Liberty
I stare at Killian, not sure what to say to him. My head is spinning. I expected him to be gruff and a little hostile like he was yesterday. Instead he's being…sweet. It obviously doesn't come natural to him, but that makes it somehow even better. The fact that he bought me flowers and a blanket is honestly adorable. No one has ever done anything like that just to make me comfortable.
He looks incredible in his black BDUs and tight white t-shirt. Somehow, he's even more gorgeous than he was yesterday. Or maybe I just convinced myself last night that he wasn't as hot as I remembered. I barely slept all night. I tossed and turned, worried about how today was going to go. So far, it's nothing like I expected.
"I started working on some ideas yesterday," I blurt out.
"Yeah?"
I nod.
He tugs me toward my desk, urging me to sit. "Get comfortable. We have a few minutes before debriefing. You want coffee?"
"Debriefing?"
"Staff meeting," he explains, already headed toward the door. "Coffee?"
"With sugar, please."
He ducks out, leaving me alone in the office. I stare after him, shaking my head. He's intense, someone who clearly prefers to act rather than talk. It's charming in a weird way. He doesn't second guess himself. He just makes a decision and rolls with it.
I pull my phone out and send a quick text to Summer to let her know I made it.
Bestie: Don't kill him. Dominic won't let me visit you in jail. :)
Me: Funny. I'm not going to kill him. He's sweet.
Bestie: We like him now? I thought we didn't like him. When did this change?
Me: He bought me flowers.
Bestie: WHAT?!
Me: Long story. Call you later?
Bestie: You better! Love you. Have fun with your hot Marine. #oohrahoroohlala
I smile like a crazy person when I read her hashtag. God, I love her.
I set my phone to the side and hop up to look around. His office—our office, I guess—is large and freakishly neat. Even the stack of files on the corner of his desk are perfectly aligned. Save for the books on the shelf behind his desk and several awards hanging on the wall, there aren't a lot of personal touches. Except for the little vase of wildflowers sitting on my desk. There's also a pink footstool underneath my desk.
His awards catch my eye, so I move behind his desk to get a better look at them. I only recognize one or two of the fifteen hanging in frames on the walls, but I'm not really surprised to see so many of them. He's kind of a badass. It's sexy…though I'm quickly coming to learn that just about everything he does is sexy to me.
I internet stalked him yesterday. Actually, Summer and I internet stalked him yesterday. He's a decorated war hero. He's been in the military since he was eighteen. He got the scar on his cheek saving a family and a group of soldiers from an IED in Afghanistan seven years ago. He could have taken an honorable discharge then, but he didn't. He reenlisted after he healed and then went into IRR status six months ago.
In addition to his twin brother, he also has two younger sisters, Kennedy and Caroline. Aside from that tidbit, there was nothing about his personal life to be found. I guess because he hasn't had much of one for so long. I kind of like knowing that there isn't a long string of women in his past though. I also like knowing he's attracted to me, though I have no idea what to do about that.
Being around him is different. I like the way he looks at me and the way my stomach clenches every time he does it. He's gruff and abrupt, but I don't think he means to be rude. That's just the way he is…I'm guessing because he's been in the military for most of his life.
"You like him," I mutter, refusing to lie to myself about it. I move from his awards to his books. They're all neatly arranged, but in a way that makes my head hurt. Every book is arranged by height, then color, then genre and title. My books are crammed on my shelves based on how often I reread them. He's methodical, precise. And the books he reads are way above my head. He's got everything from books on psychiatry to weaponry. The handful of fiction titles are all classics like Dante's Inferno with a couple of science fiction titles thrown in.
I browse through them for another minute or two before looking at his desk. There's a photo on his desk of him and Sebastian, and two younger girls…Caroline and Kennedy, maybe. His sisters are a lot younger than him and Sebastian. Kennedy is tiny, with an innocent face and trusting green eyes. Caroline has red hair and a mischievous smile with dark eyes like Sebastian's. They all share the same sharp cheekbones, full lips, and nose.
"Coffee," Killian says, appearing in the doorway with two paper cups in his hands.
"Are these your sisters?" I ask, nodding at the picture on his desk.
"Yeah," he grunts, stalking toward me.
"Thank you." I take my cup from him and take a sip. It's perfect. "They're a lot younger than you and Sebastian."
"Yeah. Eighteen and twenty-one."
I can tell by the gentleness in his eyes that he has a soft spot for his little sisters. He probably dotes on them. I bet he's overprotective too. I think it's sweet. "They're beautiful."
"I know." He scowls like that fact pisses him off. He's definitely overprotective. I bet he puts their boyfriends through hell. He looks at the picture and then at me again, not speaking.
"Can I ask you a question?"