Page 45 of Dangers of Love

I made a mental note to look into it.

“It looks great,” she said. “Is this the only part of the house you furnished since Saturday?”

“No, but dinner’s staying warm in the oven, so why don’t we eat first, and then I can show you the rest of what I did.”

Her stomach growled, and color flooded her cheeks. “I guess that answers for me.”

I chuckled. “Let’s eat then.”

“Did you work today?” she asked as I turned off the oven and opened the door.

“We had a meeting this morning about our upcoming jobs, but since we don’t have anything scheduled until the upcoming weekend, Cain said we could take the rest of the week off.”

“What’s this weekend?” she asked. “Or is it something you can’t talk about?”

“Nothing top secret,” I said with a smile. I set the last container on the table and reached for the cider. “A jewelry store is bringing in some high-end pieces, and they want some extra security on hand.”

Bringing up work led the conversation to some basic small talk as we ate, and I was grateful for it. We were having a baby together, and there was still so much we didn’t know about each other. Basic stuff like favorite colors and songs, what sorts of pets we might want, whether or notDie Hardwas a Christmas movie. When I found out she’d never seen it, I told her that we’d have to fix that soon. Maybe that’d be a good one to watch around New Year’s.

I wanted our first Christmas together to be extra special, and as much as I likedDie Hard, that really wasn’t the kind of mood I wanted to set. After all, this wasn’t only our first Christmas together, it would be the only one we’d have with just the two of us for a long time. I wanted to make it memorable. Something to look back on fondly when we had kids waking us up at the asscrack of dawn to open presents.

Kids.

Huh. Hadn’t realized I was already thinking plural.

“This was delicious,” Aline said as she finished the last of her pasta. “Thank you.”

“I can manage a few simple, decent meals, but nothing like this.” I refilled my drink and gestured toward her wine glass with the bottle. When she nodded, I topped off her drink as well. “My parents made sure we could all do the basics, but I didn’t really see the point in learning much when the army provided most of my meals.”

“I’ll have to teach you a thing or two.” She smiled with a warmth that showed all the way through to her eyes.

“I look forward to it.”

I didn’t mean for my statement to come out with any sort of sexual meaning, but even I could hear it. I couldn’t help it, I supposed. I wanted her all the time. Wanted her so much that it almost physically hurt.

“Let me get this cleaned up real quick, and then I can show you the rest of the place.” My voice was calm, but my insides were anything but. I hadn’t eaten a lot, but I was starting to think that maybe I shouldn’t have eaten anything at all.

“That sounds good.” Aline stood up and reached for one of the bowls.

“Sit. I’ve got it.” Before she could argue, I added, “Let me take care of it. Please.”

She sighed. “All right, but when I cook, I plan to do the same thing to you.”

“Agreed.” For now, anyway. Once we were settled together, we’d figure out how we were going to do things in our family. I’d be damned if I’d be one of those men who thought clearing the table and doing dishes was the wife’s job.

After I had everything off the table, I held out my hand to her, and she took it, threading her fingers between mine. We made our way through the living room, but rather than taking her to the library or office down the hallway, we went up the stairs. I hadn’t really done much to either of those spaces since she was the reader and the one who could benefit from a home office. Besides, the two important rooms were upstairs.

I pushed open the door to the master bedroom and watched her face to see what she thought of the things I’d done in there.

I’d gotten a new bed around the same time I’d brought my belongings from San Ramon, and it’d been in storage until I’d bought this place. The guys had helped me set it up, ribbing me the entire time about how soft I was for needing a California King bed. While I’d originally picked it because I was too tall for pretty much anything else, now I was glad because I wouldn’t have to look into another one just because Aline would be here too.

“Do all ex-military still make their beds like that after they’re discharged?” Her eyes were twinkling as she looked up at me.

“All the guys I know still do,” I said, letting myself tease a bit. “Not that I’ve seen a lot of guys’ beds.”

She laughed, her gaze moving to the dresser I’d brought from my parents’ house. I’d gotten it when I was fourteen, and once, pissed off at my parents for something, I’d carvedfuckinto the top of it. When Da had seen it, he hadn’t yelled. Instead, he’d told me to carve every curse word and insult I knew all over the dresser. I’d looked at him like he was crazy, but I’d done it. And I’d loved it.

At first.

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