Letters from Home (Love Beyond Reason #1)(16)

“I know what you mean.”

She really looked at him, and saw an understanding in his eyes that no other person could get…unless he was a soldier. She saw something else, too. The clear blue traces of love that she wanted to ignore but couldn’t.

“Zack,” she whispered and heard the pleading, breathlessness in her own voice. He’d held back since Quinn’s, giving her space and time over the last couple of days. But she wanted that moment back. Lena leaned in, touched his jaw line with trembling fingers as desire rose within her. “I’m going to kiss you now,” she spoke, her lips a breadth away from his.

“About damned time.” His no-nonsense response eased the nerves, making her smile in that moment before she made contact. But then the smile was gone, and she was enticing his mouth open with a swipe of her tongue, playfully nipping at lips that tasted of the coke he’d drank with their late dinner. She hummed her pleasure and felt his hands in her hair, caressing her neck, and then gripping her arms.

All the while, he pulled her closer and closer until she wanted to simply sink into him, feel the hard planes of his body against her soft ones.

Lena moaned then broke away as the Ferris wheel stopped. She yelped as the swing jerked forward then swung back. One hand gripped the rail to her left, the other gripped Zack’s leg. He laughed and covered her hand with his own. Then he lifted it, opened it. “Best idea you’ve had all night,” he said, placing a kiss against her palm.

Zack pointed out towards the river. “Look over there.” All along the west bank were barges waiting for their own part in the winter celebration—the fireworks.

Lena checked her watch. Nine fifty. “Almost time, and we’re stuck up here.”

“But we’ve got a great view.”

The swing started moving again, up and over the top of the circle, and then it stopped. Zack laid a hand on her bouncing leg. “We’ll get there, don’t worry.”

Once more, the Ferris Wheel moved, bringing them toward the ground. It wasn’t that she was uptight, but it had been so long since she’d been home for the winter carnival fireworks show. And with her family, too. “I know. Just been a while. We should both be down there.”

Because he was family. And wasn’t that exactly why she wasn’t supposed to kiss him? Apparently, she would have to work a little harder to overcome her desires. “I’ve had a really good time tonight, Zack.”

“Uh, oh. That sounds like a precursor.”

The swing stopped at the bottom of the circle, and the worker came over to hold it so they could step out. At the bottom of the steps, Lena turned and walked backward.

“No, it’s…” she thought about it for a moment. “I have this other thing going on.”

“The letter guy.”

“Right, the letter guy. And, I fell for it, the romance, the sentiment, but I’d forgotten how it was to be with someone who knows me, cares about me even when I’m not perfect.

“I have seen the ugly sides of you.”

She lifted her brow and put her hand on her hip, stopping in his path. “I have ugly sides?”

“No,” he said with a grin. He took her hand, and they continued toward the park. “Remember the time during college when you totally went ape-shit crazy on your roommate who thought it would be fun to invite her entire sorority over for a pre-exam bash?”

“Sorority and male counterparts,” she added, “with groping hands!”

She’d been doing a decent job of clearing her room, but had felt even better when Zack showed up after he’d gotten off duty. It helped that he’d been in uniform, too. Big and over-bearing. He’d made her heart pound with want, but he’d been hands-off during those years. When had it stopped? The wanting. Later. Separation had eased the ache of her crush.

“You’d already taken care of it by the time I showed up. You sure can raise your voice, Lena. I saw a few left hooks in there, too.”

“Oh, please.” Lena denied. “I do not think so.”

He smiled with a shrug.

“Hey guys! Over here.” Juan called them over, and Mom smiled contentedly with a little tilt to her head as she eyed Lena and Zack at her side. Lena went around and kissed her mom and dad, who were sitting next to each other in their matching canvas chairs.

When Lena took a seat at the picnic table, Cat handed her a warm thermos. “Hot cocoa.”

She took a sip. “Mmm. Just what I needed.” She glanced at Zack. She tilted her head in question. She’d never seen him hesitate to enter the family circle.

“I should go check in with my dad.”

She wondered if she had done something wrong, but then Zack’s gaze found someone behind her. Mike came up and set a hand on her shoulder with a squeeze.

Lena froze, shrugging off the touch as anger flashed through her. “Za—”

“I’ll call you tomorrow,” he interrupted. He didn’t want her to cause a scene. Not that she’d ever been a scene maker in the past, but if Mike really thought he was going to play guard dog…

She nodded. “You do that, Zack.” And that was her statement, to him, to the family. She made her own choices. And she’d damn well see whomever she pleased, even if he was her brother’s best friend.

Cat nudged her. Juan cleared his throat. Mike remained the stoic guard at her side.