After she started the kettle, she grabbed a few cookies and put them on a plate. She turned and caught Griz’s smile.
“Oh, nice. What kind of cookies?” he asked.
“Chocolate chip and shortbread.”
“Those look good.”
“Thank you. I like baking. I find it calming.”
“The cookies you brought over earlier were really good.”
“Thank you.”
The water heated fast, and they had their tea and cookies but were still naked. “We could go sit outside, but we’d need robes or something.”
“Do you have a robe big enough for me?”
She shrugged. “Not really.”
“I could put on my underwear.”
“Or we could grab towels and stay inside.”
His gaze swept over her. “I think sitting naked inside would be great.”
“Good.”
She grabbed two towels from the bathroom and they sat at the table. She liked the way his gaze lingered on her breasts. She took in his muscled chest and arms.
“You’re not in a relationship back home, right?”
“Nope, no relationship or situationship. I live in a two-bedroom condo. It’s not huge, but it does the trick.”
“I have to be here most of the time when I have guests. But I do have a few weekends where I’m free.”
“I haven’t discussed this with the guys, but they know it’s coming.”
Worry made her sit up more. “What is it?”
“I’m close to retirement age.”
“Really? But you’re young.”
He nodded. “Retirement happens at twenty years in. I’ve been in for twenty and I’m ready to do something else. Maybe it’s delusional to think I want to do something other than be in the Navy, but I think it’s time.”
She didn’t want to hope too much, but she held her breath as she waited for him to speak.
He raised his eyebrows. “Would that be okay?”
Was he asking her if he could move in with her? Sheset her mug down and reached across the table for his hand.
“What would that look like to you?”
“I don’t want to live in the city. Maybe it would be too much to live out here.”
She shook her head. “I don’t think you should jump to conclusions.”
“What conclusions?”
