32
Lincoln
“How was your flight?”
Donatella smiled. “Pretty cool, thanks to you. Had my nose in the air with all the rest of the folks flying first class,” she joked.
Lincoln chuckled softly. “You got your snob on?”
“Yep. I frowned at everybody walking to the back of the plane.”
Lincoln laughed and put on his seatbelt. Donatella Devereaux could be very silly, but she put on no airs. She was who she was, and he’d never met a woman like her. She could drink him under a table, and she ate more than any woman he’d ever fed. She wasn’t shy about sharing her opinions, but she was still very open-minded. Donatella was fun, intelligent, and ridiculously beautiful.
Since he had to return to Fort Benning, he was only able to see her on weekends. Usually, he flew to Chicago. But, for the first time, she volunteered to visit him in Fort Benning.
“So, what have you got planned for me this weekend?” There was something about her voice and the suggestive way she asked the question that sent waves of desire straight to his manhood. Since she was sitting right next to him, he avoided adjusting his package.
“Dinner tonight and tomorrow, a surprise.”
“I don’t like surprises.”
“Don’t care, young lady. I said it’s a surprise, and you'regonnalike it.”
He could feel Donna glare as he rounded a sharp curve that led to the road to his house. When they drove down the tree-lined path and through the open gate, she looked out of her window.
“I thought you lived on base. What’s all this?”
Lincoln could hear the confusion in her inquiry. “I have a house here as well. Just up ahead.”
Just as she turned to look ahead, his house came into view.
“Wow!” she gasped. “This beautiful.”
“Thank you. I’m glad you like it.”
“Like it? It’s amazing!”
His home was no mansion. In fact, it wasn’t very big at all. It was a comfortable, two-story, four-bedroom house made from logs. There was a pool and a lake, so they shouldn’t have a problem finding things to do around the house. Not that Lincoln wanted to do anything that required them leaving his bedroom.
He pushed a button on the rearview mirror of his Jaguar F-Type and opened the garage. He pulled in next to his pickup truck and killed the engine.
“We’re home,” he announced with a grin.
“Home, huh?” Donatella quipped, grabbing the door handle.
Lincoln frowned. “Hold on.” He got out and walked around to the passenger side. After opening her door, he said, “I do that.”
“I can open my own door,” she scoffed.
“I do that,” he reiterated with his hand out.
She placed her hand in his and allowed him to help her out of the car. He closed the car door and escorted her to the door that led inside. After unlocking the door, he pushed a button on the wall to close the garage door.
“Come on in so I can fix you a drink. I’ll get your bags in a minute.”
She nodded and took the step up to enter the mudroom. Lincoln stepped inside and closed the door behind him. He eased past her to lead her further inside where they stepped into the hall.
Lincoln grabbed her hand and led her to the living room. As she looked around, he was praying she liked the place. Because if she liked it, she’d more likely visit again.
She walked over to the large picture window and stared out at the land.
“Make yourself at home. I’ll get you a drink.”
Donatella turned around and nearly blinded him with a heart-stopping smile. Unable to resist, he walked over and joined her at the window. He cupped her face in his hands and kissed her, reveling in a feeling of passion and contentment he’d never felt before. When the kiss ended, he stared into her beautiful brown eyes, surely long enough for her to peg him as a weirdo.
“You got Jameson?” she whispered with a smirk.
“Of course.” He chuckled. “I’ll be back.”
He allowed his hand to fall to his sides. It took effort. He wanted to have her right there, right in front of the window. He decided that at some point during the weekend, he would. After all, his land was vast, and he didn’t have a neighbor for miles.
