refill my glass, let me run to the bathroom real quick.” He winked at me. “As soon as you get back, I ’ m ready to go upstairs and run a bath for two.” I jumped up from the floor and headed through the kitchen to the half bath. I was so excited I almost peed on myself. Life with Kaleb was so good and he was good to me. I washed my hands and was heading back through the kitchen when I noticed the horse ’s water bowl was empty. I stopped, rolled my eyes and reached down for it. He was lying on the floor near the back stairs and the second he saw me carry his bowl over to the sink his tail started wagging. I may not care for big dogs but one thing I’d never do is mistreat an animal. I put the bowl back onto floor and he immediately rushed over and started slurping, sending water all over my bare feet. I jumped back. “Stupid dog,” I mumbled under my breath then hurried back to the family room. When I spotted Kaleb holding my phone in his hand I came to a screeching halt. “ Why is dude still calling you?” “ What?” I was trying to stall. Damn, talk about bad timing! “ Don’t play dumb. Your phone rang twice while you were in the bathroom so I looked down and saw that dude ’s name flash across your screen.” “ How did you know who was calling if my phone was in my purse?” “ It wasn’t in your purse. It must have been in your pocket because you left it on the pillow.” I frowned. I was almost certain my phone had been in my purse. “ Answer the question! I thought it was over between you and Q?” He was definitely pissed off. I shrugged. “It is.” “ Then why the hell is he calling you?” I shrugged and stepped into the room. “He ’s just having a hard time accepting that it ’s over. ” Kaleb paused, met my eyes then handed back my phone. “I can’t blame him. I would hate to lose you myself. But you need to handle that.” “ What ’s there to handle?” “ Oh, I get it! You ’ re trying to keep him around so you can have a spare.” “ A spare ? Are you serious?” I cried. “ Yes, a spare.” He held up his hand. “Look I already told you I ’ m not gonna share my woman with anyone.” I was quite certain he was getting tired of this and if the roles were reversed I guess I would be too. “Okay, I’ll handle it.” Oh well, so much for a romantic evening. “ You need to handle it now! I ’ m trying to make you my wife and you ’ re still hanging on to your exe.” His words went straight to my head. “Make me your wife?” That smirk of his suddenly turned into a piercing smile. “You heard me. I want to marry you and share all this with you.” He emphasized with a sweep of his hand. “But like I said from the word go, I ’ m not into games. You want a good man then you got one standing right here. But I don’t have time for window shopping. Claim it and let ’s build a life together.” Kaleb ’s words were everything I had wanted to hear and more. “Yes, baby! I want that too,” I said and grinned wickedly. I practically leaped into his arms and wrapped my legs around his waist. My future was definitely looking up.
13 NYREE
“ Master Sergeant. ” I felt someone kick my boot under the table and my eyes popped open to find Timmy staring at me. “ Wake up,” he mouthed with this amused look on his face. I grinned then shifted on the seat. We had been in a training class for the last two days, learning how to properly use the new defense personnel database. It was an interesting class. I was just tired as hell. Last night Timmy and I went down to the bar in our hotel and sat up drinking until we had reached our limit. I went back to my room, crashed, and slept through my alarm. Timmy and I had been carpooling since Monday. If he hadn’t called my cellphone I probably would still be laid across the bed passed out. I sat up straight and took a drink of the diet Coke that was now lukewarm but