Page 44 of Keeping a Warrior

She cringed, but all Rhys did was nod. “Was it during the full summer?”

“One hundred thirty degrees.”

“Well, there you go. Heat thins the blood. I’m sure that wasn’t the first time the motor pool guy saw that from the women. No biggie.”

And suddenly, it wasn’t, thanks to Rhys’s matter-of-fact tone. Now that she thought about it, the guy hadn’t seemed disgusted or upset, just resigned to having to do some extra work replacing the seat.

A knot in her stomach loosened as at least one embarrassing memory was put to rest.

She sat up and crossed her legs, her knee only inches from Rhys’s chest, so close she could feel his warmth. “Why did you leave that first SEAL platoon? The one we were on together?”

“Because I was always just a temporary augment. I went back to my regular PJ squadron after that.”

“Ah.” Devon traced her finger over the camouflage pattern of her woobie.

“Why?”

Because now that I know you better, I wonder if things would’ve turned out differently for me if you’d been there. If I’d had your friendship and support like this.

She realized he was still waiting for an answer. “Because I never really got a chance to thank you for this.” Reaching into one of the poncho’s cavernous pockets, Devon pulled out the black-and-white shemagh he’d given her on that trail so long ago.

His eyes widening, Rhys took it from her and turned it over in his hands. “Wow. I can’t believe you still have this.”

“Oh, that thing’s gotten me through a lot of dust storms, and the smell of poo cans, and too much sunlight.”

The fabric was faded now, but Devon still counted it as one of her most cherished possessions. Not so much because of the man who’d given it to her, not back then, at least, but because of what that act had represented—kindness, a little bit of empathy, a way to help her without diminishing the effort she was making in front of the SEALs.

“I could give you a newer one—” Rhys began, and with a yelp, she tried to snatch it away.

“Nope. Want this one.” She tugged on it. “Mine.”

Rhys tugged back, and when she leaned forward, he wrapped it around her neck once, twice, his knuckles just brushing her jaw. “There,” he said huskily. “All yours.”

At the light touch, Devon’s nipples drew up tight, a slurry of goosebumps racing along her skin. “Hmph,” she grunted, tugging the ends away from his teasing fingers. “No take-backs.”

He grinned before leaning against one of the pallets, hands stacked behind his head. “So. Now that we’ve covered the human body’s various functions, what’s our next topic of conversation?”

Devon mirrored his pose, just on the opposite pallet, and she stretched her legs alongside his. Suddenly she wanted to know everything about him—his likes and dislikes, favorite foods, movies, if he was a cat or dog person.

This isn’t a date, girl. Jesus.

“I’ll go first, then,” Rhys said when she stayed silent. “Do you have any siblings?”

“Nope, just me.” She picked at the shemagh, wrapping the fringe around and around her fingers. “My mom didn’t want any more, even though my dad originally wanted a big family, I think.”

“Were you lonely?”

“Maybe a little, but my mom and I were fairly close, especially since it was just me and her most of the time.” Devon hesitated, then blurted, “The thing is, she wasn’t cut out to be an aviator’s wife.”

“Really?” Rhys’s eyes were solemn. “It’s definitely not an easy life.”

“Yeah, she didn’t cope well with the long absences, and of course back in those days there wasn’t such a thing as email or cellphones. Half the time she didn’t know where he was or when he’d be back.” Devon stared down at the shemagh. “Eventually she started drinking, having affairs. I’d see it, hear it, then have to pretend I didn’t whenever my dad was home.”

“God, that’s rough,” Rhys said, his voice sympathetic. He shifted his legs so his boot was touching hers. “I know how that feels, though. My mom always had a new guy onboard before she got rid of the old one. Made for some nasty-ass scenes over the years.”

Devon shrugged. “My dad was no saint either, Rhys, a girl-in-every-port type of thing. Neither of them tried to hide it, not really, now that I look back on it. I’ve pretty much come to the conclusion that I was an accident, and they got married so my mom and I would have the military bennies.”

“Are they still together?”