Grey Skies - A Military Romance (Complete)

Grey Skies: Chapter Part 36

Max shifted until his thigh pressed against Sophie's. Because he could, he slung his arm over the back of the couch, resting the tips of his fingers on her opposite shoulder. Tingles trickled below his skin from the pads of his fingers, up his arm and straight to his heart. No more clandestine hook ups. No more hiding his attraction. Their friends knew they were together. In front of the entire party gathered at the farmhouse, she'd kissed him at the stroke of midnight on New Year's Eve. Not a split-second peck on the lips. A full minute smooch that elicited whoops from their friends.

Despite the heat from the fire Finn was attending to across the room, Sophie snuggled closer, her arm hooking through the crook of Max's. "What's the name again?"

"Djibouti City." He tapped the screen of her phone, pointing to the spot on the map.

With only a few days left until he had to report for duty, Max was concentrating on the here and now, not the future. Sophie, on the other hand, had peppered him with questions. Curious about life in the Navy, his duties, his routines, his downtime. It had surprised her to learn that he wasn't due to spend much time on a ship in this rotation, instead stationed on land as protection duty for the Admiral. Tonight, she wanted to know about where he would be stationed for the next six months.

Two vertical lines formed between Sophie's eyebrows. "I thought you said it was near the Suez Canal."

Finn added a log to the glowing embers. "The port is a strategic location controlling the approach to the Suez."

She turned to Max. "It sounds dangerous."

He squeezed her shoulder. His stomach cramped at the concern in her expression, and he swallowed the impulse to lie to her, pretend the danger wasn't real. But he'd never hide the truth from her. Not now that everything was out in the open. Well, not everything. He hadn't worked up the courage to tell Sophie how deeply in love he was with her. But that wasn't lying. That was biding his time until he was sure speaking those words wouldn't drive her away.

Sophie had taken a giant leap, confessing their relationship first to Mary and then to the others. Max realized the effort that took. He had loved Bug for less than a year. But Sophie had loved Thomas for over a decade. Still wore his engagement ring on her hand. Still spent time with her almost in-laws. Max hadn't worked up the courage to ask what changed her mind, but he was confident that Sophie needed time to adjust to making room for him in her heart.

At least, he hoped she was.

Max dragged a thumb at the offending crinkles on Sophie's forehead. "Some of the locals aren't thrilled we are there. But things are kept civil. We provide jobs and help the local economy."

"The US has held Camp Lemonnier for twenty years." Finn stood, crossed the room and put his hand on the doorframe. "The base is basically a city of its own."

"Finn?" Emily's voice floated in from the kitchen.

"Coming." He jogged out of sight, leaving Max and Sophie alone in the cozy living room.

"Finn's right." Max tapped his knee against hers. "Besides, no one goes into the city without protection."

She dragged down his hand and thread their fingers together. "And you provide that protection?"

"I do."

"Who protects you?"

A bloom of heat spread across his chest. Sophie cared. He pressed a kiss against her temple. "We protect each other in the Navy. No one is alone."

Her gaze searched his. "The reason you stay."

Could she read his mind? "Yes. The Navy is the only place I fit in."