CHAPTER TEN
Phoebe removed the last glass from the dishwasher and wiped the excess water from its rim. She was opening the cabinet door to place it on the shelf when she heard Ash's truck pull into the driveway. She hooked the towel onto the stove door handle, then walked out of the kitchen.
She'd just reached the living room when he opened the front door and stepped into the house. He crossed the room, pulled the hat from his head, and placed it in the closet. As he was untying his necktie, she walked to the armchair and sat down.
"I made you a plate," she said, stretching her legs out in front of her. She pointed back towards the kitchen. "It's in the microwave."
Ash shot her a glance over his shoulder, then unbuttoned the first two buttons of his light blue shirt. When he seemed sufficiently comfortable, he walked around the couch and dropped onto it. His head fell back, and he released a heavy sigh as he relaxed.
"I should have called," he said, looking at the ceiling.
In the five days since her arrival, he'd eaten every breakfast and dinner at the house. She usually packed a lunch for him to take to work, but there were times when he planned to have lunch with friends, and he would give her a heads-up. This was the first dinner he had missed. She'd wondered when he would come home, but it hadn't bothered her that he had missed dinner. She was more bothered by the fact that she had missed him.
She shrugged and placed her hands between her thighs. "You usually get home about five. I figured you either had to stay late or were meeting friends after work." She cocked her head and smiled. "It's no big deal. I don't need to know your whereabouts."
"Still." Dropping his head, he crossed his arms over his chest. He pinned her with his bright amber eyes. "Look. We should probably sort some things out. We've talked about what you'll do for Reggie, and what I'll do to compensate you. But we really haven't discussed our expectations of each other."
She puckered her lips but nodded in agreement. "Sounds fair. What were you thinking?"
His gaze fell to his feet, and he rubbed his hands together. "Do you mind if I'm frank? I tend to be blunt, which gets me into a lot of trouble at times, but I think it's important we just be direct with each other, particularly for this conversation."
She nodded again.
"Okay," he said, drawing in another breath. "There's an obvious attraction between us--"
"There is?" She felt like a deer caught in headlights. Totally exposed and unprepared. She didn't want to have this conversation. She would have much preferred that they continued to ignore the chemistry between them.
His eyes widened for a second, then his skin darkened. He cleared his throat before continuing. "I mean, in the sense that we're both young and healthy adults. You're single, and I'm single--"
"We're about to be married." Phoebe noticed his discomfort. He was tugging at his tie that was already loosened as he wiggled deeper into the billowy cushions. For a guy who valued frankness, he seemed to be beating around the bush. "I take it that you're concerned this relationship may become something more than just a convenient arrangement?"
"I just want to be clear that I don't expect you to...um... feel obligated to have sex with me or anything." He raised a pleading hand. "Not that we couldn't have sex, but it's just not part of the arrangement." He closed his eyes and shook his head. "I mean that if we never sleep with each other, you'll still have a place to stay, and I'll be responsible for all the things we talked about. That's what my lawyer has drafted in the prenup you'll sign."
His lips quirked at the corners, then he rubbed his palms against his thighs. "When we're married, you'll become my dependent. I'll take you to get your DOD ID, and that's what you'll use to access the base and all the benefits."
She stifled her relief at the abrupt change in topic. Neither sex nor love factored into her plans. She would care for his aunt, and he would help her become a registered nurse. So what if she had to marry him in order to achieve her ultimate goal?
"Does it replace my driver's license?" she asked.
He shook his head. "No. It's just another ID, but it's a federal ID. If you need to go to the doctor, they'll ask for your ID. If you go to the commissary--"
"Which is like a grocery store, right?"
He nodded. "Yeah. Then there's the BX, or base exchange, where you can pick up furniture, clothing, and stuff. The base is like its own little city, with a theater, post office, banks, and fast food restaurants." He made a clicking sound out of the corner of his mouth, then leaned forward, placing his arms against his thighs. "After 9-11, there were changes to the GI Bill which allow spouses to use it for educational benefits. Since my inheritance paid for my education, I never needed to use the Bill. When we're married, I'll apply to have it transferred to you. Once it's yours, then it's pretty much yours, even after we divorce."
They stared at each other. The silence thickened as the situation truly became real to her. This man, a man she'd only known for two weeks, was going to be her husband.
"If for some reason we don't make it the full five years, I'll make arrangements for you and Reggie."
She shook her head. "You don't think we'll get along?"
He laughed and pushed to his feet. He walked to where she sat and offered her his hand. Phoebe stared at his palm, then dragged her gaze up to his eyes. She placed her hand into his and his fingers immediately closed around hers, enveloping her with his warmth and strength.
Ash pulled her to her feet, bringing her very close to his body. Dropping her hand, he grasped her forearms, and she found herself leaning into him.
"What I mean," Ash said, licking his lips, "is that if something happens to me, then you'll be taken care of. I don't expect to deploy for another year or so, but we'll talk more about that when the time comes."
Dread filled Phoebe's stomach as she looked at him. She knew he was in the military, but it hadn't really crossed her mind that he could be deployed anytime soon. And, it certainly never entered her thoughts that when he left her life, it wouldn't be due to a mutually agreed upon parting.
It disturbed her. She'd known him for such a short time, but she already cared about him. Even if it was just a teensy-weensy bit.
"So when are we going to do this?" she asked, raising her head and straightening her back. She wasn't one to indulge in the unknown. She rarely enjoyed surprises, and she hated feeling unprepared, but she was committed to seeing this through.
It was just for five years. Just five years. Dear God. It was five years.
She was so caught up in her growing anxiety that she hadn't noticed when Ash had shifted even closer to her. Her face was nearly pressed into the crook of his neck. One of his arms was now wrapped around her waist and rested at her pelvis. His nose and mouth were brushing the fine hairs at her temple.
She flinched, which only resulted in him tightening his arm. She could practically feel his heart beating through his crisp blue shirt. "Earlier you mentioned something about us... you know... having sex."
"Uh huh." His lips were now touching her skin. With his right arm resting at her pelvis, his free hand hung to his side, leaving her room to escape if she wanted to. But she didn't.
"I think I better set some ground rules around that."
"Mm hmm," he murmured. His lips were now at her cheekbone, and they were inching closer to her mouth.
She pulled away, not entirely breaking their embrace, but putting distance between herself and those glorious lips. "We should think of this as a business relationship."
One of his dark brows arched. "Meaning?"
She planted her palms against his chest and pushed him away.
Ash fell back a step. His jaw tightened for just a moment but then he grinned roguishly. "Everything's negotiable."