Valentine from a Soldier Read Online Free PDF Page A

head-over-heels in lust from an amazing night spent together—an amazing morning as well, if I must admit.  But as he brushed his thumb against my lips and tenderly kissed me goodbye, it was hard to imagine that I’d never see him again.  People didn’t just meet like this and have such a great connection and spark only to be separated a short time later.
    The plane ride back to Chicago gradually beg a n to dull my memories , though.  I knew we’d had an amazing night together , knew that the physical feelings had been real, but I was now certain that any other feelings between us were something that I’d imagined.  Maybe he’d come to see me someday, months from now, and we’d realize what a mistake it had been.  That our night in San Francisco had been just that—one night, and not something that we could carry on into any kind of future or long-distance relationship.
    Morgan and Josh were waiting for me when I exited the plane.  I was surprised but realized I should have expected it .  Although they didn’t make it a habit of picking me up at the airport since I traveled all the time , we had a lot of last-minute wedding planning to do.  There was a final dress-fitting for Morgan this afternoon , plus the bridesmaid dress - fittings for the other girls and me.  I’d also promised Josh I’d help him pick out something to give Morgan on their wedding day, an outing Morgan knew about but pretended that she didn’t for his sake.
    Morgan ran over to me excitedly, her long dark hair billowing out behind her.  She threw her arms around my neck and gave me a big hug.  “Sarah!  I can’t believe you couldn’t make it back last night.  The bachelorette party was amazing!  I’m so sad you weren’t there.”
    “I can’t believe I missed it either after all that planning,” I said with a wry smile.   “I’m glad you had fun though.”
    “So what’d you do in San Fran last night?” Josh asked as he sauntered over.   With his light brown hair and boyish good looks, I’d always thought that he and Morgan made an especially cute couple.  He hooked one arm around Morgan’s shoulders as she eventually released me from her embrace.  “I keep hearing all about this amazing night you planned, and you couldn’t even bother to show up for it?”  He gave me a teasing smile, and I playfully punched him in the arm.
    “Very funny.   Do you think I waited around the airport for hours yesterday just for fun?”
    “It sounded like a fun night judging from the text you sent me earlier,” Morgan said flashing me a smile.
    “It sounds like there’s a story that I’m missing here ,” Josh said, glancing between the two of us .
    “It’s just girl talk,” I reassured him.  “Nothing you’d want to hear about.”
    He raised his eyebrows doubtfully , and Morgan laughed.  “Don’t worry, Sweetie.  I’ll tell you all about it later.”
    “No need to do that,” I interrupted, abruptly changing the subject.  “ D on’t we have a dress-fitting to get to?”
    After spending a few hours in the bridal shop with Morgan and the rest of the bridesmaids , I met Josh at a jewelry store around the corner to help him pick out a special gift .  He was eyeing large heart-shaped lockets, which were cute, but something I thought Morgan would have liked more if she were a teenager and not a grown woman walking down the aisle.
    “Picking out something for your girlfriend?” the saleswoman asked as she approached us.
    “Oh, I’m not his girlfriend,” I said.
    “I need something for my fiancé e ,” Josh explained.
    “Congratulations!” the woman loudly exclaimed, giving me a big smile.
    “I’m not his fiancé e either,” I said with an amused laugh.  “He’s marrying my best friend.”
    “Oh, I see,” she replied , the smile never leaving her face.  “Let me find something you both think she’d like. ”
    Josh and I looked at trays of earrings and necklaces.  He was completely clueless when