Page 33 of Sloane
“So, how long will you be in the Middle East?”
“It’s hard to say. We could be back in three months, or it could be another year.” He grinned when he nudged my shoulder with his. “Why? Trying to get rid of me already?”
“On the contrary. I’m trying to figure out when I’ll get to see you again.”
“Don’t,” he shook his head. “Don’t do that, sweetness. Let’s enjoy our time now without worrying about the future.”
His phrasing struck me as odd, but I nodded in agreement anyway. “You’re right. It’s just hard not to look forward to being with you again.”
“I’m here all weekend, baby.”
“I know. But I’ve liked spending time with you.”
We approached Ryan’s front door, and he tugged me against him to whisper in my ear, “I’ve loved being with you, so let’s focus on appreciating the time we have together and not worry about when we’re going to see each other again.”
A sudden realization hit me, and I blurted out as I pulled away, “You don’t want to see me when you get back?”
His brows knitted together, and he took my hand.
“What? No! That’s not what I’m saying. But I don’t know how long it’s going to be before I’m back. Or hell, if I’ll even make it back. I don’t think it would be fair of me to ask you to wait.”
“I’ll wait.”
“You say that now, sweetness…”
I could hear Tank whining on the other side of the door, and Ryan opened it without either of us even ringing the bell.
“You’re torturing Tank!” Ryan admonished as the dog barreled into Sloane.
Sloane knelt to greet his fur baby.
“Hi, buddy!” he said as he rubbed both the dog’s ears at the same time. The golden retriever’s face was so expressive, I could see how happy he was as his owner petted him.
Ryan gave me a side-shoulder hug. “Good to see you again, Ashley.”
“Good to see you, too.”
We watched as Tank ate up Sloane’s affection.
“He’s missed you, too,” I observed.
“Am I an asshole for being relieved about that?”
“There’s no way he’s going to forget about you. No matter how many comfy beds and dog treats I try to bribe him with,” Ryan teased.
****
Sloane
I was so fucking gone over this woman.
Not wanting to lose contact with her, I’d held her hand the entire drive to Ryan’s. Then, as we walked to his door, I kept my hand at the small of her back as she carried the homemade cheesecake.
She didn’t seem to mind my touch. On the contrary, I didn’t miss the way she leaned into me when she got out of the car. Or how she nestled against my side as we talked on Ryan’s front porch while Tank, after seeing us from the window, howled on the other side of the door until Ryan opened it. She moved just in time as my goofy golden retriever plowed straight into me at full speed, almost knocking me over.
I’d wanted to give my dog a name that reflected my military service, but I had no idea when he was only a puppy how perfectly the name would fit him once he grew up.
“Hi, buddy!” I exclaimed as I dropped to one knee and rubbed his ears and then the scruff around his neck while he whined with excitement. Once I stood, he barked at me, as if to admonish me for stopping the attention.