“So, tell me about your family. What would they be doing right now?” Would talking about them help? She’d had to tuck them away deep inside for so long to keep them safe, taking them out for a visit might be good for her.
She smiled gratefully at him then lowered her head back to his chest. “They’d be having dinner tonight and Dad would probably do the cooking. He’s a great cook. Lizzie would be making the cake. Dad doesn’t bake and Mom doesn’t let him. Says he doesn’t have the right touch. And my brothers would be hanging around waiting for the food to be ready.”
Her voice was soft but strong. Her body relaxed against him. She continued on for a while regaling him with stories of her brothers and their adventures then got quiet again. But this time it was a comfortable silence.
“So what aboutyourfamily?” She piped up after a few more moments of quiet. “You said your mom isn’t a good cook…”
“I never said that,” he objected. “My mom is a great cook and she bakes a hell of a dessert too. She’d skin me alive if she ever thought I said that. She taught my little sister, Erin, so she’s not half bad either.”
“What about your girlfriend,” she asked, her eyes glancing anywhere but at him. “Is she a good cook?”
What was she talking about?
“My girlfriend?” he repeated curiously. “That would be you, sweetie, wouldn’t it?”
She scoffed. “Right. No, I mean the lady you talk to and say ‘I love you’ to on the phone. I’m not eavesdropping but this suite isn’t that big.”
Her tone of voice definitely held a hint of jealousy and he was intrigued. Was she actually jealous or merely curious?
“The one I…” he trailed off thinking who he spoke with on the phone. Usually Doolittle or…“My mom. The lady I talk to is my mom.”
He rolled his eyes. “I call her every week or so if I can. When I was in Afghanistan she used to worry a lot because the communication was sporadic. I try and make it up to her now.”
Meg propped her head on the arms now resting on his chest. “You were in Afghanistan? When you were in the Army?”
“Yeah,” he said figuring she’d given some information on her family maybe he could give a little on his. Just to even things out. “I went to The Citadel, a military college in South Carolina then joined the Army for six years. When I got out I was offered this position with the Bureau. My major had been Criminal Justice.”
“I thought you majored in rescuing damsels,” she teased. “Or was that just a hobby?”
He grinned back. “President of the Distressed Damsel Club, right here.”
“Did you practice much in Afghanistan or is that why you’re a little rusty?”
He recalled some of the situations they’d encountered over there. No, he’d gotten practice. Maybe a little too much at times. She still looked at him expectantly so he took a deep breath and explained, “There were a few. Unfortunately you can’t rescue them all.” He’d tried, God knew he’d tried his best, but in a war zone your best wasn’t always good enough.
She gave him a look of pity and he closed his eyes pretending to sleep. He didn’t want pity. She continued her questioning, this time in a slightly different line.
“So why aren’t you married? All of the damsels turn you down and raise the drawbridge?”
“No,” he chuckled though the humor wasn’t quite there. “Actually I don’t plan on getting married. I like being on my own. And there’s no chance of hurting anyone if I do something stupid.” He already had too much guilt about people who had gotten hurt under his care. No more was needed.
Her expression was puzzled. “I don’t get it.”
He sighed, giving away some of his anxiety. “My dad loves my mom, but about five years ago he was on a month-long business trip and cheated on her. It was only one time but Mom was devastated. Can’t blame her. My father confessed right away, he felt more than a little guilty, but it took a long time for Mom to get back to trusting him. I’m not sure she should have. I’m not sure I trust him not to do it again.”
He sighed. “It was like my dad was betraying everything he ever believed in. Everything he ever taught me about respect and treating women with dignity.” How could he explain to her the lessons drilled into him over a lifetime and how his father’s actions had made him question all he’d ever done? The ingrained desire to make everything right for the people he loved and cared for. It had been destroyed on the day his dad betrayed his mom.
“You haven’t forgiven him yet, have you?” she inquired.
“No, not really. I get why he did it. Men think a little too much with certain body parts at times and he’d been away from home for a month. But it also made me think that I don’t ever want to hurt someone like he hurt my mom. If I’m not married or in a committed relationship, then that can’t happen. Problem solved.”
“You can’t solve all your problems by avoiding anything that might lead to them. What kind of life is that?”
Theproblemhe was having right now was Meg’s hot little body pressed far too intimately against his. He disentangled himself, pushing off the couch.
“One where you have far less problems,” he finally answered her question. “Why don’t we watch a movie? See if you can find anything on the TV.”
He took a few minutes in the bathroom then made sure to sit on the opposite side of the couch from her. He concentrated on the movie and they continued chatting every so often. These quiet times together with her were enjoyable. They’d done this a few times, either on rainy days or her days off. It was a nice change from the blaring music and flashing lights of the club. And she had her feet up. Always something she wanted to do after being on them all night.
