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  Lily suddenly stopped, eyes flying open wide as John moved into action, taking two large steps towards her and pulling her into his arms. Warm steely bands wrapped around her waist as she was suddenly pressed against his chest. His lips claimed hers with a barely restrained hunger that was palpable. Her eyes drifted closed as her heart, mind and body sighed in peaceful measure.

  Soul recognized soul.

  The two pieces clicked, and Lily marveled at the purity of light coming from him. This is what John had meant by miracle. He’d recognized it and she’d somehow known it was there, but a faint fear had held her back from jumping right in. He obviously didn’t. He didn’t just jump right in – the man mentally leaped over the cliff wholeheartedly like a crazed base jumper, fearless and glorying in it. His faith was humbling. His kiss was melting those fears from her, dispelling any thoughts that maybe this was all a huge mistake.

  It was perfection.

  His lips slowly broke the kiss between them, making her ache with a sensation she’d not felt in such abject intensity before- desire. Her arms were wrapped around his waist and she could feel the heat of his body against hers. It was like finding true warmth for the first time ever and she didn’t want to let go. His lips were ever so close to her own and she could feel his breath mixing with hers.

  “I knew it,” he whispered intimately against her lips. The words barely registered in her mind as she basked in the circle of his embrace. “Don’t turn me away, Lily. I’m sorry I pushed you but…”

  Lily boldly stood on her toes and kissed him this time, silencing his words. She had to feel that rush again and understood what made people crave this sensation. This was what she had wanted for so long. What she felt when looking at that brief video on her laptop of him in the interview had been visceral. She’d felt it deep in her core and recognized it. Being in John’s arms felt molten, like her bones were melting.

  After several moments, she realized that Radar had nestled herself atop their feet in-between their legs. She felt him laugh happily against her lips as he must have realized it as well. John simply held her a moment, and Lily savored the touch, before his hands dropped and he pulled back. He’d released her, but still clung to her hand for several moments as if he was afraid she’d back away from him.

  “Radar probably needs to go out for a moment,” he admitted and smiled at her. “Do you have a lot left in your day? I could leave and come back if I’m bothering you. I don’t want to interrupt your life more than I already have.”

  “What? No, let me get my purse. I’ll meet you outside if you want to go ahead and take Radar out.” Lily quickly showed him the exit down the hall. It was the nearest to a small field beside the teachers parking lot. She wondered idly where he was parked, but before she could ask him, he tenderly kissed her cheek and was leaving the building. Lily found herself mesmerized by the simple way he held himself, or moved so gracefully for such a tall man.

  Grabbing her purse, Lily let out her breath in a large whoosh at the abrupt change in her day, her month, her life. Gone was the despair and utter loneliness she’d felt for the last few weeks wondering what had gone wrong. It was washed away in sheer joy knowing he was here.

  She had some questions to ask, a lot of them to be honest – but he was here. She grabbed her purse and unlocked her computer to clock out, grinning at the wallpaper on her monitor. His smile looked back at her and she blushed fiercely, glad he’d not seen it. When she’d put it on the computer, she’d rearranged her desk immediately, so the screen could only be seen from where she was sitting. Her eyes alone. She stood and exited the classroom, shutting off the light and locking the door. Taking a deep breath, she felt a different stirring in her mind and body as she looked forward to her afternoon ahead that would be spent getting to know who exactly Officer John Griffin was.

  Lily felt hope.

  11

  John waited patiently outside for Lily and resisted the paranoid urge to run back into the building to see if she’d fled. He understood the fear and anxiety she must be feeling. He’d not slept a wink last night wondering how today would go. He’d wanted to surprise her and impress her. He’d fought long and hard to get this position here in Tyler. His mother had wanted him to stay there in Lexington and settle down, yet when he told her about Lily, his mother understood what he couldn’t say aloud yet.

  He loved the person Lily was long before he’d ever met her. He was head over heels for the woman he imagined her to be and the moment he’d met her on stage, he was bowled over again by her. She was a gift from above and he wanted to cherish every moment he spent with her, even if things went sideways and they could only be friends. He needed her friendship and craved her smiles.

  He’d left Lexington, fearless. He had an interview set up with the department, but no job as of yet. He’d acquired a tiny studio apartment until he got settled in and began trying to set back up his life. He’d moved to Tyler after being home five days, not able to stand the wait. He’d been with the police approximately two weeks. He deliberately won over the chief and impressed him with his tenure in Afghanistan. The chief had been ex-marine and the two hit it off. John had suggested several outings in order to drum up support for them as well as awareness for the job that they did. He felt free of his military life and welcomed the chance to serve in a civilian capacity.

  His second day on the job, he’d gone straight to the school to speak with the principal about thanking them for the letters. John had jumped at the chance to speak on career day and knew it would be the right moment. He had immediately suggested that she not say a word to Miss Hogan or her class. He’d left the school feeling like he’d left something vital behind.

  John sat for several moments in the patrol car, wondering which classroom Lily was in and how she was doing. It was killing him to keep silent, but he wanted so much to impress her. He felt like he had nothing to win Lily over with, nothing to bring to the table.

  He was barely employed, starting out fresh, and was literally sleeping on the floor of his apartment. What if she wanted to see his place or perhaps have a glass of wine? Did she drink wine, because he had no dishes at all except paper cups and paper plates from the grocery store. He barely had a vehicle, only signing the papers moments before leaving Kentucky bound for Texas. He was still getting on his feet and pride kept him from reaching out to her.

  It had been a very busy two weeks and every time he was out in town or at the store getting his home established, his eyes were scanning the crowd for a glimpse of her. The image of her was burnt in his mind and he had her photo tucked on the instrument panel of his cruiser. In the evenings he spent alone, he took this time to exercise like crazy, wanting desperately to make a good impression for Lily. The running, pushups and crunches he did was therapeutic for both he and Radar. He wanted to look his absolute best when he saw Lily and Radar wanted to explore their new home with him.

  Lost in thought, he glanced up to see Lily emerging from the school building and he was struck again by how blessed he was to have her in his life. He knew he was grinning like an idiot but knowing who she was on the inside and seeing the beauty of it mirrored in her form simply made his heart beyond happy. She came quickly down the steps to where he stood and looked up at him in anticipation.

  “Hey there,” she said simply in greeting, making his chest tighten as he recognized it was the same greeting he’d heard repeatedly over the phone back in that cramped room on base. He almost grabbed her and hugged her again but fought it off.

  “Hi,” he uttered blankly, his mind a jumble of emotions and thoughts. He shook it off and felt his face blush as he saw her looking at him curiously.

  “If you are having second thoughts about dinner, it’s okay because, I mean, it’s the holidays and I know that you probably have stuff to do. We could always grab coffee or something next weekend, if you are busy? Or if something comes up then maybe the weekend after? I can’t go during the week because of school and my hours. Do you even drin
k coffee? I do, probably too much of it. The stronger the coffee the better, with just a bit of heavy cream, you know? …and I think I will hush now,” he heard her say as her own porcelain cheeks pinkened with embarrassment.

  “No second thoughts from me,” he said honestly. “I just can’t believe you are real and how utterly gorgeous you are to me.” He saw her cheeks flush even darker as her mouth made a perfect O in surprise before she clamped it shut. John wanted to impress her, win her over and make up for the last several months for things he wanted to say to her or tell her. He wanted her to realize that while he was flawed or scarred, he wanted nothing more than to be her prince charming. He wanted his girl to have a fairytale love story and for him to be at the center of it. He put one leg back and took a deep bow, extending his hand.

  “Will you do me the honor of having dinner with me?”

  “I’ve already said yes,” she reminded him, a quizzical look on her face.

  “I know, but I wanted to ask you again,” he admitted in all seriousness. “I find myself wanting to secure your time for tomorrow too.”

  “Tomorrow is Thanksgiving.”

  “I’ve never cooked, but I’m willing to give it a try. We can share hospital rooms when we both have food poisoning,” he teased and saw her giggle. She put one hand delicately over her mouth to hide it and the other she gave him. He admired how long and delicate her fingers were just before kissing her hand.

  “Are you busy Friday? What about Saturday or Sunday?”

  Lily laughed aloud, her voice sparkling and washing over him. Oh yes, he was infatuated with the woman before him. John pulled her towards him and while he wanted to kiss her senseless, he instead curled her hand on his forearm and guided her down the rest of the steps.

  “I’ll bring you back to your car after dinner, but for now I’d like to have you all to myself.” Lily gave him a shy sideways smile and tucked her hair behind her ear. John called for Radar, who scampered over from the grassy area she was playing in. He opened the car door for Lily and then Radar. She immediately took her spot at the very center and stuck her muzzle forward before licking Lily’s face. John grinned as he heard her laughter from inside the car as he walked to his door. Oh yes, nothing would change his mind.

  She was utter perfection.

  * * *

  For Lily, dinner seemed to be something magical. She’d never imagined or dreamed of the extent John would go to in order to impress her. Nor did she know how any other man would live up to her dreams now. John had found a cozy Italian restaurant that she didn’t know even existed. Apparently, he’d gone there first and lined everything up first. They had to wait just a moment before being seated, but for good reason. They had a private small room off to the side that had a single red rose in the center of the table. It looked like they had rushed into the room to light the candles before seating them.

  The room had candelabras in the corners that glowed warmly, giving it a decidedly romantic ambiance. Two glasses of champagne had been poured, as well as rose petals sprinkled on the floor and table. There were brilliant pieces of glitter on the table cloth glinting in the candlelight, making it all look so magical. There was even a place setting for Radar complete with a large bowl for her meal too.

  When the waiter opened the door, she’d caught her breath and glanced at John, seeing the twinkle in his tender eyes. John took her hand and pulled her inside of the room, leaving them alone for a few moments. She was surprised to feel John’s hand tremble in her own and realized the lengths he would go to win her over. He held out the chair as she took her seat and quickly dashed a tear from her eyes.

  “My lady,” he murmured as he pushed in her chair and softly kissed her on the cheek. She was overwhelmed with tenderness for this sweet man and humbled by the efforts he was showing. She’d never, ever had someone try this hard to impress her, much less a man that made her toes curl with a single smile.

  The door to the private room opened and she saw them bringing in water, bread and something else she couldn’t identify easily in a wicker basket lined with a napkin. John took his seat as they filed out, handing them menus. Lily glanced at the menu unseeingly and felt his eyes on her. Instead, she glanced up and smiled.

  “Hi there,” she whispered nervously in the silence and saw his upturned lip turn into a full-blown smile. She melted into a puddle immediately and felt a flush of heat at the memory of kissing those lips not too long ago.

  “I adore the way you say that,” John told her and grabbed his glass of champagne, holding it up. Lily took hers as well.

  “To first meetings of old friends,” he said, tipping his glass towards hers. “May there be many more to come and always this special.”

  “Amen,” she breathed before taking a tiny sip. The cool bubbly liquid tickled her lips and tongue, tasting slightly bitter yet sweet at the same time. His eyes watched her every moment as he if was drinking it in. She knew, because she was doing the same. The way he held his glass, the way his mouth moved as he spoke. The way his eyes crinkled when he smiled. She never ever drank, much less champagne, but she was glad for it. It made her feel special and as she took another sip, she felt a languid warmth steal over her, helping her to relax.

  “Would you like some bread?” he asked politely. Lily nodded and watched as he pulled the sliced loaf apart with tiny tongs. He put the slice on her plate and grabbed one for himself. He was being a perfect gentleman and unfurled his napkin, putting it across his lap.

  “What is that?” she asked curiously and lifted the corner of the napkin in the other basket. If this was bread, was that some sort of roll or an appetizer? He’d made it abundantly clear he was out to impress her and so far, it was working. She was utterly charmed by the gorgeous man opposite of her.

  Lily couldn’t help the bubble of laughter that escaped as well, as the way she threw back her head and laughed full on. She heard him chuckling as he grasped her hand, lacing his fingers with hers. She felt such a sense of relief wash through her as she realized he had not only wanted to win her over by making a good first impression - He meant to woo her mind, body, soul and stomach. Lily removed the napkin to see several packages of Twinkies wrapped in cellophane for them.

  “For dessert?” she teased, snickering merrily.

  “Anything to make you smile,” John answered honestly. “I want to know everything about you and we have all the time in the world to talk now.”

  “No more calling cards or brief phone calls.”

  “Nope,” she heard him say. “I want to hear your voice, listen to you speak and see those beautiful eyes every chance I get.”

  “If I cook tomorrow, it might not be turkey, but it will be edible and not give you food poisoning,” she admitted softly. “We could watch the parade together if you don’t have any plans for the whole day instead of just having dinner together.”

  “I’d like that.”

  “Me too.”

  “I have something for you,” he suddenly said, getting to his feet. “Shut your eyes.”

  Lily quickly shut her eyes and imagined him standing there before suddenly feeling his hands on her shoulders and feeling his breath on her cheek. She felt something cold touch her just below her collarbone. Her fingers fluttered blindly upwards to touch it immediately.

  “Utterly gorgeous,” he whispered and kissed her neck lightly. “Open your eyes, Lily. I wanted to thank you for being so wonderful and show you how much it meant to me.”

  Opening her eyes, she saw him take his seat again and flushed at the heat in his gaze. Glancing down, she held it up and saw the bright blue stone teardrop that matched her earrings he’d given her. “This is too much,” she protested and saw him shake his head.

  “No, it’s not enough, but I saw it before leaving Afghanistan and carried it home with me the entire way. I’ve been waiting to see it on you for weeks and I admit, it’s a gorgeous splash of color on a perfect canvas.”

  The rest of the evening seemed to be almost magi
cal. She was simply fascinated that this man was interested in her. Lily didn’t even taste her food, she was so enraptured by watching him talk or fascinated by the subtle things he did. When he got nervous, she noticed he would glance down and run his fingers through his hair. If he was happy, he’d give a little smile before laughing. He insisted on saying grace before their meal and held her hand as much as possible.

  After dinner, he drove her back to her vehicle and she could tell he didn’t want to part. John had sent Radar into the field to use the restroom and she marveled at how the two seemed to work together perfectly. He understood his dog better than anyone she’d seen. He took that moment to kiss her goodnight, cradling her tenderly in his arms like she was infinitely precious. John was a perfect gentleman, so what was wrong?

  Why her and why was she holding back?

  12

  John called his mother early the next morning simply reaching out for help. He was at a loss. It was such a perfect evening for their dinner. Lily was everything he could have hoped for or more. So why was she holding back? He could see it, the hesitation hidden deep down inside of her expressive face. She looked wary, restrained or frightened. He would never, ever hurt her.

  “Morning mom – Happy Thanksgiving!”

  “How’s my sweet boy this morning? Happy Thanksgiving to you too.” he heard her voice and smiled. He should have called over the years and regretted it. Now, he was here and they would be celebrating again without him. He took a deep breath and sighed.

  “Actually, I could use some help. Do you have a few minutes to talk? I just don’t understand women and Lily’s perfect but…”

  “John,” his mother’s voice chided through the phone. “It was your first date. You are a stranger, what did you expect? You didn’t think she’d fall into your arms and profess love, did you? We girls need time, attention and understanding. You might be completely in love with this young girl, but she may still be processing all this attention from you. If I know you, you probably pulled out all of the bells and whistles, didn’t you? I helped you with your science fair projects and homework, remember? You can’t fool me.” The phone got silent for several moments before she spoke again. “She is going to see you again, isn’t she, or were you too intense? Like I said, I know you and you’re a force to be reckoned with when you want something.”