“Did you talk at all?” Rebecca asked.
“Yeah. I left the decision up to her. I thought she wasn’t ready yet but she said she was.”
“Then what’s the problem?” Vanessa asked.
Jim started pacing again.
“You’re driving us crazy, Jim,” Vanessa said. “Just tell us what the problem is.”
“It was her first time,” he muttered.
Total silence followed his words.
“Oh, my,” Vanessa said with a sigh. “Did you talk after?”
“No. She fell asleep almost at once. I told myself we’d talk this morning.”
“And did you?” Rebecca asked, a little bit of sternness in her voice.
“I couldn’t. We overslept and almost didn’t catch our plane.”
“What are you going to do?” Vanessa asked.
“I don’t know. I told myself we’d talk when we got back to the apartments, but then Will met us at the airport and kidnapped her. I don’t know what to do.”
“It’s possible she may not come to lunch. It’s even possible she’ll resign her job,” Rebecca said.
“No! She can’t. I won’t allow her to do that!”
“Jim,” Rebecca said quietly, “who told you you were in control?”
“I did. I’m going over to the apartments. Call Will and tell him I’m coming, that I have to have a few minutes with Carrie alone.”
He was out the door before either sister could say anything.
WILL OPENED the door to Carrie’s apartment when Jim knocked softly. “I’m glad you’re here,” he said. “What’s going on?”
“Did she say something?”
“Only that she was quitting. What happened in Vegas?”
“She’s not resigning. It’s a misunderstanding, that’s all. Let me talk to her alone. Then we’ll come to lunch.”
“Are you sure? I told her I wouldn’t accept her resignation, and she started crying.”
Jim heard the pain in Will’s voice. “I promise you Will. If anyone leaves, it will be me, not Carrie. But I hope I can convince her to let both of us stay.”
“All right. I’ll trust you to do what’s best for Carrie,” Will said, though there was a hint of a question in his words.
Jim didn’t dare try to explain to Will because the older man might slug him. But Carrie had agreed that it was what she wanted. He just wasn’t sure she still felt that way.
“I’ll let you know as soon as I can.”
After Will left, he sat down on the sofa and waited, though he would’ve preferred to join Carrie in the shower. He promised himself he’d do that one day, but they had to talk before they did anything like that again.
A few minutes later Carrie stepped into the living room, her hair blown dry, and wearing a pair of pants and sweater. She moved into the kitchen and put on water for hot tea.
“Are you all right?”
She whipped around, spilling water out of the kettle. “Oh! You—you scared me.”
He stood and walked into the kitchen. Gently he asked, “Did I scare you last night?”
“No, I wasn’t scared last night.”
The words should’ve pleased him, but she dropped her gaze.
“Then why won’t you look at me?”
“I think you’d better go to Will and Vivian’s for lunch. They’re waiting on you.”
“Aren’t you going?”
“No.”
“Why not?”
She squared her shoulders and drew a deep breath. “Because I’m leaving the firm. It would be too awkward for us.”
“I won’t allow it!”
“It’s not your decision!” she protested.
He stepped closer. “Why would you do such a thing?”
She turned her back. “I made a mistake.”
“What mistake?”
There was a longer silence this time, and she didn’t turn around to face him. But he waited her out.
“I—I thought I could be your lover and it wouldn’t change anything. But I was wrong.”
“Did Will convince you of that?”
“No. We didn’t discuss my reasons.”
“Good. Because I’m pretty sure you’re wrong. You see, you fell asleep last night before we could talk. And this morning we overslept and didn’t have time. But I don’t think I can work with you and Will without my being your lover.” He reached for her shoulders and gently turned her around to face him. With his thumb he caught one of the tears rolling down her face. “You see, I want to be your husband as well as your lover.”
If he’d thought she would immediately be transported into ecstasy, he was mistaken.
“That’s not necessary!”
He frowned. “I’m missing something here. Ah, I forgot to say the three little words I should’ve said last night. But I got distracted. I love you, Carrie.”
Still no happiness. The tears started coming much faster than before.
She shook her head, sobbing, while she tried to answer him.
Taking a tissue from the counter, he started mopping up her cheeks. “Wait until you stop crying, honey, ’cause I can’t understand you right now.”
“I said you d-don’t have to say that.”
The sadness in her voice almost broke his heart. “Yes, I do, because it’s the truth. I thought you understood last night that I love you, but I guess I should’ve spelled it out.”
“But you don’t now!”
“Why don’t I?”
“Be—because I was…inexperienced!”
He cradled her against him. “I wish I could say there was no one before you, but it’s not true. But I wish it was. Making love to you was the sweetest thing I’ve ever done. However, if I’d known before, I would’ve waited until our wedding night. At least I hope I would’ve.”
“R-really?” she asked, hiccupping.
“Really. I love you with all my heart. I hesitated in the beginning because I thought I was a jinx.”
“I know. Vanessa told me.”
“Ah. My little sister has been busy. But I’ll forgive her since she tried to set us up at her party.”
“No, she wanted you to meet someone—”
“And I did. I met you, again. And held you in my arms. And kissed you.”
“But you regretted it.”
“No, I just made up an excuse. That kiss stayed on my mind for several days, until we got to Vegas and I got to kiss you again.”
He leaned in and was about to kiss her when the phone rang.
“I bet that’s Will. We’re going to have to go over there, you know, even though I’d prefer to go to bed.” He moved to the phone and answered it.
“Well? Have you convinced her?” Will asked him.
Jim turned to Carrie and said, “Will wants to know if I convinced you. What shall I tell him?”
“Tell him yes and we’re on our way,” she said, smiling.
“Yeah,” he said into the phone. He listened for a moment. “Yeah, in a couple of minutes.”
When he turned around and took her in his arms, she asked, “Didn’t you tell Will we were on our way?”
“Yep. And we are. Just as soon as I kiss you again.”
She had no objections to those plans.
ISBN: 978-1-4268-5879-6
A SOLDIER’S RETURN
Copyright © 2005 by Judy Christenberry.
All rights reserved. Except for use in any review, the reproduction or utilization of this work in whole or in part in any form by any electronic, mechanical or other means, now known or hereafter invented, including xerography, photocopying and recording, or in any information storage or retrieval system, is forbidden without the written permission of the publisher, Harlequin Enterprises Limited, 225 Duncan Mill Road, Don Mills, Ontario M3B 3K9, Canada.
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A Soldier's Return Page 18
