Page 14 of Trusting a Warrior

“Ah, babe.” Ash heaved a sigh. “You need to stay away from these young guys with stars in their eyes. They’re a lot different than we were at twenty-two or twenty-three.”

Wasn’t that the truth. At that age, Geo had already been through BUD/S, and SQT, and had earned his Trident. After two years of training, war was on his mind, and a relationship with a man wasn’t even a possibility unless he wanted his career to go down in flames.

Tilting his head back, Geo stared up at the night sky. “I never promised him anything, you know that.”

“Yeah, I know. You never do.” Ash studied him for a moment. “You gonna be okay?”

Other than the fact I’m a colossal asshole who manages to let everybody down?

“Yeah,” he croaked, shoving away the toxic mixture of guilt and regret that seemed to have taken up permanent root in his chest. “I just needed to get through tonight.” Attempting a smile, Geo pulled Ash to him for a hug. “Give Nick a kiss for me, okay?”

“Now that I can do.” Ash waggled his eyebrows. “Or you can come kiss him yourself. Up to you.”

For a moment Geo was seriously tempted. Ash and his husband Nick were open, and Geo had spent many a hot night in their bed. After debating with himself for a minute, he reluctantly let him go. “Can’t. Gotta go check on Bosch.”

Ash huffed. “Geez, cockblocked by a dog. So great for the ego.” Walking backward away from Geo, he called out, “I think I’ll see if that luscious Drew wants some, er, comforting. You mind?”

“Comfort away.” Geo pulled his phone from his pocket and, with a few swipes of his finger, deleted Drew from both his contacts and his life.

It was over. Time to move on.

As he rode toward the base, he couldn’t help but wonder how Lani was feeling, if she’d managed to keep her snack down. Geo winced at the memory of the violent heaves shaking her body, her breathless mortification as he’d held her hair out of the way.

Yet, despite her obvious physical misery and emotional turmoil, her determination and sense of humor shone through it all. She’d made him laugh, and listened to his story about Cade, and she’d lost someone, too...

The sudden, fervent hope that she’d call took him by surprise.

Why would she? She had way too much on her plate to think about calling some dude who’d never be around. They’d shared a moment in time, that’s all, two strangers whose lives briefly intersected and then diverged once again.

It won’t happen.

Even so, the kernel of hope stubbornly remained. Geo racked his brain, trying to remember how long it’d been since he’d looked forward to anyone’s call like this.

Sadly, it’d been a really long time.

Chapter Three

The knock on the door startled Lani into a yelp.

Pushing her laptop away and dragging herself up from the table, she trudged over and peered through the peephole. The large green eye staring back at her first made her jump back in alarm, then huff in annoyance. She unlocked the door and yanked it open. “God, I hate when you do that.”

Rhys Halloran grinned back at her. “I know. Why do you think I keep doing it?”

“Because you’re a mean, gross boy, that’s why.”

Stepping aside, she let Rhys inside her apartment before leaning back against the door with her arms crossed over her chest, heart pounding. Why on earth was he here?

When his gaze dropped to her midsection, she knew.

“Sarah told you?”

“Aaron did. Honey...” Rhys took a step toward her. “Why didn’t you tell me?”

She shrugged, unable to meet his eyes. After another beat of silence, he drew in a deep, shaky breath. “Jesus, Lee-Lee.” The paleness of his cheeks made his freckles stand out in sharp relief. “What’re you going to do?”

The sight of his distress brought a lump rising into her own throat. “I honestly don’t know yet. Still trying to figure some things out.” She spun around to walk into her tiny kitchen, where she grabbed up her teakettle and started to fill it.

After a moment came the sound of his footsteps behind her. “Tell me about the airfield yesterday. The truth this time, not that bullshit you spouted about wanting to fuck with me.”