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“It’s often for their security. You should appreciate that. Did you see better success there than say a bar?”
“Not really. I connected with about a dozen. Mostly a date or two.”
“Then maybe it’s not how you meet, but what happens afterward.”
That uncomfortable sensation of being in the super-hot seat returned. “Britney came to Jumpy’s with friends to drown her sorrows and have some fun after a bad breakup. It’s possible she and I didn’t have a strong foundation to build on.” He tried to put a respectable spin on it.
“We can stop if this is making you uncomfortable.”
He expected a snarky smile to counter her serious tone, but one glance at the sympathetic expression on her pretty face gave him the courage to continue. “No. Go ahead and give it to me with both barrels.”
“I’m not here to judge. Just to help. Physical attraction is an important element of a romantic relationship.”
“But?” He knew it was coming.
“But you need more than that for the kind of long-term relationship you say you want. Finding out if you enjoy being with the person first and if you want the same things could save you time and heartache. And I am speaking from experience.”
“Around how many dates do you think that takes?”
“Depends on how much time you spendactuallytalking and getting to know each other. Hanging out and doing things together—outside the bedroom. I’m not saying you can’t have a good time now. After all, you did just get home from a long deployment. Since you’re about to move, now probably isn’t the best time to start a serious relationship. It might be better to take care of your needs. Then, when you’re ready, maybe try slowing things down and see if you get different results.”
He nodded, thankful to be driving through the gate.
He parked in front of Elizabeth’s house and unfastened his seatbelt.
“You don’t need to walk me to my door.” She edged out of the truck.
“Habit. My grandma taught me a gentleman always picked up a lady at the door and sees her to it. ‘None of that honking from the driveway,’” he mimicked an older woman’s voice.
“This wasn’t a date, and I think I can make it safely the ten feet to my porch. Sorry, that I detoured out of the friend lane into counselor territory.”
“Quit apologizing. I pressed. Thanks for the, uh, advice. And thank you again for going with me.” And another reminder this wasn’t a date. He probably shouldn’t take it personally.
While he liked sex, he wanted more. A little more deprivation might be worth the sacrifice in the long run.
ChapterTwenty-One
I’M A BELIEVER – The Monkees
After refilling the feeders,Elizabeth watched the hummingbirds flit about while she waited for the others to arrive to head to the VFW post. John strolled into view, alone.
He and Boss hadn’t made their usual appearance last night. His truck had rolled in about ten. Not as late as she expected, after deducing he went out. She couldn’t blame him. She’d practically encouraged him to get laid. He had needs. And it was better to take care of them with a willing partner.
“Wow. You look amazing. Am I underdressed?” he asked.
His unexpected compliment sent heat through her. “No. What you’re wearing works, since you don’t have the white, seventies-era suit.” He could probably pull off the suit if he could find one his size, but his well-worn jeans showcased his long legs, and the navy T-shirt highlighted his muscular arms and chest in a very appealing way.
“Wanted to let you know that I’ll be tied up with Nate’s bachelor party the weekend after next.”
“Thanks for telling me. I don’t expect you to give up activities to be here on full-time guard duty. How long will you be out of town?” She tore her gaze from him to pick dead blossoms from the hanging basket of petunias.
“We’re doing it here.”
“In Fayetteville?” Well, therewerea lot of bars and strip clubs.
“His buddy, Linc, and I met up last night to plan.” John broke into a huge smile. “Nate was an engineer doing construction, so he didn’t get to play with the cool toys that Linc and I do. We’re gonna let him, his brothers-in-law, and other groomsmen run through some training exercises and shoot guns. Linc even managed to line up time in a flight simulator through a teammate’s wife who flies Black Hawks.”
She’d guessed wrong. On both accounts. John continued to surprise her—in good ways. “That sounds memorable.”
