Read Online Dancing in the Dark: A Novella by Virginia Kelly - Free Book Online
Authors: Virginia Kelly
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shadow of your former self. Your co-workers will wonder what happened to turn you into this dried-out husk of a man."
" Nah, they'll wonder why I'm smiling all the time."
***
Two months later
Matt opened the front door of his D.C. apartment a day later than scheduled. He 'd tried to call Janey, but had only gotten her voice mail, so he'd left her a text. Arrival plans have changed, he'd said. As always, his plans didn't count for much. He'd wanted to get away sooner, but the debriefing went on and on.
And there was the business with her brother. He 'd hoped to have good news, but everything he heard at Langley was bad. He'd have to tell her something. What, he had no clue.
Even though he wasn 't as tired as he thought he'd be, he intended to get a good night's sleep, then head to Walton Springs in the morning. He'd be there in time to greet Janey as she came home from work. He liked her apartment. He hated his. Spartan, the way his life had been before Janey.
He threw his keys down on the single table in the living room as he always did, and heard—no—felt her. He looked up. "You're here."
She stood awkwardly in the middle of the nearly empty room, a shy little smile on her face, before rushing toward him.
He caught her and swung around in a circle as he kissed her. She tasted like everything he'd ever wanted. Like everything he was going to have. He broke the kiss, put her down, and rested his forehead against hers.
He had to tell her, this woman he loved, this woman whose brother was still missing, that nothing had changed.
"I see it on your face, Matt. What have you heard?"
He took a deep breath. "He's not dead," he said, and felt her exhale. Of that, everyone was pretty sure. Damn, but her brother was in a hell of a mess. It didn't make any sense. "He's not communicating."
" That means what?"
" That's all I can say."
She nodded. "Is there anything you can do?"
" I've—reached out." He'd contacted someone who could be an intermediary. He could only hope JP would do the same thing.
She held on to him. "Are you supposed to do that?" she asked against his shoulder. "Are you supposed to tell me you did that?"
" You're my life, Janey." He pulled away in order to see her face. "I won't lie to you, but I also won't break my oath. I can't tell you anything more."
She nodded, her eyes solemn.
God, how he loved her. So brave, so strong. He kissed her again, letting himself slip a little, letting tenderness slide into passion, before stopping.
" How long have you been here?" he asked.
" Since yesterday." She brushed his too-long hair from his forehead. "I got your text. I thought you might be delayed, but I gambled."
He smiled and kissed her lightly, his arms around her waist, hips tight against hers. "You're a gambler, all right, Janey."
" No, I'm not. I am a sure thing kind of person." She placed the lightest of kisses on his mouth, ran her fingers down his cheek, with its three days' growth of beard, and met his gaze. "You told me to be sure. I'm sure I love you and I want the life we can build together."
" It's not an easy life."
" You told me that before. I didn't say I wanted an easy life, I said I want the life we can build together."
" It doesn't have to be this way for us," he said, watching her closely.
" I don't understand." She looked wary.
" Would you settle for the life we can actually share?"
" What do you mean?" she asked.
" Would you be willing to move?"
Her perfectly arched brows rose. "Move where?"
" I talked to Clay Field."
" Didn't he graduate high school with you?"
" Yeah. He's living in central Florida now. He's the chief of police in a little town down there. He suggested I do police academy. Couple of years with the larger sheriff's department there, some more training, and I can qualify for SWAT. The risks are lower. It would be an easier life for us."
" For me, maybe. I know I could find a job, but what about you? Is that what you want?"
" Yeah, babe, it is. I
" Nah, they'll wonder why I'm smiling all the time."
***
Two months later
Matt opened the front door of his D.C. apartment a day later than scheduled. He 'd tried to call Janey, but had only gotten her voice mail, so he'd left her a text. Arrival plans have changed, he'd said. As always, his plans didn't count for much. He'd wanted to get away sooner, but the debriefing went on and on.
And there was the business with her brother. He 'd hoped to have good news, but everything he heard at Langley was bad. He'd have to tell her something. What, he had no clue.
Even though he wasn 't as tired as he thought he'd be, he intended to get a good night's sleep, then head to Walton Springs in the morning. He'd be there in time to greet Janey as she came home from work. He liked her apartment. He hated his. Spartan, the way his life had been before Janey.
He threw his keys down on the single table in the living room as he always did, and heard—no—felt her. He looked up. "You're here."
She stood awkwardly in the middle of the nearly empty room, a shy little smile on her face, before rushing toward him.
He caught her and swung around in a circle as he kissed her. She tasted like everything he'd ever wanted. Like everything he was going to have. He broke the kiss, put her down, and rested his forehead against hers.
He had to tell her, this woman he loved, this woman whose brother was still missing, that nothing had changed.
"I see it on your face, Matt. What have you heard?"
He took a deep breath. "He's not dead," he said, and felt her exhale. Of that, everyone was pretty sure. Damn, but her brother was in a hell of a mess. It didn't make any sense. "He's not communicating."
" That means what?"
" That's all I can say."
She nodded. "Is there anything you can do?"
" I've—reached out." He'd contacted someone who could be an intermediary. He could only hope JP would do the same thing.
She held on to him. "Are you supposed to do that?" she asked against his shoulder. "Are you supposed to tell me you did that?"
" You're my life, Janey." He pulled away in order to see her face. "I won't lie to you, but I also won't break my oath. I can't tell you anything more."
She nodded, her eyes solemn.
God, how he loved her. So brave, so strong. He kissed her again, letting himself slip a little, letting tenderness slide into passion, before stopping.
" How long have you been here?" he asked.
" Since yesterday." She brushed his too-long hair from his forehead. "I got your text. I thought you might be delayed, but I gambled."
He smiled and kissed her lightly, his arms around her waist, hips tight against hers. "You're a gambler, all right, Janey."
" No, I'm not. I am a sure thing kind of person." She placed the lightest of kisses on his mouth, ran her fingers down his cheek, with its three days' growth of beard, and met his gaze. "You told me to be sure. I'm sure I love you and I want the life we can build together."
" It's not an easy life."
" You told me that before. I didn't say I wanted an easy life, I said I want the life we can build together."
" It doesn't have to be this way for us," he said, watching her closely.
" I don't understand." She looked wary.
" Would you settle for the life we can actually share?"
" What do you mean?" she asked.
" Would you be willing to move?"
Her perfectly arched brows rose. "Move where?"
" I talked to Clay Field."
" Didn't he graduate high school with you?"
" Yeah. He's living in central Florida now. He's the chief of police in a little town down there. He suggested I do police academy. Couple of years with the larger sheriff's department there, some more training, and I can qualify for SWAT. The risks are lower. It would be an easier life for us."
" For me, maybe. I know I could find a job, but what about you? Is that what you want?"
" Yeah, babe, it is. I
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