“Good morning.” His low husky growl stirred her senses.
“Good morning,” she murmured. Her lips met his in a light kiss that stirred her soul as much as his hungry passion stirred her blood.
“Yuck, kissing!” Stacy squealed with a child’s disgust as she shoved her chair away from the table.
Laurie’s laughter mingled with Damien’s as Stacy darted out of the kitchen. Laurie handed Damien a steaming mug of coffee, refilled her mug, and followed him into the living room. Settled in the corner of the sofa, she sipped her coffee as she listened to reports of Middle East upheaval.
“Typical,”
Damien
commented
from his favorite recliner.
ALWAYS A WARRIOR Patricia Bruening
112
“In National News today, Nathaniel Crawford was indicted by a grand jury on multiple counts of treasonous behavior. He stands accused of supplying top secret weapons technology to terrorist groups around the world,” the news anchorman announced.
Laurie set her mug on the end table with a loud clatter as her feet hit the floor, her startled stare riveted to the television screen as the announcer continued his story.
“Crawford was apprehended in Mexico six months ago by military special forces.
According to official sources, Crawford was a willing traitor after his disappearance a number of years ago. As a physicist and weapons specialist, he had top level access to secret weapons research. These revelations may have far-reaching implications on national security and terrorist policies.”
Laurie gaped, stunned speechless, at the black and white picture of her father in handcuffs. Familiar unanswered questions returned to plague her and disrupt her happiness.
Heart pounding, she glanced at Damien and caught his intense scrutiny. Uncomfortable with that scrutiny, she averted her gaze and picked up her coffee. Feigning calm she did not feel, she sipped her coffee and carefully set the mug down.
“Why did he do it?” she wondered aloud. She did not expect an answer. Only a slight tremor in her voice betrayed her nerves. She sucked in a deep breath and offered Damien a bright smile. “You’d better get going or you’ll be late.”
“Laurie,” he began, his gaze holding hers as he reached for her hand.
“Go on.” She waved aside his concern though her heart ached. “You need to keep your appointment.”
His eyes narrowed. “Are you sure?”
“Honestly, Damien,” she assured him. “I’m fine. Get going. I’ll look forward to something to celebrate tonight.”
She quite honestly preferred to be alone. She also did not want to be a whining ninny unable to handle news that did not directly affect her. Her only connection to Nathaniel Crawford was purely biological. Except for pictures, she had never laid eyes on him. She refused to allow him to have any further impact on her life.
“Okay,” Damien agreed reluctantly. He kissed her gently but with plenty of heat, then left her alone with the ominous newscasts.
“Biology,” she muttered as, after Stacy left for school, she exiled herself to her office with a second pot of coffee.
Reluctant to ponder her father’s indictment, the coming trial and conviction, she pondered another unexpected but natural growing development. After a while, she managed to immerse herself in her story. Her fingers flew over the keyboard as her fictional story continued.
The persistent growling and rumbling of her stomach finally stopped her just before noon, reminding her none too quietly to eat. She rolled her chair back from the desk and stood up, groaning at the aches in her back and shoulders. She stretched, back and forth, side to side, until the aches eased.
In the kitchen she fixed two tuna fish sandwiches to take back to her office. Her story was going well and firmly pushed all problems from her mind. Plate in hand, she turned from the counter. Damien lounged in the doorway. Her jaw dropped. She nearly screamed but shock rendered her speechless. She barely managed no to drop her lunch as she found her voice.
“Christ, Damien,” she exclaimed, her heart pounding against her ribs. “Don’t sneak up on me!”
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A mischievous grin twitched his lips and his eyes twinkled with a mix of amusement and satisfaction.
“Where are we going for dinner?”
It took a moment but realization dawned and a flood of pleasure rushed through her at the implications of his light-hearted question.
“They hired you!” The plastic plate clattered on the counter as he strode across the room and pulled her into his arms. Her arms went around him in a fierce congratulatory hug. When she loosened her embrace, he put a finger under her chin and tilted her head so her excited gaze met his.