I woke the next morning with the taste of him still on my lips. His smile had haunted my dreams the night before, and I could still feel his hands on me, his body warm in my arms. I had to see him again. There was no doubt in my mind—I needed him.
I caught a glimpse of him in the mess tent as he stood in line with the other USO performers. “Ask him to come sit with us,” Bert told me.
But the ten civilians sat together on the far side of the tent, and Tommy watched us as he ate, watched me. I could feel the weight of his gaze from across the hall. “Damn,” Bert muttered. “He could’ve brought Ellie.” That was the name of the pretty chorus girl Bert liked. “You should’ve asked—”
“Well, I didn’t,” I snapped. I wanted to rush over there and touch him again, just to make sure he was real. I
