A Sense of Duty: A Former Navy SEAL Falls in Love and Begins a New Journey with his Private Consulting Company: Dark Horse Guardians (2 page)

Einstein was the most beautiful black and white English bull terrier Lara had ever seen. Actually, she went to her professor's office partly because she so enjoyed the company of Einstein, and walking him had become part of her daily routine. He was a young dog with a lovely egg-shaped head and black Mongolian eyes. He was built like a bulldozer, about forty pounds now, but would grow to fifty pounds of solid muscle. The canine was devoted to her. Einstein looked forward to Lara's visits as she showered him with attention and carried organic dog treats in her pocket. Ben touched her arm as they moved toward the exit. "Would you join me for a walk with Einstein now?" he asked. Lara surprised herself, "Sure."

The office of Professor Harris was one of her favorite places in the world. The large wood paneled room faintly smelled of cherry pipe tobacco and expensive brandy. The professor's slippers were tucked under the baby grand. There were books everywhere. Built-in shelves were filled with rare first editions and curious artifacts from far away places. Professor Harris taught world history and, in Lara's opinion, was a genius. He also played that baby grand piano in a way that could bring tears to her eyes. Tonight the good professor performed, "Pictures at an Exhibition," a difficult piece, to be sure, but one of her favorites. When Ben opened the office door, Einstein was eagerly waiting. Ben slipped on his leash and the bull terrier powerfully pulled them both outside. Ben and Lara walked at a brisk pace in the cool mid-September air.

She detected the aroma of a wood fire the moment they stepped outside. Lara tried to avert her eyes from Ben's attractive face, especially his mesmerizing blue eyes. It was easier for her to communicate with him if they walked side by side. She couldn't help but notice all six-foot two inches of his rugged frame was composed of solid muscle. This guy even had muscles in his neck. His wide shoulders tapered to a well-defined waist and he had a sense of confidence about him. It wasn't a swagger, but close. He also had a particular walk, a cadence that was distinctive. She couldn't put her finger on it. Maybe he was an athlete. There was a quiet power in his body and the way he carried himself with a sense of purpose. Lara and Ben strolled on the brick sidewalks
passing by the lovely historical buildings of the campus lit with period street lamps.

The campus had been Lara's home away from home for the past six years. It was one of the rare places she felt truly safe. The 1800's buildings were familiar to her. She knew every inch of the campus, even the basements and hiding places for the custodians. The original buildings were also of historical significance, her favorite being the four-square brick building next to the library. That structure was the original university established in 1845. Back then it was known as Maine Secondary and was the earliest coeducational boarding school in the country. What drew Lara to the place was the small town feel it exuded. Even though Portland was a bustling city, the campus was quiet and filled with green space. Beautiful trees hundreds of years old lined the walkways and flowering shrubs were well maintained in groves throughout the property with benches for sitting. There were well maintained flower beds blooming spring, summer and fall.

~ Ben ~

Walking next to her, Ben was stunned by her beauty and tried to keep his eyes forward so he would not make her feel uncomfortable. Staring was rude. But his curiosity was insatiable when it came to Lara. Initially she was friendlier than he imagined she would be. It had taken two years to get this close to her. But he knew he had to proceed slowly. He had carefully prepared his story and he wanted it to unfold gradually, as planned. As the conversation developed, Lara learned that Ben had recently moved to Maine because he was hired for a teaching position at the university. He watched her expression change as her rate of breathing increased slightly when he told her. She was more beautiful than the photographs. Although it was difficult to see her figure through the layers of clothing, Ben estimated she was tall, five foot nine inches maybe, and muscular. He guessed her weight to be around one thirty five and he noted she had large feet for a female. Large feet provided good balance, especially in martial arts. Her physical traits were strikingly beautiful and he understood why she had problems with guys pestering her. Lara's long thick hair was dark, shiny and slightly wavy. He wanted more than ever to reach his hand out to touch it, but only imagined doing so. Her eyes took his breath away. He was unprepared for the spark he felt when he looked into her emerald green eyes. No woman had affected him like this, ever. And he had seen many beautiful women in his thirty-one years. He began to formulate a plan to meet with her again. He knew he had to be careful about personal boundaries. Instead he tried to keep her talking, "Tell me about yourself, Lara."

~ Lara ~

Always at the ready with her standard story, Lara suddenly felt tongue-tied in the presence of this handsome mystery man with the subtle Irish brogue. "I'm a student here at the university. I live a short distance from the campus in a one bedroom condo in an ancient pink Victorian." Lara impulsively blurted out just about everything to Ben on that walk. Their feet rustled in the falling leaves as they strolled, and she told him of her love of art, architecture, history and her internship with a local architectural firm. By the time the thirty minute walk ended, Ben knew her favorite food was lobster and her favorite ice cream flavor was ginger. He knew the colors Lara loved and more importantly, he knew her address and phone number. Trusting him this soon was very uncharacteristic for her. She had never opened up to an unfamiliar male so quickly. Maybe she felt comfortable with him because he was the nephew of Professor Harris. No, there was something else about him that made her feel safe and secure.

The tiny yellow lamp on the piano lit the professor's office, casting a warm glow on the room and its lovely antique furnishings. Professor Harris was still busy with his fans at the reception. Lara automatically prepared a big bowl of fresh water for Einstein. As she carried it to the dog's corner of the room, Ben asked, "Would you share a cup of something hot with me before heading home tonight?" She paused as she carefully set the dog's dish on the floor and watched Einstein drink like he had never seen water before. She weighed the decision in her mind momentarily. Then she looked into Ben's blue eyes and said, "Yes, let's get hot chocolate." When Ben smiled, Lara got lost in his eyes. She knew she was throwing caution to the wind, but she felt a strong need to discover more about this handsome stranger. He definitely intrigued her. The café on campus was busy for a weeknight. Newly renovated, it was designed to fit the character of the original building that housed it. It was an L-shaped room with wood paneled walls and wide pine floors. The antique light sconces along the walls lit up the wooden booths. The place smelled of cheeseburgers and freshly brewed hazelnut coffee. Ben led her to a small corner booth and ordered hot chocolate with marshmallow for both of them. Lara noticed he was a take-charge type of guy. "Let's talk more," he said sitting across the table as he looked directly into her eyes. Ben's gaze was intense. "Well, what would you like to talk about?" she asked with an innocent tone. Lara thought she sounded coy, not her style. Ben obviously wanted more personal information about her. Usually, this would raise her danger antennae. She had been known to give guys fake information to throw them off. However, with great enthusiasm she told Ben all about her life in Maine, graduating top of her class in high school, earning a scholarship to the university, her master's program, sprinkled with waiting on tables and working as an assistant for various professors on campus. She even told Ben about the untimely death of her father, something she rarely spoke about with anyone. "My father left a small inheritance that allows me to live a comfortable life in the pink Victorian, until I can work full time as a designer." she told Ben. She left out the fact that she was a black belt, obsessed with weaponry and personal safety and filled with anxiety and phobias. And, she didn't mention that she was seeing Eric Henderson. Although it was a long distance relationship, Eric was trying to progress faster than Lara wanted. These things Lara held close to the vest. She did not want to frighten him away.

~ Ben ~

Ben felt fortunate to have gained Lara's trust so soon. As he listened with rapt attention he took mental notes. Once in a while he would interrupt and ask a quick question to clarify something. Ben felt certain he had gauged her correctly. As her professor's nephew, she was already feeling comfortable with him. Lara seemed compelled to be a willing participant in Ben's informal interrogation of her. He was pleased that she was more than happy to give him the most personal and private information without restraint. She stopped speaking for a moment, pausing as if she sensed she was giving Ben too much. He anticipated Lara would now turn the questions toward him, and she did with an engaging smile, "Ben, you know everything about me and I know nothing about you…"

Ben smiled and his voice was warm, "Well, you know Professor Harris is my uncle and you know Einstein is my dog." He watched Lara as she leaned toward him. She wanted to know much more. "Where did you grow up?" Ben took a deep breath, as if he was about to dive under water. He knew it was necessary to share some details with her, but he couldn't be too wordy. He would stay with the sketch of his life that he wanted her to know, for now. He slowly let his breath out and said with a slight Irish brogue, "My story is a bit sorted, Lara." She touched his hand lightly as he looked down at the empty mug of cocoa, "Tell me, please." she requested softly.

Ben's demeanor changed and he did not smile for a few minutes. He spoke deliberately, "My family emigrated from Ireland before I was born. I'm the youngest of seven children. We lived in the suburbs of Boston, first Waltham, then Newton. I've always been a bit of an over achiever and competitive. I pushed myself to graduate at the top of my class in high school
, something we have in common. I often visited my brother, Patrick, in New York and marveled at the majesty of Wall Street, the financial epicenter of the free world. Although Patrick was keen on the idea of me attending a top-rated business school, I chose a different path. I was fortunate enough to be accepted to the U.S. Naval Academy in 2001. I spent four years in Annapolis, then after special training, I was deployed to Iraq and Afghanistan. After serving six years in the Middle East, I retired from the Navy. In 2012, I started a small consulting group and now work as a contractor for the government." He made it all sound very mundane and normal. He knew Lara sensed this was the version of his life he wanted to reveal for now. He instinctively knew she intended to dig up every detail about him.

~ Lara ~

Ben's career path was impressive; he was a self-made man in every sense of the word. The first moment Lara met him she perceived that he was driven, but she never thought he was a former Navy guy. "Ben, you have told me about your professional life but what about your personal life?" Ben paused when she asked that question. He remained silent for a moment. "That part," he said, "is the sorted bit." "What do you mean?" Lara asked quizzically. Ben's face grew tense. He looked at the table avoiding her eyes. In a low voice he began, "I got married shortly after graduating from the U.S. Naval Academy. It was not a good marriage. I have myself to blame for marrying so young. I have a son." There was an awkward moment of silence. Lara wondered if Ben was still married and where his son was now. She wondered if she should even ask these questions. He seemed uncomfortable talking about his private life. A group of students in the café became rowdy. "Let's go," Ben whispered.

They walked solemnly out of the café door onto the brick sidewalk. "I'll walk you home," Ben smiled. Taking charge again, he was now her escort. Everything about Ben gave her the impression he was a gentleman. There was still something about how he carried himself. Maybe it was because he was a Navy man. He was different from any guy Lara had met before. She felt safe as he tucked her arm under his and enjoyed the tone of his voice with the subtle Irish accent. Lara asked, "Have you had any experience teaching?" He looked at her, "I did quite a bit of teaching in the Navy, but nothing in a formal setting like the university." He spoke with enthusiasm about his upcoming position as a modern history professor. Ben told her he was eager to teach the modern history of the Middle East and the events that led up to 9/11.

It was a short walk from the university café to Lara's Victorian apartment. Diagonally across the street from the campus there was a side street that led down a hill and connected to Maple Lane, a dead end street where Lara's pink Victorian sat in all its glory. The neighborhood was filled with old Victorian homes and sprinkled with bungalows from the 1920's. The larger Victorian homes were divided into condominiums or apartments. The ocean was a couple of blocks further down the hill and the breeze was refreshing. The streets were tree-lined with big oaks and maples, and the lawns well manicured. Most of the homes had flower gardens but they were in the last throes of summer, going to seed. It was a star-filled night perfect for walking.

The building Lara lived in was on the historic registry. It was loaded with gingerbread trim and charming details. Ornate with over-the-top paint colors, built in 1899, it was the quintessential painted lady. Ben spent a few moments taking in the details of the front of the house. His eyes lit up as he explored the pink and white details, the slate blue doors and the ornate arches and cut-outs of the large wrap-around porch, complete with a comfortable metal porch glider painted white. The roof shingles were designed to look like slate. The side entrance was lit with period gas lights now modified for electricity. "This is absolutely breathtaking!" he said. "I must see the inside, if you don't mind…" The moment had arrived for Lara to make a big decision. Should she invite a stranger into her apartment whom she had just met that evening? No, too dangerous. She needed to Google him and do a thorough background check before that would happen. So, she made an excuse. "My place is a mess right now, Ben. Tonight would not be a good time for you to see it. The architectural details of this place show better in the daylight." She blurted. "I understand." he said quietly. "I will see you tomorrow then?" She loved listening to his Irish accent.