“I know.” He really did. He couldn’t see a way around that, but it was on his mind. She deserved more of his time.
“You off today?”
“I parade tonight with the regiment, but that’s it until the weekend.” He didn’t want to assume too much, but just in case she didn’t want to ask… “I’m free for whatever. Morning, noon or…night.” He grinned on the last point and she flicked him with her tea towel.
“Will you be late tonight?”
“Probably.”
He could see the battle in her eyes. Kindness won out, and he silently pledged to get himself out of the armouries as soon as humanly possible. “You still got your key?”
“You didn’t change the locks?”
She gave him a grumpy side-eye for that question. “Seriously? Because you’re so scary or something?”
“Or something. It’s the thing to do, baby.”
“Well, I didn’t, and now you can let yourself in when you get back, so take your judgement and stuff it, mister.”
He smiled into his coffee.
“Stop smiling. I might get the locks changed this afternoon.” She tossed that one over her shoulder as she took menus to two newcomers, and he reached out and patted her behind. That got a round of chuckles from the room, and Liv turned bright pink.
But it was the good kind of blushing, the kind that said she knew she was loved.
— —
Half his section didn’t show up, which would normally piss him off—two of them were out of work and could use the money, and if he could make it every week, they had no excuse—but when he got the hell out of there at quarter after ten, he didn’t mind so much.
He sped the whole way home, knowing that he was spending the night with Liv and it would be worth the caution if he got pulled over by one of his brothers in blue. The lights were on when he pulled his truck into the drive, and he hopped out, grabbing his already packed overnight bag.
The door wasn’t locked and he didn’t bother knocking. From the entrance he could see her sitting on the couch, and she twisted to give him a smile. “You’re back earlier than I expected.”
“Had to see my girl.”
She reached up as he neared her and he let her pull him down. She sank into the cushions beneath him and he pushed himself up.
“No,” she whispered. “I like how heavy you are.”
He took her mouth, slow and sweet, showing her how much he missed her. “I’ve been looking forward to this all day.”
“Then we should go to bed,” she said, nipping at his chin.
He moved on top of her, settling himself better between her legs. If they went to bed, they could lose at least some of their clothes. “Are you tired?”
“Nope.”
“Good.” He hauled her up in one swift motion and tossed her over his shoulder like a rag doll. He strode into the bedroom, setting her down just long enough to whip off his shirt. She giggled as he wrapped his arms around her again and lifted her high against his body.
“We keep meeting like this,” she said breathlessly, tightening her thighs around his waist.
“My arms were made to hold you,” he said. It was supposed to sound romantic, but they both started laughing. “Too much?” he asked as he pressed her against the wall, freeing one hand to start exploring under her shirt as the other cupped her magnificent ass.
She gasped as his thumb found her nipple on the outside of her bra. “Nope, totally…sweet.”
“I wasn’t going for sweet,” he growled, sucking on her neck.
“Sweet in a…” She interrupted herself with a moan. “Take my clothes off kind of way.”
