CHAPTER THREE

CHAPTER THREE

April sighed in exhaustion when Jack gently lowered her to the sofa in his house. She shouldn’t be so tired. She hadn’t done anything. She’d been wheeled out to Jack’s Bronco, waiting right outside the hospital, and then hadn’t done more than sit next to him and talk as he’d driven them the couple of hours back to Newton. He’d told her all about the town during the drive, all the things she probably already knew but had forgotten.

He’d promised to get her a burger from Granny’s Burgers as soon as possible, because apparently they were her favorite. He talked a little about Jack’s Lumber and how it was formed when he and his friends were POWs in the Army and played rock paper scissors to determine where they’d settle down and what they’d do for a living once they were rescued. It seemed like a crazy thing to do, to base the rest of their lives on a game of chance, but since it had apparently worked out for them, she couldn’t exactly protest.

Jack also told her how each of their friends had met. He talked about the snowstorm Chappy and Carlise had endured, up at Chappy’s cabin in the mountains, and about her stalker. She’d been appalled to learn of June’s family treating her like total crap, and the insane plan her stepsister came up with to try to get Cal to fall in love with her.

She was even more shocked to learn that Cal was a literal prince, mostly because he was so down to earth. He loved that no one in their circle treated him differently or cared about his royal lineage.

And when she heard that Marlowe had been imprisoned in Thailand with a life sentence, and Bob had actually broken her out of jail, April had been equally stunned.

The men and women who’d visited her in the hospital seemed so . . . normal. Not like people who’d been to hell and back. They were friendly and outgoing and welcoming. She was sure they all had to have their own brand of PTSD in one form or another, but they weren’t letting their pasts beat them down. It made her admire them all the more.

“What are you thinking about?” Jack asked as he sat on the couch right next to her. She didn’t mind his closeness. Not in the least.

“Your . . . our friends,” she admitted. “They’ve been through so much, but they’re all so happy now.”

“Yeah,” Jack agreed. “I can tell you that when Chappy, Cal, Bob, and I were sitting in that dark cell, hurting from the beatings and torture, the last thing we ever thought about was all this. No one thought they’d get married. And kids? No way.”

“Why?”

Jack shrugged. “It’s just . . . what we went through . . . it tends to strip away your humanity. We were on a precipice. Cal couldn’t take much more torture, we all knew it. Our captors were getting bored with beating on us, and it was obvious our time was running out. I suggested that game of rock paper scissors out of desperation. We needed to think about something other than the pain. We needed something to live for, even if it ended up being a pipe dream. And it wasn’t women. It wasn’t children. It was something much simpler—freedom. The idea of being out of that cell, free to choose what we wanted to do with our lives, instead of being told where to go and who to kill by our government.”

“I’m sorry,” April said softly.

Jack shook his head. “I’m not explaining this well. I’m proud of serving my country. And I’d do it again, even knowing what the outcome might be. But things have worked out so much better than I ever thought they would, since the day we played that game. It’s still hard for me to believe Chappy, Cal, and Bob are going to be dads.” He smiled. “I never would’ve guessed things could turn out this great.”

“What about you?” April asked.

“What about me?”

“You want kids?”

Jack shrugged. “Not especially. I mean, I like kids. I just never saw myself having them. Maybe I’m just selfish.”

“Don’t,” April admonished. “That’s society speaking. If you don’t want kids, you don’t want kids.”

“What about you?” he asked.

April thought about it for a moment, then shook her head. “I don’t think so.”

“For the record . . . if I was with a woman who really wanted children, I wouldn’t hesitate to give them to her. Even if that meant adoption, fostering, surrogate, or IVF. I’d do anything to make the woman I loved happy.”

April stared at him for a moment. He sounded so . . . forthright. “I don’t doubt that for a second,” she finally said.

“Right. Enough of that. Our friends are happy, and so I’m happy. We’re gonna be knee deep in babies soon, and I can’t wait to laugh at Prince Redmon changing a dirty diaper.”

April giggled, then winced.

“Shit, your head hurts. Hang on, hon, I’ll get you a painkiller,” Jack said as he stood.

“I’m okay.”

“I saw the wince. You’re not okay,” he retorted as he rummaged through the bag from the hospital pharmacy.

“I don’t want to get addicted to the pills,” April admitted.

“I won’t let you. The last one you had was this morning, hours and hours ago.”

“They knock me out,” she complained.

Jack chuckled. “Yeah, they do. But sleeping is better than wincing from every noise.” He went into the kitchen, and she watched as he reached into a cupboard and got out a plastic cup. He filled it with water from the tap and walked back to her.

“You’re right,” she said.

“Of course I am. About what?”

April smiled. Jack certainly had a healthy self-esteem. “Your floors creak.”

He sat beside her again, and the warmth from his body seemed to flow into hers from where they were touching. “You know, when I first moved in here, that drove me crazy. As a Special Forces soldier, I was used to being completely silent when I moved. So having my movements broadcast in such a loud way was unacceptable. But as the years went by, I got used to it . . . and as stupid as this might sound, it made me feel not as alone.”

“It’s not stupid,” April reassured him as she reached for the cup and the pill he was holding out. He watched her carefully, in a way she wasn’t used to, as she swallowed the medicine. “What?” she asked after a minute, when he didn’t say anything and didn’t get up.

“I’m glad you’re here.”

She wasn’t sure what to say to that. “I appreciate you letting me stay for a few days.”

It felt as if he was going to say something else, but then he just sighed and smiled at her. “Come on, scoot down, and I’ll get a blanket and a pillow for you. You can sleep out here while I make sure your room is ready and maybe whip up something for dinner. Anything you’re in the mood for?”

“Whatever you make is fine.”

“I’ll remember you said that when you see what an awful cook I am.”

She smiled. “I’m guessing you probably cook as well as you do everything else, which means you’re probably a closet gourmet chef.”

“Guess you’ll find out.”

“I guess I will.”

And for the first time since she’d woken up and realized she was missing huge chunks of her memory, April was looking forward to learning about this man all over again. She might already know everything, somewhere deep in her subconscious, but the rediscovery of his personality and quirks could be . . . fun.

After getting April settled on the couch, JJ found himself perched on the coffee table, watching his woman sleep yet again. But this time it was almost surreal, because she was in his house, on his couch, under his blanket, using his pillow. Never in a million years would he have wished something bad would happen to April to get her in this position, but he couldn’t deny how content he was, now that she was here.

Every time he thought about how close he’d come to losing her, it made his skin crawl. First with the accident. There was no reason she should’ve been on that road. It wasn’t her responsibility to check out potential jobs. Besides, it was after hours. Somehow over the last few years, they’d all gotten complacent and taken April’s penchant for working overtime for granted. That was going to stop now.

Jack’s Lumber wasn’t a twenty-four-hour service. If someone truly had an emergency, they could contact the police chief, and he’d get a hold of one of them if it was absolutely necessary. But April working past five o’clock and on the weekends was going to be a thing of the past . . . as was her driving out to check on jobs for impatient customers. Not only was it not in her job description, it wasn’t safe. There were a lot of crazy people out there, even in small-town Maine, and JJ would never forgive himself if someone assaulted her or, God forbid, did something worse.

The day of the accident, April should’ve been at Marlowe and Bob’s house, celebrating their move with everyone else. And that was on JJ’s shoulders too. She’d skipped the gathering because she was avoiding him, because he hadn’t been man enough to own up to his feelings. He’d made being around their friends awkward for her . . . another thing that was going to stop now.

The accident was bad enough, but then he’d worried about losing April to her dickwad ex. He’d had words with James more than once in the two days the guy was around—and the ass had stormed into the hospital ready to convince April they were still in love and their divorce was a mistake. The fucker had actually taken advantage of the fact she had amnesia!

If her brain injury had been severe enough that she’d lost more than just the last five years, there was a slightly better than average chance he might’ve succeeded.

The thought of April leaving Newton and going back to a man who never appreciated her wasn’t something JJ could fathom. But . . . was he even any different? Letting her work way over her contracted hours? Not protesting when she checked out potential new clients?

He sighed. No, he wasn’t. He’d taken advantage of April’s work ethic, her desire to be helpful, and her need to please others. All traits he admired and loved about her, but not at her expense. From here on out, he’d be more cognizant of others taking advantage of her—including himself. And he’d make sure she knew exactly how much he and the others valued her as part of their team.

An idea formed in his head, and as soon as the notion hit, he knew it was the right thing to do. He should’ve proposed it to his friends long ago. He’d remedy that as soon as possible.

As he watched April, her eyes fluttered and her brow furrowed. He hated seeing evidence of the pain she was most likely still feeling. That sick churning in his gut returned. He couldn’t think of her lying helpless in her wrecked car, injured and alone, without wanting to puke.

Without thought, he reached out and smoothed his fingers over her brow, then down her cheek. The touch was whisper-soft, a caress. Immediately, she sighed and turned her head into his palm.

Even in sleep, she was kind and loving. It was one of the things he liked best about this woman.

Hell, who was he kidding? JJ liked everything about her.

“Jack?” she whispered as her eyes opened to slits.

“Shhhh,” he told her softly. “Everything’s good. Close your eyes again, I’ve got you.”

His belly flipped when she immediately did as he requested. One of her hands came up and loosely circled his wrist. She didn’t pull his hand away from her face, simply held on to him as she leaned her head more heavily against his hand.

JJ knew this moment would forever be burned into his brain. He’d failed this woman in so many ways, and yet here she was, trusting him.

“What time is it?” she asked, eyes still closed.

JJ smiled. “Doesn’t matter. You have nothing to do but sleep and heal, and nowhere to go.”

She frowned a little at that. “I always have somewhere to go. Jack’s Lumber won’t run itself, you know.”

JJ tilted his head and studied her. April’s eyes were still closed, and he wasn’t even sure she knew what she was saying. “You’re right, it won’t. But for now, Chappy, Cal, Bob, and I will run it.”

“Don’t mess up my files,” April whispered, then her grip eased on his wrist, and JJ realized she’d fallen asleep once more.

He was buoyed by her words. She’d sounded like her old self, and it certainly seemed as if she was remembering. The doctor had said her memory would return, and JJ hoped her words while half-asleep were a sign he was right.

He ran his thumb over her cheek, then slowly slipped his hand away from her. She grumbled a little and turned onto her side. He lifted the blanket over her shoulders, tucking her in.

Forcing himself to walk away from her was difficult. He was relieved she was out of the hospital, and it felt right to have her in his house, but dinner wasn’t going to make itself, and he needed to make sure she had healthy meals so she could continue to heal.

JJ headed into the kitchen and opened his pantry. He stared at the contents on the shelves before reaching for a box of noodles and some chicken stock. He’d make some homemade chicken noodle soup tonight. He had chicken in the freezer that he’d planned on baking at some point, but he figured soup might go down easier for April.

Making a mental note to go to the store for some fresh vegetables and other staples that he knew she would enjoy, including the brand of coffee creamer she preferred, JJ got to work cooking for the most important person in his life.

Two hours later, he walked back to the couch. April hadn’t stirred, which told him more than anything else how tired she really was. Hospitals weren’t very conducive to getting quality rest, and she’d had a big day, what with being discharged and traveling back to Newton.

Once more, he sat on the coffee table in front of the couch and simply watched her sleep for a few moments. She was adorable. Even with her hair in need of a good shampooing, and the bruises that could still be seen on her face, he’d never known anyone as pretty as this woman.

“April?” he asked softly. She didn’t stir.

Smiling, loving that he’d learned something new about her—namely, that she was a deep sleeper—JJ put his hand on her shoulder and squeezed lightly. “April?” he tried again.

This time, she frowned in her sleep and shook her head. “Don’t go . . . come back! Help me!” she mumbled.

“I’m right here,” he whispered.

“Please!” she said, a little louder now. “Where are you going? Come back! Call 9-1-1!”

Alarmed now, JJ squeezed her shoulder a little harder and gave her a light shake. He wasn’t sure what she was dreaming about, but the implication of her words made his stomach roil.

Had someone been there when she’d wrecked her car? The police said it looked as if she’d slammed on her brakes, most likely to keep from hitting an animal that had run into the road . . . but what if they were wrong? What if someone deliberately ran her off the road?

“April,” he said loudly, hating that she was having even one moment of angst.

Her eyes popped open, and she stared sightlessly for a moment before focusing on him. “What?” she asked irritably, as if she hadn’t just sounded completely panicked and freaked out.

“Are you awake?”

“I’m talking to you, aren’t I?” she grumbled.

JJ couldn’t help but grin. This was a first for him too. The April he knew was always chipper at the office. She usually got there before him or any of the others, looking well rested and happy when he strolled in shortly after. Realizing she woke up grumpy was . . . intimate. And he liked knowing that about her a hell of a lot.

“Dinner’s ready if you think you can eat. How’s your head feel?” JJ really wanted to ask her what she had been dreaming about, but the doctor had told him not to push her to try to remember anything. That her memories would come back when her brain healed, and if she tried too hard before then, it could do more harm than good. And JJ would rather flay himself alive than do anything that might hinder her healing.

“It hurts,” she said softly. “But not more than before I lay down,” she added as she began to push herself upright.

JJ moved quickly, helping her into a sitting position.

“How long did I sleep?”

“A couple of hours.”

“Really? Wow, okay. I didn’t realize I was that tired,” she said sheepishly. “Sorry I wasn’t better company.”

“You’re the best company I’ve had in years,” JJ told her honestly. “Just having you in my space feels nice.”

She stared at him for a long moment.

“What?” he asked.

April shook her head slightly. “I don’t want to say or ask anything that might upset you.”

“Say whatever’s on your mind, April. I’m not going to get upset.”

“Did we date?” she blurted. “I mean, I can’t get a good read on where we stood before my accident.”

JJ stalled, trying to think of what he could tell her about their relationship . . . or lack thereof. He’d already mentioned their attraction, but anything else felt like pushing.

“It’s okay, you don’t have to answer,” she said when he paused too long, looking down at her hands in her lap.

JJ’s hand moved without thought. He put a finger under her chin and gently lifted her head and turned it toward him. “I want to say that things between us were complicated, but that would be a lie. We haven’t dated . . . but we wanted to.”

She frowned in confusion. “We did?”

“We’ve been tiptoeing around our attraction for years, April.”

“Oh.”

JJ’s lips twitched. “Yeah, oh.” Then he sighed. “I’ve been an ass,” he admitted. “I think you were worried because I’m younger than you, and I’m your boss. And I didn’t want you to feel pressured into going out with me. You’re a strong, confident woman, April, but when you first got here and took the job, you weren’t like how you are now. You were starting over after your divorce, trying to find yourself. And I had my own demons I was fighting after being a POW, and it took all my energy to start Jack’s Lumber.

“By the time things finally looked as if they would work out with the business and I noticed you as more than the woman who was working her ass off to help make us a success, we’d fallen into a routine. The last thing I wanted was to ask you out and, God forbid, make you feel like you had to quit if things didn’t work out. And I think you had a similar concern. So, we simply . . . muddled along as we were. Then Chappy found Carlise, shit happened between Cal and June, Bob returned from Cambodia with Marlowe, and we were helping each of them deal with their situations, one after the other.”

“It’s weird,” April said after a pause.

“What is?” JJ asked.

“To not remember any of that,” she said.

“You will.”

“What if I don’t?” she asked, biting her lip.

JJ moved his hand from her chin to cradle the side of her head. “You will,” he repeated.

“So . . . you want to date me now because I was in that accident?” she asked softly.

“No.” He saw the instant hurt enter her eyes and hated that he’d done that. He hurried to explain. “I’ve always wanted to date you. Always wanted to bring you here, cook dinner for you. Laugh, watch TV, make love. But I’ve been a coward. And I’ve heard you talking to Carlise and the others. You always emphasized the difference in our ages. I guess . . . I guess I was afraid of rejection.

“And as I said before, I didn’t want things between us to be weird, then have you leave. You’re the heart and soul of Jack’s Lumber, April. You keep us all on track. You’ve found us so many more customers than we could’ve gotten on our own. You’re the reason people come back time and time again. The guys and I aren’t exactly friendly and outgoing. But you are.”

“So you didn’t want me to quit,” she said. It wasn’t a question.

JJ shook his head. “No. I didn’t want you to leave. Not seeing you every day would slowly kill me.”

She stared at him for a long moment, and JJ had no idea what she was thinking.

Finally, she said, “When James came to the hospital and said he was my husband, I was so surprised. I mean, I was sure I remembered divorcing him, but I second-guessed myself, wondering if maybe divorce was something I’d thought about doing but hadn’t gone through with, or maybe we’d gotten remarried or something.”

JJ’s jaw tightened. He remembered that moment as clear as day. It had taken every ounce of control he had not to punch the asshole. “When he lost you, he finally realized what he had, what he threw away. I can’t blame him for trying to trick you into going back to him, but that doesn’t mean I like it.”

April gave him a small smile. “I remembered the divorce pretty quickly after he arrived. And I wouldn’t have gone back to him. You want to know why?”

JJ nodded.

“Because even though I didn’t remember you, I felt safer and more comfortable with you there in the room with me than I ever did during my marriage with James.”

Her words hit JJ hard. He closed his eyes and inhaled deeply.

“I don’t know why neither of us was strong or confident enough to admit that we wanted to date, but I’m not the woman I was even a week ago. Life is short, Jack, and I know how I feel now.”

JJ waited, and when she didn’t continue, he lifted a brow. “Yeah?”

She grinned. “Yeah. I want you to cook dinner for me. I want to sit here on this couch and watch TV with you. Laugh. Find out if you’re as good a kisser as I suspect you probably are, and hopefully, in time, make love.”

JJ’s cock pressed painfully against the zipper of his jeans. This woman was so much braver than him. He wanted to push her backward and get to the kissing part of her statement right now, but the bruises were a glaring reminder of what she’d been through. And while he desperately wanted her, it wouldn’t be fair to enter any kind of relationship until she remembered the last five years. It was possible that whatever she was feeling right now could disappear when her memory returned.

“You’re thinking too hard,” she scolded as she lifted her hands and placed them on his chest.

Her touch burned through his shirt as if she’d branded him. He reached for one hand and brought it up to his lips and kissed the palm. Then he did the same to the other one.

“If you don’t want that . . . I understand,” she said haltingly.

JJ realized he hadn’t responded to her declaration.

“I want that. I want you,” he rushed to say. “You have no idea how much. But I will not take advantage of you, April. I’m not your ex. I won’t push you into anything before your memory returns.”

“But what if it doesn’t?”

“It will,” JJ said without hesitation for what seemed like the hundredth time.

“How can you be so sure?”

“Because you’re the strongest woman I know. And the most stubborn. There’s no way you’ll let your brain keep your past from you.”

She smiled. “You make it sound as if I’m a tyrant,” she teased.

“You are,” JJ joked back. “You run Jack’s Lumber like a little dictator. And we all do whatever you tell us because we’re scared of the consequences if we don’t.”

She chuckled and shook her head. “Whatever.”

“I’m not kidding. Like I told you at the hospital, you’ve got Chappy, Cal, Bob, and me wrapped around your little finger. You say jump, and we ask how high. But we do it because you’re always right. You know just what to do to make our business successful, and we never could’ve created what we have here in Newton without you.”

“Thanks,” she whispered.

“You’re welcome.”

“So, what, I’m the den mother to a bunch of lumberjacks? Hey, wait. Jack’s Lumber . . . lumberjack . . . that’s funny!”

JJ threw his head back and guffawed. When he had himself under control, he looked at April and beamed. “That’s exactly what you said the first time it occurred to you.”

“It is?”

“Yup. And for the record, that’s not what I wanted to name the tree business, but I was outvoted by the guys.”

“Jack?”

“Yeah, hon?”

“Will you kiss me?”

JJ’s heart felt as if it stopped beating in his chest for a moment before starting back up in overtime.

“Never mind,” she said, shaking her head when, yet again, he let the silence between them go on too long.

JJ didn’t think. He dropped her hands and reached up to cradle her cheeks in his palms. He felt her touch his chest once more, and he swore sparks shot from her fingertips straight through his bloodstream.

He didn’t speak, simply leaned forward and brushed his lips against her own.

He’d meant to keep things light and easy. She’d just been hurt, and he didn’t want to rush her. But he hadn’t counted on April’s determination. She wasn’t content with a chaste touching of their lips. One of her hands moved to the back of his neck, and she tilted her head and parted her lips. Her tongue came out and brushed against the seam of his lips, and JJ was a goner.

He inhaled and acted before he thought about what he was doing. He loved this woman with every fiber of his being, and having her kiss him the way he’d always dreamed was too much for his self-control.

His tongue surged forward, and he took over. Showing April without words how much she meant to him. How relieved he was that she was all right. He wanted to brand her, ruin her for any other man. Make sure she never thought of her douchebag ex ever again.

Her fingernails dug into the sensitive skin at the nape of his neck, and JJ felt his nipples harden under his T-shirt. His cock pulsed in his pants. He’d gone from zero to sixty in less than five seconds.

April let out a sexy little moan that made him shiver. He wanted to devour her, but a part of him, deep down, knew he needed to treat her with care. Her head still ached. She was bruised all over from the accident.

How long they kissed, JJ had no idea. All he knew was that he couldn’t get enough. But he finally forced himself to pull back, enough to rest his forehead on hers. They were both breathing hard, and he freaking loved the way April was gripping him, how her nails dug into his chest and she refused to let go of his neck.

“Holy crap,” she breathed.

JJ couldn’t stop the smile that formed on his lips. He licked them and tasted her there, which made him want to kiss her all over again.

“Best first kiss ever,” he blurted.

She leaned back and stared at him. “Really? I figured my body remembered doing that sometime in the past, even if I didn’t, and that’s why it felt so natural.”

“That was our first time,” he repeated. “Although I’ve gotten off thinking about your mouth more times than I care to admit.”

She smiled shyly. “I don’t remember, but I’m guessing I probably did the same.”

Thinking about her masturbating to the thought of him almost sent JJ over the edge. “Food,” he barked.

April grinned.

“I need to feed you. And we need to stop talking about . . . you know.”

“I’m thinking this isn’t like you,” she said with a huge smile. “You seem like the kind of man who’s always in charge. Isn’t afraid of any topic.”

“You terrify me, April,” JJ said without guile. “You have the power to break me more than any terrorist ever could.”

She frowned at that. “Jack, I’m not . . . I’m harmless.”

“You should know this about me before you decide whether or not you really want to date. I’m intense,” JJ told her. “I’ve seen firsthand the evil that’s in this world, and I’ll do whatever it takes to keep it from touching you. You’ve been through enough shit in your life already.

“If you give yourself to me, I’ll protect you from anything that might hurt you. It might make me seem controlling or overbearing, and others might frown on what our relationship looks like from the outside. I will never, ever hurt you. I won’t tell you who to talk to, who to hang out with, or what to do with your life. But I will stand between you and the world. I’ll be your champion and cheerleader, and the most intimidating bodyguard. No one touches you, April. Not without your consent. Not even me. But when we’re here, behind closed doors, I’ll be the fuzziest, gooiest, biggest pushover you’ve ever met.”

JJ hadn’t meant to spew all that out, but he meant every word. No one hurt the woman he loved. He’d burn the world down to protect her if that’s what it took. He had enough contacts to do just that too.

After everything that had happened to Carlise, June, and Marlowe, he’d made it his business to foster relationships with other men like him, former Special Forces operatives around the country, who he could call on a moment’s notice if needed. Just as he’d be available to help any of those men, they were willing to do whatever was required of them, if asked.

“You sound as if you think I’m going to protest,” April said without inflection. “As if you think you’re scaring me away.”

“You should be scared,” JJ said. “Because I meant every word.”

“I may not remember the last five years, but everything before that is becoming more clear,” she said. “I lived with a man who barely realized I was there. He planned work trips without consulting with me first. He went out to dinner on his way home from work and didn’t let me know, so the meal I’d cooked for the two of us went to waste. He never called to check on me during the day, and when he did reach out, it was because he needed me to do something for him.

“He never thanked me for anything I did around the house, and when we had sex, it was all about his pleasure. I don’t think, in all the years we’d been married, he ever made me orgasm. If you think I’m going to be upset that you want to know where I am, who I’m with, or when I’ll be home, you’re wrong. But I’m going to want the same in return.”

“You’re going to get sick of all the texts from me,” JJ vowed.

“So we’re doing this? Dating?” April asked.

JJ’s heart thudded in his chest. Crap, hadn’t he just said he was going to wait for her to regain her memory before getting in too deep with this woman?

Well, it was too late for that. Way too late. “Yes.”

Her smile lit up her face.

“But I’m not going to make love to you until you remember.”

Her smile died. “That’s not fair. The doctor said it could be months before that happens.”

“It won’t be months,” JJ said confidently.

April pouted.

He chuckled and leaned forward, doing his best to kiss the pout off her face.

“But we can kiss, right?” she asked against his lips.

“Yes.”

“Good. There’s lots of places I can kiss you.”

JJ groaned. This woman was going to be the death of him.

April smiled again, then she got serious. “Is this weird?”

“Is what weird?”

“Me, coming on this strong? I mean, technically I just met you. I’m being kind of slutty.”

JJ shook his head and frowned at her. “Don’t. Don’t denigrate yourself. I won’t stand for it. And you know me. Maybe your conscious mind doesn’t, but deep down, you know me. You said it yourself, you trusted me when you first saw me in your hospital room. Trust your instincts, hon. You’ve got really good ones. And trust me when I say there’s a lot of unrequited lust built up in both of us that’s dying to be released.”

She nodded.

And just then, her stomach growled. Loudly.

JJ was moving before he thought about it. “Stay,” he ordered as he stood.

“What am I, a dog?” April grumbled, but she was smiling as she said it.

JJ leaned over and kissed the top of her head. “No. You’re my girlfriend who’s hungry, and whose head hurts, and who deserves a little pampering after a hard week.”

“Well, when you say it that way . . . ,” April retorted. “I guess I’ll stay right here and let you wait on me.”

“Damn straight, you will,” JJ told her. It was difficult to walk away from her, and not only because his cock was hard. Everything about April impressed him. Her resilience, her work ethic, her looks, her damn-the-consequences ability to go after what she wanted. While he hated what had happened to her, he couldn’t be upset with the current situation between them. It was as if the shields they’d both had up had finally been lowered.

No, not lowered—obliterated.

She had a good point, though; in many ways, she’d just met him. She didn’t know his history. The details about what had happened to him and his friends while they were POWs. She only knew his gentle side. He could be an ass, and he just had to hope that when she did see that side of him, she wouldn’t change her mind about being with him.

Taking a deep breath, JJ grabbed a bowl and filled it halfway with hot chicken noodle soup. He didn’t want to overfill the bowl and have it spill on her. He’d get up as many times as needed until she was no longer hungry.

He’d never had a woman of his own to take care of before, and he had to admit that it felt good. Really good. Some men would hate serving their women, but JJ loved it. It made him feel needed and useful. He wanted to cherish April, and he vowed right then and there to do whatever it took to make her happy . . . so she’d never want to leave him.