by Elle James
“Thank God. Someone needed to. He can’t seem to pull himself out of the dark cloud he’s been carrying around since he deployed.” The colonel turned his head and nodded. “Coming.” He faced the viewer again. “Got a job to do. Damned Taliban never knows when to quit. Out here.”
“Magnus out.” Sam’s hand tightened on the phone as he pressed the end call button. “I should be there.”
“But you’re not.” Kinsey took the phone from his hand and laid it on the blanket. “You heard your commander. You’re supposed to be lightening up.”
“How can I when my unit is fighting over there?” He drew in a deep breath and let it out slowly. “What if something happens to one of the guys while I’m not there?” He’d had the same conflicting sense of duty, as he sat with Leigha through her illness. He felt he should have been with his unit, saving the lives of so many. But he knew his duty was also to Leigha. In the end, he hadn’t been able to save Leigha.
“You’re not responsible for them. You have to take care of yourself.” Kinsey reminded him.
“But what if I could have helped?”
Kinsey knelt behind Sam and rubbed his shoulders. “You can’t think about all the bad things that could happen. My father called that borrowing trouble. You don’t know what will happen. Don’t always jump to the worst scenario.”
“That feels good.” He dropped his head forward, giving her better access to the stiff muscles in his neck. “I know shouldn’t worry about what might happen. But it’s hard not to. I’ve seen too many of my buddies and the soldiers, Marines and SEALs we deliver to the hot spots come back in body bags.”
“You’re not there.” Her fingers pressed harder. “You can’t affect the outcome from here.”
“Exactly. I’m not there, and I should be.”
“Wow.” Kinsey rubbed his neck, digging in with her soft, but firm fingers. “You’re all knotted up.” She patted his back and rose to her feet, pulling him up along with her. “Come on. We have to do something to keep your mind off the war and on a more calming activity.”
She gathered the remaining food and stuffed it into the bag, then folded the blanket they’d been sitting on.
Sam flung the blanket over his shoulder and hooked the bag over his arm then started down the ladder. When he was down, he dropped the bag and blanket and waited at the bottom while Kinsey descended.
On the last rung, she slipped and stumbled backward.
Sam caught her in his arms and held her tight, his cheek pressed to the side of her hair. “Steady now.”
“I don’t know why I’m so clumsy.” Kinsey laughed and turned in his arms. “But thank you.” She stretched up on her toes and pressed a kiss to his lips. “Thank you for catching me.”
His arms tightened around her, and he kissed her back.
Kinsey melted against him, her body fitting perfectly against his—all soft, warm, and inviting him to do so much more than kiss her.
He traced his tongue across the seam of her lips. When she opened to him, he darted in, caressing her in a long, slow glide. She tasted of cheese and fresh bread and fresh air and sunshine. He could kiss her all day long and never need another breath.
“There you are,” a voice said behind him, jerking him out of that special place he went when holding Kinsey.
He turned to find Mrs. D standing in the tiny courtyard with a paper in her hand. “I thought you might want this.”
Sam took the sheet and realized it was the flight reservation confirmation for Kinsey’s trip to Virginia. That brought him back to earth with a thud, reminding him that anything he started in Santorini would end in Santorini. “Thank you, Mrs. D.” He handed the paper to Kinsey. “I forgot I’d left it on the printer.” Or had he wanted to forget it?
“Mrs. Demopolis.” Kinsey touched the woman’s arm. “Do you know of any festivals or activities we can attend today or later this evening? We’re looking for something to do that is part of the island culture, if possible.”
“Hmm.” Mrs. D touched a finger to her chin and squinted toward a corner of the building. Then her eyes widened and she smiled. “Yes. A festival is happening this evening in Oia near the blue-domed churches.”
“Could we get a taxi to take us there?” Kinsey asked.
“I have a car,” she announced with a nod. “You may borrow it.”
“Thank you, but we don’t want to inconvenience you,” Sam said.
“No inconvenience. I rarely use it.” She waved toward them. “Please, take it. I won’t need it today.”
“Thank you, Mrs. Demopolis.” Kinsey kissed the woman’s cheek, making the landlady blush.
“Please, I am Esma. Call me Esma.”
“Thank you, Esma.”
And like that, Kinsey had the landlady in love with her. Sam stood back and shook his head, a smile turning up the corners of his mouth. How did she do that? She’d been through so much, and yet, she kept on smiling.
He needed a woman like this to keep him from taking life so seriously. He needed Kinsey.
And the thought scared him to death.
After a quick shower to rinse out the salt from her hair and off her skin, Kinsey pulled a sundress over her head and smoothed it down her body. She combed the tangles from her hair and pulled the damp tresses into a ponytail at the nape of her neck.
When she stepped out of the bathroom, Sam hurried inside. “Five minutes, and I’ll be ready.”
“I’ll let you have ten. That’s what I took.”
“Five. Start counting.” He closed the door, and the shower started immediately.
Kinsey stared at the door, wishing she had the nerve to have shared her shower. They could have gotten done so much faster.
Or not.
Her core heated, and her blood flowed like molten lava through her veins. If they’d shared a shower, she would have said to hell with the festival and stayed in the bathroom until the water turned cold. And then she’d have dried him off from head to toe, exploring every inch of his naked body.
She touched her fingers to her still-swollen lips. His kisses had been nothing like anything she’d ever shared with her ex. Where Travis’s were lukewarm, Sam’s were hot, hot, hot!
All the nerves in her body had come alive as if they’d been jump-started with a jolt of electricity big enough to light up all of Santorini.
Her shower had been cool enough it should have chilled the heat burning through her body. But it hadn’t. Now, as she stood staring at the bathroom door, all she could think of was that Sam was naked on the other side.
Kinsey pressed her hands to her heated cheeks. Sweet heaven, what was she going to do? Was she falling in love with the man? Lust, yeah. That for sure. But the feeling was more than that.
Sam was a military pilot, risking his life every time he flew a mission. Hero material.
How could she let herself fall in love—if, in fact, that was what she was feeling? She knew the stakes. The man was not committing to anything. Kinsey was heading back to Virginia at the end of her stay on Santorini. They’d never see each other again. Hell, she didn’t even know where he was stationed when he was Stateside. Not that his location mattered. Again, he wasn’t into commitment.
Kinsey squared her shoulders. She’d known what she was getting into when she shook on the deal. Now wasn’t the time to get cold feet or have regrets.
Why should she regret spending time with a handsome man, exploring this beautiful Greek island? So she wouldn’t see him after they parted ways. She’d have some great memories to tide her over for a long time. With that silent pep talk, she was ready to face anything.
And then Sam stepped out of the bathroom, dressed in khaki slacks and a white polo shirt. The contrast with his pitch-black hair and light blue eyes made him so breathtakingly handsome, Kinsey forgot how to breathe.
“Are you ready?” he asked.
Unable to push non-existent air past her vocal cords, she nodded.
“You might want to wear shoes.�
� He chuckled,
The sound spread over her like melted caramel. Heat burned her cheeks, and she ducked low to hide her face and find the sandals he’d purchased earlier that day. All the while, she scolded herself.
Get a grip, girl.
He’s not in the market for a relationship.
Don’t drool.
She fumbled with the buckle on her sandal, her hands shaking.
“Here, let me.” Before she could utter a protest, Sam knelt beside her and buckled the thin strap of her sandal, his fingers brushing against her ankle sent electric currents all the way through her body and directly to her core.
He adjusted the other one while she forced air in and out of her lungs. When he was done, he rose, held out his hand and helped her to her feet. “You’re beautiful.”
“So are you,” she blurted. Her face burned and she turned away, spotted his phone on an end table and grabbed it. “Let’s do a photo for the boss.” She held it at arm’s length. “Come on, get in the picture.”
He closed the distance between them, wrapped an arm around her shoulders and smiled at the screen. Then he frowned. “What’s wrong?”
“What? Why do you ask?”
“You’re not smiling.”
Kinsey looked at her reflection in the phone’s screen and realized he was right. She pasted a smile on her face to rectify the oversight and clicked the button. “I’ll let you send that while I apply some lipstick.” She dove for the bathroom and shut the door.
She hadn’t applied much makeup and was glad. What she needed was to step back into a cold shower for an hour to bring her body temperature back to normal. Instead, she wet a washcloth, squeezed out the excess moisture and pressed it to her fevered brow.
This job might be one of the hardest assignments she’d ever had. Especially if he kissed her again.
She stared at her reflection in the mirror and reminded herself that Sam had said he wouldn’t kiss her unless she asked him. And she’d asked. The way to solve her problem was to keep her mouth shut and not ask for any more of those soul-defining kisses that rocked her world and made her forget an end would eventually come to anything between the two of them.
When the color in her cheeks finally retreated to a soft pink, she took a deep breath and stepped out of the bathroom with a smile on her face. “I’m ready.”
He looked at her with a quizzical expression. “I thought you were going to apply lipstick?”
Damn. The heat started back into her cheeks, but she wouldn’t hide in the bathroom again. “I changed my mind.” She flipped her ponytail and winked. “It’s a woman’s prerogative to change her mind. Didn’t you know that?”
He laughed, hooked her arm and guided her toward the door. “Then we’d better go, before you change your mind about this festival.”
God help her. When Sam smiled, the whole world was brighter. Or was it the sunshine on Santorini that made her happier?
She refused to dig deeper for the underlying reason for the spring in her step. She’d learned a long time ago to live in the moment and be happy for gift of today.
Why not let that be her motto regarding Sam? Be happy with him now. She didn’t have to borrow sadness from tomorrow.
And if she wanted another kiss today, she’d by golly ask for it.
Her heart might be in big trouble two weeks from that moment, but not on this day with Sam.
10
Sam wished he’d hired a taxi for their trip to Oia. Though the journey wasn’t that far, considering Santorini wasn’t a big island, the tiny interior of the smart car made the trip seem longer.
He’d had to fold himself into the driver’s seat and sit with his knees up to his chin. Mrs. D was at least a foot shorter than he was. A smart car made sense for the woman. And she’d been so happy to loan it to them, that he hadn’t had the heart to turn down her kind offer.
“You know, I could drive.”
“I’d be just as cramped in the passenger seat,” Sam said. “I can do this is if you help me make sure I’m in the right gear, since I can’t see the gear shift past my leg.” He glanced at her. “You know how to drive a five speed?”
She grinned. “My father taught me on his pride and joy, a ’67 Mustang convertible he restored.”
“Nice car,” Sam said. “That model had a lot more leg room.”
She laughed. “My dad loved that car. He’d take it to the antique car shows and prop open the hood. He kept the engine clean enough to eat off.”
“Your dad sounds like he would have been pretty special.”
“He was.” She sighed. “He always got my mother chocolates and flowers on Valentine’s Day, even when he wasn’t at home. He made sure someone delivered them. And he never forgot their anniversary.”
“The man was a saint.” Sam drove along the coast, headed toward the tip of the island.
“What about your family?” Kinsey asked. “Are your parents still around?”
“Oh, yeah. They’re on a cruise right now. We just left Ireland a few days ago where my brother, Wyatt, got married.”
“You’re so very lucky.” Kinsey smiled. “I always wanted a brother.”
“My father wanted more children, but Mom put down her foot when Dad wanted to keep trying for a girl.”
“How wonderful for you to grow up with all those siblings.”
Sam slowed for a car turning onto the road ahead of him. “We fought a lot, but all four of us would take a bullet for the rest.”
Kinsey stared out the windshield. “If I ever have children, I want at least four. I’d never have only one.”
He chuckled. “What if you could only have one?”
“Then I’d adopt the other three. I never want a child of mine to grow up alone.”
“Was it hard being an only child?” Sam asked. “I can imagine it would have been a lot easier not having to fight for space in the bathroom or share a room with someone else.”
“Yeah, there is that, but life as an only child can be lonely. I always wished I had siblings. I dreamed about being a big sister or the aunt to my nieces and nephews. Who knows, I might still have a shot at the aunt role, but only if I’m lucky enough to marry a man with siblings.”
Sam had enough brothers to share. His stomach fluttered at the thought he had the qualifications to be a potential husband to Kinsey. What would it be like to be married to a woman like her? Would his brothers accept her as part of the Magnus clan? Why was he thinking along those lines? He wasn’t in the market to marry. “What about your extended family? Do you have any aunts or uncles?” Sam asked.
She snorted. “My parents were only children. That fact was one of the reasons they were attracted to each other. They understood what the situation was like.”
“Why didn’t they have more children?”
“They tried, but it just didn’t happen.” Kinsey stared out the window at the coastline. “I came along later in their lives. Surprising them when they thought they were done. I was their only shot at being parents. And they were the best.”
Sam glanced across at Kinsey.
She was smiling.
He liked the way she talked about her parents, how much she loved them and wanted to be like them. He felt the same. His family meant the world to him. Growing up with his brothers had been one adventure after another. He knew how fortunate he was to still have both his parents.
Kinsey talked of growing up in Virginia, and Sam shared some of the crazy stunts he and his brothers pulled as kids and teens in Texas.
Soon, they were pulling into the town of Oia on the northern tip of the island. Like Imerovigli, whitewashed structures clung to the hillsides. Sam parked the car near the shore, helped Kinsey out and locked the door. Using the directions Mrs. D had kindly provided, they climbed to the blue-domed churches where vendors had set up tents and booths with food, crafts and clothing for sale. In an open area, a band played lively music.
The sun was on its daily slide into the ocean, making for a
nother spectacular view.
Sam stood with his arm around Kinsey and let the colors wash over him, seeming to cleanse the worry from his mind.
Being with Kinsey made him realize how much of life and laughter he’d been missing. She showed him an entirely different outlook and how to embrace the good each day brought. The woman made him feel lighter and happier than he’d felt in years.
The music rose in volume as the sun disappeared. Twinkle lights lit the square where people danced and laughed.
When the band segued into a flowing waltz, Sam asked Kinsey, “Do you want to dance?”
She listened to the music and her brow wrinkled. “I don’t know. It’s been a long time since I danced a waltz.” She looked up at him. “Do you even know how to waltz?”
He looked down his nose and gave her his most offended look. “Madame, I’ll have you know I’m an excellent waltzer. Or whatever you call it.”
Kinsey’s eyebrows rose up her forehead. “I’m having a hard time imagining that.”
“Then quit imagining and let me demonstrate.” He held out his hand.
When she laid her fingers against his palm, he spun her out and back into his arms, holding her in the proper frame for a waltz. Then he led her into the square where a few older couples were waltzing and proceeded to show her just how good he could be.
Kinsey laughed and followed each of his steps. “You are an amazing dancer. Who taught you?”
He dipped his head. “Thank you. My mother will be happy to know all those years of forcing us to learn paid off. She said the way to a man’s heart was through his stomach. But the way to a woman’s heart was talent on the dance floor.”
“Your mother is brilliant.”
His heart swelled with pride. “I’ll let her know you said so. Who taught you to waltz?’
“I mentioned my parents were older, right? Well, call them old-fashioned, but they took ballroom dance together and had me enrolled at a very young age. I was waltzing when I was four.”
Sam grinned, remembering the photo she’d shown him of the young Kinsey. He could imagine her as a little girl in a dance class, twirling around the floor. “Now, that I can picture. I bet you were a cute little four-year-old.”