AllFreeNovel
Share Us
And I did lean, finally, for a few minutes. “Thank god. Because I don’t want to be alone after this.”
We headed into the kitchen and helped Ted close the kitchen first. Then once Ted and the rest of the gang were gone, Ben helped me shut everything down and set the alarm.
On the way home, I said, “At least we don’t have to worry about cooking.” I held up the containers of pot roast.
Ben lifted my hand up to his mouth and pressed a kiss against it. “That’s the spirit.”
“For what it’s worth, I’m glad you’re here, Ben, even though the circumstances around it aren’t ideal.”
“Yeah, me too.” He pressed another kiss to my hand.
And I didn’t want to hope. Because I knew full well how hope could turn to acid. But Ben gave me hope that I wasn’t going to be alone my whole life.
24
At the club Friday evening, I surveyed the scene. Moira had a solid business. It was early yet for a Friday, but the place was packed with barely an empty seat in sight. Roman and the others were on their way in, just like they’d been here every night this week. I’d picked a table in the back to provide us with a better vantage point to study all the patrons.
My phone buzzed, and I stared at the name that flashed across the screen: Wyatt. I hadn’t expected to be here this long. The opportunity to meet up with the guys somewhere along the route to the Pacific dwindled every day I remained here. I rubbed at the sudden ache in my chest. I’d been looking forward to spending time with them before our squad dispersed for good.
Wyatt:Haven’t heard anything and wanted to check in.
Ben:Still dealing with this stalker. Don’t know if I’ll make it to Maine. Might have to meet y’all at the next stop in St. Louis.
Wyatt:Just text me when you finish up there, and I’ll let you know where we’re at.
Ben:Will do. Tell the boys I said hello.
As much as I wanted to be with them on this trip, this was where I was supposed to be—for now. Did I have a future with Moira? Possibly. But we hadn’t discussed where we saw the relationship heading or where we wanted it to go. All I knew was that I was enjoying my time with her far more than I ever thought possible. And I was having thoughts that weren’t like me. For instance, the other day I glanced at her on the couch and wondered what she’d look like carrying my kid.
I’d never even thought about having kids before, let alone looked at a woman and thought yep, I want her to have my kid. In record time, Moira had turned me inside out. And I didn’t hate her anymore. In fact, I had feelings for her, and they ran deep.
Just how deep I had yet to examine, and I got that I was acting like an ostrich about it. But I was a proverbial bachelor. I didn’t do commitment. Then again, I also didn’t sleep with my best friend’s girl, and we know how well that rule of mine turned out.
But here’s the real kick in the pants. When I looked at Moira, I saw glimpses of a potential future. And I fucking wanted that future more than I had ever wanted anything, including becoming a SEAL.
In short order, Moira had set my world on fire. And I fucking loved the way it burned.
No one was more surprised by that than me. I stood at a crossroads. And soon I’d need to decide on a direction.
Roman plopped himself into the chair beside me with a longneck bottle of some fancy IPA. He nodded. “Evening.”
I jerked my chin. “’Sup. Are you sure you’re up for another night of this?”
Roman salaciously grinned. “It’s the best assignment I’ve ever had. Reminds me a bit of when we stopped over in Japan. Remember that place, Seventh Heaven, with the strippers from around the world?”
I leaned back in my seat with a chuckle at the fond memory. “Yeah. If I recall, Owen tried to go home with one of the dancers.”
“And then tried to sneak her on base afterward.” Roman shook his head, laughing at the shared memory. “That boy ain’t right sometimes with the stupid shit he’s willing to do.”
“Like we haven’t all done stupid shit over the years. Some of us more so than others.”
“At least I didn’t piss off an admiral by sleeping with his daughter,” Roman teased with a pointed look.
“Dude, I was twenty-two. She was hot as fuck, and more than willing. Woman had a mouth on her like a vacuum cleaner.” But I’d paid the price for my dalliance. It was one of the main reasons I eschewed relationships. Because in the end, she’d played it off like I had taken advantage of her good nature and coerced her into the compromising position. When in reality, she had gone down on half the base. She just didn’t like getting caught by her daddy. It had taken me two years to get out from underneath that asshole’s thumb.
Owen and Liam sauntered over to the table with beers in their hands. We’d been here every night this week. I knew that Dan had officers in plain clothes planted in the audience, searching for the stalker.
But something was off with Owen and Liam. Their demeanor was stiff. And it raised the hairs on the back of my neck. “What’s up, guys?”
