“I guess that would be weird, wouldn’t it?” She sighed. This was easier when we were just talking about our favorite color. “No, I don’t have a boyfriend at the moment. Or, rather, I haven’t had a boyfriend in quite a while.”
While speaking, she kept her eyes on her notebook doodles, but his fingers tightened on her shoulder and she jerked her gaze up to his.
“It sounds like there’s a story there.”
Shaking her head, she replied, “Probably, but I’m not sure tonight is the time for deep, dark confessions. Anyway, what about you?”
“Being a SEAL doesn’t lend itself to having a permanent relationship. I know some guys can do it, but not me.”
“So you just keep things casual?” As soon as the words left her mouth, she knew the implication was that he simply had flings and she cringed, wishing she could pull the words back in. The last thing she wanted to hear about was his casual one-night stands.
“More so when I was younger.”
“Really?”
“Yeah. There’s a lot of… uh… easy that hangs around the bars near a naval station, and that was okay when I first joined. After a while, though, easy is just meaningless. But, since my career doesn’t offer a lot of time, it’s hard to find something meaningful.”
Her gaze locked on his, and it was on the tip of her tongue to ask if he was looking for something meaningful. But he’s going to be leaving to go back to his team. And he just confessed that being a SEAL was not conducive to a permanent relationship.
Staring into his handsome face and his eyes that captured hers, she knew this job for Nancy was dangerous. Not because of what they might discover, but dangerous for her heart.
Driving home, Nolan kept one hand on the steering wheel while rubbing the back of his neck with his other. He had hoped that spending the evening with Lynn would get him past the infatuation he’d had since meeting her yesterday. But instead, he found her more intriguing. If he was at a different place in his life, pursuing her would be enjoyable. But I’ve got no place in my life for a girlfriend.
His phone rang and he looked at the caller ID. Recognizing one of his team members, Evan, he grinned. “Cowboy! How’s it hanging?”
“Fuck, Ringer, I should be asking you that. When are you getting your lazy ass off your mom’s couch?”
“Soon, I promise.”
“What the hell are you doing with all that time off? You’re gonna be fat, weak, and worthless by the time you get back.”
“I’m working out,” he defended. Well, not as much as I’d like to.
“Yeah, bet your brain is going to mush,” Evan pushed, but Nolan could hear the laughter coming through the airwaves.
“Believe it or not, I’m doing a job for my sister who’s a fuckin’ PI.”
“No shit? Good, maybe it’ll keep you sharp.”
Flashes of the job he and Lynn would be doing flew through his mind, but he remained silent. If my team knew I was going undercover as a groom, I’d never live it down. “Don’t worry. As soon as I get back, I’ll be ready to kick your sorry ass around.”
“I look forward to seeing you try,” Evan said, still laughing.
They disconnected and he sighed. Pulling into his parents’ driveway, he sat in his truck for several minutes, focusing his attention on the upcoming plan. Get in. Get what we need. Get out. Simple, uncomplicated. What can go wrong?
6
“This is so beautiful.”
Nolan glanced at the passenger seat of his truck and had to agree, but he was not focused on the outdoor scenery. Lynn was beautiful. Her hair fell in soft waves around her shoulders. Her makeup was subtle, highlighting her expressive eyes. Her lips were slicked with a light pink gloss, but just as his cock twitched, he jerked his gaze away. No thinking of what I’d like her lips to be doing!
“This is such a pretty time of year.” Lynn leaned forward and peered upward toward the mountains.
He had picked Lynn up at her apartment early that morning. Since his parents and she lived on the east side of Knoxville, they drove on the highway until exiting toward Sevierville. When they passed through Pigeon Forge, he was surprised to see how it had changed since he last came through. The main street was lined with outlet malls, hotels, restaurants, arcades, small amusement parks, and more stores than he could imagine would be packed into a small area. “Is there any room to put one more building here?”
Laughing, she turned her smile his way. “I know! It’s crazy isn’t it?” She was quiet for a moment, then said, “I remember my parents telling me what it used to look like years ago. My mom was in her church’s handbell choir back in high school and said that a church in Pigeon Forge had them come and play. She remembers that this was just an uncrowded road, with few businesses and stores, a couple of churches, and one motel. Now, look at it!”
After the drive through Pigeon Forge and passing the final traffic light, they were on the curvy road heading up into the mountains toward Gatlinburg. The trees were thick and green, and the Little Pigeon River rushed past them as it flowed from the mountains. It did not take long for traffic to queue as they approached the small town.
“It’s been a long time since I’ve been here,” he confessed, looking out the windshield at the mountains.
“Me too. Now that I think about it, I don’t suppose I’ve been to Gatlinburg since I was in college. Funny, isn’t it? You can live so close to a place and don’t see it nearly as often as people who live far away.”
The wedding chapel was on the far side of Gatlinburg, and he glanced around as Lynn excitedly called out the different businesses she saw.
“There’s the Aquarium of the Smokies! I haven’t been there in ages but always loved it! Oh, and look, there are now three moonshine distilleries in town. Did you know that the Pancake Pantry was Tennessee’s first pancake house? It’s been here since 1960.”
Used to focus and dogged determination when on a mission, he had to chuckle at Lynn’s exuberant running dialogue of what they passed.
“And the Sky Lift is different now. The one that’s been running since the ’50s was damaged in the big Smoky Mountain fire a few years ago. Now, there’s another one that’s in a slightly different place and includes a whole park. I’ve read about it but have never been there.”
“Maybe we could spend some time here after we finish at the venue today.” He had no idea why those words came out of his mouth. He had already decided the previous evening that spending more time with Lynn than necessary was not a good idea. The last thing I want is for her to become infatuated with me again. The thought that he would become infatuated with her slipped into his mind, but he quickly pushed it back.
“I’d love to see more of Gatlinburg again,” she replied.
The fact that she didn’t mention that she’d like to spend more time with him did not go unnoticed. Good… that’s a good thing. She just wants to see the area, not me. That thought made him grumpy, but he pushed that emotion back as well. Get a grip, man.
As she continued to call out what she saw, he inwardly battled the desire to kiss her. Glad when they finally passed through the small town, he turned onto a smaller road leading them directly to their destination. Turning off the engine, they both leaned forward and stared open-mouthed at the large, wooden sign in front of them.