Page 9 of A Veteran’s Second Chance

“My little sister.” Owen gives a soft smile, and Sam takes a long swig of beer, and I wonder if there’s history between them. I take a swig of my own beer. I’m not here to get dragged into small-town gossip.

“She was in Italy.” Owen frowns. “But she’s coming back to stay with me for a bit. You know what Chloe’s like.” Owen shrugs. “I don’t know if she’s back for a few days or back for good.”

The bar door opens and the sound of women’s laughter carries over the music. A group of women saunter into the bar; there’s a lot of tight denim and small tops with exposed skin. Every man in the place turns to watch them walk across the dance floor to get to the bar. The women, talking and laughing among themselves, are oblivious to the attention.

“Here we go.” Jace tenses beside me.

From the reaction, I gather these are the local women with whom my new friends are hooked up, plus some of their friends. The door opens again, and two more women arrive. My heart stutters as I catch a flash of blonde hair. Savanna. She’s let her hair down, and it flows loose over her bare shoulders. Tiny straps hold her top up and barely contain her ample breasts.

A man in tight denim follows her with his gaze, and I clench my fists.

Now I understand why the men are tense. I have no claim on Savanna, but if another man tries to touch her, I’ll lose my shit.

She must feel my gaze on her, because she turns and our eyes lock. The smile freezes on her face, and I hope I haven’t just ruined her night out. I lift my glass in greeting, and she gives a small nod, then turns to her friend and heads to the bar without a backward glance.

Jace is saying something, but I can’t concentrate on the conversation with the guys. My gaze lingers on Savanna. I watch her as she buys a cocktail and then the way her face scrunches up on the first sip. I watch her laugh at something one of the other women says.

They move to a booth and then to the dance floor.

She moves to the music, shaking her hips in a way that makes my mouth dry. I take a long sip of my beer as I watch her move.

When she heads to the bar alone, I can no longer hold back.

7

SAVANNA

The margarita has gone straight to my head, and I head to the bar to order water.

The air changes around me, and I know without looking that Logan is behind me. He leans next to me at the bar, and I half turn to face him.

“You should be resting.” I give him a pointed look. Keeping it professional helps me contain the emotions that I don’t want to be feeling.

“I’m a Ranger. I don’t know how to rest.”

Like every other patient I’ve treated at the center. These military men don’t know how to sit still.

“Can I buy you a drink?” he asks.

I hold up my water glass. “I’m good.”

The last thing I want is Logan buying me a drink as if we’re old friends. We’re not. He’s the man who left me in pieces, and he doesn’t deserve a moment of my time.

I turn to go back to my friends when he places his hand on my arm. Tingles course through my veins, and I try not to let it show on my face.

“Can we talk?”

I wish I had the strength to walk away. But I’ve had a strong margarita, and so I just stare at him and take a sip of my water.

He doesn’t say anything, and I raise my eyebrows. “So, talk.”

He glances around the bar and spies an empty booth in the corner. “Sit with me for a minute. I owe you an explanation.”

I glance over at the girls on the dance floor, and Paige is watching us with her hands on her hips. I haven’t told anyone about my history with Logan, and she’s frowning at me as if trying to figure out if she needs to intervene. And knowing Paige, she’d have no problem marching over here and telling Logan where to go.

“Are you okay?” she mouths.

I give her a nod, thankful for my protective friends, and turn back to Logan.