Total pages in book: 86
Estimated words: 80699 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 403(@200wpm)___ 323(@250wpm)___ 269(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 80699 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 403(@200wpm)___ 323(@250wpm)___ 269(@300wpm)
“Muscles Are Required; Intelligence Not-Expected.”
I laugh louder than she expected telling from the way she jerks her head back suddenly. I haven’t heard that acronym breakdown since I left Fallujah.
“That’s funny,” I say once my laughter dies down.
She shrugs playfully. “Not everyone can be in the Army I guess.”
“A shit-talkin’ civilian. I love it.” I tap my shoulder against hers and slide my feet into the cool water. “Ain’t Real Marines Yet.” I throw back at her.
She grins again. “Like I said, Intelligence Not-Expected. Don’t get your panties in a bunch. You’re an ex-Marine, not still in the service.”
“Former Marine,” I correct.
“Same diff,” she says playfully.
“I assure you it’s not.” I open the box of crackers and hand her a sleeve. The sound of the rustling package must have alerted our afternoon friends. The ducks are surrounding our feet before I can get my sleeve of crackers open.
We feed the ducks silently for a few minutes. I can practically feel the stress breaking away from her as she watches them eat.
“I don’t have any other clothes,” she says from out of the blue.
“Where are your things?” I feel like complete shit for not even realizing until this moment that she’s wearing the same clothes I handed to her in the hospital.
“I left everything I had at Alec’s apartment.” She lowers her head shamefully. “I hadn’t planned on needing anything after that day.”
There it is. The proverbial elephant in the room.
“We can swing by later and get them.” That’s easy enough.
She shakes her head no. “His parents were cleaning the apartment out the day after the memorial. I’m sure they’ve trashed my things.”
“We’ll work it out,” I promise handing her another sleeve of crackers to replace her now empty pack.
She accepts it with a soft “thank you.”
“How did you know I wouldn’t just turn around and leave the clubhouse after I left the hospital? Or hang myself in the shower the second you left me in the room?”
I look at her, reaching up and tucking a strand of her unruly hair behind her ear before cupping her face in my hand.
“You flinched when I brought my knife up to your wrist in the hospital. If you were suicidal at that moment, you wouldn’t have pulled away from the blade. You would’ve welcomed it.”
I pull her against my chest, relishing the feel of her against me as she places her head on my shoulder. I knew she wasn’t suicidal then, but after the way she acted at the diner and how quickly she closed in on herself, I don’t have the same faith now.
Chapter 15
Khloe
What is it about this man that is so incredibly soothing that I can just fall asleep so easily around him? What seemed like only minutes ago, we were talking, and now I find myself practically sprawled out on the end of the dock with my head resting in his lap. He’s stroking my hair, and I treasure the moment, the gentleness of his touch, the unrepentant way he touches me as if he has every right and makes no excuses for it.
It is so peaceful out here, like the rest of the world just fades away until nothing else exists but the two of us and the soft sounds of the water lapping away at the shore. Opening my eyes, I notice the sun has begun its downward arc, so I know it’s after noon. I’d been lying on him, sleeping for a while.
I shift my weight and lift my head from his lap.
“Hey,” I whisper hoarsely.
I’d love nothing more to stay in this moment, a small pinpoint in time when my heart isn’t shattered for Alec, where my parents are still alive, and where my life hasn’t been chaos for the last almost nine years. I know we can’t. I’m sure Kid has other things to do than babysit me.
He smiles back at me with a look of total contentment in his eyes.
“We need to go,” he says grabbing his boots and beginning to pull them on.
“Yeah,” I say grabbing my own shoes. “I was just thinking you have better things to do with your time.”
He stops tying his boots and cups my chin gently but insistently.
“Right here. Right now. With you. Is exactly where I want to be.”
His eyes dart from my eyes to my mouth and back again. Despite the warm summer sun washing over us through a break in the trees, a shiver snakes down my back. This man is electric.
“Kiss me,” I say all but begging.
Just like he did last night, only with less hesitation, he leans forward and ever so softly brushes his lips against mine.
Warmth engulfs me as he pulls away and caresses my cheek with the pad of his thumb.
“So fucking beautiful,” he says almost reverently.
I lift my hand to cover his. He notices my engagement ring, and his face falls slightly before he can stop it. Clearing his throat, he pulls away and finishes tying his boots.