Free Always on My Mind by Jill Shalvis Page B

you owe him.”
    Leah quivered at the thought but brushed that aside. “I’m not going to sleep with Jack. I was just trying to do him a damn favor.”
    “Oh, I doubt there will be sleeping involved,” Aubrey said. “Danica was quite clear. She said she gives great date three. My guess is that it’s at least oral. Maybe even the biggee.”
    “The biggee?”
    “ Butt stuff ,” Aubrey said in a dramatic stage whisper.
    “Okay, that’s it. Give Ben the phone.”
    There was a brief pause, then Ben came on. He didn’t say a word, but she could sense his amusement.
    “You’d better take good care of her,” she warned him.
    “Don’t you think you should worry about your own problems?”
    “I’m not kidding. You’re driving her home, right? Just shove her inside her place, okay? Don’t let her talk you inside. She’s on a man embargo, but it’s been a few months, and she’s drunk…” Not to mention Leah had no idea how long it had been for Ben, and he was still trying to adjust to civilian life. He and Aubrey alone together was a disaster of massive proportions just waiting to happen. “She might temporarily forget about the man embargo and try to seduce you,” Leah told him, “and then she’ll hate you in the morning.”
    “So is it her virtue or mine you’re worried about?” he asked.
    “You’re not taking me seriously.”
    “On the contrary, I’m taking you very seriously. But I’m a big boy, Leah.”
    She replayed back in her mind what she’d just said to him and realized that in man-speak, she’d just pretty much told him to go sleep with Aubrey. “Okay, you know what? Forget everything I just said.”
    He laughed softly. “You’re cute when you backpedal. Haven’t seen you do that in a while.”
    “Dammit! I’m coming down there right now. Wait for me. I’ll take her home myself.”
    “I’ve got this, Leah.”
    “Ben—”
    “Worry about yourself,” he said and disconnected.
    She agonized for a minute and then decided she couldn’t live with herself if she didn’t at least check on Aubrey, even if it meant seeing Jack. She drove to the bar, but though the place was still kicking, there was no sign of Aubrey or Ben.
    But Aubrey’s car was still in the lot.
    Leah pulled out her phone and texted her.
    You’d better be snoring and not having inappropriate rebound sex with Ben, who’d better not be having inappropriate stateside-again sex with you.
     
    There was no response. Crap. But since she didn’t have the moral high ground here, she tilted her head back and stared up at the moon. It was a gorgeous night. Warm. Quiet.
    She didn’t want to go back to her grandma’s. She wasn’t sure what to say to Jack, so going to him was out too. Plus there was that little matter in the back of her mind.
    You owe him…
    Rifling around in the back of her car, she came up with a bathing suit. Then, hiding beneath a towel, she changed.
    A long, moonlight swim had always cleared her thoughts; hopefully tonight would be no different.
    She bypassed the pier. It was illegal to jump off. Not that she had any problem with breaking a rule now and again, but it was low tide. She was restless, not suicidal.
    She walked to the water, which was calm. A half moon cast a lovely, peaceful blue glow as she tried to swim off her regrets. Telling Dee that she and Jack were together. That it had gotten out to everyone in town. What had happened at the bar with Danica.
    Leah had known Jack had been dating a couple of other women, and that hadn’t stopped her. In fact, she hadn’t even thought of them when she’d spouted off to Dee.
    What did that say about her?
    And now, thanks to Aubrey, she was also worried about owing him. At the thought of all that might entail, she got a full-body shiver. Deciding to attribute that to a chill, she kept swimming.
    You’re just a screwup, Leah. You’ll never amount to shit.
    She told her inner voice to shut up but couldn’t help but wonder if, for the first