Chapter Ten

We walked out of the doctor’s office, and yes, I said walked. He gave me a boot that kept me practically on just my heel, but walking was walking, and I had never been so happy to have both feet on the ground. 

"You're strutting mighty proudly there, Red."

"I can walk again. Wouldn't you be?"

His smile reached his eyes. It was something I always heard my sister say about Canyon, and in that moment I understood exactly what she meant.

"Yeah, I would. So, where to now? You have your legs back, so sky's the limit."

"Not really. He said I have to try and stay off it as much as possible for the next few days but the healing is doing well. That's a huge plus. I just might be out of this thing before I move. That would be awesome."

"Yeah, sand and a boot wouldn't make for much fun."

He helped me back up into his truck, but paused for a second looking into my eyes. They softened, and for the first time in my life, I was not only wishing, but begging internally for Jase Jergensmeyer to kiss me. When his eyes cleared, he took a step back and closed the door before he walked around to get in the other side. My heart felt heavy for a brief moment before I pulled myself back together. This isn't what you really want, so stop it, I told myself over and over, hoping to actually believe it. Since when did being kissed by Jase become appealing? I was losing my damn mind, and I knew it.

He got in and started the truck before he looked at me and asked, "Ice cream?"

Still having a clouded mind, I didn't process what was said at first, then my stomach flipped and I laughed. 

"Actually, that sounds great."

I thanked him internally for once again taking the awkwardness out of the equation as we headed out of the parking lot and toward the Dairy Queen we had passed on the way there. Luckily, it was right down the street. When we parked, he got out first and kindly came over to my side to help me down. Only when he placed me on the ground, my feet rested so close to his that when I looked up and saw the darkness in his eyes, that feeling I had tried so hard to bury all the way there came rushing back.

"Can I kiss you?"

The fact he worded it as a question made him that much sexier. He could have demanded or simply said nothing at all and kissed me but he was leaving it up to me. And there was nothing I wanted more in that moment than him.

"Yes," came out in a whisper, but clearly, he heard me when his hands rose to cup my face before he lowered his lips to meet with mine. Standing there in a parking lot where anyone could see us, we both let go. I felt everything he was giving me, and if that was what ten plus years of wanting to kiss a particular girl felt like, I was on cloud nine that that girl was me. Wrapped in his arms, he took his time with every detail possible to make it one kiss I would never forget before he pulled back to kiss my forehead.

"Thank you for letting me do that."

"Thank you for asking."

He pulled back to look at me while smiling ear to ear.

"Does that mean you wouldn't be against me doing it again?"

"I don't know. You'll just have to ask again and find out the answer."

"Well, I used all my courage the first time around, so I guess it will just have to wait." He nudged me playfully. "Let’s go get that ice cream."

It was so nice out that day it was a no brainer that were going to enjoy it versus sitting inside. We had both stared at the menu for so long that the employee with bright-pink hair became very obviously perturbed as she clicked her blue polished nails on the counter, only prolonging my decision due to the distraction. 

"What are you going to get?"

Jase clearly was in the same predicament. 

"I honestly can't decide. The fudge brownie is screaming my name, but a dipped cone sounds just as good."

He laughed and grabbed my hand.

"I'll make you a deal. How about we share? I was thinking the same damn thing so this way we both get what we want."

"Perfect!"

Once we placed the order, we found a table outside and waited for Pinky to bring it out to us.

I glanced at a tattoo on his wrist that had caught my attention once before and figured it as good a time as any to ask about it. Taking his hand in mine, I turned it over to expose the ink across his wrist that read, Dulce bellum inexpertis.

"What does this mean?"

He didn't look at me but down at the marking also.

"It's Latin for, War is sweet to the inexperienced."

That made perfect sense. As a soldier, I couldn't imagine what he saw.

"What about this one?" I pointed to the line going vertically up his forearm. 

"Amicitiae nostrae memoriam spero sempiternam fore-Cicero."  

The way he read it was as if the words rolled off his tongue. 

"It means, I hope that the memory of our friendship will be everlasting.”

"You made alot of close friends, didn't you?"

He continued to look at the ink, and then his eyes met mine. 

"They are my family. There is no other way to see it when you have to put your life in their hands and theirs in your own."

"Tell me what it was like over there."

"Burning Hell. That's all you need to know."

He pulled his arm back and placed his hand under the table. Just as I was about to press for more, I noticed something behind me catch his attention. When I turned, I found Pinky holding our food. I took the cone from her and let her set the brownie down on the table. Just as I got the word, "Thank," out of my mouth, she walked away.

"You. Guess she didn't care to hear me finish."

"She's just jealous."

"Of what?"

"You, Red. Don't tell me you've never noticed how girls treat you. It's happened your whole life. They either want to be just like you or they hate you before giving you a chance."

"That's not true." I took a bite out of the ice cream and then handed it over to him before I grabbed the fork, making sure to get an even amount of vanilla ice cream and hot brownie.

"It so is." 

When I looked up at him, he was practically moaning from the bite he had just taken.

"Let's just say I see everyone the same way. Whether it be man or woman, there are good and bad ones alike."

"True, but if you look a little deeper, you will see I'm right about the girls and as far as dudes go, they only fall into two categories as well. Those that want to bang you, and those that are blind."

"Jase Jergensmeyer!" I couldn't help but laugh. "That is pure bullshit, and you know it."

"This tastes too good to keep arguing. I will let you win if you hand over that fork before you eat it all."

I hadn't realized how much I had eaten as we talked back and forth until he brought it to my attention. More than half had disappeared. 

"What the hell?"

"You're telling me. Now hand it over, woman."

The cone was coming my way, so to be fair, I gave him the fork. We didn't say another word until all of the food was gone. To say I was full would be an understatement. 

"You look miserable."

"Blissfully so." I rubbed my belly while smiling from ear to ear at him.

"That looks good on you."

"What does?"

"The way you finally look at me."

The smile fell from my face.

"I'm really sorr—"

"Don't even say it. I don't want your apologies. I just want that smile back."

He pushed his chair back and came to stand over me, offering me his hand. I took it and stood, grabbing my purse quickly from the back of my chair before he led me back to his truck never letting go of my hand. The entire ride back was filled with laughs as we played who could guess the song on the radio first and finish the line, where you turn off the radio and the person has to keep singing and get the lyrics correct. Thank God for Google or in a few cases we would have been on fighting terms. In the end, I crushed him. My twelve to his four. 

By the time we pulled into town, it was getting dark. I knew I had kept him from earning a day’s pay, and it bothered me.

"How much do you make a day working for Canyon?"

He laughed uncomfortably before he asked, "Why do you want to know?"

"I just would like to reimburse you for what you lost today doing this for me."

"Well, here's the thing. First, Canyon is paying me for today anyway, and second, I wouldn't take your money even if he wasn't."

"Good thing he paid you or we would be fighting about this."

"There would be no fight to have. I don't let ladies pay, period. I was raised right."

"Like I said, it's a good thing he paid you and we can leave it at that."

"Are you saying my grandma was wrong?"

"No way. Your grandma would put a beating down on me if I said one harsh word against your upbringing. Hell, the woman had the challenge of a lifetime with you for a grandson. She did the best she could."

He looked at me with a playful smug expression as we pulled into my mother's driveway. 

"I'll let that go being you’re home. Now sit tight."

He turned off the truck after putting it in park then got out and came to my door to help me down.

"Thank you for today. You didn't have to do all of this but I appreciate it."

The wind had picked up and my hair was blowing out of control. His left hand came up to hold my curls back from my face before he leaned in and kissed my forehead. 

"It was my pleasure, Red. Have a good night."

When he stepped back, I looked into his eyes. There was something there I had never seen before but I knew one thing for sure: the way that man was looking at me was something every girl should feel in her life. I just never thought Jase would be the first man to show me what true adoration could feel like. Before I could talk myself out of it, I leaned forward and gave him a quick kiss and then hurried into the house without looking back. It was dangerous ground I was trending on, but damn did it feel good.