The Officer's Girl (16 page)

“Everyone knows John Sanders. Stand up, John.”

Brett’s forehead knotted as a man with glowing white
hair and a patrician face surged to his feet with the help of a cane. He gave a slight bow.

“Many of you know that John lives right here in Brevard County and, even though he retired a few years ago, he has remained an integral part of the Space Tech family. So much so that we’ve persuaded him to come out of retirement.”

While everyone else applauded the good news, Brett ground his teeth. He was pretty sure the old guy was going to step into Stephanie’s job so she could leave for Washington.

“What’s the bad news, you ask?” Stephanie paused until she regained everyone’s attention. “John has agreed to take on one of Space Tech’s biggest challenges. He’ll be moving to our nation’s capital where he’ll direct all of our efforts to become the country’s number one supplier of advanced communications and networking solutions. I hope you’ll join me in wishing good luck and a fond farewell to the man we all consider our close friend.”

She. Wasn’t. Leaving.

“Be cool,” Brett breathed. Wanting to bolt out of his chair, rush through the crowd and demand answers, he waited until Stephanie finished before the front legs of his chair hit the floor. “Be cool.”

Cool. He could do that. In spite of the flickering hope that threatened to turn into a raging wildfire, he could be totally cool. In fact, he was the picture of coolness.

He shifted Barbara to Tom’s lap, shot his friend an offhand look and, in return, got a hearty clap on the back.

“I’ve got the boys,” Tom said. “We’ll get ice cream. You go get
her.
”

Brett was determined to do just that. Scattering apologies, he wove through the crowd that surged toward the ice cream tent until he reached the spot where he had last seen
Stephanie. True, he faced an uncool moment when he couldn’t immediately find her, but the feeling quickly passed. The woman who haunted his dreams and was never far from his thoughts leaned against one of the wooden supports for the pavilion’s vaulted ceiling.

Brett’s feet slowed. He thirsted for a long look at her the way a man in the desert thirsted for water. When he realized she hadn’t spotted him, he eased to one side and drank his fill.

Gone were the designer duds and strappy heels that revved his motor. She’d replaced them with off-the-rack Bermudas and a blousy Space Tech T-shirt that let her blend into the crowd and hid how special she was. Despite the casual get-up, Brett thought she looked sexier than ever. He swallowed and let his eyes roam where they wanted. They sought a pair of big blues that had once looked at him so tenderly. Behind them, he knew, lay fierce independence and the intelligence and determination to get what she wanted. She could go anywhere, have anything, including Space Tech’s highest position. So why had she turned away from the very opportunity that had brought her to Florida and into his life?

Would she tell him? He looked expectantly at her pert lips. Recalling the feel of them pressed against his own, her mouth opening to him, the dance of her small tongue with his, he wondered if they could ever again have what they’d lost.

Stephanie.

Her name whispered through him. He wanted the whole package—love, marriage, a family of their own. He’d do whatever it took to make that happen, grovel if he had to. Anything to hold her in his arms and earn a second chance.

Whoa, big guy. Be cool,
reminded his inner voice.

Brett nodded. He flexed his fingers while he practiced
the deep breathing he used on the gun range. Aiming for calm, he settled for marginally looser than hair-trigger tight. Any more deep breaths than that, and he was likely to hyperventilate. As it was, the ten steps to her side were the longest strides of his life.

“We need to talk,” he announced. He missed his coolest voice by a couple of octaves, but it was close enough. “Why didn’t you tell me you were staying?”

She spun toward him, a flare of hope showing in her eyes before protective armor dropped into place to hide it. Her arms crossed and she seemed to sink into the pillar, but her eyes did not waver as she faced him.

“What gave you the idea I was leaving?”

“Your sec—” Not wanting to cause any trouble, he started over. “I stopped by your office a couple of weeks ago. While I was there, I heard a rumor—”

“Oh? No one mentioned—”

She left the sentence unfinished, steering the conversation away from a path that would sidetrack both of them.

“John offered me the D.C. position. I turned it down. Turns out I’m not as committed to becoming Space Tech’s CEO as I thought I was.”

“And you’re not going back to Ohio?” he asked. He stilled, not daring to move until he had her answer.

“I like it here,” she said. “I think I can build a good life here.”

He propped his hands, shoulder-width apart, above her on the pillar. She could walk away at any minute, but his stance formed a protective cave that announced “Keep Out” to anyone who might interrupt.

“You think that life could include me?” he asked, barely able to get the words out. A sheen of tears quickly extinguished the tiny spark of warmth he saw in her eyes.

“No,” she said simply.

Coolness was highly overrated. Someone who was truly cool would never ask the question that leaped from his lips.

“Why?”

He refused to look away, even as her words sliced through his heart.

“You’re the reason I nearly accepted the transfer. Even though we’ve never said it, I know we love each other. But I need more than that. I need to be first in your life. I won’t settle for anything less.”

Brett felt the stirrings of an old prejudice and quashed them. Putting herself first didn’t make Stephanie selfish or self-centered. It made her whole and independent. It was part of what he loved about her.

“You are the most important person in my life,” he swore. “You have been since the day we met.”

In his dreams, words like those led to kisses and warm embraces. Reality didn’t bring the same results. Stephanie’s arms remained firmly crossed.

“Oh?”

Who knew one word could hold so much challenge?

“If that’s true, why did we break up? What happened to us, Brett?”

“I forgot to cancel our date.” The reason sounded as trivial as he always thought it would, but it was the only one he had. Evidently, there was more because Stephanie waited for him to add something, something that was beyond his grasp. He floundered, unable to find it.

“That’s why we fought,” she said at last. “That’s
not
why we broke up. We stopped seeing each other because…” She drew in a breath so deep it seemed to shudder all the way up from her toes. “Remember the day Pat’s Place was robbed?”

“Remember? How could I forget the day you called it quits?”

He stared at the tears trailing down her cheeks. It didn’t matter that he hadn’t meant to do it, he’d wounded her. Insight tugged at his consciousness and made him shake his head like a gator trout throwing a hook. He had to tell her he was trying.

“I’ve changed a lot since then. I took your advice—all of it. I do volunteer work now. Exercise. I gave up the bar scene.” The recitation sounded too much like a job application. He stopped himself. “It’ll take some time, but you’ll see.”

“But that day,” she breathed. “You stood me up to be with your friends. You didn’t even tell me…”

The confusion he felt spilled into his voice. “I didn’t tell you…what?”

“You didn’t tell me you faced down an armed suspect in a robbery. Why didn’t you tell me how close I came to losing you? You told everyone…”

She waited a beat while Brett’s heart skipped several.

“…but me.”

As if it had taken all she had to get the words out, she slumped against the pillar. Her cheeks glistened wetly, and she refused to meet his eyes.

He had picked up the phone a dozen times that day, but he had never placed the one call that mattered. Now, nothing mattered more than making things right between them. He only knew one way to do that. He prayed it would be enough.

“Stephanie, honey, I’m sorry. I am so sorry. Except to tell Jake to stop harassing you, I haven’t hung with the guys since that night. I don’t need anyone else in my life. You. You’re all I need. All I ever wanted.”

She raised her face until her wide blue eyes met his. Hope shot through him at the possibility he saw shimmer
ing through her tears. Uncertain whether he could believe it or not, he hesitated. “Stephanie? Honey? Will you give me another chance?”

Her lips curved up in a tentative smile that hinted at a future of possibilities.

“Maybe,” she whispered. “If you stop calling me
honey.
”

It was such a small thing to give up.

“The word will never cross my lips again,” he vowed. And this time, he meant it.

S
TARING UP AT HIM
, Stephanie knew that no matter how much he looked like one, Brett was not a god—Greek or otherwise. He was a man, with all the foibles that made him who he was…and she loved him with all her heart. So what if he was so sure of himself it drove her mad? She wouldn’t love him half as much if he were any different. Besides, she also knew that beneath Brett’s proud exterior beat a heart soft enough to admit when he was wrong.

They could build a life with that.

The realization of how close they’d come to losing each other propelled her straight into his outstretched arms.

“I was so scared that I’d lost you,” she whispered. She stood on tiptoe to search his face. “Don’t ever scare me like that again.”

“Never,” he swore without hesitation.

One word. Despite the summerlike heat, she’d been cold ever since the day they’d called it quits. Yet with that one word, he had chased away the chill.

Brett brushed his lips against her hair. “I’ll do anything to keep you. Anything at all. Ask me something I can promise.”

She knew just the thing. Stephanie pressed close enough to feel the way his heart pounded in his broad chest. “Will you stay with me?” she asked.

“Forever,” he murmured as she clung to his solid strength. “I’ve got you forever.”

Though she felt safe in his arms, she had to be sure. “And you love me? The way I love you?”

“With all my life.” A fire that matched her own blazed in his eyes. Swearing he’d never let go, he bent down.

Anticipation built to a fever pitch within her and Stephanie rose to meet Brett halfway. Full of promise, his lips brushed hers. He tasted of salt and cola, and she opened to him, eager to immerse herself in his kisses and follow wherever that led.

Behind them, someone coughed.

Brett stilled. His blue eyes peered down at her. “Why do I have the feeling we’ve got an audience?” he muttered.

Stephanie stole a quick look past his shoulder. Sure enough, Tom stood a not-so-discreet five feet away with the twins, Brett’s little guys and Mary crowded behind him.

“Sorry to interrupt, you two,” Tom said with a smug grin. “It’s time for the fishing derby.”

“Already?” Brett grumbled. He leaned close enough that his breath sent shivers of pleasure rippling through her. “We were just getting started,” he whispered.

Stephanie smiled up at the face she would never tire of seeing. At their first opportunity, they’d pick up their interrupted kiss where they’d left off, but for now, they both had obligations to fulfill.

“Looks like we’ll have to finish this later. Think you can handle that?” she asked. Her heart raced at the way his eyes smoldered, promising more. Raining kisses on her cheeks and nose, Brett pulled back.

“I can handle anything with you beside me.” He pressed her close to his side and swung them around to face the others.

Tom aimed a thumb toward Mary and the children. “The girls are eager to fish with their Unca Brett. So are the boys. Are you ready for this?”

“I am now,” Brett answered. He aimed an elbow in Tom’s direction while his arm at her waist tightened enough to let Stephanie know he intended to keep her close. “Ready, girls? Ready, boys?” he called to the children.

“Ready,” four voices chorused in unison.

“Then let’s go catch us a marlin,” he dared.

Brett’s touch skimmed from her waist to her fingertips. Folding her hand in his, he led them toward the fishing pier and their future. As they stepped from beneath the shaded pavilion, Stephanie checked the sky for storm clouds, a habit she’d developed since moving to Florida. It looked as if the weatherman had miscalculated again—there was no sign of the predicted thunderstorms. From where she stood, clear skies and bright sunshine stretched all the way to the end of the ocean.