Filed To Story: The Things We Leave Unfinished Novel Free
The drive was short-only a few minutes off the station-but for the smallest of moments, Scarlett didn’t want to turn the corner, didn’t want to know. But they did.
There was a car parked outside her house.
“Oh God,” Constance whispered.
Scarlett squared her shoulders and took in a deep breath. “Why don’t you want to take the teller training?”
Constance glanced her way as she pulled up behind the car, which bore the 11 Group insignia. “Right now? You want to talk about that right now?”
“I just always thought you planned to advance.” Her heart beat so fast, it almost blended into a steady thrum.
“Scarlett.”
“There’s more pressure, yes, but more pay with the promotion.” Her hand gripped the handle like a vise.
“Scarlett!” Constance snapped.
She ripped her gaze away from the 11 Group insignia and looked at her sister.
“I promise I will come over tomorrow morning and talk to you about the training, but right now, you cannot stay in the car.”
“Do you wish you’d never opened the letter?” Scarlett whispered.
“It would only have delayed the inevitable.” Constance forced a shaky smile. “Come on, I’ll walk you to the door.”
Scarlett nodded, then pushed her door open and stepped out onto the pavement, readying herself for another set of doors opening.
The car doors didn’t open. Her front door did.
“Hey, you.” Jameson filled the doorway, and Scarlett’s knees nearly gave out.
She broke into a run, and he met her halfway, swinging her into his arms with a hug so tight, she felt the pieces of her click back into place. He was okay. He was home. He was alive.
She buried her face in his neck, breathed in his scent, and held on for dear life, because that’s exactly what he’d become-her life.
“I was so worried,” she said against his skin, unwilling to draw back for even a moment.
…
“I knew you would be. That’s why I got a pass and drove up.” He kept one big hand splayed on her back and held the nape of her neck with the other. Holding Scarlett was all he’d thought about since the moment they’d lost Kolendorski. “I’m okay.”
She just held on tighter.
Jameson looked over Scarlett’s shoulder and nodded at Constance, who watched them with a wistful smile. She nodded back, then turned away, heading for the car she’d brought Scarlett home in.
“Who was it?” Scarlett asked.
“Kolendorski.” He’d liked the guy. “Turned to intercept a bomber and got taken out by two fighters. We all saw him go down in the sea.” No attempt to bail out. No Mayday. He went in vertically with enough force that if he hadn’t been killed before, he’d been dead on impact. No one could survive that kind of crash.
“I’m so sorry,” she said, easing her grip a little. “I’m just…” Her shoulders shook, and he gently pulled back so he could see his wife.
“It’s okay. Everything is okay,” he assured her, swiping away her tears with the pad of his thumb.
“I don’t know why I’m being such a ninny.” She forced a distorted smile through her tears. “I saw the strength number change, and I knew one of you was gone.” She shook her head. “I love you.”
“I love you, too.” He kissed her forehead.
“No, that’s not what I mean.” She stepped out of his arms. “I love you so much that my heart feels like it beats within your body. I watched what losing Edward did to Constance, and I know that I’m not strong enough to lose you. I won’t survive it.”
“Scarlett,” he whispered, wrapping his arms around her and pulling her close because there was nothing else he could do. They both knew that tomorrow it could be him. With the prevalence of the bombing raids, it could be her. Every goodbye kiss they shared held the bittersweet taste of desperation because they knew it could be their last.
And if it were her… He sucked in a steadying breath to quiet the unwelcome, impossible thoughts. There was nothing for him without Scarlett. She was the reason he ran a little faster when they scrambled to intercept a bombing raid. She was the reason he pushed the newer pilots harder. She was the reason he’d stay no matter how many letters his parents sent, telling him they were proud of him in the same line that they begged for him to come home. He didn’t need to swear loyalty to the king-he’d sworn it to Scarlett, and she was his to protect.
“Come on.” He took her hand and led her inside, but instead of carrying her to their bedroom and making love to her as he’d planned for every minute of his drive, he took her to the living room, where he put Billie Holiday on the record player. “Dance with me, Scarlett.”
Her lips lifted, but it was too sad to be called a smile. She slid into his arms and laid her head against his chest as they swayed in small circles, steering clear of the coffee table.
This right here was where he lived. Everything else he did was to get him back safely for more of this-more of her. Living apart was a special kind of torture; knowing she was only an hour away, but he couldn’t get to her, caused too many sleepless nights. He missed the feel of her skin against his in the morning, missed the scent of her hair when she’d fall asleep on his chest. He missed talking about their days, planning their future, kissing their way through yet another burned dinner. He missed everything about her.
“I have news for you,” he said softly, brushing his lips over her temple.
“Hmm?” She lifted her head, apprehension filling her eyes.
“We’re being reposted.” He tried to keep a straight face, but his lips didn’t obey.
“Already?” Her brow puckered and her lips flattened. “I don’t-“
“Ask me where.” Now he was grinning-so much for keeping it a surprise.
“Where?”
He lifted his brows.
“Jameson,” she chastised. “Don’t tease me. Whe-” She inhaled sharply, then narrowed her eyes. “You tell me right this very minute, because if you get my hopes up just to squash them like a bug, you’ll be sleeping alone tonight.”
“No, I won’t,” he said with a smile. “You like me too much for that.”
“Not at this moment I don’t.”
“Fine, then you like what I do to your body too much for that,” he teased, his gaze heating.
She arched a brow.
New Book: Returned To Make Them Pay
On her wedding anniversary, Alicia is drugged and stumbles into the wrong room—straight into the arms of the powerful Caden Ward, a man rumored never to touch women. Their night of passion shocks even him, especially when he discovers she’s still a virgin after two years of marriage to Joshua Yates.