Casualties of Love by Denise Riley Page A

thing.
                  “So, you patched me up? Kept me alive out there until we got pulled out?”
                  “Yes.”
                  “Did you know I was here; in country? Before you saw me?”
                  “No. I was…very surprised to see you.”
                  Tyson was glad she didn’t know. It had occurred to him that she might have known he was in Afghanistan and succeeded at avoiding him. As it stood, he had no idea if she would have tried to seek him out had she known he was in country with her. He didn’t ask. Wasn’t sure he would like the answer.
                  “Thank you,” he said.
                  “It’s my job, sir.” True, he thought, but he was grateful.
                  “Still, thanks.”
                  “Not a problem, captain.” Jessica adjusted his pillows and helped him settle in. She was close, standing near him at the right-side edge of the bed - close enough that he caught her light fragrance. He breathed her in. Lavender.
                  “You don’t have to keep it up with the rank and file stuff.”
                  “It’s protocol.”
                  “I don’t want the protocol, Jessica.”
    He’d already said the words before he thought about what they might imply. He half wanted her to ask him what he did want, but he wasn’t sure he could actually tell her that he wanted her - even if that was the case. He wasn’t sure that wanting her was a good thing given the nature of their shared past...particularly the part where she had left him. Plus, he didn’t know what, if anything, was between them. So far they had only spoken a few words and he hadn’t even been able to process her comment about missing him. She had walked away, not the other way around. Why would she miss him?
                  But, she didn’t ask. She looked away. He sensed her about to retreat and, on impulse he reached for her. He didn’t want her to move away, and he surprised them both by grabbing the front of her uniform. For a few seconds, he only stopped her departure.  Then, he began to pull her in. Slowly. Deliberately. When he had her mouth hovered over his, he stilled the movement. Her hands were on the mattress on either side of his body. They stared until Jessica spoke.
                  “You probably shouldn’t,” she said in a breathy voice.
                  “Maybe not. But, do you want me to?”
                  “Yes.”
    No hesitation. Tyson might have growled. He couldn’t be sure, because he was too busy pressing his way into her mouth. She tasted as good as he remembered; better maybe. Sweet. Intoxicating. Singularly Jessica. Her tongue brushed against his and he tightened his grip on her shirt. She sank into him, ending up half seated-half lying at the side of his bed. Her upper body was leaned into his torso. Her right hip was next to his hip on the mattress.
    Tyson moved his hand from her top and put it on her waist. He put his other hand at the back of her head. He spread his fingers wide and dug them into the base of her bun. Unthinking, he ripped the band away and freed the silky hair that he had once spent hours rubbing between his fingertips.  He felt the hair spill from its confines to fall about her shoulders and face. The soft scent of lavender wafted around them.
    The kiss was a duel.  Fencing tongues. Attacking and retreating. Giving and taking. They went back and forth for longer than either of them was aware. Tyson’s only measure of time was the ever increasing tightening in his crotch, which indicated to him that it was time to touch bare flesh to bare flesh, to sink into Jessica’s warm body. When her hands gripped his thick neck, they seemed to check themselves. They pulled apart, though it wasn’t a significant distance. Tyson stared into her eyes