Cherry Girl (Neil & Elaina #1)(13)
Author: Raine Miller

Stepping up from behind, I wrapped my arms around her and rested my chin on the top of her head. “Beautiful,” I said, inhaling the scent of her that had become my addiction.

“I know, it really is,” she said, bringing her hands up to tuck over where my arms intersected. I loved whenever Elaina touched me. And I soaked up every single touch she offered no matter how small or how fleeting. The unique feel of her hands reaching out to touch me meant something. Knowing she gave to me so freely also meant something, and I would cherish the memories of our time together when we were separated. It would get me through the rough patches. I hoped. I got a flash feeling of panic at the thought of leaving her behind in England once my R & R was up. Don’t think about it.

I turned her around and took her face in my hands. I held her to me, searching her questioning eyes and tracing over her beautiful features, memorizing every small detail of what made Elaina the most beautiful woman in the world to me.

“I wasn’t talking about the view,” I told her, before I took her mouth with mine.

I kissed her for a long time in front of that picture window. I cherished my girl until I was good and satisfied. Until I’d tasted her enough to let her go so I could make good on my promise to stare at her over dinner.

We were definitely a little late.

Elaina’s blush at the server when he came to seat us, and the looks of the other guests, probably guessing the reason behind our tardiness to dinner, caused all kinds of protective urges in me. One look at Elaina, and anyone could see from her flushed complexion and puffy lips from all the kissing, to get a pretty good idea about what we’d been up to.

I slid my hand possessively down to the small of her back and led her to her chair, seating her first, the way my gran had taught me. I wanted all those people to know she was mine. If I could’ve managed it without everyone believing I was a complete nutter, I would’ve made an announcement too. This beautiful girl is mine, people, and she loves me.

I figured either way, I came out winning, nutter or no. I still got to stare across the table at her over dinner.

9

“What do you like best about being a captain in the Special Forces? You don’t talk much about it.”

“We’re not supposed to talk about it, darlin’.”

Her face fell and her lips made an adorable pout that made me want to do things to them that required a locking door.

“Well, what can you tell me? I need to know something about what you do over there in Afghanistan.”

I shrugged over my plate of perfectly cooked venison and gave her the most honest answer I could. “It’s just work that’s been a good opportunity for someone like me I suppose. Hard work and very dreadful at times. Lonely. Harsh. Dry. Fucked up.” I looked up from my dinner into her caring eyes, and for the first time ever, wished I wasn’t a soldier.

“Sounds wonderful,” she said sarcastically. “How much do I need to worry about you coming back to me safely, Neil?”

I covered her hand with mine. “I’m coming back in ten months and when I do it’ll be for good. That’ll make a six-year haul for me, and it’s plenty, believe me. I want to do something else with my life, and I promise this is my last tour, Elaina.”

“Thank God.” Her voice was relieved but the concern still showed in her face.

“It feels nice to have you worrying about me, though.”

“I’ve always worried about you, I just wasn’t privy to what was going on before. Now, it’s different. Now, I’m bloody terrified that something bad will take you from me, that I’ll lose you—that we’ll never have our…time together.”

“No.” I shook my head. “I’m not accepting that. I’m going over there and I’ll do my job, and when my time’s up I’m coming home to you. That’s a promise I’m going to keep.” I picked up her hand and held it against my mouth. “I love this hand so much.”

Her eyes grew watery when I said the last part.

“I love the man holding my hand. So much,” she whispered with teary eyes, “and I want him to come back to me in one piece.”

I knew it was time. Time for us to be close and put away all the doubts we’d both carried around for far too long. Time for us to learn what we had to lose by not being together, and making us both see how we couldn’t live without it for another second.

“Look into my eyes when I tell you that I’m coming back. I will. I’ll be gettin’ off a plane and scanning the crowd for my Cherry Girl to come running up to me, where I can pick her up and hold her very close, and know we’ll never have to be separated again.”

She nodded imperceptibly, her eyes still glassy and beautifully blue in the candlelight across from me. “Promise?”

“With everything I’ve got in me.”

I saw her visibly soften in her seat, the tension lessening some, and wished we were alone and not in a room with others. It’s time to take her upstairs and love her completely.

I whispered so only she could hear. “I need to be with you now, and we can make all these worries and fears about all the bad things that frighten us, just disappear,” I spoke with my lips up against her hand and my eyes on hers. “We can make it all go away for tonight.”

“Yes, please.” A single tear slipped down her smooth cheek as she nodded her agreement at me from across the table.

I got my answer and it was all I needed.

We held hands all the way up to the room, passing by museum-worthy portraits, which were at least eight feet tall, mounted on the stairwell, and artwork of amazing forms and variety. I couldn’t really take in what was around me though. I only cared about the girl beside me.

Once the stairs were behind us, I swooped her up and carried her the rest of the way. I wanted her weight in my arms. I wanted to carry her to the place where we would be together.

“You’re going to hurt your back by hefting me around.”

“Not a chance of that happening, beautiful girl. You’re a feather. My arms love the feel of carrying you, so I think you’d better get used to it.”

My Cherry blushed for me, looking shy and mouth-watering just by being her sweet self. “Put your arms around my neck,” I said.

She complied with my request, her small hands sliding up around me to hold on firmly. It felt like heaven. I dropped a kiss on her while holding her up, somehow managing to get the door open and thankful for old fashioned doorknobs that weren’t locked from the outside. I didn’t want to let go of her mouth as I fumbled with doors and locks to get us situated inside, and finally into some privacy. I needed the connection. I felt a growing desperation to complete us, like, if I waited another day it would be too late to claim her as mine, that somehow she would be lost to me.