“Here you go.” Libby handed him a water bottle.
He lowered himself onto the sofa as she took a spot on the love seat and curled her legs under her. The woman was less than five feet tall, but he could sense already she had enough personality to make up for whatever she lacked in height. Her eyes danced with mischief. “Destiny says you’ve been on a mission. That’s so cool. You must see a lot of the world, and I bet you can’t talk about it.”
“That’s right. Most of the time, I can’t say where I’m going or where I’ve been. It’s safer for everyone involved.” Especially this time.
“I’ve never dated a guy in the military, but I’ve fantasized about it.” She sighed, faking a swoon, one hand going up to land dramatically over her eyes.
Trent laughed. “It’s not nearly as exciting as a romance novel, I can tell you that. In fact, it’s very difficult to maintain any kind of relationship. I never know when I might be called away or how long I might be gone. Most women can’t handle that in the end. They go into a relationship with all these romantic notions, but after a few months, they find themselves lonely and dissatisfied. It rarely works out.”
“Is that why you’re single?”
“Mostly,” he admitted, glancing down. That and the fact that I’ve been pining after your roommate like a loon for half my life. If he were honest with himself, he shouldn’t even be pursuing Destiny now. She’d already lost one man to the casualties of war. Expecting her to start dating another guy in the military was almost cruel.
“Destiny is strong, you know. She can handle anything.” Libby’s tone turned serious.
Trent didn’t respond. He couldn’t really know if that was true or not. He’d spent so many years ignoring her that he wasn’t sure what kind of stuff she was made of anymore. All he could do was hope Libby was right, because he didn’t have the strength to deny Destiny.
Chapter 5
Destiny was nervous. She didn’t think it was warranted, but she couldn’t stop shaking as she showered, dressed, and met her gaze in the bathroom mirror for a little pep talk.
“It’s Trent,” she told herself. “You know him better than anyone alive. Even after twelve years, he’s still the same guy. There’s no reason to be freaking out.”
She was, though. Freaking out. After all, she had made the choice, for good or for bad, to drink too much tequila and bare her soul to her childhood friend. It hadn’t entirely been an accident. The things she’d said had been on the tip of her tongue for years. She’d rehearsed what she might say to him dozens of times. All she’d needed to face him was the fortification of a few too many drinks, and bam.
It was surreal to think he was in her condo. Downstairs right now. Talking to her roommate. Destiny wasn’t worried about what Libby would say. Trent already knew Destiny’s biggest secret. If Libby inadvertently told him something, it shouldn’t shock him.
Libby was a force to be reckoned with. If she was grilling Trent, fine. She could debrief Destiny later.
She took a deep breath and quickly applied minimal makeup and let her hair down from her tight bun. It fell in long thick waves down her back. The weight of her hair would quickly overcome the twists from the bun.
She had no idea where Trent intended to take her, but judging from his jeans, white button-down, and loafers, she decided to mirror him with jeans, a tight black camisole, and strappy black wedges. Something she could wear equally to a movie or a nice restaurant. She covered the camisole with a delicate, sleeveless lacy black overlay that hung down to her waist.
This was her go-to date outfit. The one that made her feel confident and sexy. She had always been slender, and no amount of eating changed that, but she did have nice boobs, and she could work it when she felt like it with a fantastic pushup bra under the tight black Lycra. The overlay just added a little mystery.
When he’d called last night, she’d originally suggested he just come to her apartment and they could order in, but he’d convinced her that there was no chance anyone they knew would see them in public in such a large city. Logically, she knew he was right. Any time he came to Dallas, they could safely go out in public. If she went to Killeen though, she hoped he would respect her desire to remain secretive.
Finally satisfied with her appearance, though still nervous and shaking, she headed downstairs. Hopefully, she wouldn’t trip and fall.
When she stepped into the living room, she found Libby sitting in the corner of the loveseat with her legs curled under her. Trent was on the sofa, leaning back and laughing at something Libby had said.
He looked like he belonged.
Not noticing Destiny’s arrival, Libby continued talking. “And then there was the guy who showed up here wearing head-to-toe black leather. I kid you not. He came on his motorcycle and was carrying a spare helmet. I thought the guy was smokin’ hot, but leather and motorcycles aren’t Destiny’s thing. Her eyes bugged out of her head when she saw him.”
Destiny cleared her throat. Okay, so maybe Libby could possibly share too much. “What the heck are you telling him?” she asked, uncertain if she wanted the answer.
Trent turned toward Destiny, his eye dancing with laughter. Instantly, his face changed, growing serious. He rose slowly to his feet and wiped his hands on his thighs. “Des…” God, the way he says my name. It had always gotten to her, and now was no exception.
She felt self-conscious all of a sudden, not sure why he sobered so quickly. Did she have a smudge of mascara running down her face? Nope. That wasn’t possible. She’d just taken a last look in the mirror moments ago. Words wouldn’t come out as she held his gaze, taking in his broad shoulders and muscular thighs. The short-sleeved, white button-down made his skin look darker. The bulge of his leg muscles stretched the denim tight. He was every bit as sexy as he’d been when she first realized she had a thing for him over a decade ago. Perhaps more so.
“Yeah, that’s my cue to leave.” Libby jumped up from the couch and rushed past Destiny toward the stairs. “I’ll just be in my room.”
Trent ignored Libby as he closed the distance, coming closer and closer to Destiny as if in slow motion.
“Do I look okay for wherever we’re going?” she stammered.
“Do you look okay?” He chuckled. Finally, he was in her space, one hand sliding around to her back while the other threaded into her hair at the back of her head. “You take my breath away, Des,” he whispered a moment before his lips descended.
He took her breath away when he kissed her as if they’d done so thousands of times before but had just reunited after a long separation.
She melted into him, her hands going to his ass. Tingles rushed through her body as he slid his tongue along hers, spread his fingers over her back, and tugged her hair just enough to angle her head exactly where he wanted it.
A moan vibrated through her, and she shivered with embarrassment as she realized it came from her. She was panting when he finally broke the kiss.
He didn’t pull back more than an inch, however, his intense gaze holding hers as he searched her soul. Seconds ticked by, but the silence wasn’t awkward. It was perfect. As if they needed some time to remember what they meant to each other.
Destiny finally tipped her head down, unable to handle the intensity. Half of her wanted to forgo dinner and drag him up to her room to skip all the pleasantries and go right to the part where they got naked together for the first time. She wouldn’t do it, but God, she wanted to.
“That was…” he murmured.
“Yeah. It was.”
“We should go before I decide ordering takeout is a better plan.”
“Yeah,” she repeated.
His hands slid around to her waist.
When she tipped her head back to meet his gaze again, she found the same serious expression, his eyes slightly narrowed. His lips slowly turned upward. “Or we could stand here all night and stare at each other.”
“That’s not a bad idea, either.”
He fina
lly groaned, released her, and took a step back. After a deep breath, he turned and headed for the door. “I didn’t come on a motorcycle. I hope that’s okay.”
She sighed. “Did Libby give you a play-by-play of every date I’ve ever been on?”
“Most of them, but then you walked in.” He smiled as he opened the door. “Don’t worry. It was entertaining. I like her. She’s so full of personality.”
“That’s an understatement. Did she ask you to set her up with one of your teammates yet? She’s been dying to go out with a military guy for years.”
“She didn’t come right out and say it, but I know the look. That starry-eyed one that tells me a woman has romanticized the life of a military girlfriend. I tried to at least give her a dose of reality, but I’m not sure she heard me. If she’s serious, I know plenty of guys who would be happy to take her out.” He grinned.
Destiny rolled her eyes. “If you start down that path, you’ll be setting all my girlfriends up with your friends. Christa and Bex and Shayla would be jealous.”
Trent laughed, his eyes crinkling. “Well, I’m sure I can come up with an unlimited supply of dates.”
Destiny groaned as she followed Trent out the door. He placed his hand on her lower back as he led her to his car. When they reached the passenger side, he opened it and then leaned in to toss his duffel bag into the back seat.
Destiny took several cleansing breaths after she settled in the seat while Trent rounded the car. Of course, he had a bag with him. He was staying the weekend. They hadn’t discussed anything past dinner, however, so she had no idea if he planned to sleep in her condo or even in her bed. She also wasn’t sure how she felt about that.
Naturally, she wanted him in her bed. Every cell in her body wanted to find out how it felt to be naked in his arms. What kind of lover would he be? Would he be gentle and caring or rough and demanding? She couldn’t imagine him being selfish, at least not with her. But one never knew.
“Relax,” Trent said after he settled in the driver’s seat. He reached for her hand, threaded their fingers together, and set their combined palms on his thigh. “I found a small, family-owned, out-of-the-way restaurant. No one we’ve ever met will see us.”
She swallowed. “That’s not why I’m uneasy. There’s a lot of energy between us. It’s powerful and it makes me nervous.”
He faced her. “I know, Des, but it’s always been there. The only difference is that we both know we’re going to act on it. I want you to stop worrying about when. Right now, we’re going to dinner. Let’s take things one minute at a time. It’s just a date like any other date.”
She giggled indelicately. “This is not like any date I’ve ever been on.”
He lifted their combined hands and kissed her knuckles. “Why not?” he teased, his eyes laughing again when he looked at her.
“I’ve never felt such an overwhelming urge to drag a man up the stairs as soon as he arrived, dinner be damned,” she boldly pointed out so he would know exactly what page she was on. “However,” she continued before giving him a chance to respond, “I want you to know that no matter how badly I’d love to rush things between us and skip to wild, naked sex, I won’t let myself do it. I think we need to slow down, get to know each other all over again, be sure of our feelings before we make rash decisions that might make Christmases and other holidays more awkward than they’ve already been for the last twelve years.”
He smiled at her and reached across with his free hand to stroke her face. “First of all, I’m glad you don’t usually drag your dates upstairs before dinner. I’d rather not picture you with other men. And second of all, as much as I’d also love to skip to the wild, naked sex part as you call it, I agree. We should take our time.”
She licked her lips. Thank God they were on the same page, even if he was just humoring her.
Trent leaned in and kissed her gently. “That being said, we only have two days together, and I have no idea when we might see each other again, so I’d really like to spend every second with you. Please tell me you’ll let me sleep in your bed. I promise I won’t pressure you to have sex. I just want to be with you. Or, if you’re uncomfortable with me staying in your condo with your roommate there, we can get a hotel room.”
She tipped her cheek into his palm. “I’d love for you to stay with me, if it doesn’t bother you that I have a roommate across the hall. We have our own en suite bathrooms. It’s not a problem. If we got a hotel room, well, you heard her. Libby’s imagination would run rampant, and she’d make up all kinds of stories to tell our friends.”
He chuckled. “We wouldn’t want that. It’s settled then. We’re going to dinner. I’m staying in your condo. We’re not having sex. Will you relax now?”
“Not a chance. I’m not sure I’ll ever be able to be near you and not feel the sizzle of electricity coursing through my body right now. But, I appreciate that we settled the important stuff. At least we put our cards on the table. Now I won’t spend the entire meal wondering if you’re thinking about how fast you can get my clothes off after dinner.”
Trent fixed her with a wicked smile. “Oh, Des, nothing is going to prevent me from thinking about peeling those fucking sexy jeans and that skin-tight, stretchy fabric off your body. I’ll be wondering what’s underneath the outer layers all night.” He placed a hand on his heart and his expression went mock-serious. “But I’m a man of my word. I’ll keep my pants on when we get back here.”
She smiled and kissed his palm, uncertain if she really wanted him to be so resolved. It was the right choice, and her brain told her to tread carefully, but her heart told her to screw proprieties and let him fuck her right now into tomorrow. Because she sensed that’s what would happen between them. The sexual tension was so high, it was a wonder the earth wasn’t shaking.
Trent finally let her go and started his car.
She shifted her gaze to face the passenger window, needing a moment to pull herself back together. She couldn’t think straight when she was looking at him.
Chapter 6
Three hours later, Trent followed Destiny back into her condo. This time, he had his duffel bag slung over his shoulder. The inside was dark, and Destiny told him Libby had mentioned going out with some of their other friends.
She turned around to walk backwards toward the stairs. “It seems absurd to pretend we’re going to waste time watching TV or something. Can we just go to my room?”
“Yes.” He crowded her as she reached the stairs, flattening his body against hers. He slid his hands to her waist and met her gaze. “Dinner was amazing. Best date of my life, hands down. I don’t want it to end. I want you to talk to me for hours. But I’d like to do so on your bed with you in my arms. Okay?”
“Yes.” That one word came out deliciously breathy. She turned around in his arms and climbed the stairs.
He kept his hands on her waist, admiring her fantastic ass as they ascended. Upstairs, he noticed there were only two doors, and Destiny opened the one on the right. “It’s like two master suites,” she told him.
He shut the door behind him and dropped his duffel while she made her way across the room in the near-darkness and turned on a small lamp by the bed. The dim lighting was perfect.
Trent approached, kicking off his shoes. Destiny was fidgeting, shifting her weight from side to side and rubbing her palms on her thighs. When he reached her, he grabbed her waist, lifted her off the ground, and took her with him as he fell onto his side on her bed with a huge bounce.
She giggled.
He smoothed her hair from her face as they lay side by side facing each other. God, she’s gorgeous. “Relax. It’s me. Let me hold you. Let me kiss you. I want nothing more than to listen to your voice until we can’t keep our eyes open another second.”
“’K.” She ran her palm up his side and rested it on his hip, the feel of her fingers so very right. “I enjoy your voice, too. I missed hearing it. Sometimes, over the years, I would forget what you sounded li
ke. I wished I had a message saved in my phone so I could hear your voice when I was particularly melancholy. Is that cheesy?”
“Not at all. I think it’s nice. In fact, I’ll call you tomorrow, and you can let it go to voicemail so I can leave you a message. The next time you’re missing me, you’ll have that.”
She nodded. “I’d love that.” Her voice was thick with emotion. After a few seconds, she spoke again. “You’re sure this isn’t weird? I mean you and me? I keep telling myself it’s fine. I’ve wanted this for so long. But I can’t help also thinking about your brother and if he’s looking down on us in disappointment.”
Trent closed his eyes. He hated bringing Sean into this room, but he also understood where she was coming from. “I miss him every day, Des. So much, it hurts. It never gets easier. But he would have wanted us to be happy. To move on. Even if that meant we did so together.”
“You can’t know that.”
Oh, but I do. There was no way he was going to share Sean’s letter with her just yet. He wasn’t ready. Neither was she. Too much heavy emotion already filled the room. “I knew him better than anyone, and even though he was the more serious of the two of us, the introverted one who didn’t say much, inside I know he loved us both.”
She nodded slowly. “You’re right. It’s just…weird. To finally have you here, in my room, staring into my eyes. I’ve dreamed of a day like this for years. No matter who I dated, I couldn’t fully let myself fall for him because a part of me was always yours.”
He rubbed her cheek with his thumb. “I know, Des. I wish I’d seen the signs years ago. I’m sorry I wasted so many years thinking you were pushing me away because I was a reminder to you that you’d lost Sean.”
“I’m a horrible person.”
“You’re not.” He smiled at her. “You’re human. We were young. When it came to you, Sean was pushy. He was also kind of desperate, I think. He asked you to marry him without thinking it through.”
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