"Yes. I'm against the opposite wall."
Shining the light on the gap, the first thing I see is the white soles of his shoes. White shoes? Then his white pants legs come through. They are straight and powerful, like tree trunks. As his ass appears, my eyes widen. His buns are big and round and perfect and sit under a tight, trim waistline.
Dang! So far, so good!
He hangs there for a second as he adjusts his hands, walking them closer to the edge, then he swings his tree trunks, twisting his torso….
My eyebrows shoot up when his massive broad shoulders fill the gap. He is built like a bull!
He lands softly, agile for his size, then reaches back into the space to retrieve his hat. His hair is dark, nearly black, but it shines in the light. It is super thick on top, giving it a natural tousled look. The sides are high and tight.
When he turns to face me, I nearly faint with how handsome he is! His facial features are classic good looks with a straight nose and strong jawline. His eyebrows are dark and thick like his head of hair, and he sports a defined goatee and mustache. He looks like a man straight out of the Renaissance Age, and the grin on his face teases that he's a player.
"Hi, there," he says, as casual as if we were passing in the hall.
My mouth waters, which is good because it forces me to shut the gaping hole of shock, and I respond with a very breathy, "Hi."
This man exceeds my fantasy!
"OH! Wow!" I announce when I drag my eyes off his handsome face and realize he's wearing dress whites, the Navy's formal uniform, with rows and rows of colorful ribbons adorning his chest. I have no idea what they mean he's done, but I do know what the trident means that sits above them. "You're a real-life hero."
He's a warrior not only willing to risk his life in service to his country, but he is a member of the elite force that dominates and destroys the enemy. He is dedicated to freedom and deserving of respect—the type of man who runs to danger and doesn't have the word quit in his vocabulary.
I stare at him gobsmacked, absorbing his whole gorgeous package. In awe, I say, "Thank you for your service, and thank you for helping me."
He nods, and his dark manly eyes are kind and caring, but I see delicious danger lurking behind them, and my heart races with excitement at the thought of being trapped in here alone with him.
Chapter 3
d’Artagnan
Ican see her gobsmacked expression in the reflected light of my phone, and it sends a devil-may-care smirk to my lips. This introduction couldn’t have gone any better.
“Of course,” I respond, acknowledging her words. “You’re a damsel in distress. That’s what heroes do. We rescue you.”
She smirks with the same devil-may-care expression, then looks away and blushes, confirming her thoughts were anything but innocent.
Suddenly, the electricity comes back on. The elevator jolts as it resets, the doors close, and it rises into the slot, but then the power goes off again.
“Looks like we are trapped in here.” She states the obvious with a breathy voice, and I’m not sure if it’s from fear or desire.
“I’ve been trapped in worse places and survived. We’ll be alright.” I vote on reassuring her, remembering the initial panic I heard in her voice.
She asks, “You’re a SEAL, aren’t you?”
“Yes, I am.”
She offers me the phone, “I’m not afraid now that you’re in here with me.”
“At least, I accomplished that.” As I take it from her, I smile and prop it up in the corner, so the small area is lit. I set my headgear in front of it to anchor it in place so it won’t slide down. Then I remove my coat, turn it inside out, spread it, so the lining rests on the floor.
I sweep my hand, offering her a seat. She laughs and says, “I guess we should get comfortable.”
I nod. “We could be here a while.”
As she walks over, I ask, “What’s your name?”
“Rapunzel.”
