Page 25 of One Unexpected Gift

If Skylar was into the fancy fine-dining thing it would be a sign she wasn’t meant to be.

Meant to be.

Hell, he needed to shake these thoughts from his head. Anytime he’d been interested in a woman he never thought about the long term.

“I haven’t been here in over a year.” Skylar’s eyes scanned the chalkboard menu before turning to him.

They were so green. So pretty. And even though it had been dark, he remembered quite clearly how they darkened right before she—

“Nicolas. Good to see you, boy, even if you do steal my summer traffic.” Duke leaned his protruding stomach against the counter.

“They come to The Zone for bowling and beer and to Duke’s for good food and the view.”

“Seems like you’ve got a nice view as well.” Duke winked at Skylar.

“No complaints here.” Nick grinned at Skylar before returning his attention to Duke.

“What can I get you two? Service may be a little slow since I’m the only one on. Didn’t expect much business on a Monday.”

“We’re in no hurry. What would you like?” he asked Skylar.

“I’ll have the fish and chips, please. And a water.”

“Make that two.” Nick took out his wallet and handed Duke a few bills.

Duke set two water bottles on the counter then went over to his cooking station and did his thing. The kitchen space was small, but so was the dining area.

“Where would you like to sit?” He motioned to the five tables crammed in the small space. “Or we can go outside if you’re not too cold.”

The sun was out and not a cloud in the sky with the temperature in the low sixties. Not bad for late September.

“Outside is good.”

He followed her out the door and to a picnic table by the water. They sat across from each other, and he handed her a water bottle.

“You said the last time you were here was Thanksgiving?” He wondered if she was thinking the same thing he was.

About how soft her skin felt under his hands. How sweet her kisses tasted. How freaking beautiful she looked sitting at his bar, on his desk, pushed up against the door in the cramped closet. Nick’s gaze dropped to her chest. Even wearing a bulky sweatshirt, he could envision her curves, her breasts which he longed to touch.

As if sensing his train of thought, she cleared her throat and crossed her arms over her chest. “It’s so quiet around here. A little different from base life.”

“Tell me about your job.” He leaned forward, resting his elbows on the picnic table.

“I’m a medic. An OR nurse.”

“Do you treat on the battlefield as well?”

“Battlefield?” She gave him a cute smirk.

“I watch a lot of action movies.”

“I figured.” She picked up her water bottle and took a sip, her gaze leaving his and focusing on the water. “I used to be a helicopter medic, treating the wounded as soon as we got them on the chopper, and following them to the medic tents.”

“I can’t imagine the stress of your job.”

“When you’re treating a wounded soldier, knowing they put their life on the line to protect our country and the millions of innocent people in other countries, you kinda forget about the danger and stress and home in on the situation. You don’t have time to think about the dangers the chopper is in, or if the enemy has weapons aimed at you. Your number one concern is treating the soldier. Saving a limb, a life.”

She took a long sip from her water, and he watched as her gaze traveled to the water.

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