Dakota Love (54 page)

“For coming with me today and telling me I’m handsome.”

His husky whisper tickled her chin as his fingers tipped her head downward, her lips closer to his. Her hands glided back up to his shoulders and rested beside his collar. Her eyes fluttered closed and her grip tightened on his arms as his lips lingered on hers, their closeness weakening her knees.

Walt drew back, running his fingers down her cheeks, resting his hands on her upper arms. The sleeves of her dress rustled from the slight tremble of his hands.

Lil licked her lips, savoring the sweetness of the kiss. Her heart soared when she opened her eyes and saw the warm sparkle of attraction in Walt’s hazel irises.

“Let him kiss me with the kisses of his mouth.”
It definitely was love’s desire to awaken in her life, their lives. Walt already thought she was his Rose of Sharon. After that kiss, she knew without a doubt he was hers.

She understood all the descriptive phrases used in the Song of Songs now.
“It burns like blazing fire, like a mighty flame.”
Her heart pattered, remembering the electric current of his touch on her cheeks, her arms, her lips.

She sighed, the dreamy response vibrating in her throat. Walt smiled up at her before he pulled her into a hug, the walker rattling its displeasure at being caught in the middle.

This moment was perfect. She’d protect it in her heart forever. Nothing could ever ruin it for her.

Walt broke the embrace, his eyes dancing with teasing. “I bet you’re one of those girls who never could resist a man in uniform.”

Lil’s heart slumped. Nothing but that.

Walt slipped his hat from his head as he entered the church hall. He scanned the room for Lil. She’d insisted on staying to help the church ladies prepare the luncheon rather than accompany him to the cemetery.

Just as well; the twenty-one gun salute never failed to bring strong emotions to the surface. Whenever he heard it, he was transported back to another funeral in a different era, where a hysterical mother and stony-faced father buried their nineteen-year-old son, the son Walt killed by trying to save him.

Yet they’d thanked him, called Walt a hero, and hoped he’d receive a Purple Heart for his efforts. Walt clung to their words, believed them until Nancy clued him in on what she and the rest of the world thought him—a monster.

Walt stepped aside to allow others to pass. He still couldn’t see Lil. Earlier, he’d picked the wrong time to kiss her, but he’d needed her comfort. He needed that same comfort now.

As if on cue, Lil, using her backside to open the swinging door, emerged from the kitchen. She carried a large silver serving tray with a vast array of sweets. She set it at the end of a long table. When she looked up, Walt waved a finger to catch her eye.

The simply styled green dress looked good against her ivory skin and brought out the color of her eyes. She’d secured her unruly curls with jeweled hair combs, yet small corkscrews framed her face.

She wore lipstick today. He wasn’t certain when she’d put it on because her lips were natural when they’d kissed. Walt rubbed his lips together as his heart became a ball, happily bouncing through his chest.

“Have a seat with your friends, Walt. I’m going to help in the kitchen. After all the ladies have done for us this week, I feel obliged.”

A smile curled Walt’s lips at her use of the word
us
. “Okay, but come and sit with us to have your lunch when you’re finished.” Walt reached up and patted her cheek.

“Don’t wait for me.” Lil wagged her index finger in his face. “You have something to eat. You haven’t eaten since breakfast.”

Always bossing him. Or was it concern? “I had three helpings of the biscuits and gravy this morning.”

“But who’s counting?” Lil arched an eyebrow.

“I’m sure
you
were.” Walt chuckled. “But I’ll eat with the boys.”

It was hard to know just how much time passed before Lil joined Walt at the table, accompanied by other church ladies.

“What are you talking about?” Sandy sat in the recently vacated seat across from Walt. Lil slipped onto the empty chair beside him, their chairs strategically arranged so close together that their shoulders touched. He hoped she didn’t notice the other side had more elbow room.

Bill piped up. “Just telling war stories. What else do old veterans do?”

Laughter erupted at the table. Walt glanced over at Lil. He’d felt her stiffen, and now a tight smile graced her lips.

Had something gone wrong in the kitchen, or did she feel this wasn’t a topic to be discussed at church or a funeral?

Bill launched into a story about Sam in basic training after the two of them had enlisted together. Lil kept her head bowed, eyes riveted to her plate. Yet Walt was pretty sure she was only pushing her food around on her plate as the fingers on her free hand nervously rubbed her paper napkin into shreds. She couldn’t be squeamish; she was a nurse. It had to be something else.

“Maybe we should change the subject, guys. The ladies are trying to eat.” Walt thought his suggestion might bring a thankful glance from Lil, but her posture remained the same, stilted, her features strained.

“Okay, no battle stories.” Bill drew a deep breath. “I’m just glad some of the Vietnam vets are finally getting the medals they deserve. It wasn’t right what we came home to.”

The already taut muscles in Lil’s arm that brushed against his tightened more. She was gazing across the room in the direction of a Sunday school bulletin board. A multicolored rainbow over blue ocean waves, a reminder of God’s promise to Noah and humankind.

Her eyes weren’t admiring the bulletin board. Her eyes were clouded with the same wistful look they’d had on their very first walk together when this subject came up. She’d never said why, but Walt could tell her feelings on this issue were strong.

“No, it wasn’t.” Sandy frowned. “I’m ashamed to admit my older sister protested the war. I was in sixth grade when she started. Every night she and my dad would argue at the dinner table. Then when she went to college”—Sandy flopped her hands in the air—“she organized rallies, changed her name from Vivian to Harmony. I never understood it, never.”

At first Walt thought Lil snorted, but as the rough coughing started, he realized her sip of coffee must’ve gone down the wrong pipe.

“Lil, you all right?” He patted her back as the violent coughing continued.

“Fine, just went down wrong,” she said, each word a rasp between coughs.

“I’ll get you some water.” Sandy hurried off to the kitchen.

A tear beaded in the outer corner of Lil’s eye and ran down her cheek. As the coughing subsided, she fanned at her flushed face. “Excuse me.” Lil cleared her throat hard and accepted the water from Sandy.

After a long drink, her normal peachy glow chased away the cough-reddened hue on her face.

Walt handed her his napkin and she dabbed the moisture from her eyes.

“Thank you, Sandy.” Lil finished off the water in the Styrofoam cup.

“Feeling better?” Walt wrapped his arm around Lil’s shoulders and pulled her into a side hug, expecting to feel her soft warmth melt into his side. Her rigid posture kept her intact in her chair, the stiff arm in his ribs a barrier that separated them. His heart sagged in his chest.

“I’m fine.” She flashed him a weak smile, her voice fake and an octave higher than normal.

He’d been around her long enough to know that this was far from fine for Lil.

Walt’s arm dropped as Lil scooted her chair a few inches to the side, creating more space between them. Maybe she didn’t like public displays of affection. But it was probably more than likely her aloofness had to do with her being his nurse and their growing fondness for each other being unprofessional.

“Walt, will you be able to march in the Veterans Day parade?” Bill tapped his empty cup on the tabletop.

“I don’t know. I’m hoping I can. It depends on if I get rid of the walker in a couple of weeks. What do you think, Lil?”

“I’m sure you’ll have graduated to a cane by then, but you still might not be up to walking too far. How long is the parade route?”

“Four blocks.” Walt faked a stretch and crossed his arms over his chest, hoping no one had noticed his attempt to pull Lil close and her attempt to push him away.

“Maybe we’ll have to put you in the convertible with the older guys who can’t walk the route anymore.”

Walt wrinkled his nose at Bill’s suggestion. He’d been marching, the best he could, in the parade since he moved here. This year with a new hip, it should be easier.

“We have a fun Veterans Day celebration.” Sandy flattened her forearm across the width of the table and tapped her fingers to draw Lil’s attention away from the bulletin board.

“Obviously, there’s a parade. But there is also a trap shoot and a pie social, which we finish off with a ham dinner. It’s a blast. You’ll have a lot of fun.”

“Hmm…if Walt’s recovery goes according to the doctor’s plan, his six weeks of needing a nurse will be up by then.”

Lil shifted on her metal folding chair, scooting it even farther away from Walt. She stopped when the legs clamored into the neighboring chair.

Walt winced at a small prick in his heart, like a thumbtack piercing skin. Veterans Day was only three weeks away. He’d been so focused on getting rid of the walker, he’d forgotten that Lil might go with it. Something that, at one time, he’d wanted. Now he didn’t want to consider that option.

“Won’t you stay and join us?” Sandy smiled brightly at Lil. “You have your camper at Walt’s.”

Lil gave a small shake of her head. “Sorry, but if the doctor releases Walt, I’ll be heading to Texas, hopefully before the first snowfall.” Lil crossed her fingers on both hands and held them high.

Lil’s words pierced Walt’s heart like a razor-sharp bayonet. His pride was the only thing keeping him from letting the pain double him over.

“Are you coming right back?” Walt stood by the back door.

Because she couldn’t look at the dejection marring Walt’s handsome face, Lil focused on the farmer combining the cornfield across the road.

“No. You need to lie down and rest. This has been a trying day. I’m going to stay in my camper so I don’t disturb you.” Lil chanced a peripheral glance Walt’s way.

The mouth that kissed her a few short hours ago, feeding her soul like manna from heaven, drew into a deep frown. “Lil, tell me what’s wrong.”

The pleading in his tone weakening her resolve, she drew a fortifying breath.

“I’m sorry.”

“Walt, stop apologizing. It’s nothing you’ve done.
Believe me
.”

“Then go change your clothes and come right back.”

Lil pursed her lips and shook her head. She allowed herself to look into his hazel eyes. “I have some computer work to do on your case. I’ll be back in an hour or so. As your nurse, I’m ordering you to lie down and rest.”

“Ordering me?” Anger lifted Walt’s last word to a higher level. “Lil, you’ve been bossing me since you arrived. At first I didn’t like it because in my house
I’m
the boss, but then I realized it’s just the way you communicate.”

Lil fisted her hand and placed it on her hip. “Are you—”

“I’m not finished. This little mood of yours has happened twice. Tell me what’s bothering you so it doesn’t keep happening.”

The angrier Walt became, the faster he spoke.

“No, I’m not going to tell you. It’s none of your business,” she snapped, raising her voice to cut through his anger.

Walt drew in a sharp breath that seemed to move his upper body back a few inches. “Fine. Go over to your camper and stay there.”

In defiance, Walt made a grand gesture of lifting his walker before he turned and marched across the kitchen, slamming his bedroom door behind him.

Lil remained planted on the sidewalk in front of the door. The cold October air permeated her clothes, chilling her to the bone. “I can’t tell you, Walt.” Her whispered words blew across the camper parking lot, getting lost in the vacant field.

She choked back a sob. Crying would do her no good. It wouldn’t change the past, or her feelings, or the fact that Sandy was her college roommate’s little sister.