Julia stayed silent so long Zach looked up and found tears in her eyes. Ah, damn. What the hell had he been thinking? He'd only meant to convince her that he and Pam were over. He hadn't meant to spill so much.
She glided up to her knees on the brown vinyl sofa. She leaned across and pressed a kiss to the left comer of his mouth, then rested her cheek against the numbed side of his face.
Ah, damn again. He definitely should have kept his yap shut and just seduced her. He could have done it so easily. Instead he'd launched into a morbid story guaranteed to send an Air Force widow running.
He palmed her back, her skin warm and soft under his hand, her tears hot on his face.
"Hey, Jules, it's all right. It was a long time ago. I shouldn't have told you."
She swiped away tears with the back of her wrist. "Of course you should tell me. You lived it. The least I can do is listen. When does somebody get to do something for you?
Yeah, hearing what happened to you hurts me. It should hurt, but it hurts so much more knowing you were by yourself." Determination fired through her tears. "Now close your eyes."
"What?" Following Julia's train of thought rivaled the challenge of flying without radar.
Her hand trailed from his brow over his eyes. "Shut them."
Darkness enveloped him, like flying through an inky night sky by instincts. All other senses heightened, the feel of her velvet dress warm against his hand. The lingering rosy scent clung to her, drifting up to permeate the still office air.
"Zach?"
And sounds. The way she said his name twisted him into knots as tight as the first time she'd whispered it nearly five months ago. "Yeah, Jules?"
"I want you to imagine you're on the plane again coming home from Iraq."
Huh? Where the hell was she going with this? Not that he intended to stop her since she'd quit crying.
Because it seemed important to her, Zach traveled back, through his memories to that day on the plane—the longest ride of his life. He hadn't expected Pam to be the supportive wife of the year, but he'd been pretty damned sure she would be on the runway waiting for him.
She wasn't.
Julia's soft voice slid over the memory. "This time when you land, I'm there waiting for you. We're all there—me, Shelby, Ivy and Patrick. Okay, I know technically the younger two weren't born yet, but I'm the one building this fantasy and I want them there.">A totally different scream built within her, a shout of exultation as everything else fell away and she plunged into the sensations of hurtling into that void with Zach. Julia closed her eyes, pressing herself to his back, certain she could feel his heart thudding through his uniform and leather. If only life could be this simple—feel and fly forever.
Eventually the wind-tunneling roar faded, slowed, stopped.
Julia blinked, momentarily disoriented until she realized they were back on base outside Zach's squadron. Residual excitement still buzzed through her as she leapt from the motorcycle.
She whipped off the helmet and shook her curls loose. "Wow! I have absolutely got to get myself one of these."
Zach swung a leg over the seat. Grinning, he unsnapped his helmet. "I thought that might appeal to you."
"Thank you."
"You're welcome."
As far as a Valentine's memory, it definitely beat some moonlit carriage ride. Zach's choice showed how well he knew her and that touched her most of all.
And it was the only Valentine's season they would celebrate together, the ride likely to be the only excitement they could share.
The night air chilled.
Back to the reality of Pam's return and what it would mean for the fragile peace they'd built. "Why are we stopping here?"
"I need something before we go home." Palm flat against her back, he ushered her toward the door.
Couldn't the man put work on hold for even a few hours?
Her heels clicked double-time along asphalt. "Slow down, will you? These heels are tough to run in for a girl used to sandals and gym shoes."