today.”
Syd’s eyebrows dipped together as she brought her head up; however, Niecy wasn’t looking at her. Sydney followed the Captain’s line of vision and was knocked off guard when her gaze crashed into Lt. Colton. Forcing herself to remain calm, she turned back around.
“Talk about undressing someone with their eyes,” Niecy commented. “I’d say he imagining you naked and draped across his bed.” She swung her smiling brown eyes back to Syd. “I guess that makes you the luckiest woman in the room.”
Speechless, Sydney took another bite of Spaghetti.
Captain Post smirked while she took the first bite of her meal. By the time she swallowed, she seemed confident with herself for having vetting Sydney’s character.
“Lt. Colton and I were at McDill in Florida together a few years back. Our next stop after training is Afghanistan.”
“Been there. Done that. Good luck.”
“Thanks.” Niecy took another bite of her food and then continued. “First time I laid eyes on him I thought I died and gone to heaven.” She chuckled and continued on with her story without paying heed to the fact Sydney looked anything but amused. “You won’t believe the trail of broken hearts he left back at McDill.”
Sydney no longer tasted her meal, but continued to eat.
“I’ll let you in on a little secret,” Post said. “In the three years I’ve known Lt. Colton, I’ve never once seen him look at a woman the ways he’s looking at you.”
Despite Sydney’s determination to be indifferent, Niecy’s compliment caused an embarrassing heat to rush up her neck and burn her cheeks. What could she say? What should she say?
“So what are you going to do about it?” Trenese probed, taking another bite of her meal.
For Sydney, opening her mouth was easy; forcing words out of it was another thing entirely. However, as she held the woman’s gaze, a thought occurred to her. “Did he send you over here?”
Niecy laughed. “Quite the opposite, I assure you. If he knew what I just told you, he’d have my hide.”
“So you’re a friend of his?”
Niecy fell into a brief silence--the first since she’d taken her seat. “Once.”
Sydney’s gut twisted with jealousy as she rolled her eyes. This felt very high school. Now that she thought about it, it seemed like the perfect juvenile game Jett would revel in. “Then you won’t mind telling your friend something for me.”
Niecy’s smile dimmed.
Sydney cast a glance over her shoulder and just as she suspected Jett’s steady gaze remained leveled on her while men around him chatted away without his participation.
“Tell him, I find his antics: silly, his so-called charm: dull and immature, and his pretty-boy looks: a complete turn off.”
Captain Post stared, blinked, and then rocked her head back with a hearty laugh.
Sydney wondered whether she lunched with a mad woman.
“I get it,” Niecy declared.
“I’m happy for you.” Sydney grabbed her tray and pushed back her chair.
“Wait.” Captain Post placed a staying hand on the corner of Sydney’s tray. “You’re mad. Don’t go.”
“I’m not mad,” she lied. “I just don’t like playing games.”
“I swear to you, Lt. Colton didn’t send me over here. Though, right about now, he’s probably wondering what I’ve said to set you off.”
Sydney studied the stranger’s face and questioned her own mental health. Why should she care whether or not the woman spoke the truth?
“Please. I was out of line. I apologize.”
Aware that a few unwanted gazes skittered her way, Sydney gave the woman a slow nod, and then pushed her chair back up to the table.
Niecy’s smile returned, brighter and wider than before. “Are you really not interested or are you playing hard to get?”
Sydney released a long frustrated sigh. “Are you really this annoying or are you just pretending?”
That comment successfully shaved a few inches off of Captain Post’s lips. “Look-”
“No. You look.”
Syd’s eyebrows dipped together as she brought her head up; however, Niecy wasn’t looking at her. Sydney followed the Captain’s line of vision and was knocked off guard when her gaze crashed into Lt. Colton. Forcing herself to remain calm, she turned back around.
“Talk about undressing someone with their eyes,” Niecy commented. “I’d say he imagining you naked and draped across his bed.” She swung her smiling brown eyes back to Syd. “I guess that makes you the luckiest woman in the room.”
Speechless, Sydney took another bite of Spaghetti.
Captain Post smirked while she took the first bite of her meal. By the time she swallowed, she seemed confident with herself for having vetting Sydney’s character.
“Lt. Colton and I were at McDill in Florida together a few years back. Our next stop after training is Afghanistan.”
“Been there. Done that. Good luck.”
“Thanks.” Niecy took another bite of her food and then continued. “First time I laid eyes on him I thought I died and gone to heaven.” She chuckled and continued on with her story without paying heed to the fact Sydney looked anything but amused. “You won’t believe the trail of broken hearts he left back at McDill.”
Sydney no longer tasted her meal, but continued to eat.
“I’ll let you in on a little secret,” Post said. “In the three years I’ve known Lt. Colton, I’ve never once seen him look at a woman the ways he’s looking at you.”
Despite Sydney’s determination to be indifferent, Niecy’s compliment caused an embarrassing heat to rush up her neck and burn her cheeks. What could she say? What should she say?
“So what are you going to do about it?” Trenese probed, taking another bite of her meal.
For Sydney, opening her mouth was easy; forcing words out of it was another thing entirely. However, as she held the woman’s gaze, a thought occurred to her. “Did he send you over here?”
Niecy laughed. “Quite the opposite, I assure you. If he knew what I just told you, he’d have my hide.”
“So you’re a friend of his?”
Niecy fell into a brief silence--the first since she’d taken her seat. “Once.”
Sydney’s gut twisted with jealousy as she rolled her eyes. This felt very high school. Now that she thought about it, it seemed like the perfect juvenile game Jett would revel in. “Then you won’t mind telling your friend something for me.”
Niecy’s smile dimmed.
Sydney cast a glance over her shoulder and just as she suspected Jett’s steady gaze remained leveled on her while men around him chatted away without his participation.
“Tell him, I find his antics: silly, his so-called charm: dull and immature, and his pretty-boy looks: a complete turn off.”
Captain Post stared, blinked, and then rocked her head back with a hearty laugh.
Sydney wondered whether she lunched with a mad woman.
“I get it,” Niecy declared.
“I’m happy for you.” Sydney grabbed her tray and pushed back her chair.
“Wait.” Captain Post placed a staying hand on the corner of Sydney’s tray. “You’re mad. Don’t go.”
“I’m not mad,” she lied. “I just don’t like playing games.”
“I swear to you, Lt. Colton didn’t send me over here. Though, right about now, he’s probably wondering what I’ve said to set you off.”
Sydney studied the stranger’s face and questioned her own mental health. Why should she care whether or not the woman spoke the truth?
“Please. I was out of line. I apologize.”
Aware that a few unwanted gazes skittered her way, Sydney gave the woman a slow nod, and then pushed her chair back up to the table.
Niecy’s smile returned, brighter and wider than before. “Are you really not interested or are you playing hard to get?”
Sydney released a long frustrated sigh. “Are you really this annoying or are you just pretending?”
That comment successfully shaved a few inches off of Captain Post’s lips. “Look-”
“No. You look.”
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