[ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]
them to justify the discomfort Jillian had seeded in her. Even if
Jillian was right, and it was a big if, there was no way she could
reveal her feelings or have a good heart-to-heart with an outsider.
Jillian might be able to say all the right words and dole out another
of those amazing hugs, but she would never understand the life
of a military doctor. She could never know what it was like to be
Logan the need to be always in control, to be reliable, steady,
dependable, decisive, courageous. To be able to produce all of
those things on demand, without heed to the toll they took.
Hey, Major! Pumping yourself up for the big game
tonight?
Mark swaggered into the gym, a towel slung over his shoulder,
a water bottle in his hand. He was being decidedly friendly lately,
even more so since she d enlarged the distance between herself
and Jillian.
When he sat on the bench across from her, it was with the
casualness of having done it a hundred times before, as though
77
they were best friends. I gotta tell you, I m so thrilled you asked
me to play tonight. I heard those guys we re up against are huge,
but I figure, if we ve got speed, we
Mark, she interrupted, not in the mood to talk hockey.
The hot and cold way he d been treating her was eating at her,
she realized. She wanted to know what the chip on his shoulder
was and why the hell he was carrying it. She addressed him as
an officer would a subordinate direct but emotionless. You
haven t liked me much since the first day we met. Care to tell me
just exactly what I ve done to offend you?
Emotions rose and fell on his face surprise and confusion
at first, followed by denial. Then a cold, hard honesty sharpened
his features. You re right, I didn t. He sighed heavily, looking
around before settling wary eyes on Logan again. It nearly drives
Jillian insane when I do that.
Do what?
Act like an ass to someone she gets close to. It just usually
takes me a lot longer than the first day.
So you re jealous or something? The shock of her words
resonated in her own gut. Yes. He wouldn t be wrong to be jealous,
would he? You want all her attention for yourself? Is that it?
Mark grinned. I gotta hand it to you, Major. You don t pull
any punches.
I rather get the feeling you wouldn t have it any other
way.
His grin dissolved. You re right. This is good, me and you
talking. And no, I don t want Jill all to myself. Been there, done
that.
Logan had suspected as much. Ancient history?
Yes. Very ancient.
Then why does it bother you that Jillian and I& What were
they exactly? Fast friends? Friendly acquaintances? Buddies? It
occurred to her that she really didn t know. She cleared her throat
and decided to be as honest as she could. I m not exactly sure
that I would call Jill and I friends, Mark. But I would like to know
why her being around me or seeing her direct any attention my
78
way seems to piss you off.
Mark looked away again. He seemed to be battling with
himself about how to respond, his grip loosening and tightening
on his towel. When he finally looked at her, it was with surprising
openness. You see, Jill and I go back a long way. She s like a
sister to me. My best friend. I get very protective of her. And
sometimes, I admit, I act like an idiot. But I can t seem to help it.
She s very important to me, and I worry about her.
Logan nodded, having no problem with his answer so far. In
fact, it was nice that Jillian had someone like Mark in her corner.
Where do I fit into all this?
Major Sharp, I
Please. Call me Logan.
I probably shouldn t be telling you this stuff, you know. I
haven t even told Jill.
Logan felt her eyebrows arching skyward. You don t have
to
Yes, I do, because I haven t been very fair to you. He leaned
forward, elbows on his knees, and looked at her so earnestly
that she could immediately see that this man, this sometimes
rude, immature jock, had a sensitive side. He was a good guy
underneath all that macho crap, and it shouldn t have surprised
her. A woman like Jill would not place her trust and friendship in
Mark if he wasn t one of the good ones.
See, he continued. Jill went and picked herself the wrong
woman seven years ago.
Pardon? She was not prepared for this admission, because
it had never occurred to her that Jillian might not be happy. Why
the hell is he telling me this?
He nodded severely. It breaks my heart that she s with [ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]
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them to justify the discomfort Jillian had seeded in her. Even if
Jillian was right, and it was a big if, there was no way she could
reveal her feelings or have a good heart-to-heart with an outsider.
Jillian might be able to say all the right words and dole out another
of those amazing hugs, but she would never understand the life
of a military doctor. She could never know what it was like to be
Logan the need to be always in control, to be reliable, steady,
dependable, decisive, courageous. To be able to produce all of
those things on demand, without heed to the toll they took.
Hey, Major! Pumping yourself up for the big game
tonight?
Mark swaggered into the gym, a towel slung over his shoulder,
a water bottle in his hand. He was being decidedly friendly lately,
even more so since she d enlarged the distance between herself
and Jillian.
When he sat on the bench across from her, it was with the
casualness of having done it a hundred times before, as though
77
they were best friends. I gotta tell you, I m so thrilled you asked
me to play tonight. I heard those guys we re up against are huge,
but I figure, if we ve got speed, we
Mark, she interrupted, not in the mood to talk hockey.
The hot and cold way he d been treating her was eating at her,
she realized. She wanted to know what the chip on his shoulder
was and why the hell he was carrying it. She addressed him as
an officer would a subordinate direct but emotionless. You
haven t liked me much since the first day we met. Care to tell me
just exactly what I ve done to offend you?
Emotions rose and fell on his face surprise and confusion
at first, followed by denial. Then a cold, hard honesty sharpened
his features. You re right, I didn t. He sighed heavily, looking
around before settling wary eyes on Logan again. It nearly drives
Jillian insane when I do that.
Do what?
Act like an ass to someone she gets close to. It just usually
takes me a lot longer than the first day.
So you re jealous or something? The shock of her words
resonated in her own gut. Yes. He wouldn t be wrong to be jealous,
would he? You want all her attention for yourself? Is that it?
Mark grinned. I gotta hand it to you, Major. You don t pull
any punches.
I rather get the feeling you wouldn t have it any other
way.
His grin dissolved. You re right. This is good, me and you
talking. And no, I don t want Jill all to myself. Been there, done
that.
Logan had suspected as much. Ancient history?
Yes. Very ancient.
Then why does it bother you that Jillian and I& What were
they exactly? Fast friends? Friendly acquaintances? Buddies? It
occurred to her that she really didn t know. She cleared her throat
and decided to be as honest as she could. I m not exactly sure
that I would call Jill and I friends, Mark. But I would like to know
why her being around me or seeing her direct any attention my
78
way seems to piss you off.
Mark looked away again. He seemed to be battling with
himself about how to respond, his grip loosening and tightening
on his towel. When he finally looked at her, it was with surprising
openness. You see, Jill and I go back a long way. She s like a
sister to me. My best friend. I get very protective of her. And
sometimes, I admit, I act like an idiot. But I can t seem to help it.
She s very important to me, and I worry about her.
Logan nodded, having no problem with his answer so far. In
fact, it was nice that Jillian had someone like Mark in her corner.
Where do I fit into all this?
Major Sharp, I
Please. Call me Logan.
I probably shouldn t be telling you this stuff, you know. I
haven t even told Jill.
Logan felt her eyebrows arching skyward. You don t have
to
Yes, I do, because I haven t been very fair to you. He leaned
forward, elbows on his knees, and looked at her so earnestly
that she could immediately see that this man, this sometimes
rude, immature jock, had a sensitive side. He was a good guy
underneath all that macho crap, and it shouldn t have surprised
her. A woman like Jill would not place her trust and friendship in
Mark if he wasn t one of the good ones.
See, he continued. Jill went and picked herself the wrong
woman seven years ago.
Pardon? She was not prepared for this admission, because
it had never occurred to her that Jillian might not be happy. Why
the hell is he telling me this?
He nodded severely. It breaks my heart that she s with [ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]