Page 11 of Her Steadfast Hero

“A little over three years.” She let him hold her, then she drew back. “Have I ruined the mood?”

“Tell me what you want.”

“For you not to have to leave tomorrow.” She said into his chest. Then she gave a light laugh and pushed away. She took her wedding photo and put it on the bookcase, so it was facing away from the room. “I was giving you a tour. This is the living room. What do you think of the fireplace?”

“It’s gorgeous. You have a lovely home,” David said. He knelt in front of the fireplace to get a fire going.

“Thank you.”

He turned and stood up. Despite her promise not to be nervous, he could still hear hints of hesitation in her voice.

“Are you sure you want me here?”

“I think I do.” She bit her lip, then shook her head the blonde silk of her hair swinging. “No, I know I do.” Her gray eyes pleaded with him to understand. To take control. He gladly obliged.

Reaching up, he trailed his fingers along the fine line of her jaw. “Would it help you to know that I really want to be here and that I value the trust you’ve given me? I promise to do nothing to abuse it.” David watched as tension eased from her features, and she gave him a hesitant smile.

“I know that. If I didn’t trust you, you wouldn’t be in my house.” There was the confident woman he’d seen glimpses of at the clinic. “I just wasn’t expecting to have you here so soon,” she said softly. Now that was the rub. His pretty nurse was used to taking her time. David found he liked that about her. Her eyes brightened. “Would you like a glass of wine?”

“I would love a glass of wine.”

She smiled in relief. “Red or white?”

“Red.” She went to the kitchen, and he turned off the overhead light and left them with just the firelight. He’d ditched his shoes by the time she returned holding two glasses.

“I love sitting in front of the fire at night and reading.” David could picture her curled up on the sofa, her blonde hair caressed by the firelight.

“What do you like to read?” he asked as he got them situated on the sofa. As soon as she snuggled into her position, he inched closer. He was rewarded with that look of shy pleasure that he was coming to know.

“I read a little bit of everything, but do you want me to be honest?” She looked at him through her gold flecked lashes.

He tipped up her chin. “Always. I’ll always want honesty.” She swallowed, and nodded.

“Most of the books on my reader are romances. I suppose that makes me kind of frivolous.”

“I think that makes you human. Who doesn’t want a happily-ever-after?”

“They’re rare. Hell, I should know that better than anyone,” she whispered.

“All the more reason to desire them.” Damn, could he do this? “Sarah,” he began.

“David,” she interrupted him. “I’m not some young virgin looking for a happily-ever-after. I’m a woman who really desires the man sitting on my sofa.”

“That’s good, because I really, really desire you.” He plucked the glass of wine out of her hand and put it on the coaster on the coffee table. Part of him was pissed he was being reassigned so quickly. He would have preferred to slowly come to know her before getting to this point. But as he pulled her into his arms, he acknowledged that was bullshit.

Settling Sarah against his chest, feeling her nipples pebble against him, he was suddenly glad that his hand had been forced, that he didn’t have to wait. Having her close was a gift. Her hands crept upwards until clever fingers worked the top button of his dress shirt loose.

“No,” he said, his hands covering hers.

“But I thought…” her voice trailed away.

“We’ll get there,” he assured her. First, he wanted to make sure she was with him every step of the way. She had been a puzzle all night. Sometimes bold, sometimes shy, always Sarah. Now that he knew about Matt, it all made sense. It was his job to make sure he gathered all those intriguing pieces together and brought her pleasure.

Even before tonight, he’d watched this sweet woman, and noticed certain things. She didn’t readily accept kindness; her first inclination was to assume it was a mistake. She was quick to assume she was at fault for things that could never in a million years be her fault.

Time with Matt would probably have helped her overcome those issues, but it had been cut short. Now he was going to be one more man who wasn’t going to be able to give her the time she deserved. But by God, he was going to make sure that she remembered everything that went on tonight in a positive light.

“Can I take a kiss?” he asked.