Page 15 of True Valor
Who?Him?Smoldering brown eyes?What theheck did that mean?But she wasn’t going to explain.Maybe that wasa good thing.She was off on another subject, as if the last fewminutes hadn’t happened.
“So, how long’s your vacation?”
Nic couldn’t switch gears that fast.
“Huh?”
She looked at him like he was a moron,couldn’t keep up.“How.Long.Is.Your.Vacation?”“A monthtotal.”
“Ooh, and how does one of America’s finestget a whole month off?”
Damn it.
“Not by choice, I assure you.”Nic grabbedhis cup from the table and strode to the kitchen to wash it.
Julie followed.
“I’ve cried on your shoulder, tough guy.Youwanna cry on mine?”
That macho-guy tirade was crying on hisshoulder?It felt more like her haranguing him.But, even so, hisproblems were his and his alone.
“Not particularly.”
“Okay, but if you change your mind...”Julieput her cup in the sink and went back out to the living room.Before he’d finished drying the cups, though, she came back.
“C’mon,” Julie said and reached for his hand.“Let’s go for a walk.”
Slate grey clouds layered the twilight sky.Christmas lights twinkled in the stillness, the only sound thecrunch of snow below their feet.Their breath crystallized intofog.Julie slipped her mittened hand into Nic’s.There was nothingeven suggestive about it.It was sweet, childlike.Something deepinside him began to melt.
Nic wasn’t sure he liked the feeling.
“For saints have hands that pilgrims’ handsdo touch.”
“What?”Nic stopped walking and stared ather.She only stopped because he had her hand in his.
“What’s wrong?”She looked a bitpanicked.
“You’re quoting Shakespeare again.”
“What?”It was obvious she didn’t even knowshe’d spoken.
“Never mind.”
Once across the next street, Julie grinnedand tugged Nic toward the slide in the center of a small park.Whenhe hesitated, she broke loose and skipped over to make her way upthe ladder.Once seated up top, she grinned and slid.Down theslide and out into the snow at the bottom, laughing like agoof.
“Your turn,” she said as she held out herhand so he could pull her up.Once she was standing, she put herhands on her hips and tipped her head.“Your turn,” she saidagain.
Her blonde hair peeked out from under the caphe’d made her wear, her eyes danced with abandon.Snowflakes meltedon her cheeks and Nic nearly leaned down to taste one.
When he didn’t respond, she bent down andscooped a handful of snow, letting it fly in his face.
If he moved, he was doomed.If he touchedher, or grabbed her, or wrestled her to the ground, it was allover.So, he stood, snow on his face, holding his breath.
But she had no such reservations.She drewclose, stood on tip-toe and kissed the snow from his chin.Herexpression held nothing sultry, yet her innocence was even moredistracting.
“Knock it off, Julie,” Nic said throughgritted teeth.“Let’s go.”
When they got back to the room, Julie tookher coat off and hung it on the hook.Then she went to the bedroomand closed the door.
