Page 47 of When Love Is Lost and Found

"I know," he says. "It's always the same dream. Sharon, I have to tell you what happened. Please."

His eyes are dark and pleading, but the thought of hearing the details of what happened to my beautiful Jimmy makes my stomach turn and my heart thump erratically inside my chest.

"Now you are scared," he says.

"Yes," I say. "If what happened to Jimmy gives you those awful nightmares, I can only imagine how it would affect me. I know that sounds selfish, but I just can't."

I get up to leave, but Jon reaches for my hand and stands with me. His big frame towers over me.

"I better go," I say, looking into his eyes but making no attempt to move. This is where I want to be, and he knows it.

"Sharon." The way he whispers my name fills me with anticipation, and before I can speak another word, his mouth descends on mine.

His lips are warm and sweet, just like I imagined. I put one hand on his rock-solid chest and wrap the other around his neck, drawing him closer and closer, deepening the kiss. I run my fingers through his hair and let him kiss me thoroughly until urgency transforms into a slow, dizzying, all-consuming, out-of-body experience where all sense of time and space disappears, and there is only him, his arms around me, and his lips on mine.

When he ends the kiss, I'm left feeling empty and weak at the knees.

"I'm sorry," he says. "I tried to avoid kissing you."

"Did you?" I ask, raising an eyebrow. "You should've tried harder."

"I really am sorry."

"Are you?" I ask, glancing at him just as a grin crosses his lips.

"No," he says, shaking his head. "I lied. I'm not sorry. I've wanted to kiss you since the day I met you."

"You took advantage of the situation!" I exclaim. "You waited until my guard was down."

"You never have to put your guard up with me." He's not touching me, but the sincerity in his voice is leaving a mark on my heart.

"And for the record," he continues, "you kissed me back."

"I got carried away!" I say defensively. "I wanted to show you some compassion to help you feel better."

"That wasn't compassion," he says, grinning, "but I do feel better."

"Good night, Jon," I say, walking to the door. "And for the record, I'm not sorry either."

I smile and walk back into my room. I shut the door and lean against it before closing my eyes and lifting my fingers to my lips, tasting the sweetness he left behind. He's right; that was not compassion.

Chapter 10

Jon

I kissed her, and she kissed me back. She fit perfectly in my arms. She's soft and sweet. What am I saying? This is Jimmy's fiancée. They were going to get married. Her heart belongs to him. I rake my fingers through my hair and then bury my face in my hands. This can't be happening.

I shower, hoping the cold water will numb my senses and clear my thinking. I change into pajama bottoms and a T-shirt before lying in bed, exhausted but afraid that another nightmare might bring her back into the room. She said she was okay, but I know I scared her.

So I stay up most of the night replaying the events of that day in my mind over and over again. Why relive a nightmare in my sleep when I can just as well do it when I'm awake?

Jimmy and I were eager to board the amphibious combat vehicle. We had heard that it wasn't for weak stomachs or the faint of heart, so we both wanted to test our sea legs.

We sat in the crowded compartment for two hours before realizing we were in trouble.

"Brace yourselves, Men!” Our commanding officer, Mitch Fletcher yelled. "We're taking in water!"

"I wonder what gave him that idea?" Jimmy muttered jokingly, looking down at the sloshing water above our ankles.

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