Her head jerked up.

"Weren't you number one in your class at Beaumont? Don't they want you to re-up with a promotion so you can get more into the administrative side of things?"

"I talked a lot last time, didn't I." She laughed.

"I'm trained to interview people. Plus, I plied you with wine."

"That's why I'm sticking to ice cream this time," she said holding up her root beer float. "As for the job, I'm still debating their offer. I love bedside, and it seems to be either or. I wish there was more of a hybrid. But that's not tonight's topic." He watched as her expression turned wistful. "I was really hoping for a chance to get to know you better."

David rubbed his thumb along the sensitive tissue of her palm.

Ah, little nurse, I wanted that time too. He watched as she looked down at their linked hands. She liked being touched. She'd liked the few kisses they'd shared, but there'd been a sense of hesitation to go along with her desire. That's why he hadn't pushed, why he had taken it slow. Damn, he'd been looking forward to finding out the reasons for those barriers, and getting past them.

"David?"

"What, honey?"

"I'm done with dinner. Would you like to have a nightcap at my place?" Her eyes shyly met his. Such a brave girl.

He twined their fingers together and brought her hand to his lips. Her nipples spiked under her soft red sweater. "I would love to see your home."

He threw some bills on the table and helped her out of the high booth.

They got outside the restaurant, and when he started towards the parking lot, she stopped him.

"What?"

"David, are you sure I'm not pushing you into something-"

He pressed his fingertip on her plush lips. His Sarah was always worried that she was making waves.

"I promise you're not pushing me into anything. And I'll take that a step further. I won't be pushing you into anything either."

"I know that," she said in a slightly exasperated tone. "If I didn't you wouldn't be coming home with me."

David walked Sarah to her car and opened the door for her. "I'll follow you," he promised.

"Okay."

A half hour later, he pulled up beside her in the driveway of her house. It was a pretty blue ranch style with a wealth of rhododendron and azalea bushes flourishing in the front yard. It suited her.

"You kept up." She grinned at him. She pushed off her hood and looked up at the moonlit sky. The rain had stopped, and now they were blanketed by a beautiful Pacific Northwest night.

"I'm trained to track people, of course, I could keep up," he said as he pulled the door key from her hands.

"No, you're trained to protect people," she corrected. "You're a protector. I felt it from the first time I saw you in the hallway at the clinic."

"You remember me from then?" he asked as he opened the door for her. She went to go in, but he held her back. "Let me take a quick look, okay?"

She frowned at him, "Why?"

"Humor me, it's what I do."

"My dad was like that." He heard her say as he went into the house. He made a cursory sweep of the interior and ushered her in.

"Your dad did that, huh?"

"He was a cop in Georgia." She smiled as she turned on lights, and set her purse on the counter. He watched as she kicked off her heels and dug her toes into the thick carpet.

"You never told me that before," he said as he watched her stretch her arms. "There's a lot you haven't shared."

"We've been talking about our careers and the base gossip. We would have gotten there eventually." She stopped mid-stretch. "I guess there won't be time for that now," she said biting her lip. She twirled and headed toward her kitchen. He followed.

"What can I get you to drink? Usually, you have bourbon, but I don't have that. I have beer and wine. I think I might have some tequila." David watched as she stood on tiptoe to open a cupboard above her microwave.

"Anything will be fine."

"I want to give you options. I invited you over." She closed the cupboard and turned around to face him. He watched as she bit her lip. She did that whenever she was feeling unsure.

"I'll have whatever you're having, honey. Hell, water's fine by me."

She gave a relieved laugh. "Okay, I'm done being nervous," she promised. "Let me give you a tour."

She slipped by him, and he followed her out of the kitchen into the dining room, that opened up into a spacious living room. The centerpiece was a large fireplace made from river rock. On the mantle was a wedding photo, Sarah looked beautiful and so young. The man looked young and handsome in his dress blues.

"That's Matt." Sarah lovingly traced the photo with her fingertips. "He died in Iraq."

"I'm sorry, Sarah." Dammit, it explained so much. He stroked his hand down her arm, and she turned to him with a sad smile.

"It's okay, it's been a long time. I just wish..."

"What, what do you wish?"

"I wish I could have seen what kind of man he would have grown into, you know? Twenty-two is so damn young." She bit her lip.

Twenty-two seemed like a million years ago.

"How long were you together?"

"A little over three years." She let him hold her, then she drew back. "Have I ruined the mood?"

"Tell me what you want."

"For you not to have to leave tomorrow." She said into his chest. Then she gave a light laugh and pushed away. She took her wedding photo and put it on the bookcase, so it was facing away from the room. "I was giving you a tour. This is the living room. What do you think of the fireplace?"

"It's gorgeous. You have a lovely home," David said as he knelt in front of the fireplace to get a fire going.

"Thank you." He turned and stood up. Despite her promise not to be nervous, he could still hear hints of hesitation in her voice.

"Are you sure you want me here?"

"I think I do. No, I know I do." Her gray eyes pleaded with him to understand. To take control. He gladly obliged.

Reaching up, he trailed his fingers along the fine line of her jaw. "Would it help you to know that I really want to be here and that I value the trust you've given me? I promise to do nothing to abuse it." David watched as tension eased from her features, and she gave him a hesitant smile.

"I know that. If I didn't trust you, you wouldn't be in my house." There was the confident woman he'd seen glimpses of at the clinic. "I just wasn't expecting to have you here so soon," she said softly. Now that was the rub. His pretty nurse was used to taking her time. David found he liked that about her. She bit her lip, then brightened. "Would you like a glass of wine?"

"I would love a glass of wine."

She smiled in relief. "Red or white?"

"Red." She went to the kitchen, and he turned off the overhead light and left them with just the firelight. He'd ditched his shoes by the time she returned holding two glasses.

"I love sitting in front of the fire at night and reading." David could picture her curled up on the sofa, her blonde hair caressed by the firelight.

"What do you like to read?" he asked as he got them situated on the sofa. As soon as she snuggled into her position, he inched closer. He was rewarded with that look of shy pleasure that he was coming to know.

"I read a little bit of everything, but do you want me to be honest?" She looked at him through her gold flecked lashes.

He tipped up her chin. "Always. I'll always want honesty." She swallowed, and nodded.

"Most of the books on my reader are romances. I suppose that makes me kind of frivolous."

"I think that makes you human. Who doesn't want a happily-ever-after?"

"They're rare. Hell, I should know that better than anyone," she whispered.

"All the more reason to desire them." Damn, could he do this? "Sarah," he began.

"David," she interrupted him. "I'm not some young virgin looking for a happily-ever-after. I'm a woman who really desires the man sitting on my sofa."

"That's good, because I really, really desire you." He plucked the glass of wine out of her hand and put it on the coaster on the coffee table. Part of him was pissed he was being reassigned so quickly. He would have preferred to slowly come to know her before getting to this point. But as he pulled her into his arms, he acknowledged that was bullshit.

Settling Sarah against his chest, feeling her nipples pebble against him, he was suddenly glad that his hand had been forced, that he didn't have to wait. Having her close was a gift. Her hands crept upwards until clever fingers worked the top button of his dress shirt loose.

"No," he said, his hands covering hers.

"But I thought..." her voice trailed away.

"We'll get there," he assured her. First, he wanted to make sure she was with him every step of the way. She had been a puzzle all night. Sometimes bold, sometimes shy, always Sarah. Now that he knew about Matt, it all made sense. It was his job to make sure he gathered all those intriguing pieces together and brought her pleasure.

Even before tonight, he'd watched this sweet woman, and noticed certain things. She didn't readily accept kindness; her first inclination was to assume it was a mistake. She was quick to assume she was at fault for things that could never in a million years be her fault.

Time with Matt would probably have helped her overcome those issues, but it had been cut short. Now he was going to be one more man who wasn't going to be able to give her the time she deserved. But by God, he was going to make sure that she remembered everything that went on tonight in a positive light.

"Can I take a kiss?" he asked.

"Take? That's and odd way of putting it."

David quickly changed positions on the sofa so he was lying full length on his back and she was on top of him.

"You trust me, right?"

"Oh yes," her breath broke on the words.

"Then tonight I want an opportunity to take you with me. Take you places that you might not have been before. Take you in my arms and make you mine. Would you allow me to do that? I want to start by taking a kiss. May I?" He watched as she bit her lip. God, he wanted to bite her lip.

Easy Sloane, get permission first.

Eyes wide, she nodded.

David eased his fingers under the silk of her chin length hair and lowered her head to his. Her bottom lip was wet, swollen, and irresistible. He sucked the tempting morsel smiling when he heard her whine. He traced that tempting bit of flesh with his tongue and enjoyed how she opened her mouth for him.

Take it slow. He slid his tongue into the warmth of her mouth, tasting wine and woman, the woman was by far the sweeter flavor. Her tongue shyly stroked against his, bringing every one of his dominant instincts roaring to life. Take it slow.

Back and forth, he brushed his thumb against the arch of her jaw, then slowly he moved his other hand down her back, and relished the way she arched into his touch. He pushed his hand under the soft red cashmere and found even softer skin. He drew circles before edging upwards to the clasp of her bra. He traced the line of silk, readying her, not surprised when he felt her tension.

"Easy," he murmured. She melted against him, and he unhooked her bra. Taking his time, he made long, languid sweeps up and down the length of her back. She pushed against his chest.

"Off. I want it off."

David smiled. The little nurse was ready to be taken. He stood up with her still in his arms. "Which way to your bedroom?"

She pointed to the hallway. "Last door on the left. My bed isn't made."

"Honey, we're just going to mess it up anyway."

He liked the way she smiled. She was getting more comfortable.

"Sarah, I didn't bring anything to protect you. Do you have something?"

She nodded. "I'm a nurse. Are you going to let me down now?"

"I'm considering it."

He looked around the room, it was soothing tones of blue, it suited her.

David let her slide down his body, lifting her sweater and bra off her body as he went. Pink. He'd wondered. Now he knew her nipples were pink.

"Now you."

"No." She had a lot to learn. "You agreed to be taken." The hesitation was back, but not in a bad way, he saw curiosity. Good.

They were still too new to one another for her to strip in front of him, so he brought her close for another kiss, which was not a hardship. She wrapped her arms around his neck, but he brought them down to her sides.

"David?"

"Taken. Your turn will come later. This is my time to please you." A delightful frown appeared between her eyes, but she put her hands to her sides. Could he get any harder as he saw her hands clench and relax? He traced his fingers from her collar bone to her sternum, over the tips of her breasts, and enjoyed the jerk of response. Then he went further, to the belly button exposed by her low rider jeans. He let his fingers glide across the top of her waistband, watching her tremble.