Take Me Away (Southern Bride 6)

“We’ve got beer at home, honey. Let’s leave these two lovers be. I have a feeling they have some catching up to do.” She wiggled her brows as she reached for the beer her husband held and set it on the table next to the front door. “You two have fun!”

And before I could even ask if the puppy needed shots, they were out the door.

“Wow. She really didn’t want the puppy back.”

Nolan chuckled. “That should be your first warning. She’s probably a little monster.”

I clutched her to me and covered her ears. “Nolan! Don’t let her hear you call her that!”

He shook his head and leaned down to kiss me. “What are you going to name her?”

“Hmm, let me think of a good girl’s name.”

Suddenly, Nolan’s face paled.

“What’s wrong?” I asked.

He shook his head as he said, “Nothing.”

I held the puppy up and looked into her eyes and smiled. “What is your name, little one?”

She let out a cute little puppy bark, and I laughed. “I think I’ll name you Belle.”

“For your favorite Disney movie.”

I lifted my eyes from the pup’s and met Nolan’s. “Yes! How did you…”

He smiled, and I couldn’t help but smile back.

“Linz, are you sure you want this puppy?”

“Yes! Oh, what should we feed her?”

Nolan lifted a brow, walked to the front the door, and opened it. There was a bag sitting right outside the door.

“Oh, she’s good,” Nolan mumbled as he grabbed the bag and opened it. “Let’s see what she has in here. A blanket, most likely with the momma’s scent on it. A bag of food, a bottle of vitamins.” He looked at me. “She makes me give them to Duke also.”

I took the bottle of pills and read it before I set it down on the coffee table.

“She’s got a couple of dog toys in here and…here it is.” Nolan held up a piece of paper. “The shot records.”

“Wow, she is good. Did she assume you would take the puppy?”

“Most likely no; she’s probably been carrying the damn bag around for when she could pawn the little beast off on some poor fool.”

“Hey!” I said as I put Belle down next to Duke. She walked in three circles and then flopped down next to Duke and closed her eyes.

I brought both of my hands up to my chest. “Look! They love each other already!”

“It’s a good thing. I have a feeling they’ll be seeing one another often.”

Nolan made his way over to me and drew me against his body. “Now, what was it you said earlier about being turned on?”

I fluttered my eyelashes at him with feigned innocence. “Well, that was when you were flying the plane.”

He gave me a crooked smile, and I nearly swooned on the spot. “I bet I can get you back in the mood without being in my cockpit.”

My entire body shivered. “I have no doubt in my mind about that, Mr. Byers.”NolanTHE MOMENT I stepped into the pre-flight briefing, I felt Jack’s eyes on me. I looked his way and gave him a nod. He lifted a brow then narrowed his eyes at me. Sitting to his left was Mike. He must have told him about Linnzi.

I shot him a smirk and sat on the other side of the table as far from him as I could, which didn’t please him in the slightest.

After talking about a new program for the F-22s and its ability to assist the pilot out of an inverted spin, we all stood. I was first up, ready to get into my gear and up in the air. I slipped past everyone and headed out the door.

“Nolan! Nolan!” Jack called out.

I glanced over my shoulder and shot him a smile. “Hey, Jack. How was your weekend?”

He shot me a smile back, but it was more of a fuck you, asshole, you have something to tell me kind of smile.

“My weekend was great. How about yours? You flew home for Truitt’s son’s birthday. I heard you brought a little something, or rather, someone, back with you.”

“Not here, Jack.”

“Not here? Not here! Are you out of your fucking mind? Nolan, Linnzi? Your Linnzi? The Linnzi?”

I looked around and sighed. “Yes, yes, and yes.”

“What in the actual fuck?”

After another quick look around, I motioned for him to step into an empty briefing room and then shut the door.

“I didn’t know she was back in town. Her parents didn’t know she was coming back either. She surprised them. Amy had tried calling to tell me, but honestly I didn’t listen to her messages because I just…couldn’t.”

“Does she remember?”

I shook my head. “Not everything. She saw me at the birthday party, and the first thing out of her mouth was…it’s you.”

He frowned. “What does that mean?”

“She saw me in Paris a few years back. She followed me after I left the coffee shop. Said she was drawn to me for some reason. Apparently she’s been having dreams ever since the accident.”