Free Falling for Jillian by Kristen Proby Page A

Ty, he was my best friend.”
    “How did he die?”
    My chest clenches when I think back to that hot day in the desert.
    “I’ll spare you the details,” I whisper and wrap my arms around her, hugging her close. “But our convoy was driving into Baghdad to get more supplies, and we hit an IED. I barely got a scratch. Miles lost both legs and bled out in my arms.”
    “Zack,” she whispers again and lifts her head to kiss me. God, she’s so sweet, maybe the most loving woman I’ve ever met. “I’m so sorry,” she repeats.
    The feelings I’ve been fighting for months rise up and overwhelm me, and all I can do is hug her close.
    “I’m home, and I’m safe, and that’s all that matters.”
    “Thank God you’re safe. Oh my God, Zack, I could have lost you before I ever really found you.” She sniffles and I brush a tear off her cheek.
    “Don’t think that way, baby. You can what if all daylong, but the reality is, nothing happened to me, and we’re here now.”
    She nods and settles back down onto my chest. She soon falls asleep. Thor is snoring from his bed in the corner. I wonder if Seth is having fun tonight at his friend’s house. They’re probably watching horror flicks and eating too much junk food. I’m just thrilled that he’s made friends.
    The guilt that grips my throat every time I think of my son has loosened with time, but it’ll never fully go away.
    Not now that I know the battle he survived while I was off fighting a war of my own. If I could kill my ex-wife and every son of a bitch she let lay a hand on my son, I would happily rip them apart, one limb at a time. The best thing that ever happened to Seth and me was the day she brought him here and filed for divorce.
    Thank God for that.
    Jill stirs in my arms. I kiss her head again and smile. I can’t believe she’s here. I’ve wanted her here for months. Hell, years, if I’m being honest.
    I don’t plan to let her go now.

    “Zack, answer the phone,” Jill mumbles and nudges my arm. I yawn and turn toward the soft, sleepy woman, wrapping myself around her.
    “I can think of better things to do.”
    “It could be important.” She chuckles and climbsonto my chest as I check the time and answer the phone.
    “Hello.”
    “Hey, Dad.” Seth’s voice is happy and he’s clearly chewing on something crunchy.
    “It’s seven in the morning, Seth.”
    “I know. You’re awake, right? It’s, like, super late for you.”
    “Actually, I was asleep, but you’re right, I should go check on some things. So what’s up?” Jill kisses my chest and her hand is roaming over my stomach, and my morning semi-wood is no longer a semi.
    “Josiah’s dad says the roads are too icy to take me home today, so he said I should just stay here until tomorrow afternoon. Isn’t that cool? Please say yes.”
    “That’s fine with me if it’s okay with Josiah’s dad.”
    “It is. Cool. Thanks, Dad. How’s Thor?”
    “Thor misses you, but he’s fine. Be good and call me if you need anything.”
    “Okay. Bye!”
    I throw the phone onto the floor and roll Jill beneath me and run into a wall of warm fur.
    “Thor jumped up here about an hour ago,” Jill informs me with a laugh. I glance over at the dog’s face. His chin is resting on his paws, his eyebrows shooting up and down as he looks about innocently.
    “You’re not innocent, you little mutt.”
    “Be nice to him,” Jill insists and brushes her fingers through my hair. “He’s just a baby.”
    “He’s got you wrapped around his paw.”
    She grins and watches me with a sassy expression on her gorgeous face.
    “It seems he’s not the only male around here under your spell. I have to let him outside, but I don’t want you to move from this exact spot. Understand?”
    “Maybe I need to use the bathroom too.”
    “You have thirty seconds.”
    I run downstairs with the dog, let him out back, and set on a pot of coffee before returning to my bedroom. Jill is perched on the edge of the