Brax lifted his head from the pillow, squinting at the colorful wash of sky beyond Mia’s bedroom window. “Is that sun rising or setting?”
Mia nuzzled sleepily into his shoulder. “Setting. We haven’t lost so many hours that it’s tomorrow yet.”
“Full disclosure. Keeping you naked in this bed at least until then is entirely my plan. Is that a problem for you?”
“Only if you don’t feed me. Orgasms require fuel.” Her stomach punctuated the statement by letting out a ferocious growl.
With a rumbling laugh, Brax rolled her beneath him. “Bet I can distract you from being hungry.”
“It wouldn’t be the first time you’ve tried that tactic. But in this case, we aren’t down to the last pack of ramen with no paycheck until the end of the week.” She poked him in the shoulder. “I require sustenance.”
“Then foraging, we will go.” With a smacking kiss, he released her and looked around the room for his pants.
“I think you lost your jeans in the hall somewhere.” She slid out of bed and opened the door.
Leno leapt up from where he’d evidently been moping on the floor and made a beeline for the bed, bounding onto the end with a bark. Brax scuttled out of the way before enthusiastic paws could trample his crotch.
“Poor baby,” Mia crooned, scruffing the pup’s ears. “I’ve been neglecting you.”
The dog pressed his massive head into her palm before turning three circles and plopping down on the rumpled blankets hard enough to shake the whole bed.
Brax snorted a laugh. “I guess he’s declaring this is his spot.”
“To be fair, it technically is his spot. He’s not used to being shut out or having to share me.”
He’ll have to get used to it. Brax bit back the words. He’d seen her hesitance earlier when he’d pushed for something more without defining things. She wasn’t ready to go all in. He couldn’t blame her for that after what she’d been through. He shouldn’t be this gung ho after just a couple of days. So much had changed. And yet… the fundamental way he’d always felt for her hadn’t. Earning her trust again would take time. He was committed to rising to that challenge.
“I need to walk him. Why don’t you figure out something for food while I do that?”
“I could go with you.”
“You could. But I’m not ready to explain who you are to any of my well-intentioned neighbors.” She pulled clothes out of the dresser and began tugging them on. “You go out there with me, and Cayla will show up on my doorstep, to ply me with a bottle of wine while her daughter has a playdate with Leno, the moment your truck leaves the driveway.”
“She won’t do that, anyway?” It wasn’t like his truck was hidden as it was.
“Probably. But if she hasn’t seen you, it’ll take her longer to work around to it.” Rising to her toes, Mia brushed a kiss over his lips. “Just go with me on this, okay?”
“Fair enough.”
“We’ll be back in a bit. C’mon, Leno.”
The dog took a flying leap off the bed, paws skidding on the hardwood floor as he scrambled after his mistress.
Brax followed at a more leisurely pace, scooping up his jeans where he found them at the entrance to the living room. Deciding they were good enough, he pulled them on and went to investigate the contents of Mia’s kitchen.
Neither of them had been much of a cook back when they’d first gotten married. With both a limited budget and microscopic kitchen space, their options had been few. He hadn’t been able to look at a rice and bean burrito for years after he’d joined the Marines.
Her freezer was stuffed with frozen meat and vegetables, and a half-eaten pint of cookies and cream ice cream. Nothing that lent itself to her demand for food in a hurry. The fridge was better, with a partial carton of eggs, some cold cuts, cheese, butter, a bell pepper that had started to wrinkle, and the last of a half-gallon of milk that had started to turn. The pantry gave up an assortment of canned soups, jarred sauces, and an array of pastas and rice. She didn’t have much in the way of baking ingredients. A small bag of flour, some baking powder, baking soda, and sugar. But he could work with that.
Switching the oven on to preheat, he pulled out the milk, butter, flour, sugar, baking powder and some salt. Sour milk biscuits would be just the thing with some loaded scrambled eggs. Digging out a mixing bowl and baking sheet, he lost himself in the familiar rhythm of combining ingredients. The predictability of the process appealed to him. The reliability of the results was comforting in a world where so much was uncertain.
The biscuits were in the oven and half the ingredients were chopped for the eggs when the knock sounded on the front door. Had Mia forgotten her key?
Wiping off his hands, Brax went to answer. “Hey, did you—” He cut himself off as he spotted Luca standing on the front stoop.
The other man’s eyes widened at Brax’s shirtless state, eyes immediately zeroing in on the love bite Mia had left on his shoulder.
As his mouth flattened into a furious line, Brax couldn’t quite stop himself from crossing his arms and flexing. “Can I help you?”
Luca’s hands curled into slow fists. “Where’s Mia?”
“Out walking the dog. Is this a social call or were you coming to update her about the results of today’s supply run?”
“Brick already sent the update when we left Knoxville.”
“All right then. Well, it’s not a great time for a visit. Mia and I have a lot of catching up to do.” Brax didn’t bother to hold back the cocky smirk. Did that make him a dick? Probably. But he couldn’t shake the idea that this guy was a threat.
Luca’s nostrils flared, his brown eyes going hard as he visibly struggled to hold on to his temper. “What the hell are you really doing here, Whitmore?”
“That’s between me and my wife.”
A muscle jumped in Luca’s jaw. “Mia is my friend, and I don’t want to see her hurt again.”
On that, they could agree. “Neither do I.” Brax dropped the posturing. “Look, man, I appreciate your loyalty to her. But if you’re hanging around hoping to swoop in when I get out, then you’re gonna be waiting until hell freezes over.”
Luca snorted in disgust and shook his head. “We’ll see.”
Without another word, he stalked back down the drive to where he’d parked by the curb. Brax stayed in the doorway, watching until he drove away. He suspected that was gonna be a problem at some point.
The biscuits were coming out of the oven by the time Mia got back with Leno.
“Sorry. That took longer than I planned. Maddie—that’s Cayla’s daughter—had to come out for her nightly love fest.” She stripped off the dog’s harness and sniffed the air, much like her pup. “Whatever that is smells amazing.”
“Breakfast for dinner. Fresh biscuits. I’ll just put on the eggs now that you’re back. They’ll only take a minute.”
He dumped the diced vegetables into a skillet with some melted butter.
“You’re concentrating really hard on those onions. Is something wrong?”
Brax sighed. “I don’t know. Luca stopped by.”
Mia arched her brows, her gaze raking over his bare chest. “And you answered the door like that?”
He nodded. “I wasn’t going to bring it up and ruin the mood, because I really want to talk you back into bed. But given his reaction to finding me here, maybe we need to address it. What’s the deal with you two?”
“We’re friends.”
“Just friends?”
Unperturbed by the question, she slid onto one of the bar stools at the kitchen island. “Yes, just friends. He’s always known I was married, even if we were estranged.”
“That doesn’t matter to some people.”
Her gaze was level. “It does to me. Luca’s always respected that.”
“He was pissed to see me here.”
“Yeah, I knew he would be. He’ll think my getting involved with you on any level is a mistake. That you’ll hurt me again. Given he’s the one who dealt with the aftermath the first time, that’s not surprising.”
Realizing the onions were just a shade too far past caramelized, Brax removed the skillet from the heat before dumping in the ham, cheese, and eggs.
“How do you two know each other, anyway?”
“When I finally made it back from Seattle, my job was gone. The first one I got was as a receptionist for a construction company. Luca was just starting out as a laborer there, after a failed run at college. He sort of befriended me against my will. Doing a lot of the stuff you used to. Walking me to and from the bus stop. Making sure I got home safe. Making sure I ate.”
Brax closed his eyes, his hand fisting on the spatula. “I didn’t think about the financial position I left you in.”
She jerked her shoulders in a dismissive shrug. “I mean, that wasn’t great, but I was so depressed it hardly mattered. He understood I needed something to distract me in my off-work hours, so he talked me into helping him with this house flip he was doing. The damned thing was two steps away from condemned, but we took it on. He taught me the basics, kept me busy so I couldn’t wallow too much, and then gave me a chunk of the profit when he sold it. Then we did it all over again. Several times. I loved it. Ultimately, he talked the company into letting me help out in places besides just the office. I learned all the ins and outs of the business, everything anybody would teach me. I was good at it. And Luca stayed with me every step of the way. He’s a good guy.”
Brax began dividing the scrambled eggs between two plates. “He followed you here from Washington?”
“Not immediately. He got engaged about six months after I left. They were supposed to be married last month, but she broke it off in October. Left him for some suit who could give her a more refined lifestyle. I figured he could use a change, and it’s long past time for me to return the favor and take care of him, so I invited him to come to Tennessee.”
“Are you sure the suit is why she broke it off?”
Mia’s fork paused above the plate he’d slid in front of her. “What are you suggesting?”
“That it’s possible his feelings for you go deeper than just friends.” Possible his ass. Brax had seen how the guy looked at her. And that “We’ll see” hadn’t been a denial.
“There never has been, and never will be, more between Luca and me than friendship. We have a lot of history. That’s it. He’s just protective of me.”
Brax wasn’t convinced, but if Mia was being willfully blind to how Luca felt, pointing it out wasn’t going to get him anywhere but sent home or to the couch. As that wasn’t his end game, he let it drop. “All right. What are you going to tell him?”
“I don’t know yet. I’m hoping that’ll be clearer by the time I see him again. But either way, he’s my best friend, and I’ll handle him.”
As far as Brax was concerned, that meant he had the weekend to convince her to give them a true second chance. He was going to make the most of it.
Mia woke to a dream, full of languid pleasure and heat. Her body hummed and sang, played by its favorite master. He worked her up a slow and ruthless rise until her core wept to be filled. His name came out as a sigh and a plea. And as he slipped inside her, she opened her eyes to his, dark and determined in the pre-dawn light.
Her heart slammed against her ribs as she came fully awake. He was real. He was here. Still with her.
“God!” The word shuddered out as he began to move.
“Good morning to you, too.”
“I thought… I was… dreaming.” She gasped as he stroked deeper.
“Good dream?”
She huffed a laugh. “Great dream. Mmm.”
Brax grinned, maintaining his relentlessly patient rhythm. “Like that, huh?”
“I’m never letting you leave my bed.”
“Good thing. I’m really happy here.” On a contented hum, Brax kissed her, lingering, seducing, as he took his time driving them both toward the cliff.
He loved her slowly, as if they had all the time in the world. As if they’d never been apart and never would be again. For the moment, Mia gave herself over to it. To him. Choosing to embrace the fantasy that all could be right between them. And when she flew, she wrapped herself around him and carried him with her.
Later, as sweat slicked skin began to cool, she lay loose-limbed and sated across his chest.
“I’m onto your nefarious plan, you know.” She kept her tone conversational, as much because she was blissed out on endorphins as to keep from putting his back up.
“What nefarious plan is that?”
“You clearly intend to keep me in an orgasmic stupor to stop me from asking hard questions.” And, for the most part, it had worked. But their weekend was drawing to an end, and reality lay outside her door.
“In fact, I’m working on making up for several years of missed orgasms. By my count, we’re up to one for every year I was gone.”
“Oh, you missed a couple. We passed that mark sometime last night. And don’t get me wrong, I’m not complaining.”
“But?”
She couldn’t make herself look at him. She was too afraid of what she’d see. “What are we doing here, Brax?”
“I’d say enjoying each other, but that’s not what you’re asking, is it?”
“No.” She shifted to look into his face. “If that’s all this is for you… I just… I need to know. And maybe it’s not fair of me to ask you what it is, when you’re having to adjust to so many changes at once. But Brax, I’ve waited ten years for a second chance with you. When I saw you again, it became rapidly apparent that wasn’t going to happen. I filed for divorce—at your request. And now… you’re apparently moving here and opening a business, and you’re back in my bed, and I just… need to know where we stand.”
It was probably far too late to rein in her expectations. She couldn’t be with him like this, make love with him as she had, without wanting more. For the sake of what was left of her bruised and battered heart, she had to prepare herself for the worst. That this was just somehow scratching an itch or falling back into old habits.
His dark brows pulled together. “I’m working really hard not to be offended by the fact that you think I can make love to you like I just did and still think I have any intention of walking away.”
She wanted so much to take him at his word. But she didn’t know him as she used to. “We were always good in bed. Real life is more complicated than that. Our lives, in particular.”
“Fair point.” Scowling, he laid his head back on the pillow, staring at the ceiling. But when she would’ve put some distance between them, his arms tightened around her. “I got shot in Afghanistan.”
Mia automatically reached out to trace the puckered scars along his ribs and his shoulder, so much like hers.
“Got caught in a firefight with insurgents. Went down. The rib shot punctured a lung. Thought that was it. I was laying there, slowly drowning in my own blood from the inside. I didn’t have my whole life flash before my eyes like some people say you do. I just had you. A thousand different moments from the day we met until that last morning when I kissed you goodbye, not knowing it was the last time I’d see you. And all I could think about, as I was about to die, was that I wished I’d opened one of those fucking letters.”
The hot burn of tears spilled down Mia’s face, and she could barely swallow past the knot in her throat. She’d been grateful not to have the details of what he’d faced all these years. She’d have worried more, and she had worried enough as it was. But to know that he’d nearly died in the field opened up a whole new hole in her heart.
“You didn’t die.”
“Thanks to the stubbornness of Master Sergeant Griff Powell. He carried me two miles, at night, under fire, to get me to the extraction point. Had to keep me conscious while we waited for the evac chopper, so he basically brow beat me about what I had to live for.” Brax turned to look at her. “I told him about you.”
“About how I’d left?”
“About how you loved. Turns out he also had an ex-wife he was still hung up on. And when I came out the other side, laid up in the hospital for longer than I care to remember, he came to see me. We bonded. I’d already started my transition to getting out at that point. It was gonna take me months to heal, and I wasn’t gonna be combat ready again before the end of my contract. Griff asked me what I was gonna do about you. And I said, ‘Nothing’, because by that point I’d chalked the whole thing up to blood loss and trauma, and I’d worked myself up to a good mad again. He just nodded, said he was about to get out, too, and if I wanted to be a dumbass, that was absolutely my right, but that he was going after his woman.”
Not entirely sure where he was going with this, Mia found herself invested, nonetheless. “Did he win her back?”
“I was best man in their second Vegas wedding a few months ago. He’s Jonah’s brother-in-law now.”
“Wow. That’s a small world.”
“You have no idea. Anyway, my point in telling you all of this is that after I got shot, I had to work—really work—to stay angry with you. To convince myself not to look you up. Because deep down, I couldn’t handle seeing you with somebody else, and I had no reason not to think you’d moved on with your life. It was easier to hang on to all my assumptions. Getting here, seeing you again, finding out the divorce never went through, finding out why you really left. It changes everything.” He rolled to face her, stroking a finger along her cheek. “I know it’s not reasonable to expect we can just pick back up where we left off. We’ve both lived a lot of life in the past decade, and we’re not the kids we used to be. But I miss you. I miss us. And I think we should do something we’ve never done before.”
Mia swallowed. “What’s that?”
“Date.”
She blinked at him. “Date?”
“Yeah. We went from friends to married with basically nothing in between. I know you need to learn to trust me again, and I’m fine giving you as much time as you need. So, I think we should date.”
All the knots of fear and worry began to unravel. He still wanted to try. This wasn’t a continuation of what they’d been before. It was truly a chance to build something new between who they were now. There were no guarantees. She understood that. But this was so much more than she’d ever expected to get.
“Okay. So, we’re… dating now.” The word felt strange in her mouth. She’d never actually dated anyone before. “What does that even look like?”
“I don’t know. Going out for dinner. Taking in a movie. Spending time together. Getting to know each other again.”
“That all sounds really good,” she admitted.
“Good.” Brax kissed the tip of her nose and stroked a hand down her spine. “This plan does, of course, require that we eventually leave this bed.”
Mia gave it some consideration. “It can wait until tomorrow.”
Rolling on top of him, she lowered her mouth to his.