***
His day had started off shitty and it’d gone downhill fast from there. But this made up for all of it. Nate placed a kiss on the top of Lauren’s head as she slept with her cheek resting on his chest. Nothing had prepared him for Lauren’s reaction that night. Since their last conversation, he’d made himself stay away, trying to give her the space and time she’d asked for. Doing so nearly killed him. Now it no longer mattered.
As if to reassure himself that he wasn’t dreaming, he ran a hand down her arm. Beneath his fingers, her skin felt like warm satin. For the first time in years, contentment washed through him. I love you. Her words played over and over in his heart. So many times when he’d been out on the front lines he’d feared he’d never hear her say that to him again. And maybe he’d had no right to hope for that. But damn, now that she was back next to him, he wasn’t going to let her go.
Next to him, Lauren’s body moved. “I’m sorry, I fell asleep. How long have I been out?”
“Don’t worry.” He enjoyed holding her in his arms and just looking at her. “You only slept for about ten minutes.”
She moved next to him again, this time pulling herself into an upright position. With deliberate movements, she tucked the sheet around her chest, her eyes glued to the far wall. “I didn’t intend for that to happen tonight.” She kept her face turned away from him, but he still saw the pink hue in her cheeks.
“I know that, sweetheart.” He sat up, too.
“But I’m not sorry it did.” Lauren looked over at him a small frown on her face. “I love you, Nate. Always have, but . . . “ She paused and took a deep breath. “Are you really here for good? If we try this again, I need to know you won’t up and leave again in six months.”
“I still have obligations to the Marines as a reservist, and they could call me up to active duty again, but this is home now. I’m not going anywhere, sweetheart.”
Lauren sat in silence, her eyes moving over his face. What could she see? Did she see the regret? Or the love he felt? Could she see the wisp of fear that lurked inside him whenever he contemplated her rejection?
She looked away again and began a careful inspection of her half-painted fingernails. “Last weekend Kevin asked me to marry him.”
Kevin. On too many occasions, he’d pictured them together like this, and each time it left him with an urge to rip Kevin’s head from his body. Her words just then caused the same reaction. “What did you say?” Nothing could stop the hard tone from entering his voice. Her left hand remained empty, but that meant nothing.
As if to sooth him, Lauren placed a hand on his forearm. “I told him I needed to think about it.”
It annoyed him that she hadn’t said no outright, not that it mattered any longer. She was in his bed right now, not Kevin’s. “Why don’t you call him now and give him your answer?”
“Kevin’s a nice guy, and I should tell him in person. He deserves that much. I’ll handle it soon. Promise.”
She leaned over and kissed him before he could argue. Kevin no longer existed as far as he was concerned. Only Lauren and the pleasure they found in each other’s arms mattered as she leaned into him.
Nails scratched at the bedroom door. “Either your dog wants in the room or she needs to go out.” Lauren’s hand wandered across his chest and he reached for it, holding it captive with his.
“She needs to go out. Maggie’s happy on the couch. She wouldn’t want to come in here.” He wished she only wanted in the bedroom. Then he could ignore the scratching. “Don’t move.” Planting a quick kiss on her lips, he swung his feet onto the floor. Without searching for his briefs, he tugged on his jeans. “You need anything while I’m up?” If he had to disturb their time together in his bed, he might as well make it count.
“All set.” She shifted in bed causing her hair to fall forward covering her breasts.
With his hand poised on the doorknob, he considered going back to the bed and moving the hair away. Another scratch at the door killed that idea.
Maggie was a well-trained dog, despite the fact she’d been abandoned, and took care of whatever needs she had quickly. After a short pit stop in the kitchen for a glass of water, Nate returned to his room expecting Lauren to be right where he left her.
“I told you not to move.” He attempted to tease, but in reality disappointment punched him in the gut. Lauren sat on the edge of the bed in the process of clipping her bra. She’d already pulled on her jeans.
She walked around him toward her shirt on the floor. “It’s almost nine o’clock. I have to work tomorrow, Nate.” Her head disappeared for a minute inside her top then popped out. “As it is, I haven’t looked over my lesson plans for tomorrow.”