ANNIE SAT ON a small stool in the examining room of the local hospital’s ER. She watched as a young doctor stitched up a gash on Zach Wilson’s forehead. His best friend, Jeremy Porter, watched from the other bed, his hair still damp.
“Does he have a concussion?”
The doctor shook his head. “Except for the cut, he seems to be fine. From what I hear, these two were lucky.”
Annie drew a shaky breath and nodded. In truth, she was the one who was lucky. The accident could’ve been a lot worse. Her family’s sailing school had an excellent safety record, which would now be spoiled by two reckless teenagers. “How long will it be before they can leave?” Annie asked.
The doctor glanced at her. “We’ll want to watch them for a few more hours, just to make sure they’re all right.”
Annie stood and nodded. “Fine,” she said. “I’m going to go call your parents and ask them what they’d like me to do.”
Jeremy groaned. “Do you have to call them again? After the pot and grass thing, they grounded me for three months. They’re going to be so pissed I’ll be grounded for a year.”
“And I get hurt like this all the time.” Zach pointed to a long scar on his arm. “Stitches are nothing. Don’t call them. Don’t send us home.”
Annie pulled a curtain aside and walked out. As she got to the hallway, she heard a commotion near the nurse’s desk. A few seconds later, she recognized the tall, lean form of Gabe Pennington. He was dressed in his flight suit, a khaki-colored jumpsuit that hugged his long limbs and broad shoulders.
She called his name and he turned, a look of concern etched across his features. He crossed the distance between them in a matter of seconds and wrapped his arms around her. “Are you all right?” He drew back, holding her face between his hands as he made a quick examination.
“What are you doing here?” Annie asked. “How did you know where to find me?”
“When I got to the house, I couldn’t find you. One of the counselors came up and told me that you were at the hospital. That there had been an accident. I came right over.”
“It wasn’t me,” Annie said with a smile. “It was a couple of the boys. Zach and Jeremy. The ambulance brought them here, and I followed.”
“Then you’re okay?”
“Yes. And they appear to be fine, too, although that may not be the case after I call their parents. Again.” Annie suddenly felt exhausted, so she walked to a nearby chair and sat. “I just don’t understand these kids. Their parents pay all this money to send them to sailing school, and they risk getting sent home for some stupid prank.”
Gabe sat beside her and draped his arm around her shoulders. “You do a great job with these kids.”
“No, not a great job. I just barely keep up. Running the school is really a two-person job. My parents did it, my grandparents did it. I’m barely making ends meet. It’s a two-person job and I can’t do it alone.”
“Send them home,” Gabe said.
“I don’t really want to do that. They’re here on the four-week program, and I know their parents would probably demand a refund.”
“You have a refund policy?”
“Yes. No refunds. But they’ve been sending their kids for years. And I—”
“No refunds. Stand firm.” He gave her shoulder a squeeze. “You’ll be fine.”
Annie shook her head. “Will I? The property taxes on the sailing school are enough to sink me. Twenty-five acres along the water in one of the wealthiest counties in the country. Never mind all the upkeep for the buildings and the boats. The school just barely breaks even. After that, there’s nothing left.” She closed her eyes and tipped her head back. “I never thought to look at the books before I accepted the job. My parents never let on that there were problems. They always seemed so happy.”
“You’re a clever woman, Annie. You’ll make it work.”
“This property has been in my family for years. I can’t be the one to lose it.”
“I can help you,” Gabe offered. “I have plenty of spare change and nothing to spend it on. I’ll invest in the school.”
Annie was stunned by the offer. She hadn’t been fishing around for a loan; she was simply blowing off a little steam. But now, knowing Gabe, he wouldn’t be satisfied until she accepted help from him.
“I still have Erik’s death benefits,” she said. “I’ve been saving that for my trip, but it’s enough to pay the taxes.”
Annie couldn’t help but wonder what it might be like to have Gabe in her life full-time. Even with Erik away most of the time, Annie had still been aware that he was looking out for her. If something went wrong, he’d been available by phone to help, even though he was thousands of miles away. It was easier to face the world as a pair, rather than a single.
“Annie, you can’t be afraid to ask for help. There are plenty of people in the world who care about you and will step up.”
She pushed to her feet, ready to put a close to the subject. “I don’t know what to do about those two,” she said. “First the drinking and the pot. Now this. They could have both drowned before anyone had a chance to get to them. Thank God one of the counselors saw what happened and was right on top of things.”
“What happened?”
“They decided to take a small catamaran out. I told them it was too windy, but they sneaked out anyway. They were sailing into the wind and had the thing heeled over as far as it would go while they were both in harnesses dangling off the other side. They lost control and they both went in, without life jackets I might add. Zach hit his head on the boom and cut it open. Jeremy got caught in the sails and nearly drowned.” She drew a ragged breath and glanced up at him. “I’m almost tempted to call their parents from here and have them pick them up right from the hospital.”
“Have you talked to the boys?” Gabe asked.
Annie shook her head. “I doubt it did any good. They just don’t want me to call their parents.”
“Would you like me to talk to them?” Gabe asked.
“As much as I’d love you to go all deranged drill sergeant on them, I think I have this covered.”
He wrapped an arm around her shoulders and pulled her close again, pressing a kiss to the top of her head. “Give them to me for a day. I’ll find some work for them to do around the school. They’ll be so busted that they’ll be a couple of angels for the rest of their time at camp.”
At this point, Annie was willing to try anything. To a pair of sixteen-year-old teenage hooligans, Gabe could be pretty intimidating, especially dressed in that flight suit. “Thanks,” she said. “I think I can take care of it.”
Annie leaned into his body, thinking to herself what a great father he’d make someday. She’d always had a hard time thinking of Erik as a father. He seemed to be more of a child himself, and he’d happily delayed talk of starting a family. But the more she saw of Gabe, the more she began to understand that he had a much different approach to life. He was more serious, more focused. He knew exactly who he was.
“I’ve always wanted to try keelhauling,” he murmured. “Sounds like a real good time.”
Annie laughed softly. “I prefer walking the plank. It’s much tidier.” She craned her neck to peer into the examining room. “I wonder how much longer we’ll have to wait.”
He slipped his hands around her waist and stared down into her eyes. “Come with me,” he whispered. Gabe grabbed her hand and pulled her along the hallway, peeking into windows as they passed. When he found what he was looking for, he pulled open the door and gently steered her inside before following her.
It was dark, but she heard the lock click behind her and an instant later his hands were cupping her face and his mouth was on hers. He seemed desperate to taste her, and his tongue plundered again and again until she surrendered completely. And she didn’t want to fight him. It felt so good to just let go and to enjoy the power he held over her.
Her heart pounded in her chest and she could barely catch her breath. The taste of him made her dizzy, and she tightened her grip in an attempt to stay upright. Someone tried the door, rattling the knob, but they couldn’t get in.
“We can’t stay here,” she murmured.
“Just a few more minutes,” he pleaded, his lips finding the pulse point on her neck.
Annie felt as if she’d lost the ability to refuse him. Isn’t this what she’d wanted all along? For some reason the fantasy was nothing like reality. In her mind, it was all so polite, so controlled. But what was happening now was the opposite. They were careening down a hillside with no way to stop.
His hands were all over her body, his palms smoothing along the length of her torso, then drifting up to cover her breasts. She felt hot, as if the room were closing in on her, and she tugged at her clothes, desperate to cool her skin.
When she reached for the hem of her T-shirt and began to pull it up, Gabe grabbed her wrists and pinned them on the wall above her head. Annie was trapped, with no way to move, and she twisted against him, their hips grinding provocatively.
Gabe groaned and finally let her wrists free. But Annie didn’t feel any sense of relief. Instead, she grabbed the front of his shirt and shoved him against the wall. As he continued to kiss her, he found tempting new locations, spots on her body that were particularly sensitive to the touch of his lips.
Through the haze of passion, Annie heard a voice above her head. It was the hospital’s PA system, and she immediately turned her attention away. But a few seconds later, she heard her name. Turning aside, she listened, trying to ignore the heat from his lips on her collarbone.
“Paging Annie Jennings. Please report to the ER nurses’ station. Annie Jennings to the ER nurses’ station.”
Annie spread her fingers across his chest and pushed Gabe back. “They’re calling me.”
He looked down at her, his eyes still glazed with desire. “Calling you?”
Annie hurriedly began to straighten her clothes. She ran her fingers through her tousled hair and then drew a deep breath. “You stay here,” she said. “Don’t come out until after you’ve counted to one hundred.”
He reached for her again, but she brushed him away, then slipped out into the hallway. When she reached the nurses’ station, the doctor was waiting there, clipboard in hand. Annie pasted an apologetic smile on her face. “I’m sorry,” she said. “I just went to find something to drink.”
“We’re going to keep the boys another hour, and if there are no problems, they can go. If you’d like to call their parents, I’d be happy to talk to them and give them a complete rundown on their health.”
Annie glanced over her shoulder, but Gabe hadn’t emerged from the room. “That would be fine.” She followed the doctor down the hall, and they sat on a pair of chairs. She tried to focus her thoughts, but her mind kept returning to what had happened in that room.
She couldn’t help but wonder what would come next. Would they go back to her place and continue on with what they’d started here? A shiver skittered down her spine at the thought. The anticipation was more than she could bear.
“Are you all right, Ms. Jennings? Your face is flushed. Do you feel faint?” the doctor asked.
“I’m fine,” Annie said. “It’s just been a very long day.” And if things went as planned, the night would be even longer.
* * *
THE HOUSE WAS silent when Annie and Gabe walked in. The campers had waited up to see if the boys were all right and welcomed them back with open arms. Annie was still angry. She asked them all to grab their camp chairs and gather around the fire pit.
Gabe stood on the back porch and watched them for a while. She’d called the parents from the hospital, the doctor speaking to them about the medical conditions of both boys. And now she was reading the campers the riot act for the second time since Gabe had arrived.
From the look of her, she was emotionally exhausted. He opened a bottle of wine and poured two glasses, then walked upstairs. He hadn’t made any specific plans for seduction, but Gabe had decided he was going to take a slow approach.
They had the rest of the summer to get to know each other, and he didn’t want to move too quickly and scare Annie. He took a sip of wine, and as he passed the bathroom, he had an idea of how to begin.
He started by filling the bathtub, adding some of the bath salts that she kept on a shelf above the faucet. He managed to find a few candles to create a relaxing atmosphere, then grabbed some fluffy towels from the closet in the hall.
He stretched out on the floor of the bathroom and was enjoying his wine when he heard her come in and call his name. “I’m up here,” he shouted. A few seconds later he heard her footsteps on the creaky wood stairs, and then she was standing in the doorway of the bathroom. The outline of her body was illuminated by the candlelight.
“What’s all this?” she asked with a coy smile. “You’ve been busy, I see.”
He handed her a glass of wine, and she sat beside him on the floor, her slender legs stretched out in front of her. Gabe reached over and ran his hand along her thigh. It was a simple caress, but it sent a powerful current through his body.
“About this plan of yours,” he said. “I’ve been thinking, and I believe we should just let this progress at a very careful pace. That way, we’re both sure that it’s the right thing to do.”
He continued to draw his fingers up and down her thigh, tracing designs on her skin and occasionally drifting down between her legs. She seemed focused on his touch and at first didn’t reply to his proposal. “So, is that all right with you?” he asked.
Annie blinked, then looked over at him, a frown wrinkling her brow. “What?”
“Would you rather take it slow?”
“Well, yes, slow is nice. But sometimes fast is good, too. Or even...medium. Does that answer the question?”
Gabe took her wineglass from her fingers and set it on the tile floor. Then he grabbed her hands and pulled her to her feet. “Why don’t you get in the tub? I’m going to go down and get dinner.”
“You brought me dinner?”
“I brought us dinner,” Gabe said. He turned to her and grabbed the hem of her T-shirt, then pulled it up over her head. He’d intended to get her started, but when Gabe saw the scrap of her bra against her tan skin, he decided to take some time to appreciate what he’d uncovered.
His gaze fixed on her chest, her perfect breasts barely covered with satin and lace. Reaching out, he slipped a finger beneath the strap, gently tugging it off her shoulder. When the other side was done, he looked at the clasp between her breasts.
Over the years, through many midnight fantasies, he’d tried to imagine this moment. The fantasies had always been accompanied by a good measure of guilt. He was lusting after a married woman—the wife of his best friend. It wasn’t technically cheating, but there were times when it sure felt like it.
Now was not one of those times. He was finally free to look at her and touch her and believe that at some point in the future they could be together.
Gabe held his breath as Annie opened the clasp. A moment later the bra slid off her arms and dropped to the tile floor. He felt like some silly schoolboy, his heart slamming in his chest, his mind reeling with the possibilities of what might happen.
All of his senses were on high alert. He could hear the crickets outside and the voices of the students shouting at each other in the still night air. The drip of the faucet and the sound of Annie’s deep, even breathing. He watched her chest rise and fall, wondering what was going through her head.
“You can touch me,” she murmured.
He’d been with his share of women in the past and knew exactly what came next. But something held him back. He didn’t want just her body. He wanted her heart and soul, her mind, her love. He wanted everything that made her who she was. Could he settle for just her body?
Impatiently, Annie reached out and grabbed his hand, spreading his fingers across her left breast. Heat snaked through his body, pooling in his lap. He couldn’t resist any longer. Cupping her flesh with his palm, Gabe bent down and pressed a kiss to the rosy tip.
Annie drew in a sharp breath as if surprised by the sensation of his lips on her nipple. Her fingers slipped around his nape and she pressed him closer, her hand smoothing over her other breast.
It took every ounce of his determination to keep himself from stripping her naked and taking her right then and there. But this was Annie and she deserved more than just a quick fuck and mutually satisfying orgasms. He’d waited all these years. A few more hours wouldn’t hurt.
Gabe drew back, smoothing his hands around her waist. “I’m going to go down and get our dinner,” he murmured. With that, he turned and walked out of the bathroom, his hands clenched at his sides. There were so many ways this could go wrong that Gabe was almost afraid to make a move.
But to win a woman like Annie, Gabe knew that he might have to take risks. He wanted her to know the depth of his feelings, especially if they were going to make love. But Annie was determined to keep him at arm’s length. Should he just be honest? Or should he hide his feelings until she was ready to accept them?
The Chinese food he’d picked up on his way home was still wrapped in brown paper, sitting on the kitchen table. He untied the string and pulled out the cartons, opening them as he went along. Some old memory had told him that she liked Chinese food, but he wasn’t sure of the particulars, so he bought a little bit of everything.
He grabbed a couple plates and forks and carried the Chinese food up the stairs. He found her sitting on the floor next to the tub, wrapped up in her robe, her bath untouched. Gabe handed her the food and then plopped down beside her.
“I hope you’re hungry. I bought one of almost everything. You know how it is with Chinese food. So hard to decide.”
Annie grabbed the first box and peered inside. “Sesame chicken? And what’s this?”
“Sha cha shrimp. I didn’t know whether you liked spicy.”
“I love spicy.”
“Fork or chopsticks?”
“Chopsticks, please.”
“Soy sauce?”
Annie shook her head.
They spread the food out on the floor in front of the bathtub, an odd little picnic for two. “We really don’t know that much about each other, do we?” Gabe commented. “I don’t even know what kind of Chinese food you like.”
“I hate egg drop soup,” Annie added.
“But for two people who are about to sleep together, we don’t know a lot more.”
Annie picked through the box of General Tso’s chicken, then pulled out a plump bite and popped it in her mouth. “Does it really make a difference? I mean, we’re only going to be together until the end of the summer, and then we’ll go our separate ways.”
“It sounds so simple,” Gabe said, shaking his head.
“Isn’t it?”
Gabe searched for the words to explain how he felt, but he’d never had to say them out loud before, he’d never had to justify his beliefs about life and love. “Life is short,” he murmured. He risked a glance up to gauge her reaction.
“You don’t think I know that?”
“Then why hold anything back? Why not spend every moment living life to the fullest? That way, if it is over, sooner rather than later, you’ll have no regrets.” He reached out and took her hand, pressing his lips to her fingertips. “If we’re going to do this, even if it’s just for the summer, I don’t want to hold back. I don’t want to be careful or keep my feelings to myself. I want everything.”
Annie pulled her fingertips from his and picked up her chopsticks. He watched her as she continued to eat, a thoughtful look on her face. He knew she was reconsidering her terms, but he didn’t hold out much hope that she’d change her mind. Annie could be irrationally stubborn.
Finally, when she’d finished the carton of sesame chicken, she stood. “I’ll think about what you said, but I can’t promise anything.” With that, she reached for the tie around her waist and undid it. A moment later, her robe lay on the floor around her feet. “You can come to bed with me if you want. If not, I’ll understand.”
She turned and walked out of the bathroom, leaving him with the cold bath and the remains of dinner. Groaning softly, Gabe leaned back against the edge of the old bathtub. He reached for his wine and downed the rest of the glass in a quick gulp. Why was he pushing so hard? Why not just accept things on her terms?
He poured himself another glass of wine, emptying the bottle. As he stared into the flickering candlelight, he knew letting her go would be impossible.
Bracing his hand on the edge of the tub, he got to his feet. He found Annie in the bedroom, curled up on the bed beneath the thin cotton sheet. Her back was to him, but he could tell by her breathing that she wasn’t asleep. He unzipped his flight suit and stripped out of it, kicking off his boots and socks in the process. When he was naked, he pulled back the sheet and crawled into bed with her.
The bed sank under his weight. Gabe reached out and slipped his hand around her waist, then pulled her body back against his, nestling her backside into his lap. They fit perfectly as he always knew they would.
Annie pushed up on her elbow and looked back over her shoulder.
“We’re just going to sleep,” he said. “Can we try that?”
She smiled and nodded. “Sweet dreams.”
* * *
ANNIE KNEW HE was still awake. She could tell by the rhythm of his breathing. But when she rolled over to face him, his eyes were closed. This was ridiculous. Here they were, two naked consenting adults and she was just supposed to sleep? Where did this fit in with his big “carpe diem” speech? Seize the day? She was about to seize a whole lot more than that.
Reaching out, she smoothed her fingertips over his brow, then traced the line of his jaw from cheek to chin. He didn’t flinch and Annie smiled. If he continued this game, it could be fun, she mused.
She leaned closer and brushed her lips against his. When he still didn’t react, she used her tongue, slipping the tip between his lips, teasing him until he moaned softly and opened his eyes.
“You’re playing a dangerous game,” he warned.
“Then play it with me,” Annie said with a laugh. She pushed him back into the bed and crawled on top of him, her legs straddling his hips. “I don’t want to play alone.”
Though the sheet was between them, she could feel his already hard shaft pressing against the growing damp between her legs. It had been so long since a man had been inside her, the need was almost an ache. Annie began to move against him, rocking her hips until they both felt a tantalizing friction.
“You can go back to sleep,” she taunted. “I don’t think I’ll need more than this to satisfy me.”
A low growl rumbled in his throat, and he grabbed her waist and rolled her beneath him so quickly that it took her breath away. He held her wrists above her head as his lips trailed down to her breasts. She twisted, trying to free her hands, but his grip was strong and his intentions clear. He had claimed her body and he was in charge.
Annie closed her eyes as his tongue began to caress her nipple, bringing it to a taut peak in just moments. He nuzzled his face into her flesh as he moved to the other nipple, treating it with the same single-minded care.
When he’d finally had enough, Gabe moved lower, dropping a line of kisses across her belly and stopping when he reached the spot between her legs. Annie knew what was coming and she held her breath, waiting, wondering how she’d react. When his tongue found the center of her desire, she gasped. Wild sensations raced through her body, each nerve tingling until she could barely feel her limbs.
Every thought was focused on that spot as he flicked his tongue and sucked gently. Her hands were free, but all she could do was clutch at the sheets, as if she were caught on some out-of-control ride and could do nothing but hang on for dear life. He brought her close. Once and then again. But at the very moment that she felt herself tumbling over the edge, he’d suddenly stop, and she’d be left dangling, her body trembling.
Annie whispered her need, begging him for more. But was she speaking out loud or were her words part of the delirium she was experiencing? She writhed beneath his touch, grasping at his hands and drawing his lips closer. And when she was finally certain that there was nothing more she could bear, Gabe finally relented.
In one smooth movement, he drew up along her body and settled his hips between her legs. And then, in the next heartbeat, he was inside her. Annie gasped as he buried himself deep.
“Yes,” she whispered. “Please. Yes.”
She knew she wasn’t making sense, but she couldn’t seem to put words together in a logical sentence, and if she could, she wouldn’t know what to say. Was this the way it was between two strangers? Two people interested in nothing but physical release? Was that why every sensation seemed multiplied in intensity? Annie had never experienced anything quite as wonderful or frightening as this.
When he began to move, she realized there would be more. The need was still there buried deep inside her, ready to consume her like an ember just waiting for a gust of wind. With each stroke, she felt the heat increase, pulsing, driving her closer and closer to the edge. There was nothing to do to stop it now. The fall was imminent and inevitable.
Gabe whispered soft words of encouragement, and though she didn’t want it to end, she had no choice. The ember burst into flame, and her body was consumed by her release. Shudders and spasms took control and she cried out with each one. Every ounce of energy drained from her limbs as the orgasm faded.
And then he followed her, burying himself with one last thrust. Annie held on to him, his face buried in the curve of her neck. For a long time, neither one of them moved. And then Gabe pushed up on his elbows and looked down into her eyes.
Annie smiled at him. “If you’re worried about the condom, it’s all right.”
“You have that covered?”
Annie nodded.
“You knew this was going to happen?”
She nodded again. “I was going to make it happen.”
“With me?”
“You were at the top of my list.”
He grabbed her waist as he rolled off her, stretching out beside her and dragging her body against his. “After that performance, I should be the only one on your list, don’t you think?”
Annie pressed a kiss to the center of his chest, nuzzling her face into the soft line of hair that ran from his collarbone to his belly. “You’re kind of full of yourself, aren’t you?”
Gabe chuckled, rolling onto his back and throwing his arm over his eyes. “I rocked your world. But feel free to call in the reserves. I think it might be a few days before I’m fit for duty again.”
Annie smoothed her hand across his belly until her fingers closed around him. “Maybe I can do something about that.”
Gabe sat up and grabbed her wrist, then gently dragged her out of the bed. His body was covered with a thin sheen of perspiration, and it was only then that Annie noticed her hair falling in damp tendrils around her face.
He took her hand and led her back to the bathroom, then helped her into the tub. The water was cool as it rushed over her body, and Annie leaned back and closed her eyes. She smiled when he decided to join her, settling himself in the opposite end.
“I can’t remember the last time I took a bath,” he said.
“You may want to take a shower before you go back on duty,” Annie said. “You’re going to smell like a girl.”
“I’m going to smell like you,” Gabe said. “That’s not so bad.”
It suddenly occurred to Annie that Gabe might have to work the following day. “What are you doing here? It’s a Wednesday night. You usually come on Friday.”
“I wanted to see you, and I didn’t want to wait.”
Annie smiled. “Seize the day,” she said, “even if it is a Wednesday.” She stretched out her leg on the edge of the tub, and Gabe grabbed it and began to slowly massage her foot.
“I ran into Nellie today,” Gabe said. “You know he took a consulting job with Lockheed and we’re working on a project together. It’s kind of weird to see him out of uniform.”
“There is life after the military,” Annie said. It might be unreasonable for her to want a man who wasn’t living in a war zone half the days of their marriage. But that was her choice. And Gabe would make the choices that were best for him, even if that included a career in the Marines.
“You knew Erik was planning a career in the military when you married him,” Gabe said. He reached for her other foot and placed it on his chest. “You knew there was risk.”
“I was twenty-one when I married him. I was young and foolish and I didn’t really think it through. The military seemed like a glamorous life, especially as the wife of a pilot. I’d seen Top Gun. And I was impressed by the uniform.”
“So if you had to do it all over again, would you have married him?”
He fixed his gaze on her face, waiting for an answer to his question. But Annie was afraid to say what was in her heart. She’d been in love with Erik and determined to spend the rest of her life with him. He’d swept her off her feet, and when he proposed, she hadn’t even thought twice before accepting. To tell the truth, or what she felt was the truth now, would sound like a feeble rationalization. An excuse for her feelings for Gabe.
“Would you?” Gabe repeated. “Tell me the truth, Annie. You can say it to me.”
She drew a deep breath, ready to speak, but she couldn’t find the right words, words that wouldn’t sound selfish and immature. “I loved him. And now he’s gone.” She braced her hands on the sides of the tub and stood, then grabbed a towel from the rack and wrapped it around her body.
Annie stepped out of the tub and crossed the bathroom to stand in front of the mirror. She stared at her reflection for a long time, yet she barely recognized herself. Who was this woman with the bright spots of color in her cheeks and the flashing green eyes? She may not have a name, Annie mused, but she certainly knew what she wanted.
“I’m not being selfish,” she said, “I’m just being practical and honest. I don’t want the man I love to die before we’ve had a chance to live our lives.”
“Not every job in the military is on the front lines,” Gabe said.
“That sounds nice, but you and I know the truth. You’re a pilot, Erik was a pilot. There’s always a chance you could get called up, no matter what you were doing.”
Annie turned and faced him. She could see the truth in his eyes. He sighed, then tipped his head back to rest on the edge of the tub. “There’s nothing wrong with us wanting different lives,” she said. “Not everyone is meant to fall in love and live happily-ever-after.” She walked over to the bathtub and held out her hand. “Come on. Let’s go back to bed.”
“You go,” Gabe said. “I think I’m going to drive back to Pax River tonight. I’ve got some things I need to do early in the morning, and I know I’m not going to get any sleep here.”
She sat on the edge of the tub, watching as his fingers twisted through hers, not knowing where her hand began and his ended. He would be so easy to love. And maybe she was in love with him already. But there were just some things that couldn’t be negotiated, and a broken heart was one of them.
“If you stay, I promise I’ll let you sleep.”
“I know you would,” Gabe said. “But I’m still going to go. I have a lot to think about. The ride back will give me time.” He reached up and cupped her cheek with his hand, then drew her down into a soft kiss. “I’ll be back Friday. We need to start working on the boat if you’re still planning to leave at the end of August.”
Annie hadn’t thought about her trip recently. Gabe was right, there was a lot of work to be done. She’d made a promise to herself, and she planned to keep it. She was going to start living her own life with her own adventures. And if that didn’t make her happy, she wasn’t sure what would.