don‘t blame you. I‘d mar-
ry her if she‘d let me.‖
―You can‘t marry her,‖ the young tone whined. ―I‘m gonna.‖
―Excuse me,‖ Kacy interrupted. ―Let‘s not discuss my upcoming
marriage like I‘m not here.‖
Ultra marine eyes, swirling with emotion, grabbed hers. ―Okay, we
will talk later on about your imminent marriage.‖ He touched the brim of his
cap before turning his attention back to the child.
―What do you do, Mr. Ernst?‖ Adam smiled at him as he tucked his
small, almost frail hand into the strong one of the Navy SEAL and his other
into Kacy‘s softer one.
Slanting a gaze at the sight beside him, Ernst nearly was brought to
his knees. If there was ever a sign that told me this was right, I am looking at it right
now. ―I‘m in the Navy,‖ he answered the child even as his stare lingered on
Kacy.
―I‘m gonna be an electric like Kacy,‖ Adam said proudly.
An electric? Well, she is electric all right. ―An electrician? That is a good
job.‖ Ernst nodded.
Kacy stopped. ―Adam, I have to go. I have another few jobs to do to-
day.‖
A look of abandonment crossed the boy‘s face before he controlled it.
―Okay.‖ He dropped Ernst‘s hand and wrapped both of his skinny arms
around Kacy.
―Hey,‖ she said, kneeling in front of him. ―I‘ll be back next week. I‘ll
come on Sunday and we‘ll spend more time together, okay?‖ Ernst moved to
stand behind Kacy and he saw the child fighting back tears.
―Okay, Kacy,‖ Adam forced out.
―I can‘t leave without my smile. Come on, now. Where‘s my brave
little man?‖ Kacy coaxed.
―What if you don‘t come back?‖ The first few tears began to fall.
68
Aliyah Burke
―Have I never not come back?‖ she asked as her fingers wiped the
tears away.
―No. Promise?‖
―I promise,‖ Kacy immediately agreed.
―Him too,‖ Adam insisted.
Ernst met Kacy‘s shocked gaze and said, ―I promise I will come back
as soon as I can.‖
―Okay.‖ Adam took one more hug from Kacy before moving to Ernst
and hugging him as well. ―Bye,‖ he yelled as he ran off to play on the
playground equipment.
Ernst helped Kacy to her feet and said, ―He loves you. I didn‘t know I
had competition for your hand in marriage.‖
A sad smile crossed her face before she got her emotions under con-
trol. With farewells to the nuns, soon Kacy and Ernst were back in her van
heading for his friend‘s house to install the fans.
It was six-thirty when she pulled back into her driveway. Parking so
Ernst could move his truck, she turned off the vehicle and got out. She picked
up her mail that she didn‘t get the day before on the way to the front door.
Ernst followed and locked her van for her, then he unlocked the door
for her. ―Thanks,‖ she said as her body brushed past his.
He stopped halfway in the door, blocking her way. ―Kacy.‖ His voice
had dropped to a seductive purr.
―Yes,‖ she breathed.
―I want to kiss you so bad,‖ he whispered by her mouth.
Her eyelids fluttered. I want you.
―I want you, too, sweetheart. I want you too,‖ Ernst breathed.
Kacy‘s eyes flew open. She met his gaze and he didn‘t have a smug
look, just a passionate one.
―Yes, you said it out loud.‖ His lips brushed hers lightly, teasingly.
―But I want more than a one-night stand. More than a fling. I want to be a
couple.‖
Shaking her head, Kacy tried to back up. ―No, I don‘t think that
would be a good idea.‖
Ernst wouldn‘t let her. Still in the doorway and in view of her neigh-
bors, he held her captive in his arms. ―Why not?‖
―It…it…it just wouldn‘t.‖
―No dice, Kacy. Why not? And you can‘t tell me you aren‘t attracted
to me. I saw the picture you had under your pillow. And your body wouldn‘t
respond the way it does to mine if you weren‘t attracted.‖ His gaze bore into
hers, not giving an inch.
―I…I…I can‘t be in a relationship right now,‖
ry her if she‘d let me.‖
―You can‘t marry her,‖ the young tone whined. ―I‘m gonna.‖
―Excuse me,‖ Kacy interrupted. ―Let‘s not discuss my upcoming
marriage like I‘m not here.‖
Ultra marine eyes, swirling with emotion, grabbed hers. ―Okay, we
will talk later on about your imminent marriage.‖ He touched the brim of his
cap before turning his attention back to the child.
―What do you do, Mr. Ernst?‖ Adam smiled at him as he tucked his
small, almost frail hand into the strong one of the Navy SEAL and his other
into Kacy‘s softer one.
Slanting a gaze at the sight beside him, Ernst nearly was brought to
his knees. If there was ever a sign that told me this was right, I am looking at it right
now. ―I‘m in the Navy,‖ he answered the child even as his stare lingered on
Kacy.
―I‘m gonna be an electric like Kacy,‖ Adam said proudly.
An electric? Well, she is electric all right. ―An electrician? That is a good
job.‖ Ernst nodded.
Kacy stopped. ―Adam, I have to go. I have another few jobs to do to-
day.‖
A look of abandonment crossed the boy‘s face before he controlled it.
―Okay.‖ He dropped Ernst‘s hand and wrapped both of his skinny arms
around Kacy.
―Hey,‖ she said, kneeling in front of him. ―I‘ll be back next week. I‘ll
come on Sunday and we‘ll spend more time together, okay?‖ Ernst moved to
stand behind Kacy and he saw the child fighting back tears.
―Okay, Kacy,‖ Adam forced out.
―I can‘t leave without my smile. Come on, now. Where‘s my brave
little man?‖ Kacy coaxed.
―What if you don‘t come back?‖ The first few tears began to fall.
68
Aliyah Burke
―Have I never not come back?‖ she asked as her fingers wiped the
tears away.
―No. Promise?‖
―I promise,‖ Kacy immediately agreed.
―Him too,‖ Adam insisted.
Ernst met Kacy‘s shocked gaze and said, ―I promise I will come back
as soon as I can.‖
―Okay.‖ Adam took one more hug from Kacy before moving to Ernst
and hugging him as well. ―Bye,‖ he yelled as he ran off to play on the
playground equipment.
Ernst helped Kacy to her feet and said, ―He loves you. I didn‘t know I
had competition for your hand in marriage.‖
A sad smile crossed her face before she got her emotions under con-
trol. With farewells to the nuns, soon Kacy and Ernst were back in her van
heading for his friend‘s house to install the fans.
It was six-thirty when she pulled back into her driveway. Parking so
Ernst could move his truck, she turned off the vehicle and got out. She picked
up her mail that she didn‘t get the day before on the way to the front door.
Ernst followed and locked her van for her, then he unlocked the door
for her. ―Thanks,‖ she said as her body brushed past his.
He stopped halfway in the door, blocking her way. ―Kacy.‖ His voice
had dropped to a seductive purr.
―Yes,‖ she breathed.
―I want to kiss you so bad,‖ he whispered by her mouth.
Her eyelids fluttered. I want you.
―I want you, too, sweetheart. I want you too,‖ Ernst breathed.
Kacy‘s eyes flew open. She met his gaze and he didn‘t have a smug
look, just a passionate one.
―Yes, you said it out loud.‖ His lips brushed hers lightly, teasingly.
―But I want more than a one-night stand. More than a fling. I want to be a
couple.‖
Shaking her head, Kacy tried to back up. ―No, I don‘t think that
would be a good idea.‖
Ernst wouldn‘t let her. Still in the doorway and in view of her neigh-
bors, he held her captive in his arms. ―Why not?‖
―It…it…it just wouldn‘t.‖
―No dice, Kacy. Why not? And you can‘t tell me you aren‘t attracted
to me. I saw the picture you had under your pillow. And your body wouldn‘t
respond the way it does to mine if you weren‘t attracted.‖ His gaze bore into
hers, not giving an inch.
―I…I…I can‘t be in a relationship right now,‖
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