Page 54 of True Valor
If there was any better feeling in the world,Nic sure as hell didn’t know what it might be.Yeah, making love toher one day might top this, but for now, it was damn-near perfect.But that wasn’t the all of it.She’d cried for Joey, for Nic’sloss.When she smiled, he was totally lost.And he didn’t want tobe found.
Holy moley, she loved him.The thoughttightened his arms around her, making her sigh in response.
Julie snuggled closer, her breathing regularand deep.Nic smiled ruefully at his body’s reaction.It was okay.He could wait.
Nic woke near dawn, rearranging Julie so shecould lay down, and covered her with a blanket.He moved to therecliner and stretched out.Sleep they did, not waking up untilnearly ten o’clock.
Julie came out from under the blanket onlyafter Nic assured her that Cruz was gone, embarrassed by her Santapajamas.She hadn’t given it another thought last night, but nowshe was suddenly shy.
She followed Nic to the kitchen.
“Coffee?”
“Sure, once it’s ready.You’ve completelycorrupted me.”Julie jumped up to sit on the kitchen counter.“Isaw the Batmobile last night.Nice truck.”
Nic actually blushed.The embarrassed smilehe wore made her press on.
“Batman, huh?So that’s why you rescuedme?”
Nic crossed to her.His hands cupped herface, fingers in her hair.“Maybe why I rescued you, but not why Istuck around.”
His dark eyes twinkled as he searchedhers.
“Those eyes,” he kissed her, softly, “are whyI stayed.”His lips found hers again and she slipped off thecounter into his arms.
The front door opened, interrupting.
Cruz walked through the door, followed byanother man.He, too, was not hard on the eyes, though not as tallas the other two.Dark hair and eyes, stockier build but stilllean, probably just under six feet tall.He wore jeans and a greyt-shirt.
And there Julie stood in pajamas.
Geez.It wasn’t like they were indecent oranything like that.But they were Christmas jammies.Ugh.Too latenow.
This newcomer’s eyes barely stopped as theytook her in, then he smiled as he approached Nic.
The two shook hands, then Nic stepped backand guided Julie forward.“Sir, this is Julie Galloway.Julie,Lieutenant David Quillen, Bravo team leader.”
David didn’t smile as he had with Nic, but heshook her hand cordially.“Miss Galloway.Nice to meet you.”Hisvoice was deep, rich.Was every PJ as gorgeous as these three?Julie smiled, remembering Cindy’s suggestion that PJs were the bestin bed.Butterflies dive-bombed in her stomach.
“Nice to meet you, too.”Julie turned to Nic.“If you’ll excuse me, I need to get dressed.”
“So, you want to tell me about it?”Quillen—Yoda to his men—spoke in a quiet but firm voice.Thoughcouched as a question, it wasn’t.D.Q.was a good team leader.Hewas new at being a lieutenant, but not new to being a PJ.He nevergave his team crap about things that didn’t matter and he alwaysgave a guy a chance to explain.But excuses didn’t cut it with him.Reasons, okay, but give him empty excuses, and your ass washis.
Nic looked to Cruz, who shrugged.“I don’tknow how much he told you.”He nodded to Cruz.
“Just that you were in some trouble and heneeded to be gone a couple days to help you out.I’m assuming ithas something to do with the girl?”
By the time the LT left, he had the fullstory and had taken the opportunity to encourage Nic to be verycareful, to watch his six.He intimated that, if needed, Cruz couldbe at Nic’s disposal and, if that wasn’t enough, it might bepossible to schedule some field training for Bravo Squad.Hisparting shot, though, was to announce the imminent arrival ofJoey’s replacement.
At that point, Nic stopped listening.
Julie heard the front door close, but stillshe sat.It was hard to get dressed in here.It was like changingclothes in a church or something.Nic had called it Joey’sIlove mewall.He’d said it with a smile but Julie wondered howlong it would take Nic and Eric to clean out this room, the shrine.Maybe she could do that for them.Save them the pain.
When she came out of the room, finallydressed, Eric and Nic were in the kitchen.Nic slurped coffee andEric just stood, leaning against the counter, arms crossed.Theyboth smiled when she came in.
“Can I ask you guys a question?”
“Shoot,” Cruz answered.
