For Auld Lang Syne (Navy Book 1)

Chapter 4

Almost an hour later Devon looked at her reflection in the mirror. She had taken time with her appearance, her hair had been washed and blow-dried so that it hung in lose thick waves down her back, her makeup was minimal, and she had chosen a light yellow sleeveless dress that hugged her shape and stopped just above her knees. She had capped the outfit off with three-inch cream heels and a little cream sweater just in case.

For one moment she had second thoughts about the heels until she remembered her conversation with Josh the night before. One realization that she had come to in the wee hours, was that when she came home she reverted to who she used to be not who she was now. If she wasn't visiting her family she would have never thought twice about wearing the heels.

Devon heard a knock on her door and with one final glance at her reflection, she turned to answer it.

When she opened it, Josh stood before her in the grey suit from the night before minus a tie. The open collar gave him a more relaxed air. She couldn't help but smile a little at the thought of his tattoo.

As she had taken in Josh's appearance he had taken in hers.

"You look stunning, Devon," he said with a smile.

"Thank you." Devon blushed a little, not used to compliments.

"What's the smile for?" Josh asked as he watched her blush.

"I'm a little disappointed that you're not dressed to show off your tattoo. It would have been fun to shock the Smothers." Devon's smile grew at the thought.

"Like I shocked your sister today?" Josh raised an eyebrow in a teasing manner.

"I don't think it was your tattoo that shocked her." Devon shook her head as she joined him. Even in her heels she barely came up to his chin and she felt very feminine.

"Are you worried about my safety again?" He was still teasing her. It was like old times.

"No." At her response, a tense silence developed between them that was heavy as the words from the evening before were remembered.

"I wonder sometimes...," Josh said putting his hand at the base of her neck, resting it on Devon's shoulder as he played with a lock of her hair. He took one of her hands with his free one and brought her closer, resting it on his chest.

Devon's heartbeat accelerated as his finger brushed her neck and collar bone.

"What do you wonder?" Devon asked her voice husky, her knees a little weak.

"I wonder what would happen between us if we met today for the first time. If we didn't have our past cluttering up our present." His voice was so soft she thought she had imagined the words.

She couldn't think of a thing to say in response to his thought. It was not something she had ever considered. Then it dawned on her as she met his eyes, he didn't know anything about her in the real world and she knew even less of him. All they had were their past memories.

"We can't erase our past Josh. It's made us who we are." Devon said the words hoping they would pull her back into reality and out of the little romantic world her mind wanted to create with Josh's words.

He nodded as his gaze lowered to her lips.

"We should go." She tried to pull away but he wouldn't let her go.

"I am sorry for what I said Devon, and I didn't mean for you to take it the way that you did." She could hear the sincerity in his voice.

"Maybe it needed to be said. We're strangers, Josh, and I don't see that changing. After tomorrow we go back to our lives, and it will probably be another ten years until we see each other again." It was an olive branch.