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16
SELKIRK
They saton the couch for hours, until June fell asleep at Ian’s side.
She briefly stirred as he scooped her up into his arms and carried her into her bedroom. Everything about his new bride was so dainty, and he stared at the sight of the pink woven coverlet, lace eyelet throw pillow, and the wildly feminine touches to her bedroom. He would give anything to crawl into bed with her and make love for hours on end… but now wasn’t the time.
Instead, he laid her down in her bed and pulled the covers over her, before kissing her forehead gently to tuck her in. It was strangely wonderful to hear her soft sigh of contentment, and knew he would never, ever forget the softness of her relaxed expression. He kissed her fingertips, before setting them down on her hand on her abdomen… and moved to kiss her cheek, as if he couldn’t get enough of her.
“I’ll wait forever for this chance I’ve been given,“ he breathed softly. “I love you.”
Standing up, he pulled the door to and spread the sheets out onto her small couch, frowning. It was gonna be a tight squeeze and he might have slept better at the hotel for one more night instead of being so insistent on being here, in her presence. As he lay down, curling onto his side in order to fit his length on the couch… he patted the cushion beside him.
“C’mon Gigi, let’s let our girl sleep,” he whispered as the little dog jumped at him – and he scooped her up, putting her on his side. Gigi climbed around for a few moments before settling to rest on his head, making Ian laugh softly. “Just don’t use the potty, okay?”
Gigi licked his ear and Ian shut his eyes… hating that a tear ran down his cheek.
He was going to miss this so much.
* * *
Early the next morning,his watch started vibrating, alerting him it was time to go. Ian let Gigi out to do her business… and quickly dressed in his uniform. He made his way to June’s bedroom silently and sat down on the side of the bed, causing her to stir only slightly.
Brushing her hair back from her face, he leaned down to kiss her, and felt her wake.
“Ian?” she whispered groggily. “What time is it?”
“Four,” he murmured. “I’m heading out, and going to lock the door behind me. I want you to go back to sleep, Minx, and dream of me.”
“You’re leaving?” she pushed up to a seated position, rubbing her eyes sleepily.
Bless her sweet, beautiful heart,he thought wildly, his own skipping a beat. She looked so out of it, so upset in that moment, that he could have jumped for joy.
“I have to go and will be back in Ghazni in about fifteen hours or so. I’ll try to email or call as soon as I can, okay? I left some info on my parents on the counter, so if you need anything and…”
“Kiss me,” she interrupted huskily – and she didn’t have to ask twice.
Ian immediately pulled her into his arms, kissing her desperately and craving the taste of her, committing it to memory, as he fought the urge to scream in denial at how unfair it was to finally have her reaching for him… and he had to go.
“Shhh…” he said hoarsely, brushing back her hair once more, his eyes scanning over her, taking in everything. Her eyes were tearing up and her lip was wobbling, making his own heart clench painfully in awareness. “Get some rest, sweetheart, okay?”
“I’ll walk you to…”
“No, June,” he countered firmly, his throat constricting with a raw ache of awareness. “I want to remember you lying here in bed – not crying at the doorway when I leave. I need this sweet image of you in my memories… not the other. I want to dream of you, just like this, my beautiful bride.”
“Be safe,” she said tearfully, touching his cheek. “Don’t you dare make me a widow again.”
“Never gonna happen, Minx,” he choked out, and felt embarrassed by the sadness that was going to unman him before this goddess. He felt like he was about ready to sob painfully, and needed to get away from her. “Sleep… for me, okay? Get some rest and email me later.”
“I will,” she promised thickly.
“We’ll talk soon,” he sniffed and rose to his feet, turning from her.
Without another word, Ian closed the door behind him and swallowed painfully at hearing the muffled sob behind it. He picked up his bag in a quick manner, as if he was running away.
Yanking the console across the kitchen opening for June – he vowed he was going to order her a baby gate off of Amazon and send it to her. She could use it in the new house for Gigi too.
Opening the back door, he let Gigi in – and scooped her up as she licked his nose, before putting her back down. He turned the lock on the knob and pulled it closed, walking briskly to the rental car in the distance.
