Page 17 of Coming Home

I nod with a big smile. “Absolutely.”

I point to the rooms around us. “The living room, kitchen, and dining room.” I walk across the living room and open a door before allowing her to go through it. “This will be my office, and there’s a bathroom through that door.”

I take her back across the living room and open another door. “This is the main bedroom with en suite bathroom.” I open the door to the closet. “And the closet.” She pushes the door and walks in with her mouth hanging open. “This closet is as big as the living room, bedroom, and kitchen at my apartment.”

I laugh and put my hand at her lower back. She walks back into the bedroom and looks at the bedroll. “Is this where you’ve been sleeping?”

I walk toward the door, ready to get her out of here. I’m not comfortable talking about it, but I’m not going to lie either. “Yeah, this is where I’ve been sleeping.”

“Where’s your bed?”

I cringe and point to the bedroll and rucksack that’s been stowed in the corner. “There.”

She walks toward it to get a closer look. “Hudson, you’ve been sleeping on an Army-issued pad?”

I shrug. “There’s a bed upstairs in one of the bedrooms, but I couldn’t sleep on it. This is what I’m used to.”

She opens her mouth and then closes it again. The way she looks at me with so much emotion shining on her face has me shrugging my shoulders. “It’s fine. I’m going to get a bed. I just need to work my way into it. It’s been a long time. I may have moved up in the ranks, but I still chose to serve missions. I stayed with my men, and if that meant sleeping outside in the elements… in a desert… wherever, that’s what I did, and most the time it was on one of those pads.”

After my little speech, I gesture to the door, and she takes the hint, leading me through the open doorway. I point across the kitchen. “Back there is a mudroom that leads to the garage. Up those steps are three bedrooms, two bathrooms, and a bonus room.”

She nods and walks to the center of the room. I want to follow her. I’m not sure what this feeling I have for her is, but I want to keep her close. She turns in a circle, looking at everything. “Do you want to know what I think?”

Fuck, I’m happy just listening to her talk. “Yes, I’d love to know what you’re thinking.”

She nods. “Okay, I’ll tell you. But you have to promise me one thing.”

I nod. “I promise.”

She smiles and walks in a circle. “Okay, promise me that if I suggest something you don’t like, you tell me. This is your house, and you have to love it.”

I know whatever she does I’m going to be happy with, but this obviously means something to her. “I promise.”

She nods happily. “Okay. So I’m thinking a big television so you and your brothers can hang out and watch the game.”

I nod approvingly, and she keeps going. I follow her around the room as she describes the large walnut wood furniture, the lamps, and the beige color scheme to offset the dark furniture. She talks about how the kitchen should be bright and airy, and I’m just following along, lost in the sound of her voice. We make it to the office, and she points to the wall. “I’m picturing a bookcase that runs the full length of the room. Do you like to read, Hudson?”

I nod. “Yes. I actually read quite a bit.”

She smiles approvingly. “Good. So a bookcase with a big desk. I’m thinking this wall would work great for your medals.”

My forehead creases. “My medals?”

She nods and moves closer to me. “Yes, your medals, and don’t lie and say you don’t have any. I may have only worked at Blaze a short time, but I’ve heard all about you. I know you received the Medal of Honor, the Bronze Star, and the Silver Star. You should be very proud, Hudson.”

I nod, but I can’t force myself to smile. I walk to the door, and her shoulders drop as she leads me across the living room, stopping at the bedroom door. “For your bedroom, I’m thinking a big bed. You’re a big man, and you need a big bed. I like a lot of pillows. Do you?”

I shrug because the truth is I’ve mostly used my pack as a pillow for the longest time. But her talking about bed and pillow preferences has my thoughts going south. “Sure, whatever you think.”

She tilts her head to the side and walks to the center of the living room. “I’ll start with the bedroom, and if you want to let me go afterward, there won’t be any hard feelings.”

“I won’t be letting you go, Ellie.”

She stumbles but catches herself on the back of the chair. She’s obviously unsettled by my claim. Maybe she knows I’m not just talking about her designing my house. The truth is, we may have just met, but already I know I’m not going to let her go. She’s going to be mine.

Chapter10

Elle

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