by Tracy Brody
“Are you saying if I asked you out, you’d say yes?”
“Uh …” Her heart sank from the invitation she couldn’t accept.
“Right,” he drawled. “You can’t be caught in a compromising position.” His lips disappeared as he studied her. “So, we can’t go out.”
Was he going to shoot her down? She probably deserved it. While she wanted to give this a shot, she couldn’t afford to be reckless. Her unit followed the rules more than his, and if Colonel Ball found out, she could kiss her shot at MEDEVAC goodbye.
“Would we be dating, or are you just planning to use me for sex?”
Really? “No, I’m not planning …” She hadn’t thought that far ahead.
Yes, she wanted to strip off every piece of clothing they both wore and indulge in her lustful fantasies. Then what? Using him for her own needs wouldn’t be fair, would it? Okay, he probably wouldn’t mind.
What was she thinking coming over here? It was too late to take back what she’d said, and he wasn’t going to let it drop based on the evocative grin that ramped up the heat radiating through her, making her damn near lose any last shred of common sense.
“I suspected you’re an old-fashioned girl. Probably have rules about knowing a guy for”—his eyes narrowed, and his mouth shifted as if mentally calculating—“over a month. Or going on three dates before spending the night with him.”
That he read her so well was comforting, and his teasing lessened her inner turmoil. She breathed easier. “That sounds about right,” she admitted. “I never went on less than five dates before sleeping with a guy.”
His eyes widened. “Five?”
“I might make an exception. Depending on how those first ‘dates’ go.” She took a step closer. To three dates? Two? One?
“Well, all those nights at Ray and Steph’s, having dinner and watching television, should count for at least two.” He unhooked one thumb from his belt loop to count with his fingers.
“Because you insisted on acting as my bodyguard.”
“You’re right. I should get bonus points for that.”
She couldn’t help but laugh. “Really? You’re pushing it, Hanlon.”
With his warm hands now drawing her closer and his thumbs rubbing tantalizing circles over her hips, she melted faster than a snowman in the Sahara.
“I guess some things are worth waiting for, but we aren’t waiting forever. Tonight is date night. We can’t go out to dinner, and I’ve got nothing here worthy of this occasion. Either I go to the grocery store, pick up something, or we order delivery.”
“What are you in the mood for?”
A laughing growl like a Humvee engine rumbled up his throat. “I can’t believe you asked that.”
“I was referring to food.” Her skin heated as her body temp rose at his interpretation. Time to deflect. “If you don’t mind getting us something to eat, I’ll go change out of my uniform.”
His eyebrows rose in interest.
Man, she really needed to pick her words better. “I kinda stink like jet fuel.”
“I hadn’t noticed.” He bit back a grin. “I’ll get the food. We can find a movie online to watch afterward. But first …” He gave her hips a tug, his eyes dropping to her mouth.
She turned her face up and closed her eyes as his lips met hers with a kiss that drowned out the voices telling her she was playing with Hellfire missiles—because Mack was not a bad kisser. Not at all.
Mack tapped the horn before he got out of the truck. He carried the pizza to the front door, glancing over his shoulder before going inside. No sign of her yet.
He set the pizza on the counter, feeling like he got his birthday, Christmas, and Valentine’s Day all rolled into one. She’d opened the door to give him a chance. Unless … What if …?
He shouldn’t have let her go across the street after kissing her. No. She wouldn’t play him like that, would she? Why did Kristie make him doubt himself like some high schooler? He laughed out loud because he did feel like a love-struck teen.
“What’s so funny?”
He jumped at her voice coming from behind him, then cleared his throat.
“Sorry. I didn’t mean to surprise you. The door was open, so I came on in.” Her lips curled in amusement.
At least I wasn’t talking aloud. “I was, uh, thinking of how you handled Milledge yesterday.”
“He has no filter, but he’s usually harmless.”
Mack pulled out two dinner plates, glad she bought his cover. “Sorry this isn’t fancier.” He’d been so shocked at her about-face he hadn’t put any thought into doing something beyond how they’d spent the week at the Lundgrens’. Damn, he needed to up his game. “Table’s kinda beat up. We can eat on the patio if you want.”
“It’s fine. I like the ambiance.”
He fell harder when she smiled and traced a fingertip over the crayon marks from Darcy’s various art projects. “Rochelle took most of the furniture when she moved out. I didn’t fight her on it because of the girls. I’ve picked up things secondhand.” He set the plates and paper napkins on the table.
“She let you stay in the house, though?”
“A third of the families on the street are military. She wanted to get away from all things Army, especially after word got out that she filed for legal separation while I was deployed.”
Kristie winced and nodded, getting his drift.
“She got an apartment right before I got back. I thought about getting something smaller with less maintenance, but keeping the house lets the girls feel like they’re coming home and still have a yard to play in.”
“I’m sure the stability is good for them.”
“Figured they’d need that. Sorry, I should not have brought up my ex.” Wasn’t avoiding talking about your ex one of the cardinal rules of dating? “I’m kinda out of practice at this.”
“Me, too,” she admitted.
He opened the pizza box and tried not to grimace.
“What?” She peeked at the pizza and smiled.
Oh, yeah, I remembered. “Who puts pepperoni and pineapple on their pizza? Pineapple with ham is one thing, but … I think it’s so you don’t have to share your half,” he teased.
“You haven’t even tried it.”
“That’s okay.”
“Nope. Now you have to take a bite.”
He kept his mouth shut, pulling his head back when she offered a piece. The staring showdown only lasted a few seconds before he gave in to her determined smile. He took a hearty bite. The sweetness of the pineapple complemented the spiciness of the pepperoni in a way that wasn’t half bad. Sweet and spicy—like her.
“Well? What do you think?”
With her standing in his kitchen, teasing and flirting, it would be so easy to forget about the pizza. Rein it in. Be a gentleman. “I don’t hate it.”
“Then no more ragging on my choice of toppings, and I will share if you want a piece or two.” She slid into a chair.
“Thanks.” He was going to be a gentleman if it killed him.
He clicked the volume button as the credits rolled to a Jackson 5 song. Though not a movie he might have picked on his own, the combination of action, comedy, timeless music, intergalactic adventure, and battles with quasi-superheroes saving the galaxy ended up being a great choice.
And, while tonight’s date was much the same as the week they’d spent together, tonight was also different. The conversation over dinner was different. Holding hands while watching the movie was new and different. Missing bits of the movie because they were kissing was way different. Different in a very good way. But not so different that he wanted to push the physical aspects too far too fast.
“Are we going to make out more here, or am I walking you home to make out on Ray’s front porch?”
“Let’s not encourage Stephanie,” Kristie said with a chuckle.
“Encourage her?”
“She knows I’m here, and she’s been trying to set us up. Probably dr
opped a few hints to you.”
“She didn’t have to. I was interested from the first time I saw you. Well, after you took your helmet off, and I knew you were a woman.”
“Good answer.” She leaned over and kissed him, but he swore she looked disappointed that he mentioned her going home tonight.
He didn’t trust himself to just snuggle if she stayed, though. It’d been a while for him, but she’d made it sound like she hadn’t dated since her husband died. Hadn’t that been around two years ago? Two freaking long years. It wouldn’t take much temptation for either one of them. This needed to feel like a relationship, not a hook-up. It’d be worth waiting for. He’d make sure she wasn’t disappointed—in any way.
Twenty-Three
Kristie stretched, then reached for her phone when she woke up. Mack had already texted. It’d been tempting to offer, or ask, to stay with him last night, but he’d worked so hard at respecting her instead of assuming by now that she was desperate to jump his bones. She wanted it to be special. What were another few days or a week?
Coffee or call him first? She propped the pillow up. Mack answered on the second ring.
“Good morning,” she answered back. “Got your message.”
“Thought I’d text since I didn’t want to call too early.”
“It’s almost eight.” The sound of his voice amplified the lustful electricity flowing through her.
“Rumors are you aviators have to get so many hours of sleep.”
“Like I haven’t heard that before.” They fell into the easy pattern of keeping things light.
“How’d you like to go to a park? Hike a bit and have lunch?”
Though it sounded like an ideal way to spend the day together, reality doused her with ice water. What if they ran into someone who knew either of them? “Um,” she stammered.
“The park is about forty-five minutes away, so should be a safe distance,” he set her mind at ease. “There are a bunch of walking trails. Mostly easy ones so we can talk and enjoy the scenery. I’m gonna run out to pick up some things for tonight, but I’ll be ready by oh nine thirty. See you in a bit.” He hung up before she could ask about tonight.
Okay, then. He wasn’t issuing orders, but his take-charge approach appealed to her. Even better, he knew her concerns, took them seriously, and had done research on places for them to go. No excuses for her to back out as she took another step over the line.
Stephanie nodded knowingly when Kristie said she had plans. She headed out to Mack’s truck after he texted her, and the grin on his face when she hopped into the passenger seat did things to her insides.
He didn’t speak; just kept grinning as he headed out of the neighborhood. Coming to a stop sign, he checked the surrounding area before he leaned over—and waited. She caved to his implied request for a kiss. A tender, intoxicating kiss that made her toes curl inside her hiking shoes.
Once he started driving again, he handed her a map he’d printed off of the park. On the back were notes about sights along the different trails.
“Can’t do the whole park today, but based on the pictures I saw, we’ll want to go back.”
She read over his scrawl. “Wow. Impressive research.”
“I aim to please.”
She could take that comment several ways. “You starred the Raven Rock Loop Trail. We’ll start with that one.”
He nodded agreeably, though one upturned corner of his mouth confirmed the innuendo. Today might turn out to be very interesting.
They arrived at the park after a brief stop to pick up lunch. Kristie got out and turned her face up to the warm, late-spring sunshine. She breathed in the woodsy scent. The chirping of a variety of birds lent to the uplifting feel of a fresh start.
Mack pulled iced water bottles from a cooler behind his seat and loaded those and the food inside his backpack. “Before we go…” He raised his eyebrows suggestively, despite the presence of a couple by a car parked a few spaces away.
This time, she angled her head and waited, making him close the distance. His lips molded to hers, caressing them. His parted slightly, which enticed her to do the same. The feel of their tongues meeting ignited a heat that engulfed her body.
He pressed closer against her and slid his fingers into her hair, deepening the kiss. She’d almost forgotten how a kiss could make her weak in the knees. The kiss elicited more than desire. It inspired a potent wave of hope for a future where she could move beyond her past with Eric.
After the kiss, he stared in her eyes as if divining her deepest desires. The heat inside her crept up her neck to her cheeks. If his smile was an indicator, he liked what he saw. He issued a satisfied growl and shook his head as if to clear it before he clasped her hand in his and led the way across the parking lot toward the hiking trails.
Towering longleaf pines, hardwoods, and mountain laurel bordered the trodden dirt pathway, providing ample shade. The rhododendrons blossomed in shades of pink and purple. Birds chattered and flitted overhead. With the afternoon stretching ahead of them, they strolled along in no hurry.
“Aside from Sheehan stalking you, how are you feeling about Fort Bragg?” he asked.
“That’s definitely been the downside.” She hadn’t seen Sheehan since their encounter, but she’d been watching. He certainly had proved he wasn’t the type to let things go. “Did you find out if he has a black SUV?”
“Um, not yet. I didn’t get by with having the girls last weekend. I’ll get by there. Sorry.” He gave her hand a squeeze.
“No problem. The guys in the company have been pretty welcoming.”
That comment drew a sideways glance from him. “And the wives?”
“I think James and Mary Kate’s get-together reassured the wives I’m not the man-hunter type sometimes associated with military widows. I got invited to Cindy Yang’s baby shower, which is a good sign of acceptance.” It wasn’t like she could tell them any romantic thoughts involved Mack. “
“Milledge seemed pretty welcoming.”
“You’re not jealous, are you?”
“Should I be?” He sounded serious.
“No!” She replied so emphatically they both chuckled. “I love the goofball, but not that way. Jeremy and Eric shared an apartment at Fort Lewis when Eric and I were dating,” she explained. “I know too much about Jeremy. By the way, he does not like spiders. In case that information comes in handy.”
“Sounds like a story there.”
“Let’s just say he went too far with one of his pranks and payback was a bitch named Kristie. The payback involved a very real-looking, big, fuzzy spider in the shower.”
Mack’s throaty chuckle amped up her own giggles, remembering the normally tough soldier’s reaction to the encounter.
“Remind me not to get on your bad side.”
“It was years ago. I’ve matured a bit since then—even if Jeremy hasn’t.”
They laughed together again. Mack was easy to be with. Things felt comfortable. Even familiar.
“Can I ask you a personal question?”
“You can ask.” She braced for anything, her breath catching in her throat.
“It’s not bad.” He gave a reassuring smile and her hand a squeeze. “I’m not familiar with how aviation units work. Since you joined up wanting to fly MEDEVAC, how come you’re still waiting for a slot?”
“When I went to Fort Rucker for WOCS and flight school, Eric transferred to Benning. We commuted the first two years of our marriage.”
“That sucks.”
“Yeah. When I graduated, the plan was for us to go back to Fort Lewis or Fort Stewart. Except there weren’t any MEDEVAC slots available at either location, but I didn’t want to wait longer to be with my husband. I planned on doing a deployment, build up my flight hours, and then transfer. Things got sidetracked. Until now.” Hopefully.
“What made you want to fly—other than M*A*S*H?”
She chuckled and tucked the strand of hair the breeze kept blowing in her fa
ce behind her ear. She’d probably be explaining her career choice to people when she was in a nursing home. “My dad was in the Navy. Growing up, I never pictured myself in the service, though. Then we were at an air show where I met a female Army pilot. She let me wear her flight helmet and sit in a Black Hawk and told me I could fly, maybe even in combat one day.”
“And the dream was born.” He said it with an understanding most people didn’t get.
“I used my birthday money to ride in this tiny sightseeing helicopter at the beach. My parents hoped I would get over my obsession.”
“I see that didn’t work.”
“One flight and I knew it was what I wanted to do. Being up there—seeing things from a whole other perspective.” She moved her hand through the air. “There’s no speed limit or lanes to stay in. It’s freedom.” She met his gaze. “Sorry, I get a little carried away when I talk about flying.”
“It’s obvious you love it.”
“Best job in the world.”
“Right. Defying gravity with a million moving parts? I prefer boots on the ground, thank you.”
“Flying is a heckuva lot safer than riding over the roads in Iraq or Afghanistan. And as I recall, you looked pretty happy about getting a ride not too long ago.” She grinned at him.
“It was the best option at the time,” he teased back. “I owe you one. You ever need rescuing, give me a call.”
“I prefer not to have to take you up on that offer.”
“I’d rather you not, either,” he agreed.
Walking down the trail, Kristie inhaled the sweet scent of the blooming mountain laurel. Here in the sandhills, she hadn’t expected the steep rock bluffs leading down to the river. Leaves rustled overhead, and Mack’s warm hand gripped hers. He maintained an easy pace, allowing them to keep chatting. Even though they’d spent a few evenings together already, she picked up on the get-to-know-you shift now that their relationship had changed course. She wanted to know more, too.
“So, Mr. Boots-on-the-Ground, when did you realize you wanted to be in the Army—and Special Forces?”