Soldier Mine (Sons of War #2)(44)

We watch the two men return to the veranda. Petr faces me, and I become even more aware of the distance between us. Inches, if that. I stare at his wide chest for a moment before meeting his gaze finally.

“Dinner?” he asks with a raised eyebrow.

“I figured next week is okay, since you have the party through the weekend,” I reply.

“You’re serious.”

“Unless the offer is no longer open,” I add. It’s hard to breathe and talk again. “I thought I’d save you the trouble today of asking.”

“If I remember, you said you couldn’t go until you’d dealt with something.”

I clear my throat. “It’s over. Dealt with. Done.” The declaration makes my soul quiver, along with the reality that I don’t have any idea what to do now that I’m free of the past.

He’s quiet, hard to read. I search his face, on the verge of hyperventilating at the idea I might have assumed too much.

“It’s okay if you don’t want to anymore,” I add somewhat breathlessly. “I’ve been a pain in the ass to you. I don’t know how you toler-”

Petr kisses me. I freeze at the sudden pressure of his warm lips, familiar fear floating through me before I remind myself the nightmare is over and this is what I want. He is what I want. With some timidity, I lean against his hard frame and start to relax, opening to him. As before, his kiss is slow and gentle, testing me, exploring the depths of my mouth with his velvety tongue. He tastes of cider and cinnamon tonight, a purely holiday flavor.

His arms wrap around me, surrounding me with heat and strength that fills me with both yearning and relief. I rest my palms on his chest and indulge in how incredible his muscles and warmth feel through the soft sweater.

Petr cups my neck with one hand, his thumb running back and forth along the sensitive area of my neck below the ear.

He withdraws without moving away, his face inches from mine and hand moving to my cheek. “You are serious,” he murmurs.

“I am. If it’s not too late.”

“No.” He smiles, and the skin around his eyes crinkles. “So this means … what?”

I feel stripped bare, emotionally raw beneath his intensity, and so wildly ecstatic and scared, I can’t breathe or speak for a moment. “It means … I’m scared but … I also want to fall with you. No more running or ask-me-tomorrows. I want … this. Us.”

“I like that.” His smile grows warmer. “You sleeping over tonight?” He winks.

My face flares red, and I duck my head, hugging him instead with a laugh. I have no idea how to answer the question or even if he’s asking what I think he is. I’d sleep with him in a heartbeat, I think, based on how much emotional restraint and hope I’ve stored up praying for the miracle that happened today. There’s no part of me that doesn’t want to take every chance I can with him. After starving myself from living, from risks and emotions and hope, I’m starving for the man who embodies everything I ever dreamt of.

“We’ll see,” I find an answer at last.

He tips my chin up and kisses me again, this time without the slow restraint he’s shown before. Hunger ignites inside me, driven on by the promise of passion and intensity I experience in his kiss.

When he pulls away again, I’m a wet noodle in his arms, breathless, dazed and happier than I’ve ever felt in my life.

“Come on. I’ll introduce you to some more people.” He grins, his face and eyes glowing, takes my hand and tugs me towards the house.

We enter the mansion. In a whirlwind of introductions and my own scattered thoughts, I meet what seems like every soldier he’s ever served with and all the relatives in town for the holidays. I barely have a chance to get a word in with anyone, which suits me, because I’m not sure if I can string together a sentence. I barely register the different faces and names.

It’s not until I spot Todd and a couple other guys that I excuse myself from Petr’s side to talk to my brother.

“Hey!” I wave Todd over.

He leaves the four guys and joins me.

“What’re you doing?” I ask, eyeing the odd earmuffs he’s carrying.

“Going to the range.”

“Golf?”

“No, Claud.” He rolls his eyes. “Shooting range.”

My mouth drops open, and surprise crosses his features. “Oh. Yeah. You don’t know about that.” He shifts. “Petr is teaching me to be a man and part of that is shooting a gun.”

“Petr taught you to shoot a gun?” I place my hands on my hips.

“Responsibly,” he says.

I purse my lips, about to lecture him about violence and guns and everything else.

“My fault,” Petr says from behind me. One of his arms wraps around me, and he presses me against his warm frame. “Yell at me, not him. I was supposed to tell you, Claudia.” He winks at Todd.

I eye Petr then Todd. “You’re both in trouble, as far as I’m concerned. I’ll deal with it later, Todd. I wanted to tell you something.”

“What?” He’s looking between us as if expecting a different kind of news.

“I talked to Simon,” I say carefully. “Everything’s going to be okay.”

Todd’s gaze rivets to mine. “We don’t have to leave Glory Glade?” he asks, astonished.