Chapter 59

59

SARAH

" L et me let the rest of them know we're headed out," I told him.

"I'll wait by the door. We don't want to make a big scene with a bunch of us leaving at once."

She laughed. "Still the consummate professional."

"Old habits and all that." He chuckled.

"I'll be right back," I said and gave him a quick kiss.

I found Kylee and told her to spread the word. We were meeting at the bar. It was likely going to be our last hurrah. We would all be stationed wherever. It was the nature of the beast. You lived one place for eight months, made friends, and just when you got settled, you were sent somewhere else.

That would probably make me sad if I didn't have Dean. We both knew we were going to be together. Where I went, he went.

I walked back to where Dean was waiting for me. He put his arm around my shoulders and together we walked out to his truck. The drive back to his apartment was short.

"You know, it will probably take everyone a good twenty or thirty minutes to get out of there and to the bar," I said in a sultry voice. "We have a little time to kill."

His eyes flashed with mischief as he steered into the parking lot of his apartment complex. "Well, we can't possibly waste that time, can we?" he said, the grin on his face telling me all I needed to know about his thoughts.

He was out of the truck in seconds, rounding the vehicle to open my door with a chivalrous flourish. He offered me his hand, which I quickly took, allowing him to help me down from the high cab.

"Shall we?" he asked, gesturing grandly toward the front door.

I gave him a mischievous smile and nodded. "We shall."

Once inside, Dean wasted no time in sweeping me up into his arms, our lips crashing together in a passionate kiss that was full of promise of things to come. I could feel his heartbeat against mine as his hands roamed over my back, pulling me even closer.

Somewhere in between kisses and whispered promises, we managed to strip off our formal attire and tumble onto his bed. Our laughter and soft words filled the room, creating an atmosphere that was both intimate and playful.

Time slipped away as we reveled in each other's company, our bodies moving in a dance as old as time.

"We should probably get down there," he said as he rolled away.

"I don't think anyone would blame me for taking a little extra time with my hot man."

He got out of the bed, naked and gorgeous, and walked into the bathroom. "Get dressed. We're going out. We're celebrating."

I giggled and sat up in bed. I felt like a new woman. I made it through training, and I was so ready for the next step in my career. This was the moment I'd been working toward since I decided I was going to be a pilot.

I got dressed in the tight jeans and tiny tank I had left at his place. I put on my favorite boots, feeling just a little sassy. Tonight, I was going to party.

Dean came out of the bathroom wearing just his jeans. "Unless you want to throw me on that bed and have your way with me again, you better put a shirt on."

He chuckled. "Someone's feeling spicy."

"You have no idea," I said.

He jerked open his dresser drawer and pulled on a T-shirt.

"Well," he said, looking me up and down in a way that sent tingles down my spine. "Shall we go and celebrate?"

"Yes."

"Those jeans are pretty tight," he said.

I winked. "I know."

Dean led me out of the apartment and back to his truck. The late evening air was cool and crisp, carrying the promise of a beautiful night. I slid into the passenger seat, anxious to get the celebration started.

The Fly Trap was already buzzing with energy when we arrived. I spotted Kylee and a few others from our group huddled around a large table near the back. Their laughter echoed through the bar as we made our way over to them.

"Hey!" Kylee shouted as she saw us. "You two took your sweet time."

"We had something important to discuss," Dean replied smoothly, causing a round of knowing chuckles to rise from our friends. I felt a blush creeping up my cheeks but shook it off when Dean wrapped an arm around me.

"Ryker!" Jude shouted from behind the bar.

"I better give him a hand," Dean said, dropping a quick kiss on my lips.

Dean hopped behind the bar to help out with the rush brought on by the recent graduation. The place quickly transformed into a lively party as more and more graduates streamed in. Apparently, my invitation to a few friends had turned into a bit of blowout.

"Sarah, this is incredible!"

I grinned, feeling the energy of the room. "It's only going to get better!" I climbed up on a chair. "Hey, everyone!"

About half the crowd looked my way.

" We like the Air Force, Air Force can party, Party hardy Party hardy all night long! "

The chant filled the bar. We started another round with Dean and Jude joining in, his voice strong and clear.

I sat down at the table with my friends, surprised with two pitchers Dean delivered. He dropped a kiss on the top of my head. "Congratulations," he said.

"Thank you." I grinned.

The jukebox was fired up. Music blasted through the bar. We all talked about our futures in the Air Force and what came next. The stories ranged from those who were eager to build a career, to those who wanted to travel the world, to those who simply needed a steady paycheck. We had been through rigorous training together and earned our wings. We were more than just colleagues now. We were family. I hoped we would see each other again, but it was a big Air Force and an even bigger world.

As the night wore on, the bar grew rowdier. People were dancing, singing along to their favorite songs and challenging each other to rounds of pool. The air was filled with laughter and good spirits. Dean and I took turns disappearing behind the bar to help Jude whenever we could, mixing drinks with fast hands and quicker smiles.

It was past midnight when things started winding down. The bar was starting to empty out as people stumbled home or found corners to pass out in. My core group of friends was still hanging out. But I wasn't ready to end the party just yet. Dean had been so busy that we didn't get to spend much time together.

I pulled Dean out onto the dance floor. We swayed without a care in the world, bold and self-assured, just like how I approached everything in life. I was a little buzzed, but he was stone cold sober. His hands on my hips made me feel like I was right where I belonged, even though the rest of my life felt like a blank canvas. I had put in for my top choices, but I knew it was up to the Air Force to decide where I was sent.

Now that I'd graduated from the UPT program, there was no telling where I'd end up. The Air Force could transfer me anywhere. I was ready for whatever adventure awaited on the horizon. I felt unstoppable.

"I need to get a fresh keg," Dean said, swatting my ass. "I'll be back as soon as I can."

"Hurry back," I called out.

I danced with Kylee and a few other friends. I caught Dean leaning against the bar, watching me with a look that made my heart skip a beat. Our eyes locked, and I gave him a devil-may-care grin, remembering what it was like seeing him for the first time when I graduated from the Air Force Academy.

If I had only known back then where that moment would lead us. A year later, another graduation, and here we were once again. Instead of me ogling him from afar, it was the other way around.

I made my way over to him, weaving through the tables and chairs. When I reached him, he pulled me into his arms. I leaned into his embrace. "Having fun?" he asked, his voice a low rumble in my ear.

"The best," I replied, resting my head on his shoulder. "This is perfect."

He kissed the top of my head. "I'm so proud of you, Sarah. You've come so far."

I looked up at him, my heart full. "I couldn't have done it without you, Dean. You've been my rock."

He smiled, his eyes crinkling at the corners. "We make a pretty good team, don't we?"

"The best," I agreed, pulling him down for a kiss.

As the night continued, we moved back to the dance floor. I danced with Kylee again and even danced with Rolley. Kylee joined us, hip bumping me.

"I can't believe we did it," Kylee shouted over the music.

"I know!" I shouted back. "We're officially pilots!"

We laughed, spinning around in a circle. The future was wide open, and for the first time, I felt ready to face whatever came next. As I danced, I stole glances at Dean. He was watching me with that same intense gaze, a mixture of pride and love. I thought back to the very beginning. We had come so close to breaking up for good. I was glad he took action and did something about it.

I danced over to him, feeling bold and carefree. "What are you thinking about?" I asked, wrapping my arms around his neck.

He smiled, pulling me close. "Just how lucky I am."

I raised an eyebrow. "Oh, really?"

"Yeah," he said, his voice serious. "I'm lucky to have you in my life, Sarah. You're incredible."

My heart melted at his words. "I feel the same way about you, Dean."

He leaned in, his lips brushing against mine. "Let's make a promise."

"What kind of promise?"

"No matter where the Air Force sends us, no matter what challenges we face, we'll always find our way back to each other."

I looked into his eyes, feeling the weight of his words. "I promise, Dean. Always. It's me and you."

We sealed our promise with a kiss. The world around us faded away. In that moment, it was just the two of us, bound by our love and commitment to each other.

"Get a room!" someone shouted before several catcalls erupted.

We laughed and pulled away. I turned around to look at my friends and very casually flipped them off. That earned a burst of laughter.

Dean just shook his head. "Tell them they've got another half hour. Then we've got to start closing up."

I popped out my bottom lip. "Boo."

"Sorry, baby. Rules are rules. But just think, when we get home, it's me and you for the next couple of weeks."

"I like the sound of that."

Laughing, I turned back to our friends, giving them the thirty-minute warning. They groaned but resumed their drinking and dancing. I turned back to Dean, and he wrapped an arm around my waist.

Once the bar was closed and cleaned up, we said our goodbyes to Jude and the remaining stragglers. Our tight-knit group exchanged hugs and well-wishes for the future. We promised to stay in touch, no matter where in the world we ended up.

Dean walked me to his truck out back. There was a peacefulness that came with the quiet hours of the morning, a stark contrast to the loud revelry not too long ago. My ears were still ringing.

"You know." Dean started the truck. "I've always loved this time of day. It feels like anything could happen. I used to love the red flag drills that had us flying all night."

"I couldn't agree more," I replied, snuggling into his side.

Later, as we lay in bed, Dean held me close, his warmth comforting and familiar.

"Today was perfect," I murmured, my eyes heavy with sleep.

"It was," he agreed, his voice soft. "I'm so proud of you, Sarah."

"Thank you, Dean. For everything."

"Always," he replied, kissing my forehead. "Now get some rest. We've got a whole new adventure ahead of us."

I smiled, snuggling into his embrace. "I can't wait."

As I drifted off to sleep, I felt peace and contentment.