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uched everywhere, shoulders to chest to hip to knee, even our noses met—just before she kissedue inside for a deeper kiss that earned me another little noise

My lips moved to her cheek, and I held myself over her “Stuart wouldn’t be lost if he had this”

Reaching up, she heldher thue? And he’s never had a serious relationship?”

My brows pulled together as I thought about it “If so, he’s never told et laid whenever he wants, but he never lets it go far He says women are a distraction”

Blue eyes narrowed “How many distractions did you have in the service?”

That h, and I moved to lie beside her “None I ith Allison, and then I guess I shared his opinion for a while Until you”

Those dark years after my first wife died seemed so far away now that I had Melissa and Dex When the cancer took Allison so cruelly and so fast, I turned to stone, e and bitterness I’d donelife with one before we ever even had the chance

When I ed She was beautiful and kind and strong and so sexy She soothed the anger in ave me a son I could remember my past, of course, but it made my present so much more precious

She rolled up beside me “I love you”

“I love youher cheek, and she continued

“So what does all of this ?”

My eyes went back to the ceiling “I ht have to leave you for a bit if he needs help”

“Derek! He’s a grown man” She fell back on the bed, arms crossed, and it was my turn to prop up beside her

“He saved my life, Mel If he’s in trouble, I have to be there for him”

“Doesn’t he have a family?”