right? Then definitely not a can of soup.” She tapped her chin thoughtfully. “More like a box of Thanksgiving stuffing—my favorite.”
He liked stuffing too, loved it actually. For him, it was the best part of Thanksgiving. “Do you make good stuffing?” he asked for no logical reason.
Her burst of laughter was a clear ‘no.’ “Out of the box, sure. I can follow cardboard directions like no one’s business. But otherwise, my brothers will tell you I’m not that great of a cook.”
Well, thankfully for them, he was. He’d have to show her this Thanksgiving.
What the hell?
“We’ve gone horribly off track here,” he muttered more to himself than her.
“You’re right, we have. You were still in the middle of making up more reasons why the next few months can’t constitute a relationship for us.”
“You don’t go into a relationship knowing it’s doomed to fail. If it fails on its own after a period of time, that’s different.”
“Why would it be a failure? Just because it ends? Can’t it be a successful relationship that was shorter than others?”
Damn her and her twistedly logical reasoning…which was even starting to make sense to him.
“Fine.” She crossed her arms in a this-is-my-final-offer pose. “We can call it a prototypical ‘friends with benefits’ relationship if that makes you feel better. But no more excuses. Hudson, you and I both know that our futures can change with the speed of a bullet.”
Did he ever.
“Expiration dates are a part of life. I’d never let something like a shelf life hold me back from something potentially great. If I did, I’d never buy corned beef and marble rye from the deli.”
Shoot, now he didn’t know if he was hungry or…well, he was definitely hungry, and now the woman has managed to tie herself to his all-time favorite sandwich.
Judging from the twinkle in her eye, she darn well knew it too.
He’d have to keep his wits about him for the next few months—
Criminy . She got him. He exhaled gruffly and mentally looked around for a white flag. “So ‘friends with benefits’ for the next few months? That’s really what you want?”
She grinned. “Is that a yes?” More eye dancing.
He leaned in and gave his fierce little negotiator a hungry, but brief kiss. “Yes.”
She beamed and jumped up into his arms.
Smiling, he conceded that maybe she was right. Not having her in his arms for the next few months no longer seemed like an option. Maybe they could just enjoy each other’s company and not have it be such a big deal.
“So now about these ‘benefits,’” she pressed.
Aaand they were back to it being a very big deal.
“I’m still not taking your virginity. You’ve held onto it this long.” You’re not wasting it on me. He kept the last statement to himself but the darkening of her eyes made him wonder if she could hear his thoughts.
She studied his not-up-for-argument expression for a bit before revealing quietly, “To be clear, my virginity isn’t something I’ve been ‘saving’ or anything like that. I told you I’ve dated. But there was never a real connection with anyone. Beyond that, you and I have talked on the phone enough these past few weeks for you to see that I’m mostly just busy with work.”
Chewing on her lip, she added quietly, “So honestly, I haven’t really thought much about sex…until I met you.”
Holy hell.
“Honey, you can’t say things like that to a man who’s always followed the celibacy-during-deployment rule to the letter.”
Her eyes widened. “How long was your last tour?”
“Two years.”
If possible, those twin pools of adorableness widened even more. “And since you’ve been back…?” she ventured.
“Never thought about it much,” he gave her back her words on a silver platter. “Until I met you.” Her breathing hitched and he leaned over to brush his lips against her cheek. Fiery hot, just like her. “So I guess we’re at a stalemate.”
A
He liked stuffing too, loved it actually. For him, it was the best part of Thanksgiving. “Do you make good stuffing?” he asked for no logical reason.
Her burst of laughter was a clear ‘no.’ “Out of the box, sure. I can follow cardboard directions like no one’s business. But otherwise, my brothers will tell you I’m not that great of a cook.”
Well, thankfully for them, he was. He’d have to show her this Thanksgiving.
What the hell?
“We’ve gone horribly off track here,” he muttered more to himself than her.
“You’re right, we have. You were still in the middle of making up more reasons why the next few months can’t constitute a relationship for us.”
“You don’t go into a relationship knowing it’s doomed to fail. If it fails on its own after a period of time, that’s different.”
“Why would it be a failure? Just because it ends? Can’t it be a successful relationship that was shorter than others?”
Damn her and her twistedly logical reasoning…which was even starting to make sense to him.
“Fine.” She crossed her arms in a this-is-my-final-offer pose. “We can call it a prototypical ‘friends with benefits’ relationship if that makes you feel better. But no more excuses. Hudson, you and I both know that our futures can change with the speed of a bullet.”
Did he ever.
“Expiration dates are a part of life. I’d never let something like a shelf life hold me back from something potentially great. If I did, I’d never buy corned beef and marble rye from the deli.”
Shoot, now he didn’t know if he was hungry or…well, he was definitely hungry, and now the woman has managed to tie herself to his all-time favorite sandwich.
Judging from the twinkle in her eye, she darn well knew it too.
He’d have to keep his wits about him for the next few months—
Criminy . She got him. He exhaled gruffly and mentally looked around for a white flag. “So ‘friends with benefits’ for the next few months? That’s really what you want?”
She grinned. “Is that a yes?” More eye dancing.
He leaned in and gave his fierce little negotiator a hungry, but brief kiss. “Yes.”
She beamed and jumped up into his arms.
Smiling, he conceded that maybe she was right. Not having her in his arms for the next few months no longer seemed like an option. Maybe they could just enjoy each other’s company and not have it be such a big deal.
“So now about these ‘benefits,’” she pressed.
Aaand they were back to it being a very big deal.
“I’m still not taking your virginity. You’ve held onto it this long.” You’re not wasting it on me. He kept the last statement to himself but the darkening of her eyes made him wonder if she could hear his thoughts.
She studied his not-up-for-argument expression for a bit before revealing quietly, “To be clear, my virginity isn’t something I’ve been ‘saving’ or anything like that. I told you I’ve dated. But there was never a real connection with anyone. Beyond that, you and I have talked on the phone enough these past few weeks for you to see that I’m mostly just busy with work.”
Chewing on her lip, she added quietly, “So honestly, I haven’t really thought much about sex…until I met you.”
Holy hell.
“Honey, you can’t say things like that to a man who’s always followed the celibacy-during-deployment rule to the letter.”
Her eyes widened. “How long was your last tour?”
“Two years.”
If possible, those twin pools of adorableness widened even more. “And since you’ve been back…?” she ventured.
“Never thought about it much,” he gave her back her words on a silver platter. “Until I met you.” Her breathing hitched and he leaned over to brush his lips against her cheek. Fiery hot, just like her. “So I guess we’re at a stalemate.”
A
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