Page 77 of Leave

The morning after the bachelor party, my head throbbed a little, but I didn’t get sick, and I mostly just felt like I would after a too-long shift or something. Kind of tired, but not like those hangovers I’d had in my early days in the Navy. I still wondered sometimes how my liver hadn’t given out before I turned twenty-five.

Nolan didn’t look too bad either. We went to the restaurant beside the hotel again, and especially after we’d both had some food and coffee, we came back to life. Back in our rooms, we showered, shaved, and brushed our teeth, and honestly, if not for the very faint throb behind my eyes, I’d never know I’d gotten drunk last night.

After we’d both dressed, he came into my room so we could figure out our plans for the day. We had Sophia’s bachelorette tonight, and neither of us felt like doing much between now and then.

“We can just take it easy for the day,” I said. “Save our energy for tonight.”

“Sounds good to me.”

We settled onto my bed, ostensibly to watch TV, but that ended predictably. The two of us in the same bed, especially while we were still enjoying the novelties of getting naked together and of kissing, only ended one way.

Andthat, I was happy to realize,alsoonly ended one way.

I had no idea when cuddling with Nolan would stop feeling new and incredible. Hopefully never, because I loved this.

We lay there in comfortable silence for a while, the sheet draped over our waists and my arm draped over him. I surreptitiously watched him. His features were relaxed now, his eyes closed even though he was awake. His hair had really started to grow in since we’d left Japan; it looked good like that. He rocked the short, neat look as well as he did the high-and-tight.

Which he’d only had for a few months.

Curiosity got the best of me, and I quietly said, “Can I ask you about something?”

Nolan slid a hand over my arm. “Sure.”

I studied him as I tried to put my thoughts into words, my intense curiosity clashing with my reluctance to put him on the spot. Finally, I reached up and trailed my fingertips along the side of his head where the shaved skin transitioned to the longer hair on top. “When we were at my parents’ house, you said you started going with the high-and-tight because your boyfriend liked it.”

His eyes darted away from mine, and he turned a little pink.

“I also remember mentioning how much I liked this look,” I said softly. “And a little while after…” I swallowed. “I’m just curious.”

He drew the tip of his tongue across his lips as he shyly met my gaze again. “Doyou like it? On me?”

“Fuck yeah,” I said without hesitation. “You looked good before, but this…” I whistled, shaking my head.

He laughed even as some more color rose in his cheeks. “Mission accomplished, then.”

“So it… It was because you knew I liked it?”

Staring at his hand on my chest, he didn’t respond for a long moment. Then, without saying a word, he gave a subtle nod.

I couldn’t describe the little rush of warmth that sent through me.

“For the record,” I said, “I really did like the shaved look too. And I’d never ask you to change the way you look for me. Just so we’re clear.”

Nolan smiled, gaze still fixed on our hands. “I know. To tell you the truth, I really like it too—the high-and-tight, I mean. I had one before, actually. It was just a pain in the ass to maintain.” He licked his lips again. “But then there was suddenly a reason why maintaining it would be worth it, so…” He half-shrugged.

“You don’t have to, though.”

He looked right in my eyes. “But if I keep it like this… you’d like it?”

“Well, yeah. But I don’t want you to think you have to change anything to keep me happy. Especially things like…” I gestured at his hair.

“You’ve done things for me, though.”

“I…” Okay, I had, but I hadn’t thought he noticed. “Like what?”

“You go out of your way to pick up my mail, even when we both know you’re not expecting anything and you’re not going to Kadena that day.”

My face warmed. I definitely hadn’t thought he noticed that. “I’m… sometimes on Camp Shields.” That was right down the road from Kadena. White Beach, which was where I workedmostof the time, was a good half hour away.

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