“I ordered me a … soda.”
A smile pulled at her lips. For a moment, it looked like she might stifle it, but she gave in to it instead, tacking a laugh on as well. “You just keep on surprising me, Blayze.” That playful spark danced in her eyes. Like the one he’d seen at the Indian restaurant when she’d teased him about getting a private booth. “Should we have a seat?” She glided toward the array of couches and chairs by the fireplace.
Blayze shook out his shoulders, realizing he’d been standing like he was back in training, waiting for the general to put him and the othersat ease.Sophia had taken a seat on the edge of the couch, so Blayze opted for the same couch, opposite corner, where he rested his elbows on his knees.
“Did it make you uncomfortable when my father joked about taking me out?” she asked.
He grinned, wondering if it’d be wrong to lie. “Not really. But it looked likeyouwere squirming.”
Another laugh. A light, easy sound as she tipped her head back. “I wasn’t expecting it. That’s all. He must like you.”
He didn’t know what to say to that.
“So, you know all sorts of things about my past relationships,” she said. “But I really don’t know anything about yours. I assume you’re not dating anyone right now.”
He shook his head. “Nope.” The soldier’s march picked up again.
“So, who’s the last woman you dated, if you don’t mind me asking?”
The tables had been reversed, had they? Very well, he could handle this. “Emily—she’s the last woman I dated seriously. She knew when we started dating that I wanted to join the Navy, and that I had my heart set on being a SEAL too, but… I don’t know. Either she didn’t think I’d go through with it, or she wasn’t prepared for what it would feel like to send me off.”
“So, what happened?” Sophia asked, her alluring accent cradling each word.
“I hadn’t proposed yet, but we’d talked about getting married when I returned. When I officially made it as a SEAL, she came out, congratulated me. We celebrated over dinner even. She’d been off the whole night, you know—quiet and withdrawn. And before the second course was through Emily was in tears, apologizing and saying she couldn’t do it. Said it takes a certain type of woman to stay with a man who served his country. And thatshewasn’t the type of woman who could.”
Sophia studied him, her brown eyes unreadable as she held his gaze. “I imagine itdoestake a certain type of woman to support a man who puts his life on the line,” she said.
The moment drew on as Blayze considered whether Sophia was that kind of woman or not.
That thought was lost when a tap came from the door.
“Excuse me,” Blayze said, welcoming the interruption. He hadn’t liked having the tables turned on him. If he could hit rewind and say no to Sophia’s invitation, he might. He wasn’t used to being dangled around like this.
At the entryway, Blayze checked the peephole, then glanced over his shoulder to where Sophia remained seated on the couch. “To be continued,” she said with a smile.
Heaven help him. How was he going to get through this night?
Chapter 9
Sophia considered the new tidbit she’d learned while Blayze greeted the bellboy who’d delivered the room service. It seemed her efforts to discover new layers of him were paying off already.Emily…who could blame her? It’d be heart-wrenching to endure nights of waiting and dreading and fearing the worst.
Yet Sophia knew in her heart she couldn’t walk away from the man she loved, no matter the circumstance. Beyond that, she’d been raised with a deep appreciation for service men and the families who sacrificed the time and safety of their loved ones.
But it wouldn’t be easy. Not anywhere close.
She set her eyes back on Blayze. He’d signed for the room service, said goodbye to the bellboy, and was locking up behind him.
Blayze admitted to ordering a Pepsi for himself but she had no idea he’d been talking about a two-liter. It was huge. And if she were being honest, rather tempting as she considered how long it had been since she’d had a soda. And though she never drank more than a small glass or two, Sophia preferred not to drink alcohol in the company of those who weren’t. No need to tip the scales in their favor, as her father always said.
He set the tray on the coffee table, revealing a few other items as well. A glass dish filled with bright red strawberries, accented by leaves that glistened in the light.
“Would you be terribly offended if I save the champagne for another day and join you in a Pepsi toast?” she asked.
He glanced down at the two-liter. “You’d rather have this?”
“Yes, please.”
Blayze shrugged. “All right.” He rested his hand on a copper dome that covered something besides the strawberries. “Bet you can’t guess what’s in this…” he challenged. He was different now. More at ease. This was nice—seeing a new side of him.
