Page 24 of Operation K-9 Brothers
“I think I should probably go.”Before he couldn’t.
She pushed away, scooting back onto her stool.“Why?”
There was hurt and wariness in her eyes, and he regretted putting it there.But he was determined to do things right with her.“Believe me, I don’t want to.”
“Then don’t.”
“Yeah, I am.”Was this even him saying these things?He’d never hesitated before when it was obvious a woman wanted him, but then he’d never before wanted things to go past a night or two.
“Sure, whatever.”She turned her back to him, picked up the broken phallus-looking thing and smashed it flat.
“Ouch,” he said, getting the message.Amused, he swallowed a chuckle.He was messing this up, though, and if he wanted to be welcome back, he needed to make her understand.He moved until his chest was to her back, putting his arms around her.
“Nichole, this thing between us, whatever it is, is different for me.I’ve only had one serious girlfriend from high school.I thought we had something, but within a month into my first deployment she cheated on me.”
She stilled in his arms, telling him she was listening.“When I found out, I decided then and there that I’d never have another serious relationship as long as I was in the navy.And I haven’t, not in the eleven years since.For me, it’s been one-offs with women who were only interested in the same thing.”
“Is there abutcoming?”
“Yes, and thatbutis Nichole Masters.I don’t know what’s happening between us, but something is.We have about two months before I leave to figure it out.If that’s what you want.”
“And when you leave, what then?”
“I don’t know.I guess we’ll decide that when the time comes.”
When she didn’t say anything, he knew he was bungling this.“You’re not a one and done.You haven’t been from the start.I want to...”He searched for the right word.“I want to romance you.If you don’t want the same thing, tell me now because if not, I don’t think I can do this with you.”
He’d rather walk away now while there was still time to protect his heart.He’d explained it in the best way he knew how.His damn heart beat erratically as he waited for her answer.Maybe he shouldn’t have been honest with her, should have just let things play out.
Nichole squeezed her eyes shut.After his talk at the waterfall, she’d settled her mind on this being a fun fling until it was time for him to return to active duty.And truthfully, wasn’t that for the best?
After Lane, she’d said no more relationships, no more letting a man control her.That was never going to happen again.Her judgment was questionable, though.Lane hadn’t given any hint of his true personality in the beginning, and look where that had gotten her.
Yet the thought of Jack walking out of her life made her want to grab his hands and hold on to him.She turned to face him.The vulnerability and hope she saw in his eyes were things she’d never seen in Lane’s.Her ex-boyfriend believed he was entitled to take what he wanted, when he wanted, heedless of others’ wishes.She’d told him repeatedly that she didn’t want to see him, but he refused to listen.Didn’t care what she wanted.
Jack wasn’t like Lane.She knew if she told Jack that she didn’t want the same thing as him, he’d respect her decision and walk away, never bothering her again.
He would be leaving, returning to active duty.He’d said things would end then.Now, even though he wasn’t promising anything past his leave date, he was changing the rules, and she couldn’t turn her back on the chance that there could be something deeper between them.She could fall in love with this man, and that scared her.And if she did...well, she’d just stock up on wine and ice cream and wallow in her misery when he left.
“I do want to see where this goes.”Oh, that smile on his face was a beautiful thing to see.As much as she was determined to protect her heart, she wasn’t sure she’d be able to manage that trick.
“And you’ll let me do it right and romance you?”
She laughed.“Yes, Jack, I’d be honored to be romanced by you.That doesn’t mean you have to leave now, though.”
“Yes, it does.”He leaned forward and kissed her, long and hard.“I don’t trust myself around you, sweetheart.”
“Fine, be like that.”
He tapped her nose.“You’re adorable when you pout.”
“Ha!You ain’t seen nothing yet, baby.”
“Bring it on.”He grinned as he patted his chest.“I’m man enough to take it.”
She suspected he was man enough to take a lot of things.He also confused her.There wasn’t a man in her experience who would be walking away after she’d invited him to stay, and he clearly wanted her.Although it was sweet that he wanted to romance her.
“There’s a sink over there.”She pointed to her left.“You might want to wash your hands before the clay dries.”
