Chapter 14

Then he starts the Jeep up again and

pulls away. About damn time

A few minutes later he says, “We’re

clear.”

I toss the blanket off and frown at

him. “Something for a lonely soldier boy to look forward

to?”

He shrugs. “She was cute. Besides, I

have to have some reason to come back, don’t I?”

Sudden sadness tightens my throat. I

won’t be coming back with him. Climbing into the front seat, I

buckle the seat belt around myself. Into the quiet night, I murmur,

“I might never see you again.”

It’s the truth, and the words hang

between us like stones, dragging us both down and deadening the

already somber mood. Alden’s smile fades until he’s just staring

ahead. I want to apologize for something but I don’t know

what.

“You know,” he says, “and

don’t take this the wrong way, but…” He sighs. “Tomas has the

world, you know? How lucky can one person be? He’s sexy, he’s

wonderful, he’s spoiled rotten, and you can’t hate him for it. You