A long Kiss Goodnight (Falling Into Your Love Book #3) Read online

  Along Kiss Goodnight

  Falling Into Your Love Book #3

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  Table of Contents

  Along Kiss Goodnight

  Chapter #1

  Chapter #2

  Chapter #3

  Chapter #4

  Chapter #5

  Chapter #6

  Chapter #7

  Along Kiss Goodnight

  Jennifer Smith woke up late, and she looked around at the unfamiliar surroundings. The pale blue wall paints were enclosing her instead of the white walls of her bedroom, and she had to close her eyes and think how it ever was possible for her walls to change their colors.

  Then she sat quickly upon realizing that she was not in her house. Her dark hair fell to her shoulders, and she caught her breath when the blanket that was covering her slid down, and she saw her naked body under the sheets. She closed her eyes once more and thought about what happened last night.

  There was a faint memory of a wine bottle that she drank alone. And the rain that drenched her. And then, there was the kiss that blew her mind. She squeezed her eyes tighter and she pumped her fists against her head, cursing herself for the things that she did last night.

  She heard the door creaking as it opened, and she looked up hoping to find her husband by the door.

  Instead, her eyes fell upon a very pretty man, her neighbor, Leo.

  He seemed to have been up for quite a while already. His hair was still wet from the shower. He was looking at her concernedly.

  “Hi,” he said.

  Jennifer didn’t know what to say. “Hi,” she said.

  “I figured you’d be hungry when you wake up, so I cooked us breakfast,” he said. “If it’s OK for you to spend the morning here?”

  Jennifer swallowed, and there was a brief hesitation before she nodded.

  She stood up, and clutched the blanket against her body tightly.

  “It’s OK, I won’t look,” Leo said.

  He said it very innocently that Jennifer laughed. “I’m sorry about last night… Did I say anything that I should be so embarrassed about?”

  Leo shrugged. “Not that I can recall,” he said. Then he smiled at her wickedly, “Except for the part that you told me you wished—”

  Jennifer raised her hands to cover her ears. “Stop!” she shouted. She felt guilty about how badly she behaved last night.

  “You don’t remember?”

  Jennifer closed her eyes. “I do. That’s the worse part. I do remember.”

  “So is it true?” he asked.

  “That I wish you were in love with me?” she asked softly. Leo walked slowly toward her. His arms took her waist and pressed him against her.

  “Is it?”

  Jennifer looked up at his face and saw her husband’s face. “I love my husband,” she said defensively.

  Leo nodded, his eyes were solemn. “I know. That wasn’t my question.”

  Jennifer pressed her head against his chest, and tears started pouring down her cheeks. “It’s also true, that I wish you were—”

  She stopped, because this time, Leo has taken her mouth in another kiss again.

  “How many casualties?” Walker asked.

  “Thirteen, Sir,” a man with short-cropped hair said. He was in his early twenties, and his face was flushed from the general’s questions.

  “Have someone notify their families. This is a disaster,” Walker said.

  The man with the short-cropped hair turned around saluted before turning around.

  Walker looked at the list in front of him. Thirteen men. He shook his head. It was carefully planned, and he wondered what went wrong. But nothing can be done anymore for those who were already lost in the battle.

  There are some though who were fatally wounded. He would see that they receive proper medical treatment. If needed, he would have to send them home to their families. He only hoped that they could still lead a good life.

  He stood up and went to the room where the wounded men are being tended. He looked around at twenty beds littered with men in casts. He shook his head sadly and went out.

  Chapter #1

  Brandon’s eyes flickered dangerously, and he felt hot all over. He couldn’t hold on to any memory, and he kept on falling into a deep sleep again after a few seconds of opening his eyes.

  The nurse checked his temperature again and it was the same. He’s burning up for several days now.

  “Has anybody called him already?” she asked.

  The other nurse Drew, male and black, shook his head. “No. I wasn’t able to get information about him too. Based on the report, he had his cell phone with him when he was shot. It’s broken.”

  The female nurse, Amy, with curly brown hair looked concerned. “I wish we could already contact his relatives to let them know about his condition—”

  “If it were up to me, I’d have his left hand cut off. It would fester in the next days if we don’t remove it surgically,” the male nurse said.

  Amy shook her head. “I don’t know. I want to at least talk to anybody who could give his or her consent about the procedure. Unless it’s going to kill him, maybe then we could decide.”

  “What did the soldiers with him say?” Drew asked.

  “They’re too busy with the battles. The administrative staff is still checking on his records. I wish that she could pull out his records sooner,” Amy said.

  Brandon stirred and his face twisted in pain. But then, his face became calm again, and tiredness and pain consumed him.

  “Hey,” Drew warned, “don’t get too attached.”

  Amy nodded. “Of course. I won’t.” She looked up at Drew and saw that he was smiling at her.

  “I’m just concerned about you.”

  Amy smiled. “You don’t have to be. I’ve learned my lesson. Never get involve with someone who couldn’t remember his past,” she said before laughing weakly.

  Drew moved closer to where Amy was and kissed her on the forehead. “The right one would come along. Just be patient.”

  Amy stuck out her tongue to him. “I don’t need your reminders!”

  Drew left, chuckling.

  Amy exhaled heavily and went back to checking Brandon’s vitals. She prayed that his fever would be gone soon, and that they wouldn’t have to cut off his left hand. She shivered at the thought.

  Leo couldn’t believe that Jennifer, the woman of his dreams, is inside his house, wearing his dress shirt, and having lunch with him. It felt too good to be true, and he couldn’t stop smiling.

  “Favorite color?” he asked.

  “Red,” she answered. “Favorite food?”

  Leo thought it over, “Pasta. Fettuccini,” he said, grinning. “Favorite book?”

  “Fiesta, the Sun Also Rises by Ernest Hemingway,” she said.

  “Really?” he asked.

  “Yes, I love the book,” she said. “Especially the last part when they were riding a taxi and—”

  “And they told each other how it could have been so nice if they ended together? And the other one replied and said, ‘Yes, isn’t it pretty too think so?’” Leo asked.

  Jennifer’s eyes widened. “Oh my God!
Yeah! Exactly. That’s why I love the book. It feels so real and…”

  Leo’s eyes softened. “I know,” he said, nodding. “Anyway—”

  “Yup, wait. Favorite day of the week?” she asked.

  Leo grinned, “Yesterday.”

  Jennifer was touched and she reached out and held his hand. “Me too,” she said.

  “No regrets?” he asked.

  Jennifer looked at him, wondering if she had any regret. And if she did, if it was right to tell him about it. She decided to lie. “No,” she paused, “no regrets.”

  Leo grinned at her.

  Chapter #2

  After having lunch, Jennifer decided to go back to her house. Leo asked her to stay for a while, but she told him that she needs to check on some matters at home. In particular, she wanted to see if Brandon called her, but she didn’t say it out loud.

  “Are you going to forget about me once you enter your house?” Leo asked childishly.

  “Are you crazy?” she said. “Of course not.”

  “Stay,” he said.

  Jennifer shook her head. “I can’t. But I’ll see you later.”

  “Promise?” he asked.

  She wondered if it was right to see him. Or if she should stop seeing him already. Maybe being with him for one day is enough already in this lifetime. And she doesn’t have to spend any more days with him. But his warm eyes held hers in such earnestness that she couldn’t deny him. “I promise,” she said.

  Then she went upstairs and changed her clothes. In a few minutes, she was climbing down the stairs from the bedroom to the living room.

  Leo had his back turned against her. He turned around, probably sensing her presence.

  “You look very lovely,” he said.

  Jennifer smiled at him. She could still feel the giddiness in her stomach each time his warm eyes gaze at her. There was something about the way he looks at her that she finds so endearing.

  “Thank you,” she said. She moved toward the door to leave the house.

  “Wait,” Leo said. “Here,” he said as he handed her a dozen roses.

  Her eyes softened as she felt loved once again. The only man who had ever given her roses was Brandon, and right now, she couldn’t decide if she’s guilty or if she’s enjoying the act so much that she totally forgot about her husband.

  “They’re lovely,” she said.

  Leo moved forward to kiss her, and although Jennifer wanted to back down, or push at Leo, when his mouth met hers, she couldn’t stop responding to his kiss.

  Before something else happens between them, she pulled back and hurriedly reached for the doorknob.

  She grinned at him one last time before crossing the street to her home. Once she entered her house, she locked the door as though afraid that Leo would run after her, and tempt her in another rendezvous.

  She locked the door because she wasn’t sure how she would have reacted if Leo had followed and started kissing her.

  She had to admit to herself though that his touch was intoxicating. She didn’t want to think about it, but all throughout the day, that was all she ever thought about.

  Guiltily, she checked her cell phone. To her dismay, there were no messages and no missed calls. She checked her voicemail too and there weren’t any messages. Brandon didn’t seem to remember her.

  She felt sad that he would disregard her completely. Why would he do that? He used to be sensitive, and he would always make her feel loved. But after six months away from her, he already forgot to greet her on their anniversary.

  She paused and wondered if she was being selfish. What if something bad happened to him? Maybe she should call him. But then again, she tried to call him last night and he didn’t answer. Why should she be the one to initiate the calls anyway? He should be the one to make amends to her for forgetting their anniversary. After he promised that he would always love her. Hah! she thought, how quickly he forgot.

  But then again, she remembered the incident last night with Leo and she blushed furiously. She shouldn’t be judging her husband about forgetting their anniversary. After all, last night she seemed to have forgotten the vow that she gave when they got married. That she would love no other man except for Brandon.

  Lately though, she felt as though Brandon was drifting away from her. She’s heard stories about soldiers—about how being sent to war changes them forever. But she didn’t think that Brandon would change. He would always be her true love. Her man. Her future.

  But what about Leo? She tried to forget about him, and chase him out of her thoughts. She stood up and started walking in the living room, until she found herself gazing at the grand piano.

  There was no dust on the wooden key covers. She moved closer to it, and before she knew it, she was already seated on the stool, her fingers touching the ivory keys nimbly. Her foot poised on the pedal.

  Chapter #3

  She closed her eyes and started with a simple tune. Even with nothing in sight, her fingers danced on the keys, and the smooth sound floated around her. She opened her lips slightly until some lyrics escaped her mouth, and she began singing.

  Leo took a beer from his fridge as soon as Jennifer left his house. He knew that it was wrong, but he couldn’t contain his happiness. After almost a year of loving Jennifer, he was finally able to take her in his arms and hold her.

  But he isn’t a bad man. He knows that it would break him as much as it would break Jennifer, and Brandon, should anyone know about what happened last night.

  And so, even though he was happy, it was short-lived because he knew that some time soon, it would have to stop.

  He was halfway drinking his beer when he heard soft music playing in the background. He paused and wondered what it was.

  He stepped out of the house as he realized where it was coming from.

  Through the window of her living room, Leo saw Jennifer as she played and sang. When she finished, she looked very happy, and she was laughing to herself. Her dark hair was tied back and there were some stray curls falling on the side of her face. When she threw her head back and laughed, she looked even lovelier.

  Then she stopped, as though thinking of another song. She looked like she was in deep thought. Then her lips pursed as she started hitting the keys again. This time, she played a sorrowful melody, and she didn’t laugh anymore.

  Jennifer closed her eyes, living in the song, and she felt tears fall down. It was wonderful to be in love—if the timing was right.

  When she finished, her hands were trembling. She opened her eyes slowly and she stared on the black and white keys in front of her as though uncertain of what to do next.

  Her neck itched the way it feels when someone’s watching, so she turned her head. And she saw that outside her house, Leo was standing looking at her.

  He had a pensive expression on his face. He started walking toward the house and knocked on the door.

  Jennifer stood up and listened as Leo’s fist met with the wooden door.

  “Jen?” he called out.

  Jennifer stood with her back pressed against the door. She doesn’t know if she should open it.

  “Jen,” he called out again, “please.”

  “I can’t,” she whispered faintly. Then her back slid down until she was sitting on the door. She had her head tucked in between her knees as her shoulders shook while she cried.

  And that was when Leo decided to leave.

  ***

  “Wake up, please,” Amy whispered. “Wake up already.”

  Today, Brandon’s fever subsided, and miraculously, his left hand seemed to have survived the possibility that it would have to be amputated.

  Amy checked his fingernails once more and she was relieved upon seeing that they have color already, a brighter shade of pink than they have been yesterday.

  She smiled as she watched his eyelids flutter in sleep as if he was dreaming. She wondered if he has blue eyes. Or brown. Or gray. But she guessed that whatever the color was, he would have beautif
ul eyes.

  “Hey,” Drew said. Amy jumped to her feet.

  “Yes?” she asked in feigned annoyance.

  “Aren’t you supposed to be home already?” he asked.

  “Um, yes, I’m just doing last minute check on my patients,” she replied.

  Drew smiled, but his eyes were concerned. “I see.”

  “Quit watching my actions,” Amy said.

  Drew’s eyebrows rose, “Who said I was?” Then he laughed.

  Amy stood up and closed the curtains on him. “Out!” she yelled.

  Drew left, chuckling.

  When Amy turned around, she was surprised to see Brandon looking at her.

  “Hi,” she whispered. “How are you feeling?” she said.

  Brandon’s eyes travelled from left to right, as though examining where he was. “I’m very thirsty,” he said.

  Amy leapt to her feet and took out bottled water. She put on straw and moved the bottle closer to his lips.

  “Here,” she offered, “drink some.”

  She watched as very slowly, water rose inside the straw. Brandon’s throat moved as he swallowed the water.

  “I’m glad you’re OK,” Amy said.

  Brandon looked at her. “Did you call my wife?” he asked.

  Amy’s face paled. So he’s married. She had all the rotten luck in the world. She liked men in uniform who are married.

  Slowly, she shook her head. “No. We didn’t know who to contact,” she answered.

  Brandon smiled, relieved. “Thank goodness. I don’t want her to worry,” he said. He closed his eyes and exhaled loudly. “Would you mind lending me your cell phone? I’d like to call my wife,” he said.

  Amy stood up. A man in uniform, and a loving husband. It was her who exhaled this time, wondering when she would ever meet someone who would love her the way she wanted to be loved. But in the meantime, she checked her purse and took out her cell phone.

  “I’m so glad you’re OK,” she said as she handed Brandon her cell phone.

  Brandon smiled at her gratefully, “Thank you,” he said.

  For the meantime, the warm smile that Brandon gave her would be enough. And it was Amy’s turn to smile back.