Page 44 of Shades of Mercy
She laid her fingers on his elbow and they continued to the cottage. The lamp offered a welcoming light as they entered. The place felt cozy and she didn’t mind coming there after a long, hard day.
“How about a beer before bed?” he asked, taking off his boots next to the door.
“Sure. I’ll go change and meet you on the patio.”
“I need to go shower first.” He sniffed his armpits. “You wouldn’t want to be too close to me.”
“See you there.”
She could hear the water spray through the walls as she searched through a drawer for something to wear. She pulled out a T-shirt and sweats, and the burner phone she had tucked away dropped to the floor at her feet. She quickly swiped it up and hid it. Jag would take it from her if he knew she had it.
In her line of work, she’d learned a few tricks of the trade. When she and Mateo had stopped at the gas station, she’d snuck and bought the phone. She didn’t want to put anyone in danger, but she felt like the phone was a safety net.
She changed, grabbed two bottles of beer from the fridge, and took them to the patio. She sat down and stared up into the sky. The stars were beautiful, helping her forget for a moment the mess of her life.
“I feel like a new man,” Jag said as he stepped out onto the patio.
Water droplets dripped from the ends of his hair onto the white T-shirt. He wore grey sweatpants that made Mercy’s imagination run wild.
He could have sat down anywhere, but he chose to sit next to her. She didn’t mind.
“It’s so quiet here,” she said thoughtfully. “The stars are so bright. It feels like we could reach out and touch them if we stood on our tiptoes.”
He nodded. “I’ve been to many places in the world. This is one of the greatest places.”
“Where were you before you came here?” She tucked her knees to her chest.
“In Tennessee, living in a cabin on a secluded mountain.”
“You were a mountain man, huh?”
“I think technically it’s called isolating.”
“Why, Jag?” She truly wanted to peel back the layers.
He shrugged. “Hell, if I truly understood why, I could tell you. I came back to friendly soil, and I felt like I didn’t belong. I knew I no longer belonged in a uniform. But it just didn’t feel right to wake up every morning without having a terrorist to chase.”
“And now?”
He fleetingly met her gaze. “I’m finding my way. Easing into civilian life.”
“Do you often have nightmares?”
“Sometimes. Did I wake you with one?” Tension filled his expression.
“Yes, last night. I wanted to help, but I wasn’t sure what the right thing to do was.”
“It didn’t scare you?” he asked, raising a brow.
“No. If a man like Cross doesn’t scare me, I think I can handle your nightmares. What are your plans? Will you stay here long term? What do you see in your future?” She took a long sip from the bottle, enjoying the relaxation after a long day.
“No clue. I’m taking each day as it comes.”
She picked at the corner of the label, reflecting on the day’s events. “The cornbread was pretty burnt,” she said.
“No, not burnt,” he said.
“Jag…”
