Her moan spurs me on and I tilt her chin up so I can capture more of her mouth. My brain is telling me to keep this PG because we’re in public, surrounded by people we know, but my heart doesn’t give a shit. My tongue slides against her sealed lips and she finally lets me in. The kiss goes from zero to sixty, from chaste to hot and messy with her hands grasping my shoulders and my hands mussing her hair into my fists. I want so much more than this one moment added to my list. I want this one as forever.
“Get a room!” Frankie yells from the float doing a second pass.
We laugh forehead to forehead. Her eyes sparkle and I can’t stomach the thought of tonight ending here until morning.
“Come on.” I pull her with me toward the hot chocolate stand and order two. Since I haven’t gone anywhere or done anything with my pay, I’ve got money to burn—like I knew I was saving it all for her.
“Where are we going?” She chuckles, following my lead.
“I’m not waiting for coffee tomorrow.”
We walk up to the carriage rides and I help her inside, passing her the drinks. We settle in with the lap blanket covering us, and the carriage driver takes us out on a long loop I pay extra for. I’m not letting her get away until we hash this out.
“So, what’s going on here, Tank? Level with me.” Bea blows on her drink, holding it with both hands. Her sipping her hot chocolate keeps me from grabbing her hand and I settle for having her next to me.
“Everything felt like it was happening at light speed when we met.” Beatrice Brennan consumed all of my thoughts, so much so that I almost missed a meeting with my recruiter, but she doesn’t know that and saying it wouldn’t help my cause right now so I lock it down and stick to the facts I can say. “I was nervous and scared and I didn’t know where it was going.”
“And then you left. You chose to go.” Her eyes glisten and tears are a blink away. My feelings for her now are solid and I don’t want her to cry any more sad tears.
“I know I did. The Marines was always my goal, but then you happened and that goal hasn’t been the same since. My focus shifted from the eagle, anchor, and globe. You were a part of it too, and I hadn’t expected that.”
“Hmm,” she murmurs, looking out toward the fields that will be filled with sunflowers and wheat come spring and summer. I know I’m making shit of this but I’ve also never felt this before and I’m out of my depth here.
“Honeybee, you’re the sweetest thing that’s ever happened to me and I couldn’t say goodbye. Obviously, I couldn’t, and I didn’t realize what I had until it was gone.”
“How can you talk to me about it now? Why come back at all?”
I take her hot chocolate and mine and slip them into the holders near our feet. I gather her up in my arms and nuzzle her neck. “Because as sweet as you are, I missed your sting. I missed your sass and I missed knowing that if I didn’t try to get you back I might lose out on the best thing in my life, because the military comes second to you. Everything is second to you. I don’t want to say goodbye again.”
“I guess breakfast is off the table.” Shrugging, she gives me an odd look I can’t place. I don’t know how to win this argument. I’ve opened my heart to her and she’s crushing it.
“No?”
“Nope.” She jabs me in the chest with her finger. “Because you are taking me on a real date.”
“Yeah?” I’d hoot and holler, making a scene, but that won’t win me any brownie points with her.
“Yes. Pick me up for dinner and then we’ll see.”
I lean my head back, thankful she’s willing to give me a chance.
“We’ll see,” she says, my sassy girl.
“So, you did miss me.” I nuzzle her neck, breathing in her cinnamon scent.
“About as much as a squirrel who misses his nuts.”
The tone bites, but I can’t blame her. She’s lashing out and I deserve it, but she’s confirmed how much we affect each other.
“You’re killing me, Honeybee.”
“That’s my sting you missed so much.” Her eyes narrow.
I definitely missed something all right, and I swoop her up in my arms for another kiss. I move my nose up and down her baby-soft neck and kiss her. I tug at her silly scarf to taste what she’s been hiding.
Growling, I attack her neck. “I want breakfast anyway. I’m hungry.”
She moans, rubbing herself against me. I suck on the tight skin exposed, leaving it red but not quite marked.