Read Online Casualties of Love by Denise Riley - Free Book Online Page A

went silent. And there had been the awkwardness. It has halted their conversation like a brick wall to a car. Jessica didn’t know why she had returned the question. Part of her had hoped he was happy. Regardless of how she felt, Jessica wanted Tyson to be happy. Another part of her had hoped that he regretted the loss of their relationship as much as she did.
    Tyson had also seemed surprised that she had turned the question back on him. He had paused a long time.
                  “You don’t have to answer that,” Jessica had said to save Tyson from having to come up with a response to her question. Maybe it was also trying to save herself from the answer. “While you deserve an explanation, actually have a right to one, I don’t.”
    “No, I’m just trying to figure the way to answer.”
    He had studied her before continuing. Jessica had been just about ready to tell him to forget she had asked when he spoke again.
    “You know that I tried to stay connected,” he had said. “I couldn’t believe you were gone. It was hard to finish up without you. But I’d call, trying to keep what was between us...alive, I guess. Some days, we’d talk and it seemed like you were close to letting me back in. But, then, you cut me off. It hurt like hell, Jess.” His words had pricked her heart, but she had not interrupted him. “When you kept shutting me out, it hurt more to keep trying than to let go. So, I trained myself to live without you. I moved on.”
    He’d moved on. Wow, that had hurt to hear. Then, Tyson shook his head as if confused.
    “At least I thoughtI did,” he had said, as much to himself as to her, Jessica had thought.
    She had asked Tyson what he meant. She had wondered if it meant that there could still be something between them. But, he’d said he didn’t know and that he wasn’t entirely sure he wanted anything between them.  That had hurt, too, but what could she really say except “I understand”? And, she did understand, even if it made her sadder than she could have ever expected. 
    Jessica flipped over in her bed and blew out a breath of frustration over her thoughts. What was even more sad was that hearing him say that he’d moved hadn’t done a thing to curb her desire for him. She longed for Tyson. It was like her body had been recharged with his touch and his kiss. She could barely stop herself from reaching for him when they were together, from begging him to kiss her again, to make love to her again. At this point, she would settle for the simple caresses he seemed to offer without thinking. At unexpected times, he would brush his fingers across her flesh – a touch on her arm, a brush along her shoulder, a squeeze of her hand. He’d then catch himself and retreat, though it left her wanting more, wanting to take things much farther. But, that might never happen.
    Jessica closed her eyes tight. It certainly wasn’t going to happen at the moment, so she had to do her best to settle herself and go to sleep. Her unit was going out again tomorrow and she needed to be on her game. She couldn’t do that if she spent all night thinking about Tyson Kidd...again.
     
    *****
     
    “Hey. Didn’t you promise to stop flirting?”
    Marcus turned toward the censuring voice to find Jessica Watts standing behind him.  She was smiling. Marcus quickly assessed her features. She really was a very pretty woman. It wasn’t hard at all to understand her appeal and Tyson’s near obsession.
    “No. You told me to stop flirting,” he said with a grin. “I don’t think I ever agreed.” He walked toward her on his crutches.
    “Well, with all the attention you get, I can see why you wouldn’t,” Jessica said with a head nod toward the pretty young enlisted Soldier that had her eyes on him. Marcus simply shrugged.
    It wasn’t unusual. Marcus knew he was attractive, had been told so all of his life. He’d never seen the point in pretending otherwise or playing coy. He liked women, and