joy.” She grinned. “Strictly a kid’s reaction. But when Phil came to my defense and cut Martin down to size, I thought it was wonderful. I shouldn’t take such pleasure in Martin getting his just deserts.”
“I would. I thought you were going to smile in there.”
“I ducked my head and put my hand over my mouth so Martin couldn’t see me do it.”
Chuckling, Cam nodded. “Yeah, I noticed.”
“You don’t miss much, do you?”
“Not usually.”
Molly turned toward him, the dusky light softening the lines of his face. There were crow’s feet at the outer corners of his eyes, and they deepened when he laughed. “After our conversation the other night, I walked away realizing I know absolutely nothing about you, Cam.”
“Not much to tell.”
“Where were you born?”
“Billings, Montana. I was a city kid. My dad is a printer and typesetter. He owns his own business in the downtown area.”
“And your mother?”
“She raised three of us. I’ve got two younger sisters. One is married and has a baby. Carrie, the youngest, is seriously thinking of a career in the military.”
“You wouldn’t object?”
Cam shrugged. “No. She’s got the personality for it.”
“Oh?”
“She’s a strong, confident girl.”
“Not a cream puff?”
Cam shrugged. “I said you were a cream puff with a steel backbone. You just have to discover it, that’s all.”
“So, where do cream puffs fit into life’s big picture?” Molly wondered aloud, interested in how he saw her.
“They make great mothers,” he said, and then realized his gaffe. “That was not a chauvinistic comment, Molly, so get that look off your face. It’s just that—” he stumbled “—a woman like you has such warmth and sincerity about her, it seems wasted in the military, which doesn’t value those things and thrives on their exact opposite.”
She digested his comment. “I think you can be low-key, diplomatic and ‘soft,’ to use your word, and still work effectively in the military.”
“Not without a lot of personal heartache and injury, Molly.”
“Things are looking up for me at TPS. I’m excited about my next flight test. I’m sure I’m over the hump. Lieutenant Norton seems more interested in what I’m doing, now that I proved my other flight program wasn’t a dud.”
Cam didn’t have the heart to break the hope he saw in her eyes and heard in her voice. God, what he’d give to simply lean over and capture that mouth of hers beneath his. Every time he was around her, she stirred the fires within him he thought had died so long ago.
“Well,” he said, rising, “you’ve got nowhere to go but up. I’ve got work to do for class next Monday, so I’d better get going.” He hoped it didn’t sound like a lie, because it wasn’t. It was a poor excuse, though, for leaving Molly’s company. To be honest, Cam wanted to stay; but if he did, talk would quickly be replaced by touching, kissing and then— He called Miracle to his side. The Lab bounded up and wagged her tail.
“I’m glad we got to talk,” Molly told him. How ruggedly built Cam was, his lean frame tight with muscle, his posture expressing the confidence that emanated from him like sunlight.
“Me, too. See you next Monday.”
After Cam and Miracle disappeared over the dune, Molly reluctantly returned to her books. He was so shy and hesitant with her. Why? The information she’d dragged out of him had been just that—dragged. Closing the book, Molly looked out at the calm waters of the bay. Gulls floated effortlessly above it, and a few paddled on the surface. There was something touchingly vulnerable about Cam, despite his fierce looks and hard expression. This evening, he’d smiled more readily. He’d even laughed, and the sound had gone through her like a song. Cam Sinclair was an enigma, Molly decided.
“Enough daydreaming,” she told herself sternly, opening the textbook. At least she didn’t have to dread this weekend. Her
“I would. I thought you were going to smile in there.”
“I ducked my head and put my hand over my mouth so Martin couldn’t see me do it.”
Chuckling, Cam nodded. “Yeah, I noticed.”
“You don’t miss much, do you?”
“Not usually.”
Molly turned toward him, the dusky light softening the lines of his face. There were crow’s feet at the outer corners of his eyes, and they deepened when he laughed. “After our conversation the other night, I walked away realizing I know absolutely nothing about you, Cam.”
“Not much to tell.”
“Where were you born?”
“Billings, Montana. I was a city kid. My dad is a printer and typesetter. He owns his own business in the downtown area.”
“And your mother?”
“She raised three of us. I’ve got two younger sisters. One is married and has a baby. Carrie, the youngest, is seriously thinking of a career in the military.”
“You wouldn’t object?”
Cam shrugged. “No. She’s got the personality for it.”
“Oh?”
“She’s a strong, confident girl.”
“Not a cream puff?”
Cam shrugged. “I said you were a cream puff with a steel backbone. You just have to discover it, that’s all.”
“So, where do cream puffs fit into life’s big picture?” Molly wondered aloud, interested in how he saw her.
“They make great mothers,” he said, and then realized his gaffe. “That was not a chauvinistic comment, Molly, so get that look off your face. It’s just that—” he stumbled “—a woman like you has such warmth and sincerity about her, it seems wasted in the military, which doesn’t value those things and thrives on their exact opposite.”
She digested his comment. “I think you can be low-key, diplomatic and ‘soft,’ to use your word, and still work effectively in the military.”
“Not without a lot of personal heartache and injury, Molly.”
“Things are looking up for me at TPS. I’m excited about my next flight test. I’m sure I’m over the hump. Lieutenant Norton seems more interested in what I’m doing, now that I proved my other flight program wasn’t a dud.”
Cam didn’t have the heart to break the hope he saw in her eyes and heard in her voice. God, what he’d give to simply lean over and capture that mouth of hers beneath his. Every time he was around her, she stirred the fires within him he thought had died so long ago.
“Well,” he said, rising, “you’ve got nowhere to go but up. I’ve got work to do for class next Monday, so I’d better get going.” He hoped it didn’t sound like a lie, because it wasn’t. It was a poor excuse, though, for leaving Molly’s company. To be honest, Cam wanted to stay; but if he did, talk would quickly be replaced by touching, kissing and then— He called Miracle to his side. The Lab bounded up and wagged her tail.
“I’m glad we got to talk,” Molly told him. How ruggedly built Cam was, his lean frame tight with muscle, his posture expressing the confidence that emanated from him like sunlight.
“Me, too. See you next Monday.”
After Cam and Miracle disappeared over the dune, Molly reluctantly returned to her books. He was so shy and hesitant with her. Why? The information she’d dragged out of him had been just that—dragged. Closing the book, Molly looked out at the calm waters of the bay. Gulls floated effortlessly above it, and a few paddled on the surface. There was something touchingly vulnerable about Cam, despite his fierce looks and hard expression. This evening, he’d smiled more readily. He’d even laughed, and the sound had gone through her like a song. Cam Sinclair was an enigma, Molly decided.
“Enough daydreaming,” she told herself sternly, opening the textbook. At least she didn’t have to dread this weekend. Her
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