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going?”
    Pursing his lips Max shook his head
firmly. “I hate the idea of you possibly getting hurt or worse, but
I’m also man enough to admit that.” He grinned wryly at her.
“You’re also trained for this. So why shouldn’t you go? Just
because I don’t like it?” He shook his head and tugged her
closer.
    He thought she must have felt him
swallow because her arms tightened and she pushed her face into his
neck. Max closed his eyes, memorizing it all, inhaling a little
deeper to keep her scent in his brain. Wanting so much more, and
knowing now wasn’t the time. Maybe never would be the time, but now
definitely didn’t work.
    “ I’m sorry to be such a cry
baby,” she mumbled against his ear and he heard her sniff. Leaning
forward, but keeping a firm grip on her, he snagged some tissues
and pressed them into her hand.
    “ Thanks.” He felt her
fumbling around her face, her position on his lap making the angle
awkward. But KC didn’t pull away from him. She stuffed the used
tissues into her pocket and wrapped her arm around him
again.
    “ You’re welcome,” he said
huskily and realized he had to get her off his lap. Soon. Her warm
weight, scent, and the feel of her curves against him were engaging
in a definite conversation with his man’s body. And while he liked
the conversation, he didn’t think she would, so he eased her
breasts away from his chest and tried to breathe
shallowly.
    “ We need to get back to
business,” she said and brushed a hand through his hair. “Thanks
for weathering that with me,” she whispered and wiggled off his
lap.
    “ Any time,” he whispered
back.
    “ Give me a moment,
hmmm?”
    “ Sure.” Since he needed a
moment too. He watched her hastily leave the room. She returned a
little while later and he saw she must have splashed some water on
her face. Droplets ensnared in her hair reflected the light and he
caught his breath.
    Even after a crying session, KC
Gilmore was still the most beautiful woman he had ever met. And his
arms felt empty when she settled into her own chair. He leaned
forward, wanting to catch another whiff of her scent. Wanting to
repeat that conversation their bodies had been enjoying
earlier.
    Even though that way led nowhere, he
still didn’t mind torturing himself a bit longer.
    *****
    They managed to finalize most of their
business arrangements by the end of the week. KC signed all the
necessary papers to give him power of attorney and authority over
her financial and work decisions, and most importantly, Max became
Ryan’s legal guardian for the time she would be gone.
    Especially in the event she didn’t
return.
    A thought neither spoke out loud. KC
contained her emotions since her meltdown with him, and worked
through everything, with an aplomb he admired. He hadn’t any
additional reasons to pull her into his arms again, but there was a
new warmth in her eyes, a sort of longing she developed whenever
she looked at him.
    He didn’t put much stock in the look
though, because he caught the same expression whenever she watched
Ryan or Spuds. Like she was making memories to take with
her.
    Max understood her reasoning, because
he caught himself doing the same thing. He desperately needed to
capture every scent, every look, every laugh, every precious smile.
He wanted to feel her in his arms again. Even though her job
wouldn’t place her on the front line of battle, it didn’t
matter.
    KC was still going to war.
    And war always produced casualties. He
had no guarantee KC Gilmore wouldn’t be counted among them. That
thought kept him awake some nights. Or woke him up, panicked and
sweaty, and sent him down the hall to anxiously peer into her room
to make certain she was all right. But there was nothing he could
do to stop her from going.
    The woman he loved was going to leave
him. Perhaps for good. And he couldn’t rouse the courage to tell
her how he really felt about her. Much less stop her from
going.

 
     
     
     
     
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