A Sense of Duty: A Former Navy SEAL Falls in Love and Begins a New Journey with his Private Consulting Company: Dark Horse Guardians (16 page)

She felt very unsure of herself as Ben took her hand and led her to the dance floor. Lara had never danced with a man except for once at a wedding; she was a bridesmaid and it was required. The roadhouse had filled with a fairly large crowd. Ben pulled her into his chest as they slow danced and Lara felt her heartbeat quicken. "Here's my request…you remember this song." Lara recognized the Tim Halperin song "Think I'm In Love" from Ben's iPod. He drew Lara so close she could hear his heartbeat as they danced to his request. The words of the song were beautiful, soulful. Ben was an excellent dancer, agile and light on his feet. Slow-dancing with Ben was a tender and sensual experience. His arms were so strong, she felt incredibly safe in his embrace. She didn't want to stop slow-dancing with him.

Surprising Lara, Ben also knew how to do the Texas two-step swing, something she was completely unfamiliar with. But, being a patient teacher, Ben took her through the moves, slowly at first. Then she got the hang of it. Twirling in Ben's arms with her body snuggly nestled against his muscular form was heavenly. They danced for two hours, finally taking a water break. "It's a bit of a work out." Ben smiled. He was enjoying this evening very much. Several couples winked or nodded at him on the dance floor as they acknowledged him. "You seem to know quite a few people here." Lara remarked. "Yes, it's a little hideaway for me when I get some downtime." Ben smiled. "You probably guessed there are a lot of military guys here." He looked particularly young and innocent tonight, especially with those dimples. Because he brought her to his hideaway tonight, Lara somehow felt closer to him. It was as if he brought her into the most private sphere of his life.

They left the roadhouse at 11:00 to ride home. Behind Ben on the motorcycle, Lara was exhilarated. The night ride was different. She felt she had given herself over totally to Ben once she pressed herself into his back. The aroma of his leather jacket mixed with sandalwood and the natural scent of his body was masculine and sensual. The ride with Ben was breathtaking and she arrived home more stimulated than relaxed. Wanting to invite him in, she realized it would make more sense to retire for the evening because tomorrow would be a busy day. She lingered on the porch with Ben as he embraced her tenderly, lightly kissing her neck. Ten minutes passed; no words were spoken until he whispered, "Thank you for a really fun night." He gently brushed her cheek with his lips and turned to go to his condo. Lara moved up the creaky staircase to her apartment, revved up and unable to sleep. She sent a text to Ben, "I had a great time." Lara took a long hot soak in the tub before bed. She played the details of the night over in her mind. Ben was such a gentleman compared to anyone she had ever met before. And, she felt safe and comfortable with him. She never thought she would ever be this relaxed with any man. This was a milestone for her.

~Ben~

As Ben dropped into the huge four-poster bed he realized tonight was a milestone for him. He had never brought a woman into the tight knit group of ex-military guys that he hung with. But he knew this brief introduction for Lara was critical if she was going to enter his world. He gauged her reaction tonight as positive. She was open and receptive to everyone she met, flashing her beautiful smile. She laughed at all the right jokes. He was so proud to have her on his arm. Every guy in the place indicated their tacit approval. She looked gorgeous in those jeans and a simple T-shirt. She needed nothing to add to her beauty. In Ben's eyes, she was perfect in every way.

He also thought about how different an evening with him was from a night out with Eliot Stone. No matter how much wealth Ben acquired, he would not flaunt it like Eliot. The two men had different priorities. Ben would
always
go to the roadhouse to be in the company of his brothers. His net worth would never change who he was. He would continue to donate a large percentage of his income to the families of his fallen brothers and those disabled defending freedom. Ben had a difficult time spending money on himself. The 1940 replica Indian motorcycle was a big splurge for him when he bought it, but he was thrilled tonight to have Lara on the bike with him. The night ride was exhilarating for her. Few things in life gave him such pleasure. He was going to have difficulty sleeping tonight. He slipped into his sneakers and jogging pants to take a long run. He needed to drain the excitement that filled him whenever he was with Lara, especially when he was pressed against her lovely figure for several hours on a dance floor.

~Lara~

Lara continued to visit Ben's office every day for late afternoon walks with Einstein. And, Eric repeatedly sent her texts and e-mails asking when she would be available. She messaged back that she was involved in a
renovation project. She sat cross-legged on the beautiful hand-made rug as she rubbed Einstein's egg-shaped head. She listened intently whenever Ben received a phone call. When he spoke it was always in a foreign language. When he did speak English, the conversations were filled with military jargon and orders, of sorts. She knew his work was classified and he was careful to protect his data. His office door remained locked except for when he was there. Students made appointments to visit with him. Some of the adult students made appointments on his lunch break. Lara noticed that Ben always made time for them. He would sit in the overstuffed chair in the seating area and listen intently to their questions or concerns. He took his teaching duties seriously. Lara suspected some of the female students made an appointment just to sit in his office and look at him. But that was part of the university scene. Ben treated each student with patience, dignity and respect.

~Ben~

Ben was now teaching the first civilian classes of his life. In the Navy he frequently took the role of teacher with his men. But this atmosphere was completely different. His lesson plan had to be approved by the dean of the university. He knew well in advance what would be acceptable to those in power at the university and what wouldn't be acceptable, so he carefully crafted the lessons around those unspoken rules and regulations. There was a lengthy history lesson regarding the countries in the modern day Middle East leading up to the events of 9/11.

The first day he walked into the classroom, Ben instinctively picked out the students who had a family member serving. They paid attention when he spoke and actually took notes. There were also several soldiers returning from the battlefield. These students, in particular, memorized every detail of his presentations. Many of them had lived through it. The students in the classroom were not completely aware of his entire background. If asked, Ben would simply say he was a former Navy man, that's what the syllabus stated. He didn't want the subject matter to be about him being a SEAL lieutenant or the gruesome details of his missions. That was classified information. His teaching material focused on 9/11 and the Iraq and Afghanistan conflicts, and he taught the events leading up to the battle with accurate details. Most of the students in his classroom were seven years old when 9/11 happened. As for the overarching theme of his presentation, he stuck with his definition of patriotism. Patriotism was devotion to your country. Even though you may not necessarily agree with your government, a patriot did his/her duty. He was surprised that he enjoyed the role of professor. It was nothing like his preconceived notion. The university itself was an extension of the government, however, the student body was much different than he had imagined. Maybe, in some small way, he really
was
getting through to his students, making a small difference in the world. Having this diversion from his usual work made him feel a twinge of hope.

~Lara~

"How is the divorce proceeding?" Lara watched as Ben's face grew solemn. While walking Einstein the uncomfortable subject was raised by Lara. "Sienna is not being cooperative, Lara, you don't know her. She
's not a normal person. She has money, power, and influence and she may use it to hurt me in any way that she can." Becoming more insistent with her tone, Lara pressed him further, "When do you think the divorce will actually be finalized?" She searched his face for a response. Ben narrowed his eyes and his gaze remained fixed on the ground in front of them. "I am hoping she will soon realize the pure logic of taking the deal I offered her." He said void of feeling. Lara's phone vibrated with yet another text from Eric.

"Oh, I wish he'd give it a break." Lara said with exasperation. "Who are you referring to?" Ben said with curiosity. "It's a guy I've been seeing, off and on, for the past few months. His name is Eric Henderson. He is Don Henderson's nephew. I sort of got set-up on a blind date and…well, you know." Ben did not seem surprised, "I can't say as I blame the guy."

Lara and Ben's lives seemed irrevocably connected. The afternoon walks with Einstein had become a comfortable habit for them. Although Ben insisted on varying their daily walking route, Lara often asked him to walk by a stunning purple and blue Victorian a few blocks from the campus. Majestically, it sat on a hill with ocean views and a perfectly landscaped lawn with a flower garden. Whenever they passed by the purple Victorian they always paused to admire the details of it. Ben appreciated the lines of the architecture as much as Lara, "Some day, I will buy that house for you." he said unexpectedly in his soft Irish brogue. For a moment Lara allowed herself to enjoy the wild fantasy of living there with Ben, having his children. Then, she returned to her sensible self, realizing how irrational that scenario would be. Ben was some sort of secret agent and he was still married. But she couldn't help imagining herself being there, living with him. What would it be like to be his wife?

Suddenly, she realized she was living in an imaginary world like a love-struck female. How many other women felt this way about Ben? Every female student must have been infatuated with him, the handsome new professor. Was he working with other women in his consulting group? How many exotic women had he slept with in his travels? Some of these questions she didn't want answered. Ben was seven years older than Lara, but he seemed mature beyond his thirty-one years. Lara imagined other women were also taken with his witty humor, spontaneous personality, and striking good looks. He was the complete package. She sometimes wondered if he was human, he seemed
too
perfect. Ben's life was so different from hers. He lived what appeared to Lara as a life unstructured, unplanned, and spontaneous, while Lara's was neatly packaged. Had she always lived this ground-hog day existence? Had she always been so boring?

~Ben~

Like clockwork every other Saturday, Ben and Lara drove to Rusty's shooting range in the morning. Lara was a willing student and Ben taught her advanced tips and techniques. She learned how to carry two weapons in case one failed. She was schooled in taking weapons apart and putting them back together. She learned how to get a jammed cartridge out of the chamber quickly and safely. Speed, accuracy, and threat assessment was taught to Lara every Saturday morning. Ben privately loved the extra time with her, especially standing behind her to watch her aim, or teach her how to use a new laser or scope. He found creative ways to be physically close to her. Touching her hand, inhaling her scent, brushing against her, listening to her laugh – all of these things brought Ben happiness. The more time he spent with Lara, the more he believed she was his. As a result of his expert guidance Lara's shooting skills improved dramatically. Rusty delighted in watching them and sometimes participated in the shooting competition. But most often he would set the targets up for them and sit back to enjoy the show.

Honing Lara's martial arts skills at the dojo on Wednesdays, Ben worked with Don Henderson on a regular basis. The two men showed her submission techniques that were valuable and deadly. Ben went a step further demonstrating a complete anatomy lesson on how to kill a person with your bare hands. Don would go through the session with her and Ben would repeat it. With each man, Lara learned useful skills. Instead of a one-hour martial arts match, it became a grueling two-hour grappling session. Ben emphasized that Lara's body was always her most important weapon. He taught her how to move in silence before an attack. And, he taught her the most helpful hints: how to
avoid
physical confrontation. More importantly, he taught Lara how to use her senses, all six of them. He trained her to utilize peripheral vision and to notice the smallest details. Ben played a game with her in which she needed to ferret out things that didn't seem like they belonged. He coached her to use hearing, taste, touch, and smell. But of utmost importance, he emphasized attention to that nagging little feeling that says something is not quite right. Usually, that feeling is an early warning, the prelude to the fight-or-flight instinct.

~Lara~

Meanwhile, as Lara enjoyed Ben's companionship at the shooting range and the dojo she was learning more about him as a person. He was incredibly patient with her and had a sense of humor that sometimes caused her to collapse on the floor in a fit of uncontrollable laughter. Ben was a practical person with no pretension. He acted swiftly and decisively. Her physical attraction to Ben was growing stronger as her respect for him grew. She relished the moments when he moved in close and she felt him against her. She never would have believed she could feel this comfortable with a man. When she passed him in the hallway at the university he would wink at her. Ben sent her text messages all day. Ben had become a pleasant part of Lara's daily life and when his work took him away his absence was more pronounced.