Love, and Military Life? What was I thinking?

I startled awake to the very vivid dream about my Chief. What the hell is happening to me? Let me start from the beginning. My name is Bree Lee. I am a Petty Officer 1st Class in the United States Navy, and I just transferred to my new command. I have been in the Navy for 6 years now, and I plan on making a career out of it. I was on an Aircraft carrier for the first 5 years of my time in service, and now I am being stationed on shore duty. Not something I am really looking forward to. I am an engineer in the Navy, my job is called Machinist Mate. So, I am known as MM1 (SW/AW) Lee. I am 25 years old, from the lovely state of New York, but now stationed in Florida…. Again, not something I am looking forward to. I’d rather be back in California, where I was stationed for the past 5 years, on the USS Nimitz. And this is the beginning of my story. ***72 hours earlier*** I arrived at the airport in Jacksonville, Florida, after a grueling 7-hour flight from San

We got to the work center; I would be working out of. My new command. Haller knocked on the office door, within the work center and a gruff voice called out to enter. Haller and I stepped inside, shutting the door behind us. Automatically, I went to salute, but I wasn’t in uniform. “Sir” stated Haller, “This is the new MM1, to our work center.” He motioned to me. The Lieutenant, looked up from his computer, over his glasses at me. He grinned. “MM1 Lee, we have been expecting you. Welcome to Mayport, and to your new home for the next few years. Was your flight, ok?” I nodded. “Yes Sir, it was fine, early but fine. And thank you for the welcome to the command. I am not entirely sure what to expect from shore duty, considering I am an engineer and have only ever been on ships.” I chuckled. The Lieutenant nodded and laughed and introduced himself. “I am Lieutenant Arron Mays. I am the work center officer, and the highest point of your direct chain of command here. You usually won’t have

She drove around to her side of the building and told me that there were actually quite a few other military personnel who lived in this apartment building. Not all though. It wasn’t on base, and it wasn’t one that the military set up for us, usually. But when the normal apartments weren’t available, this was the go-to. “I’m on the top floor. But there is an elevator, so it’s not bad. There are 5 floors, and I think the only apartment available, is also on the top floor, but it is the one of the last apartments on the floor. It might be yours. There is the apartment, at the very end, the open one, and then the one on the other side of. I know 2 guys live in the very last apartment and guys live on the other side of the open apartment. So, if it is yours, then you are sandwiched in between 4 guys. Good luck.” She laughed at me. My reaction was not the most pleasant. I rolled my eyes and sighed. “Lovely” I stated thick with sarcasm. Her apartment was halfway down the hall from

We are going to be working the same building but different work centers, so we had to go meet up with our work centers once we made it to the area where the picnic was. Katie and I separated as soon as we got to the ball field where the damn thing was going down. She went one way, and I went the other. I was surprised to see bounce houses, dunk tanks, popcorn machines, cotton candy machines, sumo bubble suits, where 2 guys were trying to wrestle but were laughing their asses off and trying to knock each other over. It seemed like fun. Better than my last command with mandatory fun days. I saw Haller and he waved me over. I started to head towards him. “This is something.” I said as I reached him. He laughed. “Yeah, how long did it take you to find me? Because you don’t know anyone and I know you want to get to the muster sheet, to check in so you can dip out, like everyone usually does expect those who are on duty and can’t leave” he said knowingly. I nodded and he ushered me to whe

After a couple of rounds or shots and drinks, I knew I was feeling tipsy. Katie was on the dance floor with some very cute, but very fake cowboy. You could tell by how clean his boots and jeans were. I chuckled as I watched. Real cowboys have jeans that have stains that won’t come out, and boots that are scuffed up and broken in. But hey, she was having fun dancing. That’s another thing I don’t do. I don’t dance. I am way too self-conscious to put myself out there. I was about to slam down the rest of my drink when someone cleared their throat behind me. I turned and met glorious green eyes. I mean, they were vibrant and beautiful, but I could tell he could be trouble. The rest of his face matched the glorious green eyes. He was handsome, with dark hair, I couldn’t tell if it was black or brown. His jaw line was sharp and well defined, and his lips, full and curved into a devious smile. He knew he was handsome. He knew he could probably get any woman he wanted. And I knew, this coul