Soldier's Choice (13 page)

Sydney stood next to her, staring at something near the big display area. Luka followed her gaze—and froze when she noticed two men in full dress Marine uniforms standing by the entrance.

She was ninety-nine percent positive that one of them was Reese.

Her heart jumped into her throat. “What is
he
doing here?” she croaked. “This doesn’t make any sense. At all.”

“I don’t know,” Sydney said carefully.

Suddenly, fury replaced her sick confusion, and she snapped, “Let’s go find out.”

Before Sydney could react, she strode across the room, weaving around people as they tried to step out of her way. Reese noticed her when she’d covered about half the distance. He went very still, his expression unreadable.

She marched right up to him and stopped. “What are you doing here? And why are you wearing a uniform?”

“Er. Hey, Luka.” He whispered it, as if he didn’t want anyone to hear him talking to her. “I’m just…um…”

At that moment, Sydney caught up to her and grabbed her arm. “Luka, wait,” she said. “Everything’s okay.” She glanced up at the banner above the display for an instant—and did a startled double-take.

“What?” Luka turned to look.

When she saw it, the whole world went bright and blurry. The babble of the crowd became a dull hum, and the floor beneath her feet seemed to spin like an out-of-control carousel. If she didn’t remember to breathe soon, she was going to faint.

The banner said
Luka Dawson: Covendale’s Treasure
.

And beyond the walls, strikingly displayed with individual spotlights, were her paintings.

Chapter 13

For two agonizing days, Reese had managed to avoid contact with Luka. Talking to Dr. Emerson had made him realize what an absolute asshole he’d been. He didn’t expect her to forgive him, but he’d planned to beg for it anyway. He waited for tonight hoping this surprise would make her more willing to listen.

Now, as he watched her turn white and waver on her feet, he thought maybe this wasn’t such a great idea after all.

Her eyelids fluttered rapidly. He darted forward, and caught her before she could hit the floor. “Luka?” he rasped. “Oh, God, are you all right? Jesus—Brett, can you get her a glass of water?”

Brett nodded and slipped away fast.

Just then, Luka stirred and opened her eyes slowly. She stared deep into his for a long moment. Finally, she said, “Oh. I guess I’m not dreaming.”

“No, you’re not.” He smiled gently and helped her stand, but he didn’t let go just yet. “Still dizzy?” he said. “It’d really hurt if you fell on this floor.”

“I’m all right.” She pulled abruptly away from him.

That stung, but he managed to hide it. “Luka, are you…”

“Did you do this? Never mind, don’t answer.” Her hot stare shifted from him to Sydney, who stood a few feet away. “You, and my brothers. You knew about this. Is it supposed to be funny or something?”

Sydney’s mouth opened, but no sound came out.

“I can’t believe…” Luka looked around wildly, her chest hitching once. Then she turned around and bolted into the crowds, headed for the back door.

Reese started after her.

“Hold it,” Sydney said. “You leave her alone.”

He pivoted abruptly. “What? Why?”

“Because you’ve hurt her enough already.”

The ice in Sydney’s eyes twisted his heart. “I know I have,” he said. “Believe me, I know. I didn’t mean to…but that’s no excuse.” He took a step toward the enraged woman. “I love her,” he said. “Please, just let me try to apologize. And if I manage to make it worse, you can both kick me in the balls.”

“Oh! Can I have a turn too?”

Reese shot a look at Brett, who’d appeared out of nowhere with a glass of water. “No, you can’t,” he said. “I’d like to have children someday.”

“Damn. I never get to have any fun.”

Something in Sydney’s face changed. “You love her?” she said.

“More than anything. I’m just terrible at showing it.”

She broke into a smile. “I know someone like that,” she said. “All right. You’re off the hook, for now.”

“Thank you. Oh—Sydney Davis, this is Brett Townsend. Brett, Sydney.”

She turned to him and offered a hand. He took it. “Hello,” she said. “I’m engaged.”

“I’m not.” Brett grinned. “You’d better get out there, man, before she keys your Jeep or something. I’ll just keep Sydney here company.”

“Right.”

Reese practically ran through the main gallery, dodging random people, and rushed out the back door. In the parking lot, he spotted Luka right away—or at least her legs, dangling over the lowered tailgate of a pickup truck. For some reason he found the idea of her lying in a truck bed with that dress on intensely sexy.

But now wasn’t the time to think about that.

She was flat on her back, with an arm over her eyes. He stood there a moment watching her, and when she didn’t acknowledge him, he cleared his throat. “Luka?” he said gently. “Are you just…going to hang out in some random person’s truck?”

“It’s Sydney’s,” she said without moving. “You did this. Didn’t you?”

He sighed. “Yes. It was my idea, so don’t blame your brothers, or Sydney.”

“Fine. I’ll blame you.”

“Luka, I’m sorry. I should’ve asked you about it. I just…well, I figured you’d say no.” His shoulders slumped and he leaned against the tailgate, his back to her. “This was the only way I could make you see what I already know.”

“Yeah, and what’s that?”

“How amazing you are.”

The silence behind him felt cold. There was so much more he wanted to say—but obviously, she wasn’t going to listen. He straightened and looked toward the gallery, and said, “All right. I’ll tell them to take it down.”

“Wait.”

He turned to find her sitting up slowly, brushing the hair back from her face. A tiny smile played on her lips. She hopped to her feet and approached him, and took a deep breath. “You were right.”

“About what?”

“I would’ve said no.” She looked past him, and her gaze unfocused. “All those people… they really like my work?”

“No,” he said. “They love it.”

One hand flew to her mouth. Her chest hitched, and a tear slid down her cheek. “They love it,” she whispered. “
My
paintings?”

“Yes.”

She made a small, strangled sound—and threw her arms around him.

He embraced her back. Even if she was only reacting to her art, nothing had ever felt so right. Holding her, loving her…he needed this more than anything.

And he might have already blown his chance at forever.

As if she’d heard his thoughts, she pulled back suddenly and turned away. “Sorry,” she said, smoothing the lines of her dress. “I almost forgot. We’re just friends.”

His heart shattered. The set of her jaw and the hard lines of her body said he’d waited too long—probably five years too long. He hid the pain behind a mask of politeness and tried to shove his hands in his pockets, before he remembered this uniform didn’t have any. “Yes. Friends,” he said weakly.

Somehow, she stiffened more. “Well…thank you for this,” she said. “I know I freaked out, but I do appreciate it. And I’d better get back to Sydney.”

“All right.” Reese wasn’t sure how he managed to speak. “I guess…you’re welcome.”

She stood there another moment, like she was waiting for something. At last she turned and walked away.

* * * *

Luka was so stunned, she was sure she’d never feel anything again.

Walking in there, seeing her name on a banner and her art on the walls, had been like sticking a fork in a light socket. Everything shorted out so abruptly that she didn’t have time to think, and barely had any idea what she was saying. She had to come out here to clear the overload and recover her senses. And when they came back, she’d been beyond ecstatic—so thrilled, so touched, that everything came out as sarcasm. She had no idea how to express a joy this big.

Reese had done this for her. He’d given her the most incredible gift of her life. And now he was letting her walk away. Again.

Stop me
, she thought desperately.
Come after me. Say anything. Please…

The exact same thoughts she’d had five years ago. And just like then, when she looked back—he was gone.

A bolt of pain flashed into her heart, and then it was gone. She felt nothing. Head lowered, she started moving toward the building again.

And then walked right into something solid and warm and resolutely stiff.

Reese gripped her arms until she looked up at him. “I love you, Luka.”

“What?”

“I love you,” he repeated. There was something desperate, almost afraid, in his tone. “I’ve loved you more every day, from the moment I met you. Even while I was gone. I was supposed to forget about you, but I couldn’t.”

Everything inside her shivered like a leaf in the wind. “Reese, I—”

“Please. Let me finish.” He drew a deep, shuddering breath and took her hand. “I don’t want to be friends,” he said. “I never did. It was an excuse to keep you away from me, because I thought I’d hurt you the way my father did. But I ended up hurting you anyway. I said we were just friends, insisted on it, then I turned around and acted like we were more. I was a real asshole, and I’m so sorry.”

“Reese…”

“I don’t expect you to forgive me,” he said, like he hadn’t heard her at all. “I just wanted you to know that I’m getting help, and I swear I’ll never hurt you again. Maybe someday, we could…try to start over. If you don’t hate me too much.”

With a frustrated groan, she grabbed his jacket, tugged him down and kissed him.

He flinched—and then melted against her, returning the kiss with a hungry passion that echoed through every inch of her body. She drew back slowly and smiled at him. “How about we start over today?”

“Really?”

His shocked expression drew a laugh from her. “Yes, really,” she said. “I love you too, Reese. I’ve never stopped loving you.” She looked him up and down, trying to prove he was really there, and this was really happening. Finally she said, “Damn, you look good in that uniform.”

With a broad grin, he grabbed her and lifted her into the air. She had to brace herself on his shoulders to keep from falling. “I love you so much,” he said roughly. “I must be the biggest moron in the world, trying to stay away for so long.”

“Well, you’ve got some competition there. I haven’t been exactly perfect, myself.” She gave him a breathless kiss. “I’ve got that Dawson stubborn streak, you know.”

“And I love that, too.” He eased her down and smiled.

As her feet touched the ground, the air suddenly filled with applause and cheers. “What the…” Frowning, she glanced around Reese toward the back gallery entrance.

There stood her brothers. In suits. Sydney and the other man in a Marine uniform were with them—all clapping and grinning and shouting like lunatics.

“Oh, God.” Her face flushed hot, and she buried herself against Reese. It felt so good, she didn’t want to move. “Maybe we could just go back to your place,” she said.

“Not a chance. There’s a gallery owner in there who’s literally going to die if she doesn’t get to meet you.”

“Really?” She looked up at him, her heart in her throat. “Johanna Townsend likes my work?”

“You could say that.” He grinned. “It’s a bit of an understatement, though.”

Luka thought she might faint again. This was just too much amazing for one day—but the best part was right in front of her, holding her like she mattered. Like she was somebody special…to him.

That meant more than having her paintings shown in a hundred galleries. More than anything the people in Covendale might think about her. She finally understood what Sydney meant:
he makes me happy.
And that was enough.

“All right,” she said at last. “Let’s go get this over with.”

He reached for her hand, weaving his fingers with hers. “This is just getting started,” he said. “You’re going to have everything you ever wanted.”

She smiled into his eyes. “I already do.”

More books by Morgan Blaze

COWBOY’S PRIDE

Welcome to Covendale: Book 1

Available now from Amazon

DEPUTY’S SECRET

Welcome to Covendale: Book 3

Available now for preorder on Amazon

About the Author

Morgan Blaze writes contemporary romance with a dash of heat. She enjoys summer storms, good coffee, and hanging out with family and friends.

Visit
www.morganblaze.com
for more books by Morgan Blaze, and to sign up for the newsletter—you’ll be notified when the latest monthly releases are available, and enjoy special early sales on brand new titles.

If you enjoyed Soldier’s Choice, please leave a review on Amazon and let everyone know what you think!

About the Welcome to Covendale Series

Small towns are the heart of America. Like every other small town, Covendale looks peaceful from the outside—but there are all sorts of things going on beneath the surface. Love and loss, friendships and rivalries, secrets and lies, long-time alliances and bitter feuds going back for generations. And most of all, passion.

Welcome to Covendale…the town right next door to yours. Grab a cup of coffee and settle in for an emotional ride you won’t forget.

Boring Copyright Information

Copyright © 2014 by Morgan Blaze

All rights reserved. This book or any portion thereof may not be reproduced or used in any manner whatsoever without the express written permission of the author / publisher except for the use of brief quotations in a book review.

This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, businesses, places, events and incidents are either the products of the author’s imagination or used in a fictitious manner. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, or actual events is purely coincidental.

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