Chapter Six
Isaac spent a restless night. He didn’t know what was happening between him and Cosette, and he wasn’t sure if he should let it happen. He’d told her dad … what had he told her dad? That he’d wait to pursue her until she was more herself, or something to that effect. But she seemed plenty like her adorable, fun self. She was the one who’d sniffed him, put cologne on his neck, blown warm air on his neck, kissed it with her warm, full lips. His stomach lurched as he thought of that, and he wanted to go back to that moment, minus the interruption of the alarm.
Cosette was so innocent and refreshing. Even the terror of her ex hadn’t stamped out those qualities in her. Maybe that was his cue that she was all right and ready to move on. With Isaac. Yet it hadn’t been long since she’d been with the jerk. Maybe Isaac needed to honor her dad’s concerns and slow down. He was only here six more days. He needed to go back Sunday. He was currently stationed out of Hurlburt Field, Florida, in a beautiful base on the panhandle. He didn’t have a deployment scheduled, but he could guess that one was coming. How could he treat Cosette like she was another “leave fling” and kiss her and then walk away? He couldn’t, and he knew it. Yet he couldn’t give up his career for a relationship that wasn’t even a relationship. If only he knew how to resist her in this close proximity. The problem was he had no desire to resist her.
He woke early and went out into the main area. The sun was cresting the eastern sky, and the sea shimmered in the kiss of the morning light as it filtered through the trees lining the beach. Those same trees crowded in on their all-window main area.
He drained a bottle of water and wondered how long Cosette would sleep. She’d wanted to run this morning. A long run would hopefully help him relieve some energy and frustration, but he doubted it would help him not kiss her if they got close like last night again. All the reasons not to were getting very fuzzy in the face of how adorable she was.
Her door opened, and Isaac whipped around. She stretched and yawned as she walked out. Her hair was sticking out at odd angles, and her eyes blinked rapidly. With her too-short cotton shorts and a tank top, she looked far too appealing as she stretched. The bottom of her tank top rode up and showed some smooth, creamy skin.
“Oh!” She gave a cute little gasp and immediately dropped her arms, as if she knew exactly how it affected him.
“Good morning,” Isaac said.
“I’m not so sure about that.” She covered another yawn with her hand.
“Did you not sleep well?” He hadn’t, but that had everything to do with the beauty in front of him.
“No. You?”
“Not really,” he admitted.
She gave him an impertinent look with her eyebrows lifting and her lips tilting up. Did she know exactly why he couldn’t sleep? Was she feeling the same? “Sorry about that,” she said.
Isaac chuckled, remembering her saying that “sorry about that” basically meant you didn’t give a flip. He would implement that expression with his buddies.
“You ready to run?” she asked.
“Sure, if you are.”
She didn’t say anything, simply turned back into her room and returned a half a minute later with her hair in a long, smooth ponytail and her running shoes on.
“You always run in your PJs?” he asked.
She shrugged. “I’m not picky about what I wear for much of anything. Mar buys me dresses when we have to go to events, and either comes over with a heap of clothes, or helps me dress through FaceTime, when we have meetings with people who she thinks matters.”
Her answer showed impressive confidence and reflected her innocent and carefree personality. It was good she had a friend she trusted, but Isaac hoped that this Mar wasn’t controlling Cosette. Cosette needed to be free to be her unique, fun self.
He waited while she took a long drink from a water bottle, and then they walked outside together. The freshness of the sea air touched his skin, and he filled his lungs with it. It was still too warm in his opinion, probably mid-seventies, but it was a beautiful spot of earth.
They started at a slow jog along the firm sand down by the water. “So you care about how you smell but not so much about how you look?” he asked, remembering how cute she’d been last night chattering about base notes and top notes like this adorable infomercial. He startled as he realized that he’d never thought anyone was adorable before, besides his niece Paisley. Cosette was all woman, yet she still managed to have that fresh adorableness about her.
He noticed she hadn’t responded to his question besides pulling in a quick breath.
Isaac glanced at her. “You okay?” he asked.
She nodded quickly and increased her pace. Isaac hurried to keep up. He tried to ask her questions as they ran about her schooling and creative process, but he only received one-word or one-sentence answers. He’d offended her somehow. What had he said?
They cruised along the beach for four miles, according to his watch, and then turned back. Sweat was dripping down his face and back. The sun rose quickly, and it was hot out here. He looked longingly at the ocean. If he’d been with his buddies or brothers, he’d rip his shirt off and dive in. Cosette’s reaction to him taking his shirt off last night confused him. In a way, it made him smile, but it also concerned him. Maybe she was afraid of strong men. The photos he’d seen of Lansky online showed a polished, preppy loser, not a tough guy, but who knew?
They arrived back at the beach next to their house. Cosette didn’t say anything to him, but she plopped down on the sand, untied her shoes, pulled them and her socks off, and shoved her socks in her shoes. Isaac stopped next to her, staring down at her shape. Her legs were very nicely formed, and with her shorts riding up slightly, he was having a hard time looking away.
Still saying nothing, she pushed up to her feet and waded into the water until she was waist deep and then dove under. Standing again in the water, she flung her hair back and swirled her hands in the ocean.
Isaac just stood there, staring at her in breathless wonder. He appreciated that she’d go swimming without worrying about a stylish swimsuit, but the problem was how her tank top draped against her fit body.
She looked at him, squinting at the sunshine. “Do you want to swim?”