of his that noticed everything. The way he didn’t find it necessary to talk incessantly, but when he spoke, people listened. And his smile. God, how she loved his smile. Rare and bone melting—when she coaxed one out of him she felt as if she’d just won a prize of immeasurable worth. He made her feel like she could accomplish anything. Be anyone. He pushed her to be the best she could be, and because of him, she was. She was on her way to being more successful than she’d ever thought possible. And making love to him left her breathless and wanting more. Wanting him in the deepest way possible.
“Yes,” she said to her sister, “I love him.”
“The question was, do you love him enough?”
Jenny straightened, and her brother’s arm fell away from her. She grabbed his arm and put it back around her shoulders, giving him the best smile she could muster. She’d been so wrong to keep her brother and sister at arm’s length after Steven’s death. She saw that now. She wasn’t about to make the same mistake. She looked back to her sister. “Enough for what?”
“Enough for the both of you. Enough to fight for him. He loves you, Jenny. You just have to show him.”
“But how?” she said more to herself than to anyone.
Anna gave her a bright smile. “You’re a smart girl. You’ll figure it out.”
All around Jared controlled chaos reigned on the USS Abraham Lincoln. Military personnel rushed across the massive aircraft carrier performing their jobs with infinite precision and untiring speed. He paused on the way to the flight line as an F-18 taxied to position. The powerful engines ignited, obliterated any other sound, and intensified the air with the smell of jet fuel. The carrier shuddered beneath his feet as the engines gained power. Moments later, the jet roared and hit the sky.
Jared took it all in: the noise, the smells, the endless blue that surrounded him. This was what he lived for. This was all he wanted.
Three weeks had passed since he’d left Jenny. Three weeks since he’d gotten his life back. Leaving had been the right decision—the only decision.
Hadn’t it?
He shook off the thought and told himself that the only thing he needed to do was get back inside the cockpit. It was the same thing he’d been telling himself ever since he’d rejoined his squadron. And today he finally would. In less than an hour he’d be back up in the skies, the only place he belonged.
Earlier this morning they’d been briefed on their mission. In direct violation of a treaty, a nuclear facility in Tawaitha had been rebuilt. Jared’s squadron had been given the directive to destroy it for a second time. Everyone knew the target would be heavily defended, just like everyone knew a confrontation was imminent. American fighters would be mixing it up with Iraqi MiGs. Soon the skies were going to be one hell of a fireball.
Jared wasn’t afraid. He had stared down danger more times than he could count. Confrontations like this were exactly what he had been trained for.
He was just about to make his way to his jet when someone tapped him on the shoulder. He turned and saw Kenny Hart.
Ever since he’d gotten back, Jared had been avoiding the kid. Hart was one chatty son of a bitch, and Jared knew that sooner or later he’d mention Jenny. So he avoided Hart just like he avoided thinking about what Paul had said to him. Both guys were bastards who didn’t know how to mind their own fucking business.
Hart motioned for Jared to follow him.
They reached a place on the carrier where they could talk, though they still had to shout to be heard above the noise.
“What?” Jared asked, not bothering to hide his annoyance.
“That. You’ve been in a foul mood ever since you returned.”
“Mind your own goddamn business.”
“I would, but the guys in the squadron won’t let me. They want me to find out what the hell is bugging you and tell you to get over it. Of course, I didn’t tell them I already knew.”
“You don’t know shit.” Jared turned to leave, but Hart reached out and grabbed him.
“She’s trying to find you.”
He didn’t need to ask who shewas. “How the hell do you know?”
Hart readjusted his helmet underneath his arm. “Because she wrote to me asking for help in locating your sorry ass.”
Jared heard a roaring in his ears that had nothing to do with the noise