Hot Pursuit - Denise A. Agnew [25]
Neena smoothed one hand over the granite countertop, her gaze thoughtful. “Every relationship is confusing and has its ups and downs.”
“Even yours?”
“Even mine. Welcome to being in love.”
Love? “Uh, no. I am not in love with Vic. I just met him.”
“In severe lust then.”
That she could admit to. “Major lust.”
“What are you going to do about it?”
Now that was the question, wasn’t it?
When Vic strode into his room at the inn Sunday night, it felt damned cold. He turned up the heat and stood for a moment soaking in a restless feeling he didn’t understand how to banish. He’d spent a couple of hours with Jake and Marisa, happy to see his fellow soldier and his pretty wife. They’d introduced him to Sean O’Callahan, an Army reservist, and his wife Eve. The men had talked computers and war while Eve and Marisa had taken their conversation to the kitchen and fixed dinner.
Vic found Sean and Eve very nice people, and his time with Jake was like being with a close friend, he felt like they understood each other well and they could build a stronger friendship. They’d tasted bad water and even nastier food when they worked in the desert together. They’d bonded the way only soldiers could when confronted with tough times. Jake had revealed that their Special Forces unit was returning to Fort Carson, so he and Marisa would be moving there. They expected fellow Special Forces officer Keith Wallace and his wife Freddie to get orders soon. So there would probably be more opportunities in the future to get to know all of them better.
Not surprisingly, word had already gotten around that Army Major Daniel Mendoza had tried and failed to rearrange a fellow officer’s face. Luckily for Danny, Vic was in a good enough mood New Year’s Eve to give Danny a break. The fact Lucy didn’t plan to go back with Danny made Vic damned happy. On the other hand, he didn’t know that for certain, did he? What if Lucy had changed her mind about the rat bastard? Jesus, he hoped not. Worry crept in. Vic wanted to growl, wanted to pick up the phone right now and assure himself she hadn’t decided to take back the scum. Jealousy surged upward when it shouldn’t, but an even stronger emotion followed. Worry. If the guy was that possessive, that violent when drunk—
Stop. Just stop. Take a deep breath. It was her business and not his, but damn, he wanted to make it his business.
He sucked in one breath and released it slowly. This wasn’t combat.
A tiny twinge of worry remained inside him. What if…what if Lucy didn’t want anything to do with him because of the sexual harassment bull crap? Then maybe she isn’t for you. He’d have to live with it and move on. But damn it, his feelings for Lucy went far beyond what he’d felt for Shelly. Way beyond.
Vic tossed his coat, socks, hat and gloves onto the bed. The room was decorated for female sensibilities—nothing male at all. Frills, gingham, ruffles. The gas fireplace was cold, and he fired it up by hitting the switch near the mantle. He rubbed his hands together and stood by the fire, contemplating. A while longer and it was back to Fort Carson. His thigh no longer ached, and sex with Lucy had proved he’d returned to one hundred percent. On the other hand, his mind hadn’t. He didn’t want to return to the Middle East right away, and he probably had six months before anyone considered sending him back, but he did want to fight for his fellow soldiers to make sure they came home safely. He’d do what he had to. If going back sooner meant he could help, he would. Two tours in the Middle East should be enough for any sane man, but maybe sanity had departed him long ago.
He rubbed his forehead and sighed. He’d almost called Lucy a half dozen times even though he’d told her to call him. He’d almost asked Marisa to give him Lucy’s cell-phone number.
Maybe he’d pushed Lucy