mike!" she shouted walking to the bedroom with the pizza box in her hands. Searching the fridge, he grabbed two bottles and walked into the room to find the box in the middle of the bed and a very naked Kate getting on one side.

"So, what are your plans, while I'm overseas?" he asked, as he followed her lead.

"Well, I got three courses to do. They start next Monday; then I'm on a frigate for six months." She told him passing him napkins, and he took a slice. "After that, I'll go where the NAVY sends me," she took a bite of her pizza.

"That's complicated. They might send you over to Afghanistan or somewhere around Australia."

"True. But we shall see. And you? Do you have any idea of what is going to be from you once you return?"

"I hope I return to Cairns, but it could be anywhere."

Later, after cleaning the mess they did. They snuggled up together and spent the rest of the late afternoon and evening in bed talking and making love. The next morning, when Kate woke up, she turned around to Mike's side only to find out he wasn't there. She walked to the bathroom to complete part of her morning routine and grabbing her robe; she walked towards the kitchen. As she moved closer, she smelled something being cooked.

"Good Morning," she said smiling, Mike turned around with a grin.

"Morning. I was going to bring you breakfast."

"Well, I'm here now."

"Sit down; I'm about to finish."

"How long have you been up?"

"An hour."

"At what time do you have to be on the wharf?"

"In two and half hours," he said checking his watch. He grabs everything he prepared and placed it on the table. "Enjoy"

"Oh, I will. It smells great," she said looking at the toasts, bacon, scrambled eggs, hash browns, breakfast sausages and coffee he managed to prepare.

When they finish, they cleaned up while having a second coffee. Once everything is settled, Mike went to have a shower, while Kate tied her room. She was quicker than him and smiling she opened the door to the bathroom and taking her robe off; she walked into the shower stall.

Mike jumped when the door to the stall was opened and turned around to find Kate closing the door behind her, with nothing but a smile.

"Well, Kate," he said an hour later,

"you can come and wash my back anytime," he smiled, and Kate laughed while tossing him a towel.

"So long as you return the favor."

"Oh, I will." He smirked. Slowly they finished their last tasks before heading to the wharf.

"I hope you will be here when I get back."

"I hope so to Mike, but it is not up to me."

"Yeah. Oh, well. At least we can write to each other until I get back."

"Then, I'll be looking forward to your letters."

"As I will."

They parked the car, and they got out. They walked to the back where his bags were. He sighed.

"It's a shame you can't come and see me off."

"You know I would love to, Mike. But I will want to hug and kiss you, and there's too much at risk if anyone recognized us."

"Good point. We better do it here then," they hugged each other tightly before kissing goodbye.

"Take care, Mike"

"You to Kate... I love you" Kate smile back

"I love you too" They kiss once more.

"Fair winds, Mike!" She shouted as he started to walk away.

"Fair winds, Kate! And good luck with your other courses."

"

Thanks!"

Kate observed him walking to the guard house, show his ID and they guard allowed him into the waiting car. He gave his bags to the guards who placed them inside. Then, surprising her, he turned around and waved at her which she returned.

Mike looked out of the window until his car started to move away from the guard house. He let his breath out and looked at the different ships in front of him. Kate watched until his car disappeared before she walked on the driver's side of her car and drove back.

A month later, the first mailbag arrived at his ship. Mike was on the bridge with five other crew members when the petty officer in charge of sorting and delivering the mail walked on the bridge

"Mail call!"

"Sir, there are four for you."

"Thank you tinny," Mike said

Mike looked at the four letters and picked up the one from Kate. Opening it up, he smiled as he read. It was four pages long, and when he finished he placed it back on the envelope, the smiles still on his face.

"You look happy, x" Mike turned to the voice

"Oh, I am, sir."

"Girlfriend, X?"

"Yeah, she has been busy studying for three courses she's doing."

"What does she do?"

"She's in the NAVY, a sub lieutenant."

"Wow! You miss her I take."

"Every day, getting a letter from her made my day"

"I know that feeling, X. I read the letter from my wife. I'm glad I was sitting down"

"Everything ok?"

"Better, she's eight weeks pregnant"

"Congratulations, sir."

"Thanks, X."

"Sir, I got a contact one seven five, twenty miles"

"Duty calls." Mike said to his commander.

Two weeks later Kate arrived to her apartment and picked her mail along the way. Walking in, she placed the mail on the kitchen bench then she walked down to her bedroom to get changed. She made herself a brew and while the kettle was boiling, she went through her mail t until she saw one from Mike.

Smiling she opened his letter and started to read it, her drink was ready, so she grabbed a mug and walked to the living room with the mug and her mail in hand. Placing it everything on the table she grabbed Mike's letter on one hand and her coffee on the other one.

She read his four-page letter, laughing in some parts specially when he tells her that there's been jokes played on everyone including him. She finished reading it and walked to her desk to start writing it back. When she finished, she prepared it to send.

The next morning, Kate drove to Sydney NAVCOM where she drops off the letter in the post bag, the Navy would see that it gets to the right ship for free. Before, she drove to Watson bay for her courses. From the second exchange, they figured a routine, letters got to them every two weeks.

With two months to go, Mike received a letter from Kate where she told him she passed all her courses with tops marks, and that she would be sent to a frigate for three months. She promised him she would find a way to send him letters. Along with that, she told him he bought a condo and she moved in already.

She happily told him that now she had a view of the harbor bridge, the opera house and the navy wharf and enclosed a photo of herself in his favorite dress.

A month later, Chris and Sally welcomed Alex Samuel Blake to the world.