Page 94 of Keeping Guard
In the time he’d been here, he’d come to love Asheville. The city was diverse, eclectic, and funky. Like the woman outside Peyton’s building playing spoons.
“That’s different,” he said, after they listened to her for a few minutes. “Good different.”
“She’s a regular. Most of the street performers are.”
“Pretty cool.” He took her hand again. “Let’s stop and say hi to Joseph.”
As soon as Joseph saw them, he segued from the song he was playing to Ed Sheeran’s “Perfect.” As Joseph played the song, the words filtered through Noah’s head. It felt like they had been written for him. He had found a girl, beautiful and sweet.
He’d never been in love, didn’t know how that was supposed to feel, but something was going on with him. Was he in lust with Peyton? Or was he falling for her? Maybe. He wished they had more time to explore what was happening between them, but he was leaving on Sunday. As much as he wanted to stay, he couldn’t disobey orders. He had the unsettling feeling, though, that he’d be walking away from his one chance at real happiness.
The problem was, it wouldn’t be fair to her to give her hope—if she even wanted to hope—that he wanted more than the fun they’d had while he was here when he didn’t know what his future held. If he reenlisted, and he probably would, he wouldn’t ask or expect her to wait for him.
“That ex of yours still messing with you, Miss Peyton?” Joseph said when he finished playing. “Haven’t seen him around for a few days.”
“Nope. Right now, he’s in jail right where he belongs.” She grinned. “The jerk tried to kidnap me, but I showed him. I shot his baby toe off.”
She sounded so proud of herself that Noah couldn’t help but chuckle. “That she did.”
Joseph’s eyes widened, then he burst out laughing. “You got game, Miss Peyton, I’ll tell ya that. Got a song for you.” He played Nancy Sinatra’s “These Boots Are Made for Walking.”
Peyton clapped, clearly delighted. “I’m so badass.”
Yes, she certainly was. After leaving Joseph, Peyton took him to her favorite sidewalk restaurant. When Lucky had first been put in his care, the dog would have been trying to crawl onto his lap, would have been going for the food on the table. Now with one word—down—he was on his belly under the table, watching the people walk by.
Peyton peeked under the table. “He’s such a good boy.”
And she was beautiful, perfect. He kept his news to himself through dinner, but when they returned to her loft, he couldn’t put it off any longer. He walked to the window and stared out. The sidewalks were still filled with people enjoying a nice summer evening. Damn, he was going to miss this city...and her. Especially her.
He turned to face her. “I have news.”
Chapter Thirty
Peyton stilled, one sandal in her hand and one still on. Something in Noah’s voice was off, so much so that she wanted to slap her hands over her ears and refuse to hear whatever he had to say.
Always, the first thing she did when coming home was to take off her shoes. Then she’d go to her bedroom and change into something comfortable. Leggings and a T-shirt, or since Noah had been living with her, a pair of sexy panties and a soft cotton camisole. He liked when that was all she had on.
She needed to keep to her routine, not listen to words she didn’t want to hear. “I’ll just go change.”
“I’m leaving on Sunday.”
“Oh.” As in oh God, her heart was breaking. She’d known this was coming and she should have prepared herself. But how did one prepare to say goodbye to the man she loved? She’d known she loved him since he’d taken care of her after Dalton had kidnapped her.
Okay, an even bigger truth, she’d probably fallen in love with him even before that. Maybe the night he’d arranged their romantic evening at the Grove Park Inn. Or one of the times he’d kissed her. Or when he sang “Pretty Woman” to her. But what did it matter? He was going to leave her. He was going to do that and never look back.
She wouldn’t cry. She’d told Nichole she had to let him go, and she would do it without tears. She squared her shoulders, looked him in the eyes, and said, “Well, we knew this day was coming. Let’s make the most of the time we have left.” There was a slight tremble to her voice that she hoped he hadn’t noticed.
He stared at her for a few moments, and she got lost in the emotions at war in his eyes. She wasn’t sure what to make of what she was seeing. Regret? Sadness? Relief that she wasn’t making a fuss?
“The time we have left,” he murmured, then strode to her. He trailed his knuckles down her cheek. “How do you want to make the most of it, princess?”
“Naked,” she whispered. She had her memories of him and their time together stored in her mind to relive after he was gone, but she wanted more. Enough to last her a lifetime.
Fire burned in his eyes, hot need in their depths. “Naked’s good.” He put his hands on her hips, backed her up to the wall, and pressed his body against hers. “Real good.”
She dropped the shoe she held. “I thought so. Especially when you’re the one without clothes. You have an amazing body, all hard and muscley, a work of art.”
“Oh, I’m hard all right.”
