Free Her Lone Cowboy by Donna Alward

home she’d always wanted. There was stability and order and a routine that was comforting. She’d never liked living life on a whim. She liked going to the grocery store and knowing the cashier by name. She enjoyed seeing the neighborhood kids grow and change. And knowing she had people like Jen and Andrew and the Hamiltons as a surrogate family was a blessing.
    “It’s a good place to call home,” he agreed.
    Lily watched him wander through her kitchen and bit down on her lip. It was silly that she should be feeling drawn to him in any way. Their lives were drastically different. But the things that made up Noah were hard to resist, and each time she saw him face a new challenge she felt connected to him a little more. He was strong and brave and a little bit angry. And his motives seemed to have very little to do with her, which was a refreshing development. It was clear he wasn’t interested in her romantically. The look on his face when she’d said the word date had spoken volumes. She’d had to hastily backtrack before he started thinking she did have a thing for him.
    Lily shook her head slightly. She should be relieved. After all, if he wasn’t interested in her, then it was only herself she had to worry about.
    She put water on for pasta and took a sip of her wine, wanting to change the subject. The past was where it should be—behind her. It was better to talk about the future. “What are your plans for after the wedding?”
    He frowned, the scowl marring the handsome perfection she’d glimpsed when his face was relaxed and smiling.
    “I don’t know. I suppose I’ll start talking to someone about new positions and postings. At some point I have to get back to work, and the sooner the better.”
    Lily let out a slow breath. Why was she worried? This was nothing more than an itty-bitty attraction. A few months and Noah would be gone again anyway. He certainly wasn’t looking for a relationship. And neither was she. Knowing he would be putting his uniform back on and heading to a new base made him just a little bit safer.
    “Your condition won’t make a difference, then?”
    “It all depends on my rehab and doctor’s orders. Who knows what limitations they’ll put on me. But they try tokeep people who’ve been injured in the service these days. They’ll rustle something up. I’ve got rank and experience going for me.”
    She dropped her shoulders and made her hands busy stirring the sauce. That was it then. He wouldn’t be staying. Any elemental attraction of the moment on her part wouldn’t be a concern. So why couldn’t they make standing up for Andrew and Jen fun, instead of a chore?
    Why couldn’t they just clear the air and get it over with? Why not just tell him why she was dreading it so much?
    But the words refused to come as she slid spaghetti into the boiling water and went to the cupboard for pasta bowls.
    “Well, that’s good then. At least you can reclaim something of your old life, right? A few months and you could be back in uniform and captain again. That must make you happy.”
    “Sure.”
    Yet as he said it, she saw a shadow lurking behind his eyes, and she got the feeling the sentiment came laden with conditions.
    “And we might as well make the best of this wedding business, don’t you think? I mean, you’re only here a short time, and I’m not looking for anything romantic, so why don’t we just agree to keep it light? We might as well have fun.”
    Yet, even as she said it, she kept feeling the way his chest had been wide and strong beneath her hands this afternoon, the way she’d had to damp her lips with her tongue as he’d come out of the dressing room with the tux on. Just who was she trying to convince here? Many more scenes like that and he would start thinking she had designs on him.
    He stepped forward, putting his glass down on the countertop. Lily’s heartbeat seemed to pause for a millisecond before starting up again slightly faster than before. He