Jen_C’s Reviews > Summer with the Soldier > Status Update

He leaned down and kissed me, ong and lingering. His kiss making all the promises I could ever want. Feminine giggles and male chuckles came from everyone gathered around us. I couldn’t imagine a better way for us to start our life together— crazy about each other and surrounded by the love and laughter of our friends and family. In my heart, I married Logan in that moment, before we’d spoken so much as a single vow.

If we hadn’t come to Vegas, we wouldn’t have had time to pull together a wedding in New York before he left for Afghanistan. Faced with the choice of Logan as my husband now or postponing the wedding until we could have all our loved ones with us, I chose Logan.

“I need to know this is real.” Logan lifted his head, his gaze pure steel as he looked at me. “This is real.” The intensity of his voice made his words a vow. He slid up my body. “And I will always do everything in my power to give you what you need.”

I was such an idiot. I’d spent the last few days indulging in fantasies of the little family Logan and I would create. And the truth was he’d been counting down the minutes until he could walk away. A voice inside me tried to remind me that wasn’t true. Logan had been right there with me for every touch and every laugh we’d shared. But I was too raw, too heartbroken to pay attention.

Muscles I hadn’t used in I-don’t-know -how-long protested each movement as we tucked ourselves under the crisp white sheets of my bed. “Oh my God, Logan. I think you broke me.” He did an exaggerated stretch and tucked his hands under his head, elbows out. “I prefer to think of it as ruining you for all other men.”

He ripped his mouth away from me, leaving both of us panting for breath. His forehead landed against mine and he stared deeply into my eyes. “So much for platonic.” I wrapped my arms more tightly around his neck. “Platonic is definitely overrated.”

“You haven’t had sex in 8 months?” I all but screeched. He winced. “I’ve been in the middle of the effing desert with a bunch of smelly dudes. Do you think I’ve been out cruising for chicks every night?” I bit my lip at his defensive tone. He huffed out a breath. “Can we please focus here?”
“Okay, okay, sorry, Mr. Grouchypants. Maybe you’d be in a better mood if you’d cruised chicks a little more often.”

He purposely held himself apart from everyone, so different from the Logan I knew. A feeling told me that he was acting that way because he was hurting. Something inside him was broken. I didn’t care in that moment if everyone guessed what happened between us last night. Even Katelyn. If we upset her or she jumped to conclusions, she’d have to get over it. Everything in me called me to try to fix things for Logan.

His hand came up and held mine still. I moved my gaze up to meet his, uncertain. “Jade... are you sure?” I melted a little more at his concerned tone. “I’m sure.” I leaned down and kissed him, my tongue sliding into his mouth for a quick taste of him before I pulled back a few inches. “So sure.”

I pulled away a second and stared up at his handsome face. For just a teeny, tiny second a small thought wiggled its way in— this was nice, but I wished it was Logan holding me and kissing me. No, no, no. I shoved that thought firmly out of my head , slamming the door and tossing away the key.