opportunity to back away. When she didn’t, he closed the distance, and she felt as if the stars exploded around them.
In that moment she knew how her mother could give her all to another, and it terrified Rachel even as she wanted to prolong the moment. Scott must have sensed her moment of panic because he eased back and touched his forehead to hers. She felt emptied yet honored by that small whisper of distance. She leaned toward him and he groaned.
“Let’s get you home.” The words were ragged as if it took everything in him to say them.
They found Dottie, and her eyes widened as she glanced at Rachel, but in a moment they were walking the streets of Naples. Rachel’s thoughts spiraled. She could not get attached to Scott. She’d leave in the morning and he’d stay here. The chance they’d see each other again diminished to miniscule odds the moment she left Naples.
Where would he be when she left? She’d be on her own and couldn’t imagine finding him again. And in that moment all she wanted to do was beg him to follow her. He saw her and didn’t press. He seemed to cherish her as he would a friend yet with a spark of more. The potential for something much more.
Scott held tight to Rachel’s hand as they wove their way through the city back to her hotel. His senses still buzzed from their kiss. He hadn’t planned his next step yet knew they could never go back and didn’t want to. No, he wanted to beg her to stay in Naples with him. To chuck her plans to travel with the Fifth when they left the next day. Here it was safe and he could watch over her.
As soon as she left, he’d have no way of knowing if she was all right.
Yet he couldn’t push the words out.
She had a job to do just as he did. And the army called the shots for both of them. She couldn’t stay any more than he could leave.
When they reached the hotel, she paused, and he tugged her against the wall. She fell into his arms and he tightened his hold. What was he doing? Had the war heightened the way he felt about Rachel? Elaine had never felt so much a part of him.
“What?” Her gaze collided with his, sending a jolt through him.
He studied her, wishing they had more time. “You’re sure you ship out tomorrow?”
She shrugged, and still he didn’t let go. “As sure as I can be with the army.”
“Remember me?”
“What a crazy thing to say.”
If there was even a chance they could reconnect, explore what could happen after the war, then he had to take it. “Look for me in Rome.”
“Rome?”
“You’ll be there next. And I’ll be behind you.” He tipped her chin up, memorizing every feature on her perfect face. “I will find you.”
Chapter 11
June 3
DEWALD AND THE OTHER Venus Fixers sat grumbling as Scott entered the office. Here he belonged and shared a purpose with men of learning and drive. It should be enough. The drumbeat to do more filled him, and the grumbling only stirred that urge. He’d come with orders to save Western civilization. The longer he sat in Naples, the less likely he’d fulfill that mission.
He bit back words that would add to the cacophony of discontent.
Rumor had it the army would enter Rome in the next day or two. The knowledge left Scott ready to abandon Naples with or without orders. If Rachel was in Rome, then he wanted to be there.
These days without her had threatened to drive him to distraction. He’d done his job, but his mind kept wondering where she was and if she was okay. The idea of a woman running around in an army on the move seemed worse with each passing day. It wasn’t like she was a nurse surrounded by other women. No, she was on her own when he wanted her with him.
Keller looked up and nodded at Scott. “Morning.”
“Morning, Dean.”
“You’ve got orders, Lindstrom. General Marshall wants someone liaising with the Vatican posthaste.” DeWald shoved an envelope at him. “This time it’s you. Next time I might send Keller. Or Anthony. Maybe even
In that moment she knew how her mother could give her all to another, and it terrified Rachel even as she wanted to prolong the moment. Scott must have sensed her moment of panic because he eased back and touched his forehead to hers. She felt emptied yet honored by that small whisper of distance. She leaned toward him and he groaned.
“Let’s get you home.” The words were ragged as if it took everything in him to say them.
They found Dottie, and her eyes widened as she glanced at Rachel, but in a moment they were walking the streets of Naples. Rachel’s thoughts spiraled. She could not get attached to Scott. She’d leave in the morning and he’d stay here. The chance they’d see each other again diminished to miniscule odds the moment she left Naples.
Where would he be when she left? She’d be on her own and couldn’t imagine finding him again. And in that moment all she wanted to do was beg him to follow her. He saw her and didn’t press. He seemed to cherish her as he would a friend yet with a spark of more. The potential for something much more.
Scott held tight to Rachel’s hand as they wove their way through the city back to her hotel. His senses still buzzed from their kiss. He hadn’t planned his next step yet knew they could never go back and didn’t want to. No, he wanted to beg her to stay in Naples with him. To chuck her plans to travel with the Fifth when they left the next day. Here it was safe and he could watch over her.
As soon as she left, he’d have no way of knowing if she was all right.
Yet he couldn’t push the words out.
She had a job to do just as he did. And the army called the shots for both of them. She couldn’t stay any more than he could leave.
When they reached the hotel, she paused, and he tugged her against the wall. She fell into his arms and he tightened his hold. What was he doing? Had the war heightened the way he felt about Rachel? Elaine had never felt so much a part of him.
“What?” Her gaze collided with his, sending a jolt through him.
He studied her, wishing they had more time. “You’re sure you ship out tomorrow?”
She shrugged, and still he didn’t let go. “As sure as I can be with the army.”
“Remember me?”
“What a crazy thing to say.”
If there was even a chance they could reconnect, explore what could happen after the war, then he had to take it. “Look for me in Rome.”
“Rome?”
“You’ll be there next. And I’ll be behind you.” He tipped her chin up, memorizing every feature on her perfect face. “I will find you.”
Chapter 11
June 3
DEWALD AND THE OTHER Venus Fixers sat grumbling as Scott entered the office. Here he belonged and shared a purpose with men of learning and drive. It should be enough. The drumbeat to do more filled him, and the grumbling only stirred that urge. He’d come with orders to save Western civilization. The longer he sat in Naples, the less likely he’d fulfill that mission.
He bit back words that would add to the cacophony of discontent.
Rumor had it the army would enter Rome in the next day or two. The knowledge left Scott ready to abandon Naples with or without orders. If Rachel was in Rome, then he wanted to be there.
These days without her had threatened to drive him to distraction. He’d done his job, but his mind kept wondering where she was and if she was okay. The idea of a woman running around in an army on the move seemed worse with each passing day. It wasn’t like she was a nurse surrounded by other women. No, she was on her own when he wanted her with him.
Keller looked up and nodded at Scott. “Morning.”
“Morning, Dean.”
“You’ve got orders, Lindstrom. General Marshall wants someone liaising with the Vatican posthaste.” DeWald shoved an envelope at him. “This time it’s you. Next time I might send Keller. Or Anthony. Maybe even
Similar Books
