Beyond Affection (5 page)

She looked at him and smiled.  “Yes.  I’m sorry about that.”

“Don’t be.  The little girl really seems to like you.”

“She’s a good kid,” Lacie said, her expression softening.  “Her mom was a friend of mine.”

“Was?”

“She died in a car accident two years ago.”

“I’m sorry.”

“Thanks.  It was difficult.  Craig had only just been sent home from Afghanistan, not sure if he’d ever walk again, and blaming himself for Brian’s disappearance.  Shelly was just three, too young to realize what was going on, but maybe that’s a blessing.”

“Davidson was with your brother?”

“Yes,” she said on an exhale.  “They enlisted together.  They did everything together.  I feel as if Craig’s almost as much my brother as Brian.”

Shane had seen the look in the man’s eyes, and it only reinforced his earlier impression that Davidson’s feelings for Lacie went beyond brotherly affection.  He’d have to step very carefully until he learned a little more about what was between them.  If he shared his gut feelings with Lacie at this point, she might not take it kindly.  Until he had a chance to explore this compelling attraction he seemed to have for her, he didn’t want to do anything that might push her away.

“He seems rather protective of you,” he said, keeping his tone conversational and only mildly curious.

“He is,” Lacie admitted, frowning.

“It bothers you?”

“Sometimes,” she exhaled.  “I don’t know.  He’s different ever since he came back, you know?  Something happened over there, something that changed him.”

“War can have that effect on people.”  He spoke the words with the heaviness of someone who understood all too well how combat could change a man, how the need to commit unspeakable acts in the name of God and country and freedom could damage his soul.

“Were you in the service?” Lacie’s attention was on him now.

“Yes,” he said.

“Not the Army?”

“SEALs.”

“Do you ever talk about it?” she asked quietly.  “What you’ve seen?  Where you’ve been?  What you’ve done?”

Shane cast her a sideways glance.  She was looking at him with those big blue eyes, not with morbid curiosity, not with sympathy or pity, but because she was trying to understand something that was beyond her comprehension, past any frame of reference she might employ.  Whether it had been her intent or not, she was reaching into a part of him that he kept tightly locked away.

“No.”

“Why not?”

Shane slowed the vehicle, then stopped as the traffic light turned red.  Turning his blue eyes on her he said, “Because there are some things in this world that should never be spoken of.”

He wasn’t sure exactly how she would take it; the conversation had definitely taken an unexpected turn.  She seemed to give his answer some serious thought.  Finally she nodded, placing her small hand over his where it rested on the gear shift.  She got it, and she accepted.  He felt one of his internal tumblers moving slowly into place, the first in a series that would unlock his heart completely.

“It’s a bit different for me, though,” he continued.  “I have six brothers and a father who have all been SEALs as well.  I grew up with it, and I was constantly surrounded by men who understood exactly what I was going through, because they’d gone through it themselves.  We’ve always been there for one another, even if we don’t talk about it much.”

Lacie smiled, a gentle, caring smile that warmed him.  “I’ve heard you are all very close.”

“We are,” he confirmed.  The light changed and he moved forward, turning off onto the road that would take them out of Pine Ridge proper and up the mountain.

“Brian and I are close, too,” she told him.  Shane shifted and curled his fingers around hers.  It felt natural to do so.  “That’s how I know he’s still alive, waiting for someone to find him.”  She paused, taking a breath.  “Corinne and I are pretty tight, too, but as you’ve already seen, she’s insane.”

Shane smiled.  “I like her.”

“Oh, God, don’t tell her that.  She’ll camp out on your doorstep and you’ll never get rid of her.”

“You’ll have to protect me, then.”

She squeezed his hand and winked.  “I’ve got your six.”

M
uch to Lacie’s delight and surprise, Shane had reservations at the Celtic Goddess, an exclusive five-star restaurant built into the mountainside just outside of Pine Ridge.  From the moment they pulled up in front of the signature Greek-columned entrance, her eyes went as wide and stayed that way.  She stared in wonder at the opulent décor as they entered the lobby.  More columns.  Gleaming marble flooring.  Elegant, sculpted statues and a proliferation of lush greenery.

Shane gave his name to the tuxedoed man behind the ornately-carved podium and they were led to a very private, secluded table for two in a balconied alcove overlooking the valley.

“This is for us?” she whispered quietly, sure that the maitre d’ had made a mistake.

“Yes,” he grinned, accepting the bottle of champagne. 

The tablecloths were ivory linens trimmed in gold.  The place setting was the most elegant china she had ever seen; she was sure that the utensils were
real
silver. 

As if all that wasn’t enough, the meal was an event in itself.  Seven individual courses of the most delicious food she had ever tasted.  By the time dessert arrived – twelve paper-thin layers of a hazelnut chocolate torte – she was quite sure every one of her sensory systems was in a state of blissful shock.

“Dance with me,” Shane said, rising from the table and holding out his hand.  Lovely music flowed softly from hidden speakers all around them.  The dishes had all been cleared away, nothing between them but soft candlelight and the fresh flowers that comprised the small, tastefully done centerpiece.

She blinked.  “Here?  Now?”  It was only the two of them in their own romantic little world, set apart from everyone and everything.  In truth, though, it wouldn’t have mattered if they had been placed dead center in a room amidst thousands of others.  Tonight there was no one in her universe but Shane.

“Yes,” he grinned, and she was sure her heart skipped a few beats.  Not even the grandeur of the Celtic Goddess or the breathtaking view could take away from his presence.  He was, quite simply, the most beautiful man she had ever met.  His features were as stunning as the hand-carved Greek statues around them – strong and masculine, yet tempered with intelligence and depth.  In his black suit, his eyes blazed a luminous blue, and throughout the evening, they had been pinned solely on her.   

“Aren’t you afraid I’ll trip and send us both through the window?”

He tugged lightly on her hand.  “I won’t let anything happen to you, Lacie.” 

How could she resist when he said things like that?  The past few hours had been spent in the perfect place, with the perfect man.  To be held in his arms while they danced alone beneath the stars, with the entire valley spread out below?  She’d never forgive herself if she didn’t.

Stepping into his arms was like coming home.  Her body molded itself to his, every curve, every dip, every line fitting together as if crafted by a master artisan.  They moved together as if they had been doing so all their lives.  Shane was smooth and graceful, and for the first time in her life, Lacie felt that way, too.  At least until Shane gave her injured hand a slight squeeze.  She uttered a little cry before she could stop herself. 

Shane stepped back immediately and examined her hand.  “What happened?”

“It was nothing,” she said.  “I caught my hand in the car door.  It was an accident.”

He cast a look from beneath dark, thick lashes that were practically sinful on a man.  “I would certainly hope you didn’t do it on purpose.”  His fingers brushed lightly over the back, skimming along the knuckles, tapping her fingers.  “When did this happen?”

* * *

S
hane sensed her hesitation; she didn’t want to tell him.  “Tuesday night,” she finally mumbled.  Shane took a discreet, calming breath.  That was days ago - the night he guest-lectured at the University.  “Tuesday?”

“Yes,” she bit her lip, glancing down at where his hand now gently held hers as if it would break.  “When I was getting out of my car.”

Shane prayed for patience.  The thought that she was injured did not sit well with him.  The fact that she had suffered all week was even less appealing.  “You didn’t mention it.”

“No, I didn’t.”  There was no mistaking the hint of defiance in her tone, telling him quite clearly that she did not feel the need to share everything.  It bothered him, and he was somewhat taken aback by the fierce protective urges that seemed to be taking root.  At the same time, he sensed that pushing her too hard too soon would be less than beneficial to his interests.  After spending the evening with her, that compelling interest had only strengthened.

When he spoke again, it was with less demand and more concern.  “Did you get this x-rayed?”

The defiance faded quickly, followed by something almost apologetic.  It made those protective urges surge again.  “Not yet.  I didn’t think it was that bad, really.” 

Shane flicked a finger lightly beneath hers, receiving a slight wince in response.  He hadn’t meant to hurt her – it was barely a brush – which meant it really was a lot worse than she was letting on. 

“Really,” he said, his disbelief apparent.  “At the very least you should have this taped.”

“I did.  That’s probably why it didn’t bother me much.”

He arched a brow.  “It’s not taped now.’

Her lashes lowered, and she averted her eyes.  “It didn’t look good with my dress,” she said softly.

He gently lifted her chin and pinned her with his eyes.  He hadn’t figured her to be one who would forego common sense for something so esoteric.  The answer came a moment later, a softly spoken confession from beneath shuttered eyes.  “I wanted to look pretty for you.”

Another click snicked deep within.  That she would go to such lengths for him had his heart swelling until it used every available space in his chest.  “I’ve never seen a woman look more beautiful than you do tonight.  But don’t ever do anything like this for my benefit again,” he chastised gently.  “Now will you promise me you will have this taken care of tomorrow, or should we stop at the ER on our way back tonight?”

She blinked away a sheen of moisture.  “I’ll go tomorrow,” she promised.

After a few more dances, Shane reluctantly took her home.  Lacie allowed him to temporarily bind her hand from the first aid kit he kept in the trunk.  He would have preferred to have his brother Michael check it over, but he trusted Lacie to keep her word, and he didn’t want her to have any unpleasant memories of this night.  If she had managed to make it through the week with a full schedule, one more night wasn’t unreasonable.

“Did you have a good time tonight?” he asked, opening the door for her.

She didn’t answer him at first.  When she did finally speak, she did so as if choosing each word carefully.  “If I took every dream I ever had of the perfect romantic date and put them all together, it couldn’t compare to what you’ve given me tonight.”

Shane wondered at the pure pleasure her words gave him.  “That’s a yes, then?”

“That’s most definitely a yes.  But...”

Shane’s brows drew together.  There was a ‘but’?  He had planned everything down to the minutest detail, and it had gone off without a hitch. Granted, getting a private balcony table at the Celtic Goddess on such short notice was made easier by the fact that his sister-in-law was the head chef and co-owner, but he thought he’d done pretty well.  “But?”

She looked at him shyly from beneath thick lashes.  “As wonderful as it was, I just want you to know that it wasn’t because of the restaurant or the food or the music.  That was nice and all, but it was wonderful because I was with you.”

Shane felt a fist curl around his heart and squeeze.  There went another tumbler as his heart clicked one step closer to completely opening for her.

“So if our next date is hot dogs and beer at a baseball game, you’d be okay with that?” he teased.

“Actually, I would love that,” she laughed.  “But just so you know, I’m more of a soft-pretzel kind of girl.”

“I’ll remember that.”

* * *

S
hane walked her to her door.  His hand rested lightly on her lower back, a simple gentlemanly gesture.  He probably didn’t realize the thrill it gave her, or the desire it incited, now curling around deep in her center.

She hesitated, wondering if she should ask him in.  She wanted to, there was no doubt about that, but she couldn’t quite form the words.  It was only their first real date after all (second if she counted the coffee), and even though no man had ever made her feel quite so ... needy ... she didn’t want him to think she was easy.  If she asked him in, and he accepted, there was no doubt in her mind where they would end up, no matter how good her intentions. 

As it turned out, Shane made the decision for her.  “I had a wonderful time tonight,” he said, lifting her uninjured hand to his lips.  He pressed a soft kiss to the back of it, then stepped back.  “May I call you again?”

“Yes,” she breathed.  “Please do.”

He waited while she unlocked the door, making sure she was safely inside.  “Goodnight, Lacie.”

“Goodnight, Shane.”

And then he was gone.

Resisting the urge to lean against the door and sigh, she hurried to her window, peering out to see Shane get into his black car and pull away.  Only then did she allow the full-body sigh.

“So.  How was it?”

Corinne’s unexpected voice nearly gave her a stroke.  “Corinne!” Lacie exclaimed, clutching her chest and willing her heart to stop pounding like a jackhammer. 

“Come on, sister,” Corinne grinned unrepentantly.  “Dish.  I made popcorn.  I want to hear every last detail.”

Lacie obliged, painting a highly accurate and very detailed account of their evening as she changed out of her clothes and slipped into soft flannel PJ’s.  Corinne hung on every word, her mouth opening and closing several times as she made Lacie repeat the best parts.