Page 61 of Girl Between

“What happened?” Dana asked.

“Local boy we were friendly with wanted to trade some ammunitionhe’d scavenged for candy. It was a common arrangement we had with a few of the local kids. Stick a gum for bullets. Snickers for intel. Shepard shit a brick every time he saw one of ‘em coming up to camp. Ran ‘em out of there with gunfire so they were too scared to come back. But this one brave little shit was never afraid. We felt bad for him, ya know? Kid was an IED vic. Missing half his arm, face all scared up, but he had that ‘ain’t nothing gonna stop me’ attitude you can’t help but root for.”

Dana’s stomach began to knot as she sensed the direction George’s story was headed.

“Turns out Shepard was right. He’d been in country longer. He told us not to trust the locals for a reason. That little shit walked right up into our camp and detonated an IED he’d strapped to himself. Took out half our squad, injured the other half. I can still smell the burning flesh. The way Shepard’s chest was torn open, flesh all blistered and smoldering. But he was the only one left to hold off the militants till air coverage arrived.”

Dana’s eyes closed, her mind filling with memories of her own.Jake’s chest, her fingers tracing his scars …

“Even then, we were just as likely to get taken out by friendly fire from our own air strike. But Shepard was prepared for that. Called in the coordinates a few degrees off for the first strike to divert the attack and give himself enough time to drag us to safety.”

George’s eyes misted with remorse for a moment before he steeled himself, his gaze filling with conviction. “Jake Shepard saved my life, Dana. I have no delusions about that. He picked me up out of that godforsaken blood-soaked sandpit and carried me on his back to safety. It’s why I won’t cross any lines here,” he said, tracing her jaw with his thumb.

“I’m not sure there’s anything left to cross,” she admitted.

George leaned in, his lips a whisper away from hers. “I’d like it better if you were certain.”

She held his gaze, knowing and hating that he was right. Since she didn’t have an answer, she gave an excuse. “It’s late.”

“Do you have a curfew?”

“No, but I do have a conscience, and a boss who loves making me look bad.”

“Want me to occupy him? The threat of unpaid parking tickets in Nawlins is more persuasive than you might think,” he teased.

Dana laughed. “As much pleasure as that thought brings me, I don’t want the start of whatever this is to have anything to do with Taurant.”

“Whateverthisis?” George hedged, moving in closer. He let his arms encircle Dana’s waist. “Are you saying you want this to be something?”

“I’m not sure.”

George rocked back on his heels. “Okay. Tell you what, why don’t we take it slow? We don’t have to have it all figured out. We can just have some harmless fun.”

If it were anyone else, Dana would’ve been put off by his forwardness, but she was strangely comfortable with George. Especially after he’d just bared such a difficult experience. Besides, it was a little late to start being cautious. She’d already followed him into a murder investigation and his family’s Voodoo ceremony.

From the beginning, she knew they were kindred spirits. Like her, George was probably more comfortable at a crime scene than navigating his personal life.

Still, he seemed undeterred when he spoke. “Look, this doesn’t have to be complicated. I’m just saying I like the way this feels.” He let his hand slide beyond her waist, pulling her closer, but still leaving the next move to her.

57

George was tryingto be a gentleman.

He’d asked if he was crossing any lines.

Dana hadn’t given him a red light.

But she hadn’t exactly given a green either.

He’d meant what he said about Jake. He owed the man his life. But what good was a life if he didn’t live it?

Looking at Dana, George realized he hadn’t been doing a good job of that lately. He’d buried his wounds creating a shield of scar tissue, guarding him against future injury. But that was no way to live. The spark thrumming to life just under his skin when he touched Dana told him so.

George hadn’t let himself experience a connection like this in …

He shut his eyes tight, warding off the sudden memory that crashed into his mind. Eyes the color of bleached denim. Skin like coffee with too much cream. Her voice dripping with honey as she promised him a goodbye that never came …

It doesn’t have to be that way,George reminded himself.