Page 26 of Bewitched

“No, not yet. It’s too big a thing to start with. We need to ease our way into it.” She straightened her silverware and then shrugged. “Chitchat. Let’s try that.”

“All right. I guess we have some time to figure things out.” He covered her hand and looked out at the restaurant. He wasn’t real excited about reliving the last four months. But they had to start somewhere. “The day after your birthday, we left for Syria. We ended up being in country for three weeks. It was a rough one, but we all made it out. I got banged up, and it’s taken some time for the docs to put me back together. I have an appointment in a month for my final eval. My shoulder may not heal enough for me to be cleared for active duty.” Shrugging, he then lifted her hand and kissed it. “A new job may be in my future.”

“Oh, Blake, I’m so sorry.”

“Nothing to be sorry about. I’m damn lucky that I’ve lasted as long as I have.”

“It’s not over till it’s over,” she said firmly. The waitress delivered the first round of food and Paige clapped. “It looks delicious. Can we have two extra plates?”

“Sure. The rest of the order will be out soon.”

When the plates were delivered, Paige served him half of everything, then started eating. After that, he didn’t hear another word from her until the next round of food came. “How are you doing?” he asked.

Licking a finger, she stared up at him. “Fine. Why are you asking me?”

“No reason.”

“It’s best you see the real me.” She wiped her mouth and then rested her hands in her lap. “I wish I could tell you that witty, interesting me is going to return soon, but I’d be lying. Unfortunately, that girl is a distant memory and all that’s left is…this.” She waved her hand around and wrinkled her nose. “Witty and interesting disappeared a couple of months ago.”

Kissing her head, he laughed. “I look forward to getting to know you, whatever version you’ve got.”

“Sweet talker.” She kissed his cheek and sighed. “I’m kind of a sure thing, so you don’t have to flatter me. After all, it’s not like I can get pregnant again right now.” Leaning her head against his shoulder, she sighed. “I was thinking that I was going to have to wait a couple of years to have sex again, but with you showing up…well, let’s just say I have hopes that I won’t have to wait that long. My hormones are off the charts, so I’m praying you’ll help me out.”

His head was now going to explode. And he figured if that’s all that happened, he would be lucky. “Honey, we don’t have to wait another hour if you eat fast.”

“It can’t happen today; I have to get myself together.”

“You look perfect to me, so whenever you’re ready.” He kissed her head and remembered their night in Amman. “Tonight would be good.”

“We’ll see.”

Paige picked up her fork and started eating again, and he knew he was going to do everything he could to change the, “we’ll see,” to a, “hell, yeah.” Give him a goal and he always smashed it. This wasn’t going to be any different. He’d hoped a naked date was a possibility. Now he knew it was a probability. Seemed knocking up Paige Bennett was going to work out.

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