One Day You'll Be Mine: Steamy Contemporary Military Romance Read Online Free

dragged. My tone of voice wasn’t as convincing as I would have liked. “I’m just trying to get used to him not being around. It was tough having to wait to see him on the weekends when we’d fly or drive to see each other. Now I don’t even have that option. And I’m sitting here with my heart bleeding while I watch all these pretty girls and fly guys hold hands and kiss each other in the glow of Uptown nightlife.”
    “Rose, you have such a flair for making everything poetic,” Natalia sighed with mock frustration.
    “Hey, I am an editor.” I shrugged, as if that explained it all. “A beauty editor at that. My job is to make everything sound, look, and appear poetic.”
    Natalia gave me advice. The first week would be the hardest. By week two or three, I’d be accustomed to him not being around. At the end of the first month, we’d establish a routine, and I’d probably get to speak to him on a semi-regular basis. It wouldn’t replace his physical presence (nothing ever could), but it would allow me to feel secure in a new rhythm.
    In a way, it would feel more intimate because we’d be forced to get to know each other on a different level, so we could delay the honeymoon period without consequence, something other newlyweds didn’t have the pleasure of experiencing.
    “Have you spoken to him?” she asked.
    “Just once or twice on Skype. He looks so happy.” I pouted.
    “He is happy. You know he’s always loved the military. He loves to deploy, and he always said he wanted to use that money to give you the big wedding you always wanted.” My eyes bugged when she said that so matter-of-factly. Big wedding? With blood, sweat, and tears money?
    “He seriously planned to use all his extra money for the wedding?” I gasped. “No. I can’t let him. My parents have decided to pay for it.”
    “You know how those Houston men are, Ro. So proud, so stubborn, and so damned hardheaded. He wouldn’t take a rusted penny of your dad’s money for the wedding.”
    “Well he doesn’t have a choice. I’m planning the entire wedding and having everything paid for and ready to go when he comes home. I’ve set the date for two weeks after his definite return and everything.”
    Now it was her turn to gasp. “Definite return? You know there’s no definite return on these things, right? He could be extended to stay out there longer, if he chooses to, or if he’s mandated to for one reason or another.”
    “No. I am a firm believer in the law of attraction, and I firmly believe that since I want to be married in less than seven months with a nice wedding, we will have that.” I could almost feel my nose toot itself upward. Like the man I’d married, I too could be proud and stubborn, refusing to compromise to get my way when I really wanted it.
    You could almost hear Natalia’s eyes roll to the back of her head at my admission. I laughed. It was okay that she groaned in disbelief. I lived in my own bubble of wonderment, and liked to keep a peppery, world-is-mine attitude. It’s just how I moved through life. Natalia wasn’t necessarily a negative Nancy; she just fancied herself more realistic and mired in actuality.
    Changing the subject, I asked. “What’s for dinner? And how’s my nephew?” I bopped down the street as I thought about what I’d be having dinner. I had another fifteen minutes of walking to do, but, I was going to cut it short and head back to the house.
    I was hungry, and I already knew I was going to grab some my lunch leftovers, Pad Thai from Zenna to indulge myself deeply. I already knew I didn’t need to do that. I should have opted for a protein shake instead, but I wanted thick greasy noodles.
    “I’m tossing together a steak salad, with those Hawaiian rolls you know everyone likes. For dessert, there’s ice cream or cookies. I’m just going to prep the food and go straight to bed.”
    “You sound so down all of a sudden. Are you okay?”
    “I’m just a little frustrated