Read Online Forget Me Not (Love in the Fleet) by Heather Ashby - Free Book Online

have to say.
    They hadn’t been on the best of terms when he’d left for his last deployment. She continued to struggle with forgiving him for not leaving an “in the event of my death letter” for her . He had left one for his parents, but not for Daisy. Had he wanted to punish her or had he been so preoccupied with his own problems it had slipped his mind?
    Jack told her about the letter he wrote her before his first deployment, although he’d destroyed it upon arriving home safely. It contained what she’d expected: how much he loved her, how he expected her to remarry should something happen to him, and how he would have died doing something he loved.
    Did those sentiments carry over to his second deployment? Guess she’d never know. Daisy was certain it had been meant to punish her, which was so un-like the Jack she’d married. It reinforced her beliefs. Combat had changed him.
    As to whether or not she’d remarry, forget that. Too painful. But she’d been so lonely. Even filling her time with work and volunteer activities hadn’t put a dent in the loneliness. So regardless of Jack’s permission, whether or not she became involved with another man was entirely up to her. Hadn’t Daisy always prided herself on being an independent woman, capable of making  her own decisions?
    She suddenly became so angry with Jack, she wanted to do something reckless to punish him, or would that amount to punishing herself?
    Daisy glanced back at Brian following her through the narrow channel, flanked by layers of sedimentary rock bared by years of erosion. He wouldn’t be her man of choice for a fling, although it would probably be fun. He made her laugh—when he wasn’t pissing her off, like on the mats at the Y on Thursday. The man had flipped her for God’s sake. Pinned her down. And it scared the bejeezus out of her that it turned her on like nobody’s business. She hadn’t been mad at him. She’d flipped him first. She was more upset with herself that she’d found it so exciting. When he’d laid down on her and whispered in her ear, she thought she’d go mad with desire. Right there in the middle of the YMCA. With children around.
    And those kisses the night before. He hadn’t tried to devour her in the Portside Manor parking lot, which she’d expected. If those air-brush kisses were an indication of what it might be like to make love with him…
    Forget it. A guy like Brian Crawford didn’t make love . He had sex .
    “Did you see that?” He slid his kayak alongside hers and pointed to the sky. “See the osprey with the fish? Watch him. He’s not eating it. See how he circles? He’s showing off for the other birds in that tree? Like he’s saying, ‘Hey look what I got. Not going to eat it. Just going to rub it in your faces.’”
    “Must be a male.” Daisy let him pass her and continued with her musings.
    There was still the issue of Brian calling her those pet names, even though she’d repeatedly asked him to stop. But maybe that was a good thing. It let her know he was a player through and through, so she wouldn’t have to worry about any entanglements. She doubted he wanted a relationship, not that she wanted one either. Maybe an affair was just what she needed. It wasn’t like she was out there looking for one. But he obviously was.
    “How ’bout we paddle up to that island and stop for lunch?” Brian called back to her.
    “Sounds good. I hope you like fried chicken.”
    “I like whatever you brought, Daisy. I appreciate your packing lunch. But I would have picked something up, honestly.”
    “No problem. After you told me all you and your roommate keep on hand are eggs and beer, and now cat food, I thought a trip to the deli last night was in order.”

    They beached their kayaks at the edge of the island and found a clearing in the midst of the sea oats. Brian arranged some sun-bleached logs in the shade of scrub palms while Daisy spread out a quilt and unpacked their lunch. It was