Unedited first chapter of Harrier's Healer

I know it isn't Monday yet, but my day tomorrow is hectic and I didn't want to forget to post. Happy Monday, y'all:

CHAPTER ONE

Somewhere in the western Pacific…
“HMC Rogets, report to the bridge. HMC Rogets, report to the bridge!”
Shit, I just got off a ten-hour shift. What now? The head turned to hear the loud squawk coming over the speaker as the baseball cap hid the narrowing of eyes that looked like tiger’s eyes, the semiprecious stones prized by some as jewels. Her shoulders rose and fell with the realization she had no choice; it wasn’t her imagination or a voice in her head that she had been hearing. “See you later,” the curvaceous woman promised the group of people she stood amongst. They nodded and waved as she left to navigate the narrow stairwells and passageways.
“HMC Rogets reporting as ordered, Sir.” The alto voice intruded into the noisy bustle of the bridge.
Commander Touchette waved the woman waiting to be acknowledged forward. She was one of his favorite chiefs and he hated to lose her, even for this short time. He felt good having her expertise on board. They were lucky to get her for she could have easily chosen the carrier, but she wanted the destroyer. Touchette was the commanding officer of the USS Everett DDG, a guided missile destroyer.
His hand waved her closer yet as he read over the missive in front of him. Looking up, he found her direct gaze resting on him, patiently waiting for him to speak. Her eyes were clear and sharp and he wasn’t able to tell she was just off of a long day.
“Chief Rogets,” he said as she stopped and stood straight in front of him.
“Sir,” she replied waiting.
“I hate to do this to you considering you just got done in medical for the day, but the carrier has sent out a request for another doc. Since you know some of the men they are bringing in a little already, they want you.” His blue eyes never left her darker, exotic ones.
The carrier. Chief Petty Officer Alexis Rogets had recently been assigned to this DESRON, destroyer squadron, and as she requested this destroyer, she had apparently anticipated that she would fit in well. The ‘small boy’ was much different than when she had served on an aircraft carrier, or floating city, as she called it. But she was a doctor and would go wherever needed. “When do I go, Sir?”
“Now.” He waited for a look of surprise or anything suggesting shock. He was once again disappointed. Nothing seemed to rile her, which was why the crew loved her. She was level-headed and polite with a hint of prankster when she felt she knew you well enough. She got along well with both officers and enlisted personnel.
Chief Rogets was unique. Generally, any full-fledged doctor would be an officer, but not her. She was finishing her schooling while enlisted and managed to graduate from Harvard as a doctor and a non-commissioned officer. Many believed that was one reason she was easy to get along with on both sides. She was almost like a liaison between the two if needed. An exception to the rule and one she was happy with.

Alexis Rogets maintained her emotionless facade. Now. Her stuff was stowed away so it would take very little for someone to send it to her. She was upset and a bit disappointed for she preferred being on the smaller vessel. “Very well, Sir.”
“Does anything surprise you, Rogets?” The CO asked with a grin.
“It’s not good for me to get surprised,” came her twinkling response. “Especially in my line of work.”
“I have yet to see anything faze you. Stay over there until things have calmed down a bit, and then give us a yell. We’ll send a helo over for you.” He smiled. “Don’t want them thinking they’re going to be allowed to keep the best doc in the Navy. Now go on. Dismissed.”

USS Endeavor CVN
Snapping out a salute to the petty officer who met her on the flight deck, Alexis made her way swiftly down to sickbay. Here not even five minutes and I miss the destroyer, she mused. Pushing open the door to the ship’s medical room she was not sure what to expect.
Corpsmen were running all around and the place seemed chaotic to the untrained eye, but to her it was business like usual. Searching for the nearest khaki uniform, Alexis went up to its wearer and reported in. “Glad to have you aboard, Chief. I hear nothing but good things about you. Heard about you when I was stationed out in Norfolk,” the tall ensign said.
“What’s going on here, Sir?” She waved one dark hand to encompass the room in her question. “Who are the injured?”
Before he could respond, the most sinful voice in God’s creation reached her, easily cutting through the surrounding noise. “Chief Rogets, glad to know you will be taking care of me.” There was a slight hesitation that she could have imagined before the words came again. “And my men.”
Well, Commander Touchette would be pleased to know that there is something to faze me. She took a deep breath and turned to face the man that belonged to that voice. Commander Scott Leighton. Well, Lieutenant Commander Harrington Prescott Broderick Leighton III, if she were to be specific. A name which she only knew from having seen his records. Yeah, right.
For a mere moment Alexis was speechless. In front of her stood her very own secret and undisclosed erotic dream. All her fantasies about men ended up with her and this man in some amazing sexual act.
All six feet five inches of tanned body stood there covered with rippling muscles. Eyes that were cornflower blue and belonged in the bedroom only topped off his god-like body. Everything about his physique and presence screamed virile, sensual and downright mouthwatering. All he would have to do is crook his finger and I would follow him anywhere.
She noticed his blond hair looked like it could use a wash. Not even the black paint streaked on his face could take away from his magnetic pull on her. And it had been like that since the day they met. Can’t think about that now, Lex, need to acknowledge him before he gets suspicious, she admonished herself with a mental shake to bring her back to business at hand.
“Commander Leighton,” she said. “I will go see what I can do to help your men.” She cast a questioning glance at the ensign, who pointed her to the area she would be using. She hurried off without responding to either officer, knowing she could get away with it because of the rush to get attention to the men.
Pushing back the curtain, she reached for a pair of medium surgical gloves. Alexis turned back to get her first patient and froze. Commander Leighton stood before her. “What do you need, Commander? I am just about to go grab one of your men.”
Like hell you are. A sexy half smile crossed his face. “I’m the only one from my team left who needs attention. The rest of the men here are the ones we rescued. So I’m all yours…” Again that almost indiscernible hesitation. “…Chief.”
If that were only so. “Sit down.” She was all business. “What happened?”
“I got a few scrapes, nothing too serious.” His blue eyes burned a hole into her as he spoke.
“Uh-huh,” she muttered as she moved towards him. What was nothing serious in the SEAL way of thinking was way different than what it might mean to her as a doctor.

Lieutenant Commander Scott “Harrier” Leighton felt the familiar butterflies reemerge in his belly. Strangely enough, the fluttering only happened when this woman was around. He didn’t understand it, he towered over her and outweighed her by almost one hundred pounds, yet here he sat, nervous as a child on their first day of school. His blue eyes roved over her as she approached.
She wore her dark hair secured tightly off her face and hidden way under a cap marked, USS Everett DDG. He loved it when her hair was down; it was thick and fell gently around her face and shoulders. Or it had the last time he had seen it down. She looked so feminine that way, not that she didn’t now, for she was hot in anything but she looked gentle with her hair free.
Her face was, to him, perfect. Thick eyelashes framed her exotic-looking tiger eye gaze. Scott reflected on the cute nose and those succulent full lips that he had wanted to kiss the very first time he saw her. This was the eighth time they had met and that desire was still just as strong today as it was the first day. Scott knew it was only a matter of time before he gave into that yearning.
She was five-seven and had all the right curves in just the right places. Her breasts were full and her hips made him imagine nothing except his hands holding them as he drove into her body as deep as he could go. Over and over, all night long. Her ass made his mouth go dry; it was flawless.
She was the total package. Beautiful, smart, energetic, strong and very sexy. Topping it off, her body looked as if it had been covered by rich toffee. I would sell my soul for one night with this ebony goddess, he ruminated.
Scott knew all about her because he had pulled up her file and read up on her. He knew where she considered her permanent address to be and how many family members she had. He knew where she was born and all this wasn’t enough. Everything he knew was technical; he wanted to know this woman.
He blinked as he realized she was staring at him, waiting for a response. “I’m sorry, what?” I sound like a moron, he thought ruefully.
“I said you need to take off your shirt. There is a deep tear and I want to evaluate whether or not you require stitches,” she informed him in a crisp and professional voice.
His eyes blazed with a heat that could have burned a hole right into the hull of the ship. “Sure, just a sec.” He began to remove his shirt and couldn’t stop the hiss of pain that slipped out from between his teeth.
Her fingers were there, brushing his out of the way as she searched. “Hang on, let me look.” A couple of noncommittal murmurs left her mouth and went straight into his ears, traveling quickly to his groin. “This needs stitches.” She turned her head and found their faces were inches apart.
The busy room seemed to fade away into silence as their twin gazes bore into each other. Alexis found herself first and shook her head free of the cobwebs that this man put there. “Take it off,” she ordered in a brisk tone.
One eyebrow, covered with paint, arched as he said, “What?”
“Your shirt. Take it off and I will clean the wound and get someone to stitch you up,” she elaborated insistently.
Oh, hell no, I am not about to let you weasel your way out of looking at or touching my body. “I want you,” that damn hesitation again, “to do it.”
I want you too, her mind screamed in return. “Why me? There are plenty of corpsmen who can stitch a wound just fine. There are other people in here hurt worse than you.”
“I remember how well you took care of Cade on the carrier in the Caribbean.” His voice was such a turn-on to listen to.
Alexis remembered. They had taken them on board after recovering them from the mountains of Belize. Her previous duty had been on that aircraft carrier. Now she was in a different ocean and still facing the man that made her tremble. “Very well,” she said reluctantly. She was only reluctant because she didn’t know how she would respond to touching him; this was why she had planned on having someone else do it.
“You’re not scared of touching me are you, Alexis?” his deep tone purred.
Her eyes flew open wide at his use of her first name; he had never done that before. It was as if her name was made to roll off his tongue. While there had always been an attraction between them, he had never before said anything like this. It was such a breach of protocol. He would be in so much trouble if she were to report it. “Why would I be scared? Did you pick something up that I might catch?” she sassed him back, as she helped him remove his shirt. Seconds later she tried to remain not at all impressed by the massive chest exposed to her gaze.
I can’t believe those words came out of my mouth. At least she is joking about it. “I have never picked anything up. Ever.”
Alexis knew what he was saying. He was clear of any and all sexually transmitted diseases. If only he weren’t a superior officer. “I’m sure your wife or girlfriend is very pleased to know that,” Alexis ventured primly.
He grimaced slightly as she applied the sterilizer to the gash. “You know I don’t have a wife.”
She didn’t even look at him. “I don’t know anything about you, Commander,” she said, reminding them of the protocol.
“Don’t lie to me or yourself.” His words were soft and they caressed her body.
“Don’t move. And keep your arm where it is,” she said as she threaded a needle. “Are you sure you don’t want a local?”
“I’m sure. Just keep talking to me and I will be fine.” You could amputate my left leg if you talked to me through it. I just want to hear your seductive voice.
“You’re the boss,” she muttered.
I will be soon. “Tell me about yourself then, so I can get to know you,” he ordered as she slid the needle into his flesh.
“What has you so interested in my life, Sc…Commander?” Her eyes were narrowed with concentration as she made tiny, even stitches in his side. Trying hard to ignore the wide expanse of muscles and the smell of pure man that was in front of her. Trying and failing.
He heard her slip and smiled as he looked at the top of her head. “The same thing that has you interested in mine,” he whispered, falling silent as another person walked into the small area.
“Chief Rogets,” the corpsmen said. “We need your help with one of the other men.”
“Is it an emergency, Corpsman?” she asked, not taking her eyes off her work.
“No, Ma’am, just as soon as you can.” He looked at the bare-chested man that sat on the bed while the woman sewed up his side. “Sir, Ma’am.” Then he was gone.
Finishing swiftly, she tied off the last suture and cut it. Pushing away on her wheeled stool, Alexis rolled to the sink, removed the gloves from her hands, and began to wash them as she talked to the man sitting behind her. “There you go, Commander. Take it easy and you should be fine in a couple of weeks.” Not that your ass ain’t fine now. Alexis reached for the towel and found him holding it out to her. He moves so fast and silently.
“Thanks for taking such good care of me,” he murmured. His hand moved almost as if he were going to touch her until a yell from across the room got her attention.
“Lex! He’s crashing.” Another chief and friend yelled for her. With barely a glance at the handsome SEAL, Alexis ‘Lex’ Rogets was dashing over to the table to lend her expertise.
Picking up his discarded and possibly ruined shirt along with his pack, Scott gazed across the room and watched in amazement as she worked diligently on the man. Even when blood sprayed up at her she seemed unfazed. She was a damn good doctor, sexy as hell and someday soon, his. With one final look, he left medical to hit the showers and check on the rest of his men.
Alexis knew the moment he left. Somehow the room just felt emptier. Her hands deep in the chest they just cracked open she wondered what twist of fate would bring them together next. That thought was brief and fleeting because her mind focused back on the task before her. And although she was tired, she knew it wouldn’t be an issue as her mind was still sharp. Residency hours had been way worse than this.

Peeling off the blood-covered gloves and tossing them in the trash receptacle, Alexis rolled her head around trying to loosen up her neck muscles. Hands washed, she put on some lotion trying to preemptively ease the dryness. They were done. All the men were stabilized.
“Great job, Lex,” a masculine voice said from behind her.
A smile formed as she answered, “Thanks, Tom. You, too.” She turned and walked with him towards the door. A few corpsmen were cleaning up bloody gauze and washing down tables. But the room was silent now. “It was good to work with you again. I didn’t know you were out here.” Tom had served with her before on the carrier in Norfolk.
He flashed her a grin, his white teeth standing out vividly against his dark skin. “Wanna get some chow?”
“Thanks but no thanks, Tom. I had just pulled a ten-hour stint on the Everett before they sent me here. I need to unwind, but it’s nice to know you’re nearby.” She patted him on the arm.
“We will have to do something in port together. Grab a meal or something.”
Lex nodded. “Great, you know how to reach me. I’ll see ya around. By the way,” she tossed over her shoulder as she walked off, “congrats on being frocked.” He sent her back another sparkling grin as she moved away from him.

Shutting the hatch behind her Alexis sighed. I’ll just give it a few minutes before I call Touchette for the helo. Her gaze took in the sun as it began its evening descent. She loved it out here. This was one of her favorite spots, the fantail. There weren’t many places on an aircraft carrier where one could feel alone, but this was one of them.
“Too bad I won’t be here to watch the sunset,” she said to the rushing wind.
“Why not?” a sexy baritone voice asked from behind her.
She jumped, hand pressed to her chest, unwittingly drawing his gaze there. “Jesú, you scared me.” As her dark eyes landed on the man who stood there she fought for sanity. “Excuse me, Sir. Hello, Commander.”
His striking eyes glanced around making sure they were alone out there. Finding the answer to be to his satisfaction, he settled those beautiful blue eyes back on her body, setting it to burn, a heat that rivaled the late afternoon sun. “Come on now, Alexis,” his hard body moved closer to her. “How long are we going to do this?”
Dear God, this man’s voice is potent. “Do what, Commander?”
He took a deep breath and leaned on the rail beside her, almost but not quite touching her. “Why aren’t you going to be around for the sunset?” He didn’t want to push her into anything. He wanted to push into her.
“I’m going back to the Everett. I just came out here to relax for a bit.” Her body turned around and leaned on the rail like he did. “How are you feeling?”
“Good, you did a wonderful job.” I don’t want you to go back to the Everett, I want you to go to my bed and stay there forever. “How long are we going to keep this up?” Leighton questioned her.
I bet you can keep it up for a long, long time. “I don’t know.”
“Do you remember the day we first met?” he asked, not admiring anything but her dark beauty beside him. Hell, even on the fantail of an aircraft carrier she smelled like she just took a shower.
“Yes. It was in Norfolk,” she said.
“I almost ran you over and you…well, you wanted to say something a lot worse than you did.”
She chuckled, a low seductive sound that stirred up his groin even more. “I remember. And you’re right; I definitely wanted to say something else.”
“You are—”
“Well, it’s been a pleasure Commander, but I have to go. Take care of yourself out there.” Alexis stepped away from the rail and took a few steps toward the door, not wanting or ready to hear what he was going to say.
“It will be a pleasure,” he purred in her ear.
She froze. There were two choices here, file a complaint and get him in trouble or flirt back. Girl, like there was any choice. “What will?”
His hand touched her back, leading her towards the hatch. Unless she opened the thick door, there was nowhere to go except into him if she turned around. “Us.”
She turned. “Commander, what exactly are you talking about?” Her eyes were direct and he liked that about her.
“You know what I’m talking about.” His words were smooth.
And she did. But for the life of her she didn’t want to admit it. “No, I don’t. I have to get going.” She paused with one hand on the handle. “Goodbye, Commander.”
His body clenched. He couldn’t be angry; she was doing the right thing. He was the one breaking protocol. Scott could be sent for a Captain’s Mass and she could get in trouble as well. Suddenly he didn’t give a damn. The seven previous times he had been in her presence, he had not done what he longed so much to do, so now he had to taste her. Two seconds later, he hauled her up against the solid wall of his chest and his lips were on hers.
His tongue slid around her full mouth before plunging into hers, not asking. Oh, no, he was demanding her acceptance. Her taste was amazing; he couldn’t get enough. Every small sample he got increased his desire for more one hundredfold.

Alexis had no idea what was happening to her body. This kiss was nothing like it was in her dreams. She moaned into his mouth as she sucked harder on his invading tongue. Heaven. That was what this felt like.
Suddenly the handle for the hatch began to move. They sprang apart and were leaning on the railing staring out at the ocean by the time the intruder made it through the opening. Two ensigns looked at the commander and nodded before leaving. It was obvious what they were up to. Nothing too different from what Commander Leighton had planned for the lovely Chief Rogets.
Close on their heels was Alexis, who was stopped by that deep tone. “We aren’t done, Alexis.”
Refusing to turn and let him see how much those words affected her, she swallowed and said, “Take care of yourself, Commander.” Then she was gone, leaving him alone. He stayed there even as he watched the helicopter that carried her further away from him against the bright sky.