zombie threat and all the other stuff were on the back burner, to be considered after they’d broken their fast. For now, she was taking a minute to bask in the changes in her life. So much had happened in such a short time. It was overwhelming in a whirlwind sort of way, but if the end result was Xavier in her bed and in her home, she couldn’t complain too much. She wouldn’t trade this special time with him for anything.
“Dig in. We’ve got to meet up with the guys in about an hour.”
“I thought I heard you tell your XO to bring dinner to the meeting.” Sarah cut a piece of the omelet and took a nibble. It was delicious. Perfectly cooked, with a hint of the spices he’d used to make it wafting to her nose and bursting on her tongue.
“I did, but Sam’s idea of dinner is probably a couple of pizzas. That’s not enough to keep us going all night. I figured we’d be better off with a good protein boost now.”
“Good thinking. Xavier, this is spectacular. What did you put in this thing?” She used her fork to point toward the omelet as she took another big bite.
“Cheese, onions, peppers and a few other things I found in your fridge and pantry. Hope you don’t mind I went foraging.”
“Mind? When this is the end result? Forage away, I say.” He seemed amused by her answer and they ate in silence for a while.
“So, how long have you and your team been together?” she asked after the silence had stretched a bit.
“I’ve known Sam, my XO, since Ranger School. We were assigned to the same unit for a while early on and became good friends. The other guys I knew by reputation and from having worked with them in passing over the years.” His expression closed up. “The unit I belonged to until very recently was decimated by the first go-round with the zombies on base. I was the only survivor of those who’d been bitten or gouged. After they realized I was immune”—he paused to take a drink of juice—“I was asked to pick my own small group when the first reports of the attack on you filtered through.”
“I’m sorry, Xavier. I didn’t mean to bring up bad memories.” She felt awful. The look on his face was so tight, so controlled. It was obvious to her that he was trying to tamp down the pain that still afflicted him when he thought of those friends, those comrades he had lost.
“It’s all right.” He finished eating and stood, taking his plate to the sink for a quick rinse.
She could tell he wanted to change the subject and she was fine with that. He’d lost friends and it had happened recently. Perhaps too recently to talk about. She could understand that and she wouldn’t push.
She stood, too, and began clearing the table. When she turned toward the sink with an armful of dishes, Xavier surprised her by taking them out of her hands. He placed them behind him on the counter and turned back to her. He just looked at her, staring downward into her eyes for a long moment. There was emotion there, simmering beneath the surface.
Xavier pulled her into his arms, hugging her loosely while he rested his head over hers. She heard the reassuring beat of his heart under her ear and felt his hands stroking her hair and back.
“I miss them, but I’m not ready to talk about it yet.”
The pain in his voice touched her deeply. “I understand, Xavier,” she whispered. “Just know that I’m here for you if you ever want to talk.”
“Thank you, Sarah. That means more than I can tell you.”
He held her close for a few minutes more, while she offered silent comfort. Even if he couldn’t talk about it yet, she sensed this helped. She could feel the tension in him ease little by little until he had himself back under control, and she was glad she could be there to help him even in this small way.
He cleared his throat as he let her go. “We’d better get a move on. The guys are expecting us soon.”
“Let me grab my utility belt and we can hit the road.”
She exited the kitchen, leaving the rest of the cleanup to him, if he felt like doing it. Right now, she didn’t care. A dirty dish left standing on the counter wasn’t the end of the world.