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Who the hell was this man and what had he done with her husband?

"We need to talk"

And noanted discussion?

The world was totally screwed up Maybe his trip into base would hts so he wouldn’t be around to entice her during waking hours "About what?"

He slowed onto the exit ra lunch rush hour "Do you think everything’s okay with Chris?"

That soundedon the kids Safe territory

She considered his question through an entire traffic light She’d traveled this familiar parental route with her husband often in the past He would ask her how he should approach one of the kids She would give him advice that he always followed She felt needed

But he would be parenting alone during his weekends and vacations with Chris Even though she was close now to help, what if he was transferred? He couldn’t pick up the phone every time he had a question about what to say to their son

He was a loving father, worked hard at being there for his kids But only now did she realize how he always acquiesced to her hen it ca

She’d let him rely on her Had she wanted him to need her on at least some level? A painful notion because then she would have done her children a disservice

Da He was gone so often,fell to her They couldn’t afford a slew of phone calls The Internet and e- him in touch with his kids, but that hadn’t been a major-player option until they were older

She circled her ju herself or him up about the past Just do the best she could with their present and future

Concentrate on the present, i advice, she would ask his opinion "Whatwith Chris?"

"He was late coht you were released froer, but he keeps close to ho?"

"He’s had plenty of chances to talk and no dice I know I haven’t been around much, but I sure as hell tried this week, worked out with hied I even showed him how to fix stuff around the house"

So Chris could repair things after his father left again? "Did you ask hihtened in fa the pine-lined entry road leading up to the base "Men aren’t into all that touchy-feely e his neck "Back down, babe I respect what you do God knows, anyone who’d drag her wounded self up there to work is obviously devoted"

Sure he respected her job Just didn’t believe in it and wouldn’t touch a penny of her paycheck for so much as a family vacation to blow off steam created by his job "So back progress With others, it’s not so sih to her own husband, but then he wasn’t a patient, and she couldn’t heal her fa it? Not so easy

JT flashed his uard waved hi for you to break confidentiality Just expressing interest in your world"

"Thank you" She twisted sideways toward him "You know that’s borderline touchy-feely"

"Touch?" He echoed the word that had been plaguing her all day--for days, actually Was he a mind reader now, too? "We probably need to stay away froroundwork for taking care of this little one"

Of course he was right She totally agreed So as she cranky? She’d won, after all

JT turned off toward her office, red brick building sprawling in front of her, while he hunted for an empty spot in the jammed lot She was confident in her job, but still her own screwed-up ho her mind "Just as well Chris interrupted last week We’re too old for the over-the-kitchen-counter quickies"

"We weren’t too old for it three o And you sure as hell weren’t too old for the table, the stairs, the shower--"

"Sex was never our problem, JT"

Steam filled the truck’s cab He shifted the truck into park The packed parking lot of empty cars offered a pseudo sense of solitude in spite of the public locale, blue ht, even a Humvee in front of them Still, he didn’t reach for her

But his hands shook from the restraint

Rena launched into his arms Couldn’t help herself No surprise

Did he meet her halfway? She didn’t know, and with his lips and hands finally on her, she couldn’t think or reason Only feel Savor His touch licking fire through her veins

He palainst his solid body, soft brsts yielding against hard chest

And taste, oh, the taste of his One apparently he suffered fro She could alet they were in a public lot

Rena inched closer, her calf-length skirt tangling around her legs, scrunchy fabric rasping against skin suddenly over-sensitive to the least sensation How incredible it would be to park somewhere private and toss away inhibitions, pretend they were both twenty-two years younger