Page 163 of Sloane

I kissed Millie’s head again, and her sweet baby smell filled my nostrils, so I inhaled deeply to breathe in her scent. That’s when it hit me.

My sense of smell had returned.

I wanted to nestle my face in Ashley’s neck to see if she smelled like I remembered. She probably wouldn’t appreciate that.

Especially since I was leaving in the morning.

****

Ashley

Stu, Crash, and Sloane were sweet and waited on me hand and foot. They insisted I sit with my feet up on the couch and take it easy.

“We can take a few days off from ‘official’ therapy,” Crash insisted when he put a throw over me.

“Yeah. And I think you should get in the hydrotherapy tub after dinner,” Stu added, then cast a sideways glance at Sloane. “Alone.”

I really wanted to avoid that conversation, which was why I’d practically run out of the house that morning.

“I am planning on getting in the tub later tonight. As far as you skipping therapy, we’ll see how I feel tomorrow,” I said, “but I think I should be able to still supervise things just fine.”

“You probably don’t want to risk it,” Crash replied. “It won’t kill us to wait until Monday to allow your body some time to rest and recover.”

I thought about what Jeff had said about not pushing myself. But I also didn’t want to cheat these guys in their recovery.

“We’ll talk about it tomorrow.”

It’d been a long time since I’d had any spare time to read for pleasure, so I pulled my Kindle from my bag and opened up the latest Maggie Ryan book I’d been dying to read.

When I got to the sexy times, I peeked out the window at Sloane who was on the beach, shirtless, with Stu and Crash playing frisbee, and decided it was probably better if I skipped that part until I was alone in my apartment.

I wasn’t sure where he and I stood.

Our agreed upon one-night had turned into almost a week. But he and I weren’t connected, not like before his accident. The sex had been outstanding, but he was a different man now, rightfully so. And why he was so damn determined to stay in the Marines had me baffled.

Jeff was right. Sloane needed to work on himself before I could even consider a future with him. Besides, I wasn’t even sure he wanted a future with me.

Fortunately, he wanted to be in Millie’s life, and that’s what was important.

But since I’d crossed that line with him—and that was all on me—I’d instigated that, I didn’t know how to maneuver moving forward as just PTA and patient, and co-parents.

As soon as I’d started nursing Millie, the guys came in and announced they were making dinner.

“And we’re using the stove and oven,” Stu said with a grin.

“You’re big boys,” I retorted from my seat on the couch with Millie at my breast under a nursing blanket. “Just make sure the fire extinguisher is handy.”

“Ha ha.”

I wasn’t joking but decided not to point that out.

I listened to the men banter as they danced around each other, but I noticed Sloane was exceptionally quiet. I wondered if he was still upset I’d called Jeff for help earlier.

My answer came during dinner when he casually said, “I’m moving out tomorrow.”

My eyes narrowed at him as I asked, “What do you mean, you’re moving out? Where are you going?”

“I’m starting the Recovery Coordination Program. I’m going to be a part of the Wounded Warrior Regiment, so I’ll be back on base. Ryan is picking me up in the morning.”

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