Delicate Promises (Southern Bride 2)

I stumbled back. “What the fuck!” I said, rubbing my jaw as Kynslee shook her hand.

“Ouch!” she cried out before she took off yelling. “You asshole! You jerk! Five years I don’t see you. Five, Miles!”

“I called you! I sent text messages!”

“Oh, okay, let me drop to my knees and thank you for those little nuggets you threw out. What, a couple phone calls a year? A text message every now and then to let me know you were alive or to show me how much fun you and your Marine buddies were having? Hell, half the time I had to get updates from your momma or Rich or Lana!”

“I called you every fucking year on your goddamn birthday, and you have no idea the logistics of making that happen in my line of work, Kyns.”

She pulled her hand back again and swung. This time I ducked. Okay, maybe I shouldn’t have mentioned the hoops I had to jump through every year just to make a phone call.

“What in the hell is wrong with you?” I asked.

Kynslee balled her fists at her sides and growled. “What is wrong with me? You left me twelve years ago, Miles. Twelve. You promised me you’d be back.”

“I am back.”

She huffed. “So, then, are you out of the Marines now?”

I smiled at her. God, she took my breath away. And Kynslee angry, hell it was a turn on.

“You’re not, are you? Just here for another romp in the hay, because otherwise you showing up, out of the blue, on my birthday, makes zero sense.”

Sealing my eyes on hers, I replied, “Yes, Kyns, I’m out of the Marines. I’m a civilian now, and I’m back home for good.”

She took a step back, her hand coming up to her mouth like I’d slapped her. “What? For how long? When did you get out?”

The way she looked at me nearly brought me to my knees. Only this woman could have that effect on me. Always had and always would.

“A few weeks ago. I was discharged from the Marines but had to go through some debriefing shit with the CIA.”

Her eyes widened. “The CIA? What do they have to do with you being in the Marines?”

My hand went to the back of my neck. “I didn’t want to tell you about it because it was better that you didn’t know the whole truth. I was recruited by the CIA and have been working with them for the last five years. No one knows that but you, and I’d like to keep it that way.”

“The CIA?” She laughed. When I didn’t return the laugh, her smile dropped. “Wait, you’re serious?”

With a nod, I let out a breath. “I had planned on getting out five years ago. I wanted to back home, but they offered me money—a ridiculous amount of money, actually—and I couldn’t refuse it.”

A confused look moved across her face. Her eyes went wide, then they turned dark. With anger.

Oh hell.

“So you made a deal to join the…CIA? For money?”

I nodded. “Something like that.”

“You picked money again. The almighty dollar over a life with your family and friends back in Hunt.”

Now it was my turn to be confused. “Excuse me?”

She placed her hands on my chest and pushed as hard as she could. “You asshole! I understood it the first time you enlisted. I hated it, but I knew why you did it. But five years ago, I know for a fact your momma was doing fine. Money wasn’t as big of an issue. So you picked money over…”

“Over what?”

She narrowed her eyes. “You’re a real jerk. And now I know why Rich was acting like he was earlier. Because you’re home. You tell him not to tell me?”

“I wanted to surprise you.”

“Well, you did, and now you can leave.”

I reached for her arm when she turned to walk away. “Stop acting like this, Kynslee. You obviously didn’t miss me all that much.”

“I didn’t miss you? What the hell are you talking about? Of course, I missed you!”

“You and Jack? You were hot and heavy for years, if memory serves me correctly.”

Her eyes went wide again, and she clenched her jaw. I was waiting for her fist to start flying again, but it didn’t.

“What?”

“You never mentioned he asked you to marry him. Why?” She shook her head in disbelief. I was poking the lion, but I didn’t care. “Mom said he proposed. Must have been serious with him, you know, just like the college boyfriend you had. I highly doubt you had time to miss me.”

This time hurt flashed through her eyes, but she quickly replaced it with anger. “Oh, and I suppose during all your travels and top-secret missions you were on with the Marines and the CIA that you remained celibate?”

I laughed. “No, of course not.”

She rolled her eyes and jerked her hand out of my grip.