Page 45 of Sol
“It’s an old wives’ tale. If women allow men to pour tea, then it’s like, you know, they’re spreading their seed.” She turned pink and laughed a husky laugh. She stared at my forearms. I leaned back in the seat and set my ankle on myknee.
“Hate to break it to you, but from where I come from, pouring tea isn’t how you get a womanpregnant.”
“No, it isn’t,” she agreed, and now I knew what she was thinking about. Because I was thinking the samething.
But I needed to be clear on where westood.
“I have to tell you something,Dani.”
“What?”
“I want to be with you. In every way.” I reached over and held her hands. “I want to spend all the time I have on this earth with you. I learned in the army that I don’t have much time. We can’t take any second for granted. And I’m not wasting any moment I have with you. I want to lay it all out. Dani, I want to dateyou.”
She closed her eyes. Then she opened them, pulled her hands from mine, and put one on my chest, pushing me back. I leaned into her. “Trent, we can’t dothis.”
“What do you mean?” Iswallowed.
“I’m not ready for anyrelationship.”
Well, there goes that idea. “Great,” I said sarcastically. “Glad I brought itup.”
“My last relationship was bad. I swore I wouldn’t do that again. Let myself get too involved. I’m too used to not having to answer toanyone.”
“If anyone is gonna fight for your freedom, babe, it’s asoldier.”
She shook her head sadly. “I justcan’t.”
“Well, fuck.” I collapsed into my chair and sipped my tea insilence.
Her eyes pleaded with me. “I’m so sorry, Trent. I like you, I do. But I’m not in it for the long term. Ileave.”
“Yeah, I get it.” I rubbed myjaw.
Her hand came over mine, and her earnest eyes caught mine. “No matter what, I’d really like us to befriends.”
“Fine,” I said heartily, pressing my hands to my temples. “Friends itis.”
Damn.
Always just out ofreach.
“It’s not that simple, though. I mean, we’re more than friends. Part of me wants to kick you out of Spain because of what you remind me of. And the other part wants…” She trailedoff.
“Wantswhat?”
A grin lifted her pretty lips. “Wants to get to know you better. Four years looks good on you. I remember that time in the pizzaparlor…”
I tilted my head to the side, and hope reared up. “So when I take you back to your apartment, you’d let me kiss you the way I did before I left for bootcamp?”
She nodded. “And maybe more than a kiss. Just fortonight.”
I leaned in. Better to be blunt than to be misunderstood. “Casual sex. Friends withbenefits.”
Her eyes widened. “Well, if you put it that way.” She shrugged then gave me a huge Dani smile. My God, there was my dream come true. I didn’t have to keep her out of reach anymore.
“Gotit.”
And my heart sunk. Because I wanted more than that. Still, I had toknow.
