Page 60 of The Soldier's Homecoming

“I know it’s going to be hard going back.” His voice was husky, full of meaning. “But if we can make it work it’ll be worth it.”

She nodded, head moving in a slow arc up and down. He was right. He was so right, she knew it because of the flutter in her chest, the heat tickling across every inch of her skin.

“We made a life together, Penny.”

They were the words that made her turn. That made her breath catch in her throat in a gasp.

“See that little girl in there?She’s ours. No one can ever take that away from us.”

She tipped back, the smallest motion of her body, but it was enough to touch Daniel, to allow his mouth to touch her hair, to allow her back to skim his chest.

Penny tilted her head to the side and looked back at Gabby. Saw her smiling at herself in the mirror as she continued to play, even with her father no longer by her side.

“If we hadn’t met, we wouldn’t have her. We wouldn’t have had all those years of being happy together. All those memories of having fun, of being in love.”

“I know,” she whispered, not wanting Gabby to hear them

Daniel sighed into her hair, touched both his hands to her forearms, held her in place. She was clothed but it was such a firm, intimate touch that it made her feel as if they were both naked. As if there was nothing else to think about other than their skin colliding, than his warm breath on the back of her neck.

“I don’t want to bring this up again, Pen, I don’t, but…”

She waited. Not wanting to go there again either but knowing they were still so far from putting it behind them. She wanted so badly to sayThen don’t.

“We can’t throw away something so special for something that was so meaningless.”

Her back bristled and he knew it. Caught the moment as it struck, before it was too late to be saved.

“I know it sounds clichéd and pathetic, but it was meaningless. Compared to what we had, to what we could still have.”

He stayed still, hands firm against her. “There is nothing more important to me than you and Gabby, and you need to believe that.”

Penny knew what he was trying to say and she was tired of calling him out on it. Was sick of blaming him, of holding anger and sadness in her heart when she didn’t have space to feel down. She’d already failed to listen to him once, and it wasn’t a mistake she wanted to make again.

“I don’t blame you anymore,” she told him, stepping away from him. Needing to distance herself physically. “I’m still angry, but I don’t blame you, Daniel. Not now.”

He didn’t say anything. Probably had no ideawhatto say.

“I’ll be ready soon,” she said, her voice louder this time so Gabby could hear if she was listening.

Penny knew Daniel was watching her. A hot flush hit her cheeks as she walked away, because she knew he was probably checking her out. Was as aroused as she was from being so close to one another yet so unable to do anything about it.

She needed to get out of the house.

Breakfast was going to be a good distraction, but their date tonight?

The thought of dancing with Daniel had her stomach leaping like snakes had taken possession of it. After feeling him behind her, touching him, being so close she could almost taste him…it was too much for her to resist if the temptation presented itself. And it would.

Maybe going on a date with her husband wasn’t such a smart move.

Unless she was actually ready to see if they could still be the Danny and Pen of old again.

Just like old times.

Penny groaned as she peeled off her clothes and jumped in the shower.

Being married wasn’t supposed to be this hard.

And being on the verge of happy wasn’t supposed to feel so traitorous.

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