"Of course you are." Her hair swished forward to hide her face. "Carson? What's your middle name?"
Huh? God, he would never understand women.
He cupped her head, silken strands sliding over his skin until finally she looked up at him. "Alexander. My full name is Carson Alexander Hunt the fourth."
Searching her translucent gray eyes, he found wary consent a second before her hand glided up to his shoulders. Her mouth met his, no doubt about the mutual move. Here at least there were no misunderstandings or hesitations, just a driving need.
And if he didn't stop soon they would be doing a lot more than kissing.
He eased back. "I don't want to rush all the things I have to say, but come this weekend, we need to talk."
Her fingers toyed with the nape of his neck, her lips teasing over his. "I'd rather do more of this."
He pressed the one-inch paper tulip in her palm. "Certainly possible."
If she didn't run screaming and packing for good after their conversation.
* * *
Her every nerve screamed with tension.
After a jam-packed week of waiting to be alone with Carson, Nikki batted three helium balloons down and out from the passenger seat of her Ranger, clamping a folded Welcome Home, Dad banner under her arm. The three Mylar balloons would be a flyaway mess on the flight line, but Jamie loved them so she'd decided they could just tie the red, white and blue trio to her little brother's wrist.
Patriotic balloons trailing after her, she made tracks toward the big blue Air Force bus that would transport the families out to the tarmac to greet the returning aircrews.
True to his word, Carson had called her, every day this week for that matter, always checking in with her brother, as well, for a security update. Carson had even sent her flowers the morning after they'd made love. Not generic red roses, but a dozen, each one a different color. The note read how they reminded him of her sweaters and the brightness she brought to his life.
She'd cried—who wouldn't?—and slipped the card into the plastic picture holder in her wallet along with the origami tulip so she could look at both again and again in hopes of overriding the impending sense of doom. Their quick conversations had done little to diffuse the anxiety. His workweek was insane with the bombing and returning flyers. And since her return to the classroom, she'd been playing catch-up.
They were talking, some of the conversation sexy and longing. He wanted her. No question. It wasn't like before. But still... She'd been hurt, then angry for so long, this shift left her a bit off balance.
Panting puffs in the cold, she made it to the bus and climbed up the steps with seconds to spare. She waved to her mom and brothers in back and plopped in the lone remaining seat up front. Surely she would feel better once her father was safely home, then she and Carson could have their sailing date.
Date.
For real this time. Her hands clenched around her purse with that silly-sweet note from Carson inside.
Brown and brick buildings sprawled on the other side of the windows, reminding her when somehow she'd ended up here in a VOQ room with Gary Owens. God, she'd done a one-eighty from before, being certain the time had come to leave Carson Hunt behind forever. Now that she wasn't so focused on jabbing pins in a Carson voodoo doll, she was reminded of all the things she'd liked about him the first go-round.>"I'm not walking out," he echoed her thoughts so perfectly it spooked her. "I truly do head into work at five or six on a normal day."
"And this isn't a normal day."
Taking her hands, he knelt in front of her. "Not by a long shot."
His explanation made sense, but still, something wasn't right. "I understand about commitment to your job."
He squeezed her hands. "I want you to be careful when you go back to work."
"Of course I will."
He could take his distance and shove it. She kissed the faded scar. "I'm also checking in this week with Reis about some thoughts I've had."
And to find out more about those creepy calls to her parents' house. She wanted more facts before she told Carson so he wouldn't freak needlessly and lock her whole family in some hotel until her father returned.
Carson tapped her forehead. "Memories?"
"Ideas."
"Good ones?"