by Debra Holt
Josh understood instantly. “That’s the song I made you dance with me on the Fourth. I’m sorry, Mercy. Not that we shared it, but that it was that particular song. I didn’t know. I would never have put you in that situation, had I known.”
Mercy gave a slight nod. “It sounds crazy, I know. But I just haven’t had any interest in dancing since he died.”
“Not even in high school? Your fiancé didn’t care for it either?” He asked the question innocently enough, but it became immediately clear that someone had told him about David. She’d bet it was her mother.
“I went, but those were line dances or dancing where you didn’t need to have a partner … if that makes sense. We all have our little quirks, and that is mine. I own it. How did you hear about David?”
“Larry mentioned him. Your mother told him what happened. It must have been a very difficult time. I’m sorry you had to go through that.”
Mercy waited for the anguish to hit, but it didn’t. She’d avoided talking about David with people who weren’t family or familiar with the situation simply because it hurt so much, but something felt different now. Talking about him with Josh … an odd sense of release inside startled her. She took a careful breath before she answered.
“Thank you. It’s been a little over two years now. His death was senseless. I think that was the hardest part of all. He was young and had survived a war zone, only to come home and die because of a gun in a kid’s hand. He was a gifted surgeon who could operate under extreme circumstances. It was a total waste of a good life.”
“Yes, it always is a waste. It proves that life can change in just a split second. But sometimes it can change for the better, too.” Her eyes widened at the statement, and he hastened to clarify. “Well, you have to admit that our meeting was due to something that happened in a split second—an unexpected gun battle in what was a routine traffic stop. Then, in what seemed like a second later, I opened my eyes and there you were. That second changed my life—for the better.”
Mercy felt confused about how to respond. The arrival of the main course at their table allowed the charged moment to vanish. The conversation turned to easier topics, such as the quality of the meal and whether either would have room for dessert. But Josh’s comments remained in the back of her mind.
“I don’t know about you, but that triple chocolate fudge cake with toasted pecans and caramel sauce is very loudly calling my name.” He grinned at her across the top of the dessert menu.
Mercy shook her head. “You do like to live dangerously. I think I’ll pass on dessert. Just make it coffee for me, please. However, I’ll certainly watch you make yourself miserable. I won’t even say I told you so when you moan and groan on the way back to the hotel,” she teased.
“That’s my motto—live dangerously.” Josh gave the order to the waiter then folded his arms on the table’s edge and smiled across at her.
Mercy grew serious. Her arms rested on the table in front of her. She absently toyed with the nails on one hand as she considered the question she wanted to ask.
“Is that why you do what you do?” she finally asked. “Is that why you’re in law enforcement? Because you like to live dangerously?”
Josh remained contemplative for a second or two before responding. “Some people might think that, but my job isn’t always like it was the day we met. In fact, I’d gone almost two years without even having to draw my weapon at all. I got into law enforcement because my grandfather was a sheriff for most of his life. I thought he was one of the greatest men who ever lived. I was his shadow as a boy, whenever I could go visit him. He was larger than life, and I wanted to be just like him. Come to think of it, he never even wore a gun.”
“Times have changed since his day,” Mercy stated. “There are far too many guns and nuts that have them in the world now.”
Their coffee and his dessert arrived, and conversation ceased for a few moments. Mercy took a sip of her coffee while she watched Josh indulge in the first forkful of his chocolate confection. He closed his eyes in obvious enjoyment of the flavors on his taste buds.
“Now that is almost the sweetest thing I have ever tasted,” he finally said.
“I can’t imagine what could be sweeter than that,” Mercy ventured with a half-smile.
“Your lips.”
His swift reply took her by surprise. Once again, she didn’t know how to reply, so she said nothing. The man had the most disconcerting way of turning simple conversation into something that could take her breath away in a flash.
“Here—take one little nibble, so I don’t feel so guilty about eating this all myself.” Josh offered a forkful to her with a teasing glint in his eye. She shook her head, but he dismissed that with a determined set to his. He wasn’t going to take no for an answer.
Mercy relented and accepted a small taste. The rich flavor was delicious and probably loaded with a thousand calories in each bite.
“Mmm. That’s a heart attack waiting to happen,” she sighed, licking her lips.
“There goes the nurse in you again. But—if that’s your verdict, I guess it’s a good thing then that I have my personal nurse with me.” He grinned, and in three more bites, his plate was clean. He slowly drew the last bit of chocolate off the fork with his tongue. “Speaking of nursing—” His sudden segue found her once again trying to catch up with the direction of the conversation. “Why do you do the air evac, and what’s in the future for you?”
Josh took a sip of his coffee, his gaze intent as he waited for her answer.
“I told you why I wanted to be a nurse. I chose trauma as my specialty, and it sort of evolved into a promotion to air evac. I thought it would be great to try it. I’ve never regretted a second of it.”
“Your family must be very proud of what you’ve done with your training.”
His words touched her. She could see the sincerity in his eyes that matched his tone.
“What about the future? Do you plan to continue to be a flight nurse?”
“I haven’t thought about a timeline for it. I enjoy what I do, and my team is great. So I don’t see that changing anytime soon.”
“What about when you have a family? Your job is pretty stressful, not to mention how dangerous it can be.”
“I don’t think it’s any more dangerous than other jobs. There are those that have a far more dangerous element to them—look at yours. As for a family, well, I don’t think about those things.”
Her hand rested on the tabletop, and Josh reached across to trace the outline of her fingertips. His eyes were not so easy to read in that moment.
“You don’t want a family? A husband, kids … grandchildren for your mother to spoil rotten?”
Mercy moved her hand back to her lap. “I just don’t think about it. I mean, I don’t make a list that has a date I need to have those things done by. If they’re in the cards for me, then fine. But—”
“You know what I want to do right now?” His blue gaze fixed intently upon hers, and the question made her pulse skip a few beats. Luckily, she felt pretty sure he didn’t expect her to reply.
Josh rose from his chair and moved to stand beside her, his hand extended. “I want to dance with you.”
Mercy hesitated for a second, but then she surprised herself and placed her hand in his. The floor wasn’t overly crowded, and Josh turned and brought her easily into his arms.
He repeated the words he’d said the first time they danced. “Relax, angel, I’ve got you,”
Mercy took a few steps in his arms, amazed when her body did indeed begin to relax. She settled into his hold, her arm stretched loosely across his shoulder. His hand at her waist guided her effortlessly through the steps and around the floor. Mercy realized she had surrendered to enjoying herself. For the first time in a long time, no other thoughts intruded into her mind as she danced. She even found herself laughing when the slow tunes turned faster, and Josh tried to talk her through the more intricate steps of a newer dance.
>
Thankfully, a slow one followed, and she caught her breath. Or she thought she would until she realized it wasn’t exertion causing her breathing to become more difficult. Instead, Mercy reacted to the way Josh molded her body to his as he moved them into the slower steps. She didn’t object when he drew her arms up to encircle his neck. In fact, a small sigh escaped her lips as she rested her head against his shoulder.
All good things do end, and as the song finished, the band announced they needed a break. She felt his reluctance as Josh allowed her to step out of his arms. They made their way back to the table. By mutual agreement, they left the restaurant a few minutes later.
“It’s such a nice evening. Feel like walking back to the hotel?” Josh asked as they crossed the sidewalk. She nodded her agreement, and he sent the car and driver on their way. Neither seemed to entertain the desire to hurry or for the pleasant evening to end, and he easily drew her arm through his as they started off.
The full moon hung high in the desert sky, but Mercy found herself wishing for the wide-open skies of Texas. The bright neon lights marred the chance of a moonlit walk. She grinned as she realized she might be thinking romantic thoughts.
“Care to share what put that smile on your face?”
“Just thinking that I miss home. There are too many lights here. I suppose I’m just a country girl at heart.” No need to add that her companion might have been chiefly responsible for the smile.
Some secrets are best kept just that.
Josh smiled in reply. “I’m with you. Big cities are nice to visit, but give me Lawson, Texas, any day.”
“You plan to spend the rest of your life there? Stay in law enforcement?”
“I would like to stay there. It’s a good place to raise a family, put down those roots. It’s up to the voters to keep me in the sheriff’s job, though.”
Mercy felt a surge of emotion at his answer. She had almost forgotten the reality of their worlds.
Guess Vegas does that to people.
“Hey, where did your smile go? Why the sad face? No such thoughts this evening. We’re in Las Vegas for one last night, and that night is still young. In fact, it’s too early to think about going back to our hotel rooms. Let’s try our luck in the casino! I think you just might be my lucky charm.” He pulled her after him through the revolving glass doors of a large casino.
Chapter Fourteen
For the next two hours, they won, then lost, then won some more, and then decided to quit while ahead. They used their meager winnings to purchase tickets to a show and enjoyed the combined magical and musical production. By the time they returned to their hotel, Mercy was relieved to enter the suite ahead of Josh. She stepped out of her high heels and blissfully sank her toes into the plush pile carpeting.
“That feels so much better,” she breathed as she set the offending shoes next to the door leading to her connecting room. Josh pulled off his tie and suit jacket at the same time she shed her shoes. He crossed to the bar, where he opened the refrigerator and rummaged through the meager contents. Mercy moved to stand at the window and watch the twinkling lights below. Even at two in the morning, the city still looked alive.
“There isn’t a lot to choose from,” he informed her as he turned toward her. “We’ve got a bottle of sparkling grape juice left over from the reception, some fancy water, and some milk. Name your poison.”
Mercy’s mouth curved into a grin. “I’m not a fan of grape juice, but I’d love a glass of ice-cold milk.”
“I knew you were my kind of gal. Two milks, coming up.”
Mercy had to laugh at the odd pair they made. She softly shook her head as she accepted the champagne flute filled with milk.
“What’s so funny?”
“Here we are, in all our finery, in a luxurious suite in Sin City— drinking milk from champagne glasses. Most people would consider us odd.”
“Speak for yourself. I don’t think we’re odd. I prefer to think we have selective palates. And we do have class. We’re drinking our milk out of fancy glasses.”
“Very true.” She prepared to take a sip when he stopped her.
“Not so fast. We have to make a toast.”
“Okay, go for it.”
“To a wonderful evening and the beautiful lady who honored me with her dances. May there be many more in our future.” His eyes underscored the sincerity of his words, which thrilled her all the way to the ends of her bare toes.
They each took a sip without breaking their gaze. The air around them sizzled with a crazy electrical charge. Until he smiled, and then it widened into a grin that smothered a chuckle in his throat. All of which left Mercy blinking in confusion.
“What’s so funny?” She finally ventured.
“Sorry. It’s just—well, you know what?” His words didn’t make much sense, but his actions soon clarified them. His lips claimed hers, his free hand sliding around her waist and drawing her close to him.
The unexpected kiss caught Mercy off guard. Recovering quickly, she returned the kiss, much to her shock … and pleasure. The contact ignited a fire in her senses. Before, his kisses had been brief, but he clearly intended to take his time with this one. She clung to his shoulders, but try as she might to keep her wits about her, it wasn’t to be. Mercy melted into him while her lips welcomed his. Forget what her mind wanted to say—her body had its own agenda. It had been a long, long time since feelings like this had overtaken her, if ever. She pushed that admission away.
His breath felt warm against her cheek as he lifted his head. Heated emotions lit the passionate look he passed over her thoroughly kissed mouth. She watched through half-lowered lashes as he spoke.
“I wasn’t laughing at you. You had a lovely milk mustache that just begged for me to taste it.”
On that note, her eyes flew open. Oh, great. How silly I must look! She stepped back from his embrace.
“Oh! How kind of you to help. Next time, just hand me a napkin. Goodnight and sweet dreams.” Grabbing her shoes from the doorway, she made as graceful an exit as she could after having faced him with a white mustache like some child. She didn’t know if he responded or not; she just knew she felt mortified … and relieved to reach the safety of her room as she shut the door.
Josh, left to stare at the space where she’d stood, admitted to himself that the evening hadn’t ended the way he’d hoped it would. But then again, it was probably best she had left when she had. Her kisses were far too potent, and his self-control had been stretched to the limit more than once already during the evening. Keenly aware that they were now alone in Sin City, the temptation of “what happens in Vegas stays in Vegas”— which seemed to be the norm for most of the revelers in town—only served to intensify feelings that he’d be wise to keep under control. Josh didn’t want to make any moves that might break the tenuous relationship that had begun to build between them. He also felt certain that his future was with this remarkable woman who had just wished him sweet dreams.
He had no doubt whatsoever that his night would be full of dreams. Sweet ones, filled with visions of an angel named Mercy.
He poured himself another glass of milk.
Mercy opened her eyes slowly. Her head felt heavy, and a slight throbbing pulsed at her temple. She had tossed and turned a good portion of the night. Her mind kept revisiting various parts of the evening shared with Josh, always ending with that kiss they had shared. So many thoughts and feelings jumbled together—no surprise she felt less than par in the morning light.
A light tap at the connecting door had her sitting straight up in bed.
“Mercy, are you awake? I’ve ordered breakfast, which should be here shortly.”
“I’ll be there in a minute.”
He didn’t reply, and she hastily tossed the covers and headed for the restroom and her closet. Josh Wellman had just confused her life even more. She had no idea what her next step would be, but before she did anything else, she needed to get rid of her headache and focus
her mind. Mercy showered quickly and dressed just as fast in a pair of jeans and a deep purple sweater.
Entering the suite twenty minutes later, her eyes went immediately to the table in front of the window where Josh waited. He lowered the newspaper. His eyes moved slowly over her, particularly lingering on her face as if searching for something.
“Good morning. In the interest of time, I took the liberty of ordering for you. We should leave for the airport within the hour.”
“Thanks,” Mercy ventured, taking her seat. She kept her eyes on the food before her, not meeting his gaze. “I don’t think I’m very hungry this morning actually. Maybe just a slice of toast.”
“Breakfast is the most important meal. My appetite seems to have grown here. Must be the desert air.” His smile tipped into more of a grin as he laid the paper aside and concentrated his full attention upon her, which made her appetite retreat even more.
She took a deep breath. “I think we need to talk.” She had always met things head-on, and she decided that this—whatever this was—would be no different.
“Okay.” Josh pushed his plate back and cupped his hands around the coffee mug, waiting for her to continue. “I agree. Ladies first.”
“I hope you didn’t get the wrong idea from last night. And earlier, by the fountains. People share kisses all the time for many different reasons.”
“Really? Why would I get the wrong impression? Or should I ask, what impression do you think I’ve gotten wrong?”
“Look, this is difficult enough … to find the right words.”
“Then let me make it as painless as possible. We kissed. I enjoyed it. Very much, as a matter of fact. If you have no objections, I’d like to continue kissing you for a very long time to come.” Josh cut right to the heart of the matter. His next words exploded her every conceivable sane thought. “Here’s another news flash for you. I’ve fallen in love with you, Mercy Smith. I think our conversation needs to begin there—with how you feel about that statement.”