Page 62 of Protective Heroes

Kami Mackenzie.

My body swayed back a little and I had to fight to stay on my feet.

Without warning, my heart thundered to life. It went from steady and calm to flat out fuck me speeds in less than a second.

It took every ounce of self-control I possessed to keep from hurdling the tables between us, grabbing her from the chair and crushing her to me.

“Good morning, Trevor.” Mrs. Morgan hopped up from her spot beside Kami. As consumed as I’d been by a set of sky-colored eyes, I hadn’t even registered her presence until this moment.

I mentally glued my size sixteens to the hardwood floor and did my best to smile at Mrs. Morgan. “Morning. How are you?”

“Good, good.”

She came forward and I pressed a kiss to her cheek.

“Look who’s back in town. Isn’t she a beauty?”

I grumble some sort of agreeance that had Mrs. Morgan smiled to herself.

She patted my back. “Do you have time for a cup of coffee?” Mrs. Morgan asked.

“Here, take my seat.” Dave, the man sitting across from Kami, had been part of a few of my expeditions this week. He jumped up and offered his chair. “I have to finish getting my gear together.”

At this, the men in the room started to move, getting up and calling greetings as they headed off to get ready for the fishing trip.

I nodded, but kept my gaze firmly on the woman I never thought I’d see again after breaking her heart. I sank into the vacated chair as Mrs. Morgan bustled over with a cup of coffee. Without a word she whisked the dirty dishes in front of me away and seconds later replaced it with a plate heaped high with food and a set of clean utensils.

In less than two minutes, the room had cleared. The men scattered to gather their gear. Mrs. Morgan headed to the kitchen; her arms loaded with dirty dishes.

“Help yourself to more coffee,” she said on her way out. “I’m just going to get these dishes started.”

Through it all, I never let go of the gaze of the woman now sitting across from me. She shook her head, sending her mass of honey-blonde hair cascading over her shoulders. Past habits had me lifting my head to catch the scent of her. Hints of lilac and something warm and musky that was just her made me want to get closer and bury my face in the juncture where her neck and shoulders met.

I watched as her pretty, bow-shaped lips parted and then closed again. I could feel a smile tugging the corner of my lips, the first genuine smile I can remember mustering in a long time.

“Did you need me?” I asked. Not why are you here? Not where did you go? And not are you staying? And definitely not will you forgive me? I’ve seen war up close and personal. Death, blood and limp bodies of fallen friends and soldiers fill my nightmares, true. But the fact I broke the one woman who trusted me with her body and her heart haunts my waking hours as well as my sleep. Her blue eyes and soft voice. I was a fool.

She blinked, her cute nose wrinkling. “I’m sorry. No. I won’t be needing you.”

She looked away as if I were a stranger.

“You did say my name.”

“I said your name?”

I nodded, now fighting an outright chuckle at the way she crinkled her nose again. As I watched, she straightened in her seat, shaking her head as if to clear cobwebs.

Good. It wasn’t just me affected by our impromptu reunion.

Her eyes caressed over my face. My shoulders were next as if she were remembering something. Our last time together, perhaps? Her gaze dropped to my forearms where I had the sleeves of my shirt rolled up.

I know what she is looking at. The scars. They are hard to hide as is the limp I walk with now. The IED that caught me and a couple of team members by surprise on my last mission messed me up pretty badly.

“Trevor.” She rolled my name around and I acted before thinking. Reaching forward I took her hand in mine. When she didn't pull away, I gave up a small thanks to whoever watched over me.

“I didn’t think you would be here.”

I nodded. “I’ve been back a little over a year now.”

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