Total pages in book: 18
Estimated words: 16661 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 83(@200wpm)___ 67(@250wpm)___ 56(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 16661 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 83(@200wpm)___ 67(@250wpm)___ 56(@300wpm)
This time she didn’t stiffen but he knew she listened.
“They were okay, thankfully. However, I was belligerent and with complete disregard of what I’d done. The judge had served in the military and gave me two choices. Serve my time behind bars or serve it in the military.” He flexed his hand on her neck, the simple action grounding him. “I opted for the military thinking it would be fine, I was tough enough that no one could get to me. Then I met my DI.”
“DI?”
“Drill instructor.”
She spread her fingers against his chest and he swore a small purr rolled up from her throat.
“He rode my ass like it was the second coming. I could do no right in his eyes and he wasn’t shy of making me pay for my insubordination.” He smiled at the memory of Staff Sergeant Wilkins. “One day we were out doing a training run over a frozen lake and one of the guys who was a lot like me, hard headed and stubborn as all get out, strayed from the path the DI told us to keep to.”
Ronan held her tighter and nuzzled into her hair, loving the scent of candied grapefruit and cedar that hung to her no matter how often she bathed in the hotel water. Maybe it was her lotion.
“What happened?”
“On second he was there, the next, gone, no trace. The ice he stepped on took him under and in the same second flipped the ice and sealed him back in.” He swallowed. “We learned how to work as a singular unit that day. I mean, he’d tried to explain it to me before but until then it hadn’t stuck with me.” Ronan worried his lower lip as he flexed and relaxed his hand once more.
“And you came back now?”
“I did. Came home to tie up some loose ends and move on. Hopefully with this new job.”
She shifted against him and he tightened his grip again. Vivyan didn’t let up this time and rose over him, putting them nose to nose.
“Stop it,” she snapped.
Blinking at the ferocity in her tone it took him a minute to work through it.
“Stop what?”
“Thinking you’re nothing but the same bad boy from before. You’re a military hero.”
“For all you know, angel, I was dishonorably discharged.”
She narrowed her gaze and gnashed her teeth at him. “Don’t diminish what you sacrificed for this country. Not to me. And definitely, not to yourself.”
“You’re something else, angel.” He hid his smile, adoring this side of her, fierce, warrior, defender.
“Protective of those who mean something to me.”
Ronan had no choice. He kissed her.
Chapter 7
“Ms. Souza?”
Yanked from the thoughts of Ronan Milo and their time together, she blinked a few times and turned to face the woman walking toward her at a slow pace. She wore drab gray skirt that hit at her ankles, shoes which had Vivyan wondering if they were from the 1800s, shirt with ruffled front and a dark gray sweater buttoned up halfway, allowing the ruffles to be seen.
Hoping she wasn’t sweating given thoughts of the man she’d shared a room with for the past two days while they waited for the weather to clear.
“Mrs. Hagermann.”
She met the woman there and held out her hand.
“I’m so glad you were safe during that storm.” She shook her hand in her older, gnarled one as she clutched the top of her sweater together. “I know they’re still cleaning up but at least you can get from the hotel to here. You didn’t have any trouble finding it did you?”
Vivyan shook her head. “No ma’am. You provided me with excellent directions.”
“Wonderful. Thank you again, for coming here to get us more updated with our technology. I know we’ve been missing some incredible programs.” A shy grin. “I’ve not needed modern tech for most things so I’ve been avoiding these upgrades. But you met my granddaughter, Lucy, she was very clear that it was the way to go and you were the one to help.”
“Lucy is a force to be reckoned with.” She smiled at the thought of her friend.
Lucy Hagermann had been one of the four other women she’d roomed with in college. Not generally a woman she would have interacted with but as roommates, they had gotten close. All five of them were still in touch, but none of them had the same major. Devora, Billie, and Yun rounded up their crew.
“We have a room for you set up in the back and if you need anything, I’m at the front desk.”
“Can’t wait to get started. It shouldn’t take me more than a few days, to get it all uploaded, switch your files to it and give you a rundown on how to use all the software in the most efficient way.”
“I admire your confidence in being able to teach me, but I fear it may be harder than that to teach me.”