Page 44 of SEAL's Sunshine
“Mr. Badass, huh?” Before she realized, he’d put down his food and tackled her onto the floor, leaning over her and laughing. “I’ll show you badass.”
“Holy crap you can move fast,” she said between giggles.
“You ain’t seen nothing, sweetheart,” Cam said in a Humphrey Bogart impersonation. It was terrible and made her laugh even harder.
“I haven’t?”
“Not even a little bit.” Then he leaned down and molded his lips against hers, their passion igniting like wildfire. When he released her, they were out of breath. “That was just a taste, later you’ll be getting the whole lesson.”
The pure desire in his voice, heated her to her core and her hunger wasn’t for the food now she wanted the man.
* * *
After helpingher sit back up, he handed her a fresh pair of chopsticks since hers had been tossed when he tackled her. Was he sorry? Not even a little bit. The woman took his breath away. She’d surprised him when she brought up moving. He’d been wondering how to broach the subject. He’d come up with the idea while he was bored in Afghanistan.
Atlanta was just a few hours away by plane, but it might as well have been California. It was hard for him to get away for days at a time, his schedule was frenetic and fluid, and he couldn’t put in for time off whenever he wanted to see her. He needed her in his life. Why wouldn’t she think he wanted her to move in? He thought he’d made it clear that he wanted her. Maybe he needed to lay it out there. The only thing holding him back was worry that it would scare her away. She led such a different life, and her parents were more uptight than the colonel and that was saying something.
“Miranda, nothing would make me happier than for you to move in here. I’ve been trying to figure out how to bring it up for the last few weeks.”
“While you were away?”
“Yes. You’re too far away in Atlanta. But I know your roots are there, your friends, and family. I wasn’t sure how you’d feel. Or if it was too soon to bring it up.”
“I was worried that coming here would make you feel boxed in. We haven’t talked about our relationship, or where it could go. I didn’t know if this was a casual thing for you. I didn’t want you to feel forced into a relationship you weren’t looking to have.”
“Never, Sunshine. I thought I’d made it clear how much I wanted you.”
“Wanted, yes you did. But wanting doesn’t mean a relationship. It could have been just about the sex.”
“No. It was never about that. From the first moment, I saw you in that cave you had me. I wasn’t lying when I told you that. You were so brave even though you’d been through hell.”
“That’s not special.”
“Yes, it is. I’ve been part of many rescues and most women who’d been through what you had would have been basket cases, broken, sometimes they won’t even let us touch them. So yes, you are very special.”
As he watched her take in his words, every emotion played across her face. There was no way he’d ever let her play poker. She couldn’t hide anything.
“Okay, then. Looks like we might have some plans to make before I go back.”
“Hell yeah.” Leaning over, he kissed her. “We should celebrate.”
“We are, Chinese picnic and wine.”
“I have something a little different in mind.”
“But I’m hungry, and you’re eating all the food,” she said with a smile. When he looked at the table, he realized she was right. He had eaten most of the food.
“Damn, I’m so sorry. I guess I was hungrier than I thought.”
Laughing, she held up her box of General Tso’s. She’d been clutching it like a favorite doll. “You didn’t get everything, though. I still have this and no, you’re not getting anymore.”
“No problem,” Cam said as he popped the last pot sticker into his mouth. Then searched in the bag for the fortune cookies. Cracking one open, he pulled out his fortune.
“What does it say,” she asked as she picked up another piece of chicken.
Cam read it twice before he read the words out loud, “Your life will be filled with sunshine.”
Chapter 14
