Total pages in book: 47
Estimated words: 43456 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 217(@200wpm)___ 174(@250wpm)___ 145(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 43456 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 217(@200wpm)___ 174(@250wpm)___ 145(@300wpm)
Linden nodded slowly, absorbing my words before sharing her own story. “I can relate to that.” Her voice carried a note of sadness. “My dad was Navy too, and my mom worked as a civilian contractor. We moved constantly. I don’t think we stayed in one place longer than two years until he retired in West Virginia.”
“Did you adapt well?” I asked gently, trailing my fingers lightly along her side.
She tilted her head thoughtfully. “I got good at fitting in quickly. I was always shy, but you learn fast when you’re always the new girl.”
“What brought you to Georgia?” I inquired quietly.
Her voice caught slightly, her body tensing subtly against mine. “After my brother died, things fell apart. My dad took a job overseas, and my mom checked out. I stayed behind.”
The pain in her voice made my chest ache. I tightened my arms around her, offering silent comfort. “I’m sorry, little dove. I knew of Carson. Didn’t know him personally, but we all heard about the crash.”
She glanced up at me, eyes searching. “I just wanted to feel close to him again. When Aegis offered me the transfer, it seemed like a way to stay connected. I took it, even though I didn’t know a soul here.”
“Glad you did,” I murmured, pressing a soft kiss to her temple. “Because now you have me.”
Linden smiled faintly, her body finally relaxing again as she melted back into my embrace. “I’m glad too.”
We fell quiet again, soaking up the quiet intimacy, lost in our own thoughts as the water slowly cooled around us.
11
TOMCAT
Eventually, I shifted, giving Linden’s thigh a little squeeze under the water—careful to keep my hand away from temptation. “Water’s getting cold, baby.”
She nodded, sighing softly as I rose, water dripping from my skin as I stepped from the tub. Grabbing a towel, I wrapped it around my waist before turning back to her. Linden watched me, her cheeks flushed softly as her gaze trailed along my bare chest. Her stare made my cock twitch again, but I forced myself to stay focused.
I reached for her hand and helped her up, steadying her carefully as she stepped from the bath. Her skin was flushed pink from the heat, her curves glistening in the low light. I quickly wrapped another towel around her, forcing myself to behave as my fingers brushed her bare shoulders.
The intimacy of the moment reinforced my absolute certainty that I’d found the woman who had carved herself permanently into my heart.
I guided her out of the bathroom, my hand lingering at the small of her back as we moved into the bedroom to get dressed. Linden found fresh clothes from the duffel she’d packed, and I grabbed jeans and a dark tee from my closet, tugging the pants on as I watched her from the corner of my eye. She was quiet but thoughtful, the curve of her bottom lip caught softly between her teeth as if she were working up the nerve to speak. I smiled inwardly, curious to see where her questions would lead us.
Finally, she turned to me, a little hesitant but clearly intrigued. “So, Keegan…what exactly do you do for Aegis? I know you fly planes, but I’m guessing there’s more to it?”
I pulled on my shirt, letting it fall into place before facing her fully. Her green eyes sparkled with genuine curiosity, drawing the truth out of me effortlessly. “I consult on aircraft designs and test new experimental planes. You’re right, it’s a bit more involved than just flying. I’m there through each step, really.”
“When did you decide that’s what you wanted to do?”
“Started young,” I answered as I walked to the closet and grabbed one of my cuts. “Graduated high school at sixteen, earned my aerospace engineering degree before eighteen, then joined the Navy as soon as I was old enough. On some level, I think I always knew I wanted to fly.” My lips quirked. “In the air and on the road.”
Linden’s brows lifted, a quiet awe coloring her expression. “That’s impressive. You must have had a sharp mind to have such a clear sense of what you wanted as a kid.”
She padded back into the bathroom and grabbed her brush, then worked on getting the tangles out of her damp hair.
I nodded and walked over to stand in the doorway as I shrugged my cut onto my shoulders. Damn, she was gorgeous.
Mentally shaking my head, I pushed those thoughts away before they spiraled, and she ended up so sore she wouldn’t walk for a week.
“My brain always worked faster than most, but the military sharpened it into something lethal. At twenty-five, I went through the Navy Strike Fighter Tactics Instructor program—most people call it Top Gun. That’s where I met Fallon. We flew together, served together, and survived things that bonded us for life.”