“Give me a couple of days, Mom. Let me make a few phone calls, talk to the command and figure something out. I don’t even know how long I’ll be in port.”
Long after his mom thanked him and hung up he stayed put, knee deep in water, looking out across the horizon with no end in sight. What a day, first thinking crazy thoughts about kids and marriage and then practically agreeing to take in his trouble-finding kid brother. It was everything he’d joined the Navy to get away from.
“What the hell was in my beer?”
Chapter Ten
The eight days at home had flown by and Nic was back in Connecticut standing outside of Kyle’s apartment building. When she’d checked back in that morning it didn’t take long for word of his transfer to reach her or the theory that he’d been transferred because her dad blamed Kyle for the video incident. After all, it was his man who’d done the deed and he should have kept his guys in line.
She’d heard the same accusation from both of her brothers when they’d Skyped her at home.
If her dad did blame Kyle he never said anything to her about it. Then again, he’d been too busy introducing her to one friend after another, all of whom were hiring. Her mom didn’t mention the ‘incident’ unless Nic brought it up first. Then she’d listen, give her hugs, and ask Nic what she wanted to do next. While her mom had been raised in a traditional home—they didn’t talk about unpleasantness and the husband ruled—Nic knew all she had to do was say she wanted X and her mom would make it happen.
The time at home had allowed Nic to heal some, to put everything in perspective and find her inner strength. She’d returned to work ready to face the crew and get back to work. She hadn’t expected to hear that Kyle was leaving or for the guilt that slammed into her like a freight train.
She gave a hard knock on the door, hoping to be heard over the loud music on the other side. The music stopped and she could hear Kyle’s voice through the closed door.
“Yes, I know you’re comfortable, but someone’s at the door. I’ll be right back and you can reclaim your place on my lap.”
Aw, jeez, she should have called. Then again she hadn’t expected him to move on so quickly, even if she had left without a word or even a text. Heat crept up her neck and stole across her cheeks at the thought of what or who would greet her.
Cold air blasted her from the open door. Her gaze locked on to Kyle’s bare, tan chest—one she’d dreamed of running her hands down for the past month—and then slid down to take in his low slung sweats.
“Nic.” The smile lit up his eyes. “I didn’t know you were back.”
“Clearly.”
“What’s that mean?” The smile dropped in confusion.
“Nothing.” She leaned in just a little trying to see past him. “I didn’t mean to interrupt. We can talk Monday. I should have called first.” She waved him off and turned to go.
“You’re not interrupting anything.” Kyle reached out and grabbed her hand. “Come in. It’s good to see you.”
“Are you sure? It sounded like you had company.” She so did not want to face whoever he’d found to replace her.
He pulled her into the apartment, shut the door and dug his hands into her hair. The kiss that followed shook her world, leaving her unbalanced and breathless.
“I’ve missed you,” he said.
Nic scanned the room, baffled by Kyle’s greeting and the comment he’d made before opening the door until a giant white cat hopped down from the couch to twine herself around Kyle’s feet.
She started laughing. How stupid could she have been? “Is that who I dislodged from your lap?”
“Heard that, did you? Yeah, meet Precious or as I refer to her Princess Pain in the Ass or PITA for short.” Kyle bent and picked up the kitty, holding her close to his chest.
The cat purred in response.
“I owe you an apology. See, I thought you had company… of the female type.” She twisted her hands together in front of her, nervous and unsure, and feeling a bit of a fool, but she wanted to be honest with him. “Can’t say what was going through my mind was particularly nice and I should have known better. So, I’m sorry.” She reached out to pet Precious who responded by swiping her claws at Nic.
Kyle scolded the cat and then set her down. “She gets grumpy when her naps are interrupted. Hang on a sec.” He left her to do something around the corner.
Nic took that opportunity to take in her surroundings. The apartment was clean, but not sterile. He had a brown leather couch and chair placed in front of a flat screen TV, a framed photo of a submarine with the crew’s signatures on it and a small bookcase loaded with paperbacks. The tantalizing aroma of melted cheese, onions and something spicy hit her right about the time she heard him swear.
“Everything okay in there?” she called.
“Yep, just burning my fingerprints off.”
She should offer to help or to kiss his boo-boo or something, but if she started she was afraid they wouldn’t stop and she really needed to talk with him. Needed to clear the air, to make sure he knew she didn’t blame him before he left for parts unknown.
Which was another reason not to kiss him.
It was hard enough to date a man in the military, even harder when both parties were in the service. Throw in a couple hundred or thousand miles in between and it was a break-up waiting to happen.
“Whatever that is, it’s smells amazing.” She wandered in further to look at the photos on top of the bookshelf. She picked up a family picture—parents, a young man in uniform along with what looked like a younger brother and sister. She had a similar one taken on her graduation day from the Naval Academy, but this one wasn’t of Kyle.
He came around the corner, sucking on the side of his thumb. “That’s my roommate. Nice guy, nicer family and bad taste in pets. Precious belongs to him, although she’s a slut for kibble and if you feed her, she’ll love you. I prefer dogs.”
“I could see you with a Papillon or maybe a Chinese Crested.”
He blanched. “I was going to invite you to stay for dinner, until you insulted my manhood.”
“My bad. You’re right. Not your type of dog at all, too much work. But now that I give it some thought, I’d have to guess you’re more of the teacup Poodle kind of guy.” She might have to forfeit food, but the stunned look on his face was worth it. She sniffed the air again, her stomach rumbling with hunger. “What are you heating up? It smells really good.”
He pulled her close and nipped at her lower lip.
“Come with me and I’ll show you.” His voice had gone low and husky and she wondered if he was still offering her dinner or they were skipping to dessert.
“You know my mom warned me about guys like you. I know all about the dark side. There are no cookies.”
She shouldn’t be teasing him or flirting but she found she couldn’t help it. He made it so easy to relax and forget about everything else. They weren’t two Naval officers at the same command. For the first time in weeks she didn’t feel like a victim. Kyle didn’t treat her like a victim and he sure as hell didn’t look at her like a victim.
“Aw, not true, I do have peanut butter cookies and chicken enchilada casserole and I promise I’ll keep my hands to myself, until you tell me otherwise.”
Her mood deflated faster than a popped balloon and she had to force her smile to remain steady. Stupid fantasy. She should have known reality would rear its ugly head and ruin everything. But for a moment there, right when she arrived and Kyle had practically kissed her socks off… Yeah, it was every bit as good as she remembered.
Didn’t matter. She hadn’t come to start something she couldn’t finish. Now, more than ever, she needed to keep her head down and focus on her career. Too many people were watching her, judging her actions. One wrong step and she wouldn’t be the only one to pay for her foolish choices. An entire program’s future hung in the balance and she didn’t want to be known as the person who s
et women’s rights in the Navy back a generation.
Overdramatic? Maybe, but her dad had warned her to watch her step.
“How was the trip home?” Kyle handed her a plate loaded with casserole and salad and nodded toward the counter for the dressing. At her stunned silence, he must have guessed what she was thinking. “Just ‘cuz I’m a guy doesn’t mean I don’t eat my veggies.”
Her mom had to blackmail her dad and brothers to eat salad. “The trip was okay.” She waited for him to get his food and then followed him to the couch.
“Just okay?” He sat in the middle leaving her the choice of the end or the chair.
She took the end section next to him and filled him on the trip in as few words as she could. She didn’t want to talk about her family or think about the job offers she’d received or her family’s not-so-subtle clues that she should take them. “This is really good. Who taught you to cook?”
“It was this amazing lady named Betty Crocker. My mom worked, even after the dipshit twins were born when I was ten. My dad specialized in PB&J or cereal. So I had a choice, learn to cook, wait until eight at night to eat when my brothers were asleep or live on sandwiches and fruit rings.”
“That was really sweet of you.” When he shrugged it off, she reached out to touch his arm. He looked up to meet her gaze. “I’m sure your mom appreciated the help.”
“Yeah.”
There was something in that one word. It held hurt and disappointment and anger. Sensing they were heading down a dark alley, she searched for something to lighten the mood. “So you can cook and cats love you. You’re a badass Naval officer. Anything else I should know?”
“I give a killer foot massage.”
Oh, she was a goner for sure. “You’ve been holding out on me.”
“Well, if I had given you one underway then I probably would have had to give foot massages to the rest of the wardroom and frankly, Bryant’s feet stink. I wouldn’t touch them with a twenty-foot pole after they’ve been soaked in a bubble bath.”
She laughed. “Wow, that’s bad.”
“You’re telling me. He was my roommate.”
It was the opening she’d been waiting for, but she loathed to bring up the subject of his leaving. She’d miss him. Miss his easy friendship, his quick smile, how his eyes went from slate gray to the color of clouds before a downpour depending on his mood.
But mostly she’d miss the way she felt when he was around—alive and capable and one hundred percent female. He never doubted her ability to do her job. He’d offered to stand by her side, but not fight her battle for her. And when he looked at her… well. Let’s just say, she didn’t see him looking at any of the male officers in the same way.
She picked at what was left of the delicious food on her plate. What she had eaten sat like a ton of bricks on her stomach. Pressure built up behind her eyes, stinging as she fought to hold the sudden onslaught of tears back. So stupid. She wasn’t the sentimental type. Over the years she’d lost track of the number of friends she’d said good-bye to, people whom she’d known longer and better than she knew Kyle. So why the idea of him leaving hit so hard she had no clue.
The only answer she could come up with was sleep deprivation and stress.
“Something wrong with your food?” He tucked a strand of hair behind her ear before running the pad of his thumb down her cheek.
“The food’s delicious. I’m just full.” She sat the plate on the coffee table before turning to him. “I hear you won’t have to worry about sharing a room with Bryant soon. Is that true?”
“Damn.” He sat his plate next to hers and leaned back against the couch. “I wanted to tell you the good news myself.”
She sat back and studied his face and posture. While he seemed disappointed that someone stole his thunder, he wasn’t scowling, there were no deep stress lines, his shoulders were relaxed, and the vibe coming off of him was good.
“You’re not leaving because of what happened to me, are you?”
“What?” He seemed to have trouble concentrating on her words. His brows were drawn down like he was thinking, but his focus was on a strand of her hair he twirled between his fingers. “No. Why would you think that?”
“I’m not stupid or deaf. I’ve heard the comments.”
He took her face in his hands, brushing his lips softly across her. “Nic, this wasn’t your fault. You didn’t ask for any of this to happen. You never acted inappropriately and I have nothing but respect for you. You’ve handled this whole situation better than anyone could ask of you.”
She tried to look away, but he wouldn’t let her break his gaze. “No, I haven’t. I ran away and hid behind my parents, letting my dad’s clout keep the haters at bay.”
He caressed her cheek. “There’s nothing wrong with turning to your family when things get tough. It’s not a sign of weakness, Nic. Not everyone has that, that rock or safe haven they can run to. Be thankful for them, not ashamed.” His voice turned rough and a little harsh at the end. It reminded her that they came from different worlds. From what little he’d told her, he was the one his family turned to. Which made her wonder, whom did Kyle Hutchinson turn to in his darkest hour?
“I am thankful for them, even when they drive me crazy, which is ninety percent of the time.” She reached up and covered his hand with hers. “I’m also thankful for you and the rest of the crew. This can’t be easy for any of you. Stone’s little stunt taints us all. When I heard you were transferring, I was more concerned that you were being forced to because my dad blamed you for not controlling your men.”
Kyle kissed her, first on the forehead, then on each cheek and finally on the mouth. He took his time. Each one a sweet gesture that touched Nic’s heart but lacked the sexual heat of his earlier kisses.
“My little tigress. Were you ready to take on the vice admiral of the Atlantic Fleet for me?”
“Hell yeah. What happened wasn’t anymore your fault than it was mine.”
He pulled her onto his lap, captured his mouth with his and kissed her.
This was no sweet action of thanks or friendship. It was an all-out assault on her senses as he dug his hands into her hair and nibbled on her bottom lip until she opened her mouth to let a moan escape. Her hands slipped around his neck as his hard chest pressed into her aching breasts. She scooted closer and the heat between their bodies flared up. Dang, did the air conditioner go out?
He kissed her again before turning his attention to her neck. His hands skimmed down her back to cup her butt. He picked her up and repositioned her so that she straddled his lap bringing her in direct contact with his erection. He bent his head and kissed her collarbone as he slid her shirt up.
Her whole body was on fire, every nerve end tingling with delight. She’d dreamed of this moment for weeks and couldn’t believe she was about to stop him. Clearly she’d lost her mind.
“Kyle, stop.”
He did as she asked, dropped her shirt, stopped kissing her and sat back. His eyes looked dazed and confused.
Right there with you, buddy.
“Sorry. Got carried away.” His voice was rough with arousal and frustration.
She pushed herself back with her hands on his chest. “Please don’t apologize. Considering it was consensual and the feeling was mutual, that’s a pretty big compliment.” I’m just an idiot, she thought.
“But…”
“Kyle, I know given how we met it’s hard to believe, I’m not really a wham-bam-thank-you-ma’am kind of person and I don’t want to start something we won’t have time to finish.”
“What if I said this didn’t have to be a one-time thing?”
Her pulse stuttered as she contemplated his question. Tempting, but there were outside forces to take into consideration.
“Are you saying your transfer is local?” she asked.
“Yep. Going to Naval Submarine Support Facility, just a five-minute walk from the pier.”
/> “And your transfer has nothing to do with me?” He’d never really confirmed when she’d asked before and the suddenness of the move nagged at her conscience.
“Well, no and yes. My mom called while you were away. One of my brothers got in a shit-ton of trouble. Bottom line, she asked me to take in Keith—my other brother—in the hopes that I can get him on the straight and narrow. I was due to transfer when we got back from the deployment anyway, so I put a call into the detailer and apparently all the stars were in alignment because he had a hotspot to fill and now I’m transferring.” When she opened her mouth to ask him a question, he laid a finger across her lips. “I could have kept the orders to Hawaii, but you’re here and I want to see where this goes.”
Wow. No pressure.
Sure, she was flattered. He’d given up Hawaii for her. Hawaii…warm sandy beaches, year-round sunshine, and unbelievable sunsets to name a few perks. Not that Connecticut didn’t have nice beaches too, but come February people in New England dreamed of being in Hawaii…not the other way around.
But there were those outside forces to think about and he’d just added another one—his brother.
He ran his finger up the line between her eyes. “You’re thinking too hard. Tell me what’s going on behind those beautiful eyes of yours.”
“That we’re setting ourselves up for failure. It’s hard enough with both of us being active duty, throw in the investigation and now your brother. It sounds like a lot to deal with.”
“So we’ll deal with it.” He laced his fingers with hers. “Keith doesn’t need me to babysit him. He’s twenty. He’s going to want a job and friends of his own. As for the investigation, that’s out of our hands now and on the group’s shoulders.”
Love Runs Deep Page 12