Show of Force by A.J. Quinn

Author:A.J. Quinn [Quinn, A.J.]
Language: eng
Format: epub
ISBN: 9781602829725
Amazon: B00F8Q4VFQ
Publisher: Bold Strokes Books
Published: 2013-09-16T03:00:00+00:00

Chapter Twenty

Tate held Evan as she slipped into a blessedly dreamless slumber and was holding her still when she awoke two hours later. Turning her head, Evan saw the new day was beginning to break. She had managed to survive the night and knew the horror was receding because of the woman beside her. And not just last night’s.

“What are you thinking?” Tate murmured.

“That I can’t believe you came to Afghanistan and found me.” Evan’s words came out in a tumbled rush. “After so long, I still can’t believe anyone came. But you came. You put it all on the line for me and I don’t know how to begin to thank you.”

Tate gave her a serious, assessing look. “You’ve got to know thanks aren’t necessary.” She reached for Evan’s hand and studied her face for a full ten seconds, as if debating her next words. “But you know we’ve never actually talked about it…about what happened.”

“In Afghanistan? There’s not much to tell.” It was there in her voice. A faint tremor. The faint edge of fear and a hesitation so slight as to be barely noticeable. But if she could hear it, chances were so could Tate. Her suspicions were confirmed when Tate continued.

“Hey, I’m on your side. But I understand this has to be hard for you, especially after everything that happened yesterday. So we don’t have to talk about it now if you don’t want to.”

She remained quiet for a moment, recognizing the out Tate was giving her if she chose to take it. It would be so easy. “No, it’s okay.” Pushing herself into a sitting position, she considered how much she could share. How much she’d be able to say without getting sick. “I know I owe you some kind of explanation.”

“You don’t owe me anything,” Tate corrected. “I’d just like to understand and be able to help if I can.”

Evan shifted uncomfortably. “It’s funny,” she said at last, “because it occurs to me that in all the time you and I have known each other, most of our deep, soul-baring conversations have taken place without the benefit of our actually being in the same room…or in the same country.”

Tate laughed.

But it was the truth. Conversations between them, whether of the soul-baring variety or any other kind, had taken place to a large extent via e-mail, by phone, and sometimes, if they were lucky, by Skype where they could at least see each other. Whether by accident or design, face-to-face time seemed to have been reserved for touching. Kissing. Tasting.

“Would it help if I left the room?”

“No.” Evan reflexively tightened her hold on Tate’s hand, her smile faint. “But I hope you understand. I hope you won’t be too disappointed if there are some things we don’t talk about.”

“Can’t or won’t?”

Evan felt herself flush. “Both, I guess.” It was the best she could offer. The only question remaining was whether Tate could live with it.

“I’m good with that,” she said as she reached over and gently twirled a finger in Evan’s hair.

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