Page 101 of Tempt
“Hard to say. I suppose at some point, I’ll have to slow down. Give up the danger.”
“Is what you do for work really dangerous?” She looked worried.
“Sometimes. But I’m careful.”
“Would you ever want to do something else?”
I shrugged. “Sometimes I think about opening a whiskey bar or something. If I ever got tired of what I do now. Or of being away from home so much. But...I don’t even really know where I’d do it.”
“Not San Diego?”
“I could,” I said. “I’ve been based in San Diego for the last five years. But I don’t know if it’s where I’ll stay for good.”
“Why not? Don’t you like it?”
“I do.” I searched for words. “There’s just something about it that doesn’t feel like home.”
“Is there a place that does feel like home? Maybe Cleveland?”
I shook my head. “Not really. I think I’ve moved so much since joining the Navy that I never really got attached to any one place.”
She nodded. “I get that.”
“Did you ever consider moving away from here?”
“If I’d have gone into fashion design, I probably would have. New York, probably. Or maybe even Paris or Milan.” She smiled. “But I feel like even if I’d moved to one of those far-off cities, this would always behometo me. Because it’s where my family is. Where my heart is.”
“Yeah.” I leaned over and kissed her forehead. “I ordered some lunch for us. Or dinner. It’s after three, so I don’t even know what this meal is. I got Italian.”
“Perfect.” She set her mug on the nightstand as I rose to my feet.
“You rest. I’ll let you know when it gets here.”
“Okay. And Zach?”
Already at the doorway, I turned around. “Yeah?”
“Thank you for this.” She touched her heart. “It means a lot to me. It feels a little strange because I’m not used to being the one taken care of, but...I like it.”
I smiled at her and tapped the doorframe. “Good.”
* * *
When the food arrived, I went up and peeked at her, but she was asleep. I ate sitting at her kitchen table alone, under the watchful gaze of her cats. “Relax,” I told them. “I’m here for good, not for evil.”
While I was eating, Millie wandered down to the kitchen, looking mussed and sleepy, a blanket wrapped around her. “Hi.”
“Hey.” I got to my feet and pulled a chair out for her. “Sit down. How are you feeling?”
“A little better, I think.” She shuffled over to the table and sat down.
“You don’t sound much better.” I brought her a plate and fork. “What would you like? I have two different pastas, some chicken, some meatballs, a salad, some sausage and peppers...”
She started to laugh, then coughed into her elbow. “This is enough food for ten people.”
I grinned. “I was hungry when I ordered. Point at what you like, it’s all good.”
She indicated what she wanted, and I put everything on her plate, then brought her another glass of water and a napkin.
