living the
life a lot of people could only dream of.
Ashley’s story
was exactly the kind of stuff he wanted to know, but he would have rather heard
it from Nina herself. “Why are you telling me this?”
“So you know
what you’re up against. Nina’s the most strong-minded person I’ve ever met.
Always has been. She knows what she wants, she goes after it, and she’s been
really good at getting it. And she also knows what she doesn’t want. So if she
says she doesn’t want to date somebody in the military…”
“Then she
probably means it,” Bobby concluded. “Doesn’t mean I can’t try to change her
mind.”
“But it does
mean you might be wasting your time.”
“I don’t think
so. Whatever happens, I think it’s worth a shot. I think she’s worth taking a
shot for.”
Ashley stared at
him without saying anything. Again he had the feeling that she was trying to
decide if she believed him.
“Does that mean
you won’t help me?” he asked.
“I didn’t say
that,” she hedged, and he instantly perked up. “The thing is, I know Nina says
that what the two of you have going is purely physical. I’m just not sure I
believe her.”
Oh, he
definitely liked the sound of that. “What makes you say that?”
“Three years is
a long time. And in all that time that the two of you have been doing your
thing, she’s never really dated anyone else. I mean she’s gone out with a few
guys, but never anything serious, never anything more than a date or maybe
two.”
A surge of
jealousy rushed up from the pit of his stomach, tightening his muscles and
grabbing his body in a death grip. He had to clamp his mouth shut to stop
himself from asking for more details. Hell, he’d thought about her while he was
away, and yeah, he’d wondered once or twice if she was with another guy. She
was a woman. She had needs, just like he did. He knew that firsthand. And she
was in a better position to do something about it.
He’d had to make
himself stop wondering. He didn’t have any claim on her or any real right to
feel jealous. That wasn’t the kind of relationship they had. And it was a hell
of a lot easier not thinking about it.
Of course,
Ashley said Nina hadn’t really dated anyone else, not that she hadn’t been with anyone else. Everything inside him wanted to ask. Just the idea of another
man touching her, kissing her, even—
Don’t open
that door, man .
He was making
his claim now. It was long past time. That was all that mattered.
The problem was,
she didn’t want to be claimed. At least not by him.
“She says it’s
because she doesn’t have time to date,” Ashley continued. “And she’s right,
we’re always busy—but not that busy. She could find time for a date if she
wanted to. Which makes me think she doesn’t want to. And I have a feeling you
have something to do with that.”
“Even though she
says she doesn’t want to date anyone in the military.”
“I’m sure she
believes that in general. I’m just not sure that you’re not the exception to
the rule.”
The tension
gripping him started to ease. He liked the sound of that a hell of a lot
better.
Ashley smirked.
“Not to mention, Nina has a low tolerance for idiots. She’s been involved with
you for this long, so I’m assuming you’re not one. Because no matter how great
the sex is, I can’t believe she’d keep coming back if you were an idiot.” She
paused, her eyes narrowing. “Unless you really are that good in bed…”
Bobby had to
laugh. “I’m not sure what the right answer is.”
“Me either,” she
admitted. She studied him again for a long moment before finally nodding. “All
right, Dellucci. I’ll try to help you.” She held up a finger. In an instant,
her face was deadly serious. “But I’m warning you. If you make Nina unhappy,
then you and I are going to have a problem. Understood?”
He shouldn’t
have considered it much of a threat. She wasn’t a very big woman, the top of
her head
life a lot of people could only dream of.
Ashley’s story
was exactly the kind of stuff he wanted to know, but he would have rather heard
it from Nina herself. “Why are you telling me this?”
“So you know
what you’re up against. Nina’s the most strong-minded person I’ve ever met.
Always has been. She knows what she wants, she goes after it, and she’s been
really good at getting it. And she also knows what she doesn’t want. So if she
says she doesn’t want to date somebody in the military…”
“Then she
probably means it,” Bobby concluded. “Doesn’t mean I can’t try to change her
mind.”
“But it does
mean you might be wasting your time.”
“I don’t think
so. Whatever happens, I think it’s worth a shot. I think she’s worth taking a
shot for.”
Ashley stared at
him without saying anything. Again he had the feeling that she was trying to
decide if she believed him.
“Does that mean
you won’t help me?” he asked.
“I didn’t say
that,” she hedged, and he instantly perked up. “The thing is, I know Nina says
that what the two of you have going is purely physical. I’m just not sure I
believe her.”
Oh, he
definitely liked the sound of that. “What makes you say that?”
“Three years is
a long time. And in all that time that the two of you have been doing your
thing, she’s never really dated anyone else. I mean she’s gone out with a few
guys, but never anything serious, never anything more than a date or maybe
two.”
A surge of
jealousy rushed up from the pit of his stomach, tightening his muscles and
grabbing his body in a death grip. He had to clamp his mouth shut to stop
himself from asking for more details. Hell, he’d thought about her while he was
away, and yeah, he’d wondered once or twice if she was with another guy. She
was a woman. She had needs, just like he did. He knew that firsthand. And she
was in a better position to do something about it.
He’d had to make
himself stop wondering. He didn’t have any claim on her or any real right to
feel jealous. That wasn’t the kind of relationship they had. And it was a hell
of a lot easier not thinking about it.
Of course,
Ashley said Nina hadn’t really dated anyone else, not that she hadn’t been with anyone else. Everything inside him wanted to ask. Just the idea of another
man touching her, kissing her, even—
Don’t open
that door, man .
He was making
his claim now. It was long past time. That was all that mattered.
The problem was,
she didn’t want to be claimed. At least not by him.
“She says it’s
because she doesn’t have time to date,” Ashley continued. “And she’s right,
we’re always busy—but not that busy. She could find time for a date if she
wanted to. Which makes me think she doesn’t want to. And I have a feeling you
have something to do with that.”
“Even though she
says she doesn’t want to date anyone in the military.”
“I’m sure she
believes that in general. I’m just not sure that you’re not the exception to
the rule.”
The tension
gripping him started to ease. He liked the sound of that a hell of a lot
better.
Ashley smirked.
“Not to mention, Nina has a low tolerance for idiots. She’s been involved with
you for this long, so I’m assuming you’re not one. Because no matter how great
the sex is, I can’t believe she’d keep coming back if you were an idiot.” She
paused, her eyes narrowing. “Unless you really are that good in bed…”
Bobby had to
laugh. “I’m not sure what the right answer is.”
“Me either,” she
admitted. She studied him again for a long moment before finally nodding. “All
right, Dellucci. I’ll try to help you.” She held up a finger. In an instant,
her face was deadly serious. “But I’m warning you. If you make Nina unhappy,
then you and I are going to have a problem. Understood?”
He shouldn’t
have considered it much of a threat. She wasn’t a very big woman, the top of
her head
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