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Chapter 11
Gunner’s place was a single-level two-bedroom home. After retiring from the service, he’d wanted a place of his own. It had hardwood floors and a fenced backyard. The interior had needed work, but he had fixed it up and painted the walls ivory. He wasn’t much for decorating, so he figured white would go with anything.
Lori walked around. “I like your place.” She sat on the black faux-leather sofa and admired the white brick fireplace. “It’s comfortable…homey.”
“Glad you like it. You can take the spare bedroom tonight.” Gunner felt like an idiot. He wished he could carry Lori to his bedroom and make love to her. Instead, he was treating her like a visiting cousin.
Lori smiled. “That will be nice.”
The look in her eyes heated Gunner’s blood, so he turned away. He had to stay alert to danger and keep her safe. Giving in to desire would be an amateur move.
“Are you hungry?”
“Not especially.”
“I think I have a couple of beers in the fridge. Can I get you one?”
“That sounds good,” Lori said.
Gunner should keep wine on hand, but he hadn’t made a habit of having women over. Bringing a woman to his home was intimate, so he preferred their place. Lori was an exception, since protecting her from danger was his primary concern.
A tinge of pain shot through his ankle. With all the excitement, he hadn’t noticed that it was slightly swollen. The race to grab Lori from the brink of disaster had stressed his injured joint. While he was in the kitchen, he took a couple of mild painkillers to handle the discomfort.
Lori had her shoes off and hugged a sofa pillow to her lap. She reached for the beer. “I appreciate you looking out for me…in case I haven’t said that.”
“I’ll continue to do that, don’t you worry.”
“I’m less worried with you around.” Lori took a swig of beer then stared at Gunner. “You saved my life.”
“I’m just glad I was there.”
For a while, Lori talked about other things. It was good to see her relax. Under other circumstances, Gunner would consider taking the relationship further. But he was torn. Having sex was tempting, but love and romance were out of his depth.
The mother of his own child wouldn’t have him. Gunner had gotten the message and couldn’t deny that he was a tough guy at his core. If a woman wanted charm, tenderness, and sensitivity, then he didn’t fit the bill. Most women he had hooked up with had wanted some or all of the items on that list. It was foolhardy to deceive himself. It was best to stick to dating for mutual pleasure without commitments.
Lori was looking at him. “I’m always doing the talking. I want to know about you.”
Gunner cringed. He really preferred talking about her.
“You mentioned that you have a son.”
“Daniel just started college,” Gunner said. “I’m proud of him.”
Lori smiled. “You’re a man of few words.” She sipped her beer. “When was the last time you saw him?”
“I can’t recall exactly,” Gunner said. “Years, I suppose. It was his birthday last week and I sent him a gift.”
“What about seeing him?”
“I’m not sure he wants to,” Gunner said. “His mother raised him while I was in the service. I can’t blame him if he resents that I was away so much. I wasn’t there as his dad during his formative years.”
“You would have been,” Lori said. “Why wouldn’t Rebecca marry you?”
“You remembered her name,” Gunner said, then looked away, searching for the right response. “I’m guessing that she was initially attracted to my strength, without realizing that she was getting the whole package.”
“What does that mean?”
“A guy has to be tough to be a Navy SEAL, and I fit the profile,” Gunner said. “That’s not a brag, just a fact. But Rebecca wanted a softer side to her husband. I failed at that, although I did try…for her and my son.”
