.
“I have three years left of my commitment, Zack.” Lena got in line behind another couple then turned to him. “How the heck am I supposed to start a relationship now?”
He lifted a brow. “Are you serious? Isn’t that what you plan on doing with letter guy?”
Heat rose on her cheeks. “Oh, well. That’s different.”
“Why?”
“Because we already have a relationship going.”
“No, you don’t.”
“Yes, we do!”
“No.”
She opened her mouth to answer, but just as quickly, he grabbed her, circled her neck with his arm, and covered her mouth with his hand. She couldn’t help grinning. All the combatives training she’d done over the years weren’t going to help her against Zack, who’d had the same training, was twice her size, and at least eight inches taller.
Instead of fighting, she put an arm around his waist and tucked her hand into his pocket. She really liked the feel of him at her side. He slowly lowered his hand from her mouth, but his arm stayed at her shoulder. She leaned her head against his chest and soaked in the joyful atmosphere as the crowds dwindled and the night grew dark. Yeah, she could get used to this.
“Hey-oh, Zack Benson! Long time, no see.”
Lena straightened as a man approached them. He was on the short side, light-haired, muscular. He pumped Zack’s arm with a warm grin, and glanced to Lena then back to Zack. He wagged his finger. “I knew it. This must be Elena. Just as pretty as you said. No, I take that back. Prettier.” His laughter echoed through the crisp air. “It is good to see you home, Lena. I tell you what, Zachary has waited a long time—”
“Lena,” Zack interrupted. “This is Mark Teller. He’s new in town. We met at an after-hours business gathering.”
She wanted to go back to the ‘has waited a long time’ part, but Zack turned the topic to fishing, and they chatted a few minutes before Mark made his good-bye and left. But he shook her hand and smiled. A smile that said he knew something she didn’t.
Finally, they reached the front of the line and were escorted into the bucket seat swing. Zack tugged on the safety bar and secured it over their laps.
“That man is up to something.”
Zack cleared his throat.
“And so are you,” she continued.
“Some people are just weird—take Mark, for instance.”
“Uh, uh—”
“Oh, look, I can see your house.” Zack tucked her in under his arm and pointed south as they rose in the circle.
Lena rolled her eyes. “Fine.” But the bird’s-eye view of town captured her before she could make a smart remark about how he was evading her question. Lights were strung along the roofs of houses and businesses along Main Street. Wreaths hung from lampposts. “Look at the church all lit up. It looks so pretty.”
“You’ve missed it.” Zack spoke her feelings, and she nodded as emotion swelled within her.
“I didn’t realize. I mean, sure, I knew I missed the States, my family, the American way…my coffee maker.”
“I know what you mean.”
She really looked at him, and saw an understanding in his eyes that no other person could get…unless he was a soldier. She saw something else, too. The clear blue traces of love that she wanted to ignore but couldn’t.
“Zack,” she whispered and heard the pleading, breathlessness in her own voice. He’d held back since Quinn’s, giving her space and time over the last couple of days. But she wanted that moment back. Lena leaned in, touched his jaw line with trembling fingers as desire rose within her. “I’m going to kiss you now,” she spoke, her lips a breadth away from his.
“About damned time.” His no-nonsense response eased the nerves, making her smile in that moment before she made contact. But then the smile was gone, and she was enticing his mouth open with a swipe of her tongue, playfully nipping at lips that tasted of the coke he’d drank with their late dinner. She hummed her pleasure and felt his hands in her
“I have three years left of my commitment, Zack.” Lena got in line behind another couple then turned to him. “How the heck am I supposed to start a relationship now?”
He lifted a brow. “Are you serious? Isn’t that what you plan on doing with letter guy?”
Heat rose on her cheeks. “Oh, well. That’s different.”
“Why?”
“Because we already have a relationship going.”
“No, you don’t.”
“Yes, we do!”
“No.”
She opened her mouth to answer, but just as quickly, he grabbed her, circled her neck with his arm, and covered her mouth with his hand. She couldn’t help grinning. All the combatives training she’d done over the years weren’t going to help her against Zack, who’d had the same training, was twice her size, and at least eight inches taller.
Instead of fighting, she put an arm around his waist and tucked her hand into his pocket. She really liked the feel of him at her side. He slowly lowered his hand from her mouth, but his arm stayed at her shoulder. She leaned her head against his chest and soaked in the joyful atmosphere as the crowds dwindled and the night grew dark. Yeah, she could get used to this.
“Hey-oh, Zack Benson! Long time, no see.”
Lena straightened as a man approached them. He was on the short side, light-haired, muscular. He pumped Zack’s arm with a warm grin, and glanced to Lena then back to Zack. He wagged his finger. “I knew it. This must be Elena. Just as pretty as you said. No, I take that back. Prettier.” His laughter echoed through the crisp air. “It is good to see you home, Lena. I tell you what, Zachary has waited a long time—”
“Lena,” Zack interrupted. “This is Mark Teller. He’s new in town. We met at an after-hours business gathering.”
She wanted to go back to the ‘has waited a long time’ part, but Zack turned the topic to fishing, and they chatted a few minutes before Mark made his good-bye and left. But he shook her hand and smiled. A smile that said he knew something she didn’t.
Finally, they reached the front of the line and were escorted into the bucket seat swing. Zack tugged on the safety bar and secured it over their laps.
“That man is up to something.”
Zack cleared his throat.
“And so are you,” she continued.
“Some people are just weird—take Mark, for instance.”
“Uh, uh—”
“Oh, look, I can see your house.” Zack tucked her in under his arm and pointed south as they rose in the circle.
Lena rolled her eyes. “Fine.” But the bird’s-eye view of town captured her before she could make a smart remark about how he was evading her question. Lights were strung along the roofs of houses and businesses along Main Street. Wreaths hung from lampposts. “Look at the church all lit up. It looks so pretty.”
“You’ve missed it.” Zack spoke her feelings, and she nodded as emotion swelled within her.
“I didn’t realize. I mean, sure, I knew I missed the States, my family, the American way…my coffee maker.”
“I know what you mean.”
She really looked at him, and saw an understanding in his eyes that no other person could get…unless he was a soldier. She saw something else, too. The clear blue traces of love that she wanted to ignore but couldn’t.
“Zack,” she whispered and heard the pleading, breathlessness in her own voice. He’d held back since Quinn’s, giving her space and time over the last couple of days. But she wanted that moment back. Lena leaned in, touched his jaw line with trembling fingers as desire rose within her. “I’m going to kiss you now,” she spoke, her lips a breadth away from his.
“About damned time.” His no-nonsense response eased the nerves, making her smile in that moment before she made contact. But then the smile was gone, and she was enticing his mouth open with a swipe of her tongue, playfully nipping at lips that tasted of the coke he’d drank with their late dinner. She hummed her pleasure and felt his hands in her
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