Her shoulders relaxed, and her eyes softened. “No, it’s just that we were apart for so long while he was at—”
“Paisley?” the nurse called.
“That’s me.” She raised her hand and stood. “Would you mind waiting here?” she asked, something like fear flickering across her face.
Like I was going to leave her? “Yeah, I’m good. I’ll wait for you.” I grabbed the magazine next to me and pretended to read as I watched her walk away. I could do that all day.
It took her an hour, but by the time she came out, I’d convinced the checkout lady to tell Paisley it was a free clinic, and I’d handed over my card to cover her. Hell, it wasn’t really my money anyway.
“All clear!” she said with a smile, but she looked pale again.
I forced a smile and held open the door, something I always did out of habit, but for Paisley, I wanted to.
The Florida humidity closed in as we walked out of the clinic.
“Morgan?” Paisley called out as a girl came running across the parking lot, all legs and cleavage behind a mess of brunette hair, my usual type. Usual? When did I start thinking usual?
“Oh my Gawd.” She drew out that last word in a deeper accent. “I never thought he would do that!” She threw her arms around Paisley and burst into tears. “I’m so sorry!”
Paisley patted her back but didn’t cry. She hadn’t shed a tear through any of it. “It’s okay, Morgan. I’m okay.”
Her friend pulled away and smacked her shoulder. “You have to learn to swim!”
“Okay,” Paisley placated her. She turned toward me with a shy smile. “Besides, Mr. California here pulled me out, so some good came of it, right?”
“That’s an insult to a Coloradan. You know that, right? And it’s Jagger.”
Morgan took a long sweep of me with her eyes, something I was pretty used to, but it annoyed me instead of setting off my usual seek-and-fuck response. “Aren’t you the hero?” She used a breathy tone of voice I was sure frequently worked like a charm. She swayed over to me, running her fingers up my chest. “Anything I can do to say thank you for saving my best friend?”
Over Morgan’s shoulder, Paisley stiffened, and I pulled away. “Yeah, you can thank me by teaching her to swim. It was close.” Too close.
“Absolutely!” She hugged Paisley again. “Let’s get home and unpack?” She skipped across the pavement to a white sedan.
Paisley nodded, then walked to me slowly, her eyes darting across the ground like she couldn’t focus or think of what to say. She looked at me when we were a foot or so apart. We stared at each other in charged silence for a moment, and then she flung herself up, jumping slightly.
I caught her tiny frame easily, and she wrapped her arms around my neck, laying her head over my shoulder as her feet dangled. “Thank you for saving me. For seeing me.”
I held her tightly, savoring the only time I’d feel this girl against me. She smelled like salt water and Florida sun. “I saw you way before you went into the water, Paisley. I’d say you’re welcome, but I’m just thankful I got to you.” She loosened her hold, and I let her slip to her feet. Letting go sucked, plain and simple.
She retreated toward the car, keeping her eyes locked on mine. It was everything I could do to let her go, not to demand her phone number, her address, a way to see her again. After all, she’d come to the beach to escape, not to get stalked by me.
She paused with her hand on the door. “I love Will. He’s my best friend, a part of my family, and he…he knows what I need. He’s good for me.” She gave me a smile that about sent me to my knees. “I’m so glad I met you, Jagger.”
She opened her door and moved to get in. “Paisley!” I called out, unable to stop myself.
She turned her head with raised eyebrows.
“He’s a lucky bastard, and I hope he knows it.”
Chapter Three
Paisley
8. Keep some semblance of peace in my life.
I parked at my parents’ house on Fort Rucker and did a double take. Was that…? Yes, it was. Daddy was going to be frosted when he found out, if he hadn’t already seen it. Maybe I should skip breakfast this morning.
The fifteen-foot-tall polar bear statue that kept watch across from the museum now stood guard in Daddy’s front yard, wrapped in dozens of PT belts. That thing was at least fifteen hundred pounds, and I tipped my hat to whoever had moved it.
At least this wouldn’t be boring.
I grabbed my handbag and headed for the house. As flight school class pranks went, this was a pretty good one. This new class had just started, and they were already at it.
Good for them.
I heard Daddy from his office before I even shut the door.
“I don’t care what your goddamned schedule says! Get that thing off my lawn! And you’d better handle the responsible party!” His voice echoed through the foyer, but our golden retrievers, Layla and Clapton, didn’t move from their prone position, only thumped their tails when they saw me.
“Y’all are some great guard dogs.” I bent down to pet them.
“It had better be gone by lunch, Major. Damned polar bear.” The phone crashed in its cradle a moment before the French doors opened. “Lee-Lee!” Daddy embraced me lightly. I missed real hugs, the ones so tight I thought my ribs might break. “You ready for breakfast?”