“Neither of us wanted you to do it alone. Road trips are always more fun with company. Still it wasn’t until we had almost finished the bottle that I agreed. That’s when she plucked the ticket off the end table and handed it to me. It was already in my name. She planned it.”
“My conniving sister.” He opened the passenger door but blocked the way. “There’s going to be hell to pay when we get back, but you know what? I can’t be mad at her for it. This trip is going to be more fun with you.”
“I’m not sure Hazel would like to hear that.” She joked. “She’s missed you.”
“I know she has but I’m not sure her actions prove that.” He grabbed hold of the handle of her bag and lifted it up into the truck, placing it on the back seat. Turning back to her he took her coat and tossed it in as well before pulling her close. “With you standing there in front of me I can’t keep my hands off you.”
“You’ll have to. We can’t drive across country like this.” She looped her arms around her neck. “Since I agreed to come I was worried it wouldn’t be the same in person as it has been, but I had nothing to worry about. There’s no awkwardness between us. I feel like I’ve known you for years. Now you’re here and I almost can’t believe it. It’s like a dream.”
“I knew you’d be as amazing in person as in your e-mails. What I didn’t know was I’d regress back into my teenage years. Unsure and horny as hell.”
“Wow, you really know how to turn a girl on. I bet you stole all the girls’ hearts in high school.” She teased. “Honestly Daniel, there’s no reason to be unsure. We know each other. As for the horny part, well there’s not much I can do about that right now. We’ve got hours on the road first. Maybe when we stop for the night…well you’ll have to wait and see.”
“It’s a good thing I’ve decided to postpone the start back to Montana.” He let his arms drop away from her hips and tipped his head.
“What?”
“Get in and you’ll see soon enough.” He stepped back and waited for her to climb in. “Trust me; it’s something you’ll love.”
Chapter Twenty: Beach Revelations
Standing on the beach, Emily wiggled her feet allowing the sand to trickle in between each of toes. Always more of a mountain girl than a beach girl, she hadn’t thought much about going to the coast again. Now as she stood on the deserted sandy beach she realized there was a part of her that missed it. That part was small, but it was there.
“You look happier than I thought you would be.” He stepped up behind her, wrapping his arms around her waist. “You almost remind me of someone who had never been to the beach, but I know that’s not true.”
“I was born in Florida, but inland.” She slid her hands over his, interlocking their fingers. “First time I stood on the beach was right before boot camp. I remember standing there watching the waves slam against the shore as the storm brewed overhead. I stood there thinking we’re insignificant. We think so highly of the human race, being the top of the food chain and everything. Yet against mother nature what chance do we stand?”
“There’s a lot of things that knock us down to size if you let them. Mother nature is one of them. Another is the cruelty in the world. The way some people treat others. Maybe it’s because I grew up in Blessing, but I try to live by the golden rule. Treat others as you’d like to be treated.” Growing quiet he squeezed her tighter against him.
After several long minutes she tipped her head back to look at him. “Daniel, you okay?”
“Just thinking.”
Not sure if she should question him further she dragged her thumb over the top of his hand with the hopes he’d confide in her when he was ready. She’d been where he was, the transition wasn’t always smooth sailing. Still, she was certain his thoughts were on something more than leaving the Marines and South Carolina.
“I thought I knew what I was getting into when I joined the military. What a joke. At eighteen you barely know who you are, let alone what the world is really like. Especially coming from a town like Blessing. Still I refused to allow it to change me. I held tight to my core beliefs. I never asked anyone on my team to do something I wasn’t willing to do myself. If they were going into a dangerous situation I was right there with them, leading the way. Part of that is why I decided against becoming an officer after I obtained my degree.” He let out a deep breath and she could feel his muscles tighten. “Still somewhere along the line I changed. Something inside of me hardened. I’m not sure I noticed it until now. Standing here looking out at the ocean I realize it doesn’t have the same effect on me that it did the first time I saw it.”
“That doesn’t make you hardened.” She twisted enough that she was still in his embrace but could have a better look at him. “Looking out at the ocean and not reacting doesn’t mean anything more than you’ve gotten used to the view. You’ve been stationed here for years. I’m sure you’ve been here hundreds of times.”
“Unless you’re cold and want to go back to the condo, why don’t we take a walk?” He stepped back, clearly putting distance between them.
“I’m fine.” She tugged her sweater closed. “Can we go closer to the water?”
“Anything you want.” Without taking her hand he started toward the water.
Falling into step beside him as they made their way down the beach, she kept her gaze on the horizon, watching as the waves met the shore. Occasionally the wind would pick up a little of the water, sending in toward her, hitting her skin as if it was soft kisses of rain. The sun was starting to sink lower in the sky.
They postponed the trip back to Montana, but they could only delay for so long. Likely the next morning their special time at the beach condo would end. Then it wouldn’t be just the truck tires hitting the road, their relationship would be forging its own road. Whatever waited for them as they made their way home and even once they got there would determine where things would go for them.
She wanted to believe they could make it. This connection between them was new but vibrant. Yet for the first time since she arrived hours earlier there was a silence between them. It wasn’t that they hadn’t had moments of quiet, but this time it had an uneasy edge to it. There was something obviously on his mind, something he didn’t want to talk about. She wasn’t sure how to handle it. Prying would make him throw up a wall, blocking her out further. At least it would if she were him. Still saying nothing felt wrong.
“You…” She reached out to him, placing her hand on his forearm, stopping him as he turned to look at her. “You know you can talk to me, right? I mean about anything. I’m here for you.”
“I know.” He was facing her but wasn’t looking at her. Instead his gaze seemed focused on the ocean and sky behind her. “You’re wrong.”
“Excuse me?”
“What you said earlier about me not being hardened. You’re wrong. You didn’t know me before.”
“True.” She pulled her hand back from his arm and took him in. “You think the military changed you and you’re right, I’m sure it has. It changed me too. Maybe it did harden us somewhat, but not like you said. The man that held my hand during the Humvee ride wasn’t hardened. The man who e-mailed me isn’t either. Neither is the man standing here in front of me.”
“Then how did I miss it? If I wasn’t battle hard, then I would have seen him crack.” He reached up and dragged a hand across his face, his eyes wide as if he hadn’t expected to voice what was running through his thoughts.
“Who? Talk to me Daniel.” The pain was clear on his face, making her want to reach out and comfort him, but she forced herself to wait. Wherever this was going had been brewing for some time within his thoughts. If she waited he might finally be able to get it off his chest.
“Allen…Lance Corporal Tommy Allen.”
“This the incident that had you questioning yourself.”
“Incident.” He bit out the word as if it had a horrible taste. “I didn’t see the signs and because of that he lost it. Rifle
in hand, ready to shoot his fellow Marines. If it hadn’t been for an old friend that he grew up with shit would have had a different ending. When Jess pushed her way through the gathered Marines, she shifted things in our favor and Allen lowered his weapon. I almost failed him.”
“You didn’t tell me what happened, but a lot of things happen during a deployment. You can’t blame yourself.”
“You’re unbelievable.” His gaze shifted back to her as annoyance crept over her.
“I”
“Let me finish.” He placed his hands on her shoulders and for a moment she considered pulling back. “Unbelievable as in I can’t believe you’re real. You’re like the sun peeking through the storm clouds threatening to release Hell on Earth. You bring a smile to my face and make me believe everything will be okay. I hated the idea of ending my military career, yet here I am, and you know what? I think I’m happy. At least for the most part. It means I can go anywhere in the world and the only place I want to be is wherever you are. I’ve fallen in love with you Emily Sharp.”
Love. That single word echoed through her thoughts, yet she couldn’t believe it. The whole trip so far seemed to be a dream. The world’s most perfect dream. Maybe that’s what this was.
“I don’t want to wake up.”
“Huh?” Daniel’s brows knitted in confusion.
Until that moment she hadn’t realized she’d spoken aloud. “Sorry. Just thinking.”
“I tell you I’m in love with you and you’re thinking about sleeping.”
“I…” Words failed her as he stepped closer, closing the distance between them. “I”
“I understand. It’s quick and you need time.”
“What was that you said earlier? Let me finish? Yeah, I think that was it.” With a grin she tossed his words back at him. “I’ve been fighting with myself for weeks now on how I feel about you. Before that, I refused to acknowledge these feelings. We hadn’t even met, and I knew you claimed my heart. I might as well have gone to a tattooist and had your name stamped on my heart, because it belongs to you. I love you, Daniel.”
Wrapping his arms around her, he pulled her against his chest and kissed the top of her head. “Shit Em, you’re shivering.”
“I’m fine.” He ran his hands down her arms, trying to chase the chill away, and with every caress the fire spread through her veins. “Are you sure your friend won’t be upset we’re staying at his condo?”
“Trust me, it’s fine.” Keeping his arm around her shoulders they started back toward the condo. “He’s overseas and told me to stay here as long as I’d like before going back to Montana. I didn’t expect to, but now with you here with me I’m glad I listened to him as to where the spare key was.”
“It’s beautiful here, but I wouldn’t care where we were. Being with you is enough for me.”
“Good, because as much as I’d love to stay here, we should get on the road tomorrow. I’ve set up an appointment with a real estate agent for next week. You know, there’s only so long I want to be stuck in a hotel.”
“Tomorrow’s fine.” As they climbed the steps back to the condo’s porch she glanced back at the ocean. “Why don’t you stay with me? I mean why get a hotel room when I have the extra bedroom. My cabin isn’t much but it’s two bedrooms. There’s plenty of quiet, which I love, but maybe you prefer to be close to town.”
“Maybe you want to wait until you’ve spent a few days with me before you go inviting me to your sanctuary. You might not be able to stand me by this time tomorrow.” Opening the sliding glass door, he held it open for her. “Did Hazel tell you I snore like bear? Or that I’m grumpier than a bear coming out of hibernation in the mornings before I’ve had coffee?”
“That’s okay, I’ve got claws of my own. Touch my coffee and you’ll find out what damage I can do in five seconds flat.” Stepping into the warm condo she turned back to him. “At least think about it.”
“We both will.” He assured her.
She didn’t need to think about it. She wanted him there with her. All these years her cabin in the woods had been her safe haven, her sanctuary. Now she was willing to open that sanctuary to someone else. It should have been terrifying, instead the possibility filled her with excitement even if it would only be for a few weeks while he searched for a place of his own.
Chapter Twenty-One: United Homefront Ranch
The drive from South Carolina to Kentucky had been uneventful, allowing Emily to use that time to get to know Daniel better. They talked about everything from their school days, to the military, to their plans to get Hazel back for her conniving ways. It wasn’t until they were an hour away from Daniel’s friend’s house that he explained a little about where they were going.
The United Homefront Ranch was something that couldn’t be described in words. This haven for military service personnel was nothing short of amazing. All the different aspects they offered ensured the veterans the best chance at a full recovery both mentally and physically. The things she witnessed in the last few hours had to be experienced and felt. Words would never do it justice. It was beyond anything she could have expected.
“Em.” Daniel came up behind her and slipped his arm around her waist.
“Hey there.” She tipped her head back, resting it against his chest, as her gaze stayed on the sun sinking lower on the horizon.
“I can’t tell if you’re watching the horses or the sunset but either way I hate to spoil it.”
“Having you here makes the experience so much more exciting.”
He pressed his lips to her temple, placing a soft kiss there before pulling back. “Kyle has someone inside he wants you to meet.”
“Who?”
“Go see, he’s in the living room.” He stepped back waiting for her to move away from the porch railing. “Kyle and Staci are checking on the horses and Josafina is in the kitchen cleaning up from dinner. You’ll have privacy.”
“Wait, you’re not coming?”
“I’ll be along in a bit.” She wanted to argue but before she could open her mouth he added. “Trust me.”
“I don’t think I mentioned it in my letters, but I hate surprises.” Her stomach twisted with uncertainty.
“I’ll have to remember that for next time. Now go on.”
Shaking her head, she stepped away from the railing and headed for the porch’s screen door. She wanted more answers from Daniel, so she could prepare herself for whoever was waiting inside. She could have stood there questioning him, but she knew him well enough to know he wasn’t going to tell her anything more. He had a mysterious side to him, one that intrigued her as well as annoyed her in moments like this. There was no doubt he got it from Hazel.
Stepping into the log ranch home she took a deep breath and entered the living room to the right of the doorway. A young man in his early twenties sat waiting, his gaze was focused on the floor in front of him giving her a moment to take him in unnoticed. His reddish-brown hair had grown out of the crew cut, making it a little shaggy, the creases within showed how often he ran his fingers through the strands.
Questions raced through her thoughts. Why did Kyle want them to meet? Had she known him during her own military service? From looking at him she doubted it. He was too young to have served with her. Maybe a younger brother of someone, yet she couldn’t think of anyone who would fit with either. His body was rigid as if nervous, making guilt spark within her as she stood there watching him.
“Excuse me.” Her voice was soft as she took another step into the living room.
He rose off the sofa, rising to well over six feet tall. “Miss Sharp?”
“Emily.” She corrected, coming to stand next to the sofa.
“Blessing Elementary school teacher, Emily Sharp?” He questioned, as if trying to be certain as to her identity.
“Yes. I teach fourth grade there.” As his gaze took her in she fought not to shift uneasily. “Do you know me?”
“I’m sorry ma’am, forgive my uncertaintie
s. It seemed unbelievable for you to end up here while I’m here. What are the chances?” He held out his hand to her. “I’m C.T. Black. Charles Tyler but everyone calls me C.T.”
“Seaman Black. I remember you.” She slid her hand into his and he shook it firmly before letting go. “I…” She shook her head unsure how he knew she was here. Had Kyle or Daniel known? It seemed impossible for them to know Seaman Black had been one of the service personnel her class adopted. It wasn’t something likely to come up in normal conversation.
“Please, have a seat. I know you and Gunnery Sergeant Fitch are here visiting Kyle and Staci so I’ll only take a few minutes of your time.” He stepped back, giving her space to sit on the sofa.
Her gaze never leaving him as she lowered herself onto the cushion. “I don’t understand, how did you know I was here?”
“I was in the barn, tending to one of the horses with Clifford when you arrived. I overheard the introductions.” His gaze shifted away from her as he shifted his weight. “I hadn’t meant to eavesdrop but when I heard your name I couldn’t help myself. Afterwards I managed to corner Kyle to set up this meeting. I didn’t want to make you uneasy by approaching you myself. I figured Kyle could set this up and I expected Gunnery Sergeant Finch would have joined you. If not Kyle also.”
“Daniel is outside, he thought we’d like a few minutes alone. I guess he expected whatever you wanted to discuss with me was something that would be easier alone.” She ran her hand down the front of her jeans. “It’s unusual for me to meet one of the service personnel my class adopts.”
“Honestly, I never expected to meet you or even have further contact with your class. Maybe that’s from guilt, I don’t know.” He sank onto the sofa, leaving plenty of space between them. “When you arrived here, I knew I had to speak with you. I needed you to know that it meant so much for me to receive those letters from your students. It got me through the hardest part of my life.”
Touch of Home (Blessing Montana Book 2) Page 9
