Monica shuddered, that vulnerable soul of hers more visible now that he knew to look for the signs. He slung an arm around her shoulders, brought her close to his side, her heart slugging a double pace under his draped hand.
He kissed her temple. Let her lean on him. Discovered the surprise pleasure of leaning on her, as well. "When do you want to tell everyone about being married?"
"How about we tell our families first? Then we can cut the news loose in the squadron."
"I'm guessing that piece of gossip will likely take the heat off you on the Tiara jokes for a while."
Her light chuckle teased over him. He let himself join in. Laughing together, just being together, was a gift he didn't intend to take for granted again.
Five steps closer to the plane, the thudding pulse under his hand slowed to an almost normal pace. "Hey, flyboy, I'm going to need you to drop your pants again once we're airborne so I can check out your injury. Looks like you popped some stitches."
"You don't have to make up excuses to get me to unzip my flight suit around you."
Her laugh vibrated against his side, her heart easing that last bit to a regular rate. Making her laugh felt good. She made him feel good.
"God, Mon, I can't wait to have you alone so we can get messy, noisy and really busy."
"Uh, Jack, small problem with the noisy part."
"Do I hear a challenge?"
She glanced up apologetically. "I told Yasmine she could stay with me."
"Shit. You did what?"
"Staying with me in Charleston is closer to Georgia and the Colonel than if she bunked with Sydney up in Virginia. Besides, I figured Blake and Sydney need the time alone more than we do."
"And you want the chance to fix things with Yasmine."
Her head fell to rest on his shoulder. "Like you said. Family's important."
Apparently she'd found more peace than she expected in this desert. "Between your family and mine, and all the crew dogs in the squadron, we're never going to be alone, are we?"
"Probably not." And she didn't sound one damned bit upset by the prospect.
Never alone. Definitely a good thing in his book.
Monica had been alone, taking care of herself and everyone around her for far too long. She might not need him to kick ass for her, but she did need him. Every bit as much as he needed her, this woman who challenged the hell out of him. Made him dig deep and give his all. Made him realize that, damn, his all was more than he knew he had inside him.
Of course tantric sex and knock-knock jokes weren't commodities to sell short. Monica also needed more lighthearted moments in her life. He knew his strengths and planned to capitalize on them to keep this incredible woman as head over heels in love with him as possible.
Stopping, Jack turned her to face him, looked in her dewy green eyes and realized...hell. He did have something else to offer her. Something she hadn't been given by her mother who'd walked, or her father who'd checked out emotionally, or her loser-ass ex-fiance. Jack smiled back at his wife, and damned if his laid-back determined nature didn't make him just the right man to give her what no one had given this woman before.
Forever.
Monica stared straight into Jack's eyes and knew his words before he said them. But Lord have mercy, she looked forward to hearing them.
"I love you, Monica Hyatt Korba. And, God willing, I'll spend the rest of my life right by your side making sure you're never alone again."
His words melted her insides, melted her against him.
"Oh, yeah," he groaned against her lips. "Digging deep sure has an awesome payoff."
Jack cupped her face in his hands and kissed her. All-out. Full body press and fuller emotions. Monica flung her arms around his neck and quit trying to figure out what he meant by that last cryptic comment. Who cared right now, anyway, and who the hell cared about any regs on public displays of affection while in uniform?
She was kissing her husband and could have sworn she heard the strains of "Can't Help Falling In Love," what she now considered Elvis's best tune ever. A whimsical thought, whimsy being something she hadn't indulged in often. Until Jack. It felt as good as the rippling muscles and man under her hands.
She eased her mouth from his. "Jack, I love you so damned much and I intend to spend the rest of my life showing you." One last concern niggled her. "More than anything I want us to celebrate forever from side-by-side retirement rocking chairs where we can talk about our children and grandchildren. But I can't promise you I won't die on you before then. My job has taught me too well how fragile life is. Your job does, too, for that matter. I'm careful. You know that. But is that enough?''