Star of His Heart - Brenda Jackson [33]
Ashton smiled at her. “I came to see you.”
She frowned and tried to ignore the deep fluttering in her stomach with his words and megawatt smile. “As you can see, I have company. Rome just arrived.”
Ashton’s smile widened. “Yes, I’m aware of that now.” He then glanced back at Rome and saw the zillion questions lodged in the younger man’s eyes and decided he may as well set the matter straight since he doubted Netherland would. “How would you like to go to Sisters and join me in a drink, Kalloren?”
Rome met Ashton’s gaze. “That sounds like a winner.”
“But you just got here, Rome. You haven’t taken your bags out of the car. You can talk to Ashton some other time,” Netherland said, glaring at the two men.
Rome glanced at Ashton, then back at his sister. He needed to have a talk with the colonel tonight. He was determined to find out what the man’s intentions were since he seemed so possessive of Netherland, and she appeared not to want to be possessed. “No, I think Sinclair and I should talk tonight.” He leaned over and kissed her cheek. “Don’t wait up, sis. I’ll use my spare key.”
Rome pulled in a long, deep breath as he watched the man sitting across from him take a leisurely sip of his drink. All the while Ashton’s gaze was on him. He would rather face a firing squad than draw Colonel Sinclair’s anger, but he needed answers to all the questions buzzing around in his head.
“It might be better if you just go ahead and ask me what you want to know, Kalloren.”
Rome took a sip of his own drink before he said, “Yeah, it might be better at that.” He leaned back in his chair. “Is something going on between you and Nettie? Earlier you hinted there was, and she hinted there wasn’t.”
A long minute passed in tense silence before Ashton finally answered. “Yes, there is something going on between me and Netherland, although she wishes otherwise.”
Rome nodded. “Because you’re in the military.” It was a statement, not a question.
“I see you know your sister fairly well.”
“The entire family does. We know that of all of us, she had the hardest time dealing with moving around. And because of it she swore up and down that she would never get involved with someone in the military.”
“Yeah, I’ve heard the story but I’m not buying it.”
Rome studied the colonel. He’d heard the man could be a stubborn cuss when he wanted to be. “I hate to be the one to tell you this but I always figured she meant it.”
“And I’m sure she probably thinks the same thing.”
“But you don’t?”
“No.”
“I’m curious to know why.”
Ashton took another sip before responding. “My and Netherland’s destinies are to be joined as one, entwined. It was shown to me in a vision.”
Rome released a slow smile. “Did you tell Netherland that?”
“Yes.”
“Did she believe you about the vision?”
“No.”
Rome wasn’t surprised.
“Would either of you like anything else to drink?”
Rome’s breath became lodged in his throat when he glanced up into the most beautiful pair of brown eyes he had ever seen, and the features that went along with those eyes made him exhale a soft breath. He quickly looked at the name tag the woman wore, which read Jada. He swallowed before saying, “No thanks, ma’am, that’s all for me.”
She nodded before glancing at Ashton.
“That’s all for me, too. Thanks.”
Jada nodded and quickly walked off. Rome couldn’t take his eyes off her and watched until she had disappeared around a corner.
“Do you have any suggestions on the best way to handle Netherland?”
Rome had been so attentive watching Jada that he jumped when Ashton’s deep voice rumbled across the table. He tried to laugh it off by saying, “Sorry about that. My mind must have drifted elsewhere.”
“Evidently.”
“What were you asking me about Nettie?”
“I asked if you had any suggestions on the best way to handle her.”
Rome looked at Ashton intently. “To be honest with you, I’m wondering why you want to. Nettie can be a pain in the rear end when she gets a bee in her bonnet about something, and that bee has been in her bonnet about military