“Get out,” she’d snapped at his emotionless face. He’d hadthe bedside manner of a salt shaker. She leaned over the side of the bed and got sick once he’d left.
Nick massaged her shoulders. “Let’s talk, go get a bite to eat.”
She stepped away from his comforting warmth, shaking off the memories.
“Yeah, that’d be nice.” Sex wasn’t on the menu, but a huge slab of chocolate cake would be a somewhat tolerable substitute. She placed the magnificent vase of flowers on the kitchen table, swung her purse over a shoulder, and followed Nick out the door.
She paused on the front porch and texted her mom that it was safe to come home.
8
“You always did tell a funny story better than I could.” Liz wiped the tears from her eyes and grinned at Nick. How long had it been since she’d laughed hard enough to have her stomach muscles ache like this?
“We’ve spent the better part of this meal smiling, babe. I needed this.” Nick forked a chunk of dark chocolate cake and offered it to her.
She shook her head. “I’m full, cake’s yours. And you’re right. Tonight’s been really special.” She leaned back so the waitress could refill her coffee cup.
He stared at the fork and put it down. “I’ve missed our easy talks, the humor—us.”
“Yup. Like old times, Flannery.” Liz smiled wistfully into her cup. Her insides throbbed from resisting the urge to touch him. If only tonight was her new normal.
“Remember those two weeks before you were injured in Iraq? We had ourselves a real good time.” He winked at her and gently placed his hand over hers, caressing her wrist with his thumb.
Her cheeks warmed and her wrist tingled with his every stroke. “Yeah, I was so happy to be on the same base as you. The first time in eight years.”
Nick chuckled. “A two-way street there, honey. I couldn’t keep my hands off you and to hell with the consequences. Linen closets, empty bunks and offices, the tower stairwell, that cubby thing in the mess hall.”
“Wewerepretty shameless,” Liz whispered as the memories flooded back and reminded her of everything she’d been missing. She shook her head and sat up straight before a blanket of sadness for whatwasruined the moment.
“You are the sexiest woman alive. Knowing what was underneath that prim uniformed exterior set me on fire.” His tugged her hand closer and kissed a knuckle.
How could she love him so much and have drifted this far away? “I wanted to rip the fatigues off your body and kiss you senseless, starting with your tats,” she murmured as she fanned herself with a menu.The diner was stifling hot or was it the conversation?I’m just one inch away from vaulting across this table into your arms, Nick.
He raised an eyebrow. “Remember that breakfast when you told me you weren’t wearing a stitch of anything under your uniform?”
She groaned and her insides melted with desire. “You gave me those looks all day, but we couldn’t get together until late evening. It was so hard to work. Felt like I’d implode.”Kind of like now.
Nick barked a laugh and wagged a finger. “Any woman naughty enough to go commando in a war zone deserves to burn for a while. And if I remember correctly, you did implode several times.”
Liz kicked him under the table. “Stop it. You’re the one who collapsed on top of me that night and said if we were attacked right then, you’d die happy.”
He leaned over the table and planted a kiss on her lips. “You’re blushing. I’ve always loved that you do that when the conversation gets sexy.”
The reminiscing left her with an uncomfortable ache between her legs and a wistful melancholy draped across her heart. “Always the best of friends, Nick. In every way.”
“Remember how we promised that we’d give ourselves a real run at a life together once we were honorably discharged?”
She nodded mutely.Where was he going with this?
He cleared his throat. “Are you involved with anyone?”
Whoa.“What? As in romantically? No.”
Nick nodded and cocked his head. “There’s this distance between us these days. We live less than twenty miles apart, and yet, we’ve seen each other only four times since I got back.”
Liz swallowed hard. “I’ve had a lot to deal with, Flannery. First rehab, and then the new job.”Not to mention a new baby.
He held his hands up. “Hey, your health is first. I get that. I wouldn’t want it any other way, Lizzie. But I can’t help feeling like there’s something you’re not telling me. I can’t put my finger on it.”
