trip.
Mike rolled off the couch and paced the floor. The
more he thought about the way Cyn had dropped the
news of her date, the more pissed he got. Hadn’t she
realized how devastated Katy would be?
Forget Katy. If she’d told him she was moving out, he
wouldn’t have been more surprised. A paperback on a
corner table caught his eye. An espionage thriller.
Perhaps it’d take his mind off what Cyn and her date
were doing right now. He slumped on the couch and
opened to a random page. Five minutes later, he tossed
the book on the floor, lay down and gave his emotions full
rein.
Had he screwed up his chances with Cyn because
he’d taken things too slow? The last thing he’d wanted to
do was rush her into another relationship. Night after
night he’d waited for her to give him a sign. It’d taken all
his willpower not to drag her into his arms.
Plus, he wanted to make damn sure Peter’s spirit had
vanished. Having a ghost pop in and out without warning
was bad enough. No freakin’ way would he make love to
Cyn if there was a chance her dead husband might show
up. Mike checked the time. Idiot, he chided. Three
minutes later than the last time he’d looked.
Mike bolted off the couch at the peel of tires in the
driveway.
50
Bridge of Hope
He arrived at the window just in time to see Cyn
climb out of the car, then lean back in. She straightened
and slammed the door. The car left rubber on the asphalt
as it pulled out into the street. She ran toward her
apartment. What the hell? Evidently, the date hadn’t
gone well. He refused to feel guilty about the surge of
satisfaction welling in his chest.
Ten minutes later he knocked on her door. When she
opened it, the fire in her eyes had him rethinking his
visit.
“What do you want?”
Well, that didn’t bode well for his late night visit.
“Are you okay? I couldn’t help but hear your date take off
and—”
Her chin jutted forward. “And what? You came to
gloat?”
Mike reached out and touched her shoulder. “No.
Hopefully, you know me better than that.”
“I’m sorry. Come in.” She turned away. “Right now
I’m so damn mad I could spit nails.”
“What happened? That is, if you want to share,” he
amended quickly.
“John’s a damn Democrat. That’s what’s happened.”
Mike couldn’t help himself. He laughed. “Last time I
heard, that wasn’t a crime.”
She looked up at him, her eyes full of tears. “You
don’t understand. He’s a jerk. Even went so far as to
imply that Peter got what he deserved for joining the
military.”
Mike’s insides tightened. “Ah, Cyn, come here.” He
led her to the couch and put his arm around her. She
nestled against him, her head on his shoulder. “There
have always been people who protest wars. Didn’t you
know he was against the war before you went out?”
Cyn shook her head. “No. We didn’t discuss it. When
he came to the library, we talked about books, not
politics.”
He caressed her arm, loving the warm softness of her
51
Pam Champagne
skin. “Put it behind you.”
She straightened and looked him square in the eye. “I
told him that if he couldn’t stand behind our troops, he
damn well should stand in front of them.”
Choking on his laughter, he managed to say, “I take
it that’s why he left in such a hurry?”
A simple shrug and Cyn cuddled against his side. “I
guess so.”
After a long silence, Mike grew restless. Time to get
out of here before he did something he’d regret. “I’d better
go. Katy’s alone in the house.”
Cyn moved then. Knelt on the couch and faced him.
“Please stay just a while.”
His gaze roamed her face. Was he misreading the
signal? Were her slightly parted lips begging for his kiss?
“I shouldn’t—”
Her mouth stopped his words. God, her sweet mouth.
Hardly daring to breathe, he stayed still while she
explored with her lips and tongue. “Cyn, are you sure?”
“I want to
Mike rolled off the couch and paced the floor. The
more he thought about the way Cyn had dropped the
news of her date, the more pissed he got. Hadn’t she
realized how devastated Katy would be?
Forget Katy. If she’d told him she was moving out, he
wouldn’t have been more surprised. A paperback on a
corner table caught his eye. An espionage thriller.
Perhaps it’d take his mind off what Cyn and her date
were doing right now. He slumped on the couch and
opened to a random page. Five minutes later, he tossed
the book on the floor, lay down and gave his emotions full
rein.
Had he screwed up his chances with Cyn because
he’d taken things too slow? The last thing he’d wanted to
do was rush her into another relationship. Night after
night he’d waited for her to give him a sign. It’d taken all
his willpower not to drag her into his arms.
Plus, he wanted to make damn sure Peter’s spirit had
vanished. Having a ghost pop in and out without warning
was bad enough. No freakin’ way would he make love to
Cyn if there was a chance her dead husband might show
up. Mike checked the time. Idiot, he chided. Three
minutes later than the last time he’d looked.
Mike bolted off the couch at the peel of tires in the
driveway.
50
Bridge of Hope
He arrived at the window just in time to see Cyn
climb out of the car, then lean back in. She straightened
and slammed the door. The car left rubber on the asphalt
as it pulled out into the street. She ran toward her
apartment. What the hell? Evidently, the date hadn’t
gone well. He refused to feel guilty about the surge of
satisfaction welling in his chest.
Ten minutes later he knocked on her door. When she
opened it, the fire in her eyes had him rethinking his
visit.
“What do you want?”
Well, that didn’t bode well for his late night visit.
“Are you okay? I couldn’t help but hear your date take off
and—”
Her chin jutted forward. “And what? You came to
gloat?”
Mike reached out and touched her shoulder. “No.
Hopefully, you know me better than that.”
“I’m sorry. Come in.” She turned away. “Right now
I’m so damn mad I could spit nails.”
“What happened? That is, if you want to share,” he
amended quickly.
“John’s a damn Democrat. That’s what’s happened.”
Mike couldn’t help himself. He laughed. “Last time I
heard, that wasn’t a crime.”
She looked up at him, her eyes full of tears. “You
don’t understand. He’s a jerk. Even went so far as to
imply that Peter got what he deserved for joining the
military.”
Mike’s insides tightened. “Ah, Cyn, come here.” He
led her to the couch and put his arm around her. She
nestled against him, her head on his shoulder. “There
have always been people who protest wars. Didn’t you
know he was against the war before you went out?”
Cyn shook her head. “No. We didn’t discuss it. When
he came to the library, we talked about books, not
politics.”
He caressed her arm, loving the warm softness of her
51
Pam Champagne
skin. “Put it behind you.”
She straightened and looked him square in the eye. “I
told him that if he couldn’t stand behind our troops, he
damn well should stand in front of them.”
Choking on his laughter, he managed to say, “I take
it that’s why he left in such a hurry?”
A simple shrug and Cyn cuddled against his side. “I
guess so.”
After a long silence, Mike grew restless. Time to get
out of here before he did something he’d regret. “I’d better
go. Katy’s alone in the house.”
Cyn moved then. Knelt on the couch and faced him.
“Please stay just a while.”
His gaze roamed her face. Was he misreading the
signal? Were her slightly parted lips begging for his kiss?
“I shouldn’t—”
Her mouth stopped his words. God, her sweet mouth.
Hardly daring to breathe, he stayed still while she
explored with her lips and tongue. “Cyn, are you sure?”
“I want to
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