Page 126 of A Soldier's Return

Oh, she would miss this darling child. Again she had to swallow down the ache in her throat.

Water droplets glistened in Eben’s hair as he joined them on the porch while she unlocked the door.

“Is Conan upstairs or with Ms. Galvez?” Chloe asked when they were inside the entryway.

“He would have been lonely upstairs in my apartment by himself. I think he and Anna were watching a movie when I left.”

“Can I take him upstairs with us for cheesecake?”

“Well, we can get him but I should warn you that Conan doesn’t like cheesecake. His favorite dessert is definitely apple pie.”

Chloe giggled, as Sage had intended. She kept her hand firmly in Sage’s as they knocked on Anna’s door. For just an instant, Sage caught Eben watching her and she shivered at the glittery expression there.

Conan rushed through the door the moment Anna opened it. “Hey,” Anna exclaimed. “How was dinner?”

“You know The Sea Urchin. It couldn’t be anything other than exquisite,” Sage answered. “Sorry to bother you but we’re having an impromptu little party. I’m going to take out the frozen cheesecake Abigail made.”

“What’s the occasion?”

“We’re celebrating,” she said, forcing a smile. “Stanley and Jade agreed to sell to Spencer Hotels.”

“Oh, that’s wonderful! Congratulations.”

Eben smiled, though in the better lighting of the entryway, Sage was certain he didn’t look quite as thrilled as he had earlier.

“You and Conan have to join us while we celebrate,” she said.

“May I look at the dolls first?” Chloe asked.

Anna sent a quick look at Sage and Eben. Her dark eyes danced with mischief for a moment in an expression that suddenly looked remarkably like one of Abigail’s.

“Sure,” she finally answered. “You two go ahead. Conan, Chloe and I will be up in a moment. Well, probably closer to ten or fifteen.”

She ushered the girl into her apartment and closed the door firmly before Conan could bound up the stairs, leaving Eben and Sage alone in the entryway.

Feeling awkward—and more than a little mortified by Anna’s not-so-subtle maneuvering to give her and Eben some private time—Sage led the way up the stairs and into her apartment.

Eben closed the door behind him. She wasn’t quite sure how he moved so quickly, but an instant later she was in his arms.

His kiss was firm, demanding, stealing the breath from her lungs. She wrapped her arms around him, exulting in his strength beneath her fingers, in the taste and scent of him.

For long, drugging moments, nothing else mattered but his mouth and his hands and the wild feelings inside her, fluttering to take flight.

“I’ve been dying to do that all night.” His low voice sent shivers rippling down her spine.

She shivered and pulled his mouth back to hers, wondering if he could taste the edge of desperation in the kiss. She forgot about Chloe and Anna and Conan downstairs, she forgot about The Sea Urchin, she forgot everything but the wonder of being in his arms one more time.

Onelasttime.

“I don’t want to leave tomorrow.”

At the ragged intensity of his voice, she blinked her eyes open. The reminder of her inevitable heartbreak seemed to jar her back into her senses.

What was the point in putting herself through this? The more she touched him, experienced the wild joy of being in his arms, the harder she knew it would be to wrench her heart away from him and return to her quiet, safe life before he and Chloe had stumbled into it.

She swallowed. “But you have to.”

“I have to,” he agreed, reluctance sliding through his voice. “I can’t miss these Tokyo meetings.”

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